Subject: Re: [FFML] [C&C] Review, May 14
From: Krista Perry
Date: 5/14/1999, 11:11 AM
To: Jitou , ffml@fanfic.com
Reply-to:
kperry@aros.net

Jitou wrote:

<snip>

Now, as far as The Chaos Chronicles are concerned, I don't really think
where the story began is the problem.  I agree that it's way too
contrived (Just another Demon-Akane/Saint Ukyo fic:  Ranma suddenly
abandons Akane -- even being willing to commit sepuku to get out of the
engagement 9_9, and runs off with Ukyo to the Masakis) without giving
any real believable explanation for the circumstances.  But maybe that's

Whatever the case, it seems to be used as a convenient
plot device in order to get the story going to the real
meat -- Ranma's arrival at the Masaki residence. When
you think about it this way, it isn't so bad, especially
since I'm quite sure it's this part of the story that the
author wishes to focus on.

Okay, perhaps I should have said "I don't really think where the story
begins is the *only* problem."

I think it's a little too much to expect the author to fully
flesh out all the preceding events, coming up with an
almost epic scope for the story. As critics for these
fics, I truly believe that we should be keeping in mind
certain allowances, especially regarding the nature
of a fic in question.

Who's asking for a completely fleshed-out epic?  I'd just like to read a
fic that doesn't make me cringe.  This one did.  But again, that's just
my opinion.
 
The fic is an alternate story, a "what if" paradox where

There was no "Alternate Universe" tag on this fic.  It was written as if
to fit into the actual continuity, which it didn't.  Now, while an
"alt-universe" tag would be nice on the fic, it wouldn't fix all the
problems I had with it -- namely grammar, spelling, and general
storytelling.  I'm actually speaking with a more-informed opinion than
with my last post, since I actually went back and read the fic word for
word.

some things just happened this way instead of that.
That premise alone gives a believable justification
to Ranma's actions. Even some fics which don't follow
a "what if" model take liberties explaining the way a
certain character's mind works, since no real
explanation was given in the manga or anime.

While it would be nice to have every single detail
fully explained and rationalized, not every author has
the ability or the compulsion to do this. Sure Ranma
is suddenly acting in a different way than we expect,
but is that not the character of a fanfic such as this?
It is not as if his actions are entirely unprecedented.
Certain events happening in the anime can justify
his actions, if you don't keep any preconceived
notions regarding the characters of Ranma and Akane.

If you concentrate too much on canon and are afraid
to go against set standards, {standards which
were established by people no more authoritative
than being on this ML}, then you're really shutting the
doors to a greater opportunity.

How many good stories would not have existed if
the writers were too afraid to go against canon? I
dare say nearly all of them.

I realize you're trying to be helpful here, so I'll try not to shed my
sweet Kasumi-esque exterior while I tell you what's really on my mind. 
;)  

First of all:  Claiming that a fic is an "alternate universe" isn't the
all-accepted cover-your-butt excuse for bad storytelling.

There's a huge difference between writing a *good* fic that goes against
the grain of the canon, and writing a *bad* fic that goes against the
grain of the canon.  There's a difference between writing a character
OOC for an entertaining purpose, or just character-bashing.  Some
characterizations, no matter how OOC, can be written in an entertaining
way that captivates the reader and makes them *feel* something.  Ranma
in "I'll Met by Starlight," and Dr. Tofu in "Waters Under Earth" come
immediately to mind.  I even read a story (can't remember the title or
the author, dang it!) where Akane became a cold-blooded killer because
of Ranma's death, and yet it was written in a way that, in spite of its
dark very non-Ranma-canon themes, I enjoyed it thoroughly because in
spite of how very different (even OOC) this Akane was, the author was
skillful enough that she was still an Akane I recognized.

So while I'm all for exploring possibilities in fanfic, I absolutely
despise fics that either push a thinly-veiled author's agenda, preach at
me, or bash a character for no other reason than that the author doesn't
like them. :p

just me.  I have to confess that as soon as Ranma started griping about
Akane's mallet beatings, I scanned the rest of the fic, and hit delete.
Too OOC for my personal tastes.  Also, I don't usually swallow character
bashing of any kind, but least of all, Akane bashing.

While I admit that the fic treated some of the characters
a little harshly, a lot of other fics do the same thing.
How many evil Colognes have we seen, where she
is depicted as a devilish old hag who we all want
nothing to do with except stuff in a trash compactor?

Quite a few, actually.  And in *some* of those stories (Thy Inward Love,
for example), the story was written well enough, and the
characterizations *believable* enough, that I didn't mind if it perhaps
went against the true-blue Takahashi-esque grain of canon.

Why do you ask?  ;p

Krista