On Fri, 1 Mar 1996 beaubienrd@mala.bc.ca wrote:

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.  

I think people were suspecting the story to be a little more dramatic than 
you made it out to be. The story worked too much like a comedy, which IMSO 
did not fit the tone you set out in the first fic. Although I see why you 
wanted to do this as a comedy, I would of enjoyed maybe a more Roamantic 
comedy than a slapstick and it would of fit the tone you set out earlier...

Unfortunatley, Venus actually got written first, and it's a romantic 
comedy...so Usagi kinda got the short end of the stick...
  

Ami's story is about the dark night of the soul (not her soul, but that 
is the tone.)  

Actually one could argue that the character you created is a mirror Image of 
Ami. When Ami get's to be a senior, that may end up to be her. So it kind 
of hit close to home for this Ami fan...

Hai.  Rumiko is what Ami could easily have become...without the friends 
she's made.
 

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.  

Pathetic plea..I missed this because I was on break. Can I please get this 
sent to me? Thank's alot...

Will do!
 

Usagi and Mamoru got the humor story.  There is some serious stuff, but 
I intended this to be the funniest story.    

Read above. I think the slapstick killed it. But I have one question (stupid 
really), why was Ranma with Shampoo?

YEt another Ranma date Shampoo to get X situation.

 

	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...

Usagi I think represnt's the fact that anyone avearge or normal( Yes I know 
it's a stretch to call her normal) can do extrodinary thing's. Out of all 
the senshi, she is the most average of the five so it's a miracle that 
she succed's to do the thing's she does. 

Hai!  Exactly.  But I didn't have much opportunity to play on that...
 

BTW, great way to pique the curiosity of us SM fan's...Now I'm looking 
forward to another SM fic from you...:)

Jeff Hosmer and I are planning a Sailor Moon Series, Sailor Moon Z, also 
known as the "We're ignoring SS entirely story:)"
 

That AMI is corrupting Usagi?  I can't see how anyone who knows Ami could 
actually believe that...

I thought she was more concerned for Ami than Usagi. After all she did say 
Usagi was dragging Ami's grade's down. Still, you must have something 
against the SM parent's. You have them putting down both Usagi and Ami 
in 2 part's of your fic..

Worrying about your children is an important part of parenthood, as is 
disapproving of some of their friends.
 

Anyway, some final comment's. While the Moon and Earth story was enjoyable, 
I thought the slapstick didn't fit the type of story that I think this 
series set out to tell. But still this was,and is one of the best non-youma 
SM fic's out there. I just would've liked to see a romantaic comedy. 
Actually that was part of the problem I had with this chapter (and I hate 
to harp on this romantic bit..) but you seemed to setup the prefect setting 
for a romatic comedy. 

Well, part of my goal for this series was experimenting with different 
styles.   The important linkage is that all of the stories are based 
around "civilian" problems...ordinary life problems.
 

But still this is one of the better SM fic's I've read this year. The Ami 
fic is already one of my All time fav's....

Thanks.  I hope you like Jupiter as well :)

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