1. Interview with Zoogz, SKJAM and Zagyg **Three men are standing around a undetermined part of the set, all dressed rather immaculately... the one holding the microphone turns out to be Scott "Zoogz" Jamison, proving once again that he is not SKJAM! as he has the aforementioned Scott "SKJAM!" Jamison and also Scott "Zagyg" Johnson, the authors of the fic "Ma Vie et Roses". **After hearing no word from the director, Zoogz flips on the camera and starts anyway** Zoogz: I hope you don't mind if we start now... SKJAM: It's a little early, actually. Okay, Z, go ahead Thanks for coming, Mr. Johnson... Zagyg: 'Tis an honor to be invited. Zoogz: Well, here we go. Is this your first collaboration together? SKJAM: Yes. Zagyg: In fact, it's my first collaboration, period. And one of my first fanfics of any length at all. Zoogz: Mr Johnson... you mentioned you visited Japan... where did you go and how long did you stay? Zagyg: Well, my first time was for a few weeks when I was thirteen, but my most memorable time was for a bit over a month in Tokyo, during the summer of 1998. Aside from a field trip to Nikko, I mostly stayed in central Tokyo, studying at Sophia University. No, wait, was it '97? Sorry. Zoogz: Okay... to the fic. How does one go about writing a collaboration like this? Who starts the process and who continues it? SKJAM: Well, generally, Mr. Johnson sets the scene, and I provide Skyler's reaction, then he has the main cast react, then I have Skyler react to that, ad infinitum. Zoogz: Is this done through e-mail, or a medium such as IM or ICQ? Also, is this a one scene at a time production? Zagyg: E-mail, exclusively. We've met a few times in person to plot out a general direction, but even then we flesh it out via e-mail. And we sometimes work on two or more scenes simultaneously, though when we started out we were mostly doing single scenes, to set up the continuity better. SKJAM: Sometimes we work three or four scenes at a time, if they don't look like they'll contradict each other. Zoogz: I take it the plotting and writing is going much smoother now than when you started... SKJAM: Skyler's a bit easier to write, but since the plot is beginning to deviate, I suspect the plotting is getting trickier. Zagyg: And now that we've got a status quo set up, we're taking more definite directions with the plot. Zoogz: How about fan reaction? Has it been rather positive so far? And have there been suggestions as to where to take Skyler? SKJAM: Haven't been any flames yet. Zagyg: Definitely positive. I've gotten nothing but good words for the series from the Utena fan community, which is a great relief to me. SKJAM: At least one fan did want Skyler and Juri to get closer--though how that happened wasn't what he had in mind. Zoogz: Through the body switch that happened in Ma Vie et Roses 3? SKJAM: Yup. Zagyg: Exactly. Zoogz: Were some people clamoring for more lime/lemon there? SKJAM: Oh yes. Zoogz: And the reaction from the authors about that? SKJAM: I don't write lemons. There may be sex later on, but don't count on it. Zagyg: I was constantly wondering just how far to go, and I think we might have been able to push the envelope a bit more, but better to err on the side of taste, I think. Trust me, in keeping with the themes of the series... well, not to reveal too much, but if sex does pop up, it might not be as titillating as people hope. Zoogz: Nothing explicit cropping up then... guess I throw out the question as to which of you would write it then... Zagyg: Not really. *Disturbing*, maybe, but not explicit. Zoogz: Well, what is your overall opinion of Shoujo Kakumei Utena? Both from the man who saw it and the man who didn't. SKJAM: It sounds interesting. Zoogz: Something you have a hard time keeping away from considering the project you're writing, SK? SKJAM: Yup. Zagyg: For my part, it's one of the best anime I've seen, right up there with, say, _Serial Experiments Lain._ There's depth, there's layers and layers of meaning, there's twisted characterization, there's kangaroos and old-fashioned sword fights. What's not to love? Zoogz: You know, I was *wondering* if that kangaroo was part of the show... Zagyg: Oh, definitely. If you can get your hands on a copy of the series, it's on the second tape, almost as written. Skyler hadn't started changing things much yet. Zoogz: How much is Skyler Sands based on you, SKJAM? SKJAM: Quite a bit, especially when I'm in a depressed mood. The name change was mostly to give myself a little distance from the character. Zoogz: How about life in Minneapolis? It was short in the first part, but there were *some* flashes... SKJAM: That was fairly accurate at the time, yes. Zoogz: Has the situation changed, in that case? SKJAM: A bit. I'm working steadily. And I've got a VCR again. Zoogz: Along with computer time, I see... SKJAM: Yup. Zoogz: Mr. Johnson... any opinions on Skyler as the character, or just whatever SK is willing to pilot? Zagyg: He's an interesting sort to have in the story. Not as gung-ho active as many self-inserts, and definitely given to more thought and (as has been noticed) talking a lot. But it's fun to write around a character with a newcomer's perspective... in Utena, not