i replied privately to leifker & k leppe, but there was an important point i
made that i'll throw to the list: nicholas' note should have gone to gary
alone, not the whole ffml. am i on or off base?
kjh
-----Original Message-----
From: Nicholas Leifker <nightelf@thekeep.org>
To: ffml@fanfic.com <ffml@fanfic.com>
Date: Friday, August 21, 1998 7:52 PM
Subject: [FFML] An open letter to Gary Kleppe
Gary, your reasoning is noble, but horribly flawed.
The flaw in your reasoning is very simple. You are using your own, HIGHLY
BIASED opinions of Ranma 1/2 (your description of them, not mine) to color
your arguments, and as a result you're stifling the creativity of the
writers of theis ML.
People will interpret the characters and their motives in different ways.
I see a man who would rather give up his eldest daughter's childhood than
help her out one iota with the housework. You see someone who would take
up cooking. This difference of opinion is natural; this is normal. And
yet, you have attacked the characterization of others on the basis that it
is different from your own. Moreover, you react to my own pointing of this
out is by saying that this is your own interpretation of Ranma, and that as
such it is worthy of respect.
This is your hypocricy.
Mind you, it's not your only one; there are a couple in items in recent
posts that I will point out later tonight. However, this is the one that
is causing the most damage to fanfic writing, so I feel it necessary to
expound on it.
Sir, it is a noble gesture to say that you would like the characters to
remain true to Takahashi. However, there is only one person who is capable
of staying true to the characterizations of Ranma 1/2, and she's writing
Inu-Yasha now. (And no, it's not Krista! ^_^ ) Truth to tell, I know
of several people who would have disagreed with your stories IN GENERAL on
the basis that 'serious' Ranma fanfiction is going away from what Takahashi
intended.
I argued with them then; I argue with you now. You cannot claim that your
interpretations of Ranma are 'correct characterization', and go around
discrediting other works on that basis - not without tarnishing your own
honor. I merely showed you what you have been giving others all this time,
and you react with the very same defenses that others have given you - a
defense that you have often ignored.
Fanfiction thrives on the fact that we take the roads that Takahashi
DIDN'T. It lives on diversity and fresh, innovative ideas on the
characters. These are the roads you walk, and the roads that you seek to
close to others with your slander.
I will be honest: I showed no joy in attacking your characterization. Even
as late as this Sunday, I railed against such behavior. However, this was
the only way to show the error of your ways. I showed you what we would
have seen if you had been given the work as a reader to critique.
Mind you, it isn't that we do not appreciate your critiquing; we do.
However, your critiquing, due to several facts (not the least of which
being you post it on a public forum), is causing more harm to fanfiction
than it is good, now. Fanfiction must be an open field. Yes, that
occasionally means you get a stinkbomb now and then. However, that also
means you occasionally get a gem down the line. You must take the bad with
the good; anything else is a lie.
As for Shampoo's characterization, I have one bit of evidence from manga
supporting me. She *did* attack Ranma and Akane's last attempt at the
wedding. In this case, it is another judgment call: Would Shampoo consider
the fact that Cologne is dying more imprtant than stopping Ranma and
Akane's wedding, or not? What would be so important that Shampoo would
give up her happiness just so that Ranma hears the last words of an old
woman? If it were "Great-grandmother has been kidnapped by bird-creatures
and needs your help!", then it would be more understandable. However, all
we see is that Cologne's dying; no reason for the situation is given. In
this case, I'm inclined to believe that Shampoo would stop the wedding, if
for nothing else than to try to make it that Cologne's wishes for her and
Ranma to be together eventually can come to fruition. Of course, you are
allowed to use your own interpretation... provided you do not chastise
others for theirs.
-- Nick