If you were Ranma which fiancee would you choose?

[antimatterenergy]

Amazon is how it's translated but it's closer to "woman hero tribe". Amazon's a pretty good translation but it also makes you think of the Greek amazons and their way of living and it's not the quite the same.
We do see Shampoo's father at least once working in the restaurant but he's a minor character (unless you count the NES game where he was the final boss) and I don't remember which manga it was (think he's seen in the background while Ranma is working at the restaurant trying to get phoenix pill but I could be wrong).
While it does appear that they are a matriarchal tribe there is no evidence that they treat males any worse than most of the world has treated females and probably quite a bit better. If they were as matriarchal as they are usually portrayed there is no way that mouse would be able to get away with the stuff he does as well as the disrespect he shows to Cologne. Also Ranma maybe exempt from being considered a second class citizen because of his martial art abilities (something they value) as well as his curse.
Another thing if the Amazons where oppressing males so much why would they allow Mouse to become as powerful as he is?
Also beyond a few chapters of the manga in which it is shown that they want Ranma to go to China nothing is shown that Shampoo wouldn't be willing to go where ever Ranma wants to. Also Shampoo's village newspaper printed an article about Shampoo already living with Ranma and being a happy couple so the village at least sees no problem with Shampoo staying in Japan and being with Ranma.

[mondu_the_fat]

Amazon is how it's translated but it's closer to "woman hero tribe". Amazon's a pretty good translation but it also makes you think of the Greek amazons and their way of living and it's not the quite the same.

so?

We do see Shampoo's father at least once working in the restaurant but he's a minor character (unless you count the NES game where he was the final boss) and I don't remember which manga it was (think he's seen in the background while Ranma is working at the restaurant trying to get phoenix pill but I could be wrong).

so? Mousse works there as well. He gets tons of respect, right? And again, where is this supposed scene where Shampoo's father's equality is unequivocally shown?

While it does appear that they are a matriarchal tribe there is no evidence that they treat males any worse than most of the world has treated females and probably quite a bit better.

Speculation. And because they are matriarchal, this means women make the decisions. Its impossible to be "treated better" without representation.

If they were as matriarchal as they are usually portrayed there is no way that mouse would be able to get away with the stuff he does as well as the disrespect he shows to Cologne.

What "stuff" does he get away with that Cologne doesn't specifically punish him for (when she can)?

Also Ranma maybe exempt from being considered a second class citizen because of his martial art abilities (something they value) as well as his curse.

speculation.

Another thing if the Amazons where oppressing males so much why would they allow Mouse to become as powerful as he is?

How powerful is he? Take note that neither shampoo nor cologne pay him much respect. For a people who value martial arts prowess, this says something.

Also beyond a few chapters of the manga in which it is shown that they want Ranma to go to China nothing is shown that Shampoo wouldn't be willing to go where ever Ranma wants to.

What "beyond few chapters in the manga?" Isn't that the realm of fanfiction?
It was also never shown that Shampoo not want to be a magical girl fighting for love and justice, but should I take that as proof that she wants to become one?

Also Shampoo's village newspaper printed an article about Shampoo already living with Ranma and being a happy couple so the village at least sees no problem with Shampoo staying in Japan and being with Ranma.

The first article was blatantly false, and the latter one showing Ranma beaten by the twins isn't true either. Hardly a reliable newspaper, wouldn't you say?

[antimatterenergy]

Only mentioned the translation becuase when people hear amazon they think of the greek amazons and you really shouldn't because we don't know how much the amazons in the manga are like the greek ones.
I never said that Mouse's father was shown respect only that he was shown in the manga another time besides being upset that Shampoo was cursed.
I've been thinking about it and really we have no idea as to how the tribe is governed we only think that it's ruling class is entirely female becuase it's a tribe that's name is similiar to amazons and haven't seen any males in power. (didn't see any males besides Mouse and Shampoo's dad). It's entirely possible that the tribe is run equally by males and females.
They don't respect mouse for his actions but Mouse is pretty powerful in that he is able to fight Ranma better then Shampoo was and if they were completely anti-male as seen in many fanfiction they wouldn't have allowed Mouse to get even that powerful. Also Cologne wouldn't teach any males i.e. Ryoga and Ranma any martial art techniques that would make them more powerful.
Only mentioned that Shampoo might not mind living where ever Ranma went becuase you mentioned being dragged back to her village. Also there is no proof that Shampoo would drag Ranma back to her village only that they would like Ranma to be there.
The newspaper is not very reliable but it does say that Shampoo is living with Ranma so going by that at least some members of Shampoo's tribe don't care if Shampoo doesn't ever bring Ranma.

