by Taleswapper
One year ago I picked my favorite seven Ranma fanfics for the period of October 1994 - September 1995. After having written four times over the past year about my favorite new Ranma fanfics, I am ready to hand out a new batch of Taleswapper Awards (a golden P-chan; here, hold one: impressive, ne?) to the best of the best. The 1996 awards cover all Ranma 1/2 fan fiction which appeared on rec.arts.anime.creative (nee rec.arts.anime.stories) in the 12-month period ending last September 30, which I have designated Fanfic Year (FY) 1996.
During FY 96, I prepared four posts containing appreciations of my favorite Ranma fanfics for each quarter of the year. All my old posts are accessible via my home page. This year, the fanfics I selected and lavished praise on were:
All these stories are available in the Ranma directory of the fanfic archive.
Of the dozens of Ranma fanfics posted to r.a.a.c. in FY 96, these stories are my favorites, usually offering some mix of the qualities I look for in a Ranma fanfic (see previous posts for details). Essentially, to make my list of favorites, fanfics must be are well written enough or enjoyable enough to motivate me to read them multiple times.
And yet, even among these "best" Ranma fanfics, it was possible for me to identify gradations, a hierarchy of favor. It was clear from the beginning that certain stories stood out even from this select batch of works. Artificially settling on the number seven, mostly to keep a one-year tradition going, I chose my absolute, top-of-the-list, best-of-the-best favorites. Unlike last year, though, I also wanted to choose a single favorite story for FY 96, to which I would award the coveted golden Ranma-chan (she's naked and is holding a sword).
Though I did "rank" the top seven stories in order to pick my favorite, I have not reproduced that ranking here. To do so would be a pretense at objectivity and quantitation that simply did not exist. So below I merely present new appreciations of all my picks for the the Best Ranma Fanfics of FY 96, with my favorite story described last.
P-chans are awarded to the following six Ranma 1/2 fanfics. I deliberately
avoided reviewing my quarterly posts when I wrote these appreciations. I
hope I haven't repeated myself too much and have found some interesting new
things to say.
This story and one of its sequels, The Ways of the Amazons have raged a fratricidal battle in my deliberations over which stories to select for my awards. On the one hand, Amazons is clearly a better-written story. In it, Lawson's prose is more sophisticated and experimental, shining with artistry that TIL lacks. Yet TIL has a more riveting story, genuinely moving in some parts, and its prose - despite total reliance on omniscient-third-person narrative - is superior to the writing in almost all other Ranma fanfics. The two stories nearly cancelled each other out, but I would be lying to myself if I were to exclude the Heart of the Home-TIL-Aftermath: arc entirely from my list of this year's top favorites.
I decided to go where my heart lies. Though I will always admire the solid craftsmanship of Amazons, it is more important for me to acknowledge having been touched by so many parts of TIL. Akane's loving rescue of Ranma from his despair, Ranma's insightful letdown of Ukyou, Akane's last thoughts as she faces death, Ranma's decisiveness and courage in the battle against the Amazon spirits: such moments continue to resonate in my memory. Clearly, Lawson's writing was sufficiently artful to evoke from my mind images and emotions that would prove so enduring.
In creating TIL Lawson has replaced much of the humor endemic to Ranma 1/2 with serious exploration of characters' motivations and emotions. In doing so, while he may have diminished Ranma 1/2's spirit, he has strengthened its soul.
I originally wrote about Thy Inward Love in the Fourth Quarter FY 96 post, and in a special posting in the Summer of '96 specifically discussing Lawson's works.
Click
here to go to Richard Lawson's fanfic page.
It is hard to articulate the reasons this fanfic affects me. In fact, it took a while for me to realize how much I liked Normal. Maybe it's the understated, unassuming tone of the writing. As in real life, the drama is inconspicuous. First-person narration probably would have been too vivid; the third-person-limited-perspective voice works very well to convey a sense of normalcy and detachment from the melodrama of Ranma 1/2.
Perhaps it is that detachment that appeals most to me. Many authors have tried to step into the Ranma 1/2 universe to provide an "everyman's" perspective of its lovably absurd characters and situations. Too many such works, however, have fallen prey to the excesses that typically accompany author-based characters inserted into Ranma fanfics. Rim's Saicho, on the other hand, remains sufficiently distant from Ranma & Co. so that his presence never intrudes on the Ranma 1/2 universe as he attempts to shed additional light onto it. Though the story is clearly about Saicho, his feelings, and his life, Normal's new characters complement the existing anime/manga universe, never distracting from it.
