From: Drakkus <samael@deathsdoor.com>

Hiho, folks. 

I have decided to join the horde of Ranma fic writers living in our 

dark

little corners of the 'net. This is a sort of personal ascension for me 

as

well as an exploration and exercise of my meager creative talents.

Now that you know where I'm coming from, I have a few questions. Rest
assured that I have researched these to the best of my ability with the
resources I have, and that I am only asking because I couldn't find the
answers anywhere else.

Be it understood that these answers are merely my opinions.  Don't take 
them as too binding.

1. What is Cologne's real name? I already know Xian Pu and Mu Tsu, but 

for

the life of me, I can't find or deduce Cologne.

I don't believe the characters have 'real names'.  Xian Pu and Mu Tsu 
are merely names made up by fanfiction writers who wanted to adapt the 
bathroom products into things that might actually be Chinese names.  
That said, I believe Richard Lawson uses 'Khu Lon'.  That might work.

2. The fic involves a heavy Western influence because of the basic 

premise.

I intend to include several Western conventions like the drug culture,
Slack, counterculture and excessive violent crime in the story. Is this 

a

sin against the basic idea of the Ranmaverse, which is mostly humorous?

Other people have done it, so if you want to, go right ahead.  Just try 
to keep the Ranma characters *reactions* to these issues consistent with 
their characterization.  For instance, Ranma would probably view a 
Western "slacker" with the same loathing he shows for his father's 
laziness.  He probably wouldn't be as nice about it either.

3. I've noticed that Ranma seems to have, in general, a morning theme.
Everything happens in the morning, and evenings are marked mostly by
everybody going to bed. If I switch that theme to evenings and nights, 

will

Ranma be so drastically altered that I might as well be using some 

other

universe?

I think compared to the other stuff you're planning, a morning to 
evening switch is very small potatoes indeed.

4. What are the standard objections to the self-insertion? I already 

know

about the general low quality that characterizes the sub-genre; I want
objections to the very idea.

OK.  First, you have to realize something.  If you, as a real person, 
were to meet people who acted like the Ranmaverse characters, you'd 
despise every one of them.  You'd hate or at the least dislike them all, 
including Kasumi.  
"Why doesn't she stand up to these people?  For God's sake, at least 
call the police or something!  Stop smiling, what just happened was 
horrible!"

The other option is altering yourself to fit in with the Ranmaverse.  
Here we run into another trap.  There's a blatant temptation to have all 
the characters *like* you!  That's just no how things work in the 
Ranmaverse.  If half to three-quarters of the cast doesn't at least 
dislike you, you won't ring true as a Ranmaverse character (to me at 
least).  There's also a temptation to have everyone listen to you and 
understand how wise your suggestions are.  They don't listen to each 
other in the series, why should they listen to you?  Additionally, if 
you've adjusted yourself to the Ranmaverse, how about giving yourself 
some of their peculiarities?  Just come up with two eccentricities and 
apply them to yourself.  (Example:  Total inability to find things.   
You always know where you are, but it takes you twenty minutes of 
searching to figure out which pocket you left your keys in.)

You know what I'd like to see? (Addressed to all self-insert writers)  
Write your girl/boyfriend in with you and then have a Ranmaverse 
character steal her away!

-Drakkus Blasphemy, Greater Daemon of Eris Discordia
drakkus@labyrinth.net
-><-

----
Matthew Campbell


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