Chris \HomerNet\ McFarland
10th July 2004, 10:00 PM
NOTE: These stories (to my knowledge, I've been absent from my lurker
duties lately) have not been posted to FFML, but I thought this would be
a good location to post this in a general way to interested people.
Enjoy!
Apologies for being away from the Ranmafic review scene for a
while, there are several reasons for this:
1.) Not much has been happening on the Ranmafic scene worthy of
note. Very little new has come out recently, and ongoing
projects are in hiatus or "in progress."
2.) I've been busy.
3.) I need money, which brings me to...
-------Shameless Plug!-------------------------------------------
In enlightened self interest, I am putting out a request for
people to donate money. My current goal is $1000. (That's enough
to pay my rent! Looky that... Why, yes, I _do_ live in Southern
California, why do you ask?) Anyway, I would prefer *not* to
have to beg for $, but that's the way things go. If you'd like
to express your appreciation for me doing this, follow this link:
http://home.nethere.net/homernet/opinionateddrivel/ranmaexpressway/index.html
and click on the "Make a Donation" button. Yes, it's PayPal.
Sorry, but that's the best way for me to take credit and debit
cards. Enjoy the reviews!
------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, OK, enough temporizing, and on to "what have we got?"
Well, to make up for lost time, I've got a bunch of reviews.
Also, to save time, I will forgo my Ranmafic Review System
(tm)(c)(r)(tcby)(xyzpdq) and just use the "five star" system for
rating the reviews.
In no particular order:
================================================== ===============
A New Beginning
http://www.geocities.com/lerris_smith/
by Lerris
Rating: ** (2 out of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
In the final battle between Ranma and Saffron, Ranma knows he's
losing. However, the voice of the girl who drowned in the
Niannichuan, a sorceress named Cara Inverse offers him a
solution. Through personal sacrifice, a lot of magic, and a bit
of luck, Ranma and Akane survive. Shortly thereafter, they meet
many others to help fight a prophesied cataclysm, one that
threatens the entire human race.
HomerNet's Review:
This appears to be a standard multi-crossover/altiverse fic.
Characters from Sailor Moon and Tenchi Muyo, as well as the
almost-but-not-quite character from Slayers, make an appearance,
but some of them are not who you expect them to be. This works
very well for the purposes of the crossover, as the changes allow
a more seamless blending of these varied series.
Newbie's viewpoint - If you aren't familiar with Ranma in
specific and the other series involved in passing, this fic will
likely bore you. The writing is not the greatest, though it does
show some improvement as the series moves forward. Perhaps the
most off-putting issue with this fic is the "talking heads"
syndrome so many new fanfic authors have a difficulty with, where
they don't use enough paper setting up the scenery and other
characters, and some characters are one dimensional. This author
has less of a problem than other authors, so there is some
promise if Lerris decides to rewrite it.
Fanfic Hobbyist's viewpoint - This is a clever read if you've got
some time to kill. It is not particularly moving, but you do
find yourself engaging with the characters at some level and
wondering how certain problems will be solved. While there is
some predictability (Ranma makes instant friends with the Sailor
Scouts, for example) other elements will take you by surprise.
Ranmafic Obsesive's viewpoint - To the author's credit, Lerris
does acknowledge that much of the Ranma/Sailor Moon elements in
this story came from the excellent "Sailor Ranko Saga."
(http://www.burgerbill.com/sailorranko.html) This work is, at
the time of this writing, not quite up to that standard, but
certainly does a good job of striving for it. However, the pace
and writing style do not lend well to making the reader believe
the suspense that the author is trying to convey. One gets the
feeling that the characters will *always* win, while not quite as
bad as Season 4 of Star Trek: The Next Generation, it approaches
that level.