With that harmony established, Rim tells a pleasing story (it's too understated to characterize as touching or inspiring) that should elicit a flash of recognition from any reader who's tried seriously to emulate someone they admire. Or envy. The undertones of a (nonsexual) crush on Ranma are also food for thought. There's so much more to Normal than is apparent at first glance.
Which is likely why, at first glance, I wasn't all that impressed. How ironic, then.
I originally wrote about Normal in the Third Quarter FY 96 post.
Click
here to download Normal from the anime fanfic
archive.
There is in Nightshadow a rare combination of delicate beauty and raw excitement that endures very well over multiple readings. After my latest revisit, I mused about how the same story, in another author's hands, could have failed abjectly. Without Richmeyer's splendid, often lyrical prose and insightfully crafted characters, Nightshadow might have been just another villain-of-the-week fanfic. Instead, the reader is treated to multiple passages of sensuous, descriptive text and to solid characterization that includes novel, engaging treatments of Ryouga and Tofu in their supporting roles. The strength of Richmeyer's writing carries a story that, because of its subject matter, could very well have descended to the level of warmed-over romps, inspired by fantasy literature or roleplaying games, that are easy to find in the fanfic archive.
Another author might have cast Akane in her more familiar role of damsel-in-distress. But Richmeyer's development of the story's heroine provides a splendid character study of Akane, ably combining her disparate features: stormy femininity, an endearing tragic flaw of insecurity, and the resolute courage of a warrior. Perhaps more portentous is Ranma's unaccustomed role as victim. His enthrallment by the vampire terrifies not only by shattering the comfortable myth of Ranma's invincibility, but also by conveying some very disturbing undertones that most male readers find unfamiliar: a dread that echoes the horror and humiliation of rape.
That Nightshadow has motivated me to such deep (perhaps way-overboard) contemplation gladdens me and encourages future re-readings.
I originally wrote about Nightshadow in the Second Quarter FY 96 post.
Click
here to download Nightshadow from the anime fanfic
archive.
Listing Palmer among the runners-up is like leaving Michael Jordan off the all-star team. As ever, I recognize, I celebrate the lofty status of his writing style and the poignancy of his story, so simple but so universally relevant to every heart that loves. Excellence of this sort is undeniable. And yet some of the qualities that set Autumn far apart from other Ranma fanfics have paradoxically diminished the story in my flailing, earnest attempt to choose with conviction a single favorite Ranma fanfic of 1996. For "Autumn's" sole perceptible flaw is that it is not "Spring" or "Summer," which stories I prefer and rate as superior works.
The autumnal setting of the story is beautifully described and downright stirring in juxtaposition with the characters' actions. But because this season, like winter, comes conveniently equipped with such an obvious symbol, I can't help but compare the story's imagery to the more challenging visual passages of the two previous "Seasons" stories. In the same vein, I am left touched by the moving and romantic story that Palmer weaves in Autumn, but remain mindful of how Spring and Summer were so effective with only the barest thread of a story, let alone a plot that builds and climaxes as dramatically as Autumn's. The intense emotions associated with Akane's revealed memories do move me, and then I remember having been so deeply affected by the more subtle feelings - comfort, pride, wonderment - conjured by Palmer's previous works.
Enough: these observations seem so incongruously negative, even if my "criticisms" stem from appreciation of Autumn's distinctive qualities. I write about Autumn here because it is incontrovertibly among the very best Ranma fanfics of all time. Stories before and after Palmer's have used the departed Mrs. Tendo as a device to provide some insight into the loved ones she left behind. But the emotional response of Akane, as constructed by Palmer, has a riveting authenticity that other stories have not. That beautiful images of nature would elicit from Akane happy memories of Mom is an easy enough idea. It parallels the pleasant recollections that Akane articulated in Winter, when she reveals to Ranma some of the mother-daughter intimacy of snowy nights past. But then, the downward spiral of Akane's recollections, brought on by the prospect of Ranma's eventual departure, adds psychological depth. As repressed dark memories reemerge violently, Palmer builds a new layer of complexity atop the foundation of simple associations of seasonal images with happy moments.
How appropriate that the season of decay introduces the first unpleasant thoughts seen in this series. And how fitting that, just as the decomposition of the old foliage will feed the new growth of spring, so Akane's encounter with despair provides the couple with a final, irresistible impetus to take their relationship to the next level of growth.
I originally wrote about Autumn in the First Quarter FY 96 post.
Click here to go
to Joseph Palmer's home page.
The most addictive fanfic series I've ever read, ToRN is embossed on my memory like a movie that I've viewed a dozen times or more. Its often subtle and always quirky melodrama encompasses some of the best-staged scenes in all fanfic: Ranma's first quiet admission of affection after he accidentally wakes Nabiki, Akane's heartbreak at the gymnastics training session, Ranma and Ukyou sharing some uncomfortable truths as they spar.