much is as it seems, and some characters are taking full advantage of that. SKJAM: Not that he's going to tell you which. Zoogz: Does SK have to hide the Skyler thoughts from you when you plot? SKJAM: Not so far... Zagyg: Not really. Knowing what Skyler's thinking helps figure out what he'd notice, and gives me hooks to work from. Zoogz: Until it becomes more pertinent to plot, at least? Zagyg: Could be. But even then... some characters at Ohtori are very good at figuring out motivations. To write them well, I've almost got to have a little help. Zoogz: SK... I've noticed a lack of a devious Skyler. Is this a matter of unfamiliar situation, or specific characterization here? SKJAM: More the former than the latter... Though like me, Skyler will only lie when he thinks it's to his advantage Zoogz: How far ahead have the two of you plotted currently? A decent way, or very little until you sit down to work on it? Is this a fic that writes itself once the ideas start flowing? SKJAM: Umm...bits and pieces up to the start of the next Duel... Zagyg: Which is basically a skeleton for the rest of the chapter. A lot is probably going to change as we flesh it out, though... since I don't always know how Skyler will react, and Mr. Jamison doesn't always know how the other characters will react... ...interesting stuff sometimes comes from the synthesis. SKJAM: True, true. We know one scene will change drastically from the anime... Zagyg: And at least one already has in this chapter alone. Zoogz: Heh... now now, don't give away *too* much to us eager readers... Zagyg: Heck, I'm not even giving away too much to my co-author. Consider it a teaser. Zoogz: Any projected date? SKJAM: Projected date? BWAHAHAHA!! Zagyg: Dates are a tricky thing with this. Primarily because I write with the speed of greased molasses in January. Zoogz: Heh... this poor interviewer will take it as a 'no'. Zagyg: Probably for the best. Zoogz: Are there any plans for other sidestories to this, or was 'Boissons' a one-time thing? Zagyg: We actually are writing a few bits at the end of each message set in other continuities... Reboot, Pokemon, even Harry Potter. Not sure if any of them will ever see the light of the day, but they can be fun. Zagyg: I've also had an idea for a more serious side-story set in the Utena video game for the Sega Saturn, but that may not ever even get started. SKJAM: Imagine the horror of actually knowing what Jigglypuff is singing... Zagyg: Or trying to hold a conversation with Psyduck. Ouch. Zoogz: Are there any prereaders you'd like to thank, or is Ma Vie et Roses a direct-release fic? SKJAM: Tiamat! Zagyg: We each have a few of our own... mine are mostly friends from RL and one or two from the Utena net community. (Debbie, Martha, Katy, Utena, hi!) Zoogz: Heh, had to give you two a chance to send some shouts... And, one last matter... because there are people who are curious... Is Skyler's apparent like for Juri somewhat truthfully based, SK? SKJAM: Well, me, I think Utena's cuter. But Skyler knows Juri better Zoogz: Ahh... it's a matter of latching on to the help rather than a matter of any preference... Zoogz: For that matter... Zagyg, if I can get your preference for character too... Zagyg: I'll admit [Juri]'s one of my favorite characters, which may be seeping into the writing. Though if that were the only thing to it, he'd also like Nanami, Miki, and Tsuwabuki about as much... But yeah, I simply put them in a position where they'd be together, and at a time just before Juri's duel, and it just sort of snowballed from there. SKJAM: Actually, you'll be seeing a special scene with one of those in the next chapter... Zoogz: One of those characters period? Or Juri in specific? Or is this another teaser? SKJAM: Teaser. Zagyg: Heh. That... is a secret. Zoogz: Well... thanks for the interview, guys! And thanks for being so candid, too. Zagyg: And thanks for the interview. It's fun having a chance to chat about the story. **This has been Scott "Zoogz" Jamison with the authors of "Ma Vie et Roses", Scott "SKJAM!" Jamison and Scott "Zagyg" Johnson. Brought to you by Confuse-o-vision.** -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- 2. Interview with Fido and Ronny **David "Fido" Lindquist, with his "CB Interviewer" microphone, looks up and sees Ronny Hedin, the author of "For You". Fido invites Ron into the other chair that is not occupied currently, and turns the audio feed to the booth on** Fido: Okay...thanks for being here. Ronny: No problem. Fido Let's start off with a simple question...What started you into writing fanfiction? Ronny: Well. I've been interested in reading and writing since I was rather young. I chanced upon the RAAC archives when I'd just recently become more majorly interested in anime/manga than before, and success was given. Caught up reading a lot of stuff, and eventually, of course, I just wanted to write something of my own. Fido: What was your first work? Ronny: A Tekken fanfic by the name of "Project Alpha"... Rereading it, I'm not sure whether to be depressed about how much it sucked or impressed by how much it actually didn't suck compared to *some* disastrous first efforts. Not counting a spamfic