That said, this was an enjoyable time waster between chores or as
an end-of-day time killer before bed. (Yes, that *was* meant to
be a compliment)
================================================== ===============
Card Captor, Master of all cards
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1731510&chapter=1
by Graceomega
Rating: * (1 out of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
Ranma is going about his daily routine when he discovers a
mysterious book. This book contains a guardian creature and one
card. The guardian creature, Kerberos, calls upon Ranma to help
him recover the remaining 51 cards that belong in the book.
Throughout his new adventures, Ranma discovers facts about his
life that shock him, as well as new challenges that test his
spirit.
HomerNet's Review:
This fic is a pretty standard fusion fic. While not perfect,
fusions rarely are, and this fic handles it better than most.
However, a choppy writting style and awkward formatting in later
chapters make this reading slow going, which is disappointing, as
it has hints of being really, really good with re-writing.
Newbie's viewpoint - If you're new to anime, you may not know
enough about either Ranma 1/2 or Card Captor Sakura ("Card
Captors" in the U.S.) to fully follow this fic. Graceomega
relies heavily on the reader's foreknowledge of many elements of
both series in his writing, and provides no additional narration
to assist those who may be ignorant of one or both series
involved.
Fanfic Hobbyists viewpoint - It's doubtless that there are better
written Card Captor/Ranma crossover/fusions in existence, but
this one does a much better job at blending the two. You can
genuinely feel Ranma's concern over the fate of his cards, and
the emotional connection between himself and one card in
particular. Also, the cards themselves are brilliantly modified
to fit more with fanficdom in general.
Ranmafic Obsesive's viewpoint - This may not be worth your time.
While holding great promise, at the time of this review, this
particular Ranmafic doesn't equal the caliber of other
crossover/fusion fics that we have seen before. It could also
stand to have a good pre-reader before having chapters posted to
FF.net.
Overall entertaining, but difficult to continue reading enough to
be entertained. The author shows promise, however, and should be
nurtured.
================================================== ===============
Chaos Moon
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1866573&chapter=1
by The Eternal Dragon
Rating: * (1 out of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
Usagi Tsukino stumbles on to Ranma in girl form ready to kill
herself. Usagi, a.k.a. Sailor Moon, ever one to help people,
stops the martial artist and takes her back to Usagi's home in
Jubaan. A chance slip of a name by one of the Outers leads to
dreams for Ranma that reveal much, much more to Ranma's destiny,
as well as that of the Sailor Senshi, than anyone but Sailor
Pluto could have suspected.
HomerNet's Review:
The only thing saving this particular standard Ranma/Sailor Moon
crossover is the emotionally charged writing.
Newbie's viewpoint - New Ranmafic readers are likely to take this
as a very good fic, for the simple reason that they are unlikely
to have encountered the ideas in this fic before. Suggested
follow-up reading when you're done with this fic; The Sailor
Ranko Saga (http://www.burgerbill.com/sailorranko.html), Bishoujo
Senshi Sailor Ranma (http://www.dhc.net/~stsai/bssr/), Paragon
(http://www.knology.net/~kenjiko2/, written by Kenko, author of
the required reading, Girl Days), and Youma 1/2
(http://fubarfics.fubarinc.com/YoumaHalf/index.htm).
Fanfic Hobbyist's viewpoint - Those familiar with Ranmafics will
be tempted to pass this entry up entirely. There isn't much to
offer that other fanfics haven't done before. Several Ranmafic
cliche's are present, such as Ranma
ditching/not-actually-related-to Genma Saotome, onna-Ranma being
Usagi's long lost sister/brother/cousin/etc., this time from
_both_ the ancient Moon Kingdom AND modern times, nearly
completely ignoring the other Ranma characters save one or two.
This fic may, however, offer better emotional drama than previous
offerings. Some scenes are laden with depression, others lend a
great sense of hope. Emotion is a rare thing outside of
angstfics, and this offering delivers that well.
Ranmafic Obsessive's viewpoint - Chunky writting may turn you off
to this fic, as well as the previously mentioned cliche'd
plot/writing devices.
