A letter from Japan (second and final part)
anonymous
February 9 2010, 06:54:45 UTC
English fandom, I know that many of you think that I'm boring and that you'd rather write about more interesting nations. I accept that, and I know that I'm the kind of person who tends to fade into the background, especially when compared to others like America.
However, I do believe that there is a personality somewhere underneath my apparently emotionless, doormat-like, and even vaguely sociopathic shell (I do have emotions and I'm not a Russia-in-training or something; do you seriously think that I don't care about anything or anyone other than me?), and that I do have friends I value and interact with. I don't expect you to make many fanworks for me like the Japanese fandom does (and trust me, sometimes they scare me too), but I would at least like some more acknowledgement about my role in the series or that I'm actually quite close to America in modern times.
I also can't help but notice that when I do get a significant role in fanworks, Greece always seems to be left out if it's not a shipping fic for him and me. It's not like I'm actually romantically involved with him or anything like that or that I'm writing about this because he got upset about it even if he said he wasn't, but I think that he deserves at least a mention now and then as one of the nations I'm the closest to.
Some of you have also said that I'm a Mary Sue, or in other words, an overly idealized/perfect character who steals the spotlight and bends the characters and plot around her to a sickening degree. I must admit that I'm baffled by this classification, especially considering that I haven't even been shown in the strips for quite some time; could any of you inform me on why you believe that I'm a Mary Sue? Because I'm honestly curious about this, especially since some others seem to think that I'm the exact opposite.
Thank you very much for reading, and I hope that you take my suggestions into consideration. I really do love the fact that you're such a large and enthusiastic fandom, and I only wish to see it become even better.
Very nice fill, by the way! taking the prompt in a very different direction, but very interesting! OP is not a big fan of Japan's, but she's always been a bit angry when people accuse him of being a Mary Sue; I think that the problem is that his caricature is much subtler than the other nations', due to the author being japanese and taking on subtler things to parody. It's very good that Kiku is so polite and that you captured his voice perfectly; he's so rational here, and I'm glad somebody brought up many of these topics regarding the caracter, since at times he seems to be one of the most controversial ones, at least in the English speaking fandom ( which is also helluvah scary, Honda-san xD).
I was nodding and sometimes chuckling throughout all the fic, but this made me LOL:
However, I do believe that there is a personality somewhere underneath my apparently emotionless, doormat-like, and even vaguely sociopathic shell
OP is very glad that all you anons have such a good grasp on the characters' voices, and that all these fills somehow complement each other; Prussia being so self-centered and his letter a total chaotic rant/self shout-out, Finland being sweet and kindly reproachful and Kiku taking the loooong way and answering each and every point that concerns his fictional fandom selfXD (and being all analitical, observant and unfailingly POLITE, damnitXD)
Reply from writer
anonymous
February 9 2010, 07:58:49 UTC
I'm glad to get such a comprehensive comment from you, OP, and also that you liked it in spite of it not being exactly what you asked for.
Ah, is that one of the main reasons for the 'Mary Sue' thing, then? That does make a fair amount of sense; I've noticed that some English fans think that I'm not an exaggerated enough stereotype because I'm not overtly 'otaku'-like (really though, they'd be surprised if they ever caught me in one of my gaming or cosplaying moods).
I'm immensely glad to hear that my letter came across the way I wanted it to, and that you found it to be properly informative without being boring or too dry. (I also must admit that most of the humor was intentional, because I apparently can have a sense of humor in spite of being an emotionless doormat who only sits and stares blankly at world meetings without saying a word.)
Now that I think of all the topics I wanted to bring up, though, I should also have included a section touching on my relationship with China and the other Asian nations. But my letter was getting worryingly long by that point and if I spend too much of my afternoon typing on this computer, a certain other nation in my room is going to feel neglected...
(...Is it? I think I'll let America and England deal with the majority of English fandom in that case.)
They really do, don't they? I'm impressed at how well these anons captured these nations' personalities. Assuming that they're not the actual nations going undercover, of course.
