I am in a cranky mood, and I'm getting dang sick of this Ranma bashing.
I really don't know what on Earth you find wrong with this poor child?
Think, just for a second, of what this person has been put through in
his early life.  He was put through hardships that would drop you, me,
and most people I know darn near instantly.  However, he survived.  Not
only that, but he survived with honor and compassion.  Sure he's
narcissistic, but it's all in good fun.  Is it gloating when it's the
truth?  So he's not humble, give the guy one damn character flaw will
ya?  Let me shine some lights here on some of the people he is in
contact with:
Ryoga:  Ooo, biggie.  A great character this one.  Ranma considered him
a great friend.  He still does.  He enjoys his fights with him, and has
been very upset when Ryoga didn't fight him.  For Ranma, life is the
Fight.  It's just fun for him, and Ryoga will never explain or accept
appology for what has happened in the past.  
Akane and Nabiki:  I pair these for one reason.  He doesn't lift a
finger against them.  He loves one, and puts up with the other.  He
could easily frighten either into not bothering/hitting him.  However,
he will never, ever lift his hand against someone for such petty reasons
(and certainly not the person he loves, no matter what she does to him).
Oh, what a jerk he is!  A few other notes on Akane:  He likes getting
hit by her.  I have watched and watched Ranma provoke her for no
apparent reason (I mean, for *absolutely* no reason).  She swings, he
stands right in the way of the fist/object.  The best martail artist in
the world, *pow*.  Then, he jumps up and does it again!  Ergo, he likes
it.  There is no other explanation for it.  Don't ask me to explain why
he does, he just *does*. 
Ranma's fiancee problem:  First of all I want to stress the fact that
he's sixteen.  I'm eighteen and have no intention of getting hitched any
time soon, fiancee's or no.  Every one of the fiancee's, Kodachi
excluded (I don't consider her one anyway), has a legitimate claim.
Ukyo had her dowry taken, points to her.  Akane was engaged to him
before birth, in Japan (and a lot of modern civilizations for that
matter) this makes it official!  Shampoo has her tribal law.  Well,
while it's a little tribe, it's still the law.  Ignorance is no excuse.
Ranma did the crime, now he must do the time.  So, who's is the best
claim?  None.  So, when in a situation like this, love is the majority.
Hate to sound corny or cliche, but hey, it's what makes the world go
round.  It is the absolute that should (and will if any realism is
involved) solve this problem.  Regardless of what *some* of you out
there want to hear, he is stuck on Akane, and she on him, and that's
just the way Takahashi in all her glory wrote it.  End of subject.
Okay, Ranma's strength, of mind and body:  Don't ever doubt this boy is
the best (potentially) martial artist in the Ranmaverse.  He has beaten
Cologne, no matter how, he did it.  She is three hundred years old!  He
is sixteen!  And she is not exactly troubled by arthritis or something
that would effect her fighting ability in any way shape or form.  Yet,
he did it.  Given time, he will be able to do it consistantly, even
Cologne knows this.  She is training him after all.  I have a feeling
she only personally trains those who have the potential to be greater
than her, otherwise, why waste her time?  In brain power.  Okay, so he's
not book smart.  Whoopy.  School is not exactly important to him.  All
that matters to him is The Art, that's all that needs to matter to him
really.  He has an incredible amount of common sense, and the ability to
think his way out of any situation given time and motivation.  In a
minute he can gauge an opponent's skill level and artform.  Then, he
defeats them.  Rarely does he have to go to his limits to do so.  He
once said "If it has Martial Arts in the title, I can beat it!".  Damn
right.  Proved *countless times* that he was damn right.  
Well, I'm feeling pretty good now that that's all out.  Everyone has a
right to their opinion.  However, to just blatently rip apart and
distort or crush Ranma for personal gratification is an insult to the
character's spirit and it's creator (May Rumiko put a hex on you).  
PMasters, end of rant.
"Man, I wish Revenge Fics were *real*!" - Ranma while reading Slayers
Half (no offense to the author, for it is well written.  You just
utterly distort Ranma beyond belief)  

"Time seems to stand quite still.  In a child's world, it always will."
- The Moody Blues
/ My anime fanfiction page:
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/ E-mail at:  PhilMasters@webtv.net
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