see first email... ><
----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Norris" <setsuna@anifics.com>
To: <hkmiller@theeddy.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2004 12:19 PM
Subject: Re: [FFML] Re: [Fanfic][Ranma/SM] Relatively Absent: Chapter 9
*sigh* Okay. As a prereader I won't spoil, but _I_ will explain some of
the
logic that went into this.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bert Miller" <hkmiller@theeddy.com>
To: "Gary Kleppe" <gary@garykleppe.org>
Cc: "Mark Shurtleff" <gaijin@sfcmd.com>; "'Fan Fiction ML'"
<ffml@anifics.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2004 12:57 PM
Subject: [FFML] Re: [Fanfic][Ranma/SM] Relatively Absent: Chapter 9
However, the Kasumi presented in this story seems to
be very aware of many things. It might have been even
more effective to show us, upstairs, Kasumi somehow
listening in to the goings-on, and rapidly coming to
the conclusion that something is really, really off.
Having a character ask the questions to which the
author wishes to call attention as NOT having been
answered is usually an effective way to get the
point across.
Why is it off? Nabiki's been selling nude photos, bookmaking, and
extorition.
Baby yak. And as for Akane... how many times in _public_ has she belted
Ranma with a weapon or
serious force _without_ a vaild reason? (and before any of you start
saying
"Oh, Ranma calls her names!" That's not reason, under law to fricking
slap
someone around with a mallet, table, or what have you.) Though _I_ will
point out, that the spooks/talents, who have a clue, are more... "She's a
brat, who needs a wakeup call" than actually thinking she's a bad person.
Folks, if she contuined the way she was going, she'd have killed
someone...
and it'd have been _worse_.
Kasumi sees that all the actions _she_ was supposed to _prevent_ landing
on
her family's doorstep. Kasumi, at this point, has _failed_ her family,
her
ansectors, her mother...
I'm not suprised she's not thinking.
(Now, if she _could_ have not failed, is a other story, and to be honest,
*shrugs* But, failure isn't the point)
More generally, my first reaction to this chapter was
shock. Some parts of me did wonder where the marvelous
story seen in previous chapters had gone; these parts
warred with the urge to assume that Mark knows what
he's doing. In the latter's favor was the recognition
that the scenes in question were quite remarkably
effective, given how little was actually described (or,
possibly, because of it). The author obviously intended
to raise the reader's blood pressure, and very much
succeeded in my case.
At this point, we've seen Akane and Nabiki subjected to
a punishment (or an ordeal) which Akane, at least, does
not appear to have merited, in any scenes shown to the
readers. (We've had various characters comment on
Akane, but we've not been shown Akane herself doing much
of anything.)
The cousins are viewing Akane(and the other tendos) though certain filters
which _are_ shown arleady.
(Midori's got several, Harukichi has a major one, the other two are
playing
off those two.)
The people who've been watching Nerima, likey have their OWN filters, and
some of those have been shown. By the way: The Amazons _are_ on the list.
[The only reason I exclude Nabiki from the above is that
charging Ukyou approx $90 for a tape which she fully
believed showed Ranma's death struck me as one of the
most cruel things I've ever seen her depicted as doing.
That act also really jumped out at me here.]
In charater, remember when she charged Ranma money for _hot_ water? When
Shampoo was hunting his girl form? That's not cruel, she's DONE WORSE IN
THE MANGA!
(which brings up a point, Gaijin _is_ BASING this story off Ranma 1/2, and
he's filtering it though a different filter than "comdey" that the author
used.)
What will be the meaning of this punishment or ordeal?
Well, as stated, so far it CAN'T be punishment, in
Akane's case; she hasn't done anything. So then it must
be "bad things happening to good people", which implies
that we will see these police receive a comeuppance in
a later chapter. Looking forward to it.
Akane's case? As the spook who dealt with Ukyou noted... she needed a
wake
up call, more than anything else. But, to people _on_ the perherphy of
the
Nerima mess, she's committed MUPLITE acts of assault, assault with a
deadly
weapon, attempted murder...
Just how is it "not" deserved?
Again, this is _based_ on Ranma 1/2, and it's serious. Not comdey.
Comdey
taken serious is tradegy.
To note, there _are_ upsides to this, for _BOTH_ Akane and Nabiki. And
there are other reasons too.
There _IS_ a active blood feud agasint the Tendos.
Aiko _would_ NOT have done this, given. She _has_ REASONS for being
_VERY_
anti what just went down. She might have _killed_ them, yes, but this?
Nope.... Gaijin pointed it out.
The police officer who lead this is _dead_.
Andrew
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