At 12:59 PM 7/25/97 -0700, you wrote:

Damon Casale wrote:

Here's a question for the fic writers out there.  Is Ranma, et. al,
afraid of commitment?  Or have they just not thought about it?

To be honest, I think that Ranma OFTEN mistakes glimpses of affections that
are directed toward him for love

As for the commitment bit . . . I have always thought that the Ranma in the
manga is not so much afraid of commitment than that he DON'T really feel any
REAL love toward any of his finacees (even though he likes thems).  Have you
see how Ranma acts under the effect of the magic fishing rod (manga 23)?
I'm not saying that's love: that's obssesion.  But Ranma's attraction to
Akane LACKS passion.  IT is based heavily on the fact that his father, and
the Tendos (his family) ALL tells him (or signals to him) that Akane IS the
right choice for him, even back when he barely knows her.  Ranma likes Akane
(at least int the beginning)  because by being with her, he can be accepted
by people that he sees as his "family".  His affection for Akane grows as he
gets to know her better, and how AKANE had riskes herself for him often
enough.  But still . . . his quest for Akane is more like a quest to gain
acceptance and stability than a quest for actual love (in my opinion anyway).  

If he ACTUALLY commits to her, however, then he will lose the affections and
acceptance of OTHERS (Fiancees and friends), who's acceptance is important
to him too.

To avoid having to choose between these two different sources of affections,
he, in all his 16 year old intelligence, simply lets the situation drags on.

But if he DOES find somebody that he can fall MADLY in love will, he WILL
abandon all this affection for the LOVE of that one girl.

        Adrian Wong