Before I start, a little note to DB:

If "critical C&C" is like this, it's pretty obvious why Mark would get 
upset.  The critique is so far out there that it leaves me wondering if 
Thermo was reading the same story.  In this work, Thermo was comparing 
the work to ones where Gosunkugi rapes Ranma.  I dunno about you, but I 
think anyone who makes such a comparison has the right to get upset.

On May 28, 2004, at 5:22 AM, <thermopyle@tds.net> wrote:

From: Edward Becerra <eabecerr@schollnet.com>
Date: 2004/05/28 Fri AM 05:43:18 GMT
To: Joe Fenton <jlfenton@npgcable.com>,  ffml@anifics.com
Subject: [FFML] Re: [Fanfic][Ranma/SM] Relatively Absent: Chapter 9

After all, from an Emperor's viewpoint - or even a President's - we're
all just expendable little people.

Yup.  And so is Ranma.  As long as that's kept clear, and the Emporer 
is just trying to make use of him, that's fine, but if this steps 
anywhere near the Emporer having unselfish motivations, the story will 
take an even deeper step into character glorification.

That seems unrealistic.  There are usually three reasons for why people 
do things: the logical reason, the reason they tell everyone else, and 
the real reason.  Anyone at that level would be generous at least in 
part because of what they get out of it - prestige, or a debt, or 
something similar.  If the Emperor is doing something, you can bet it's 
for a reason - and the clues as to why are contained within the work 
itself.

So far, Ranma in this story has not been worth anybody's time--yet 
everybody acts like he's something special, Eiko included.  The whole 
extended family thing, and them running around wanting vengeance for 
poor Ranma-chan, is pushing it.

Mark made two assumptions for this story beyond the scope of the manga.
1. Ranma was qualified to become Sailor Pluto.
2. Ranma's maternal relatives are a ninja clan.

Anything else comes from the manga.  You can accept those, or not.  If 
not, well... nobody's making you read.

The story barely works in that aspect, if it works, and only because 
they're "family" is it at all acceptable.  Even then, the idea of such 
a number of relatives being solidly supportive without having even met 
Ranma before this whole thing started is hard to believe; watching 
Ranma isn't something that would inspire faith in his great 
personality or deservedness of a better life.  Ranma is no better than 
anybody else in the cast, even though he's being treated much better.

Treated much better.  Hmmm.
Father abused him from childhood for the sake of the Art.
Mother held death sentence over him.
Nabiki's manipulations have been already talked about.  The bit with 
Nabiki effectively selling Ranma into slavery to pay her bill during 
the Kinnosuke date comes to mind...
Ranma has four fiancees, of which each one could be accused of some 
form of abuse (whether physical, chemical, or both).
Has various people who have stated and acted on their desire and intent 
to kill him (Ryouga and Mousse most notable on that list).
Your definition of being "treated better" must come from some Cosa 
Nostra definition I'm not familiar with.
Now, this all is one point of view based on the manga (the abuse 
accusations from the fiancees become much stronger with the anime, but 
are still there in the manga).  You apparently share a different point 
of view.  That is your right, but Mark has the right to his own 
interpretation.  Don't piss on his parade because of it.

 If even somebody like the Emporer starts fawning over how terrible 
Ranma's life has been and assigning blame to everybody who has 
"mistreated" Ranma, well, the suspension of disbelief on this aspect 
of the story, which is a major one, is already hanging by a thread;  
th!
 at would cut the thread and toss the story's believability into the 
ranks of fics by Imortis.  Yeah, Gosunkugi, rape that redhead!  Get 
revenge, Akane!  Go, go, go!

This reflects how ridiculous this critique has become.  You're not 
criticizing the fic for what it is, but for what you think in your mind 
it might be.  I can assure you that Mark has no intentions of having 
Gosunkugi show up and rape anyone.

