On Sat, 2 Mar 1996, Julian Fong wrote:
I'm a little disappointed by this story; it doesn't seem to be on
par with the previous two stories in the series. There isn't the same depth
of insight into Usagi or Mamoru's characters here as there has been for Ami
and Makoto. I found the crossover cameos to be just too distracting.
I suppose the problem is that I switched tones. Each of the stories has
a different tone to it.
Ami's story is about the dark night of the soul (not her soul, but that
is the tone.)
Makoto's story is intended to be a slice of life story. Very low key,
nothing major happens, except she learns a little more about Naru and
Umino.
Usagi and Mamoru got the humor story. There is some serious stuff, but
I intended this to be the funniest story.
Venus will be a story of romance (and skiing)
And Mars is a story about ancestor worship, neglected ghosts, and
spiritual warfare.
Each of these stories started with a mental image...Ami on the roof with
Rumiko, Umino spilling his heart to Makoto, Usagi and Tuxedo Kamen
fleeing a mob at the end of a disaster date, Rei confronting an angry
old ghost with only her spiritual abilites to protect her, Minako
discovering she's been lied to by someone she cares about and storming
out into the snow.
I hope you enjoy the remaining two more than this one.
> I take it you don't like Usagi very much, John?
Actually, I do like Usagi. At the same time, she's also the most
effective character for comic purposes. Most of the time, she seems
worthless....she comes through in subtle ways, not blatant ways, for her
friends. This is not a story where she shines, I'll admit. Yes, she is
being played for laughs....I have some serious ideas in mind for her, but
that is being saved for a future, much longer story...
I'm not that fond
of her myself, but I think the most important aspect of her character is her
ability to engage the audience's sympathy, and this story doesn't convey
that very well.
I have to admit to playing her for laughs. Although I'd hope that her
problems with her mother could arouse some sympathy. It's hard to convey
that aspect of her, except in the right situations, which don't come up
in this story....
The way by which Luna and Rei reacted to Usagi's mother's opinion of
Ami seemed to be a little extreme, considering that it's not a terribly
far-fetched concept.
That AMI is corrupting Usagi? I can't see how anyone who knows Ami could
actually believe that...
Thanks for the feedback. Good negative criticism is rare.
John Walter Biles : MA-History, Ph.D Wannabe at U.
Kansas
ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu http://falcon.cc.ukans.edu/~ranma/index.html
"Love is the image you place around your significant other, and how close
it is to being true love depends on how closely he or she fits into
the mold."--Orlando de La Cruz