Premature, perhaps, but I need to get this out or be stuck in stunned silence forever.
The new GW novel's prologue has come out, and info is leaking all across the net. Apparently the writer (Mr Sumisawa) thought the following would make a good welcoming message. (Quote below is from a translation of this summary of what was in the magazine, done by kaijyuu_m. See more here. And just a little more here, translated by Deacon Blues of Zeonic
( Read more... )
Me too. I keep being hit with random flashes of OMGEXITEMENT. *_*
After all, Sumisawa hasn't written in the Wing verse for a long time, and he's right about one thing--it already was fully concluded. By experience, I've found that most writers in this situation seem to lose touch (and focus) of said verse either because they're forcing the story or they just don't see it anymore, and the novel/series/comic/whatever as a result ends up turning into quasi-crack.
We can only wait to see what happens. But I feel reassured by the fact that he acknowledges the situation for what it is. He's approaching this project from an angle pretty similar to ours when we write fic, really, and what he says here makes me think he understands how we feel (either as writing or not-writing fans). It creates a kind of kinship, and a sense of, the better you understand something, the less you can hate it.
<.< Did that make sense?
Anyway, my impression of the transitional novel vs true sequel thing is that this thing is going to focus a lot on looking back on the past from the perspective of those now living/born in the future, as opposed to immetiately starting to tell a whole new story.
Ficathon, you say? Please do elaborate. :D
(kaijyuu_m, the person who translated this excerpt, said she hopes to be able to translate the novel as it comes out. Plus there's a bunch of other peeps with Japanese skills that might be able to be bugged into it. I have good hopes that we'll all be able to read it in due time.)
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Wow, I never thought about it like that! Now I see what you mean, though, and it definitely bears considering. I really like that he's going back to the verse--it must mean he believes it worth expanding, which is total yay--and I'm hoping that as he gradually susses things out and gets his Wing boots back on, maybe he'll fall in love with the characters again just like we did, and then... well, I don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but I'm still hoping another anime occurs. Or at least more novels in the future. :D
That said, nearly everyone I've talked to about it with the exception of 2 people are rather pessimistic about the idea, which surprised me. Gundam 00 was mentioned, some accusing 00 to be a cheap knock-off of Wing (meaning any sequel will be just as "awful"). I'm not sure there are many Wing fans out there who recognize the other Gundam verses, so I'm hoping that this new novel (and the resulting sequel) will somehow appease these fans and bring them back to the light--lol! Since it's been so long, many fans are already well set in their ways, myself included... but new material can't hurt! I honestly do hope this boosts the fandom back into action again. Too many authors have left over the years! (Again, myself included, although I suppose I'm more active than other authors not writing anymore. But maybe that's because I know perfectly well I'll end up writing again eventually... lol!)
Anyway, you have to take the good with the bad, I suppose. I do find it really interesting that there are many Wing fans who don't acknowledge the other Gundam shows/verses, but there are so many of them... I read somewhere that the Gundam franchise in Japan was worth incredible amounts of money (like, billions). The West needs to spread the love! \o/
/babble
Ficathon! I probably didn't use the right phrasing, there. I meant that it's tugging my muse to write countless fanfic again, although it would be AWESOME to have a sort of yay-there's-a-new-GW-novel inspired fandom-wide ficathon. I want to write about Priest!Duo, because I am hopeless like that. :D
(kaijyuu_m, the person who translated this excerpt, said she hopes to be able to translate the novel as it comes out. Plus there's a bunch of other peeps with Japanese skills that might be able to be bugged into it. I have good hopes that we'll all be able to read it in due time.)
YAY! *dances for joy*
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Since it's been so long, many fans are already well set in their ways, myself included...
This is probably one of the reasons a lot of people are going OH HELL NO. They've had FIFTEEN YEARS to develop and tweak and cement their post-canon ideas and head!canons and whatnot, and now... all that's going to be mowed over by this sudden appearance of new canon. XD I guess I'm lucky that I was never able to write long future!fic, or I'd probably be in the same boat.
I do find it really interesting that there are many Wing fans who don't acknowledge the other Gundam shows/verses, but there are so many of them...
Ahaha, YES THERE ARE. It's taken me months - nay, years - to get through all the gundam I've read and watched up until now, and there are still two entire universes I haven't even started on! @.@ I must say, though, that watching all those older installments has been remarkably helpful for my understanding and appreciation of GW. G Gundam in particular has been very helpful in creating a mindset suitable for understanding GW's grand and sweeping idealism. XD Plus, Wufei got a lot more sympathetic when I realised how much his situation parallels Amuro's in certain aspects, and while I like Char better than Zechs, now that I've seen how Char's development was handled, I can appreciate that Zechs' character was at least consistent. Oh, and the newtypes! OMG THE NEWTYPENESS IN GW IS JUST EXLPODING FROM THE SCREEN, IT IS SO AWESOME! I swear, once you become familiar with the concept of newtypes, GW will never be the same again. Quatre literally fits every single criteria for being one.
/newtype squee
although it would be AWESOME to have a sort of yay-there's-a-new-GW-novel inspired fandom-wide ficathon.
It would, wouldn't it? *ponders*
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