I'd rather forget. Fido: Heh...we all have those moments I think. Ronny: Indeed. Fido: How many fics have you written? Ronny: A total of no more than about 800k, actually... Counting off my page, that's split into 14 titles (half of them unfinished), so I'm not much for longish, epic series. Fido: That's a pretty decent amount compared to other writers' outputs. Ronny: While it's less than some writers produce in a week. Well, I'm exaggerating slightly. This is over some three years. Fido: 800k in three years? That isn't bad considering how long fanfiction has been around.. It started in the early 90's maybe? Ronny: I have no idea, actually. Something like that. I have a local friend who first got into anime because of finding that first ever DP fanfic posted to a newsgroup. (I didn't know him at the time though.) Fido: Out of curiosity, do you think fanfiction can influence Anime viewing habits? Ronny: Probably, yeah. If nothing else, it's happened that a crossover have put my attention on a series I might not have heard of before. And I certainly doubt I would be fully as heavily into it by now if not for fanfics drawing me even deeper; though that goes the other way around as well. Fido: What series do you normally write about? Ronny: I've written mainly - but not exclusively - Ranma fanfics, and most of the ideas I have lying in my brain are still for Ranma fanfics. Fido: Some people say that Ranma is about played out fanfiction wise. Do you think that's true? Ronny: Frankly, I think those people are full of sh*t. There's plenty of things left to explore about Ranma to make it worthwhile, and old ideas can still be done BETTER; most of the fanfics currently posted just keep ignoring that and stomping the same old ground. [Ronny shifts slightly in his chair.] Ronny: If I didn't think I had Ranma ideas still worth writing, well, obviously I wouldn't be doing it. Fido: Change of subject; what inspired you to write 'For you?" Confidently, I have NO clue whatsoever as to what I am doing so just smile and nod a lot...also praying for me would help too. Ronny: Heh. [Fido grins] Ronny: To quote the afterword / author's notes to that fic: "I've totally forgotten where the heck I got the inspiration for this one." I know it started with the idea of the first and the last scene and the connection between them, but where it came from, I no longer have any idea. I probably thought of it while taking a dump, that's where I seem to get most of my ideas. Fido: A bathroom sadfic? [Ronny smiles] Fido: What was your reaction to being nominated for Best Sadfic? Ronny: I was surprised for one thing; I certainly don't consider myself one of the better writers on the list. At the same time, I didn't really intend FY as a "sadfic" as such, either. I dunno whether to be depressed about the low standards that allows my crap to be worthy of this nomination or honored that someone found it good enough. Fido: Do you think there were other fics that deserved to be nominated more than yours? Ronny: Probably. To tell you the truth, I'm awfully absent-minded; I hardly remember what exceptional fics flew by this past year. Fido: Too many fics to read and never any time to read them... Ronny: If you're planning to ask me for my favorite fic, let me say up front, I have no idea. There's too many fics out there and I don't really remember which I liked best. [Ronny grins] Fido: Actually, I was going to ask what authors you like to read. THEN I was going to hit you with the favorite fanfic question. [Fido smiles] Ronny: Hm. Good trusted old cards, mostly. Biles, Gary Kleppe... Those are the ones I can think of right away, but not the only ones. Fido: Hmm...What do you consider 'good fanfiction'? Ronny: Gawd, what a question. Ahh... Good fanfiction is fanfiction that cause me to react with "I liked this!" after reading it. I'm really bad at giving reason for just *why* I like the things I like, be it fiction or music or whatever... It'll have to be a cliché answer, I guess. Good writing, good characterization, interesting plot, etc. Fido: Sort of 'I don't know why I like it... I just do'? Ronny: Yeah. I hate being confronted about why I liked something. I can be very inconsistent and irrational sometimes; loving something that I know logically I shouldn't enjoy. Fido: What do you think will be the next 'big trend' in fanfic writing? Ronny: No idea. I personally hope there won't be a trend and people write stuff because they want to and have good ideas, but I guess that's a vain hope. Fido: Do you think there is a 'two tier type of system in fanfiction nowadays? Sort of 'Old Guard' versus newbies? Ronny: Not really. There's a definite "old guard", but not an adversity to newbies. People that write good get acknowledged for it; some current big names are relatively recent on the scene. People mistake ignoring newbies because they write crap (which far from all of them do) for ignoring newbies because they're newbies. Fido: Do you think there is a way to correct this perception? Ronny: It would be obvious if People (those whining about it) stopped being idiots and looked clearly, but I guess that's not gonna happen. Fido: Kinda cynical view of things isn't it? Ronny: I've been accused of cynicism on occasion, yes, as well as worse things. But I'm a naive innocent at heart so that's OK. [Ronny grins] Fido: Just one more question before I let you go... how would you explain the perceived popularity of Girl days? [Fido smiles] Ronny: And here I was hoping you could explain it to me, 'cause I sure can't see a reason why. [Ronny chuckles] Fido: Thanks for the interview and good luck in the awards. