At 10:20 PM 7/19/98 -0400, Mike Loader wrote:
<I'll do the unusual and just cut to the salient bits>
I haven't heard of one exactly like that, but then, alternate universe
fics have an alarming tendancy to be easily forgettable. They appear in
great numbers, and disappear almost in immediately.
The usual gang of malcontents in the Keep of the Four Worlds on Kmuck
were discussing this very fact, and we came to the conclusion that the
main failing of the average alt-universe fic is that it starts with an
idea: what if Ukyou had been a better martial artist than Ranma, what if
Nabiki didn't exist and Akane managed the family finances, etc. Then they
retell the manga based on this change. This is dull and boring. After the
initial novelty wears off, the readers fall asleep.
I find this explanation to be somewhat incomplete, myself. The problem is
not that they retell the manga based upon this change, rather the opposite,
in fact. The manga is being retold, and the change is there, but the change
usually does not change the story in any significant way. The authors often
try to fit the change into the original storyline, without properly taking
into account what the alteration would actually do to the original story.
Thus we get the same basic story, over and over again, with perhaps only a
switching of names.
One way which some authors have gone around this is to instead alter an
ever increasing amount of variables. So, instead of, "What if x was y?" we
get "What if x was y, a was z, blue was red and white was black?" which
makes the alleged basic premise of the altverse false, by introducing more
changes.
The vital difference between a failed and successful alt-universe fic
seems to be a driving goal/plotline that pulls the reader along and keeps
them interested. Examples:
Careful Destiny: Ranma wants to get it on with Akane. Will Ranma get it on
with Akane? How will Ranma get it on with Akane, considering the obstacles
in his path?
Here, instead of relying upon the rather flat 'Ranma has a sister now!
Gosh! Her name's 'Ranko'!' gimmick, the author has given Ranma an ultimate
goal to work towards, which gets us interested and involved. Takahashi's
series was not working towards a goal, but you aren't as cool as
Takahashi-sensei.
Here's an example where the author has thought out the implications of the
alteration the "What if...?" statement makes, putting together a believable
scenario of what might happen based on the one change.
This statement would also apply to the other examples used, and so instead
of commenting on each of them, I'll merely list them:
Ill Met By Starlight:
<Looky here! I deleted some stuff!>
Complete Control
<And there's some more stuff missing here, too!>
Alt-unis can be real fun to write in. I speak as one who knows. Just make
your you have a real, cohesive plot once the gimmick weaks off. It will
start to wear of halfway through chapter one. No, typical Ranma Hijinks
won't cut it.
I won't argue this statement as I agree with it.
My point is (and yes, I'm going to say it again here, but hopefully using
some different words), is that a small change in the beginning of the
series, or before the series starts, can easily cascade into something
causing a very different set of events. This is something I'm (eventually)
going to explore in "When Ranma Was Two" a.k.a. "A Funny Thing Happened on
the Way to Jusenkyo" which is the initial subject of the APD (Anime Police
Detectives. Hi Mouse! ^_^), wherein Ranma gets dunked in the SoD Twins,
instead of SoD Girl. That's the starting point, from which all events change.
[Before you say anything, yes, that really was some seriously shameless
self-promotion there, and no, I'm not ashamed, otherwise it wouldn't be
shameless, would it?]
To me, an altverse fic is partially an exercise in chaos theory, much like
the alleged butterfly in China causing storms here by flapping its wings
(damn Chinese butterflies! It's all their fault! ^_^ <sigh> it's hard for
me to be totally serious for a whole email, okay? Yes, I realise it
probably detracts from the strength of my arguments, but it's the way I'm
put together, eh?).
Take for instance what would happen if an old woman went to see her family
on a certain weekend. Specifically, the old woman who lived next door to
the Saotomes when Ranma learned the neko-ken. No one is around who is able
to bring Ranma out of the Neko-ken, so he stays in it, leaving Genma. Now,
what does Genma do? Go home and have another child with his wife? If so,
does he again try to train this child in the Art? What does this do to the
Tendos, or the rest of the cast? Ryoga no longer has the bread feud with
Ranma, and no reason to cross into China, and so has no curse. Shampoo
never comes to Japan, nor does Mousse, and both are uncursed. Ukyo? Still
probably has the engagement with Ranma, so her backstory would be
unchanged, if she were to appear at all (it depends on which time you use
for Ranm learning the Neko-ken-- anime or manga).
However there's very little story potential in merely that alone, so
Ranma, now sixteen and still believing he's a cat, somehow comes across the
Tendos, who (start to) nurse him back to humanity (we'll assume Kasumi is
enough a reason for the Ranma-cat to trust them). The possibilities open
up, without it being very much like the original storyline at all, based on
one relatively minor change. As for the story itself, it could be about
Ranma's return to humanity and what that entails (does he even want it
would be a good theme to use)....
There's more that I could say about this idea, but I did not intend for
this to be an idea post, so I'll cut it off here.
In summation: yes, one definitely needs more than a simple statement of
"What if...?" that one does need a story, a theme, a plot, a goal with
which to work with/towards, said elements can be developed from merely
working out some of the changes that would occur from altering the initial
variable. Take time to work out what changes would happen, and do not feel
constrained to follow too closely to the original storyline and events,
because as a matter of course certain things in the original would happen
differently or perhaps not at all, while new situations could/should/would
occur.
And that is pretty much what I have to say (because, strangely enough, I've
been thinking about altverses and some common problems in them before. The
subject just really hadn't been raised, and I felt no burning desire to
raise it myself.
Replies, refutations and counter-arguments are gladly welcomed. I really
would like to know of flaws in my reasoning, and/or other opinions.
(Hmmm, I seem to have pulled this one off without most of my usual
ramblings or zaniness. Somehow that's almost depressing... ^_- )
Matthew "Maybeso" Lewis is:
Maybeso (or possibly Definitelyso)on IRC
Sojiro_Seta on Kawaiimuck
Member of:
FFML, FFIRCML, El Hazard ML
maybeso@ican.net
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For the cleanest shave, use Occam's Razor!
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