Furuba musings (hey, it's better than folding laundry)...

[wordinista]

My cold is being stubborn in its retreat. The crazy fever is gone, the cough is more or less gone, but now my sinuses are rebelling. I have never sneezed so much in one day. Oy. My peppermint coffee seems to be holding things at bay (or maybe I've conned myself into believing in a placebo, I don't know). I haven't worn contacts in days because I've been too lazy to put them in. Bleh. No energy to do much of anything.

Hee -- that kind of explains the basket of unfolded laundry to my left, doesn't it? ;)

Anyway, I've been lurking on a couple of different Furuba ML's, and I'm learning something.


I don't think I really want to get into the Fruits Basket fandom proper. Don't misunderstand me -- I adore Furuba. Adore it.

(*sneezes again and swears vehemently*)

Where was I? Ah. Furuba. I love the anime, and I love the manga. I actually prefer the manga to the anime, if only because it offers more detail in the characters' personalities. Though I think the anime is a lot more conducive to fanfiction, because it does gloss over certain characters' traits, so a fanwriter could take more liberties and play around a bit more. As a fanwriter, that's actually quite appealing. Particularly since I don't follow the fan-translations. I'm horrible and dull and boring, and I'm reading the manga as it's released in the States. So while I know about a few spoilers, by and large I'm ignorant of the fine details. And I'm okay with that, really. I'm okay with the story being revealed to me gradually. I'm actually a very patient person. (It drives George insane, particularly when Christmastime or my birthday rolls around.)

(*pauses to fold a little laundry*)

But as I lurked on the ML's and poked around a bit, I began to find myself growing a bit... apprehensive. There are some seriously hard-core Furuba fangirls out there who are positively nazi-like in their views. Not since Buffy the Vampire Slayer have I seen so many staunch believers in their OTP's. (With BtVS, we had the Buffy/Angel 'shippers knocking heads with the Angel/Cordelia 'shippers, and the former also taking offense to Buffy/Spike 'shippers. While I'm a card-carrying A/C fangirl, I always wanted to see Buffy and Xander together -- I know, I'm weird. Someday I may make a public plea for a Buffy/Xander giftfic, because I'm sad.)

In Furuba, we've got the Kyou/Tohru fangirls versus the Yuki/Tohru fangirls, and then varying factions of Tohru/Anyone Else. And, my god, I'm actually afraid to admit that I'm a Kyou/Tohru fangrrl in much the same way I'm hesitant to admit in mixed company that I'm a registered Republican. I'm also finding that non-yaoi pairings are somewhat sneered at.

Way to foster a friendly, non-intimidating fandom, kids! Yeah! *rolls eyes*

So this is the way I see it -- Furuba appears to be overrun with fangirl-nazis who will:

A. Flay without blinking if you violate their OTP

Or...

B. Write in the anime as opposed to the manga.

Now, I can see the manga purists' perspective, but they're still scary. And scary manga purists are somewhat off-putting to fanfiction authors. I know whereof I speak, being a fanauthor and all. I'm actually AFRAID to share my FB writings, because the fandom seems so tetchy. I'd half expect to find annotated flames in my inbox citing manga volumes, chapters, frame numbers, and dialogue as to why my interpretation of Shigure is OMG WRONNNNNNG~ OMG OMG OMG!!!

See, I'm working on a fic with everstar3 -- it's a joint thing. And while we both prefer the manga for the character depth, there are a few things that don't happen in the manga and do happen in the anime that we need for the 'fic to work. So, we decided to tweak things a little so that the fic had the depth of the manga, up until Volume 5, but was mostly set in the world of the anime. So... kind of a hybrid universe, I guess.

Oh, my GOD, the more I look at these ML's, the more I'm convinced we'll be burned at the STAKE.

A Shigure-centric, Kyou/Tohru 'fic, set in a hybrid "anime/manga" universe.

Oh, and it's Shigure/OC. (After having so much fun with Teles and Sesshoumaru, I couldn't resist seeing if lightning could strike twice. Yes, I know about Miyu. But the 'fic idea came before I learned about her. And while I considered rethinking it to be either Shigure/Miyu or Shigure/Mii-chan, it just doesn't WORK the same way.)

Oh! And it hypothesizes on an end to the curse. (The curse's end has nothing at all whatsoever to do with the OC, so stop looking at me like that.)

...

They're going to lynch us. *covers head with arms and sobs*

*sigh*

It just seems to me that we've got a fandom that's ruled by scary fangirl-nazis that ALSO happens to have OMG some of the very worst fanfiction I've ever, ever, ever had the bad luck to read. HOLY JESUS, IT'S SO BAD. REALLY REALLY REALLY OMG BAD.