[mondu_the_fat]

Only mentioned the translation becuase when people hear amazon they think of the greek amazons and you really shouldn't because we don't know how much the amazons in the manga are like the greek ones.

Again, so?

I never said that Mouse's father was shown respect only that he was shown in the manga another time besides being upset that Shampoo was cursed.

Then why mention it after it was said that working at nekohanten is a mark that men were equal to women and I said no?

I've been thinking about it and really we have no idea as to how the tribe is governed we only think that it's ruling class is entirely female because it's a tribe that's name is similiar to amazons and haven't seen any males in power. (didn't see any males besides Mouse and Shampoo's dad). It's entirely possible that the tribe is run equally by males and females.

By your argument, its also entirely possible that they're run by penguins. fact is, men are rarely seen. I don't know about you, but in a society where men are rarely seen, the one constant man shown is treated like dirt (despite your obviously contradicting responses regarding power) and women are often shown to represent both warrior and ruling class pretty much means they aren't on equal footing.

They don't respect mouse for his actions but Mouse is pretty powerful in that he is able to fight Ranma better then Shampoo was and if they were completely anti-male as seen in many fanfiction they wouldn't have allowed Mouse to get even that powerful.

This statement makes absolutely no sense.

Also Cologne wouldn't teach any males i.e. Ryoga and Ranma any martial art techniques that would make them more powerful.

What? Did you just say Cologne wouldn't teach Ranma and Ryoga techniques to make them more powerful?

The newspaper is not very reliable but it does say that Shampoo is living with Ranma so going by that at least some members of Shampoo's tribe don't care if Shampoo doesn't ever bring Ranma.

That's one stretch of logic. Newpaper is lying=its ok for Shampoo to stay in japan.

[Vasey]

We do see Shampoo's father at least once working in the restaurant but he's a minor character (unless you count the NES game where he was the final boss) and I don't remember which manga it was (think he's seen in the background while Ranma is working at the restaurant trying to get phoenix pill but I could be wrong).

You see him talking to the guide while Cologne and Shampoo are 'training' at Jusenkyo.

[crystlshake]

Out of the four I see Ukyo and Shampoo as having flaws that are the most tollerable (not that Ranma doesnt have any himself). I would pick Shampoo over Ukyo for the reason that interest wise they seem to have a little more in common (fighting then food). Aside from the martial arts suppository that the Amazons posses, I see her as being the option that would provide him with the most opportunity for adventure. That is assuming of course that Ukyo would want a stable restraunt instead of a food cart to do bussiness from.
Though Ukyo seems the most level headed, she still may take out the spatula for a beating if suspicious. The hardest thing to get over for Shampoo would be the rocky start with the whole kill girl ranma thing. However, far enough into the story the maliscous intent would no longer be something to wonder about. She also has the sympathetic advantage about the curse and over time may be able to help Ranma cope with his fear/reduce it to make it less extreame.

[Dark Magic]

Also Cologne wouldn't teach any males i.e. Ryoga and Ranma any martial art techniques that would make them more powerful.

Cologne probably only taught Ranma techniques to try and get him to join the tribe.
Also the tournament that Ranma interrupts is a girl only tourny so if they would equal wouldn't they have a male one also.

