Wyrd wrote:I went for option three, because it is the general nature of the story that determines whether I am interested in reading it. In order for me to enjoy it as a Ranma story or Ranma cross, though, I have higher standards for characterization if the curse gets removed. If you get rid of one of the core elements of a series, you really need to use the other elements better to make up for it. As for what curse he gets, I prefer female forms that can at least pass for human, or if it is a reversal story, a female Ranma with a male curse. Whatever his curse is, it should be embarassing and/or inconvenient for him, not a power up just so you can god-mode him(Veela one-half has enough downsides to balance the power up aspects).
^^ Exactly.
I have read and enjoyed stories across the spectrum with regard to Ranma, but as a general rule, if it is a story that doesn't involve the curse at all, there needs to be a serious hook to keep me into it. This is particularly true for stories that fall into a purely Ranma universe, as I feel that crossovers do often leave a good bit more leeway (whatever side of the story the author emphasizes is more important to me, so in say a SM cross, if all of the plot is taking place within the SM continuum, how that is handled is more important in my mind than the Ranma elements of the story). That said, I generally prefer cursed Ranma, as in a Ranma with an active curse, as it is the crux of the series.
I find I have a lot more tolerance for stories where he starts out cursed and it is either cured or locked in some way, though those generally lose my interest unless well thought out, than stories where he was never cursed. Of the latter, I can think of *very* few that I liked.
Realistically, Ranma just isn't Ranma without the curse playing a role in his life somehow and at some point. And more importantly, how the author handles any changes in his status (from half and half, to either side of the gender divide, to futa even if I don't actually recall seeing any futa Ranma stories) is a critical element of pure Ranma fiction. And it not being a gender based curse really changes things and makes stories that much harder to get into for me. That said, him having diverse and crazy curses can definitely work if one is aiming at a humorous story. It depends on how seriously the story is taking itself for sure. If it was funny enough, I'd read pretty much anything, though that might just be me.
I make a major, personal exception to all rules for comedy. I don't really care how OC or crazy something gets if it can make me laugh.