Kenjiko wrote:
->Okay. I like such fics as Second Time Around, and Second Chances, and
the
like. DAMN interesting fics.
Really? I found what I read of SC to be quite boring, personally, which is
probably why I had the reaction that I did to this.
But... they all depend on a character knowing EVERYTHING that happened the
first time around... which is the point, I guess.
But what if she had an idea before hand? What if she had...
Fair Warning
But the real question here is... "Why?"
Akane wins.
That's right. She wins in the series and gets Ranma's love. Actually, she
wins by the Golden Pair arc when Ranma publically accepts the engagement.
Really, the rest of the series is simply the long drawn out process of them
getting closer together from that point on. No romantic tension. No doubts.
No acceptable alternatives to them being a couple. It simply is.
"Why bother with a 'Fair Warning'?"
Why is it necessary to have her go back in time armed with some
foreknowledge when she's already won the competition? It's the equivalent
of watching a football game that ends 27-25, then having the winning team
go back in time and play it over again so that they can win 40-10 instead.
Entertaining? I don't see how. You already know who wins and watching a
blowout is never as much fun as watching a close game. Part of the
enjoyment of Ranma 1/2 is the trouble everyone gets into. But now a factor
is being introduced which doesn't affect the final outcome and makes things
less manic. Less interesting. Less fun. More 'perfect.' All this seems to
be doing is giving a character more power over her fate, which is already
good to begin with. Wish fullfillment for someone that doesn't need a wish.
<this bit is taken from earlier>
I thought... well, a LOT of Akane's aggravation was based on the simple
fact
that she had NO idea what she was getting into-- or rather wad being
pressed
into.
Akane's aggravation is...well, to be honest, nothing. A little grief
suffered on her way to winning. So what? Why is this a problem or
complication that needs correcting? On the contrary, it makes having her
win all the more enjoyable. Seeing the girl get the boy with some grief in
the process is better than having only little grief or none at all. Life
isn't easy, and making things too easy for the characters might lead the
reader to feeling little sympathy for the characters.
Truthfully, the only way I can see this idea work and be the least bit
interesting is if Akane's 'Fair Warning' actually serves to cause problems,
different problems, from the real series. Forearmed with what knowledge she
has, she'll behave differently, and perhaps those differences will serve to
cause a barrier of a different kind to form between herself and Ranma. No.
I'm not saying the two should not end up together, not at all. It's just
that currently there is considerably less conflict here then in the real
series and the outcome is even less in doubt that before. This makes for
dull reading in my book. Some factor has to be introduced to upset the
clearly course that seems to be set with this first bit.
Of course these are simply my opinions. I could be wrong. :)
D.B. Sommer