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Interview with Ukyou and Zen There's something deliciously ironic about interviewing a writer who is known far and wide as one of my biggest supporters. Zen has been notorious for his pro-Ukyou bias ever since his first foray into Ranma fanfiction back in 1996. Ironic, too, that his most famous fic, the story now being inducted into the Chickenball Hall of Fame, pairs *Akane* with Ranma instead. Even more so that, were the narrative of "Bitter End" true, I should not be able to interview Zen for his tour de force. I should be dead. As I enter the KawaiiMUCK to meet with Zen, I push that thought off into a corner of my mind. This is a time to be happy for a man I consider a friend in the fanfiction community, a man whose works have stirred controversy and comment far beyond any anticipation, a man who... "Err... well. Yes. Sorry about this..." ...who isn't a man at the moment. Zen-*chan* stands just a shade over five foot four. Her fiery red hair falls down past her shoulders to the small of her back, and her unruly bangs all but cover deep blue eyes. The skin-tight jumpsuit she is wearing shows her compact and curvy figure off to good advantage, stretched taut across her chest and her hips. The rich cobalt fabric contrasts with her light skin, and the zip is pulled low enough that it displays a fair bit of cleavage. A utility belt with many pockets and pouches surrounds her trim waist, and you can see where her gunbelt normally hangs on her hips. On her feet she wears a pair of soft desert boots made of a charcoal grey suede. Frankly, I was expecting someone a little more, ah... masculine. Zen-chan winces and smiles a bit weakly. Really, she looks - and sounds - rather like onna-Ran-chan, if she'd decided to up and join the 3WA. "Ahh. Well, there's a reason for that, y'see... you remember all those debates on the FFML about the Jyusenyou springs? Well, Zen was always a proponent of the 'specific template' theory..." Specific Template theory? Zen-chan nods. "Yes... basically, anyone who falls in that spring gets the SAME body... as opposed to the theory that whoever falls in the drink gets a feminine version of himself/itself/whatever..." Ah, yes... the Revenge Wars persona. Splashed with Nyannichuan and drafted into the 3WA, Zen in cyberspace is generally found in 'her' female form. "It's the largest portion of why Zen writes... it's really the only outlet for my dream." Zen has a dream? She shrugs. "Zen wants a starship... more than almost anything." Bit of a surprise, that. Zen-chan shakes her head. "Zen's first fanfics were Trek stories, actually... *then* Ranma. Zen's first anime fanfic was 'Between a Rock and a Hard Place'." Star Trek fanfiction.. that's a bit of a jump to anime, ne? How'd you make the transition? "Well, Star Trek and anime aren't THAT different... particularly the newer Star Trek series'. The first story Zen wrote was a Star Trek/Dirty Pair crossover, actually..." So how'd Zen wind up working with Ranma, in particular? "As for Ranma... that's harder to explain... a friend gave Zen the old Ranma Project tape and told her to watch it... Zen'd never have picked it up on her own, but after seeing it, Zen was hooked. Zen's still not really sure just what it is that draws her to the characters so." What brought on a story like "The Bitter End"? "Ahh... well. Yes. Caroline Seawright had 'suggested' that Zen write a Ranma and Akane story, since she had so disliked the stories where 'you' got Ranchan... so Zen gave it a try. Started well enough... but then Sebastian Weinberg made a careless comment about how the only martial artist Akane could hurt really was Ranma... and things went downhill fast." Wait a minute... the only martial artist Akane-chan could hurt? I can understand she's the only one who could hurt Ran-chan, but I've seen her beat up on others, such as Kuno and Happosai. Zen-chan smiles. "Oh, that's true... there is Kunou... but he's so seldom taken seriously... by anyone. It's sad, really. "At any rate, it just seemed so odd... Akane was always angry - and always at Ranma. For things he did... for things he didn't do... for things others did... it didn't matter. Ranma was the one she took it out on. And she just never learned. Never once gave him the benefit of the doubt... After a time, that'd have to be really wearing, one would think. "Zen started to really *look* at Akane's personality... she's a lot different in the anime, you see. In the manga she can be sweet and kind - between violent episodes. But in the anime, her violent temper is exaggerated even further." So "Bitter End" must have caused a great rift between the anime-canon and manga-canon camps, ne? Zen-chan ponders the question for a moment. "Not