Sources of common fanon ideas

[bissek]

There are a lot of fanon beliefs about anime, many of which are created from highly limited evidence. A good example would be the belief that drunken mobs attacked a pre-genin Naruto on a semi-regular basis in the belief that he was Kyuubi. I think the only canon incident where someone tries to bring harm to Naruto directly because of Kyuubi between Sandaime making the sealing a secret and his graduation is Mizuki. Despite the fact that a lot of fics include this belief, including a few good ones, it probably isn't true.

Other fanon beliefs, despite the limited evidence, are more plausible. A good example might be the theory that Subaru from Nanoha StrikerS is a lesbian. I can only think of one piece of evidence that implies this. However, as sole pieces of evidence go, Subaru waking up her roommate by straddling her torso and groping her breasts until Tea was alert enough to realize that something ecchi was going on is pretty convincing.

This topic is to discuss such fanon incidents. Please name 1: The fanon belief, 2: The canon incident which probably inspired the belief, 3: How convincing said incident is in drawing the general conclusion that is used in fanon.

[Siden]

Ranma will not fight girls:
The Fanon:
Fanon tells us that Ranma will not only outright refuses to strike a woman, but will do what he can to get out of fighting them, either out of chivalrous or sexist reasons (depends on the author).

The Canon:
Ranma does hit women. Shampoo, Cologne, Natsumi & Kurumi, and Rouge are some examples.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Source of above fanon; Ranma saying guys tend to let girls win/go easier on them if they like said girl (conversation with Akane, after being sent out for being late due to Kuno), says he won't hit a girl when Akane baits him in reaction to the previous, Ranma saying that he doesn't hit girls (conversation with Akane & Shampoo about Ling-Ling & Lung-Lung).

More Ranma fanon (don't really know any series that would be noted here)...
Fanon: Akane's food is, at the least, poisonous, at the worst prone to actually moving. It seems to be a curse, like her inability to swim.
Canon: Akane's food tastes terrible and causes painful indigestion/stomach aches, but has never proven fatal. It tastes bad because she won't look at the recipe, tries to add ingredients not called for, doesn't pay attention so she ends up adding in things she didn't even intend, and relies too much on brute force and speed.
Source of Fanon: likely the 'gagshot' of near-dead Ranma, Genma and Soun from the "Mrs. Tendo's Cookbook" storyline, possibly mixed with Nodoka's fainting in response to single nibble of Akane's stir-fried vegetables.

Fanon: The Amazons are just waiting for a chance to kidnap Ranma and go home.
Canon: The Amazons have never tried such a feat, and have actually passed up golden opportunities (both canons: ultimate weakness moxibustion story, anime: the Happo-Mold Burst story) to do so.
Source of Fanon: most likely sheer dislike of the Amazons, perhaps with some 'inspiration' from the

Fanon: Nodoka wouldn't really use the seppuku contract, as she was relying on it to keep Genma in line. She calls it off once reunited with Ranma.
Canon: Nodoka is dead serious on upholding the contract and is frighteningly eager to use it. She still has it and is ready to call on it even after joining the cast full-time.
Source of Fanon: desperation to make Nodoka (for various emotional reasons) the better parent than Genma "Borderline Child Abuser" Saotome.

Fanon: Nodoka thinks that it's manly for a man to peek on girls (or at least his fiancee).
Canon: Nodoka has given no such evidence that she thinks lechery is a sign of manliness.
Source of Fanon: the story where Ranma tries to prove he is a man by pretending to peep on Akane.

Fanon: Nodoka wants lots of grandbabies and/or would not be adverse to him taking all of his fiancees as co-wives/mistresses.
Canon: Nodoka has expressed no interest in grandchildren and it's debateable that she even knows Kodachi, Ukyo and Shampoo are after her son's hand.
Source of Fanon: desire to improve on Nodoka.

Fanon: Ryoga always attacks Ranma on sight shouting "Ranma, Prepare to Die!"
Canon: Ryoga does not assault Ranma from surprise except in certain rare occasions, and never once uses his Fanon "catchphrase" after his introduction to the series.
Source of Fanon: Ryoga's first appearance in the series.