Also, the Emperor knows diplomacy.  Notice how he's already chastised 
Aiko and Nodoka for the damage done.  As stated, there's something 
going on here, and the clues are all there.

This story would be a lot easier to accept if people took Ranma with a 
bit less faith.

News flash: Family take family with faith - at least, under normal 
circumstances.  It happens.

It has been stated in response to this chapter that Gaijin has changed 
the genre from the originally intended comedy.  Fine, whatever, but so 
far I haven't seen anything to indicate that Ranma's actions have been 
taken seriously; he's done some bad stuff.

Okay...

To address one aspect of the manga that is coming up, some kind of 
"handling" of the Amazons; Ranma swam to China and probably entered 
the country illegaly, stole Shampoo's food, and got Shampoo stuck 
having to either kill or marry Ranma or face being punished in some 
way by Amazon law.

All of which occurred in China.  Besides, which is worse - someone 
stealing food, or someone trying to kill?  Government officials do 
their best to handle the needs of themselves (usually that first) and 
their constituents/subjects (usually that second).  The China gang are 
not the Emperor's subjects; the indigenous people of Nerima who are 
probably tired of the property damage are.

Look at it from the Japanese perspective.  Shampoo first entered the 
country to kill Ranma.  She then returned, with family, to 
coerce/blackmail Ranma into returning with them - which could be viewed 
as kidnapping.  Somehow, anything Ranma does pales by comparison; 
attempted murder and kidnapping are pretty serious charges.

  Ranma also later assaulted Shampoo with the intent of "making her 
like him again" which looks pretty damn bad.

Nobody said Ranma was perfect.  However, when you compare what Ranma 
does here (and how that scene goes) to what the China gang has done in 
Japan...

There are other examples of Ranma acting in less than an ideal manner, 
and supposedly his relatives were there to watch it all, yet they 
aren't wary of him in the slightest.  Everybody acts like he is just a 
victim, which is not the case, and !
 it makes the comparative bashing of the other characters (whose 
transgressions ARE being addressed) stand out even more.

His family acts like he is just a victim; families tend to do that.  
Eiko has her little tap on Ranma's mind, so she gets to feel all of 
Ranma's emotions.  The Emperor... well, there are clues as to what is 
going on there and why, from the seating of the people in the meeting 
to the anger that a couple of Ranma's relatives are showing to the fact 
that the Empire knows about Ranma and is doing this so soon after Ranma 
is admitted to the Yamada clan.  To all of this, there is method to the 
madness; one thing that Mark is doing is having people do precisely the 
wrong thing for the situation - but the right thing with the 
information they have.

Right now I'm wondering if we'll have Gosunkugi being dragged in by 
the police.  Maybe they'll rape his mom and previously unseen sister 
as revenge for the whole power suit story.  It'd "serve the violent 
little bastard right!"

The problem is that all of this is based on YOUR interpretation of 
events in the manga.  Allow Mark his.

It's a ridiculous idea, but hey, no more so than the way some of the 
other characters are being treated.  It has been stated that the 
actual INTENT of this fic is not to bash some characters and glorify 
others, but it does anyway, and unless there's a bit more equality 
introduced later on, it's going to continue despite the author's 
intentions.

Ah, finally we agree on something - your ideas being ridiculous!

Seriously, your interpretations of the events going on are based on two 
things: (1) your incomplete and inaccurate interpretation of events in 
the story (your obsession of what goes on with the arrest and its 
seeming gratuity reflects this, as well as your attitude toward the 
Emperor's meeting) and (2) your interpretation of events in the manga, 
which differs from Mark's.  You're certainly welcome to them, and 
you're also welcome to air them, as long as you don't go too far.  
However, you went too far, because you started making loose and 
spurious comparisons.

Now, you are most certainly welcome to voice your point of view in 
regards to this work.  However, if you go too far, we have the right to 
call you out for it, and point out where your logic is in error.

Sir, your logic is in error.  The areas have been pointed out.

-- Nick


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