I am of the opinion that having Honor, Morals, Ethics, and feelings of guilt are virtues. If you don't have them your basically a sociopath. While they are virtues, they are also weaknesses since they can be used against you. These concepts are of extreme importance to the Ranma 1/2 storyline; if the characters had different ones from the one's they have the story would be completely different.
Ranma has an honor code, is a moral person, has somewhat questionable ethics, and frequently feels guilty when he has wronged someone. These traits have been shamelessly used against Ranma many times in the manga.
Ranma's honor code is mostly unknown. We do know that part of it is to protect people and fight monsters as both Genma and Ranma have stated this several times in the manga. Several of his largest problems are problems of honor. There are the various engagements which are a problem of honor (not a problem legally since in Japan forced marriage is illegal by the constitution). His mother held and still does at the end of the manga a pledge stating that Ranma has to be manly or commit Seppuku (even after knowing and accepting that he turns into a female she still seems to hold the pledge since after Ranma moved out of the Tendo's and was feeling depressed she went for her sword while commenting that he wasn't being manly) which wouldn't mean anything if Ranma didn't have an honor code since he could run away or go to the authorities (it's technically illegal and even if it was legal Ranma is not an adult and it would violate Article 19 convention of the rights of child). People have also tried to use his honor against him several times in several ways one way being duels of honor with something (often Akane) at stake. If he didn't have honor they'd be meaningless since he just wouldn't abide by them. Genma and Soun make many attempts to use his honor to force him to marry Akane or do something. For example, when it was thought Akane was turned into a duck Soun tried to use Ranma's honor coupled with his feelings of guilt to marry him to Akane. He has used it in other ways as well for example during the Orochi arc after Akane left Soun used Ranma's honor to get Ranma to chase after her, when Akane went on her first date with Ryoga Kasumi and Soun sent Ranma to watch over her, the scheme with the Dojo Destroyer also was using his honor against him.
Like his honor his morals and ethics have been used against him multiple times as well. His morals and his honor compel him to help people like Happosai and the sick perverted kid. Examples of morals being used against him: Every single thing Nabiki has done to him was only possible because of his morals, ethics, and sense of obligation. She used his feelings of guilt and sense of obligation to her advantage when he accidentally destroyed her tickets to get him to buy her expensive sushi (his suggestion as repayment), pose for pictures (again his suggestion since Nabiki viewed the sushi as insufficient repayment), and later blackmail him. The only reason she was able to sell him by the hour to his classmates was because he felt that since they paid for the time he was obligated to spend the time with them, etc.
Even though Ranma is a moral person and tries to do good his methods of doing so are, on occasion, using questionable ethics. For example, to help Pantyhose Taro get his name changed by Happosai Ranma drugged Happosai (chloroform), wrote a play to manipulate Happosai, and used mind altering magic on Happosai (suggestion incense). Another occasion of his loose ethics is using magic to help Ryoga and Akari get together.
If Ranma did not have morals, ethics, honor, and feelings of guilt the manga would be a lot different and Ranma would be much more dangerous. Moral's and feelings of guilt prevent him from beating up girls, prevent him from seriously hurting his opponents like Ryoga, using killing or maiming techniques, blackmailing/manipulating people more often and limit the severity of his machinations, using sneak attacks/being offensive more often, seducing people, only thing keeping Nabiki safe, etc.
5 comments:
Nodoka going for the sword to kill Ranma has nothing to do with Ranma considering the Seppuku pledge binding.
She is a crazy women with a sharp sword and at least mildly super human abilities who will try to kill Ranma if he is unmanly in her eyes, and is perhaps the character most out of touch with reality.
Genma and Ranma have good reason to fear her because even if they don't honor the pledge she will still hunt them down, and try to kill them because she takes the pledge seriously, and they both know this.
Most of Ranma's problems concerning honor seem to be because other parties take the pledges made in Ranma's name seriously, and it doesn't really matter if Ranma really cares or not.
As I recall during the time Ranma was engaged to Nabiki he told Akane something along the lines of him not caring about the engagements.
That isn't to say Ranma doesn't have a code of honor/morals/ethics, but that others actions should not be taken to mean Ranma shares their beliefs.
Nodoka going for the sword to kill Ranma has a lot to do with Ranma considering the Seppuku pledge binding. The reason I say this is because Nodoka is not a super human at all in fact it is even pointed out in the manga that she is unskilled in the use of the sword and she does not have the ability to hunt them down. The only reason she found them was by accident. There are many things he can do if he did not view honor as being important, like going to the authorities.
Yes it is true that most of Ranma's problems concerning honor are because of other people taking pledges in Ranma's name seriously. The thing is if Ranma did not care at all then the pledges are meaningless and would not bind him in the least, since that is not the case Ranma has to care about them somewhat.
During the engagement switch Ranma told Akane that he doesn't care whom his fiance is that he only cares about training. That can mean that he will marry for reasons of honor not for love.
I am not, at least not intentionally, saying that Ranma shares their beliefs but his actions regarding their actions clearly point to his honor code.
Nodoka going for the sword to kill Ranma has a lot to do with Ranma considering the Seppuku pledge binding.