Fanon: Ranma goes to talk about his problems with Ukyo.
Canon: Ranma never talks to anyone about his problems unless they force him to.
Source of Fanon: unknown, likely Ranma/Ukyo fans trying to give Ukyo more 'credit' as a fiancee and/or Ranma/Non-Ukyo fans trying to emphasize her position as Ranma's "buddy".

And that's just a few off my head.

[lwf58]

Ranma:

Ranma habitually introduces himself and says, "Sorry about this."
(He only says that once when introducing himself to the Tendos.)

Kuno has a lightning and thunder effect when introducing himself and stating his self-awarded nickname.
(That only happened in his first episode, and even then it was a coincidence Takahashi put in for drama. He in no way caused it, and it never happened again.)

Naruto:

All my major gripes are really clothing related:

Naruto wears an orange jumpsuit.
(He usually wears orange pants, an orange and blue jacket, and a black t-shirt. I have no idea how fanon got a jumpsuit out of it.)
http://www.animegalleries.net/img/37532

Gai and Lee wear green spandex leotards.
(This is a misrepresentation from a snap-judgment of their real clothing. They wear tight-fitting clothing made of normal cloth, so that it doesn't get in the way or give the opponent anything much to grab. It's tight, but not skin-tight, and definitely not spandex.)
http://www.animegalleries.net/img/34835

Anko wears a fishnet top.
(This is another misrepresentation based on first impressions of the crisscross lines seen in the manga. She wears a single piece bodysuit made of quilted cloth, probably a form of armor. It covers her from collarbones to mid-thigh and is very definitely not see-through, as fishnet would be.)
http://www.animegalleries.net/img/34349

[Knight of L-sama]

Ranma habitually introduces himself and says, "Sorry about this."
(He only says that once when introducing himself to the Tendos.)

I wouldn't really call that fanon, more of a (possibly overused) continuity nod.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

I'd agree with that, and here are some (possible) Slayers fanon bitz...
Fanon: Lina is quick to unleash a Dragon Slave or similarly destructive spell when the slightest bit angry.
Canon: Lina only goes for the heavy-duty spells when engaged in serious combat or when incredibly ticked off. For example, she only used a Dragon Slave in the "Forgotten Spell" episode after finding out that the 'ritual' she had just performed was a long-lost pop song, which meant she had just humilated herself in front of everyone, and even then didn't invoke Shabranigdo until the Mazoku who had been attacking them started cackling over just how stupid she looked.

Fanon: Gourry is the stupidest person in the world.
Canon: Gourry has a somewhat poor memory, at least partially made worse by his 'live in the moment' personality and simple set of priorities, which means that the location of a good meal is far more important than someone who he had a fight with. He also seems to be rather uneducated- or at least unfamiliar with the more occultic lore side of things. But, then again, he's a swordsman, not a spellslinger- what use is knowing the names of all the divine powers in the universe to him? Gourry is also quite observant and quick to notice important details- though his trust in his friends and his humble nature means he doesn't always speak up, as he figures that his friends must have also noticed said details.

[bissek]

In the anime, Lina does use the Dragon slave rather excessively. At one point she uses it on a group of bandits for insulting her figure. The anime turned it into a one-hit victory technique for her, which kills the monster of the day (And occasionally the town threatened by the monster of the day, though that seems to be an opening episode only joke) and makes the big villain seem more impressive by the fact that it can survive the spell. In the original canon, it's not as powerful, and Lina doesn't use it as often (as she has a greater respect for collateral damage in the novels).

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

I'll admit it's been a while since I watched the series, but I'm pretty sure that Lina doesn't start chucking around fireballs in the middle of town because someone stood on her toe. She does get worse between the OAVs (where she generally uses the very specific Dill Brand/Explosion Array to blast humans that need blasting) and the anime (where she's more lethal), but she still doesn't try to deliberately destroy things- she usually throws around the most destructive spells in a populated area only when she's got no other choice (being attacked by that deranged copy-wizard who wants to resurrect his dead lover, for example).

Come to think of it, I only remember four times where she ruined a settlement; she blew up the first village in the series when destroying the black dragon, she crushed a section of Atlas City under an earthmote (which would have crushed the whole city if she hadn't broken it up with the Dragon Slave), the tidal wave that resulted from her trying to Dragon Slave the attacking golden dragon (ie Filia) drowned the port, and the runaway "dragon train" survived her DS spell and crashed into the Temple of the Fire Dragon King.

