As I have a lot of time on my hands...
Jul. 21st, 2006 07:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tj_rowe...I've been doing a lot of self-analysis.
I can't identify with Kimiko very well. I can identify with Raimundo most of the time, and Katnappé (unless that's just me making her terribly OOC *guilt*), and Jack. And the majority of the RaiKim fics I've seen - no matter whose POV it is, the reader is supposed to identify with Kimiko. Supposed to identify with a *gasp*-he(because it's always a 'he')-loves-me!Kimiko.
If it's total pure genfic then I love her canon self to bits. But I can't see her being interested in romance at all. It's a conflicting pair of views of her - Kimiko-sue the shipper's toy and Kimiko the arse-kicking-Dragon and I just can't reconcille them in my mind at all.
Or maybe I'm one of those jelous fangirls that we all make jokes about behind their backs. One of those who dispise all pairings involving the lust-object bar the ones that she can insert herself, personality-wise, into. That would explain the RaiKat, and the RaiJack, and the Chack and the KatKim. Heck, it even explains why I started using the 'Most minor character' icon as my default after making the 'hetOTP' one. *decisivly changes to the sexy feet for this post*
Actually, on the KatKim - that's more self insertation right there. I mean, face it. All you queer lasses out there, we've all done it: Fallen for the unattainable straight girl. Except, in the fic Katnappé seems to be succeeding in 'converting' her. That's wish-fulfillment, right there.
And that senario I can deal with. You know why? Kimiko is still relatively disinterested. She doesn't like that she likes it! The situation is thrust upon her by the Shadow of Fear, and it takes her months to begin to accept the idea - it isn't assumed that 'of course she wants to be half of a pairing!' Because... well, she doesn't. She's a complete person by herself.
If there is any RaiKim out there in which we have a Raimundo going after her and continually failing (rather than 'insta-girlfriend due to expensive present!' ...which really makes her seem very shallow, if you think about it), then I would probably read and enjoy it. But as the stock stands... well, you've heard it all before.
I also hate that (at the Pit at least) it's almost expected that there will be RaiKim in genfic. Kind of like how you used to be expected to pair up the 'leftovers' (Raimundo and Jack) if you wrote KimClay - or vice-versa. There was a time when all the new fics with one of those pairs contained the other.
Because some of us like our genfic pure, damnit! I like when the monks are all friends - nothing less, and I like when the only interest that Wuya and Chase and Jack have in them is for plot reasons. I like when the conflict stems from alliance and things undone rather than romantic feeling! And you know what I like best? When I get what's sold* to me.
Sure, some people like when their favourite pairing is unexpectedly present in the epic that they're reading, but... other people don't, you know? Especially if they don't like the surprise pairing. Would it kill people to say 'Oh yeah, most of the conflict in this story comes from Raimundo and Kimiko being in TWOO WUV and not being able to tell each other OH NOES!' - or in it's usual translation to ff.net summary: 'Rai/Kim'.
Sorry, sorry. That was overly harsh. They aren't all like that. I apologise. But the majority of unlabled RaiKim-posing-as-gen? Yeah, it could at least have a lable.
And I seem to have drifted irrevocably off-topic now, if you'll excuse me. Thoughts?
Edited to add: And why can they not type her name out in full? Kimiko. Not 'Kim'.
ETA: Tomorrow I'm going to Tiverton for a balloon ride, so if you never hear from me again I'm on my way to Wales or France or America or somewhere. Like Moody's mum from 'The Amanda Show'.
I can't identify with Kimiko very well. I can identify with Raimundo most of the time, and Katnappé (unless that's just me making her terribly OOC *guilt*), and Jack. And the majority of the RaiKim fics I've seen - no matter whose POV it is, the reader is supposed to identify with Kimiko. Supposed to identify with a *gasp*-he(because it's always a 'he')-loves-me!Kimiko.
If it's total pure genfic then I love her canon self to bits. But I can't see her being interested in romance at all. It's a conflicting pair of views of her - Kimiko-sue the shipper's toy and Kimiko the arse-kicking-Dragon and I just can't reconcille them in my mind at all.
