Ranma will go to ANY lengths to keep his harem (excuse me, I mean
fiancees) from being snatched by other men (or women).  (Just watch,
anytime ANYBODY looks like they're getting serious with Akane or Ukyou
or Shampoo, Ranma will throw on a dress (or whatever) to "save" them)

    Whoa, I think you're maligning Ranma here.  For the moment, let's
leave aside the Reversal Jewel story.  When does Ranma ever show signs
of being jealous about anyone paying attention to Ukyo or Shampoo?  Yes,
he fights Mousse, and Tsubasa, and Konatsu, for that matter, but that's
because they've attacked him.

    He's willing to help Mousse get a date with Shampoo when Mousse is
involved with that statue.  He's not at all upset at the prospect of
Ryoga and Ukyo getting involved during the Tunnel of Lost Love story.

    Of course he tries to stop anyone from getting serious with Akane -
he's in love with her.  He's not in love with the others.

    At this point someone will say, "What about the Reversal Jewel?"  I
would argue (actually, this is my wife's argument) thus: if Ranma isn't
upset at the prospect of Shampoo getting involved with Mousse, it must
be the thought that Shampoo has simply stopped caring about him that
bothers him.  Considering Ranma's character and history, this is perhaps
explicable.

    Ranma's entire life has been spent with his father.  Along with all
the rest of Genma's other faults (and they are legion), he has never
shown any signs of being particularly affectionate.  We know of exactly
two friends Ranma made during his childhood (three if we count the old
woman who could bring him out of the Neko-ken), and none of those lasted
more than a few months at most, since the Saotomes never spent much more
time than that anywhere, it seems.  He has apparently known very few
girls before his arrival in Nerima, and although generally proud and
confident, even vain and somewhat arrogant about his looks and abilities,
he seems quite insecure in his dealings with the opposite sex.  He's
reluctant to express his true feelings, and is very unsure about how the
girl he loves feels about him.  The notion that one of the few sources
of love and uncritical admiration available to him has turned against him
might well be extremely worrying.

    To sum up, Ranma is emotionally immature (a trait he shares with Akane),
and perhaps starved for affection, but I think it does him an injustice
to describe him as being possessive towards anyone other than Akane (and
his mother).

Reid Carson
rcarson@mnsinc.com