[al103]

Series/Fandom: Naruto

Fannon: Naruto was (constantly) beaten by willagers.
Source: many
Convincing: No, because
1. Hokage is good natured old geezer... but he isn't that good-natured. Results of beating are highly visible even with Naruto's healing. It would be ended quickly and painfully. And at least half of councilmembers and clan heads who shunned Naruto themselves or even encouraged it would fully support Hokage in that - you do NOT publicaly disregard law and go unpunished.
2. Naruto character is one of constantly shunned and avoided by willagers - all that pranks to make others see him, his idea of why he wanted to be a Hokage in first place... If he would be beaten he would want a revenge and clearly would see willagers as enemy. I do not remember a case where he wasn't ready to kill/beat anyone who attack him.
3. No canon evidence of beating. Shunned yes, beaten no.

[bissek]

Fanon: Genma has engaged Ranma to a seemingly infinite number of girls in exchange for something that he quickly spent/ate/sold. Despite this, the only engagement he believes Ranma should honor is the Tendo arrangement
Source: The status of Ukyo (And Kaori, in the anime) as a fiancee
Plausibility: If Genma was stupid enough to do that once (or twice in the anime), it isn't that farfetched to assume that he might do it again. So it is entirely possible that there are other girls out there who are engaged to Ranma who have never turned up in Nerima during the canon events.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Slayers
Fanon: Luna Inverse and Beast Master Zelas are good friends.
Base: Luna is seen walking side-by-side with a wolf-like creature in an an eyecatch from TRY.
Canon: the creature Luna is walking with is Dilgear, the Troll/Beastman hybrid from the first half of The Slayers, who she adopted as her pet after he resurrected himself. As the Knight of Ceipheed, the closest thing in the Slayers setting to a Paladin as well as an avatar/host for the Overgod of the Slayers world, Luna would be natural enemies with any Mazoku stupid enough to cross her path.

[Acey]

Inuyasha
Fanon: Kagome uses her "Osuwari!" command on Inuyasha about as often as fanon Akane mallets Ranma.
Base: A lot of anime filler eps, specifically comedic ones, and occasional over-zealous adaptations of manga stories.
Canon: Kagome does use the "Osuwari!" command a lot throughout the series, but considering Inuyasha is over fifty volumes (running for twelve years) long, it rarely feels overused, and is usually utilised seriously in the plot rather than almost exclusively as a recurring comedic device.

Fanon: Sango beats up Miroku for his perverted ways, sharing an almost Keitaro/Naru like relationship.
Base: A lot of anime filler eps, specifically comedic ones, and occasional over-zealous adaptations of manga stories. (Notice a thread?)
Canon: Sango usually reacts with semi-indifferent disgust to Miroku's appeals to other women earlier in the manga, and with passive-aggressive jealousy or cursing later as their relationship progresses. She only slaps him when he fondles her directly.

[FriendlyEL]

Well, for some on series other than Ranma (since I've already stated my thoughts on that one before)...

Evangelion:
Fanon: Misato is incredibly stupid and incompetent.
Source: Seeing her day to day lifestyle and naturally erratic personality can give people that impression.
Canon: Well, let me ask you this question. Are stupid and incompetent people able to come up with on the second plans in the life or death situations that someone in charge of Nerv's military has to, by life and death situation meaning the whole world will be destroyed? Do they get into and graduate from the same college that a person like Ritsuko go to? She certainly has a brain that she's able to use when she wants to, it's just that her past trauma has caused her to act somewhat childish.

Yu Yu Hakusho
Fanon: Kurama is incredibly good natured and is incapable of malice.
Source: Admittedly, Kurama is capable of acting very selfless and takes the concept of sacrificing his life for others, literally, for people he is close to.
Canon: He can be very selfless to his friends, true, but towards enemies he can be seems to have very little or no qualm with finishing them off, even if not provoked. Also, if he is provoked by a particularly loathsome enemy (Roto, Toguro) he is very much capable of showing a desire to do so as painfully as possible.

