Comments | mgs_slash: opening discussion about something that's been bugging me

yamitami in mgs_slash

opening discussion about something that's been bugging me

Dec 30, 2007 13:12

Okay. Ever since I entered the MGS fandom this has bugged me: Meryl's fandom characterization, namely the rampant bashing that takes place in almost every Snake/Otacon fanfic that mentions or involves her.

(EDIT: sorry about the previous lack of cut, guys ^^;)

Meryl is a tomboy and an Army brat. It's pretty safe to say that's she's been aiming for ( Read more... )

2007, meta discussion

Comments 45

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yamitami December 31 2007, 01:40:09 UTC

We do? Maybe my heightened irritation is due to my own tomboyish ways. I've never understood sinking your nails in and refusing to let go, but I also think more like a guy in those terms. Less catfight and more 'well we slugged it out now we're best buds again.'

(The comment has been removed)

yamitami December 31 2007, 01:33:47 UTC

I want to go where you've been reading, because I guess I've just been in the wrong places.

I missed Snake saying that; what point in the story is it?

Even if it was a bad breakup, they still don't seem like the kind of people who would harbor it all the way to Big Shell and beyond, which happens in fics.

rite_out December 31 2007, 03:39:26 UTC

if you call otacon while looking at unconscious Olga, Snake says he's had enough of tomboys. Um...link? Maybe? Just a sec...

HERE WE GO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwjSHk1Q3po

starts around 0:55

sugarsurge December 30 2007, 21:09:14 UTC

Well considering that I've written what may be one fic for the Snake/Otacon pairing and I only mention her once when Otacon and Mei-Ling are talking I don't think I have that problem ( ... )

yamitami December 31 2007, 01:29:32 UTC

Well, to be fair the voice was Mantis, and I am similarly baffled by her hair. It needs to be... not that. I get that she's not going to do anything to it but at least cut it all the way short or something.

sugarsurge January 2 2008, 06:50:04 UTC

Well actually it's just Mantis making her say that but it's technically still her voice.
All I'm saying is that if I were banging the chick and she talked to me in that voice I'd pause for a minute and either go back to sucking face if the mood was right or push her out of my bed, roll over and go to sleep.
I originally had my hair chin length a month ago and it's grown a little longer so now everytime it foofs out and it looks kinda like her's so I can't look in mirrors.
I shoulda left it long, damn me.

yamitami January 3 2008, 04:49:43 UTC

Eh, I think the tone was at least partially his too. At least, that's what I tell myself since I can't picture her being all breathy and bimbo when she's in the mood. The image breaks my brain.

When my hair is short it looks like a duck's butt. I'm working on growing it back out to my waist, though cons and wigs may stop it a little above the small of my back. Can't outgrow my Ota-wig ^^

tokyo_roses December 30 2007, 21:57:29 UTC

I think it's pretty much more...well...

Unfortunately, most of the yaoi fandom is written or drawn by girls who probably don't like the idea of male and female relationships because of the classification in society/media that always label women as *bitches* to begin with.

It is very unfair that many female characters are bastardized in fanfics cause of the whole yaoi culture, but...well..I dunno.
This is a hard topic to talk about, but I understand your gripes for I have similar gripes as well.

yamitami December 31 2007, 01:28:14 UTC

I heard a really good reason for the draw of young fangirls to yaoi this past A-kon: it's not threatening to their own sexuality. If they're looking at het or yuri then it involves a girl or girls and they have to confront how they feel about the genders. Same reason guys are so attracted to lesbian antics ( ... )

giove_dea December 30 2007, 22:46:57 UTC

I've never really read any Meryl stories where she was anything but the strong tomboyish type. She's always been more buddy buddy then jealous feminine figure. What I've seen thats really bad is the overexageration of the flamboyant gay side of Raiden ( ... )

yamitami December 31 2007, 00:57:36 UTC

Relena is one of the more annoyingly idealistic people in Gundam Wing, but then again even Wufei submitted to the idiocy of total pacifism by the end of the movie. And while she was VERY stalkerish for a while she did get over it by the end of the series; she didn't chase after Heero after he left her the note and teddy bear on the plane. Even at her worst she wasn't near as bad as a large number of fics portray her to be.

If it's a good story but totally OOC then the names need to be changes and it needs to be an original story. The thing about fanfiction is you don't have to create new characters and worlds so you can get right into the words, but since you've been given that foundation you can't stray too far away or the weight will be too off center and the building will collapse.

giove_dea December 31 2007, 05:23:30 UTC

I think though that most fics that have Relena being really bad have the plot based before the end of the series, when she was really bad, and just change the ending. I have read quite a few really decent stories that have made me love Relena as a character because they show her as a mature adult at her tender age of 18, but I think what most people realize is that she still is that tender age when actions, thoughts, likes, and dislikes can change at a the drop of a hat. The same with Kingdom Hearts. Most of the characters are very young and I guess it just doesn't seem strange to me that someone would think something one day, and change their minds the next. It's very high schoolish and makes it more realistic in my mind ( ... )