[Originally an August post to Rec.Arts.Anime.Fandom, developed in response to an invitation from fanfic author Richard Lawson to check out the fics on his web page. Note that, during this time, Rec.Arts.Anime.Creative was on hiatus, with no new fanfics appearing for most of the summer.]
One of the worst consequences of the ongoing delay in posting of new fan fiction to rec.arts.anime.creative is that the work of Richard Lawson have yet to become known to most of its intended audience. Luckily for me, the author sought me out and asked that I take a look at the fanfics available at http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/sterman/fanfic.htm (note: it's NOT "html"). In this essay, I review three of the Ranma 1/2 stories available there: Heart of the Home, The Right Side of the Ledger, and Storm's End. Naturally, the discussion includes details that may be considered SPOILERS.
Lawson's writing style in these stories is securely among the best I've seen in Ranma fanfic. Unusually mature and unpretentious, the prose evidences a remarkable sense of affection for the characters and the settings. While descriptive passages are usually simple and the imagery often minimal, the author describes people, places, and events lovingly, and that is as admirable as it is uncommon in fanfic. Lawson's stories are also noteworthy for rather controversial interpretations of the members of Ranma 1/2 cast.
My reactions are summarized below.
From a critical standpoint, the strongest feature of Heart of the Home is its structure. The interspersing of present-day and flashback scenes has a very cinematic feel, accomplished, notably, without the clumsy transitional gimmicks that other authors rely too much on. How much more effective is the sudden (though not abrupt) change of temporal setting than are the cheesey juxtapositions or other hackneyed devices to link present and remembered scenes.
The development of Kasumi's character in Heart is the most advanced take to date on the much-favored notion that the eldest Tendo daughter is more canny than she lets on. Lawson's extrapolation of this theme rests on vignettes - including flashback scenes extrapolated from existing moments from the anime - that highlight Kasumi's compassion and sensitivity, which give her acumen that is unmatched by other characters' insight. This variation on the Kasumi's-sharper-than-you-think theme is considerably more effective than the attempts in other fan fiction to reshape her into a closet genius; too many authors have made a mountain from a molehill by inferring a deep intellectual life or a destined medical career from such trivia as Kasumi's having once borrowed a book from Tofu.
It is delightful to observe Lawson's Kasumi as she subtly advises and affects the people around her, gently nudging them toward wisdom and happiness. Particularly sweet is the scene, extrapolated from the story of Akane's haircut, where Kasumi draws on special insight into her youngest sister's motivations to help Akane find some happiness in her arranged betrothal. The reader stands in awe of Kasumi's (i.e., the author's) ability to surreptitiously analyze and solve her family's problems.
I am a little less receptive to another characterization slant that has emerged in Ranma fanfic: that Nabiki's motivations regarding money are explained by her purported role as the Tendo family's principal financial support. Deeper discussion of that matter appears in the next review. For now, it is most relevant to emphasize the excellent and surprisingly moving flashback story showing the origins of Nabiki-as-accountant, starring a Kasumi just beginning to get a handle on the household responsibilities and an unemotional Nabiki that begins to learn her own duties to the family. The back story ties in nicely to a scene from the "Mother's Recipes" OAV. Another delightfully original story element is Kasumi's insight into why Kunou buys the photographs offered by Nabiki.
This story, set in the same universe as Heart of the Home more elaborately defines Lawson's version of Nabiki Tendo. The author has chosen to work with an interpretation of Nabiki's character and motivations that has emerged from fanfics over the past year and gained increasing acceptance. The idea behind this specific model of characterization is that Nabiki wheels and deals for the purpose of supporting the Tendo family, income from the dojo being inadequate. This idea seems to contradict Takahashi's characterization of Nabiki as a greedy girl with "an impure heart." I've never been one, though, to insist on fidelity to the source material; it's too much fun to take Ranma 1/2 in new directions.
