Mark:

>But Ranma is shown to have some control over it. In the Cologne arc,
Ranma
>uses Shampoo to force himself into the Cat-fist technique so that he
can
>beat Cologne.

Like Swee said, that was *before* he went into the Cat-Fist.  Ranma has
the advantage of going into SHEER OBLIVION when he goes "cat".
Therefore he knows nothing about being a cat.  What he knows is the
terror he goes through before he breaks into cat mode.

If you remember Ranma doesn't remember anything after coming out of
cat-mode, as proven in vol. 5 of the manga, where the cat-fist is first
introduced.

So, this disproves your theory that Ranma has any control over it.  The
fact is, he has NONE.

>I think you're trying to make
>the Cat-fist technique look worse than it actually is.


Okay.  Can I ask you one question?

Do you have a phobia?

*I* have a phobia.  I am deathly afraid of cockroaches.  I'm also afraid
of spiders, lizards, etc., but I fear cockroaches the most.  Why?
Because I became "closely acquainted" with one when I was a little girl,
and that experience was one I never forgot.  I'm afraid of them to this
day.  I feel ashamed of it.  I'm 21 years old and I'm afraid of a little
bug I can easily squash under my foot.

When I see one, I run away and scream for someone to pound on it and
kill it.  Once, about a year ago, one dropped on my thigh, and I
couldn't swat it off, I stood up and jumped up and down, and started
screaming non-stop on top of my lungs for more than 15 seconds, so
loudly that my family rushed into my room in panic.

I'm even afraid of a _dead_ cockroach.

However, I realize that Ranma's fear of cats is much MUCH worse than my
phobia.  He was *five* years old when he was trained in the Cat-Fist - I
was about 7.  He had DOZENS of cats crawling all over him - I had only
one, that one time.  The cats scratched his eyes and skin and drew
blood - I wasn't scratched at all, but after I felt its touch on me, I
took a second bath and scrubbed my skin so hard I almost scraped it
off... and I STILL felt filthy.

I cannot even begin to imagine the terror he went through that first
time.  And the next few times, when his bastard father refused to gave
up and kept throwing him into the pit over and over and OVER again.

He's paralyzed into immobility when in close contact with a cat.  I can
still run, shout at the top of my lungs for someone to come and help me.
When Ranma's fear goes over the scales, he's not even capable of
*moving*.

I came in close contact with a cockroach for about 5 seconds.  Ranma?
It has to be longer.  Minutes.  I don't know how long, but it's certain
to be more than just a couple of minutes.

THAT is why I recognize the Neko-ken as Ranma's greatest weakness, and
just because he gets an all-powerful technique from it, that doesn't
make his suffering any less terrible.

If you don't have a phobia, even one at its earliest phase, you can't
possibly understand.

>So we've got Ranma parading around as a girl
>because he enjoys all the benefits of a girl's body. That's hardly the
>actions of someone who _hates_ turning into a girl.

So we've got Ryouga parading around as a little black pig and enjoying
all the benefits that came with the Jyusenkyo SoD Pig package deal.
That doesn't seem like the actions of someone who _hates_ turning into a
pig.

>Addition: And he seems
>to have no qualms about turning into a girl and wearing girl's clothes
>whenever he wants to fight another girl.


Addition:  He seems to have no qualms about turning into a pig and
jumping into a girl's bed whenever he's starved for affection.

*YOU* are the one who makes it seem like Ryouga's curse is a lot lot
worse than it really is.

>Let me restate and revise my earlier statment. Despite Ranma's and his
>family's percieved absolute disgrace/hatred of turning into a girl,
it's
>still an all around better curse than any of the other cast, barring
maybe
>Genma and Pantyhose Taro.


For you.

For us?  No.  For Ranma?  _Are you out of your freaking mind?_

The simple fact is that _everyone_ of them hates the Jyusenkyo curse,
except possibly Genma and Tarou.

Another undeniable fact is that _everyone_ of them is able to find a way
to turn that weakness into an advantage, when the need arises.  Ranma
with the cute-girl routine, Ryouga with P-chan disguise.  Mousse can
fight in his duck form.  So can Shampoo in her cat form.

And _everyone_ of them will gladly jump into the SoD Man (SoD Girl for
Shampoo) when given the chance.

Like most of our arguments in this debate, this one is also entirely
subjective in nature.  It's pointless to keep on arguing this point
since we'll never agree on it anyway.

On another note, for SailorMoon fans, does anyone know what the name is
of the guy Luna falls in love with in vol. 11?  Remember, a tall thin
guy with wavy blond hair, who's interested in astrology?  And the name
of his girlfriend, too, the girl with long black hair?

Also, could you recommend a good site where I could get some pictures of
them?  After Mamoru, he's my most favorite guy in Sailor Moon. ^_^

That's all for me tonight.

Stiffanie Flores