really... certainly it's easier to see with the Anime Akane... hell, with her, it's almost inevitable. But it could be the Manga Akane too. She's no less violent when she does lose her temper... she's just not as bitter all the time. "Mind you, it certainly polarized the various fiancee camps... specifically the Akane/Ukyou factions." I had not linked up with the fanfiction community at the time of "Bitter End"s release, but I certainly can imagine the furor. Zen-chan blushes. "Well, you see, 'you're' Zen's favorite character from the series... not that it's any secret, one supposes... but sometimes Zen is at a total loss to see what all the fuss is about... Zen, for example, can very much enjoy a Ranma/Akane fic if it's well done - despite the fact that she'll never write another one." Now, the original story was requested by a member of the Akane camp... and the wedding/honeymoon sequence at the beginning certainly looks like a pleasant Ranma/Akane pairing. Was that sent out as a stand-alone at any time? "No... the wedding was never posted separately." Zen explains that 'he' rarely posts material until it's finished, with Long And Winding Road serving as exception and explanation. So... did Zen have any idea about the size of the bomb that "Bitter End" would drop on the fanfiction community? She shakes her head. "None at all. Zen'd read good darkfics... Jeff Hosmer's 'Lies' is perhaps, if not the seminal Ranma darkfic, the quintessential one... Zen wasn't really expecting people to READ 'Bitter End' - it was kinda big, after all, and it was based on a rather unpopular premise... Sebastian, the one who's statement really crystallized it, still hasn't read it - he doesn't like Dark. And there's at least one writer who Zen doesn't think will ever forgive Zen for writing it..." Why is that? Does he favor WAFF and the Ranma-Akane matchup? Zen-chan smiles. "When he wrote me, he was quite... er... specific in his comments. He said Zen had destroyed the innocence of Ranma - and that people would be unable to view it entirely as the light-hearted comedy Takahashi-sama had written it to be. There was more, but that was the gist of it... Zen'd spoil the series." But "Bitter End" wasn't the first darkfic out there... Zen-chan shrugs. "True enough... not the first by a long shot. Benares' 'Stepping Stones' was sad, if not dark... then Gaffney's 'Sour Times' and Hosmer's 'Lies' - there were lots of good dark or at least melancholy fics out there..." Was it really a case of 'spoiling' Ranma? Zen-chan shrugs again. "It's possible that Zen *DID* spoil the series for this writer... and if that's the case, then Zen is very sorry to hear it. It certainly wasn't Zen's goal to spoil anything for anyone." Of course, this raises the question of whether this was an inevitable occurrence: if not Bitter End, would there have been something else out there to 'spoil' the series? Certainly, the darkfic floodgates burst open after the release of "Bitter End" - but might there have been another story that could have done the same thing? Zen-chan allows that there might, but apart from the darkfics she'd already mentioned, none in particular comes to mind. For Zen-chan's part, writing darkfics was simply a matter of strength. "Comedy is good... drama is good. Some people can even mix the two very well... Zen just never got the hang of writing funny things..." Why is that? I've heard that no happy man writes his memoirs... Zen-chan laughs. "Maybe there's some truth there... though funny things have happened to Zen... and lots of good things as well as the bad. Life could have been a LOT blacker than it was. But it's also true that, for Zen, writing is a therapy of sorts. A way to stay sane - or at least as close as Zen ever gets. That range has been the subject of rather spirited debate." Don't tell me you've ever been on the verge of going postal... "Postal? You mean like a shooting spree or something? No... Zen's darker impulses are usually turned inwards. Writing blunts the force of that - so Zen has always written. And some of even gets posted to the list from time to time. "Bitter End was written because there was no other way to get it out of Zen's head. And Zen wanted it out." But 'Bitter End' was NOT drawn from Zen's own personal experience. "No, Zen was never in an abusive relationship... though Zen has known people that were, none were so extreme. But prejudice is something Zen knows well, and there is a lot of that in domestic abuse cases... particularly where the male is the victim. BE was never meant to be any kind of crusade, or anything. It was just as realistic as Zen could make it. And a lot of people wrote letters talking about similar experiences... from virtually all sides of the picture." How about a debate on whether Bitter End was in-character? After all, the Ran-chan of Zen's stories seems rather more intelligent than Takahashi portrays him... and not just because picks me. Zen laughs, and I have to explain that it's odd to see Ran-chan thinking out a decision - and then MAKING that decision. "Well... Zen sees them as being in character... at least a possible character. Are they canon? Hell, no... no fanfic is. And Zen freely admits