F_Forward Gone Nuts wrote:Okay, the engagements point might be moot (especially since Ranma actually seems to like it somewhat), but what about the Seppuku contract? That's something I think he'd be much happier without.
Yes, he'd want to get rid of it. But he won't simply say "no" and then the contract is null and void. He'd want Nodoka to cancel it herself rather than find a loophole from it.
Why? For the same reason Genma is afraid of Nodoka, despite her not holding a candle to him physically. Seriously, Genma or Ranma could like beat the crap out of Nodoka or something and force her to rescind the contract (as noted by claymade above; challenge her mother to rescind the contract). But they won't. They will, instead, bend backward to fulfill it. Because she's their wife/mom.
If you meant "what if that were actually an alien and not Ranma who made the contract?" Again, it doesn't matter unless Nodoka herself says it doesn't matter. Of course to us or anyone else (including the Tendos), if an alien was the one that made the contract then it doesn't have to be upheld, but to Ranma who is afraid of his mom, its a different thing. Besiedes, the humor is greater when Ranma tries to follow the contract rather then weasel out of it.
The thing you have to understand about these contracts is that they are not legal obligations. They are 100% voluntary, with no force to obey them other than person doing so. They can always say, "this is bullshit, I'm not going through with it" and no one can force them otherwise. But the thing with Nodoka? The moment Ranma heard about it when he was 16, he automatically chose to honor it and it _never_ occurred to him "wait, I was a freaking toddler, I shouldn't go through with this". All that matters to Ranma and Genma is that Nodoka thinks it matters, and thus it is only by Nodoka's decision will the contract be broken.
To put it realistically, when (most of) us were young, we tried our best not to disappoint our mothers. We had no legal obligation to, but when she said we had to keep out grades up we sure darn well tootin did our best. Why? Because its our mom. We didn't want to disappoint her. If an actually an alien or clone that promised high grades, that won't make a difference. Take this sentiment to an extreme in Ranma, where instead of high grades there's the seppuku contract.
Yes, he wants out, but he won't seek nor use any legalese to get out of it, not unless Nodoka allows it. It all boils down to whether Nodoka is reasonable or not. Given the the series is a comedy, likely not. Rule of funny will take precedence over logic.
Incidentally, this is also the reason why Ranma shows occasional fear of Suon's death-head technique. Ranma is obviously far more powerful than Suon and there is no way on earth that Suon can force Ranma to do anything, but Suon is Akane's father (ie, potential father-in-law, not to mention the guy who'm he currently mooching off.) When Suon demands something and uses the death-head (I prefer to think of the death-head technique as a metaphor for righteous indignation), Ranma will very likely obey.
"So Igor wasn't kidding. Most people just ensure they won't die cold and alone by making friends...I gain superpowers and have mysterious voices tell me I did a good job. My life is a goddamn mess."
-- Minato Arisato, My Life is a Goddamn Mess
