We haven't had a meme for a while

[petronia]

1. Ask me one fandom-related question in the comments. This can be fandom specific, general, or about fandom/lj stuff/fic writing/etc. in general.

2. Just one question, please, but it can (and perhaps should) have sub-parts.

3. That's it. It can be as normal or odd as you like.

***

Just got out of optometrist appointment. +0.25 in both eyes and a 0.02 shift in astigmatism axis in one eye (compared to two years ago), not really enough to explain the symptoms I've been having. Maybe it's just accumulated muscle strain? ^^; Anyway I'll get the lenses changed and see if that helps.

Comments

[one-if-by-land.livejournal.com]

what attracts you the most in a series? are we talking plot, characters, setting, art, themes/genre, etc? what are you willing to forgive or overlook? what's usually the hook/seller?

:)

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Art may be the most important one, in that I definitely can't be convinced to read a series if I don't like the art (but I guess it's more a negative criterion?). There's not really any pattern to it, though. ^^; I like the art for Prince of Tennis and Trigun and love that of Bleach, but I can't stand Fruits Basket, Houshin Engi and late-period Rurouni Kenshin. Naruto's also kind of blah for me.

I'm more into strongly individualised artist styles than ones that approach generic "anime" or "shoujo", I guess. So I like JoJo and Nana better than FMA or HanaKimi.

The hook/seller at this point is unpredictability. XD I do have to like/care about the major characters in order to keep reading (as proven by Death Note), but very few successful manga actually fail in this respect, and I'm a pretty easy sell anyway (I usually do like the hero/ine even if they're generic goodhearted brash kids or whatever). But I don't want to be second-guessing the writer all the time, like "Oh now we're into the training arc, ping me when it's over," or "Oh noes the guy turns out to have a fiancée, how many chapters before he realises he likes the heroine better??" It can't just be random crack either though, that's alienating. I need a sense of trust that the mangaka has a good story in mind and is going about telling it, even if they're obviously insane. *g*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

When writing fanfic, what drives you--an interesting character, an unusual pairing, wanting to fill in blanks or go behind the manga panels, or do you just want to see where words take you?

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Filling in blanks, mostly. That's where the plots/stories come from. But - mmm - maybe not where the drive to write comes from. Everything I read and watch gets tangled up in associations with everything else I read and watch (including stuff like manuals on shipping insurance fraud or biographies of Lord Byron), the music I listen to, the food I eat, the weather... it's like there's this giant "in" chute, and every once in a while there has to be an "out", where I organize and distill the inchoate stew into something that makes sense - to myself not least. *g* Of course I write blog entries. But often it takes the form of fiction, because fiction is the only way to form a logical construct out of a web of associations like "Orihime + mole sauce + an abandoned tape".

[supplanter.livejournal.com]

I immediately thought of a question for you, but then I was like "ohnoes, but then I'll have to do the meme :(" and put it off for the whole night, but it's not like anyone's going to be asking me stuff, so.... >D

What are the other 17 Damned Lies About Kujo Jotaro (http://petronia.livejournal.com/446544.html#cutid3)? 0:D?

Is this legal? :3

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Dude, that... that's cheating, surely. XD But I'll make a note of it.

[supplanter.livejournal.com]

♥

Well, it's a broad interpretation.... XD

[worldserpent.livejournal.com]

I am sad to see that there are so few takers of this meme. I am even sadder that I cannot think of any good question.

Uh, so are you reading now, 'sides SBR, or plan to read in the near future?

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can't think of any good questions either. >_>

Currently I'm reading GetBackers 35, and I'll probably catch up on Bleach tonight. Then I have to catch up on my CLAMP series. If I have time I'll dip into my downloads folder - Sanctuary? Antique Bakery? Should take a poll XD - but chances are slim, because I'll be spending evenings out for the next two months, and any reading material will have to fit in my purse. What's going to happen is that I'm going to work my way through Stone Ocean in time for the next Amazon shipment, which contains (among other things) the end of that series and the JoJo 5th series Jump novel, and that will be all the reading I get done in July. XD

Just read (these are all single tankoubons): Higuri You's "Gorgeous Carat Galaxy", Ono Natsume's "Ristorante Paradiso" (het, shokku), Hoshino Lily's "Aishichatta no". Reviews to come when I have time.

[worldserpent.livejournal.com]

For some reason I don't have the yaruki to catch up to Bleach. I think I'll do it in some huge multi-volume catch up. XD

Oooh, so you did manage to order the 5th series novel? Did you find out any more about what it's about?

Ono Natsume... never heard of her. How'd you find that one?

[subaru-san.livejournal.com]

What kind of plot do you like best in manga and anime series? I guess that also ties into whether you prefer shoujo or shounen series.

Cynthia

P.S.: I also wanted to ask how you feel about Saint Seiya as a series, and also about the Saint Seiya music, but I don't know if you consider that a fandom.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

That's a pretty catch-all question. XD As with novels and movies and such I don't really have specific preferences in plot - I just read what seems well and interestingly written. I tend to stay away from stories that are purely romance, though, unless they're short.

I'm not in the Seiya fandom, I'm afraid. ^^;

[subaru-san.livejournal.com]

Well, try the music sometime if you ever have the chance. It's pretty good. ^_^

Cynthia