The Obligatory Fanfiction Topic

Anna Roz · Post by **Anna Roz** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 12:00 am

Some fanfiction cliches which really get me PO'd include( they aren't just limited to Japanese anime fics either):

~Usagi getting all upset because of some big senshi fight involving Rei making her cry. She flees Japan and goes to some big city in America, where she gets stronger, and finds love in the city. She then has to return to Japan years later, because of some bad guy invading Japan, and she returns to find half the senshi either dead, or severely injured and unable to transform again, so she has to enlist the help of her American friends and they become senshi and bla diddly blah..etc

~Fics that feature characters randomly getting it on like rabbits

~Usagi desperately trying to change herself for Mamoru, only to get her heart broken in the end and flee to America..

~Any Sailor Earth fic that involes Mamoru having a long-lost sister named Terra or something similar. Come on people, be original! If you're gonna make a Sailor Earth, make a fic where Mamoru ends up getting cursed and becomes a female senshi! Makes a lot more sense, right?

~ Alternate Universe fics that warp everyone and everything so OOC that you can't tell what the fic's about. In my opinion, it's okay to have the characters go out of character once in a while, but please, keep it to a minimum so we can tell who you're writing about..

I like some AU fics, including some Seiya/Usagi ones IF they're well-written. I like some humorous Chibiusa and Mamo-bashing fics, even though I like Chibiusa and don't exactly hate Mamoru, although I wonder what's up with that green jacket of his. Like I mentioned above, I can't stand fics that have no plot except the characters getting it on everywhere and anywhere. And it isn't just Sailormoon or any other Japanese anime that does this. I've happened to stumble across some very disturbing South Park slash that involves the boys, aged up to their teens, doing it everywhere for the whole course of the fic. Some even involves the boys as the little midgety eight-year olds they are on the show..eeep.. I like some Chibiusa and Helios fanfiction..but as for Chibiusa and Hotaru underage slash(yes, it does exist), no way..

Lady of the Light · Post by **Lady of the Light** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 12:12 am

I think that fanfiction can either be good or bad, it all depends on the type of story.

I find that I enjoy reading fanfiction if the original author left us hanging, or simply did not explain a character enough. I like stories that dive deeper, exploring more into a certain romance, or looking at a neglected character.

But I do not like it when fanfiction writers completely go against the intentions of the original author, and do something totally different. Such as pairing up certain characters with people who they would never get together with.

But in the end, I find that it's all up to the writers, because they get to do whatever they choose, and if I don't like it, then I simply don't read it.

Rainbow · Post by **Rainbow** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 6:23 am

I noticed that many people like to make up dark Senshi, almost making Hotaru (the original) seem like a cliche. It's like they like Hotaru, so they make a tragic character with the obligatory dark Senshi powers, and then it gets old.

I also haven't seen people make two things:
-a character with glasses who DOESN'T fit the stereotype
-a Sailor Senshi who is fat

Of course, I have put both of these into one character.

KoiNoVash · Post by **KoiNoVash** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 8:55 am

Oh yeah, I almost forgot my biggest pet peeve:
-An all powerful senshi who is suddenly loved by everyone and Usagi is suddenly cast into the background and whose author has completely forgotton that the most powerful senshi are already established in the Stars Manga and Anime.

Post by **Tiff** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 1:59 pm

Luchia Nanami wrote:I don't like it. Fanfiction is just for people who can't draw fanart. Arts better because it doesn't have some lame drawn out character screwing up story behind it.

That was HIGHLY disrespectful. I don't care what you say in your next post..that was in NO WAY nice. It was insulting, and very offensive to some people, including me, because I consider myself an artist.
Writing is an art. When someone says "Fanartists", how can you say that that is in reference ONLY to drawing? Art is a conglomerate of many different expressions, including but not limited to composing poetry/songs, drawing, painting, and writing stories. To say that Fanfiction artists are just people who can't draw is highly offensive, and I suggest you apologize for that remark.
I have never written fanfiction, but I do write. And I don't read a lot of fanfiction simply becuase I don't have the patience to sit there and scroll down during a story (and becuase I have many pet peeves about fanfiction), but I have read some damn good fanfics. There are people out there with the talent to take a character that already exists and make a damn good story with it. THESE are the peope who don't do shit like make the character something they aren't, or put them in ridiculous situations, etc. These are the people who are fanfiction artists simply becuase they have a passion for writing, and they're good at it.
As an artist, you have lost some respect from me with that comment.

ParaKiss_Groupie · Post by **ParaKiss_Groupie** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 2:53 pm

I don't see how someone can say that one is better than the other. Some people don't have the talent that others have. For instance, I'm all for fanart. And I love fanfiction. However, I prefer fanfiction because its something I can do. I can write rather well. But when I draw... Let's just say that even my stick figures look like deformed walruses. So, I stick with what I'm able to do. Does that make me inferior to someone who can draw? I don't think so. And to hell with anyone who does.

