Hi wuz up. 
	Not to sound high and mighty or anything but I felt that this issue had
been addressed fairly one-sided, and I wanted to present to the FFML
(what I thought) would be a more balanced argument and also allow me to
throw in my whole dollar (for what it's worth). I'm not trying to spam
or beat a dead horse, but I think this topic is serious enough and can
make for some good discussion
	
	Most of the argument around "original" works seems to center around the
idea of whether or not the piece actually captures the "anime/manga
feel."  First of all, I've never seen a truly good definition of the
"feel" although it is mentioned (and intentionally) left very veague in
the ML FAQ, at least it was the last time I checked.  Who, among fandom,
has the authority to declare exactly what is and what isn't an
anime-style?  We can use the standard "you know it when you see it," but
the Supreme Court never had much luck with that as a standard of
obscenity, so I reject that.
	A good way to illustrate this point is to call your attention to
crossover fics, of which, recently, I can recall BGC/World Of Darkness,
BGC/Highlander fic and from earlier this summer, Ranma/X-Factor and
Tenchi Muyo/Star Wars (apologies to the authors for not listing your
names).  Now, earlier an argument was made that fics with Non-Japanese
names, established characters or settings just become an
American/Western style comic book, fantasy or sci-fi.  If that is the
case, *if only the names matter,* then anime/manga just becomes an art
style and is NOT A UNIQUE genre of writing, which I still think it is.
	Also, who's to make the judgement that Western themes/characters and
crossovers inserted into fanfic traditional/established stories,
AUTOMATICALLY become "Manga-ized." (sorry about that).  Isn't the OTHER
way around equally possible and valid?  Let's call a spade a spade here,
and be fair. These fics include western names, places and characters, so
doesn't this turn the manga into a western style comic book?  Also, I
recommend reading DC Comics "TITANS: Scissors, Paper, Stone" by ADAM
WARREN, a manga based on the Teen Titans, but, IF IT WAS A FANFIC, would
anybody know?  Is it still manga because the ARTWORK and STORY had a
"manga" feel to it? As soon as possible I'm going to post a short piece
I did last year based on my friends STAR WARS RPG campaign which
included the Dirty Pair, as PCs played by my roommate and I.  The
question I want answered is, "is it manga-esque, or has the manga become
Star Wars-esque?" 
	I'm not trying to expand anime fanfic into areas that it is DEFINETLY
NOT, by giving an excuse for ANYTHING to be termed as such, but for
example, when we, as writers, have included such cross-overs and
accepted them, we opened the door for and broader interpretations of the
genre, and we can't go back and decide to cut them out.  Purism causes
us to write the same damn stories OVER AND OVER again, and elitism about
original fic discourages new writers.
	NOW IT IS ALL WELL AND GOOD TO WRITE ABOUT ESTABLISHED STUFF!  That's
the whole point of this list, but to tell you the truth, a lot of the
older, and more popular fanfic series have been more towards the
original side of the house.  Anime Defenders?  Otaku Rising? And of
course, UF.  I call UF more of an original work than either a crossover
or an otakufic, because the plot builds into something much more than
the individual inspirations for it. (I don't think there's room for all
the discussion we could have of just this work though) I think it's safe
to say there's more Star Wars , Star Trek, Wing Commander and Shadowrun
for the most part than Dirty Pair, Robotech, and BGC.  Also, Kris
Overstreet's addition of "A Fine Mess" was based on The Legend of Zelda
and Star Wars for the most part!  Yet, in reference to my earlier
argument, I think few would argue that these stories had the "manga
feel." 
	For you original writers.  If want your stuff read they should either
be prepared for small audiences or "bite the bullet" and include
established stuff.  And that is fine too.  Interacting established
characters with an author's own can create some cool situations and even
better ideas.  But, I would agree with Robert Morrison that it's not a
bad idea to write some "real" fic to build yourself a bit of a
reputation and perhaps even a following (however, I disagree with his
assertion that a good original anime fic can't be done, that's an
unqualified blanket statement, i.e, it just ain't so)  The truth is,
when I first posted WARPED a ways back, I was ecstatic when I got 5
e-mails (4 out of which were very positive) and later 2 more asking for
more of it.  Hey, that's a pretty damn good start for an unknown
starting out with an original piece.  I'm up to chapter 7 now, and even
though I had planned using the Ranma cast, Ninja High School cast and
the Gunbuster cast from the beginning, they don't show up till Chapter
FIVE.  So, the parts I actually posted (1-3) didn't even have a single
famous anime char in them.  You have to hope that the QUALITY of your
WRITING is what grabs your audience and not just Ranma and Akane.

If anyone's interested, I'm willing to continue this debate on private
e-mail or the ML at large
-- 
Chris DiNote, aka Dino
SMD Publications Inc.,
....and from the introduction to The Grace of Great Things:   
     "Creativity is dangerous.  We cannot open ourselves to 
      new insight without endangering the security of our 
      prior assumptions.  We cannot propose new ideas without 
      risking disapproval and rejection.  Creative 
      achievement is the boldest initiative of mind, an 
      adventure that takes its hero simultaneously to the rim 
      of knowledge and the limits of propriety.  Its pleasure 
      is not the comfort of the safe harbor, but the thrill 
      of the reaching sail."

"All other writers be sure to be taking lessons...
Start talkin' trash and I come with my Smith and Wesson" 
(by "Sublime";  sorta)