Subject: [FFML] [Reviews] Ranma 1/2 Expressway Reviews for 6/3/2005
From: "Chris \"HomerNet\" McFarland" <homernet@nethere.net>
Date: 6/3/2005, 2:50 PM
To: ffml@anifics.com


Visit the Ranma 1/2 Expressway at:

http://www.ranmaexpressway.com

or visit the user group at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ranmaexpressway/
----------------

Lines of Destiny
Written by:  Phoenix (dragon@fanfic.net)

Posted to:  http://www.fanfic.net/~dragon/lines/lines.html

HomerScore:  None (I left my scoresheet at home)

Rank:  *** (3 out of 5 stars)

Genre:  Drama

Crossover (Sailor Moon)

Maturity:  PG

Fruit flavor:  Orange

Main characters:  Ranma, Akane, Sailor Senshi (Japanese)

Synopsis:
An older and wiser (well, at least more mellow) Ranma and Akane are  
finally married and
about to start college in the nearby Juuban district.  In the  
predictable pattern of Ranma's
life, though, a Youma attacks the instant the young couple step off  
the train.  Before the
Senshi, who happen to be at the station at the same time, can  
transform to destroy the
youma, the ex-Nerimans handle the Youma without breaking a sweat.   
Couple that with
new memories and vague recollections from the Senshi and the  
newlyweds, and both
groups are highly interested in each other, but neither side wants to  
tip their hand and
reveal their secrets.

HomerNet's review (homernet@mac.com):

Newbie's perspective:
This is a good fic to read if you like Sailor Moon and have read a  
bit of Vol. 1 of Ranma 1/2
and want to know more without being overblown by 38 volumes of manga  
or five seasons
of the TV series (plus movies).  The characterizations are bit off,  
but this can easily be
allowed for in that Ranma and Akane are a bit more world- 
experienced.  A very involved
story, and there are some points of confusion regarding the timeline,  
but otherwise a good
read.

Intermediate reader's perspecitve:
Yes, we have the same old Ranma/Sailor Moon crossover.  Yes, Ranma  
becomes a Senshi,
yes, Akane joins him (somewhat).  Yes, there's fun and confusion with  
Jusenkyo, yes, the
same tired old plot devices are used quite a bit.
HOWEVER, this crossover does a much better job than most in  
*justifying* the odd
changes to characters and creating the combined reality.  The  
backstory for the Ranma
side, which the author rushes through to get to his main story,  
sounds like great material
for some prequel fics, and it's quite obvious that there is supposed  
to be an end point to
the story itself, a factor that greatly improves the flow of the  
story in comparison to other,
similar works.
This work loses two stars because of three big reasons:
*Tiny little "typo" style gramatical, spelling, and punctuation  
errors that sometimes require
re-reading entire sections to figure out what was *supposed* to be  
said to clarify the
confusion
*Constant retelling of the story, sometimes within the same chapter,  
gets boring.  This is
done to show the different characters perspectives on the matter, but  
it's still redundant to
the reader.
*The work is unfinished, leaving the feeling that there is supposed  
to be MUCH more, like
what has been read is only the first few pages of an epic story.  
(Rather like "Ranma and
Akane:  A Love Story" (http://www.kawaiikunee.com/slp/R&A-ALS.html))

Rabid Ranmafic Lover's perspective:
Excellent diversion to pass the time, even if finishing what has been  
written is about as
frustrating as reading through all of the previously mentioned "Ranma  
and Akane: A Love
Story", "The Nature of the Curse", and "Hearts of Ice".  If you don't  
know these stories,
you're not a rabid Ranmafic lover.  Does that mean this fic is  
included in that roster of
greats?  Well...
It has the potential to be.  A few more chapters, a bit of re-writing  
to handle the English
errors, then yes.  It could well be put in that list.  For now,  
though, it's just a fun read.




---
Chris "HomerNet" McFarland
I have no tag line
http://home.nethere.net/homernet



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