Subject: Re: [FanFic] Ranma 1/2 Fanfic.... "Split Personalities" Anyone Read it?
From: Harold Ancell
Date: 1/7/1996, 11:05 PM
To: fanfic@andrew.cais.com

   Date: Sun, 07 Jan 1996 18:50:44 -0500 (EST)
   From: Roy Rim <rr568@bard.edu>

   On Sun, 7 Jan 1996, Caroline Ann Seawright wrote:

   > On Sun, 7 Jan 1996, Foxx wrote:

   > > >Feh... the violence in the one that I read sucked badly, as
   > > >did the fact that no-one acted anything like they do in Ranma
   > > >1/2 ... Yeah, Ranma's fucking Ukyou and some wierd female
   > > >Ranma while Akane's getting bashed to death by Herb... Great
   > > >story. Not. If that's not what the whole thing is like, then
   > > >just that bit turned be off 'Split Personalities' for life,
   > > >and I never want to read one of those fanfics ever again.

While I agree that the violence in this fanfic wasn't a good thing (I
think it started going downhill with the appearance of Herb), in
context that situation made some sense.

However, that is fortunately not what the whole thing is like.

   > think that that story was something totally unrelated to Ranma 1/2, just
   > with the names of Ranma 1/2 characters in it. :p The way they all acted

	   hm... in my opinion... the Ranma and AKane relationship stayed 
   the same, no?  I did not touch that at all, so basically, the core 
   essential part of the Ranma1/2 universe was untouched.

Yes and no; you interpretation of Akane was a bit harsh.  Certainly
valid (she can be a real b****), but we saw little if any of the
cute/nice side of her to leaven it.

   Now the other characters....  Well, what do you say guys?  Whats
   your opinion.

See below.   

   I know this is spam so send it priv mail.  I enjoy crites, makes my
   writing better since I obviously need more practice.

I'd say this is neither spam or off topic....

I divide Split Personalities into two parts, the early part which is
more psychological study than anything else, and the later violence and
"lemon-fest" (as one reviewer put it).  The whole Herb thing didn't
work for me, and the lemon bits got a bit strained towards the end.

On the other hand, the lemon optional "psychological study" part was
an intense and well written exposition on the basic thesis of Ranma
splitting into marked masculine and feminine parts (grrrr, my prose
right now sounds too academic---sorry).  Given the postulated change
in the two Ranma's personalities, the not improbable possibilities
that U-chan would take to "Ranko" and that Akane would not take well
the whole situation (and the implicit or explicit aliens beaming
H-rays at the cast, which seems to be a feature of many lemon fanfics
:-), the characters acted pretty much in character.  I particularly
like the playfullness of Ranko, and U-chan, and the relationship that
developed between the two.

In this vein War of the Leaves is intense, has some real posibilities,
and is handling the serious violence a lot better.

Anyway a lot of the sections of Split Personalities, both lemon and
not, were good if not simply stunning.  What can you say about a work
with the wonderful quote at the end of this section:

     "Goodnight, elder sister!"
     As Kasumi walked up the stairs Akane asked Ranko,
     "Why'd you call her that?"
     "Call her what?"
     "Elder sister."
     "I don't know.  Seemed appropriate."
     "But you always called her Kasumi."
     "Oh, Akane, stop acting jealous," said Ukyou.
     "Jealous?  Of what?"
     "Kasumi has got enough love for a thousand sisters."

Indeed.

					- Harold