In the context of a very intelligent and emotionally honest conversation with Kunou, Nabiki's motivations and failings are spelled out: she has taken up the cause of the Tendo family's financial security and has been "seduced by the dark side" of the quest for wealth. While the story of Nabiki's self-examination and reversal is well developed, I think Lawson has not sufficiently fleshed out this complex interpretation of Nabiki. The characterization of Nabiki in Ledger is a valiant, but ultimately inadequate attempt to reconcile a girl who nobly labors for love of family while simultaneously displaying genuine evil by delighting in the anguish of her loansharking and blackmail victims. These two alleged sides of Nabiki are just too contradictory; the dichotomy cannot be explained only by Nabiki's admission of the schadenfreude she feels in seeing others experience the same financial desperation that her family suffered.
The dialogue that is the turning point for Nabiki also shines a spotlight on Kunou, who also has received special attention from the author. Just as Heart redefined Kasumi's level of intelligence and awareness, so does Ledger establish a remarkable "thinking man's Kunou." This character is vaguely gratifying, for I have long wished to see a Kunou whose dignity actually matched his dignified airs. Lawson's Kunou, his brief an slightly slapstick appearance in Heart of the Home notwithstanding, is a far cry from the comic relief antagonist from the anime/manga. It's hard to see how this Kunou could still be blindly pursuing Akane and Ranma-chan despite their clear refusals, or exhibiting any of the other inane behaviors that are so much a part of the established Kunou's character. I'll have to wait and see how it works.
For the opening of Ledger, Lawson succumbs to the temptation that all fanfic authors must face: the allure of the overdramatized, hypermetaphorical beginning meant to capture the reader's attention and imagination. The predator metaphor, trite as ever, ends quickly enough and is supplanted by a well-staged and impeccably paced conversation that far more effectively (and enjoyably) illustrates the nature of Nabiki's relationship with her intimidated debtor.
Also more satisfying than the "predator" opening is the vivid nightmare sequence
that serves as the catalyst for Nabiki's redemption. While the wolf imagery
from the ominous vision may be no more original than the predator metaphor
that begins the story, Lawson does a very effective job of conveying the
horror of Nabiki's nightmare.
"Storm's End" is full of the much of the same stylistic excellence seen in the previous two stories. Set in a different "Elseworld," this dark tale of Akane's personal battle against the effects of devastiating tragedy has all the detail and pathos necessary to draw the reader's sympathetic response. The fleeting hints of crises past, rather than full flashbacks, set a psychologically intense mood somewhere between anxiety and despair.
Sadly, I appreciated this fanfic a lot less than I would have had I not seen
(and remembered in detail) the movie Ordinary People. For with the
phone call to Genma that initiates Akane's anxiety attack, the coincidental
and superficial similarities between fanfic and movie become tight parallels,
and the story's climax and conclusion become entirely predictable. The storm
imagery, excellent in its early subtlety, falters in effectiveness even as
the tempest becomes more intense, for the informed reader begins to compare
the typhoon to the drowning scene in OP. The psychiatrist's drawing
out of Akane's repressed truth is a pale imitation of the well-acted climax
scene (and the considerably more shocking repressed truth) from the movie.
The harsh glare of predictability, I'm afraid, dampened my ability to enjoy
the good craftsmanship in the last part of Storm's End.
[Originally a post to Rec.Arts.Anime.Fandom in August 1996.]
This is the second of two posts about the Ranma 1/2 fan fiction of Richard
Lawson. I wrote the first post essentially to help publicize the works of
this author at a time when rec.arts.anime.creative was not distributing his
stories to the wide audience they deserve. Now that r.a.a.c. is back up and
running, everyone who would bother to read this post has probably seen Lawson's
stories in the newsgroup. SPOILERS ahead.
In Thy Inward Love (TIL) and its side stories, Lawson combines two of the most prominent motivations behind Ranma fanfic plotting: the desire to resolve the conflicts that Takahashi created (and has left open) and the mature fan's longing for serious exploration of the characters and issues in the Ranma universe. One by one, Lawson addresses the obstacles and complications that have prevented the romance of Ranma and Akane from fully blooming. In the course of implementing these settlements, the author composes character studies of unique depth and adds rich new dimensions to the Ranma mythos.
