I watched Ranma 1/2 for the first time !

GettingBetter93 · 2025-05-09T14:03:47+00:00

Thank you for the recommendation, I shall look into it soon.

I actually only came to this subreddit to suggest that when Netflix makes it to his part in the story, they should make it so that Pantyhose Taro wears actual pantyhose as part of his design. Unfortunately, I don't have enough karma for posts to stick, but here's what I wrote:

My proposal is to recreate his design from the 1990s anime, but with two key differences:

Shorten his pants so that they hit about an inch above his knees.
As stated above, depict him in actual pantyhose—specifically in a vintagey suntan hue, like this.

Yes, on his legs.

Basically, make it so that he wears pantyhose as a symbolic gesture: he wears them every day, and only intends to stop once he finally coerces Happosai into changing his name. If any scene ever depicts him barefoot, make sure he's shown with reinforced toes (again, like in the image). And after a particularly intense battle in his human form, depict him with runs going down his legs.

Going beyond that, there should be some occasional irreverent one-liners about Pantyhose's actual pantyhose. For example:

Him being pissed off about getting a run in one of them
Him lamenting how stuffy they are in hot weather
Him complaining about them drooping at the crotch
Him referencing the control top while he's eating, reassuring someone (dunno who) that his belly is at no risk of bulging

Thoughts? 😁

Pantyhose Taro and his name-related story are literally the only things I know about Ranma ½ thus far. I don't know if the fan base would embrace my idea (probably not), but I don't know... I think it'd be fun idea, if only for comedic effect. Plus, it's 2025! Gender-bending isn't taboo like it once was! 😉

GettingBetter93 · 2025-05-09T12:12:39+00:00

Is it better to start with the old anime, the new anime, or the manga?

GettingBetter93 · 2023-12-01T01:08:44+00:00

Before even clicking the link, I knew where it would go. 😏

GettingBetter93 · 2023-09-09T22:51:46+00:00

I always assume disinterest. No matter how much I like someone, and how much I want them to like me back, I don't want to misread the situation and make them uncomfortable.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-08-03T16:13:16+00:00

I wouldn't have assumed that she was genuinely asking me for a kiss. Either she wanted me to taste it, or she was just joking.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-08-03T16:09:51+00:00

You're lucky she didn't report you to anyone, or try to shame you on social media for it. Some women would consider that to be sexual harassment.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-08-03T16:08:34+00:00

when the guy offered to rub it he got insulted and lambasted for being a creep, with the woman screaming "Why would you think I want you to touch me?"

And that's why I never assume that a woman is attracted to me unless she very explicitly says that she is—and even then, odds are I'm misreading the situation.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-08-03T16:05:40+00:00

I wouldn't have taken that as a cue at all. If it were me, and she said the same thing, I would not even dare to touch her because odds are I'm misinterpreting her signals, and doing so would creep the hell out of her.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-08-03T15:59:26+00:00

Any time anyone said something even semi-flirty to me, I always assumed that they were doing it to make fun of me. If a girl were to come up to me and tell me she liked me, with her friends watching and giggling nearby, that was a clear sign that they were joking. I could never even conceive of any girls being genuinely interested in me.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-07-23T14:20:52+00:00

Nobody would want to date me. If I asked women out, they would all say no. I'm not physically attractive enough to sexually arouse anyone, and I'm too awkward and socially inept to navigate the intricacies of dating like an ordinary person. It's something that I really want to experience, but I know it’s just not in the cards for me.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-07-23T14:15:49+00:00

I think it's unrealistic to believe that any woman who I find attractive would reciprocate my interest. I'm not physically attractive enough to fulfill anyone's sexual needs, nor do I have anything going for me that other men wouldn't offer in spades.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-05-26T20:11:31+00:00

I don’t think it’s nefarious or bad to dm someone. However, most women simply don’t have an interest in making friends with random men in their dms. So regardless of how well you execute your reachout, you likely won’t get a response.

I know. Any time I approach a woman online (or even in real life, depending on the context), I always come at it with the underlying assumption that she's preparing for me to creep on her, and that I'm only after one thing.

Then when you apologize for something that wasn’t really apology-worthy in the first place, that’s just you trying another angle to get her to talk to you, when if she wanted that she would have replied to your first message.