Key the Metal Idol:
Fanon: Miho is an incredibly brash and arrogant person.
Source: I'm figuring this is partly simply due to the fact that she is in fact a popular singer.
Canon: Her overall personality is somewhat up to interpretation due to the fact that we don't see much of her other than the fact that she is in a hospital and is very popular. However, it seemed from the occasional mannerisms she shows when she does speak using the PPOR's (her conversation with Tsurugi, interacting with audience) she if anything seems to actually be fairly humble. Also, I'm figuring if anything she has somewhat of a feeling of a lack of self worth, what with being constantly told how much she sucked without a PPOR and never feeling like much of a singer (even while Tsurugi, someone proven to be a demanding and even abusive teacher claimed he had no more to teach her and was the best he could make anyone).
To have an idea of how her mannerisms compared to someone else, see some of the last episodes when Beniko is used to replace her as Miho falls unconcious.

Fanon: Key is really a robot that Dr. Mima built.
Source: I'm supposing that this is from either not watching or forgetting the last two final episodes (the latter being very understandable considering how those said episodes weren't the most impressive ending), since this was proven false. Plus, her constantly saying it makes it somewhat of a possibility.
Canon: Key is, or at least was, actually Dr. Mima's biological granddaughter. He ended up turning her into a robot as a young girl due to fear that her prodigious amounts of Gel were going to make her a target for Ajo.

[lwf58]

Fanon: Key is really a robot that Dr. Mima built.
Source: I'm supposing that this is from either not watching or forgetting the last two final episodes (the latter being very understandable considering how those said episodes weren't the most impressive ending), since this was proven false. Plus, her constantly saying it makes it somewhat of a possibility.
Canon: Key is, or at least was, actually Dr. Mima's biological granddaughter. He ended up turning her into a robot as a young girl due to fear that her prodigious amounts of Gel were going to make her a target for Ajo.

Have to disagree with that last statement. Dr. Mima did not turn Key into a robot. He allowed her to think of herself as one, played along with it, and had his assistant, Wakagi, do so as well. It's true that he did it to protect her from Ajo (a guy that could have given Gendo Ikari lessons on how to be a complete slimeball).

She never really was a robot, though. The scenes that show a mechanical action inside her were showing how she thought she must be like inside, not what was really there. Her ability to go without sleep for prolonged periods (or to do other seemingly impossible things) was entirely due to her having so much "gel" inside her.

Here's a quote from a Key info site that explains things better than I can.

Is Key a Robot?

NO. Key is a flesh and blood human girl. The reason for her belief in being a robot is due to the steps Doctor Mima took to protect her from Ajo. To understand why Dr. Mima did this, one must understand the special talents of the women in the Mima family and the events prior to Key's birth. (This is what most of episode 14 describes).

Each of the women in the Mima family demonstrated powers resembling telekinesis. With each successive generation, those powers increased. Tomiko's (Key's mother) powers surpassed those of Toyoko (Key's grandmother) just as Key's abilities far surpassed those of her mother. Concerned for Key's safety, Dr. Mima injected Key with the Gel he had collected from Tomiko during his years of study, with the result of "sealing" Key's soul--the core of her powers--from the physical world and most notably from Ajo.

Why does Key need 30,000 Friends?

Key, having been injected with twenty-plus years' worth of Gel samples taken from her mother by Dr. Mima, cannot act human because of the sealing properties of the Gel. That seal can be breached, but it takes a counter-seal of equal strength. The emotional outpouring of 30,000 people on Key's behalf is the magic number that breaks the seal.

This also explains how smaller groups of people who emote on Key's behalf can cause Key's abilites to surface: her soul is freed from its Gel prison - albeit temporarily - and her true self emerges, along with her abilities. After a time, however, the Gel of her mother re-asserts itself and closes off Key's soul, precipitating a blackout.

Just what is 'Gel' anyway?

I like to call it the "Aqua Regia of the Soul". Dr. Mima's research led him to discover that a physical substance - Gel - is the medium upon which the soul exists. Everything a person truly is lives inside that delicate suspension. (I should note that Dr. Mima saw the Gel before actually determining it's nature--his wife vomited it up at one point during her pregnancy of Key's mother [ep. 14]).

[Sailor Sedai (Ellf)]

Fanon: Akane malleting Ranma
Canon: While Akane does hit Ranma, she most often uses her fists, a shinnai, a statue, etc. I'm not sure if there is an incident of her actually using a mallet, and even then, it's not pulled from nowhere.

Most Likely Source: There's only one mallet I can remember, and it's the one Kodachi uses in the arc where she's introduced.