Other characters' actions and beliefs do not show what Ranma believes. All you have shown is that Nodoka considers the pledge binding, and seems to at times be very loose with what she considers Seppuku. The only reason the Seppuku pledge has any meaning is because of Nodoka's beliefs, and Ranma's wish to have a relationship with her. It's to bad Ranma has so little experience with mothers, and likely doesn't realize how seriously Nodoka takes the pledge..
Nodoka has gone to kill him after declaring Ranma manly?
Ranma has to interact with his mother, and she considers the pledge binding therefore Ranma must take the pledge seriously even if he does not consider the pledge important.
The reason I say this is because Nodoka is not a super human at all in fact it is even pointed out in the manga that she is unskilled in the use of the sword
Nodoka's lack of skill with a sword has little baring on the fact she can easily force Genma's head 180 degrees when he is trying to look forward. It takes a fair bit of strength to force a human's head to face backwards, and more so when we are talking about someone like Genma. For what ever reason Nodoka is super human. Given the way she talks about being from a long line of martial artists it could just be "good genes".
and she does not have the ability to hunt them down. The only reason she found them was by accident.
Nodoka found them once when not trying, she could find them again if she tried, and they would have to live constantly looking over their shoulder, and they don't like being constantly on the run.
There are many things he can do if he did not view honor as being important, like going to the authorities.
Hasn't Ranma run rather then honor the Seppuku pledge?
Part of the problem is Ranma thinks much of the stuff that happens to him is average as you yourself have written.
http://ranmarelated.blogspot.com/2007/07/ranmas-alien.html
Part of the problem may be with things that are never shown or talked about on screen. Ranma was raised by Genma, and we know Genma is not the most lawful of people.
Then there is the very real possibility Ranma just doesn't know all his options. Most people have very little idea of what they legally can do.
Yes it is true that most of Ranma's problems concerning honor are because of other people taking pledges in Ranma's name seriously. The thing is if Ranma did not care at all then the pledges are meaningless and would not bind him in the least, since that is not the case Ranma has to care about them somewhat.
Ranma doesn't care about any of the pledges, but everyone Ranma has to deal with takes the pledges serious be it his father, mother or even his classmates. Since just about everyone takes the pledges seriously Ranma must take the pledges into account even if he does not care about them, or plan on for filling them.
During the engagement switch Ranma told Akane that he doesn't care whom his fiance is that he only cares about training. That can mean that he will marry for reasons of honor not for love.
Here's the Viz translation. I would love to see a literal translation of what was said.
I mean, that I'm the innocent victim of your sibling squabble, and this engagement thing doesn't really mean anything at all, and it's even worse getting stuck with the greedy sister then with the violent one!
It looks to me like Ranma is saying "I don't care or want these engagements, or care about them, but they are being forced on me by others, and it is worse to be engaged to Nabiki then you".
I am not, at least not intentionally, saying that Ranma shares their beliefs but his actions regarding their actions clearly point to his honor code.
The problem is Ranma's actions only show Ranma knows other people take the pledges seriously, and deals with that as best he can.
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This may be a stupid question, but how would I go about posting a comment with a name other then Anonymous
There are several ways to publish a comment with a name: create a google account and use that, use open id (which is aol instant messenger, live journal, etc.); though the easiest is to just use the name/URL option which should be below the place you leave your comment.
Ranma's mother went to grab her sword after declaring Ranma manly in one of the last volumes when Ranma had moved out of the Tendo's and was living with her. Ranma was depressed and she viewed this as unmanly and went for her sword; Genma restrained her.
As for the line in the original Japanese; I do not feel like looking it up at the moment (or translating the line which is a very slow process for me) but the entire manga can be found in Japanese online in scanned format at: Mangahelpers if you want to look at the original (I only found this out after buying the manga).
Hasn't Ranma run rather then honor the Seppuku pledge?
Sort of in that he hid in his other form but it is fairly clear (though I suppose it is open to interpretation) that he would go through with it (he won't rush into it and will try and avoid it but if his mom has all the facts and still wants him to go through with it both he and Genma would is my take).
This post is/was largely on how honor, moral, ethics, and guilt are used against Ranma. The post really does not do those social mores justice and really they should be viewed from a Japanese standpoint but I don't and didn't want to explain (and do not feel qualified to do so) the concept of face, historical differences such as the Japanese cultures emphasis on homogeneous and piety, Bushido, the cultural differences between Japanese and Western societies (for example arranged marriages are very rare in most of western society while in Japan, even though the number of arranged marriages is declining, around 30% are still arranged), concepts such as On, Gimu, Giri, Ninjo, Kenson, etc. Then there is also the different personal interpretation for events and what exactly the concept of honor is (what you consider honorable may not be what I consider honorable).
I mentioned the Seppuku pledge and the engagements more so as examples as to how honor is being used against Ranma as opposed to his own honor code. One of the first things I stated was that his honor code is mostly unknown but clearly does exist in the manga.
Ranma's actions to various pledges point to his honor and ethical code though they do not define it. They point to it most obviously in that he deals with them at all. No honor/ethics and he just would/could blow them off not caring at all what other people think. Really though the comments Ranma makes about fighting monsters, protecting people, his sense of obligation, and the pledges he makes himself (like those during/before duels) point to his honor code the most.
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