Beautiful and very a big Shampoo fan, I also love the role you found for her in the story. First time I hear about the Ainu...you've just given me an excuse to go to the library tomorrow ;)

Be safe.

I read this story a while ago, before even having a account here, and now would like to share my thoughts on it.

I'm not much on philosophy (couldn't stand that class during college), but your take on the different girls that are interested in Ranma certainly does ring true. Though, by the end of the series, I think each of the girls is rather dependent on Ranma for their future in one way or another. Personally, I think Ukyo would be the quickest to get over it, seeing as how quickly she went from enemy to fiancee. Not sure how the other two would deal with losing Ranma but there are tons of other fanfics out there that answer that for us.

The spelling and grammar are superb. I can't stand reading through a story that's a chore to read, no matter how good it is.

The story is short but sweet and leaves much for the reader to think about. For that, this has my approval.

Till next time!

I enjoyed your story, on the other hand, it is true (as 'Another Duck' said) that this structure and philosophy is very generalistic in nature.

In any case, your adaption of it to the 'Ranmaverse' is quite fitting, although I noted that for the first two "tenses" you explained Ranma's point of view, and for the "future tense" you switched to Shampoo, and that kind of perplexed me.

Turning around things, and keeping Shampoo as third "tense", I would have imagined that Ranma could also have a possible future with her, being she the only one that would enbody Ranma's only reason to exist: to become the strongest Martial Artist in the world. Neither Ukyo nor Akane would be able to, while Shampoo could be the ticket to training with China's strongest martial artists (and it indeed is one of the promises Cologne uses to lure Ranma in marrying Shampoo). So, if we look away from the simple 'love story', she is the one that can offer him the most.

In Canon reality, it is true that there is no viable future planned for any of "Ranma 1/2" charachters, as the original author built them with great care so to avoid any actual matching happening.

The failed marriage scene in the end of the manga always kind of seemed rather awkward, to me at least. You know, sort of trying to force an ending in the last ten pages of the manga since Mrs. Takahashi wanted to move on with the Inu Yasha project or something like that.

I also would like to address the points that Another Duck made in his review regarding your philosophy. There are indeed many, many ways to take away either past or future from someone.

For example, if the past is represented by this someone's parents, for istance. Losing them would in effect sever his ties with the past, and will undoubtedly cause a 'wound'.

Likewise, the future can be represented by this someone's offspring, and I cannot think of something worse than losing a son.

It's a decent philosophical fic, but it doesn't have much to do with Ranma. There are tons of philosophical topics you could apply this way and reach different results, or even different interpretations of the same.

As for the actual philosophy, I'm not sure I agree. The past is important in that it is what made us the way we are today, but it's nothing you can take away, unless you have a time machine, or for a different interpretation, a memory eraser/suppresser. At any rate, you don't need to follow it, and if you remain the same person if it's taken away, you don't need it.

The future is almost always described as hope, which I agree with. However, the future is also ours to shape. You can take away certain, specific paths, but not it all. If you're bound by it, you've given up on the options you do have.

If you have enough faith, or simply don't care enough, you can live only in the present. Some people envy people like that, while others say it's reckless to not plan for the future. But when it comes down to it, the present is all we can affect. The next step is the most important, as that's the one we are going to take next. It's not a step we have taken, and thus don't require thinking about. It's not a step further into the future either, as we still need to take the next step to get to that point. To even reach it, the next step is more important.

All of this may not apply to the fic directly, but it's in the ballpark, and for me, it sort of conflicts with the story here.

Also, I think it's a little sad that so many people are excluding Kodachi, as she, in either the manga or anime, actually is Ranma's finaceé like the others else. She definitely lives in the present. But then, time only has three norns.

Hmm... I've never really thought much about it from Shampoo's point of view. I've always viewed her as more of a spoiled, picky woman.

Mousse may not be the greatest catch, but he definitely loves her! I am convinced that he could quite handily defeat Shampoo in combat (though since he's not an outsider, would she have to marry him?), provided that his glasses remain intact and on his face, IF he could ever bring himself to actually lift a hand against her. He's actually rather pathetic, to be so devoted when all she ever does is heap abuse upon him. I feel more sorry for him than any other character, I think... except possibly Ukyo.

Speaking of Ukyo, my personal opinion is that she would be the best match for Ranma. She's a fine martial artist in her own right, and actually treats him nicely! Furthermore, they actually have a normal friendship, unlike him and Akane. My own wife and I were friends before we became romantically involved; we still consider each other our best friend even after five years together - we married last July.

I don't know if Akane has "no attachment" to Ranma... they've been through hell and back fifteen times together, much like Inuyasha and Kagome... what a coincidence! He always sticks his neck out to save her (even when she doesn't want him to), but that could be just his desire to protect pretty much ALL women, including creepy girls like Kodachi; that woman gives me the shivers.

I do like your comparisons... very well thought out. Keep it up!

I'm in love with this!

It also kinda shows a tint of Ranma/Shampoo... kinda...

Keep up the good work 'cause I love stories like these! :)

Very nice, thought provoking, et humble piece.

Admittedly, there is very little written about the Ainu. What there is, seems to be contradictory. I researched them for a story I was writing for NaNoWriMo.

Having said that, this is an interesting, albeit confusing (at least to me) story.

I can probably poke a hole in here, but it was rather enjoyable.

Very nice, very nice. Now if only someone would explain this to those bitches of fiancees!

Nice philisophical piece. But, are you insinuating anything with this or are you just being philisophical?