"Morganfield" breathes new life into the hackneyed anime love-triangle plot with several unique and engrossing touches. These include the frankness of Nabiki and Akane in expressing their desire for Ranma, a refreshing departure from the anime tradition of leaving affections unspoken and ambiguous. Perhaps even more gratifying is "Morganfield's" singular interpretation of Ukyou, who has grown more interesting as a foil for both Ranma and Nabiki than she has ever been as a romantic interest in any fanfic. So many stories simply begin from the notion - unfounded in the manga/anime - that late-arrival Ukyou is Ranma's best friend. But "Morganfield" builds with a couple of choice scenes a solid basis for a rapidly blooming trust between the two childhood pals. Just as absorbing is the friendship that develops from mutual respect between Ukyou and Nabiki.
FY 96 was certainly The Year of Nabiki and ToRN was its highlight, and not only because of the quality of the writing. This year's other fanfics that attempt to cast Nabiki in a romantic role seem to share a common perspective: everyone, even the material girl, craves love. "Morganfield's" take on her romance with Ranma, however, does not rely as much on the portrait of a lonely, longing Nabiki. Though "Morganfield's" Nabiki is certainly not unemotional or incapable of affection, her bonding with Ranma seems to stem as much from her original anime/manga characterization as from any new perspectives on her emotional life. This Nabiki, who no doubt could have easily extracted herself from her father's arrangement, respects her betrothal the way a good capitalist respects the rule of contract law. Although Ranma certainly has begun to win her heart, there are many instances where Nabiki views him - not coldly, but sensibly - as an asset that is hers and that she'll fight to keep. "Morganfield's" Nabiki, defending her ownership rights even as she falls in love, seems much more in line with the girl that Takahashi once described as having "an impure heart."
In re-reading ToRN, it is gratifying and a little fascinating to track the evolution of "Morganfield's" writing style. Early on, for example, I had been impressed with his ability to portray characters' thoughts and personal deliberations concisely and artfully. As the chapters progress, however, "Morganfield" relies less and less on "thought balloons" and other third-person narrative, choosing the more challenging device of communicating characters' thinking through their dialogue, facial expressions, and other actions. By Chapter 7, even visual cues become rare, and "Morganfield" constructs scenes entirely of conversation. This sort of writing is a far cry from the richly detailed prose that usually characterizes my favorite fanfics, but it is equally effective in rousing my interest and reflection. Getting more for less is always so appealing.
I originally wrote about Tales of Ranma &Nabiki in both the First Quarter and Second Quarter FY 96 posts, plus just a small mention in the Third Quarter post.
Click here
to go to "McKinley Morganfield's" fanfic page.
The most recent of Ranma fanfics to make my Best of 96 list, Remind My Heart combines sublime ideas and ethereal ambience. The moment I finished Gonzales' delicate, yet deeply moving short story, I knew it would affect me for a long time to come. The concept of a love affair that outlasts life and death is not new, but this particular variant of that romantic notion elicited as great an emotional response from me as any fanfic I've read.
Oddly enough, it was not the miraculous return of the dead lover, or even the tearful farewell that moved me most. Rather, the quiet, uneventful Spring night the couple spends together shines with a simple, but inspiring beauty. It is the fulfilling beauty of a second chance, the dearest wish of so many finally granted. Throughout all the dreamy episode, Gonzales' prose has a lyrical quality, uncomplicated in its construction and language, but able to convey complex layers of emotion.
The dialogue between the lovers is similarly unencumbered. Gonzales wisely resists the temptation to embellish their exchange with poetic or dramatic eloquence. Their feelings speak volumes, so their words don't have to. Against this backdrop of simple beauty, Gonzales' stirring romance shines even more brightly.
The juxtaposition of the ancient lovers with Ranma and Akane, accomplished through a link to the Tanabata manga story, is sound. I would have preferred a little more subtlety in Ranma's reaction to his reverie, and the description of Akane's thoughts upsets the parallel because only the man's thoughts were expressed in the dream. But these imperfections in the epilogue cannot diminish the charm of what went before.
You don't need to believe in reincarnation or even in precognition to find truth in "Remind My Heart." You need only to know that true love is timeless.
I originally wrote about Remind My Heart in the Fourth Quarter FY 96 post.
Click here to download Remind My Heart from the anime fanfic archive.
Any of these six fanfics could have been my favorite for the year. Indeed, most have been at some point, depending on my mood or on fleeting changes in my preferences. But today, my choice is the story described next.