[antimatterenergy]

amazon women are rarely seen as well only one's seen are shampoo, cologne, and a few at the tournament which for all we know is girls only. (link and Pink were not from the same village) We assume they are matriarchal because of the village's name but we have no proof one way or the other. We also have no proof that males are second class citizens because we aren't shown any males besides mouse who they don't respect because of his actions and Shampoo's dad which the author of the manga didn't feel like giving screen time. That they are matriarchal or treat men as second class citizens is also pure speculation.
If a country/city/whatever were militaristic-ally matriarchal or patriarchal then they would not allow people of the opposite sex to gain power that could threaten them and martial arts power would be a threat to the ruling class. Mouse is more powerful than Shampoo the village champion if they were truley against males rising in power why would they allow mouse to train in martial arts? or teach males any techniques that could eventually threaten them?
Another way of putting it if you were the ruling class would you allow the surpressed class to get any abilities that could threaten your power. If the surpressed class where allowed to gain abilities that could eventually make them more powerful then you in even one way it could lead to a revolt by the surpressed class.
Only mentioned Shampoo's father at all becuase you mentioned you only remember seeing him once. That was not mentioned to show that the amazons respect him only that he is seen at other times then you remember.
Even though we are shown that the amazons would like Ranma to go to China, where in the manga does it show that they would force Ranma to go there if Shampoo married Ranma?
Also even though their village name translates to amazons doesn't mean that they are. There are alot of cities with names that don't reflect there people like Jersey Shore pennsylvania a city not near any body of water and there for has no shore. or Hurricane Utah where a hurricane has never been and probably never will be.

[TerraEpon]

Also the tournament that Ranma interrupts is a girl only tourny so if they would equal wouldn't they have a male one also.

Who says there's not?
There's a lot of interpretation, but there's nothing shown in the manga that says "they treat men bad as a rule". Shampoo of course doesn't like Mousse...but Akane doesn't like Kuno either. Cologue likely treats him that way because of how he acts toward Shampoo.
As others said, Mousse is very good at martial arts, very likley better than Shampoo. If they REALLY were the way some fics said, we wouldn't even see him.
-Joshua

[Cyber_Skaarj]

I'd choose Ukyou, just 'cos in my personal opinion she's not only cute and a good cook, but also the most fun to be around of the lot.

Amazon is how it's translated but it's closer to "woman hero tribe". Amazon's a pretty good translation but it also makes you think of the Greek amazons and their way of living and it's not the quite the same.

Now, I'm going to lay to rest this mistaken assumption that the chinese amazons aren't in any way related to the greek ones. It has been proven that the Amazons of greek legend migrated to the east and settled there in ancient times. I even watched a documentary where they tracked down one of the decendants of those amazons living in a nomadic community somewhere in the western-most regions of east Asia (she was proven to be a decendant through a DNA test by the way).

[antimatterenergy]

You saw the documentary about the horse nomads of asia as well. That are usually called amazons becuase the women were the equals of the men. Those amazons are very different than the amazons of greek legend who did not live with any men except for breading purposes. The reason women where equal to men was simple they had a very hard and violent life style and a healthy, athletic, well-trained woman can shoot a bow and arrow from the back of a galloping horse just as well as a man. I can easily see the amazons from Ranma being those amazons. I even considered writing a history of the amazons as a sort of fanfiction and would have included those amazons and their lifestyle.

[Cyber_Skaarj]

You're failing to see my point. I was trying to state that the chinese amazons that Takahashi created seem to be based off of the greek legend and the fact that it's been proven that those amazons (whether they be correctly protrayed in said legends or not) migrated east.

[Hiryo]

I agree with stag here, KAsumi rulez

Mee three, however the poll only let me choose one of those.

[Dragonboy]

Firstly, in regards to the Amazon argument, Blade & Epsilon make some pretty good points...

The people are not named "the Amazons". Their village is not "the Amazon village". They are the Joketsuzoku, and they live in the village of Nyuuchezu . They also do not oppress their men. Or, if they do, it's an awfully crappy form of oppression, since Mousse (who lived in the village most or all of his life) is a more powerful martial artist than their female champion, has never been stopped from sexually harassing their female champion, is better-educated than their female champion, and can take off to wherever in the world he wants any time he wants.
It also bears mentioning that if the Joketsuzoku wanted to oppress their men, trying to marry men who are strong enough to beat them in battle would be an awfully counterproductive move.

And in regards to the poll, if I were Ranma I'd choose Shampoo, because I'd have access to many powerful martial arts techniques and secrets, I could still carry on the Anything Goes school even if I didn't have the dojo it belongs to, and being so close to Jusenkyo would offer a perfect chance to get cures for myself and Shampoo.

[Rei-chan]

I picked Ukyo of the options, not that I think she is a good choice. Just of his fiancees, she is the only one to almost treat him like a person.