Sailor Moon Redux

[Murmur the Fallen]

(Oh, just want to say, it's good to be back after a. . . geeze, two year, three year hiatus? [I think back then I used a different name; Harijubal, maybe; and not that I was there a long time, but well . . . ] Just dropped out of the whole message board thing, I guess. Oh, and I might have some comments on the newest chapter. Might not. But might have.)
As I skimmed through the messages in this section, I wonder which version of Sailor Moon you'll use, manga or anime.
And you could easily use your "rules o' magic" that have in Sailor Moon, since both continuities are pretty vague on magic, beyond the whole "power of spirit" thing and mass produced monsters and what not.
I remember it being noted . . . somewhere . . . that Tuxedo Kamen, in the anime at least, served as a guide for the most part to Sailor Moon, Merlin to her Arthur kind of thing. He's basically there to support her, not fight her battles. She's the hero, after all.
(Another thing; it seems that in the manga, Mamoru has psychic abilities since as psychometry or even telepathy[he picked up visions of the future from Chibi-Usa by touching her, which might indicate either, though I lean to psychometry here]. And his "Tuxedo La Bomber" attack might be telekinetic in nature . . .
Sailor Moon, in fact, would make for an interesting x-over; a sort of Drunken Sailor's Walk . . .
But I don't think that some anime/manga would work in a x-over with DW, if only because the internal logic of the series. Take, for instance, Slayers, which I note that you mention as a possible future DW.
The cosmology, and the magic, of Slayers, which is very neatly laid out, would, I think, prohibit him from visiting the Slayers' world.
It goes like this: the Lord of Nightmares created four "worlds" (and I'm assuming this means universes as well) and on each of these worlds she created a Dragon God to preserve the world and a "Evil Lord" to destroy it and set them to fighting. They are, you might say, programmed to fight each other. (just because the LoN is a God, doesn't make her a very nice God). All magic is drawn from four sources: Black magic from the Mazoku, either the Evil Lord himself (Shabranigudo in this case) or his immediate subordinates, or just from the Mazoku in general if it doesn't call upon the power of a particular mazoku high uppity-up; white magic from the Dragon God (Ceiphied in this case . . . or well, it gets complicated), which is known for its healing and protective spells but can also do destructive spells too. Then there's Shamanism (i've heard it translated differently, but can't remember what, adn shamanism seems evokative enough), which manipulates the elements (earth, fire, wind, water) and also what is called the Astral Plane for spirit-type stuff.
Then you have your magic that doesn't involve casting spells per se, such as enchanted objects, or magic created golems, clones, genetic manipulations, etc. Then there's the power derived from the Lord of Nightmares herself, but that's very dangerous stuff and only Lina Inverse was seen using it.
All spells can be cast anywhere, with the exception of this one mountain that blocked magic use (and possibly other places. And Orihalcon can also resist direct magic), with no nodes or leylines.
But there's nothing in here, REALLY, that a clever author couldn't get around. But it should be remembered that the Slayers' world isn't just a different universe, it's part of a different SET of universes, an entire multiverse of its own, with different origins than "our" multiverse. I mean, it would just take a very radical detour from Doug's walk.
You know, speaking of world-travelling super-humans, I wonder what would happen if Doug met Luther Arkwright.
Hmm . . . seem to have gotten quite a bit clear from the topic of sailor moon, too . . . sorry.

[Xenoproctologist]

The Word of Bob (Schroeck) from the 'Worlds with "different" magics'' thread in the General DW Chatter forum:

---

Doug's magic follows a fairly standard pattern -- probably best explicated by Mercedes Lackey's books, but by no means unique to them -- magic is essentially the manipulation of an energy called "mana", which can either be generated internally (Doug's "personal energies") or absorbed from the environment ("ambient" mana, leylines, and nodes). The ability to "process" this energy and turn it into magical effects is called the "mage gift".
Most of the time (the events of DW2 notwithstanding -- he only learned how to tap environmental mana in the unwritten DW1), Doug operates off his own internal energies, which are generated and recharged by his own metabolism. So, basically, unless the world is so weird that his metabolism doesn't work (urk), his magic should function regardless of the local paradigm. Much to the distress of natives who think they know how everything works.
-- Bob

---

[Murmur the Fallen]

Oh, okay.
The reason why I didn't put my rant in the different magic threat is because I wasn't talking about the magic per se.
Hmm, guess I should have been a bit clearer, and not gotten off into a tangent. I was remembering the Harry Potter thing, and Doug talking about "real magic" . . .
Anyway, the point was, was that the Slayers' occupied their own set of universes seperated from "our" universes.