And the Ranma-chan goes to . . .
Leifker's first Ranma fanfic appeals to me on so many levels. Its plot is an ingenious extrapolation from a few simple what-ifs? applied to one of my favorite manga stories. Its structure, cinematically paced, serves to manage a diverse cast and momentous events with admirable simplicity. Its brevity is remarkable: telling such a sweeping story in only 36,000 bytes is an accomplishment from which authors should learn before they embark on multipart "epics."
The leading characters are well-formed, although Ukyou seems little different from her characterization in other good fanfics. The proud, tragic chieftain is perhaps the best vision of a future Ranma I've seen created. Her solemnity - though it gives way to exuberant arrogance in battle - gives Ranma gravitas that is easily the equal of any somber portrayal of Ranma in "dark" fanfics.
More fascinating is Nabiki, the grim and fierce warrior. The logic behind this character is simple enough: were she to change the focus of her energies from commerce to vengeance (and the martial skill necessary to effect revenge), this is the Nabiki that would result. The application of that logic, however, entails many subtle complexities that are marvelous to behold. The echoes of the 8-year-old tragedy reverberate in Sunrise's opening scene. Nabiki's coldly efficient dispatch of Musk warriors calls to mind her past effectiveness in wheeling and dealing. Her temptations to step beyond the bounds Ranma had set for the battle remind us that Nabiki was always capable of excess and ethical lapses.
When I re-read Sunrise to prepare for this appreciation, the work's flaws jumped out at me, as my insecurity and indecisiveness made one last attempt to spoil my choice of a favorite Ranma fanfic. There are some inelegant phrasings and shrill lines that mar the beauty of Leifker's work. Perhaps my admiration for the clever plot and for the Ranma and Nabiki characters was badly skewing my critical analysis. Maybe I was seeing the story not as it was written by Leifker in his first Ranma offering, but as it should have been scribed to do justice to the wonderful ideas at its core.
But then I re-read the finely crafted parts that resonated in me when I first downloaded Sunrise. I acknowledged the extra effort in some phrasings: Mint's introduction as "the prince's champion"; the poetic description of Lime's eyes as he departs. I delighted in some of the small, extra details for observant readers: is that Ranma's red shirt Ukyou is wearing?; nice to see Linlin and Ranran again; the kanji signature, I know what _that_ implies. I re-read the masterful dialogue in Ranma's grimly haughty greeting of Herb; her pronouncement of the prince's death sentence echoes in my mind even now. I was again touched by Ukyou's anguished pleading with a hesitant Ranma and by the letter that again moves Ukyou to tears. Though I admit these scenes are a little manipulative, they are authentic, Ukyou's emotions are truth.
Leifker is now writing a "prequel" series, The Sunrise Chronicles, detailing the eight years separating Ranma's confrontations with Herb. The first installment, Burned and Broken, was good enough to make my list of favorites for the last quarter of FY 96. Perhaps by the time this series is complete, Leifker will have so many new ideas for improving on Sunrise, he'll feel compelled to release a revised version. Given the excellent writing evidenced in Burned and Broken, I have no doubt that such a revision would result in a superior work. But you always remember your first love.
I originally wrote about Sunrise in the Second Quarter FY 96 post.
Click here to go to Nightelf's home page.
In my opinion.
Taleswapper
November 8, 1996
Coming in a few days: the 1996 Induction Ceremony for Taleswapper's Hall of Fame. I'll honor three older favorite Ranma fanfics that have had a significant influence on works that followed. Watch for it!
I'm always up for discussing good fanfics (and even some of the bad ones) by private e-mail. Write to me at talswapr@aol.com.
To close the 1996 Taleswapper Awards, I present a montage of some of my favorite scenes from the past year's Ranma fanfics. If you have the Ranma 1/2 Opening Themes CD, play track 3 Omoide ga ippai as you envision some of the most memorable scenes scripted by Ranma fanfic authors this year. DoCo's version is an acceptable substitute, I suppose. Take care, and watch for my FY 97 first quarter post next January.