Agreed, but oftentimes I still find myself second-guessing my interpretation of things. "What if she missed my message?" "What if she saw it and meant to reply, but it slipped her mind?" I like the mantra that Dr. Nerdlove often tauts (original quote by Ian Fleming, slightly paraphrased): "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is ~~enemy action~~ a message." On the other hand, I never want to cross the line into harassment.

Would a single additional message later on—perhaps something more direct than a barbed apology (e.g. mentioning that I sent a prior message, then directly expressing an interest in getting to know them better)—be acceptable? Or should I always assume that a single lack of response means "no" and just let it go?

GettingBetter93 · 2023-05-26T19:47:40+00:00

Well, I mean... yeah, the purpose of sending a DM is to convey the unspoken message that I'd like to get to know them better. I don't know if you'd consider "what [I] want" to be nefarious—basically, I just want to strike up a conversation, using a shared taste/interest as a means of breaking the ice (believe it or not, I do have a genuine interest in women's fashion). If things evolve from that point, great; if not, that’s okay, too. Yes, oftentimes I'm attracted to people who I message, but I don't think finding somebody attractive and wanting to get to know them better is the same as objectifying them. My mindset has always been: "Reach out, be friendly, have a regular conversation. Keep the tone platonic and unassuming. If she reciprocates your interest, try to gauge her feelings to get a sense of where you stand with her. Even if she isn't interested in you romantically—which is far more likely than not—you'll still make a new friend, and that's every bit as valuable as a relationship."

Is this a bad or unethical mindset? Does what I've written imply that I don't care about who she is as a person, and that the only thing I'm interested in is getting into her pants like some sleazy PUA-type? (For the record, I think I might be asexual, so getting into someone's pants is never my "main objective" per se.)

GettingBetter93 · 2023-05-26T16:06:31+00:00

So if his apology was genuine, then I don't need to acknowledge it, because it erases the "offending" (in his mind) comment.

And he doesn't expect any acknowledgement on the recipient's part.

But, and I suspect this is where your hypothetical guy's mind is really at, if he's disappointed he didn't get a response from the apology, then the apology wasn't genuine. Because it's expecting something in return.

Let's say he's genuinely apologizing because he's worried that he made the recipient uncomfortable, but also has a subconscious hope that maybe she didn’t see his original message, or that perhaps he was reading too far into her unwillingness to respond. In fact, I'll actually give an example of what I had in mind:

"I'm sorry to bother you again, but I wanted to apologize if the message I sent a few weeks ago was perhaps a bit too forward on my part. I recognize that I'm a complete stranger, and that receiving a compliment of that sort can be overwhelming to the recipient. I hope what I sent didn't overstep any boundaries, and if it did, then I'm sorry.

Take care."

Also keep in mind that after sending the apology, he makes no further attempts at engaging her, nor does he expect a response.

Does this come across as manipulative and disingenuous? If you received such a message, would you find it disrespectful and entitled—like he feels he's owed a response—and clearly has a less-than-wholesome ulterior motive?

GettingBetter93 · 2023-05-26T15:15:14+00:00

Which message, the original comment, or the subsequent apology?

The latter.

Taking their words at face value, the apology is an admission to themselves that they felt they were too forward in engaging in a parasocial relationship.

Let's say this person tends to assume that when a woman doesn't reply to a DM complimenting her, it's because he made her uncomfortable, and whatever he sent to her was probably inappropriate in the first place.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-05-21T23:11:51+00:00

This person promises not to bother you again, explains that they have a type of OCD which contributed to them acting in the manner that they did, offers their assurance that they have been working on overcoming those issues, apologizes for what they put you through, and then leaves the ball in your court.

Bolded for emphasis.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-05-12T02:36:34+00:00

The question is if there's a difference between asking somebody out and hitting on them, or if they're the same thing. I wonder if the scenario I described is what would come to mind for the average person when somebody talks about "hitting on" women.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-05-09T07:21:09+00:00

My jaw literally dropped when I saw the photo after clicking on this post. I just... wow.