that the Akane in BE is the anime version, rather than the manga version. But on the whole, Zen can see the characters behaving the way she portrays them. That is, of course with the proviso that the stories are more serious than slapstick in nature, and that they assume events that never happened in the manga or anime... like Ranma's engagement to Biiko Daitokuji in Winding Road." Zen continues: "Ranma's not unintelligent... Ranma's just brash. And a large part of THAT is tied up in the slapstick nature of the series. You can't be stupid and be as good as he is at martial arts. So, in a serious story, it seems logical that he might seem more thoughtful... at least in the sense of being more deliberate in his actions, if not his dealings with people. Also, certain liberties have to be taken because the characters in canon material don't have enough background... for a serious story some depth has to be added - beyond the exaggerated characteristics that make slapstick work. Zen would point out that if there were no romance in Ranma, then she very much doubts that serious stories could be made to work at all... it's the romance that gives you the hooks to get drama into what would otherwise be a fairly shallow sit-com." What does Zen think of "Bitter End'? Is it a masterwork, as obviously many people have asserted simply by voting it into the Hall of Fame? Zen can't really consider it a 'masterwork'... it's hard to think of any of Zen's works in that manner. "Dunno... it's hard to imagine any other story getting quite the volume or intensity of response. In that context it'll be a hard act to follow. But that's really not why Zen writes... Heck, most of the stuff Zen writes no one ever will read. But there are still things Zen has to finish." Like Long and Winding Road? Zen grows a noticeable sweatdrop. "Er... yes. You see, we know that Ranma met Ukyou when they were both six... and only have a vague idea of what happened to Ukyou between that time, and the time she comes back. The next couple chapters of LaWR are gonna build some of that backstory. Ukyou will be taking Ranma back to her old stomping grounds for a time... before they are forced to flee Japan. And just about ALL of that backstory will have to be made up out of whole cloth." Ah... no wonder it takes so long. One more question about 'Bitter End', though; it's always seemed odd that, for such a staunch supporter of me and Ran-chan, Zen's best-known work does *not* match us up, save in death. ""Yes... in a way... they say 'we always hurt the ones we love' and if that's so, then Zen certainly owes Ucchan an apology. Hopefully, Zen's other stories will all end a lot more happily for her." Apology accepted, Zen-chan... if in fact it was ever required. To be honest, I can't think of a more noble way to die... it makes it more than worthwhile. Thank you, Zen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Interview with Joel Robinson and the DnR Crew SATELLITE OF LOVE Joel Robinson, clad only in a T-shirt and boxer shorts stifled a yawn as he brushed his teeth. He then caught a glimpse of Cambot's reflection in the mirror and did a double take as he realized he was on-camera. "CammphMbot! Holmph onmph!" Joel rinsed the toothpaste out of his mouth and spat it into the sink. "Cambot, what are you doing in here? The interview isn't for another hour! Are you still on daylight's saving time?" Cambot nodded slowly, shaking the camera view. "OK, I'll be out in a few minutes to reset your chronometer. In the meanwhile, just wait a little while until I'm ready, okay?" Joel replied with a smile as Cambot nodded again and left Joel's room. He wandered the halls aimlessly for a few moments before stopping in front of Gypsy's room. He activated the door's opening mechanisms and was about to go in when he caught a glimpse of Gypsy's face wearing some sort of green makeup and quietly edged his way back out of her room again, not wanting to embarrass her like he did Joel. Cambot wandered down the hall some more until he came upon Tom Servo's room. Inside, Cambot could hear Tom showering while belting out a variation of the theme to Oklahoma, substituting the word 'Oklahoma' with 'Tom Servo' and decided not to bother him. Finally, Cambot came across Crow's room and briefly considered paying him a visit when there was the sound of an enormous crash. Cambot barely had time to move out of the way as a hippopotamus, half it's body painted blue, smashed its way through the door and rushed down the hall. Soon another hippo, this one completely painted orange also ventured out into the hall, looking for food. Cambot would have blinked if he were capable and settled for opening and closing its f-stop quickly before entering Crow's room. Crow was lying in a heap on the floor, blue paint splattered all over him and his room looked like it had been hit by a tropical hurricane. "S-so much for my life-size version of 'Hungry Hungry Hippos'...." Crow muttered weakly as Cambot could only stare at the aftermath of the carnage before turning around and heading back to outside Joel's room to wait for him.... * * * Joel Robinson stood on the bridge of the Satellite of Love, dressed in his usual