At 03:29 AM 01-05-98 -0400, you wrote:
At 10:47 PM 30-04-98 -0400, you wrote:
It took me a few minutes into reading DnR 25 that I realized I was
reading in prose, not script.
It troubles me. And even worse, the prose format made me switch out
of "College Mode" and I thought of Ranma as the default Ranma, the
sixteen year old freshman, the one still coping with the curse and
with Akane. Then I forced myself to think of Ranma as a college
student, hardened with a year's knowledge, the ups and downs of the
curse, and the love of Akane. This is not good.
I must say that I am a bit biased towards prose writing, instead of
script writing. But yet, when a friend told me about DnR and I went to the
homepage, I still fell in love with the series. (If you consider staying
up 2 straight days with little sleep to catch myself up from episode 1-24
and DnU 1-4, falling in love with the series that is.) There isn't
necessarily anything wrong with script format in my view, though yes it
does lack descriptive feasibility that prose has. In contrast, it's a bit
harder to write fast-firing dialogue in such a flowing way in prose.
They have their qualities, and they have their weaknesses. I prefer
prose, but...that's just me. In the end though, it's the content that
counts. Damn the format whatever it is. If you've got a killer story, you
could write it in Swahili; people will still love it. (Provided they can
read Swahili, or get translations for it)
It's not the substance of the prose itself. Prose conveys more
meaning than script does, simply because it allows for description,
depth and easier handling of a third person omniscience or stream of
consciousness. But for some reason I feel that DnR is meant to be
script. Maybe it's because there aren't enough good Ranma 1/2 scripts
out there (Well, there's SineRanma (Pure parody), Sailor Ranma, Ranma
2096, Ranko 1/2, possibly Fuurinkan Summer but I haven't read enough
of it).
Well, if the authors of DnR/DnU decide to change it to script, there is a
reason for it, right? If you have read avidly up to this point, surely you
could not stop reading for such a point as a change in format. I fell in
love with the series because of the stories and the characters. Not
because of the format. If you love the series, I'm sure you can overlook
(Uncomfortably if needs be) the change.
The radical change in tone also troubles me. It could be for the
better, but the sudden "darker twist" allows no time for adjustment
(I guess you could argue DnR 24 was similar with Nabiki and Ranma
finally ending their tense feud) It could be that it's still summer
and there's really no "dramatic relief", in Shakespearean terms :)
(Okay, well you could say the whole of DnU 5 was dramatic relief)
With the knowledge that I'm not on the mailing list to receive advanced
copies of DnR or DnU, I have to say that I haven't seen DnR 25 yet. (If
it's out already for the public, tell me where? ^_^) Please forgive the
ignorance of not knowing of the abrupt change of tone that you see in 25.
But in my feeble understanding of Ranma, if there's a pause in the action,
then the antics stop. And who would want that? ^_^ But I'm sure if there
is a calling for a 'catching of breath', then the authors might be inclined
to add one for the viewing audience. I hope. ^_^
All in all, DnR 25 was good, and Richard Lawson's style definitely
shows in there. But can you convey Nabiki and Tatewaki's feelings in
script form? Probably. Effectively? Hard, but probably too.
Ack...spoiler!? Runaway!!! (Gomen. *_*)
Honestly I still don't know why I'm pro-script for DnR. Can anybody
help me?
I think you're just more used to seeing DnR in script format. For 24
(Now 25) episodes, it's been that way. As comforting and inviting as a
warm blanket on a cold night. A sudden change in things would throw you
off. I'm sure that would throw others off; and I'm sure we'll hear about
it in the days to come, neh?
Suffice it to say, I'm sure I'll enjoy DnR in whatever format they write
it in. And hopefully, for years to come. Who knows, maybe 5 years later,
and on episode #49, they'll change back? -_^
*snip*
I hope that suffices for answers. At 3 in the morn, I get the tinge of
fear that whatever I write is in bad form or whatnot. I'm just offering my
.02 on the subject. Anyways...enough spam.
Lany
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