So they're not scaring off the 'tweens who write bad self-insertions about the American exchange student who comes to stay at Shigure-san's house. They're scaring off... me. And if they're scaring me off, they're probably scaring off other fanwriters who know the difference between a comma and a semicolon, or who realize that Japanese students actually DO have class on Saturday mornings, and they DON'T drive to school, and they DON'T change classrooms, and they don't do any other number of things that American students do.

Maybe I need to learn to be less skittish. Or perhaps I need to learn not to CARE about the psycho fangirls. I'm not entirely sure, frankly. But I do know that the more I learn about all the scary manga purists in the fandom, the less I find myself in the mood to work on "A Bump in the Road."

Comments

Re: I went over. <_<;;

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

No comments on the Republican bit, but Kyou/Tohru is pretty much not-mocked, seeing as it looks to be Takaya-sensei's preference.

Most people don't comment. I do have an amusing anecdote I like to tell about an ex-room-mate who thought all Republicans were agents of Satan. By and large, people who know me will tell you I'm remarkably open-minded for an elephant. ;) (We're not all narrow-minded, Bible-brandishing loudmouths.)

I've found that Tohru/Yuki seems to be the fan-preference. Maybe that's changing.

And that's the thing. The FG Nazis are responsible for a LOT of this. And. There needs to be a revolution. BADly.

VIVE LA REVOLUTION! XD

Now THAT I haven't seen. Because so few fans are up on translations, the majority write more anime than not, in fanfic.

Hmm. I only notice because with "Shaken Not Stirred," someone on the Yuletide LJ someone made some remark about it being an anime-based fic, rather than manga, ergo making it less desirable. (I didn't have either the manga OR the anime in mind when I wrote it, so that bemused me.) I've also had people ask me if the Shigure in "Justification for a Lie" is anime or manga based. Again, I don't really know -- it's just Shigure.

Considering how FBFF went totally fucking BONKers the one time I was sharing drabbles JUST because some of the pairings were m/m and a few idiots found that objectionable and complained...I don't blame you.

... I think I remember that. Funny -- one list freaks out about yaoi, and another freaks out if it's NOT yaoi. Lovely. Can we have ONE SANE LIST?!?!!

That's something /I/ would do. Because I can (but I don't, because I don't care to waste the time, and I understand that fanfiction is fanfiction. I have a brain).

Yeah, but you've read SnS -- and if you liked the characterizations there, that's... pretty much how I write the Mabudachi boys. Keeping characters In Character is important to me -- it's just that in the fandom, there seems to be a wider interpretation on what does and does not constitute OOC'ness.

Which would've been welcomed with open arms before this chapter 101 nonsense. *sigh* (so long as the OC was female, that is)

See, I don't know what the chapter 101 nonsense is that you're referring to (and, yes, I meant Mayuko -- I couldn't recall the spelling for a second there, and my volumes were in the next room... blame my laziness as a result of this blasted cold), and yeah, the OC is female.

It really depends on where you post it.
If it's anywhere Mona can see, yes. She and her fanpoodles will lynch you.

...Pretty much the typical places: FFN, MMO. I don't go in for the specialty archives so much. I don't think Evvie really does, either.

*sigh*

We need to discuss this more. Are you on AIM at all, ever?

THIS fandom ISN'T well-read. XD That's the sad part...

[white-death.livejournal.com]

Most people don't comment.

*laugh* Well.
I do have a very good friend who's a liberal Republican. If there is such a beast. But I live in the Midwest, so I tend to fear getting threatened with legally concealed weapons by the average Republican here.

I do have an amusing anecdote I like to tell about an ex-room-mate who thought all Republicans were agents of Satan.

I discriminate against conservatives more than particular party-affiliates.

By and large, people who know me will tell you I'm remarkably open-minded for an elephant. ;)

I wouldn't be talking to you in the first place if you fit that 'evil' stereotype, so. ^^ It's all good.

I've found that Tohru/Yuki seems to be the fan-preference.

REALly. It must be the forums you frequent.
FG is the mother(fucker) of all FB forums, and they pat the Yukiru fans on the head and tell them to go play, because it ain't happenin' in canon anymore.

Maybe that's changing.

