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Originally Posted by Clarste
Um... Hinokage did change his personality. He changed from "the guy who doesn't care if people notice him" to "the guy who loves it when people people rely on him". Mister Unknown became Theme Song. It just happened in a way indistinguishable from character development. But that's exactly the point: changing skills is a signal of character development. There's no difference, and to try and draw a difference is missing the whole point.
Medaka's learned dozens of skills, yes. But she's also changed her personality many times over. She went from a complete pacifist who wouldn't even dodge attacks to a battle-crazy berserker and everything in between. Her entire character arc is that she didn't know who she wanted to be and she keeps imitating people or following their advice. They've made this clear from the very first arc. Thus, it only makes sense that she can use everyone else's skills. Using everyone else's skills is simply who she is.
Kumagawa got a new skill. So? He also got a renewed burst of motivation. Ajimu told him that maybe wanting to win and being able to win are the same thing, something he's never believed. Did he really take that to heart? I don't know. "Unskilled" is something that suits the reformed Kumagawa anyway though.
Zenkichi could have any skill he wanted. As in, he could only pick skills he would want. His available options are limited by his personality. The skills he receives are only those that come from his personality.
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Regarding Medaka, at first I was frustrated at how inconsistent her characterization was. Or, rather, she would change facets of her personality at the drop of a hat, with minimal - if any - justification. After reading your theory -- yeah, I still think her characterization was handled badly and that your theory is grasping at straws.
Likewise, you say that the skill-switching is indistinguishable from character development. If that's the case, I'd say it's just character development and that theory of yours is trying to justify things. Unless the story explicitly says otherwise, that's the only way I can see it.