Is Ranma insecure?

[Crescent Pulsar R]

Again, only the first sentence for each option is important. Don't mind the embellishments that follow.

Rather than argue about this in the Ranma 1/2 forum, I thought it'd be better if the subject were delivered this way. Well, I'm sure that you can still argue, but I figured that I could at least try to steer things toward the simple sharing of opinion.

[frice2000]

Insecure? No, I don't think he considers himself insecure, he's too proud and has too confident a personality for that. Should he be an insecure neurotic mess? Very possibly. But that's just not him. There is a part of him that's insecure mostly regarding his curse/masculinity and fears but this is minimized in his personality and isn't a major contributing factor in his every day life, although you could play that up to likely make him a little leery, but chances are he'd successfully fight off that sort of manipulation.

I suppose you could say that's just a front and he's really a mess, but I'm not sure how strong your arguments would be, although that does make for a good story for certain.

[Spokavriel]

It didn't ask if he considers himself to be insecure. But his actions repeatedly show him to be insecure. Like the shouting of "I'm a guy!" or the assertion of "I'm the best" even when he gets beaten he doesn't admit it as a defeat even while training for the Rematch! Yeah he's pretty insecure.

[talonhunter]

I agree with Spok here...I mean really, if he was so secure about himself, why does he continue to keel trying to prove himself again and again? That really screams I'm secure to me...( enter sarcastic Music here...)

[PCHeintz72]

I agree with Spok here...I mean really, if he was so secure about himself, why does he continue to keel trying to prove himself again and again? That really screams I'm secure to me...( enter sarcastic Music here...)

Ok... I'm not going to argue for or against him being insecure, as I can see it both ways. However, I think some people are missing context...

The proving of himself could very well be attributed to way brought up.

[frice2000]

He doesn't run around seeking out challenges. The challenges come to him, and then he's confident he can win...And usually does. Answering all challenges is essential to his own martial arts school and personal honor. Is that over the top? Of course but that's who he is, and is the driving narrative force behind most chapters of the manga, so it's purposely exaggerated for comedic or dramatic effect.

He IS NOT some bully walking around challenging everyone he sees to a martial arts competition, which is what you're kind of pointing towards. If you asked me is his self-esteem low. That'd be a stickier situation, but that's not what is being asked. He IS secure. He enters every situation thinking, and usually rightly so, that he's the top fighter or competitor involved or if he isn't that he'll find a way to learn and beat anyone on their own terms...And then he does. So he keeps proving his own security and held beliefs. Does he know he fails at some elements in life? Of course. But in all honesty if there was some martial arts competition or he was challenged to do something academically his own personal code kicks in and he'll dedicate the sole focus of each waking hour to success. He doesn't bemoan his fate and how he's going to lose, he does the opposite and does everything possible to win. That's the very opposite I'd expect from someone who is insecure especially when they know they're totally outclassed in some fashion.

If you want to get into minutiae is he insecure about his romantic relationships? Yes. But really that stems from the specter of death or at least severe pain if he displeases anyone. Is he embarrassed about his curse? Yes, to start. But then he really stops caring about it and it's just something else and he even takes pride in it being the most attractive among the females he knows on occasion. Would he get rid of it? Yes. Does it drive his life? No. I really don't see where this supposed insecurity crops up for the most part as a reoccurring character trait. Which is again why I voted he is as insecure at times as anyone else.

[Crescent Pulsar R]

I'd just caution to not mistake bravery (or even bravado) as security, as even someone who is afraid or uncertain of a given situation can still tackle it despite whatever misgivings they have about it. There are many stories of self-sacrifice that are like that, due to honor, some moral code, personal belief or faith that pushes them to act.

[talonhunter]

the fact all the challenges come to him is the only reason he don't need to be a bully. Look at the lengths he go to prove he is the best at his art. I know he is not a bully per say, but look at several things here. The reversal jewel stands out as a shining exams of how insecure he is when he is no longer the center of attention or when he goes to find a cure. Sure he has learned to live with his insecurities, and even cover them. But he is still a teen Ager who is insecure about himself and what he knows. And is driven to the point that he must be the best or he is nothing...

[Crescent Pulsar R]

Now that I remember: when Ranma thought that the cure to the ultimate weakness moxibustion had been lost, he (basically) asked Akane what he had without his strength. I don't want to assume too much with that; it could mean a little or it could mean a lot. Though, if you consider how he behaved both times when Akane had suddenly become stronger than him (via the super soba and the battle dougi), it could be that his strength and abilities as a martial artist might be a security blanket. Which would make sense since his life had been devoted to it, and it's what he's the most familiar with and best at.

[Spokavriel]

And what about the Watermelon island episode? Ranma's insecurities about sexuality were full force there giving her a dream of having Kuno's children.

[Crescent Pulsar R]

I'd probably say that was more due to her apparent lack of strength and skill with the development of Kuno's ability to defeat her. I think the dream that she had after he confessed his love to her (right at the beginning of the series) was more of a direct sexual issue, since she could defeat him at the time (and thus fend him off). But that's assuming that dreams -- or these dreams -- can or would reflect such insecurities.

[Spokavriel]

I think of the swimming Kuno dream as more of a reaction to just how disturbed Ranma is by a guy saying he loves him. Sure there were physical switches in the dream but at that point Ranma didn't seem to have sex as an aspect. Children on the other hand show that a relationship beyond dating is clearly in mind.

[Crescent Pulsar R]

It had to be the sex. She was completely at his mercy in that dream despite the fact that she had no reason to worry about that in reality (having already trounced him twice by that time, once in each form). Insecurity is synonymous with vulnerability, so the possible reasons for the dreams should be more apparent. For this dream, the key is that Ranma spontaneously becomes female despite being in hot water and is then at Kuno's mercy, which is a sex-related insecurity (having no choice in being female) leading to a fear (not being able to fend off Kuno when she should be capable of it regardless of sex). For the other dream, it's now a reality that she's not strong/skilled enough to deal with Kuno while she's seemingly alone on an island with him as a girl. The dream itself shows only the fear, created by the insecurity of her inability to overcome his new fighting ability (thus making her vulnerable to what she feared).

In the end, we're still liable to be reading into these dreams too deeply, and they're simply based on fear.

[Spokavriel]

But would there be enough fear for these dreams if Ranma was Secure with his/her abilities to cope with the situations?

[Crescent Pulsar R]

Well, that's the thing about dreams: they're rarely what one would call rational or logical. Even when they appear to be based on or inspired by something that happened in reality, it may not take into account how you really feel or how you'd deal with it. I've had a number of dreams where I felt anxiety, and it's often over nothing (literally). Heck, once I was feeling anxious even when I wasn't scared, as a demonic flying monkey (that looked like it was made out of papier-mâché) was trying to attack me. And the only reason it didn't succeed in getting close enough to me to do that was because I didn't think I had anything to fear despite what I felt.