On Fri, 26 Apr 1996, Ryan Mathews wrote:

You wrote: 

The Dirty Pair are close to blank slates upon which he creates 
his masterworks...Unless they hid deep characterization of the Dirty 
Pair in the TV episodes I haven't seen... (I'll admit I've only seen 6 
TV episodes and the movies of Dirty Pair...)

Check out the OAV "Flight 005 Conspiracy".  Also, remember that I drew 
a bit from the comics as well.  Lastly, in my defense, remember that 
the deepest characters in my DP fics were always my own: Lord Robin, 
Tarc Meridian, and Andrew Fisher, for examples.

No, I haven't had a chance to read it...yet.  I intend to very 
soon...sometime this weekend.  

BTW, do you know which character I got that emotional about?  The 
"Sunrise" version of Ranma...a character far removed from the young man 
in Takahashi's manga.  When I first started writing the story, I started 
planning out what happened to her...I initially wrote an alternative 
version of the Musk Dynasty storyline, very similar to the old one, to go 
along with the story.  I also had a few ideas for side stories (one of 
which I will be writing this summer).  By the time it was all said and 
done, I had become so close to the characters, particularly Ranma, that 
it was not much of a stretch to feel their emotions...Ukyou's love for 
Ranma, her hope tempered by her knowledge of Ranma's curse...Ranma's unease 
with Ukyou's affections, wishing to answer them, but feeling that she 
can't...Nabiki's anger at losing her sister, knowing she will never have 
the chance to let her know how she felt (playing the ice queen definitely 
has its disadvantages)...

After all this, the question still comes to me:  Why did you say what you 
said earlier?  What's wrong with adding a little more depth to a 
character, especially when such depth is hinted at in the anime & manga?
As for Ranma & co., I suggest you look at the following scenes, both from 
the anime & manga:

Anime: The One to Carry On OVA:  Ryouga's lament as Akane sleeps.
Manga: The Musk Dynasty: Ryouga's near-death experience, Ranma's thoughts 
during the final battle.  Ryouga's descent after the Kaisuihuu and Ranma's
saving of Herb even after the Chisuiton and the fights to the death.
Remember, Herb aimed to kill on several occasions.
Anime & Manga: The Shinnosuke episodes:  Their willingness to sacrifice 
themselves for each other, Akane's thoughts as she sinks down in the 
water and when she sees the fabric stuck in the dragon's teeth.  
Manga vol. 36: Dear God... if you can't see the depth in Ranma and Nodoka, 
you're flippin' blind.  Pay particular attention to Ranma's face as he
hugs his mother on the katana and Nodoka gently looking down at her 
girl-type son shortly afterwards, commenting on his/her manhood.
The Mt. Phoenix saga: 'nuff said.  The comical wedding scenes ruined 
it a little, though.

There's clearly a depth of emotion to these characters, all too often 
sacrificed in the name of humor.  What many of us do is try to bring out 
these feelings, and push them out so that the characters seem as human 
as possible.  What is wrong with that?  I can understand if you are 
angered with the flood of Ranma 'fics, but if you are going to argue 
against it, use arguments that actually show how it detracts from the
fanfic art, rather than some excuse such as the idea that the depth
given the characters we invent and should not be invented.    
 
BTW, is the Flight 005 Conspiracy the one with Kei thinking Yuri dead, 
her getting totally plastered, and this guy with her taking her drink 
from her...and dying as a result?  It's been awhile.

Nightelf
nwl9354@tam2000.tamu.edu

------RM