Head Canon

[Ellen Kuhfeld]

Im not gonna defend Ellen, they can do it themselves so *shrugs* With Different Colors, not my cup of tea but it seemed like an interesting story.

Yes, I can easily defend myself. I am the Great and Powerful Washuu, after all. And I have Wonder Warthog in my corner.

[AxelTheBunny]

Dont get me started with comics and continuity....between hundreds of different writers, characters, and often times just the fact that these characters have been around for decades and so it's not logical to assume all aspects of continuity are recalled by a given author. This isnt even considering retcons and reboots.

As for the issue of author intent, well the way I see it different people are going to have different opinions on the matter. Sometimes it's best to use headcanon and make inferences. Sometimes the change is not really relevant to the story and as such including or excluding it has no effect. Other times it's best to go with what makes sense or the "AU" route to better rationalize it. Or just try to respect the author's words and consider it canon. It's unfair to the readers to assume all readers are going to follow the writer and any changes they retroactively try to make.


It's an issue that has multiple facets and multiple positions. I just take the route i take, that it only counts as canon if it is within official material because it's the most fair to readers and allows for a solid objective measure of what is and isnt canon. I shouldnt be expected to follow every time Rowling changes continuity via tweet, because I have better things to do, and because she does it so regularly that its almost nonsensical.

Its one of the reasons some material, such as the Power Rangers fandom which I know some people within rationalize how the canon works via fan theories. Because otherwise the canon is so self contradictory and opens so many obvious questions that it is the only way to allow for the story to be a single consistent story.

[Pata Hikari]

didn't. But enough people liked it that it has 277 favorites, 442 reviews (most of which are positive, though there was one guy who disapproved of my use of semicolons), and it's currently listed on 36 C2s.

That doesn't mean it's particualrly good.

I suppose, objectively speaking, if it was a stand alone story it would not be badly written. It is, however, not a very good Ranma 1/2 fanfic.

To me, you sound like compliance to your headcanon is more important than spinning a good yarn.

Compliance to characterizion and basic facts of canon (not headcanon, actual canon as in the original source story) is absolutely important for writing a good fanfic. What's the point of me reading a story allegedly about Ranma if he's absolutely nothing like Ranma as he appears in the comic?

I cannot figure out if this is for real or if it is a wingless attempt at Epic Trollage.

Uh... it's simple. Ellen Kuhfeld is not a fan of Ranma 1/2. She clearly does not like Ranma 1/2 if she couldn't stand reading it past volume five. Why on earth would you waste your time writing fanfiction about characters and series that you don't like?

Edit: Like, I am honestly, seriously confused as to why she wrote a 100K word story based off a comic she didn't like.

[Drawde]

Compliance to characterizion and basic facts of canon (not headcanon, actual canon as in the original source story) is absolutely important for writing a good fanfic. What's the point of me reading a story allegedly about Ranma if he's absolutely nothing like Ranma as he appears in the comic?

One, the change in canon (most fanfiction involves some sort of change to canon) is to Ranma himself, with the rest of the setting being the same.

Two, the story could be about HOW Ranma changed from canon.

Also, remember that no author is 100% consistent. And the more comedic or episodic the story, the less consistent the characterizations will be. People will either forget what they've written before, simply decided to change something, or don't care about the consistency. Ranma 1/2 has used 2 and 3, and most likely 1.

If the original authors can't be 100% consistent with their own canon, how do you expect fanfiction authors to do so?

[Pata Hikari]

One, the change in canon (most fanfiction involves some sort of change to canon) is to Ranma himself, with the rest of the setting being the same.

Fair enough, if a story is marked as AU in which the charcter has, for presumably a logical reason, has a different characterization than canon. Then that's fine, but of course it usually requires a decent grasp the rest of the cast's characterizations in order to react to a different character in place of the original.

A good example of this would be Akane the Suicidal, which is hilarious and bizarrely, well, not "logical" but at least believable in the absurd world of Ranma 1/2.

A bad example of this would Ranma, a Different Path Taken which is perhaps one of the most mind bendingly boring fanfics I have ever read before realizing that it was going to be another 200 thousand words of absolutely nothing interesting happening and giving up.

Two, the story could be about HOW Ranma changed from canon.

This is... what? Character development is completely different than failure to get initial characterization right.

[Drawde]

This is... what? Character development is completely different than failure to get initial characterization right.

You never said INITIAL characterization in the original quote this replied to (What's the point of me reading a story allegedly about Ranma if he's absolutely nothing like Ranma as he appears in the comic?). So I took it to mean in general. The reply was meant to show WHY you would read a fic that didn't involve the original characterization.