red jumpsuit and holding a cordless microphone. "Hey, everybody! Welcome to the Satellite of Love! I'm here today to interview the creators of a fanfiction series that is both heavily praised and criticized, 'Daigakuse no Ranma/Ukyou' by Jeff Hosmer, Paul Gallegos, David Tai and John Biles." "Also, since I'm trapped up here in space and Dr. Forrester won't send the DnR crew up here in a shuttle, because he's scared I'll do something sneaky like *try to escape*, we've decided to do the interview over the Hexfield viewscreen." Joel walked over to the counter and gave the button a tap. The Hexfield opened to reveal Paul Gallegos, David Tai, and John Biles sitting on separate chairs and looking comfortable. Joel: Hi, John, Paul and David! Say, where's Jeff Hosmer? Paul: Jeff's disappeared. At last report, he was stalking a gnome-ranger in Everquest. Hence, he was unable to be present for this interview. Joel: Uh, okay. Let's get started then. First off, when did you initially become interested in writing fanfiction? David: *ponders* Saw fics on RAAC, figured I could do it, and went and tried it. Okay, maybe today I wouldn't, but back then, what, there were... hm. Very few. Paul: When I was working for the University of Arizona, I worked with a woman who published her own fanzines, mostly based on Highlander, MacGyver, War of the Worlds, and a few others. I read through a few of the 'zines and found them to be pretty entertaining. It wasn't until I got into the Anime scene, however, that I felt like I could try my hand at it. Getting a degree in Creative Writing only helped fuel the fire, so to speak. John: In the summer of 1993, when I discovered the internet. After reading some stories on what was then RAAS, I thought, 'I can do that!' Joel: What is the most frustrating and beneficial aspects of being a writer in your opinion? David: Trying to do some things that haven't been done before. It's getting harder and harder to come up with something that hasn't been done fanficwise. Of course, there's the challenge. Paul: One of the most frustrating aspects for me as a writer has been to simply find the time to write. It's not like there's a dearth of ideas to be had, it's really a matter of finding the time to sit down and just do it. On the flip side, the benefits have been astronomical - I feel like I can now tackle almost any subject with some kind of authority, not to mention meeting some great people in the process. John: The most frustrating thing about writing internet fanfic is that you often have no clue if anyone is actually reading your story. The most rewarding thing is being able to let all the stories in my head out to play with other people. Joel: Where did you first get the idea for DnR/DnU? David: Think it was Kimagure Orange College, actually. Paul: David Tai and I had finished working on "Monkey Business" and had started talking about doing a Ranma-in-college story since Kimagure Orange College had made its debut only a couple of weeks prior. Almost two weeks later to the day after that conversation, we were approached by Jeff Yang to do a Ranma-in-college story. The story was to be called "Ranma University" but never got off the ground from what I understand. David and I worked maybe one month with Yang before we realized that our ideas for Ranma and Co. could work better. So we spent umpteen million TALK sessions (IRC wasn't around yet then - I think this kind of shows how long we've been around, fleshing out all the characters, the places, etc. and then began writing. DnU came about as we found we had more and more stories that centered around Ukyou. After discussing it with Jeff and John, we agreed that that Episodes 17-19 (commonly called the "Spiritual Arc") would serve as the lead-in for DnU. John: Paul and David created it, not me. Joel: Take us through the creation process, how does an episode of DnR/DnU get produced from an idea to the finished product? David: Idea. Haggle out plot from idea. Write outline of plot. Write scenes. Rewrite scenes. Rewrite scenes. Repeat until satisfied. Send to prereader. Rewrite scenes. Repeat. There you go. Lots of rewriting. Paul: See David's answer. I do want to mention that we're probably the only major series that does not send to the FanFic Mailing List (FFML) - so if you're looking for episodes of DnR/U before they're released, don't look there. Also because we're such sticklers for continuity, correctness, etc., an episode can take several months (in one case, years) to go from start to finish. John: See Paul's answer. Joel: Who came up with the idea to use fanart and music for the DnR/DnU series? David: I want to blame Mike Loader, but I think Paul basically just put stuff there once we had it. Paul: I wanted to give DnR/U something more tangible than just words on paper (or on your monitor). So I placed messages looking for a fan artist on rec.arts.anime.fandom around Episode three and Jong Hwang answered the call. After him, Anastasia Moreno offered her pen almost immediately, and then Alexandra Teixeira did the same after Anastasia left. I think that our current artist, Alexandra, is probably the most talented I've seen. She's also very enthusiastic about