OK, but unintentionally repetitious of other authors works.
================================================== ================
Honor and Vengance, a Tale of Two Souls
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1797583&chapter=1
by Tamphis
Rating: ** (2 out of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
Ranma has been offered a choice, revenge on his enemies, or
become a paragon of honor. Both choices offer eternal
consequences. Ranma isn't a normal mortal, though, he has two
souls...
HomerNet's Review:
This fic offers a different twist on the usual "Make Ranma a
kami/demon" storyline.
Newbie's viewpoint - Unlike most crossover fics, knowledge of Oh,
My Goddess! is unnecessary to enjoy this fic. What there is of
it, anyway. As of this writing, there is only a prologe and two
chapters posted. Those unwilling to wait for future chapters
would be best served by passing this one by for the moment.
Fanfic Hobbyist's viewpoint - Using standard writing techniques,
this fic is pretty unmemorable, save for one plot twist, Ranma
being split into two people and making *both* choices. Beyond
that, at this early stage, there isn't much to this fic.
Ranmafic Obsessive's viewpoint - Yet another "Ranma's girl and
boy aspects are split" fic.
This one shows promise. To be watched for the time being.
================================================== ===============
Obsessions
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1699779&chapter=1
by Elidibus
Rating: **** (4 out of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
Akane, frustrated by the difficult time she's been having against
the other fiancees, decides to change her tactics regarding
Ranma. Instead of walloping him at every turn, she'll be (urk!)
/nice/ to him instead. Nerima shudders as the natural order is
overturned...
HomerNet's review:
While getting off to a rocky start, this fic redeems itself later
on. However, inconsistencies, both within the Ranmaverse
continuum and the story itself, as well as dropping some
characters from the narrative, prevent this fic from attaining a
full five stars.
Newbie's viewpoint - If you've never before read a Ranmafic, this
is a good start. For the most part, it is light and fun, but has
several serious moments included. Keep an eye out for the Duel
of the Fates, as the writing of this section is really good.
Fanfic Hobbyist's viewpoint - This is not the best fic you can
find, but it certainly stands in the top 20% of fanfics. A few
inconsistencies, while pardonable, prevent this fic from rating
any higher, as they are quite apparent for those who spend any
length of time reading fanfics.
Ranmafic Obsessive's viewpoint - An otherwise blase fic is
redeemed by excellent fight scenes and a near-perfect conclusion
to this completed fic. Definitely worth a read!
This fic will certainly keep the "Church of Ranma and Akane"
happy, as well as those (like me) who can't stand the Anti-Akane
contingent.
================================================== =================
On Wings of Black
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=545218&chapter=1
by Redaeth
Rating: ***** (5 of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
When 14-year old Akane sprouts wings and fangs, she is driven out
of her home by a panicked Soun Tendo. She has become some sort
of demoness, and a very powerful one, too. Feared by all she
meets, she must live off what she can steal and the chi of demons
that invade her territory. One day, though, a pair of magically
charged people approach her old home, one taking the form of a
panda, the other, a red-headed girl...
HomerNet's Review:
I'm breaking one of my own rules on this one and giving it a full
five star rating even though there are issues with the writing
and some punctuation problems. To be short, this fic ROCKS!
Newbie's viewpoint - New Ranma 1/2 readers will not find much
familiar here. This is a true altiverse fic, where familiar
characters and scenery are slightly different. It is, however, a
good starting point for readers who wish to move beyond the
standard "Boy/girl meets girl, boy/girl and girl fight, boy/girl
and girl marry, boy/girl and girl *still* fight" routine common
to Ranma 1/2 fanfiction.
Fanfic Hobbyist's viewpoint - This is definitely worth the read,
as this fic delivers plenty of dark scenes without becoming a
darkfic. In fact, a thread of hope permeates the story and keeps
you reading. Also, the "demon" storyline without the seemingly
obligatory "Oh, My Goddess!" crossover is a nice change of pace.