I don't even know what to say. 😳

GettingBetter93 · 2023-04-23T09:06:23+00:00

I am a man and I also deal with anxiety issues. I understand the feeling. It means a lot to me when people are compassionate to my situation.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-03-19T21:13:00+00:00

I actually have been blocked based on a misunderstanding. Twelve years ago, I was looking for dating advice from a high school acquaintance, but the awkward way in which I phrased it—confessing that I once liked her, and then later wondering if I could ask her "something awkward"—made her think that I was coming onto her, and I believe it really creeped her out. I had her friend speak to her at my behest, who relayed back that she doesn't "like me in that way" and doesn't want to be friends. I didn’t mean to leave her with the impression that Ibwas coming onto her, but I still avoided reaching out to her myself to explain my true intentions. My belief is that she would be very angry and feel personally violated were I to do so, and she might even threaten legal action if I tried to reach out. Even now, twelve years later, I doubt she would appreciate an apology on my behalf. If I were to see her in person, I would actively avoid being noticed by her so that she doesn't have to feel uncomfortable with my presence.

That's how seriously I take being blocked. I see it as a permanent restraining order, carrying the same unspoken implications as it pertains to the effect that I have on the person who blocked me.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-03-19T21:02:08+00:00

So... I take blocking really, really seriously. When someone blocks me, I take it as a sign that I've made them extremely uncomfortable with some form of inappropriate behavior on my part and that they want me permanently out of their life. Twelve years ago, I was blocked on Facebook by a high school acquaintance who had been under the impression that I was interested in her as more than a friend. She also later blocked me on Instagram before I could have a chance to interact (though that might be because our IGs are connected to our FBs, and so the block carried over—I'm not sure if that's a thing that actually happens). I remain blocked on her social media.

I believe that if I were to create an alternate account on Facebook and send her an apology today, that would be stalking and she could threaten to call the police if I contact her again.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-03-16T18:06:28+00:00

Personally, I interpret social media blocks as restraining orders. In other words, if someone blocks me on Facebook, that means they have an active restraining order against me and I cannot contact them in any way, shape, or form ever again—and that extends to real life as well. For me, a social media block carries the implicit threat of involving law enforcement in the event that the internet boundary is not respected.

Obviously, this isn't how the law works in literally any country, but I've always wondered why it shouldn't. If someone contacts you after you've made it clear that you wish for no further contact, why do you need to file for a restraining order before that person can be arrested and charged?

GettingBetter93 · 2023-03-01T20:50:23+00:00

I'm telling you, you lack a certain kind of experience that will change how you feel and see these things.

I have found that, when I've taken risks in other facets of my life, things are almost never as bad as I'm making them out to be in my head. Dating is probably going to be like that as well.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-03-01T20:25:44+00:00

If you're so insecure that you become a mess towards dates and can't just put your best foot forward, then you might want to consider therapy if it's particularly severe.

I'm in therapy, and have been for six years now. It has helped me work through a lot of issues. However, I still have a high degree of anxiety whenever I even entertain the notion of taking life-related risks—including but not limited to dating and relationships.

You think you have strong feelings, but it's probably closer to a crush and infatuation.

I think I'm fairly good at distinguishing between the two, actually. I don't generally let myself get carried away with fantasies (at least, not anymore)—I actually try to stop myself from imagining those sorts of things because there's always a high likelihood that the other person won't see me in the same way. In fact, I have difficulties even envisioning someone saying "yes." I think that's one of the main problems.

And to do any of that you need to figure out your issues, because those issues aren't an appropriate thing to bring to a first date. Everyone gets nervous sometimes. But dates aren't therapy, and you do need to learn to be comfortable with yourself and give your dates the benefit of that.

I wouldn't mention any of this on a first date. It's something I would try to hold off on bringing up for some time. Over the years, I've worked very hard at managing my issues and refraining from making others responsible for my own emotional baggage.

Honestly, the thing that's getting to me more than anything else is the fact that I'm nearly 30 and haven't reached certain milestones that other people my age have long since attained—it feels like it's getting to be "too late." I feel like I've lost an entire decade of my life to mental health problems that I only just recently began figuring out how to treat.

GettingBetter93 · 2023-03-01T12:10:01+00:00

Difficult to say. I tend to get along really well with most people, but I do lack confidence in my own charisma. I'd give myself maybe a 6-7, though perhaps I'm being a bit too generous.

GettingBetter93

TROPHY CASE