the project, so that's helped us move lightyears forward in what we can show to the anime fanfic community through her ideas and vision. And that's not to mention the people that still send us fanart just because they wanted to draw something for DnR/U. As for the music, my brother was, when we started, working on his degree in Music Education, and made the suggestion that we do some opening and closing "themes". I told him I'd write the lyrics if he'd write the music, and he agreed - though he's only written one up to this point, mostly because of his time being consumed by his degree work. However, he's recently found more time (read: graduated) and so we expect something we can put on the web in 2000. John: Every writer wants fanart; it's not an idea one has to come up with. Joel: Why do you think DnR/DnU might be considered overrated by some? David: Because, truthfully, IMO? There just aren't enough continuing series out there, so the choices in fanfic awards are pretty limited for that category. I can understand why there aren't a lot of choices, since it's pretty rough to do continuing series, but still, I'd LIKE to see more entries in that category. (And I STILL think Hearts of Ice should be more properly classified as a miniseries, rather than a continuing series, personally.) Paul: High expectations. When you've been around for so long, and won so many awards and garnered good reviews, people just expect perfection and scream when it's not there. I know for a fact there are people that claim DnR/U is overrated because they believe the original Takahashi characters are Out Of Character (OOC) and therefore the whole series stinks. There are still others who feel that the script-style writing we _still_ use is bad and therefore the story is bad by default. In Ryan Mathews' March '98 "Last Exit" column on Anipike , Ryan states that DnR/U is one of the most loved _and_ hated series of all time. That's a huge statement from the person who has been named the father of Internet Anime Fanfics. Whether or not this has contributed to the "overrated" label, I don't know. I say that as long as people read the series, whether they pan it or praise it doesn't matter - they're _reading_ it, and that's more than many fanfic authors can say about their works nowadays. John: Because not everyone likes a series as much as those who most vocally proclaim it's glories, and this causes those who aren't in the vanguard to think something is overrated. Joel: What do you think people like about DnR/DnU? David: I never thought about it, really... I just wrote what I'd liked. Admittedly, Maison Ikkoku would be a big influence. Paul: The story. The relationships the characters now have with each other, given that they've grown up somewhat from the original manga. People can somewhat identify with the newer characters and with the situations the original ones are placed in. The original top-notch artwork. The translations into several languages (Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian, with Norweigian, French and Japanese in the works) so that those in foreign countries can read the series as well. The attention to detail - outside of the Western-style wedding, most everything has been Japanese-centric, including the school year calendar at a Japanese university. John: Script format (we've done a poll, so there!), the humor, our efforts to build logically from the manga, some of the original characters, and the fact that it has lots of Ukyou in it. Joel: If you had the chance to change Manga continuity to whatever specifications you wished, what would you change? David: You don't want to know. Actually, I'd shatter the hell out of Ryouga's heart of glass. It's annoying as hell to keep reading about it. Paul: I'd have Ranma beat Tarou Pantyhose at least once, on his own, without either of them resorting to a gimmick of some sort. It would establish Ranma as one who was learning to stand and fight without needing an outside motivation (like Akane) to spur him on. In turn, that shows some maturity. John: I'm not sure what exactly this means. If it means how would I have written the manga, Ranma would have rode off into the sunset with Ukyou. If it means what I would change for DNR, I wouldn't change anything. Joel: What is the most rewarding thing of writing DnR/DnU? David: Hmmm. People who like your stuff! Paul: Meeting and working with some of the best authors in the world. While I personally don't feel that my own writing is up to par with John Biles, Richard Lawson, Gary Kleppe, or Mike Koos, the fact that each of those authors was and is willing to work with me at one point or another tells me that I must be doing something right. And of course, having such a loyal following for 7 years helps. John: Seeing Alexandra draw a picture for one of my stories, followed by knowing people will read and enjoy it. Joel: Okay, well, I'd like to thank all of you for agreeing to this interview and best of luck to you in the Chickenball Awards! This is Joel Robinson saying.... Joel trails off as he notices an orange hippopotamus calmly wandering around the bridge. He stares at it for a long moment as realization sinks in. "...CROW NO BAKA!!"