Reply from writer
anonymous
February 9 2010, 08:05:56 UTC
Thank you so much for leaving such a nice comment! It's people like you who make me truly grateful that Hidekaz agreed to make a series about us in the first place; if he hadn't, none of us would have gotten the amount of love that we do.
However, I do believe that there is a personality somewhere underneath my apparently emotionless, doormat-like, and even vaguely sociopathic shell (I do have emotions and I'm not a Russia-in-training or something; do you seriously think that I don't care about anything or anyone other than me?), and that I do have friends I value and interact with. I don't expect you to make many fanworks for me like the Japanese fandom does (and trust me, sometimes they scare me too), but I would at least like some more acknowledgement about my role in the series or that I'm actually quite close to America in modern times.
I also can't help but notice that when I do get a significant role in fanworks, Greece always seems to be left out if it's not a shipping fic for him and me. It's not like I'm actually romantically involved with him or anything like that or that I'm writing about this because he got upset about it even if he said he wasn't, but I think that he deserves at least a mention now and then as one of the nations I'm the closest to.
Some of you have also said that I'm a Mary Sue, or in other words, an overly idealized/perfect character who steals the spotlight and bends the characters and plot around her to a sickening degree. I must admit that I'm baffled by this classification, especially considering that I haven't even been shown in the strips for quite some time; could any of you inform me on why you believe that I'm a Mary Sue? Because I'm honestly curious about this, especially since some others seem to think that I'm the exact opposite.
Thank you very much for reading, and I hope that you take my suggestions into consideration. I really do love the fact that you're such a large and enthusiastic fandom, and I only wish to see it become even better.
Sincerely,
Kiku Honda (Japan)
Reply
Very nice fill, by the way! taking the prompt in a very different direction, but very interesting! OP is not a big fan of Japan's, but she's always been a bit angry when people accuse him of being a Mary Sue; I think that the problem is that his caricature is much subtler than the other nations', due to the author being japanese and taking on subtler things to parody.
It's very good that Kiku is so polite and that you captured his voice perfectly; he's so rational here, and I'm glad somebody brought up many of these topics regarding the caracter, since at times he seems to be one of the most controversial ones, at least in the English speaking fandom ( which is also helluvah scary, Honda-san xD).
I was nodding and sometimes chuckling throughout all the fic, but this made me LOL:
However, I do believe that there is a personality somewhere underneath my apparently emotionless, doormat-like, and even vaguely sociopathic shell
OP is very glad that all you anons have such a good grasp on the characters' voices, and that all these fills somehow complement each other; Prussia being so self-centered and his letter a total chaotic rant/self shout-out, Finland being sweet and kindly reproachful and Kiku taking the loooong way and answering each and every point that concerns his fictional fandom selfXD (and being all analitical, observant and unfailingly POLITE, damnitXD)
Reply
Ah, is that one of the main reasons for the 'Mary Sue' thing, then? That does make a fair amount of sense; I've noticed that some English fans think that I'm not an exaggerated enough stereotype because I'm not overtly 'otaku'-like (really though, they'd be surprised if they ever caught me in one of my gaming or cosplaying moods).
I'm immensely glad to hear that my letter came across the way I wanted it to, and that you found it to be properly informative without being boring or too dry. (I also must admit that most of the humor was intentional, because I apparently can have a sense of humor in spite of being an emotionless doormat who only sits and stares blankly at world meetings without saying a word.)
Now that I think of all the topics I wanted to bring up, though, I should also have included a section touching on my relationship with China and the other Asian nations. But my letter was getting worryingly long by that point and if I spend too much of my afternoon typing on this computer, a certain other nation in my room is going to feel neglected...
(...Is it? I think I'll let America and England deal with the majority of English fandom in that case.)
They really do, don't they? I'm impressed at how well these anons captured these nations' personalities. Assuming that they're not the actual nations going undercover, of course.
Reply
Totally in-character and fucking amusing as fuck. I APPROVE OF THIS!
Kiku, you're one of my favourite characters and I like you just the way Himaruya portrayed you!
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Thank you for this!
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