> Title: The Replacement Ranmas

 Chapter: 1-7
 Series: Ranma, more or less (!)
 Genre: Humour
 Author: Angus MacSpon
 Email: macspon@ihug.co.nz
 Homepage: http://shell.ihug.co.nz/~macspon/fanfic/index.html

 Date Sent to FFML: 27-28 May 2000
 Archive Number: 11016-9, 11039-41
 Size: 165K

 Summary:

 A new Ranma fanfic is about to start, but the cast members aren't
 available.  Fortunately, a number of other characters from different
 series have agreed to stand in for the originals.  But can they pull
 it off without anyone noticing ...?

Oh, the whole "other characters sub for Ranma cast" bit. _Funny_ bit. No,
really, I mean that. It's reminiscent of the old Bob and Bing movies where
the lines were made up and the characters interacted in and out of the
picture. I laughed at multiple places... the final "everyone goes home"
scene was actually a bit of a jolt, given the tone of everything else that
had happened...

Not that it doesn't make sense for the characters involved; it does, but to
deal with something like _that_ after six chapters of wackiness... well,
your story, your call, ultimately, but it felt out of place to me.

On the other hand, if I hadn't wanted to do an everybody-goes-home
episode (and in particular, to give Asuka a happy ending for once),
I'd probably never have written chapter 7 at all.  The Replacements
idea was getting real old.  :)

You're right, though; the sudden change of direction mid-episode is
jarring, and a significant flaw, story-wise.  My only excuse is that
I couldn't come up with any other way to handle it that made sense. :)

Thanks for the comments, anyway ...

Cheers,
Angus