It will, once they're caught up on the manga. *nod*

VIVE LA REVOLUTION! XD

No one expects the Inquisition!
...
wait. Wrong quote. XD

Hmm. I only notice because with "Shaken Not Stirred," someone on the Yuletide LJ someone made some remark about it being an anime-based fic, rather than manga

There is absolutely NO way they could know that, given that you set it in the past. We know next to zip about the Trio's child/teenhoods. If anything, we know that they probably forked around, from Takaya-sensei's OWN side-comment about "however, when they were younger..."
But other than that?
This is exactly what I mean. These people haven't a leg to stand on but their own obtuseness. I'm OCD for detail, and I can TELL you what it does and doesn't say in reference a, b, or c. These people just pull stuff out of their asses and expect you to bow to them.
Grrrr

ergo making it less desirable.

To THEM, maybe. *snort*
Loser.
Did they even sign this comment?

(I didn't have either the manga OR the anime in mind when I wrote it, so that bemused me.)

Exactly. It flows just fine with BOTH.
The only thing that may have tipped off anime influence...and I don't recall. What did you have Ayame call Hatori?

I've also had people ask me if the Shigure in "Justification for a Lie" is anime or manga based. Again, I don't really know -- it's just Shigure.

Exactly. Like it bloody matters.
People are getting too wrapped up in the recent chapters. They're forgetting that Shigure can be playful and childlike, AS WELL AS being the son of Satan. He's a complex character. That's why he RULES. But they don't get this. It has to be either/or, or their tiny minds can't conceive of it.

As far as I'm concerned, anime Gure is Gure with his darkness well-hidden. It's still 100% Gure.

And, apart from that, the muse for a character as it exists in the writer's mind is inevitably different from the original writer's concept. That's why it's called FANfiction.

My Gure muse scares the bejeezus out of people, because he could give Hannibal Lecter AND the Marquis de Sade a run for their money. Does that make my fanfic or character portrayal illegitimate? No. I'm me, not Takaya-sensei. And I can back up every character trait he has - something the teenie-bop fanwriters haven't even thought to do in their characterization.

... I think I remember that.

-_-;; Whaaaat a bloody disaster.
I'm so in no hurry to post there since then. Though at least the mod came to my rescue. Eventually.

Funny -- one list freaks out about yaoi, and another freaks out if it's NOT yaoi.

The fandom is SO split and specialized. Stupid.

Lovely. Can we have ONE SANE LIST?!?!!

That would be nice.

It's really sad when you go over going...over...

[white-death.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but you've read SnS -- and if you liked the characterizations there, that's... pretty much how I write the Mabudachi boys.

I like your characterizations, because that's how they ARE. Period.
But even if you'd taken creative license with them - and you didn't - I would've been won over because you write well. That's the important part.
I don't care if it's not exact to canon, SELL it to me. You're the writer, make me believe it.
These kids don't get that. And, given, most of them AREN'T writers. Which I should have some kind of sympathy for or something, but I just don't. I don't fly airplanes for fun, don't you write if you're not a writer. *grump*

Keeping characters In Character is important to me

Ditto! ♥ ^^

-- it's just that in the fandom, there seems to be a wider interpretation on what does and does not constitute OOC'ness.

And it's utterly subjective. Moreso than it should be.
Ugh, the stories I could tell about being beaten with the accusation of OOC... -_-

See, I don't know what the chapter 101 nonsense is that you're referring to

Chapter 101 was the fuel for the raging bonfire of Akkii/Gure OTP that's currently run rampant. Nevermind that if you take the time to translate it PROPERLY, it's hardly as skewed in that direction as some fangirls would like to believe...

(and, yes, I meant Mayuko

^^ I figured. Didn't mean to nitpick at you; I just wanted to make sure you weren't talking about an OC.

and yeah, the OC is female.

*nod* I thought she would be, given OGAM.
^^ Nothing wrong with that.
As amused as I've become by smutty Tori/Gure lately, I will be the first to say that Gure prefers women. A lot.

...Pretty much the typical places: FFN, MMO.

Well, if you don't post it to any of the forums, I think you'll be okay. I mean, I don't know about you, but random retarded reviewers don't bother me. People who want to read it will generally find it and like it in those places.

*sigh*

We need to discuss this more.

^^ Okay!

Are you on AIM at all, ever?

Almost every night from 9 to 1am Eastern. Usually earlier (and later than that, too). <_< sn: furubafruitcake

As to sign-on time...

[white-death.livejournal.com]

OH yeah. My half-assed math failed miserably on this, yesterday. XD
I blame being in a rush.
And time zones.

I'm on every night from 10pm-12am, Central.
Which is 11pm-1am, Eastern.

*wins the dumbas award*

Hey, I'm an English major.
I don't have to take this crap.
XD