Pet Peeves about Fanfiction:

--I don't mind when people create new senshi, as long as it makes sense. Naoko pretty much established that there could be senshi for everything! So if you can make a new senshi, great! But, don't make a Senshi of the Sun, who wields the Golden Crystal and is infinitely more powerful than Usagi. Not only does it hack up the originaly story (Mamoru had the Golden Crystal in the manga, Chibi-Usa in the anime), but its not original. It's a carbon copy of Usagi, only more powerful.

--Mixing up versions of the story. I started reading a fic one time, with Serena in it, and she was in love with Darien, who had the Golden Crystal (like in the manga). However, Prisma, Avery, Bertie, and Catzi had been healed (anime) instead of killed (manga). Her allies were Minako, Makoto, Raye, Amy, Haruka, Michelle, Susan, and Hotaru. Please, stick to either sub, dub, or manga!

--Creating the son/daughter of a good/bad guy. If the child is of a bad guy, then this child wants revenge on the senshi for killing their parent. If the child is of a good guy, then he/she has the EXACT same powers of his/her mother or father, but is extremely more powerful.

The rest of my pet peeves have already been said by others, so I'm not going to repeat them.

Vchan · Post by **Vchan** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 5:56 pm

As I didn't discuss my pet peeves in my previous post, I will here.

- Usagi is betrayed by the other senshi and flees to America. If you go to FF.net, and pull up the Sailormoon catagory, I can guarentee you that one of these will be on the first page. This is one of those cliches that wasn't even good the first time. Bonus negative points if she meets up with the Starlights (AU or not) and joins their band, and it becomes Seiya/Usagi. (Yes, I do love that pairing, but not here, please.)

- Usagi and Mamoru break up. No matter how much I hate Mamoru, he's devoted to Usagi, and he's not going to break up with her. I get my Usagi/Rei love through AUs, or his death, thankyouverymuch.

- Makoto/Minako. I like yuri alot, but this pairing bugs me. Minako is destined for Rei. Too bad this seems to be the prevailing pairing. I do like this pairing's counterpart, Ami/Rei, quite a bit though. I love this cruise ep. ~_^

- Usagi/Mamoru very-AU romance. When I say 'Sailormoon AU' I mean something like 'What if Luna had been run over by a car before she found Usagi?' 'What if Makoto were Sailor V [Sailor J?]' Not 'What if Serena and Darien were lawyers/student and teacher/neighbours/stepsiblings. Yes, I've seen them all. These aren't fanfiction. These are original fiction written by people with too little confidence to call it original fiction. Just change 'Serena' and 'Darien' to something else, and you have a great short story! (Well, maybe greatness isn't guarenteed...)

- OOC Hotaru and Setsuna. Anyone can be OOC, but these two are the most. I know, it's hard to write them, but ... HOTARU IS NOT A GOTH! She's not dark or satanic, or anything. She's a pretty normal little girl!

- The lack of Luna/Artemis. Am I right that there are no kittyfics? Where are they?

Em · Post by Em » Mon Oct 20, 2003 6:09 pm

I'll amit I write slef insert wiht me and my online fanfic aouters and such but it's all in good fun and oragainl and the cahters are not made to be OOC.

Persaonly I hate Mary Sue ( don't day anything about confrudicking myslef theres a differnce one is done for a laugh one is done to the best of how they can write but don't get it right) I want to get a shoot gun half them time. Pardoy Mary Sues are a big laugh however
All pet peeves ahve been metioned or will be

Vcan on my website I ahve some kiyy fic's and if you go here there's some as well look for anything labnled as Moon Cat's

Tempest · Post by **Tempest** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 6:45 pm

As I stated, I'm a Mary-sue. ::laughs:: I write that way because it makes me happy. I also advise that people don't take me seriously when I mary-sue a series. for the most part, when I insert a character, I don't make him/her out shine the original cast. *looks at the Desta Tsuki Saga* ok, there is one. ^^;;;;;; but I was just having fun and trying to improve my telents in romantic writing.

.... yeah ... that's the ticket.

Rainbow · Post by **Rainbow** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 7:04 pm

Vchan wrote: - OOC Hotaru and Setsuna. Anyone can be OOC, but these two are the most. I know, it's hard to write them, but ... HOTARU IS NOT A GOTH! She's not dark or satanic, or anything. She's a pretty normal little girl!

Ha ha, that's interesting to me. I don't think I've ever written Hotaru as a goth! I don't think she is. There are two Hotarus I write about though. When i actually write about the Hotaru of the TV show, I actually end up making her a bit overly perfect, kind of like a kid Michiru, since she seems that way to me in SailorStars. (or maybe not, maybe I just think being calm and friendly IS perfect) The other version, my purposely OOC, AU Hotaru, is definitely not goth either. I have some goth characters, but Hotaru isn't one of them. I usually like to make the Senshi with dark powers act cheerful, anyway, to break the expectation.

