It would be more like learning several programming languages. Some programming languages are remarkably similar (Haskell and ML, Java and C++), and some are so disparate that comparing the two is nearly impossible (Haskell and Java, MS Excel and Polish Notation Calculator, Visual Basic and Actor Model). Dealing with similar languages requires very little adaptation or change... though it does involve some. Learning and mastering all of these languages can be done in just a few years by someone of average intelligence... that's not particularly impressive. What is impressive is learning the problems one needs to solve, and learning to solve them... which is something you just translate to whatever language you happen to be using.

Ranma has spent over fifteen years learning the problems and how to solve them, and has learned a great number of styles along the way. Learning the styles is not particularly impressive... it can be done easily, especially by someone trained for it, and Genma has undoubtedly trained Ranma for exactly that task. But that training has taught more than just the styles... it has taught how to fight, how to move, when to move, and where. The styles aren't so relevant once you're at the point of true mastery... much better is doing whatever is appropriate at the time. And Ranma has learned to do exactly that. Anything goes.

That is impressive, and speaks of talent, interest, and dedication to the art matching those of young 11-year-old chess and go masters (yes, they exist too). However, it does not speak of remarkable intelligence. You'd be surprised how many 11-year-old chess and go masters are just above average when it comes to tests in ANY other intellectual area.

The idea that "Oh! Ranma did this! Ranma's a genius and can learn anything in two weeks!" is nice for the authors of Mary Sue stories (who'd do it no matter the character) but isn't founded in reality.

I'll try and state it this way; martial arts mastery has many of the characteristics one would associate with "intelligence" in the classical sense. In the most general of terms, intelligence is not only the ability to recall facts, but the ability to learn new facts and commit them to memory. Mastering martial arts fits this very broad definition. Mechanistically, in order to learn martial arts, you have to learn it first (which is one separate brain process), and then create memories (specifically, modern medicine would call it the creation of non-declarative memory, another separate brain process). When using martial arts, one would then call upon non-declarative memory (which is associated with piano playing and other trained movements), and perhaps some declarative memory as well (which is associated with declaring facts off the top of the head).

So mechanistically, mastering martial arts is nearly the same as cultivating one's intelligence in academic areas. The major difference is the usage of non-declarative memory vs. declarative memory. The output can mechanistically be considered the same since in order to express learned knowledge, one needs to control somatic muscles in order to write down answers on a test, or fight a person in a sparring match.

Creativity, on the other hand, is a little more complicated aspect of intelligence that is hard to define through brain processes. But I don't think Ranma's creativity, and ability to use his martial arts in unique situations in new ways, was ever in question.

I never said Ranma could learn anything in 2 weeks. I find that about as ludicrous as you guys do, since the ability to learn one thing easily doesn't mean someone is capable of learning everything with equal proficiency. I just said that you guys perhaps didn't give Ranma enough credit. I think that in our society, we define intelligence in a way that is not necessarily accurate. I believe that mastery of an instrument, or of martial arts, is comparable to intelligence in a academic field in that all are indicative of the same kinds of brain functions. In this sense, I would call Ranma fairly intelligent, since I believe above average intelligence is required for the mastery of anything. I will admit that Ranma is not, in the classical sense, intelligent in academics. He's pretty average, or even below average, in that aspect.

As a conclusion, I'll admit that my points probably have no bearing on Ranma's sorting process (Ravenclaw, as I understand it, is about the pursuit of worldly knowledge, and not necessarily intelligence, since that's a quality found in all houses), but it's fun to banter with you two. I hope I'm not too out of line, since I'm pretty sure I went way off topic, and I'm scaring away all the other posters.

Martial arts mastery certainly requires intelligence, but I'd not agree that it associates directly with "intelligence" in the classical sense. The closest corollary is video-games... e.g. action fighting games. Some people can casually pick up games like Ninja Gaiden Sigma, toss it into the highest mode, and waltz through it... taking only a few minutes to pick up the moves for their character. They are masters. What separates them from the rest of us is a variety of things... interest, dedication, experience in a vast array of other challenging video-games, etc. Even 'talent' falls somewhere in there. One might mention hand-eye coordination, but that's as much a consequence of previous experience as it is a genetic ability. Playing the video-game at that level of mastery takes outstanding timing, excellent sense of tactics and strategy, a very good memory for the movement-patterns of your opponents and your character, etc. - a lot of things associated with intelligence.

And, undoubtedly, having great intelligence would significantly aide a person in gaining such mastery.

However, there is very little correlation at all between mastery of that gamepad and other areas of intelligence such as scholastic fitness. There is some, but it is small. It /does/ correlate extremely well, however, to other tasks that require excellent reactions or hand-eye coordination... such as surgery, shooting a gun at people's heads when they pop around corners, and similar things. The masters of the gamepad can pick these things up far, far faster than their more regular counterparts. Studies show that playing video-games has a higher correlation to success at surgery than does experience in that particular surgery!

Mechanistically, mastering martial arts is not at all similar to "cultivating intelligence" in academic areas. It does exercise the brain, but so does any diverse set of experiences. Brains are incredibly flexible instruments, but there'd be almost no translation between the two except where the brain can connect (associate) an academic subject directly to martial arts experience. There will be areas this can happen... e.g. the training to think in three dimensions might help in geometry or physics... and the hand-eye coordination would certainly help dissect a frog. But, as far as writing down answers on a test, the most the martial arts experience can do is aide in moving the hand really fast... which might be useful if you have a fast-flowing pen and can think of the answers fast. It also helped Ranma improve handwriting from crappy to excellent in just a month.

The existence of autism, fortunate or otherwise, makes it quite clear that mastery (e.g. of an instrument or martial art) doesn't require any sort of general intelligence.

I don't think Ranma is autistic... though it wouldn't be beyond plausible to call him borderline autistic (e.g. Asperger's) if a non-AU story called for it. Canonically, Ranma's social and academic skills weren't outside the normal range (albeit below average, but still normal) for a blundering 16 year-old boy. He just had more stressful situations than most 16 year-olds ever face.

Anyhow, we consider Ranma's intelligence to be average or slightly above (for a person Ranma's age... not for an eleven year-old). Canon doesn't provide sufficient evidence for more than that, and our story doesn't require it. In fact, we consider it better for our story to stick with the canonical level... it makes for more interesting challenges.

You'll need to forgive me for jumping on you like that. We've seen plenty of people argue, quite vehemently, that Ranma can learn anything by seeing it once or given just a couple weeks. And by "anything" they meant: organic chemistry, automotive engine repair, rocket science, business, politics, you name it... /anything/. All he needs to do is treat it like a martial art, right? Feh. it makes for a fun Mary Sue, and I often enjoy those immensely, but those aspects that make a fun Mary Sue generally ruin the rest of any story. Stories thrive on challenge.

I also find banter quite enjoyable, so long as it is made in good cheer.

The Hat doesn't know Ranma's twenty-two, but does know Ranma took GCSEs.

Hope to see more of this soon!

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