Of course, the focus of any such story must be the resolution of the Ranma/Akane relationship. Lawson has them reach their accommodation rather quickly, after some very compelling emotional catharsis. Particularly stirring are the moments leading up to the couple's first kiss: Ranma's palpable misery, Akane's powerful and wise response. The descriptions of Akane's instant deliberations are excessively verbose and her soothing speech to Ranma sounds too well organized, like a debater's rebuttal. But her deeds and words shine with truths about love and compassion that should resonate with everyone. The development of their open romance is understated (and therefore most realistic): Ranma and Akane do not spend the balance of TIL saying I love you, but by showing it in ways dramatic and subtle. Especially compelling are Akane's last thoughts before "dying" and the buildup to her decision on the beach. Also effective are the couple's silent exchanges in The Ways of the Amazons, as well as the spirits' revelation, in the same story, of why Akane is a most appropriate bride for Ranma.
Despite the centrality of Ranma and Akane, the author's best characterization is saved for the supporting cast. Perhaps most valuable is Lawson's work on Shampoo, the most neglected of major Ranma characters in fanfic. While Ukyou and Ryouga (and in the past year, Nabiki) have been examined by fanfic authors down to the microscopic level, Shampoo has been left more or less as she was in the manga/anime: a one-dimensional, single-minded complication. Sometimes humorous and sometimes dangerous, Shampoo is typically doomed in fanfics to play bitchy Veronica to Akane's (and sometime Ukyou's) wholesome Betty. In TIL and The Ways of the Amazons, however, Lawson builds a much more sophisticated Shampoo that features a religious dedication to the mores of her tribe, a deep and true love for Ranma, and the potential for greatness. As events of the two stories buffet her violently, Shampoo responds with a rich range of emotions: the fury of a warrior, the fear of a lost child, the proud bearing of an heir-apparent.
This richness of character, set against a backdrop of political intrigue and well-thought-out details of Amazon culture, makes Amazons perhaps my favorite Lawson work. From the insights of the Ancestor Stone scenes to the elegant speech of the Joketsuzoku villagers, the story has much for the sophisticated reader to savor. At the end emerges a Shampoo who is confident yet not arrogant, strong but not threatening: a wonder woman to admire. I hope that Lawson's attempts to add substance to Shampoo's character inspire other fanfic authors.
Though less sophisticated than the characterization of Shampoo, Lawson's handling of Kodachi is perhaps more compelling. The tragic childhood that explains her madness, however cliched, elicits an emotional response from the reader, thanks in part to the well staged confrontation between the Kunous (and some prompting from Nabiki on how we should respond to the horrible revelations). In The Dying of the Rose, Lawson presents a Kodachi who is rehabilitated, yet realistically conflicted. The tale of her redemption, particularly Nouma's role in helping Kodachi win his father's grace is touching, perhaps even inspiring.
Paradoxically, the treatment of Ukyou in TIL is both enriching and unsatisfying. Lawson's characterization of Ukyou is somewhat novel, and that is an accomplishment given the amount of attention this character has gotten from fanfic writers. Perhaps inevitably, his Ukyou includes the tragic girl-left-out characterization that dominates most of the attempts to portray her in a serious light. Lawson's version features effective use of darkness/light imagery symbolizing ignorance and liberating insight. The author departs from fanfic "canon," however, by adding (or withholding) certain touches, making his Ukyou more like the original. For example, this Ukyou does not hesitate to threaten Akane with violence. This Ukyou is not an apparent "close second" to Akane in the Ranma sweepstakes. In fact, the scene where Ranma "educates" Ukyou about his complete lack of romantic feelings for her is one of the highlights of TIL. So much potential has Lawson's Ukyou that it is disappointing that she fades into the background after her chapter is complete, with no obvious impetus for a side story.
Though Ryouga seems a forgotten character until the end of TIL, his contribution to the story's resolution. Moreover, he embodies one of the great attractions of TIL: the use of Jusenkyo curses as drivers of serious plot elements and story themes. Typically, serious treatment of the curses is confined to simple anxiety and self-pity, e.g., "Why am I doomed to turn into a girl, pig, etc.?" While there is plenty of that kind of whining in TIL, particularly from Ranma, Lawson explores the serious potential of the curses much more deeply. In Ryouga's case, the curse is his link to the two women he loves and can't decide between; for him, to be cured is to decide, and so his curse torments him even as the Nannichuan water is in his grasp. Genma's curse, as Nodoka points out, is a furry manifestation of his greatest personality flaws: cowardice and denial in the face of difficulty.