Ranmafic Obsessive's viewpoint - I'm going to name a few fanfics
and you guess what they all have in common; Hearts of Ice, Ranma
and Akane-A Love Story, Accidental Goddess, The Sailor Ranko
Saga, Girl Days, Comes the Cold Dragon, Taming of the Horse, The
surReal World, Genma's Daughter/Equal Halves, and Ranma Goes to
War. That's right, they all are some of the BEST Ranma 1/2
fanfiction on the net, and I think that "On Wings of Black" has
the potential to join them. This, like the fics listed above, is
one of those where I put off work, studying, chores, TV,
EVERYTHING to read it straight through. Definitely on my "must
read" list.
================================================== ===============
Sweet Dreams
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1905382&chapter=1
by ginnyofflames
Rating: Dog
Synopsis:
Ranma commits suicide. (Yes, that's the entire synopsis)
HomerNet's Review:
An ultimately forgettable angstfest. Moving on...
================================================== ===============
Torn
http://jeruind.i8.com/TORN.html
by Kit'ari
Rating: ** (2 of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
Akane's friend Yuka notices something she didn't expect from
Ranma, compassion. After all, Ranma is a jerk, an insensitive
clod that only exists to make Akane's life miserable, right?
Yuka suspects otherwise and begins to investigate. What she
finds will alter Nerima forever.
HomerNet's Review:
INTENSE SPOILER ALERT! SKIP THIS PART IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW
WHAT HAPPENS AHEAD OF TIME!
Readers with weak stomachs should be alert, this fic contains
rape. "On screen," if you will. Definitely a "Rated R" story.
Newbie's viewpoint - This fic isn't for newbies. Find something
else.
Fanfic Hobbyist's viewpoint - If you're looking for a nice change
of pace to normal Ranmafics, Kit'ari will provide you one, but
not without making you think. This fic, like all of Kit'ari's
fics, has a disjointed quality to it, one that makes it rather
difficult to follow properly. The reader is left to question
exactly *what* is going on much of the time. Only through a
/great/ ability to set aside disbelief and a great deal of
patience can one make it through this fic. Once one does,
however, it is a good story that might keep you up at night.
Ranmafic Obsessive's viewpoint - One of the few *very good*
Ranma-gets-raped fics out there. This fic deals with all the
characters on an emotional level, while not sacrificing what
Ranmafic readers like so much. Knotty writing style, great
story.
================================================== ===============
Twins of Flame
http://nightwindssong.anifics.com/fiction.html
by Miriani
Rating: Dog
Synopsis:
Ranma, upset at the low point his/her life is at, decides to
leave the world he knows behind, searching for something or
someone he feels drawn to...
Lina Inverse is upset on the anniversary of the loss of her
sister, Lana. Desperate to make contact with her departed
sister's spirit, she casts a summoning spell, and gets more than
she bargained for.
HomerNet's review:
In spite of the glowing synopsis that has loads of potential that
I just penned, this fic is a massive disappointment in so many
ways. Most plot elements are terribly predictable to anyone who
has read Ranmafics for any length of time: Ranma decides, in a
fit of angst, to leave his manhood behind. Ranma is the
reincarnation of the long lost relative of a famous anime
character from another series. Ranma is angsty until his life
changes to eliminate ties to his former life. Akane is a bitch.
Shampoo is a slut. Ranma is angsty about his loss of identity,
until he gives up the path of a martial artist, then everything
is sunshine and skittles. Genma is only to be spit on. Ranma is
angsty about the Seppuku pledge until he decides that, since he
is above his old life, he is no longer bound by it. The *only*
redeeming part of Ranma's life is his mother. Oh, and did I
mention? Ranma is /angsty!/ Drop...dead...BAD.
With a rewrite AND a rethink, this could be a good fic. Until
then, it gets dogged.
