----- Original Message -----
From: "Arthur Hansen" <arthurh@utah-inter.net>
To: "Slyke" <morsamare@earthlink.net>
Cc: <ffml@fanfic.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2000 12:12 PM
Subject: [FFML] Re: [Ranma][Draft] Birthright
From: "Slyke" <morsamare@earthlink.net>
I do realize that while we the readers have said so much that are just
assumptions, aren't those assumptions the same ones Ranma would make?
It
doesn't really matter yet that she trained as hard as he did, he doesn't
know that to rationalize his defeat yet. He'd make a good many of the
same
assumptions that VGAP, myself, and undoubtable a few others have made.
Why would he? He's just met this Akane and has few preconceptions beyond
that she's a girl (which is problem).
He's seen that she lives in a nice house, that she has family and
friends, that however important she consideres Martial arts, there are other
things she values in life.
In short it's apparent that she hasn't sacraficed for the sake of the
art, and considering that Ranma just made a HUGE sacrafice of his own, the
idea of her being as good as him without having to sacrifice like he has is
going to be enough to bring out all his worst aspects.
On the subject of Ranma and hitting girls, I'm gonna have to point out,
that
that part of his personality will be submerged by his ego, until he
KNOWS
that she isn't in his league. I'm pretty sure it's just an excuse,
after
all, he took Shampoo out quickly enouph with a kick, and I really doubt
that
in this fanfic it was love at first sight as it was in the canon
Well, there's an attraction all ready, anyways. Love is probably a bit too
strong.
Besides he doesn't bring it up the whole "I don't hit girls" thing till
after he'd established to himself that Akane's not in his league.
It isn't any sort of deep held belief, it's just an excuse for not
fighting Akane.
At the begining, he simply spared with her the same way he fights almost
everybody, staying hyper defensive until he got a feel for how good she was.
With very few exceptions Ranma has never attacked without letting his
opponent show him their strength.
The other problem I see is the learning curve, while I am hesitant to
say
this because if Akane does put in 110% as you've stated, then she'd
probably
learn a bit more, but then, I'm almost certain that Genma was training
Ranma
to the limits of his body every single day, and I've always gotten the
impression that Genma is a better martial artist than Soun, which would
create another block.
Cannon Genma was better than Cannon Soun, because the old Soun fell to
peices after his wifes death. (This is how I see it, not nessesarily
everyones opinion). This Soun has been activily training and pushing Akane
as hard as he can. He might be a bit better. I'd say that he's definitely
a
better teacher. He does own a dojo that must have been used at some time!
There's no way of telling. Although Genma is definately better than
Soun because he created the Yama and Umi Sen Ken, there are no signs that
Soun ever created any sort of Martial art style.
Soun probably did run the Dojo at one point, but it's completely
conceivable that the Dojo was there before he took over and he never
actually taught a lesson to anyone besides Akane.
For that matter It's completely within the bounds of possibility that
the Dojo was suffering from Soun's incompetance as a teacher before his wife
died, and loosing her was simply the last straw.
But I'm not really wanting to argue the semantics on that, it's enouph
for
me if Akane is better to start, and I can picture he struggling to stay
that
way, but against people like Ranma and Ryoga that can learn techniques
after
just seeing them once, and taking into account the even at 110%
sometimes
natural ability will more than make up for the extra effort. If she
does
start to fall behind, think of the blow that will be to her ego,
expecially
if Ranma goes to Tofu to learn Shaitsu so as to beat her without hurting
her.
Ranma isn't quite that fast, though he is amazing. Ryoga is good, but it
did
take him a day or so to master the breaking point *with* a teacher.
They're
good, but not quite gods!
Hmm, well, contrasting Ranma's attitude with this Akane's 110% attitude
is something to think about. Normally Ranma approaches everything with a
very laid back passive attitude. Unless it's a challenge to him, in which
case he makes it the focus of an incredible ammount of concentration and
effort onto it. So his improvement isn't a constant thing, it's that he's
perpetually training and maintining an acceptable learning curve, but the
moment he is challenged, he brings his full learning potential to bear
against the situation and his learning curve shifts to near verticle.
So the fact is that when Ranma decides to focus in and train himself,
his skills are going to skyrocket. However if Akane is already directing
110% attutude onto her training, her current learning curve is almost as
steep as it can get. And there's not much chance of her being able to just
refocus her efforts to push herself faster, part of that 110% concentration
is an attachment to her endeavor, she's not just a great martial artist,
she's also a great student, and if she has to abandon one to attain the
other, it's going to be one more reason to hate Ranma.
And talent like that is partially training too. You aren't automatically a
good painter, just because you have a lot of talent as an artist. It takes
a
lot of work too. I know this from experience!
On another note, I wonder what would happen if someone told Kuno to seek
perfection through imperfection, after all his forms are all perfect,
and
that seems to be his problem, too predictable.
Nah, that's just an imperfection of form and style! ;-)
Anyways, I do look forward to chapter two
Keep up the good work
Later
Slyke
Thanks!
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