Or maybe I'm one of those jelous fangirls that we all make jokes about behind their backs. One of those who dispise all pairings involving the lust-object bar the ones that she can insert herself, personality-wise, into. That would explain the RaiKat, and the RaiJack, and the Chack and the KatKim. Heck, it even explains why I started using the 'Most minor character' icon as my default after making the 'hetOTP' one. *decisivly changes to the sexy feet for this post*
Actually, on the KatKim - that's more self insertation right there. I mean, face it. All you queer lasses out there, we've all done it: Fallen for the unattainable straight girl. Except, in the fic Katnappé seems to be succeeding in 'converting' her. That's wish-fulfillment, right there.
And that senario I can deal with. You know why? Kimiko is still relatively disinterested. She doesn't like that she likes it! The situation is thrust upon her by the Shadow of Fear, and it takes her months to begin to accept the idea - it isn't assumed that 'of course she wants to be half of a pairing!' Because... well, she doesn't. She's a complete person by herself.
If there is any RaiKim out there in which we have a Raimundo going after her and continually failing (rather than 'insta-girlfriend due to expensive present!' ...which really makes her seem very shallow, if you think about it), then I would probably read and enjoy it. But as the stock stands... well, you've heard it all before.
I also hate that (at the Pit at least) it's almost expected that there will be RaiKim in genfic. Kind of like how you used to be expected to pair up the 'leftovers' (Raimundo and Jack) if you wrote KimClay - or vice-versa. There was a time when all the new fics with one of those pairs contained the other.
Because some of us like our genfic pure, damnit! I like when the monks are all friends - nothing less, and I like when the only interest that Wuya and Chase and Jack have in them is for plot reasons. I like when the conflict stems from alliance and things undone rather than romantic feeling! And you know what I like best? When I get what's sold* to me.
Sure, some people like when their favourite pairing is unexpectedly present in the epic that they're reading, but... other people don't, you know? Especially if they don't like the surprise pairing. Would it kill people to say 'Oh yeah, most of the conflict in this story comes from Raimundo and Kimiko being in TWOO WUV and not being able to tell each other OH NOES!' - or in it's usual translation to ff.net summary: 'Rai/Kim'.
Sorry, sorry. That was overly harsh. They aren't all like that. I apologise. But the majority of unlabled RaiKim-posing-as-gen? Yeah, it could at least have a lable.
And I seem to have drifted irrevocably off-topic now, if you'll excuse me. Thoughts?
Edited to add: And why can they not type her name out in full? Kimiko. Not 'Kim'.
*'sold' as in 'advertised', not 'sold' as in 'I paid you, cough it up'.ETA: Tomorrow I'm going to Tiverton for a balloon ride, so if you never hear from me again I'm on my way to Wales or France or America or somewhere. Like Moody's mum from 'The Amanda Show'.
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no subject
Date: 2006-07-21 08:29 pm (UTC)...I am tempted to write something.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-21 08:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-21 08:39 pm (UTC)I think I'm going to do it, though I do need some sort of plot going on in the background and decide if I want it to be Rai (because that seems most logical) or Kat (because I've never thought of that before).
no subject
Date: 2006-07-21 08:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-21 09:03 pm (UTC)Eeee...I'm excited.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-21 09:09 pm (UTC)... It would follow that my new community is unsuitable for everything I want a mere ten hours after it went live, wouldn't it. XD
no subject
Date: 2006-07-22 12:23 pm (UTC)I love your rants.
Date: 2006-07-21 08:37 pm (UTC)Re: I love your rants.
Date: 2006-07-21 08:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-22 09:15 pm (UTC)It's weird - I end up liking pairings after I've meta-ed them, too.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-23 01:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-23 01:17 am (UTC)Dude Much
Date: 2006-07-23 06:09 am (UTC)But I digress...I don't hate the Raimundo/Kimiko pairing because its hetro or that other pairings outshine it in my eyes. I am open-minded and can handle most pairings thrown at me, rather I dislike it because its normal and white picket fence and children scenario(HarryGinny comes to mind) And/or that I have not read any outstanding stories involving those two in love except for Reyana Draconis's works.
Christ-in-a-box...I ramble. And I like my genfics too...I just can't write one because plot swallows me whole...
Re: Dude Much
Date: 2006-07-23 07:35 pm (UTC)though the 'oh noes rai is evil what will she do one can have some interesting twists if the author remembers Clay and Omi.I have so many logical fallacities in my genfic that I have to have a 12 year old beta reader to make sure that things make sense. XD
Re: Dude Much
Date: 2006-07-24 01:16 am (UTC)I live with a 12 year old...but she's my sister and that doesn't count.