--
Chris "HomerNet" McFarland
I have no tag line, except maybe, "OY! Stop with the 'busy' already!"
http://home.nethere.net/homernet
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duties lately) have not been posted to FFML, but I thought this would be
a good location to post this in a general way to interested people.
Enjoy!
Apologies for being away from the Ranmafic review scene for a
while, there are several reasons for this:
1.) Not much has been happening on the Ranmafic scene worthy of
note. Very little new has come out recently, and ongoing
projects are in hiatus or "in progress."
2.) I've been busy.
3.) I need money, which brings me to...
-------Shameless Plug!-------------------------------------------
In enlightened self interest, I am putting out a request for
people to donate money. My current goal is $1000. (That's enough
to pay my rent! Looky that... Why, yes, I _do_ live in Southern
California, why do you ask?) Anyway, I would prefer *not* to
have to beg for $, but that's the way things go. If you'd like
to express your appreciation for me doing this, follow this link:
http://home.nethere.net/homernet/opinionateddrivel/ranmaexpressway/index.html
and click on the "Make a Donation" button. Yes, it's PayPal.
Sorry, but that's the best way for me to take credit and debit
cards. Enjoy the reviews!
------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, OK, enough temporizing, and on to "what have we got?"
Well, to make up for lost time, I've got a bunch of reviews.
Also, to save time, I will forgo my Ranmafic Review System
(tm)(c)(r)(tcby)(xyzpdq) and just use the "five star" system for
rating the reviews.
In no particular order:
================================================== ===============
A New Beginning
http://www.geocities.com/lerris_smith/
by Lerris
Rating: ** (2 out of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
In the final battle between Ranma and Saffron, Ranma knows he's
losing. However, the voice of the girl who drowned in the
Niannichuan, a sorceress named Cara Inverse offers him a
solution. Through personal sacrifice, a lot of magic, and a bit
of luck, Ranma and Akane survive. Shortly thereafter, they meet
many others to help fight a prophesied cataclysm, one that
threatens the entire human race.
HomerNet's Review:
This appears to be a standard multi-crossover/altiverse fic.
Characters from Sailor Moon and Tenchi Muyo, as well as the
almost-but-not-quite character from Slayers, make an appearance,
but some of them are not who you expect them to be. This works
very well for the purposes of the crossover, as the changes allow
a more seamless blending of these varied series.
Newbie's viewpoint - If you aren't familiar with Ranma in
specific and the other series involved in passing, this fic will
likely bore you. The writing is not the greatest, though it does
show some improvement as the series moves forward. Perhaps the
most off-putting issue with this fic is the "talking heads"
syndrome so many new fanfic authors have a difficulty with, where
they don't use enough paper setting up the scenery and other
characters, and some characters are one dimensional. This author
has less of a problem than other authors, so there is some
promise if Lerris decides to rewrite it.
Fanfic Hobbyist's viewpoint - This is a clever read if you've got
some time to kill. It is not particularly moving, but you do
find yourself engaging with the characters at some level and
wondering how certain problems will be solved. While there is
some predictability (Ranma makes instant friends with the Sailor
Scouts, for example) other elements will take you by surprise.
Ranmafic Obsesive's viewpoint - To the author's credit, Lerris
does acknowledge that much of the Ranma/Sailor Moon elements in
this story came from the excellent "Sailor Ranko Saga."
(http://www.burgerbill.com/sailorranko.html) This work is, at
the time of this writing, not quite up to that standard, but
certainly does a good job of striving for it. However, the pace
and writing style do not lend well to making the reader believe
the suspense that the author is trying to convey. One gets the
feeling that the characters will *always* win, while not quite as
bad as Season 4 of Star Trek: The Next Generation, it approaches
that level.
That said, this was an enjoyable time waster between chores or as
an end-of-day time killer before bed. (Yes, that *was* meant to
be a compliment)
================================================== ===============
Card Captor, Master of all cards
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1731510&chapter=1
by Graceomega
Rating: * (1 out of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
Ranma is going about his daily routine when he discovers a
mysterious book. This book contains a guardian creature and one
card. The guardian creature, Kerberos, calls upon Ranma to help
him recover the remaining 51 cards that belong in the book.
