Just who is Ranma Saotome?

[Spica75]

Are you kidding? Shounen characters like him are practically a dime a dozen without a "gimmick" like his curse.

Ok, so state 5 other characters that fights LIKE HIM. You wont find them, because Ranma´s fighting style is VERY unusual and not like the common goons at all. You can probably find others that are somewhat alike something Ranma does this or that time, but not the same style.

[Crescent Pulsar S]

Ranma's fighting style is rather homogeneous of other fighting styles (high jumps, amazing acrobatics, abnormal strength, uncanny accuracy, rapid punches and kicks, uses at least some moves (among other things) that are based on real martial art styles, projectile energy, et cetera), if or until the situation calls for something that's actually different. In which case, it's often just a single technique that's added to the ho-hum, which may not even be used again. Aside from that, so much of the fighting he does involves learning and using other styles, and/or the techniques from them, not his own. And even in that capacity, it's not unusual for other fighting shounen characters to do that. It's almost expected, really.

It's not really a style of fighting that defines a character, in this case, as it's not really indicative of his personality. If so, then only superficially, which would be like asking how much of Ranma's physical appearance we could change before he becomes unrecognizable. It's more about what he does with what he knows, and I'm afraid it's also fairly stereotypical for characters of his kind. Being brash, cocky, proud and confident? Being stubborn and determined to win? Always winning in the end, after being on the ropes or having lost previously? Accomplishing that after learning a new style and/or technique? Ranma might as well be beating himself, because his type of character has been so done to death.

But, how many male characters of this type get abducted by a martial artist desiring a bride? That's where the difference is immediately obvious. It's not entirely unique of Ranma, of course, but which sex he happens to be at any particular time opens up opportunities, experiences and circumstances that can only be matched by very, very few others. Not just as a matter of access, but also as a medium of expression, which adds a dimension to his character that many others of his ilk don't have.

[Spica75]

But, how many male characters of this type get abducted by a martial artist desiring a bride? That's where the difference is immediately obvious. It's not entirely unique of Ranma, of course, but which sex he happens to be at any particular time opens up opportunities, experiences and circumstances that can only be matched by very, very few others. Not just as a matter of access, but also as a medium of expression, which adds a dimension to his character that many others of his ilk don't have.

That´s a matter of "how easy is it to come up with odd stories for him", that doesn´t in any way define HIM.

Ranma's fighting style is rather homogeneous of other fighting styles (high jumps, amazing acrobatics, abnormal strength, uncanny accuracy, rapid punches and kicks, uses at least some moves (among other things) that are based on real martial art styles, projectile energy, et cetera), if or until the situation calls for something that's actually different. In which case, it's often just a single technique that's added to the ho-hum, which may not even be used again. Aside from that, so much of the fighting he does involves learning and using other styles, and/or the techniques from them, not his own. And even in that capacity, it's not unusual for other fighting shounen characters to do that. It's almost expected, really.

Point is, that if you saw stick figures fighting, you could almost certainly pick the one that is Ranma.

It's not really a style of fighting that defines a character, in this case, as it's not really indicative of his personality.

Commonly, that is true, but in Ranma´s case i have to say that it´s so much part of his life and self that is defining in many ways.

[Konsaki]

Point is, that if you saw stick figures fighting, you could almost certainly pick the one that is Ranma.

I laughed at this, mainly in derision. It would be impossible for your claim to be proven true because unless Ranma pulls out a 'signature move' unique to his universe (Hiryū Shōten Ha vs generic 'fireball') you wouldn't be able to determine who's who. And don't claim 'whoever wins' because Ranma loses quite a few times.

[Crescent Pulsar S]

That´s a matter of "how easy is it to come up with odd stories for him", that doesn´t in any way define HIM.

That evades the main point of what I said, which I led up to in the final sentence.

Point is, that if you saw stick figures fighting, you could almost certainly pick the one that is Ranma.

It's the one with the pigtail, right?

Like Konsaki mentioned, you'd need something like a signature move to identify him, but his signature moves are probably only less than one-percent of his overall knowledge and arsenal as a martial artist, so it wouldn't make sense to showcase his entire character on those alone, if we're going to say that his style brings out the Ranma in him (and the signature moves in question aren't even a part of his martial arts style). What you're doing to tell Ranma apart from other stick figures is superficial, basing it on a technique he knows that others don't, not on who he is as a person. It would be no different than what I just joked about, by pointing at the figure with the pigtail.

Commonly, that is true, but in Ranma´s case i have to say that it´s so much part of his life and self that is defining in many ways.

The truth of that is rather quite limited, and strays from the point. Rather, it would be nice if we could tell what kind of person someone was just by seeing how they punch, but -- more often than not -- it's the context in which that punch is delivered that is the defining moment. For instance: just because someone was raised to learn ninjutsu, that doesn't mean that they're a cold-blooded killer. There's not much that we can learn about someone based on what style they know, aside from the circumstances that led them to learn it and why, but it's how and why they use it that will largely elucidate who they are as a person, not the style itself. It's no different from using any other tool, because it's not the tool that decides how -- exactly -- they're to be used, but the user.

[Cheb]

Are you kidding? Shounen characters like him are practically a dime a dozen without a "gimmick" like his curse.

I may have a bias in my anime knowledge, but:
1. He fights smart while your typical shounen main character is an idiot hero (more often than not)
1a. He doesn't have a "wise mentor" figure guiding him. He's all by himself. Genma and Cologne do not count, they are circumstantial.
2. He is shady and guarded while most shounen main characters are naive and wear their heart on their sleeve.
3. (circumstantial) He never fights to save the world, but mostly for his own selfish goals.

[Crescent Pulsar S]

Yeah, your knowledge is incomplete, like practically everyone's is.

But, to properly respond...

1: No, he's an idiot often enough. Oftentimes he rushes in, or doesn't take things seriously enough, and has to wise up later in the fight.

1a: From my experience, many such characters don't have a wise mentor type guiding them, though they may have someone that they want to emulate or surpass in some way instead.

2: Ranma is both of those things; I couldn't say which he is more often, but I don't think either are so infrequent that it could be disregarded as insignificant.

3: Again, from my experience, fighting to save an endangered world is less frequent than fighting for other things and reasons. Either way, they're both typical, and more so if we break it down to what motivates them in both cases.

[PCHeintz72]

The 'endangered world' aspect is not fair to apply to or against Ranma based on his canon. The *only* fight, that could conceivably be called that, would be the Saffron fight. Merely because of the power, the potential, and personality of Saffron...

Herb, probably the 2nd biggest fight, would not class as such As Herb was more preoccupied with himself.

No other fight in manga or anime canon can be classed as that level in any canon continuity that Ranma has. Either they were not that powerful, or did not have aspirations or goals that big.

The question then becomes, what would he do when presented with such a fight? Which of course is not so much a matter of canon personality as author setup and storytelling.


I still think making a form of absolute bottom line checklist is fundamentally wrong fro determining how close or far a person is from their canon personality.