[Pata Hikari]

You never said INITIAL characterization in the original quote this replied to (What's the point of me reading a story allegedly about Ranma if he's absolutely nothing like Ranma as he appears in the comic?). So I took it to mean in general. The reply was meant to show WHY you would read a fic that didn't involve the original characterization.

Because that's obvious and doesn't need to be stated? A character going through an arc and changing in a story is such a basic writing idea that it's, well, silly that I'm having to clarify this.

And it still does "involve the original characterization" because the original characterization is the starting point of the story.

Like, part of believable characterization is seeing that the growth and change a character goes through is a natural progression of what came before.

[PCHeintz72]

Actually, it is not obvious, there are multiple ways to tell a story. start to finish in sequence is most common, being in line to time. However, I've seen many, that start you with 'now' then reveal how you got to 'now' by a series of flashbacks of events. Many mystery series use this format instead.

So, in a Ranma fanfiction, we would deal with how Ranma is 'currently' after the events of the story, then have him explaining to someone how it got to be that way, including personality changes or relationships.

[Ellen Kuhfeld]

Because that's obvious and doesn't need to be stated? A character going through an arc and changing in a story is such a basic writing idea that it's, well, silly that I'm having to clarify this.

And it still does "involve the original characterization" because the original characterization is the starting point of the story.

Like, part of believable characterization is seeing that the growth and change a character goes through is a natural progression of what came before.

Just for the fun of it, let's discuss Ranma's change from canon in Different Colors.

In "A Horse of a Different Color" a reasonably canon Ranma and Ryoga are dropped into a strange situation. Ryoga's ability to teleport (or whatever) is fanon, but there's really nothing in canon to explain how he ends up in all those strange places.

In "A Bear of a Different Color" Ranma undergoes a month of training under a Master of the Bear-Claw. In English. In the woods. In relative solitude. In English, Ranma must think before speaking. Presumably Ranma is comfortable in the woods. In relative solitude, there is time to think. And sonofagun, with the aid of a Master of an appropriate school, Ranma begins to come to terms with the Neko-ken. Yes, you get a somewhat different Ranma out of all this.

In "A Curse of a Different Color", both Ranma and Tatewaki are affected by divine intervention. It clears some of the difficulties they face out of the way, and has them actually talking.

In "Green Tea", Ranma and Sasuke talk. Yes, this is an out-of-character Sasuke -- but I explain that. With ninjas, what you see is definitely not what you get. That's Ninja 101.

In short -- Ranma gets increasingly out of character during the story. I did that on purpose. And as time goes on, others drift out of character as well. I did that on purpose too. I like Ranma. I don't like many of the things Takahashi does to Ranma. It's too close to slapstick, and I do not like slapstick. And Takahashi is not exceptionally good with resolutions. I do like resolutions.

There are numerous reasons for writing fanfiction. Among them are: "I like these characters. Let's have some more adventures with them" "I can do better than that!" "These stories have a problem. I want to fix it." You seem to be of the first school. I am definitely of the third.

Now we come to the fact this is a four-way crossover. It started with a two-way crossover -- Ranma and Bjorn. Bjorn is mine; I've sold some of his stories. I'm entitled. Anything I write about Bjorn is canon. I wondered how two shapechangers and berserks, of vastly different kinds, would get along. I wrote it. "A Horse of a Different Color" was intended as a standalone, but people urged me to continue it. The horse in question got the bit between its teeth, and ran away with the story.

Why did I add Tenchi and company? I needed a swordmaster-priest of impeccable reputation. The rest (including Tsunami) came along for the ride. Why should I make them up when they're already there, in a popular anime?

And Sailor Moon? I needed talking cats. Minato isn't that far from Nerima. Luna and Artemis live there. I liked Rhett Butler, the Great Youma cat. The Inner Senshi came along for the ride. If you want to take me to task for out-of-canon, the Daimohn I wrote are the place to go.

I did bash Genma and Ryoga somewhat. If you read the continuation stories, you'll note that Genma eventually ends up in a much better situation. Ryoga's situation is more complicated: he's dead, but definitely in the proper afterlife for him. I'm sure the cooks will provide something more to his taste than boiled pork if he -- insists. Since he's become one of the einherjar, he is definitely not out of the story. (There's more story to be told, but I haven't the energy for it. I have an inconstant muse. Suffice to say the Great Freeze of the Sailor Moon canon turns out to be Ragnarok, and all the heroes will gather.)

You might find more about my vision of the creative process if you read Variations on a Theme, an essay I wrote perhaps ten years ago. The numbers are different today, but the ideas haven't changed.