Throughout his new adventures, Ranma discovers facts about his
life that shock him, as well as new challenges that test his
spirit.
HomerNet's Review:
This fic is a pretty standard fusion fic. While not perfect,
fusions rarely are, and this fic handles it better than most.
However, a choppy writting style and awkward formatting in later
chapters make this reading slow going, which is disappointing, as
it has hints of being really, really good with re-writing.
Newbie's viewpoint - If you're new to anime, you may not know
enough about either Ranma 1/2 or Card Captor Sakura ("Card
Captors" in the U.S.) to fully follow this fic. Graceomega
relies heavily on the reader's foreknowledge of many elements of
both series in his writing, and provides no additional narration
to assist those who may be ignorant of one or both series
involved.
Fanfic Hobbyists viewpoint - It's doubtless that there are better
written Card Captor/Ranma crossover/fusions in existence, but
this one does a much better job at blending the two. You can
genuinely feel Ranma's concern over the fate of his cards, and
the emotional connection between himself and one card in
particular. Also, the cards themselves are brilliantly modified
to fit more with fanficdom in general.
Ranmafic Obsesive's viewpoint - This may not be worth your time.
While holding great promise, at the time of this review, this
particular Ranmafic doesn't equal the caliber of other
crossover/fusion fics that we have seen before. It could also
stand to have a good pre-reader before having chapters posted to
FF.net.
Overall entertaining, but difficult to continue reading enough to
be entertained. The author shows promise, however, and should be
nurtured.
================================================== ===============
Chaos Moon
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1866573&chapter=1
by The Eternal Dragon
Rating: * (1 out of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
Usagi Tsukino stumbles on to Ranma in girl form ready to kill
herself. Usagi, a.k.a. Sailor Moon, ever one to help people,
stops the martial artist and takes her back to Usagi's home in
Jubaan. A chance slip of a name by one of the Outers leads to
dreams for Ranma that reveal much, much more to Ranma's destiny,
as well as that of the Sailor Senshi, than anyone but Sailor
Pluto could have suspected.
HomerNet's Review:
The only thing saving this particular standard Ranma/Sailor Moon
crossover is the emotionally charged writing.
Newbie's viewpoint - New Ranmafic readers are likely to take this
as a very good fic, for the simple reason that they are unlikely
to have encountered the ideas in this fic before. Suggested
follow-up reading when you're done with this fic; The Sailor
Ranko Saga (http://www.burgerbill.com/sailorranko.html), Bishoujo
Senshi Sailor Ranma (http://www.dhc.net/~stsai/bssr/), Paragon
(http://www.knology.net/~kenjiko2/, written by Kenko, author of
the required reading, Girl Days), and Youma 1/2
(http://fubarfics.fubarinc.com/YoumaHalf/index.htm).
Fanfic Hobbyist's viewpoint - Those familiar with Ranmafics will
be tempted to pass this entry up entirely. There isn't much to
offer that other fanfics haven't done before. Several Ranmafic
cliche's are present, such as Ranma
ditching/not-actually-related-to Genma Saotome, onna-Ranma being
Usagi's long lost sister/brother/cousin/etc., this time from
_both_ the ancient Moon Kingdom AND modern times, nearly
completely ignoring the other Ranma characters save one or two.
This fic may, however, offer better emotional drama than previous
offerings. Some scenes are laden with depression, others lend a
great sense of hope. Emotion is a rare thing outside of
angstfics, and this offering delivers that well.
Ranmafic Obsessive's viewpoint - Chunky writting may turn you off
to this fic, as well as the previously mentioned cliche'd
plot/writing devices.
OK, but unintentionally repetitious of other authors works.
