Forgive me, but I wish to offer my point of view (again) ... not to agree, 
not to disagree, only to let my diarrhea of the mind produce something.

The story potential of Ranma, SM, Tenchi
and Dragonball (Z) has more or less been
exhausted - what new ideas I've seen for
these are getting increasingly ridiculous,
or resort to wierd crossovers. And the
newer fandoms are just that, new, stylish,
and at odds with the establishment (us)
just *because* - and tend to congregate
on Fanfiction.net, where they can pat each
other on the back.

As far as I can tell, /Ranma 1/2/ fanfic is bottomless, and I think it will 
continue until after all of the manga is available.  For better or for 
worse, it is a "living" fandom that can still change and grow.  /Tenchi 
Muyo/ was a "dead" fandom until the release of new manga ... and, one hopes, 
the upcoming release of the /True Tenchi/ anime.  (I have to tip my hat to 
old Gen Sao for keeping TMFFA updated and looking good, too.)  /BSSM/ is, 
for the most part, finished, most likely because a good 90% of its 
fanficcers write nothing but Usagi / Mamoru routines.  (Being the author of 
a weird /BSSM/ crossover, I am happy to say that it is a source of life for 
the fandom, though I fear we all came to it too soon.)  /DBZ/ is dying, 
since the episodes are, after many years, winding down, and it should go out 
quietly after /DBGT/ hits the air and the manga wraps up.  (Original /Dragon 
Ball/ may have more vitality.)

FFN has usurped the position that was, until the present, held by more 
specialized archives, several of which seem to be going belly-up on their 
own.  That, as all of you know, has its ups -- the ability to reach a wider 
audience, and the ability to represent a number of very small, obscure 
fandoms -- and downs -- a lack of quality control, and a lack of good 
reviewers.  I, personally, have found it to be a breeding ground for new 
talent ... if one has the patience to search for it, encourage it, and 
befriend it.  I am surprised that any number of the "new" have any idea that 
the "old" -- which I take to mean all of you, and, to a certain degree, me, 
though I am more of a "middler" (as of 1999) -- exist, and I am more 
surprised that they would take exception to your existence.  There are 
always bad apples on the tree, but ... they fall.  In my personal 
experience, I have been very happy with FFN.  All one has to do is find the 
right fandom and the small community that surrounds it.

I guess that the problems occur where old, large fandoms begin to intersect 
with FFN, but that is a separate issue that most of you have probably 
discussed to death on your own time.

And the last few years have more or less
exhausted the supply of substantial titles
out of Japan, for which enough canon exists
to form good alternate universes...

I do agree with that.  There is presently a large anime / manga glut, and 
fansubs seem to be declining as a result.  There is much that has yet to be 
tapped, but Otakudom is becoming rather mainstream.  That may be what is 
changing the face of fanfic.

Oof, I have gone on for too long.  Thank you for the food for thought, 
SP-san.

-- I Abibde / The Samuraiter

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