[Pata Hikari]

Actually, it is not obvious, there are multiple ways to tell a story. start to finish in sequence is most common, being in line to time. However, I've seen many, that start you with 'now' then reveal how you got to 'now' by a series of flashbacks of events. Many mystery series use this format instead.

Uh, this is called starting a story "In Media Res." It's a common enough idea, start with something shocking and then moving back to show the reader how it went down.

In "A Horse of a Different Color" a reasonably canon Ranma and Ryoga are dropped into a strange situation. Ryoga's ability to teleport (or whatever) is fanon, but there's really nothing in canon to explain how he ends up in all those strange places.

The "Ryoga" in your story is not at all like the Ryoga character that actually appears in Ranma 1/2. A central part of his character, ultimately, is the conflict he has between his base impulses (anger, lust, etc.) and a more noble nature. As the comic goes on Ryoga's better nature wins out more and more, his rivalry with Ranma becomes much less heated, and ultimately realizing that pursuing Akane isn't the right thing to do.

The Ryoga in your story pretty much a shallow one note petty jerk. Shouting "Prepare to die" (Something Actual Ryoga didn't do more then like, once, and even then in an internal monologue) for little to no reason and picking fights rather than issuing formal martial arts challenges. He's a plot device and a punching bag, culminating in the story treating Ranma actually killing him as a joke.

In "A Bear of a Different Color" Ranma undergoes a month of training under a Master of the Bear-Claw. In English. In the woods. In relative solitude. In English, Ranma must think before speaking. Presumably Ranma is comfortable in the woods. In relative solitude, there is time to think. And sonofagun, with the aid of a Master of an appropriate school, Ranma begins to come to terms with the Neko-ken. Yes, you get a somewhat different Ranma out of all this.

None of this is bad. You did justify Ranma's development and the story is literally about Ranma coming back after a month changed enough that the status quo changes. The issues with characterizations is with other characters. Ryoga, Akane, and Ukyo, in the most egregious to least.

(Akane having mallet summoning powers is so stupid. And treating her like a Berserker when in reality Akane's temper, while flares up if you're a jerk enough, also fades away quickly once the subject has passed. Ukyo barely appeared and I just find the stripping of her agency by making it her dad the one having her crossdress and persue the engagement yadda yadda annoying)

And Takahashi is not exceptionally good with resolutions. I do like resolutions.

You know, as much flak as Takahashi gets (including from me) about Ranma 1/2's ending, the series does resolve more than people just reading out of context spoilers on the internet usually get.

Basically the story says that Ranma and Akane are guaranteed to get married some day, and so things will eventually work out. Takahashi just chose to, you know, end it at the point in the story when the process of "working things out" would get started.

Thus came the explosion of Resolution fanfics.

There are numerous reasons for writing fanfiction. Among them are: "I like these characters. Let's have some more adventures with them" "I can do better than that!" "These stories have a problem. I want to fix it." You seem to be of the first school. I am definitely of the third.

You know what? Fair enough. I don't get that, though I can understand having these niggling issues with a story and wanting to smooth them over with fanfic (I love Ranma 1/2, but it's portrayals of the female fighters, gender issues, and sexuality is at its worst pretty cringe inducing. So I smooth those over in my stories). I can't really see myself looking at a story, not liking it, and then deciding to write something using that story as a base.

The closest I can think of doing something like that is my little one shot "Realism", which satirized Ranma fanfics that ignore the slapstick filter in the series when trying to portray violence seriously.

I mean, I did read your stories all the way through, so at least they're worth criticizing rather then dropping them, throwing down a harsh review, and leaving unlike some fanfics I've read. (It's good enough for me to care)

[PCHeintz72]

Basically the story says that Ranma and Akane are guaranteed to get married some day, and so things will eventually work out.

Blinks. Desired by Soun and Genma... yes... guaranteed to happen... not really.

The end on the Ranma 1/2 series is like a great big reset switch... and harkens back to the end of the episode with them 1st engaged. Despite all the material in between, things are not all that different.

But in the end, there is just as much arrayed against them now as then. Any one of numerous events can occur... them getting married only one of them. Shampoo and Ukyo and Kodachi are still out there... Ryoga and Kuno and Cologne are still out there... etc... These are all very determined and stubborn people.

Canon material stops at that point, so anything after that is fair game.

That open end is one of the reasons so much fan fiction for Ranma has been written (the other being IMHO the vagueness of several of the characters allows for expansion in directions many series do not have), and can be taken so many different ways. That and all the potential story branch off points.

This multitude of story plot hooks at points makes Ranma different from many other series, those having less or none of those points, because there is less ways to write fan fiction for it. Look at a fairly closed series such as Ai Yori Aoshi or Happy Lesson... far less fan fiction for them, but both have a definite ending, and most if not all of the plot hooks are complete as well and resolved themselves to prevent or make continuation off a canon point more difficult though not impossible.