Performed by CoCo
Lyrics by Oikawa Nemuko
Music by Iwata Masayuki
Romanization from Theresa Martin's translation
Screenplay by the respective fanfic authors (if you haven't read the stories,
it'll be pretty hard to picture some of these great scenes)
| {opening bars} | Ranma-chan contemplates the future as as she watches the sun rise over the mountains (Sunrise) |
| shikyou beru kinishi-nagara | Title superimposed on a "class picture" of the Ranma 1/2 cast: Memorable Moments, Fanfic Year 1996 |
| kakete-kuru kurasemeito | Ranma and Ukyou come to terms while sparring (Tales of Ranma & Nabiki) |
| koe kakeru no nee Ohayou! | Akane flashes Ranma her best come-hither look (Daruma 1/2) |
| natsukusa ga kaoru hodou | Saicho gets a sympathetic gesture from Ranma after falling off the bar (Normal) |
| hohoemide hajimaru asa | Nabiki wallows gleefully in a pile of treasure (Split Personalities) |
| itsumo to onnaji dakedo | Ranma pulls Akane close as he and Nodoka get reacquainted (Regarding Ranma) |
| sarigenai shunkan sae | Ranma's daughters make smooching noises to tease their father and Akane (Magical Interludes: December's End) |
| watashi no takaramono | Ryouga sits vigil as Ranma heals (Nightshadow) |
| kokoro no arubamu ni hatte-aru | Ranma and Akane have a revealing latenight chat (Moonlight) |
| wasurenai (kono sora wo) | Kasumi throws leaves into the air (Autumn) |
| wasurenai (kono yume wo) | the lovers embrace before parting (Remind My Heart) |
| anata to ima wakeau yasashii kisetsu | Akane kisses Ranma, consoling him in his anguish (Thy Inward Love) |
| kanashikute (yureda hi mo) | Ranma hits Akane with the Tenshin Amaguriken tickle attack (Being a Good Loser) |
| ureshikute (naita hi mo) | Ranma tries to comfort a weeping Akane in the dojo (Tales of Ranma & Nabiki) |
| taisetsu-na omoide na no | Ranma comes home to a family hug (Ranma Goes to War) |
| {opening bars for second verse} | The names of all Ranma fanfic authors scroll in front of a watercolor painting of the Tendo Dojo |
| hi ga ataru watarirouka | Ryouga jams over Ranma and Mousse (8 Days a Week) |
| tomodachi ni uchiaketa ne | Akane works a dinner roll (The Attractiveness Factor) |
| suteki-na hito demo naisho | Ranma and Ukyou share a secret kiss (Furinkan Summer) |
| kiri-sugita kami wo kuyami | Kasumi trims Akane's hair (Heart of the Home) |
| nemurenai yoru mo atta | Mousse stammers as Shampoo comes back for more (Ranma .05) |
| itsuka wa waraeru kashira | Ryouga freaks after being kissed by a certain pigtailed redhead (The More Things Change) |
| sazanami ga sarau you ni | Ranma's distant behavior saddens Akane (The Least One Could Do) |
| hakanaku kiete koi | Kodachi tearfully embraces Nouma (The Dying of the Rose) |
| itami ga kakokei ni kawatte mo | Nabiki says goodbye to Ranma (Honor Lost) |
| wasurenai (ano niji wo) | Smiling, Ranma raises a bucket of Nannichuan water into the air (Thy Inward Love) |
| wasurenai (ano ai wo) | Finishing Ranma's letter, Ukyou sobs in relief and joy (Sunrise) |
| sou otona ni natte mo nakushitakunai | Ranma runs screaming from Hinako's seduction attempt (Lemonade Punch) |
| hashaideta (itsu datte) | Kunou offers his underoos to the pigtailed girl (Fetti-Ranma) |
| nayandeta (ima datte) | Ryouga's world crumbles as the truth comes out (Lies) |
| mabushisa wa owaranai no | Ranma and Akane hold hands amid the cherry blossoms (Hanami) |
| {bridge} | The titles of last year's favorite fanfics scroll in front of a pencil drawing of both Ranmas: Stepping Stones - Ukyou's Tale; Ranma .05; Juyza's Lyric; Akane por Siempre; Girls' Night Out; Winter, Spring, and Summer; Ryouga: The Shampoo Variation |
| wasurenai (kono sora wo) | Akane revels in her supernatural powers (Nightshadow) |
| wasurenai (kono yume wo) | Caught up in an invisible whirlwind of energy, Ranma and Akane share a passionate kiss (Chasing the Wind) |
| anata to ima wakeau yasashii kisetsu | Embracing on thebeach, Ranma and Akane resolve to marry (Thy Inward Love) |
| kanashikute (yureda hi mo) | An exasperated Tofu challenges Kasumi's worldview (Hold On) |
| ureshikute (naita hi mo) | A tearful second homecoming, as Ranma encounters Akane and Ukyou on a snowy evening (Once More into the Breach) |
| taisetsu-na omoide na no | Ranma and Akane are reunited forever (Money) |
| {closing bars} | Akane gives Ranma a second kiss . . . she skips away, and Ranma touches his lips dreamily . . . (Autumn) |
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