================================================== ================
Honor and Vengance, a Tale of Two Souls
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1797583&chapter=1
by Tamphis
Rating: ** (2 out of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
Ranma has been offered a choice, revenge on his enemies, or
become a paragon of honor. Both choices offer eternal
consequences. Ranma isn't a normal mortal, though, he has two
souls...
HomerNet's Review:
This fic offers a different twist on the usual "Make Ranma a
kami/demon" storyline.
Newbie's viewpoint - Unlike most crossover fics, knowledge of Oh,
My Goddess! is unnecessary to enjoy this fic. What there is of
it, anyway. As of this writing, there is only a prologe and two
chapters posted. Those unwilling to wait for future chapters
would be best served by passing this one by for the moment.
Fanfic Hobbyist's viewpoint - Using standard writing techniques,
this fic is pretty unmemorable, save for one plot twist, Ranma
being split into two people and making *both* choices. Beyond
that, at this early stage, there isn't much to this fic.
Ranmafic Obsessive's viewpoint - Yet another "Ranma's girl and
boy aspects are split" fic.
This one shows promise. To be watched for the time being.
================================================== ===============
Obsessions
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1699779&chapter=1
by Elidibus
Rating: **** (4 out of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
Akane, frustrated by the difficult time she's been having against
the other fiancees, decides to change her tactics regarding
Ranma. Instead of walloping him at every turn, she'll be (urk!)
/nice/ to him instead. Nerima shudders as the natural order is
overturned...
HomerNet's review:
While getting off to a rocky start, this fic redeems itself later
on. However, inconsistencies, both within the Ranmaverse
continuum and the story itself, as well as dropping some
characters from the narrative, prevent this fic from attaining a
full five stars.
Newbie's viewpoint - If you've never before read a Ranmafic, this
is a good start. For the most part, it is light and fun, but has
several serious moments included. Keep an eye out for the Duel
of the Fates, as the writing of this section is really good.
Fanfic Hobbyist's viewpoint - This is not the best fic you can
find, but it certainly stands in the top 20% of fanfics. A few
inconsistencies, while pardonable, prevent this fic from rating
any higher, as they are quite apparent for those who spend any
length of time reading fanfics.
Ranmafic Obsessive's viewpoint - An otherwise blase fic is
redeemed by excellent fight scenes and a near-perfect conclusion
to this completed fic. Definitely worth a read!
This fic will certainly keep the "Church of Ranma and Akane"
happy, as well as those (like me) who can't stand the Anti-Akane
contingent.
================================================== =================
On Wings of Black
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=545218&chapter=1
by Redaeth
Rating: ***** (5 of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
When 14-year old Akane sprouts wings and fangs, she is driven out
of her home by a panicked Soun Tendo. She has become some sort
of demoness, and a very powerful one, too. Feared by all she
meets, she must live off what she can steal and the chi of demons
that invade her territory. One day, though, a pair of magically
charged people approach her old home, one taking the form of a
panda, the other, a red-headed girl...
HomerNet's Review:
I'm breaking one of my own rules on this one and giving it a full
five star rating even though there are issues with the writing
and some punctuation problems. To be short, this fic ROCKS!
Newbie's viewpoint - New Ranma 1/2 readers will not find much
familiar here. This is a true altiverse fic, where familiar
characters and scenery are slightly different. It is, however, a
good starting point for readers who wish to move beyond the
standard "Boy/girl meets girl, boy/girl and girl fight, boy/girl
and girl marry, boy/girl and girl *still* fight" routine common
to Ranma 1/2 fanfiction.
Fanfic Hobbyist's viewpoint - This is definitely worth the read,
as this fic delivers plenty of dark scenes without becoming a
darkfic. In fact, a thread of hope permeates the story and keeps
you reading. Also, the "demon" storyline without the seemingly
obligatory "Oh, My Goddess!" crossover is a nice change of pace.