Especially appealing and intriguing is the notion that Ranma's curse has some definite, if inscrutable, purpose. While other fanfics have toyed with this idea, Lawson develops it most fully (and perhaps excessively: see next paragraph). The tale of Ranma's first attempt at Nannichuan is a splendid illustration of this interpretation of the curse. Ingenious is Lawson's integration of this new dimension of Ranma's curse into the many anime/manga episodes concerning "failed cures," including the manga's concluding fiasco.
I was displeased by Ranma's full and specific explanation of his curse's purpose to Kodachi in Dying of the Rose. The great detail seems excessive, ruining the engaging new ambience of mystery that Lawson created for the curse in TIL. Moreover, the future history of how the curse has directed Ranma's life is disappointingly mundane and unimaginative. The story of Ranma as a mystically steered troubleshooter does not live up to Mousse's grand prediction of a great future for Ranma, and it reminds me very much of the plot of the TV series Quantum Leap.
The stories of other couples in TIL and its side stories show a wide range of relationships from the sentimental romance of Kasumi and Tofu to the Saotome's shaky marriage. Nabiki and Kunou, whose romantic relationship was established by Lawson in earlier stories, hold prominent supporting roles. Yet only Kunou's characterization is expanded significantly as more details are revealed about his family's tragic history. Nabiki, despite starring in two side stories, remains rather static. Despite the dramas she is caught up in, TIL, Needs and Desires and Brother all star pretty much the same Nabiki Lawson developed in The Right Side of the Ledger.
Lawson's Genma is perhaps the sole instance of an admirable Mr. Saotome in any Ranma universe. His behavior is refreshingly honorable throughout TIL, ostensibly because of his wife's upbraiding near the beginning of the story. The cool, evaluating Nodoka is fascinating and makes for an enjoyable subplot as Genma tries to win his way back into her good graces. The insecure jealousy driving her desire to rush Ranma's wedding seems a bit much; I have no doubt this a realistic portrayal of many mothers' feelings, but it seems too petty and immature for this incarnation of Ranma's mother, who, like Kasumi and Kunou, has been granted heightened intelligence and awareness by Lawson.
Lawson's use of violence is measured and very well integrated into TIL's storyline and themes. In this serious Ranma universe, the violence is realistic, with realistic consequences. Akane's brush with death and Ranma's enraged attack on Shampoo are chilling because of their authenticity. The unity and consistency of the story are highlighted in the fight scenes: battling Shampoo, Akane gains the upper hand after remembering a lesson from her recent sparring with Ranma; Ranma's tactical brilliance in the final showdown with Cologne fuels Mousse's conjecture that Ranma is destined for something greater than running a dojo.
In reading TIL and the related stories, I sensed an important running theme that Lawson has given only incidental attention. Forgiveness and redemption are central to several of the plotlines in Lawson's stories, yet the author does not take advantage of the many opportunities to emphasize their importance as virtues, inspirations, spiritual awakenings, or what-have-you. Redemption shows up most starkly in the The Right Side of the Ledger, where Nabiki is made to see the evil of her ways after a nightmarish vision. She feels a necessity to change, and yet articulates no explanation for that necessity. In TIL, Akane and Ranma forgive multiple acts of violence and violation against them; this superhuman grace ought to have been explored and celebrated.
More satisfying is Kodachi's contrition in The Dying of the Rose, which is supplemented by the moving story of the child who helps to prove the validity of her rehabilitation. In this story at least, there are some indications of the importance to Kodachi of redemption, of gaining the forgiveness of Nouma's parents and reaching an understanding with her brother. Perhaps I've read too many deeply moving works in which forgiveness and redemption were core themes. Or perhaps my religious beliefs are intruding into my commentary. But it seems that Lawson has not made the most of these themes despite clear opportunities to do so.
In my opinion.
Taleswapper
All of Richard Lawson's fanfics are available at his web page.
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