[Pata Hikari]

Blinks. Desired by Soun and Genma... yes... guaranteed to happen... not really.

No, I don't think you understand.

They are literally, magically, guaranteed.

The chapter titled "Bamboo Leaves of Love" tells the story about how Ranma and Akane put their names on the titular magical Bamboo Leaves of Love. Which will magically guarantee that any couple that does so will get married happily. It is literally impossible for the two to be separated past that chapter.

[Ellen Kuhfeld]

None of this is bad. You did justify Ranma's development and the story is literally about Ranma coming back after a month changed enough that the status quo changes. The issues with characterizations is with other characters. Ryoga, Akane, and Ukyo, in the most egregious to least.

Perhaps it would ease your mind if you considered Commedia dell'arte, where the characters are archetypes. Much anime relies on such archetypes -- tsundere, yandere, kuudere and company. The whole Kuno family is cast from the Il Magnifico mold. You know what you're getting when you see them come on stage, but you don't necessarily know the details.

[PCHeintz72]

No, I don't think you understand.

They are literally, magically, guaranteed.

The chapter titled "Bamboo Leaves of Love" tells the story about how Ranma and Akane put their names on the titular magical Bamboo Leaves of Love. Which will magically guarantee that any couple that does so will get married happily. It is literally impossible for the two to be separated past that chapter.

The problem is this is almost counter to how magic works in Ranma. Think about it, magic in Ranma is normally is of two types... The instant gratification type, meaning it is supposed to work the moment it is used, where it normally blows up in your face. Or the type that is either a monkeys paw or just fails, normally due to comedic or mysterious means.


Takahashi has several arcs in the Ranma manga that if looked at too closely do not make sense... because they are big things but instantly forgotten about. I'm not even referring to just magic... several hard won martial arts techniques go the same route. Ditto Ranma's status in the school and the family.

Takahashi was almost religious about this... the issue is she seemed to do anything to keep the status que... if Ranma became too powerful due to learned techniques... he forgot them for later battles. If Ryoga learned Ranma used disguises on him, it was forgotten for the next time he needed to be fooled.

Too be fair, she is hardly the only creator to do such things... Familiar of Zero comes to mind with relationships.

[Pata Hikari]

The problem is this is almost counter to how magic works in Ranma. Think about it, magic in Ranma is normally is of two types... The instant gratification type, meaning it is supposed to work the moment it is used, where it normally blows up in your face. Or the type that is either a monkeys paw or just fails, normally due to comedic or mysterious means.

This isn't accurate at all.

There are plenty of magic items in the Ranma universe that work just fine as intended. The magic Sakura Mochi Akane got worked fine, heck it worked perfectly even though Akane was the one who made it. Same with the magic fishing rod. Or the Master/Student Obedience Pill. There was magic that only caused problems, but these were often explicitly stated to be cursed, such as the Haunted Mirror and Jusenkyo itself.

Most of the problems the magic items cause come from the failings of the ones using them, not the magic themselves. Not to mention that, at no point is the magic for the Tanabata chapter ever implied to fail or backfire once it's been put into effect. There's no foreshadowing to the Bamboo Leaves of Love failing or being fake.

Therefore, since Takahashi didn't put in any hints that the magic didn't work, there's no possible way to read it except as that Ranma and Akane from that point on are guaranteed to get married. Thus, even though the manga ends a little inconclusively, the reader knows at least that fact.

Takahashi was almost religious about this... the issue is she seemed to do anything to keep the status que... if Ranma became too powerful due to learned techniques... he forgot them for later battles. If Ryoga learned Ranma used disguises on him, it was forgotten for the next time he needed to be fooled.

Uh, this isn't accurate. Ranma learned new techniques and got better. But everyone else around him improved too. There are four major arcs where Ranma learned something new.

Chestnuts Roasting over an Open Fire: A speed training technique. An arc shows Ryoga pulling back up to Ranma's level, so presumably from that point on anybody Ranma fights is at that baseline of speed

Hiryu Shoten Ha: This technique Ranma uses a lot once he learns it. It plays a role in many major fights and is basically Ranma's signature move once he learns it.

Moko Takashiba: This is actually not a good technique. It failed in its purpose (Countering Ryoga's Shi Shi Hokodan) and never seemed to be very good since it relied on volatile emotion. Ranma doesn't use it because he has better options.

Umisenken: Who knows if it's even any good beyond stealing things and countering the Yamasenken?

And Ryoga got fooled by Ranma's disguises because he's an idiot.