Dinozore · Post by **Dinozore** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 8:14 pm

I write original characters better than existing ones, I think. My best work so far has been in my Animal Senshi fanfic (the Animal Senshi exist to protect the environment. Most of them were sealed away in the Silver Millennium, and naturally they're pretty pissed when they wake up in the present and see what's happened to the world in their absence).

I tend to create characters loosely based on myself. I don't really make them better than the original cast, just specialized in different ways. For example, Dinozore's speed, agility, and ability to fly would make him perfect for fighting a villain that could also fly (or a megalomanical, vaguely humanoid giant lizard, which is a favorite villain of mine and who I created specifically for Dinozore to fight ^_~).

Starscream · Post by **Starscream** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 8:53 pm

If I may, I'd like to describe some of my attempts at writing SM fan-fiction, and why they've failed/are stalled:

Sailor Moon: Chaos - Chaos returns, as well as the four kings and the seven super-youma. The first draft had me semi-self-inserted as one of the "Chaos Soldiers", Chaos Genesis, who on his own - get ready - impaled one of Sailor Moon's wings and caused the Silver Crystal to revert to the Rainbow Crystals. Interesting idea, but I turned myself off with the "Mary Sue". Even after removing myself from it, I didn't like it and discarded it.

Sailor Moon/Dragonball Z - Occurs after Pharoah 90 and Freeza are first defeated. Metallia, surviving somehow in space, breaches into the DBZ universe and heals Freeza. The two groups must get together to defeat the enemy! Failed due to lack of interest after 10 pages :P

The Fall of the Silver Millennium - Self explanitory. I didn't like the characterization of the four kings' parents. Dead.

Sailor Moon: Another - An "alternate" universe in which the characters have slight personality differences, and where things aren't as corny or episodic as the original. I have this one on hiatus for now as I consider what changes would work and which wouldn't.

Note: If this seems too self-aggrandizing, Jeff, Tiff, Dan, or Bob, feel free to delete and chastize me ^^;;

Post by **Tiff** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 8:56 pm

Starscream: Nope, it's fine ^^ I'd like to read your alternate universe one some day. Alternate universes are kinda neat (if they're done right.)

Tempest · Post by **Tempest** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 9:05 pm

I *love* AU fics. Some of my fun "internet memories" is RPing with people in various alternate universe RPGs.

Rainbow · Post by **Rainbow** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 9:19 pm

I would also like to read your story, since other fics with purposeful personality changes to the characters interest me.

Starscream · Post by **Starscream** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 10:53 pm

Wow, so many positive responses ^^;; A lot of it is floating around in my head, mostly, but the primary point of this is an experiment to see if it's possible to take Sailor Moon seriously. I'll see if I can get to work on the chapters involving the recruitment of the first two soldiers... ;)

J Anderson · Post by **J Anderson** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 11:31 pm

I don't mind the Mary Sues as long as its not overly blatant. I know I've stuck in a few of my own characters into my stuff that have at least some part of me in them, but not too much. If Gary Stus were so bad, then you'd have to hate every character Stan Lee ever created- he's admitted that they're all a part of him.

I do have problems with SM authors who base their work on the Japanese evrsion but still use dub names. Pick one already.

My biggest peeve though is these "fan fiction rules" lists I sometimes see. Most pro authors out there don't even follow those rules. Some of it's common sense, but some of the rules are stuff Stephen King would laugh at. And has probably broken repeatedly.

Rainbow · Post by **Rainbow** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 6:22 am

I don't really like to put myself in stories directly, as I'm trying to not get my imaginary character world and my world mixed up with each other like I used to do. I do put my beliefs in my characters sometimes, though, and some have my tendency towards obsessiveness.

I have one rule when I create any characters, whether they're changed versions of anime characters or my very own, it's that I refuse to make a perfect character. I'll always make sure to give them faults, and I'll usually like them all the more FOR their faults.

J Anderson · Post by **J Anderson** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 4:26 pm

I am depeloping a pet peeve to all the SM/Harry Potter crossovers I see. Not the idea itself, but the fact tha FF.net is full of so many of them, I wonder if some people even try coming up with their own ideas anymore. SM/HP stopped being original about 200 stories ago.

and it's almost always the same thing! A senshi goes to Hogwarts.

Post by **Tiff** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:10 pm

J Anderson wrote:I am depeloping a pet peeve to all the SM/Harry Potter crossovers I see. Not the idea itself, but the fact tha FF.net is full of so many of them, I wonder if some people even try coming up with their own ideas anymore. SM/HP stopped being original about 200 stories ago.

and it's almost always the same thing! A senshi goes to Hogwarts.

O_o; wow , i've actually never heard of that.
I myself have never read a good fanfic crossover. I've only roleplayed a crossover once, and i'm sure there are some good fanfic crossovers out there, but i haven't seen t hem yet.