[Bob Schroeck]

---

I was remembering the Harry Potter thing, and Doug talking about "real magic" . . .

---

Oh, Slayers counts as "real magic" by all of Doug's standards...
But I see what you mean about the cosmology. It's no big. As I've said elsewhere, I'm not sure I really want to do Slayers -- the only reason I put it in the itinerary at all was so that Doug could recognize a wild variant of the "Dragon Slave" spell used in DW10. That's really not necessary.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Murmur the Fallen]

You know, I kind of *wish* that you would do a Slayers x-over, if only because I want to see what see what happens when Doug hears that "holy spell" that takes the form of a song and dance that Amelia and Lina pick up in Slayers Next . . .
But, I really, REALLY want to see what happens if Doug goes into . . . well, I'll make it part of a new thread.
Oh, and Luther Arkwright. It's not the really, REALLY want but it would be interesting to see what would happen when these two very different universe crossing supermen meet.

[Valles]

---

"Look, Luna, were you a military advisor back in the old Silver
M? Tactical advice, strategic things, stuff like that?"
The cat looked a bit confused. "Noooo," she admitted. "I was
a royal advisor on protocol and etiquette."
"Right," I said, valiantly avoiding sarcasm. "Well, then, Lu,
why don't you just leave the business of training Usagi to fight
in my hands, and when we find your Moon Princess, you can tell
us how to say hello to her properly."
---------
"You, I like. You're a mensch," I said, and Artemis preened.
I jerked a thumb toward Luna. "*She's* an old biddy." The
white cat snickered while Luna faced away from me and
superciliously raised her tail and nose.

---

Now, I had a thought just recently, while musing on this. The idea that Luna was a court flunky type seems to be one of the recurring memes of SM fanfic - tutor, nurse, lady in waiting, whatever. This can be argued as borne out by her attitude and her failure to train the Senshi better.
It's pretty well established, I'll grant, that -whatever- her role and skills, Luna's a conservative sort.
But, here's a competing idea: Luna doesn't know small unit tactics... because she was a -naval- officer, not an army one. She's doing her level best to operate in a field that's -just- close enough to her own to cause the sneaky problems instead of obvious ones.
Artemis's problem is a little different, let's say, and cast him massively against type... as a spymaster. In the Moon Kingdom, he was James Bond's M. Now, this gave him the knowledge to do a decent job training Minako to operate on her own... but -he- was a lone operative, way back when, and his skillbase is heavily oriented towards that.
Blessed be.
-n
(Continuing the theme of playing with the chestnuts of the genre.)
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[Murmur the Fallen]

Well, Luna and Artemis had to have some importance to the Moon Kingdom, if only because they were the ones who were preserved in capsules and sent to find the reincarnated senshi, as well as being the keepers of the Henshin Sticks.
And, of course, Artemis was that . . . umm, voice from the video game in the Crown Arcade who gave Luna her instructions.

[Valles]

---

And, of course, Artemis was that . . . umm, voice from the video game in the Crown Arcade who gave Luna her instructions.

---

That -was- one of the origins of the idea, yeah.
Blessed be.
-n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[Bob Schroeck]

If Luna is an Admiral, it might explain why we only have Sailor Senshi in the current age...
Hm. I like the possibilities here. Nathan, let's take any further exploration to the prereader list, okay?

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Valles]

Check your inbox.
Blessed be.
-n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[Bob Schroeck]

Saw it. Will comment when I get home tonight. Thanks!

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Star Ranger4]

BoooOOOooooOOOb!! You're just soooo mean!!!

:igh:: Ah well. I never really commented on ANYTHING regularly enough to really think of myself as a pre-reader for anyone."I was an Otaku before those kids came along and changed the meaning of the word."

-- HM "Howling Mad" Wilson to more than one team-mate.
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[Bob Schroeck]

Ranger, I'm sorry if I was flip. The thing is, I theoretically have almost a dozen prereaders already, if you include the irregular contributions by various Warriors players and the ones whose mail doesn't bounce but who haven't said anything in months. However their numbers shake out, I think I'm at an optimal quantity at the moment -- not so few voices that they're all playing the same note, not so many that there's no consensus. I'm hesitant to perturb the balance, if you understand what I mean. My apologies.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Star Ranger4]

Naaa... If anyone was being flip, it was me.
I know why I never even ASKED, earlier on, about being a pre-reader. I was more grumbling about these great ideas I'd love to bandy about getting sucked away to said list. "I was an Otaku before those kids came along and changed the meaning of the word."