Ranmafic Obsessive's viewpoint - I'm going to name a few fanfics
and you guess what they all have in common; Hearts of Ice, Ranma
and Akane-A Love Story, Accidental Goddess, The Sailor Ranko
Saga, Girl Days, Comes the Cold Dragon, Taming of the Horse, The
surReal World, Genma's Daughter/Equal Halves, and Ranma Goes to
War. That's right, they all are some of the BEST Ranma 1/2
fanfiction on the net, and I think that "On Wings of Black" has
the potential to join them. This, like the fics listed above, is
one of those where I put off work, studying, chores, TV,
EVERYTHING to read it straight through. Definitely on my "must
read" list.
================================================== ===============
Sweet Dreams
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1905382&chapter=1
by ginnyofflames
Rating: Dog
Synopsis:
Ranma commits suicide. (Yes, that's the entire synopsis)
HomerNet's Review:
An ultimately forgettable angstfest. Moving on...
================================================== ===============
Torn
http://jeruind.i8.com/TORN.html
by Kit'ari
Rating: ** (2 of 5 stars)
Synopsis:
Akane's friend Yuka notices something she didn't expect from
Ranma, compassion. After all, Ranma is a jerk, an insensitive
clod that only exists to make Akane's life miserable, right?
Yuka suspects otherwise and begins to investigate. What she
finds will alter Nerima forever.
HomerNet's Review:
INTENSE SPOILER ALERT! SKIP THIS PART IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW
WHAT HAPPENS AHEAD OF TIME!
Readers with weak stomachs should be alert, this fic contains
rape. "On screen," if you will. Definitely a "Rated R" story.
Newbie's viewpoint - This fic isn't for newbies. Find something
else.
Fanfic Hobbyist's viewpoint - If you're looking for a nice change
of pace to normal Ranmafics, Kit'ari will provide you one, but
not without making you think. This fic, like all of Kit'ari's
fics, has a disjointed quality to it, one that makes it rather
difficult to follow properly. The reader is left to question
exactly *what* is going on much of the time. Only through a
/great/ ability to set aside disbelief and a great deal of
patience can one make it through this fic. Once one does,
however, it is a good story that might keep you up at night.
Ranmafic Obsessive's viewpoint - One of the few *very good*
Ranma-gets-raped fics out there. This fic deals with all the
characters on an emotional level, while not sacrificing what
Ranmafic readers like so much. Knotty writing style, great
story.
================================================== ===============
Twins of Flame
http://nightwindssong.anifics.com/fiction.html
by Miriani
Rating: Dog
Synopsis:
Ranma, upset at the low point his/her life is at, decides to
leave the world he knows behind, searching for something or
someone he feels drawn to...
Lina Inverse is upset on the anniversary of the loss of her
sister, Lana. Desperate to make contact with her departed
sister's spirit, she casts a summoning spell, and gets more than
she bargained for.
HomerNet's review:
In spite of the glowing synopsis that has loads of potential that
I just penned, this fic is a massive disappointment in so many
ways. Most plot elements are terribly predictable to anyone who
has read Ranmafics for any length of time: Ranma decides, in a
fit of angst, to leave his manhood behind. Ranma is the
reincarnation of the long lost relative of a famous anime
character from another series. Ranma is angsty until his life
changes to eliminate ties to his former life. Akane is a bitch.
Shampoo is a slut. Ranma is angsty about his loss of identity,
until he gives up the path of a martial artist, then everything
is sunshine and skittles. Genma is only to be spit on. Ranma is
angsty about the Seppuku pledge until he decides that, since he
is above his old life, he is no longer bound by it. The *only*
redeeming part of Ranma's life is his mother. Oh, and did I
mention? Ranma is /angsty!/ Drop...dead...BAD.
With a rewrite AND a rethink, this could be a good fic. Until
then, it gets dogged.
--
Chris "HomerNet" McFarland
I have no tag line, except maybe, "OY! Stop with the 'busy' already!"
http://home.nethere.net/homernet
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