First, some things need to be cleared up before I begin:
Ran would be fantastic as a real life friend. She's loyal, trusting, and friendly.
However, we're talking about a fictional realm where a character's makeup can consist of endless possibilities--therefore, these characteristics of her's are easily overshadowed by the traits of other characters. Her's are uninteresting, insipid, and unoriginal. Heck, even Sonoko and Kazuha show more personality than her nowadays.
Most people tend to forget that DC has been running for over 20 years now. Where's the character development? Why is Ran still sitting on the sidelines? Why does Ran seem more like a side character rather than a main character?
Surely, 20 years is enough time to generate some character development, right? Apparently not, because her character has actually retrogressed.
This is what she was like before:
Ran's distinguishing trait as a headstrong character was traded in for the role of the damsel in distress, and that's my problem with her.
Frankly, I don't know where Gosho is going with this because now I can only picture her as a housewife.