-- HM "Howling Mad" Wilson to more than one team-mate.
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[Bob Schroeck]

Well, I could document every little idea and inspiration, but then what fun would it be to read the resulting story? My prereaders have to suffer through receiving things in dribs and drabs, never seeing the entire picture until almost the last minure. They're often more impatient than you guys are!
Count yourself lucky... believe me.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[offsides]

---

They're often more impatient than you guys are!

---

Yes, and a number of us even know where you live...
Offsides
Drunkard's Walk Forum Moderator and Prereader At Large

[Bob Schroeck]

Hell, most of you know where I live.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Bob Schroeck]

Okay, I just got vols. 4 through 6 of Sailor Moon yesterday. And you know what? Interesting as they are, I think I'm going to go with the anime continuity if I actually write this. The manga doesn't have the after-Beryl "reset", and I more or less need that for the ending I have in mind.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Slacker]

Speaking as a fan of aspects of both the anime and the manga....
The anime is easier to write for. More wiggle room, I t'ink. Of course, you also have to ignore certain...ummm... grey areas of logic. Especially when you're talking about the Ginzoushou. (And why can I never spell that thing the same way twice? Or correctly, for that matter.)
Although, the manga is MUCH better in some points. It has a much better characterization for some of the characters. (The Outers come to mind immediately. Pluto especially. Guh. Anime characterization? WHAT characterization? No wonder so many writers try to show her as a "manipulating time bitch." >_'main cast'. They get shuffled off until the last season, because it won't fit the plot. Ummm...yeah, now I'm ranting. I'll be good.)
Besides. The anime has Nephrite's sacrifice for Naru. Which is pretty darn close to my favorite scene of all time. ( Which is why I'm annoyed I can't see any way to bring him back in AtST. Poor guy. *grumble*)
Anyways.
Personally, I like a blend of the manga and the anime. Mostly anime, with manga to flesh out areas that aren't covered very well. (Which leads to this hideous bastard child that gets you criticism from both manga AND anime fans. What fun! Fear the series with rabid fan bases! ^_-)
Besides, Tuxedo Mask is actually...you know...decent in the manga. Personally, I couldn't stand him in the anime. But the manga.... I actually kinda liked him.
Right. I'm rambling again. I'll shut up now. ^^
Ja Ne!
Slacker
(Who's heard rumors of first season uncut DVDs...and praying.)

[offsides]

Hey, Slacker, you're posting enough why don't you get yourself an account (even a local one)? C'mon, we don't bite
Offsides
Drunkard's Walk Forum Moderator and Prereader At Large

[Slacker]

Oh, I have a local account.
It just won't let me log in, for some weird reason. ^^;;
Don't ask me why, don't ask me how.
I'm still cursing at it. >>
Ja Ne!
Slacker

[Bob Schroeck]

---

The anime is easier to write for. More wiggle room, I t'ink. Of course, you also have to ignore certain...ummm... grey areas of logic. Especially when you're talking about the Ginzoushou.

---

Mind you, like much of North America, I've only seen the DIC-butchered dubs, so I may be off base for the "real thing", but it seems to me the anime is painted in broader strokes, which does indeed leave more room for me to maneuver in. It also appears to take place over a longer amount of time compared to the manga, which often seems to hurtle along at a breakneck pace.

---

Although, the manga is MUCH better in some points. It has a much better characterization for some of the characters. (The Outers come to mind immediately. Pluto especially. Guh. Anime characterization? WHAT characterization? No wonder so many writers try to show her as a "manipulating time bitch."

---

Currently my plot has her acting in just this way. Unfortunately, in regard to Pluto, I'm committing that greatest of fanfic sins -- I'm writing based only on what I know from other fics. I do want to correct that; unfortunately I've seen almost no Pluto in the volumes of the manga that I've read, and what I have seen seems directly at odds with both ends of the fanfic convention spectrum.

---

Besides. The anime has Nephrite's sacrifice for Naru. Which is pretty darn close to my favorite scene of all time.

