Subject: [FFML] Re: [Sailor Moon] [AU] Alternate Views 01
From: "Thermopyle" <thermopyle@tds.net>
Date: 11/18/2003, 3:58 PM
To:
CC: <FFML@anifics.com>


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Aleh@aol.com>
To: <thermopyle@tds.net>
Cc: <FFML@anifics.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 2:04 PM
Subject: [FFML] Re: [Sailor Moon] [AU] Alternate Views 01


In a message dated 11/18/2003 12:36:30 PM Eastern Standard Time,
thermopyle@tds.net writes:

I've only seen the first episode of that.  I didn't see anything
in
the fic, disclaimers or otherwise, to say this is based on the LA
series rather than just differences introduced by the thing being
AU.
Is there anything in the fic to show that, or did you simply know
beforehand from talking with the author?  Regardless, the above
paragraph is still true--I can't see Beryl waiting around for
years
with only one general working on getting energy.  Even if this is
a LA
AU.


       Other than the characterization issues, the big tip-offs are
the
mention of the "gentleman bandit" and Minako as an idol singer.

Hm.  Okay.

I think I'll download and watch the LA series.  I wasn't that
interested, but if people are going to write fics about it, I should
take a look.  ^_^

The plot progression isn't really believable.  Things
developing
the
way they are now, after years of Usagi being on her own like
this...well, I have trouble with that.  There doesn't seem to
be
any
reason for it.  Since I haven't seen Minako's introduction I
can't
say
whether her introduction at this point works, but it feels
wrong to
me--it feels like she should have shown up ages earlier.

Again, this isn't based on the anime, and Minako is a rather...
different
character in the LA version.

Regardless of whether this is based on the anime, the years-later
thing is hard to go along with.  Minako's characterization isn't
something I was commenting on.


       And I was commenting on how your lack of knowledge of her
anime
introduction was irrelevant.

Okay then.

This really doesn't feel like Usagi.  By this point I really
want
to
know how old Usagi is supposed to be.  The introduction for her
job
made me think she was some kind of cop, too, which isn't good.

Journalist. It's pretty obvious, really... and again, this is
based
on the LA
version. A lot of the characters and interactions are different
on
that.

Um, actually... The beginning of the conversation was cliche
wake-up-the-cop call.  The rest of the scene indicated that she is
a
photographer, NOT a journalist--she was called in to take
pictures,
the equipment she took along was camera-related...no matter what
this
is based on, that's how it reads.  The author can't assume
knowledge
of the LA series--especially without making clear that this is
based
on that--and leaving this background information up to the reader
is a
bad move because most readers will be familiar with the anime or
manga
and not the LA.


       A newspaper photographer is still a journalist, as is anyone
whose
profession is working on newspaper or news magazine articles.

Well, I'd label them differently, but okay.

I didn't really get much of an impression from the scene
between
him
and Sailor Moon to indicate that they were very close as
honorable
enemies, so this feels a bit weak.  Also, the whole mystery of
her
rage thing seems off.  When Sailor Moon showed up the Dark
Kingdom
(and Jaedite, as being in charge during this period) had just
started
the attacks.  It wouldn't be that difficult for Jaedite to look
into
possible causes for Sailor Moon to be after revenge.  Granted,
the
characters in the original story aren't smart enough for that,
but
this isn't the original story.


Again, this is based on the LA version -- Jadeite is a rather
different
character in that.

You're comment doesn't seem related to mine at all.


       That should be 'your' (you're an English teacher, so I feel
obligated
to point that out) and you commented that " When Sailor Moon showed
up the
Dark Kingdom (and Jaedite, as being in charge during this period)
had just
started the attacks."

I'm not an English teacher.  And yes, it was a typo.

       In the LA, and, for that matter, the anime and manga, now
that I think
about it, that's not true.

In the first episode, Beryl asks her youma if they have found the
silver crystal (going by subs).  "If you cannot obtain the silver
crystal, then let us first give our ruler human energy."  That reads
pretty clearly as the start of the energy-gathering attacks.
Jaedite's appearing directly after that and asking for permission to
handle the energy gathering is also indicates that this starts in the
first episode.

Now, I don't have the manga with me, but I recall something similar in
the manga.  I'm not sure about LA and don't have a copy of that to
check right now, so I can't say whether you're right about that one.

At the beginning of the story Usagi is happy to discover a rose
which
she can show to Rei to find out clues about Tuxedo Mask's
identity.
It reads more as a personal interest than a journalistic one.
Maybe
they haven't met, but it reads as though they have in that
scene--and
considering Tuxedo Mask's presence in the first battle of every
continuity, it's hard to believe he didn't show up until now.  I'm
pretty sure that most people will believe she has met Tuxedo Mask
previously before they read the meeting later in the chapter.
That
should have been in a flashback, because at this point it's just
another timing problem brought about by this whole
'years-later-yet-nothing-has-happened' theme.


          Disregarding the first part, you might want to remember
the
*REASON* Tuxedo Mask showed up at those first battles -- somehow, I
don't think they
apply here.

Because Usagi was in danger, no?  She's certainly not here--yet the
backstory hinted at indicates that she was earlier, and apparently he
never showed up those times.  That needs to be addressed.

And again, this feels absolutely nothing like Usagi.


       Read further and see why she acts like this.

I read the entire chapter before commenting.  I'm aware of the
justifications that the story presents.  This still doesn't feel
like
Usagi, even a changed one.


       It's closer to the LA Usagi than the anime one, true, which
was
another reason why I said it's based on the LA.

Maybe.  As I said, I only watched the first episode.  The author
should have said something to that effect in his disclaimer (which he
forgot to include).

Hm.  Overall thoughts?  This isn't Usagi.  The way that Usagi
ended
up
here from her original state is quite unclear.  How Usagi ended
up
very dominant in her relationship with Luna isn't indicated.
How
the
whole lesbian thing with Rei showed up is never even mentioned.
The
respectful relationship between Jaedite and Usagi that
developed
isn't
very clear.  The idea of all this waiting years to happen (by
this
point all of the other SM enemies should have long since shown
up,
too, which is a problem) is hard to go along with.

       Your comments are rather obviously pointing to the fact
that
you
didn't notice which continuity this AU was based on.

My comments have absolutely nothing to do with continuity and
everything to do with this story.  Very few of them are at all
related
to continuity problems.  Try reading what I said instead of just
skimming through it with a bunch of assumptions.


       That was both a comment on your overall criticism and on your
statement that "this isn't Usagi".

There's nothing wrong with the author basing this on the LA series,
but he really needs to indicate that he's doing so if there are
substantial differences in characterization or plot.  There are
thousands of SM fanfics based on the anime and manga and that's what
people are familiar with and going to assume this is.  So yes, I do
feel justified in saying this isn't the Usagi I'm used to or even
close to that Usagi.  The author didn't say she was based on somebody
different.


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