---

Yes, this was good stuff. Unfortunately, Doug's going to perturb things so severely that it never happens...

---

(Which leads to this hideous bastard child that gets you criticism from both manga AND anime fans. What fun! Fear the series with rabid fan bases! ^_-)

---

So far, no rabid fan bases seem to have noticed me yet.

---

Besides, Tuxedo Mask is actually...you know...decent in the manga. Personally, I couldn't stand him in the anime. But the manga.... I actually kinda liked him.

---

Except for the higher-powered "shower of roses" attack, whatever the hell it was called, he seems pretty much the same to me in either one. I still want Doug to offer to make him an enchanted rose-firing machine gun...

---

Right. I'm rambling again. I'll shut up now. ^^

---

If you can't ramble here, where can you ramble?

---

(Who's heard rumors of first season uncut DVDs...and praying.)

---

Ooh. I'd go for that myself, if only to see what it looked like before the epileptic chimps at DIC got their hands on it.
-- Bob
(Who after watching Excel do her Sailor Moon bit started wondering about a fic where Excel is Sailor Moon...)
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Bob Schroeck]

---

Oh, I have a local account.
It just won't let me log in, for some weird reason. ^^;;

---

Weird. Have you contacted EzBoard support to see if they can help you?

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[ECSNorway]

Color Key: Slacker Bob Me

The anime is easier to write for. More wiggle room, I t'ink. Of course, you also have to ignore certain...ummm... grey areas of logic. Especially when you're talking about the Ginzoushou.
Mind you, like much of North America, I've only seen the DIC-butchered dubs, so I may be off base for the "real thing", but it seems to me the anime is painted in broader strokes, which does indeed leave more room for me to maneuver in. It also appears to take place over a longer amount of time compared to the manga, which often seems to hurtle along at a breakneck pace.
*grin*
Although, the manga is MUCH better in some points. It has a much better characterization for some of the characters. (The Outers come to mind immediately. Pluto especially. Guh. Anime characterization? WHAT characterization? No wonder so many writers try to show her as a "manipulating time bitch."
Currently my plot has her acting in just this way. Unfortunately, in regard to Pluto, I'm committing that greatest of fanfic sins -- I'm writing based only on what I know from other fics. I do want to correct that; unfortunately I've seen almost no Pluto in the volumes of the manga that I've read, and what I have seen seems directly at odds with both ends of the fanfic convention spectrum.
Which, come to think of it, is why so many people write Akane as a thug. They pick it up from each other, it's a contagious meme. Dang. There have been a few good looks at Pluto... check out Biles and Hosmer's 'Sailor Moon Z' for an example.
Besides. The anime has Nephrite's sacrifice for Naru. Which is pretty darn close to my favorite scene of all time.
Yes, this was good stuff. Unfortunately, Doug's going to perturb things so severely that it never happens...
Awwww.... And, Slacker, I'm sure, if you think hard enough, you can find a way to fit him back in.
(Which leads to this hideous bastard child that gets you criticism from both manga AND anime fans. What fun! Fear the series with rabid fan bases! ^_-)
So far, no rabid fan bases seem to have noticed me yet.

Besides, Tuxedo Mask is actually...you know...decent in the manga. Personally, I couldn't stand him in the anime. But the manga.... I actually kinda liked him.

Except for the higher-powered "shower of roses" attack, whatever the hell it was called, he seems pretty much the same to me in either one. I still want Doug to offer to make him an enchanted rose-firing machine gun...
Do it. You know you want to. Even if it's just as a joke.

Right. I'm rambling again. I'll shut up now. ^^
If you can't ramble here, where can you ramble?

(Who's heard rumors of first season uncut DVDs...and praying.)

Ooh. I'd go for that myself, if only to see what it looked like before the epileptic chimps at DIC got their hands on it.
Hmmmm.

-- Bob (Who after watching Excel do her Sailor Moon bit started wondering about a fic where Excel is Sailor Moon...)
Owwwwww. Yes please, may I have some more?
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

[Bob Schroeck]

---

Owwwwww. Yes please, may I have some more?

---

Okay, how's this? Toltiir hacks up a hairball into the Well of Mimir, and a pile of characters all voiced by the same seiyuu get rotated among their various universes. Misato Katsuragi ends up in a seifuku. Sailor Moon ends up standing on that trap door at ACROSS. And Excel finds herself playing house mother to Shinji and Asuka...
Whaddaya think?

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.