Because Not ALL the Cast Wants into Watanuki’s Pants - Ame Warashi/Zashiki Warashi - xxxHOLiC

[buddha_loves_me]

Title: Because Not ALL the Cast Wants into Watanuki’s Pants: A Ame Warashi/Zashiki Warashi Ship Manifesto
Author: Buddha_loves_me
Series: xxxHOLiC
Pairing:Ame Warashi/Zashiki Warashi
Word count: 2,934 words
Spoilers: Detailed explanations of the entire series, so expect spoilers.
Notes: Firstly, All graphics made by me; scans and scanlations found at

Comments

[parron]

This essay really does come off as almost more W/ZW than ZW/AW, I gotta say. Although I know there's not a whole lot to go by in canon. I admit that I don't know this series super well, but I think I've read up through the scenes you mentioned; I also know that CC is utterly useless at this stage.

I think you made a series of good points for AW, but I find myself wishing there was more for ZW, if not evidence than speculation - especially to counteract the mini ZW/W essay you seem to have going. I don't know; it feels a little unbalanced or shallow. Of course, dealing with such minor characters, that's sort of a given.

The technical quality of the essay is good, and it's all very concise (a quality I admire, haha); don't let my utterly useless comments bother you. It's a cute essay!

[buddha_loves_me]

Yeah, I know it's really heavy with the W/ZW, but that's because, as I explained in the essay, I wanted people who weren't all that familiar with the series to understand that this, at most, is a one-sided ship, and non-canon at the time being.

Even though it's a relatively small ship and has yet to get any badfic, it really provides the opportunity for people to completely disregard ZW's motivations in favor of her flinging herself at AW, or something like that.

But I agree, I did focus a bit too much on it, and tried to cut it down as much as possible. I'll keep that in mind if/when I write another manifesto in the future. Thank you for your comment!

[parron]

I guess it depends on how/for what reason people write essays; whether you're writing it for "new" people in the fandom to introduce a ship, or to people familiar in the fandom, to... um, explain the ship (she says, having no real idea).

Which anyway tidily explains both what I said and what you did, unless I'm just completely making up your motivations (plausible).

Anyway, it is cute. Unfortunately, I'm not really the right person to lavish praise on your work, not really following the series and thus only having a vague idea of what's what *laugh*.

[buddha_loves_me]

I was writing it for a bit of both, but I'm not really sure which way it's supposed to go. I know that I read some ships of fandoms I only kinda know and it motivates me to pick the series back up, but I also like reading ships for series I'm already in, to see if the writer has the same take on canon and subtext that I do.

Thank you for reading it, anyway, even if you didn't have a particularly large range of knowledge, though. I really do appreciate it.

[highstrungmage]

Okay. I'll admit it. I read it because of the title. XDDD

It is pretty hard to write a manifesto for such minor characters but it was good nonetheless. A little too much Watanuki as parron said but it can't be helped I guess. Most of what you pointed out was what I saw in canon.

So much, and I mean so much, subtext between the two. ^_^ They're the cute couple I go to when CLAMP destroys me with their torture and abuse of the main characters.

[buddha_loves_me]

I'm glad you enjoyed the title. I can't take any credit for it, but I found it amusing, too. |D;

Thank you, and as I said to parron above, I felt it was important to add in Watanuki's influence and his importance because he's a big factor in Zashiki Warashi's character, even if I don't necessarily see the ship as happening, because Watanuki's feelings aren't quite like ZW's.

But I'm glad you liked it!

[von_questenberg]

♥ Yay for these two. Hopefully CLAMP will give us more of them.

[eletriarnation]

Personally, I don't think you can explain AW/ZW without acknowledging the fact that there IS a mini ZW/W thing going on in there--which is why your essay works. Obviously, Zashiki-Warashi has feelings for Watanuki that she's going to have to get over for the pairing, and you mention that enough times that when we get to the 'together' part of the essay, it makes sense and we see how it could come around. That's important since the pairing is sadly not canon and you don't have a lot to go on. Especially so on ZW's end of things.

Anyhow, I enjoyed this a lot, and I think it's really great to give this pairing attention. ♥ You did a good job. C'mon CLAMP, give us moar. ;o;

[buddha_loves_me]

Thank you, Ana. I'm glad you liked it. ♥

And it was a bit of a difficult manifesto to write, because while AW/ZW is one of my big OTPs for the series, they don't have a lot of canon evidence, though quite a bit of subtext, and it's all rather one-sided, in my humble opinion.

I really hope they show up again. ;o;

[buddha_loves_me]

Yes, exactly. I feel it's important to have the information about Watanuki, because in canon, ZW is in love with him and cares about him deeply. If I left him out, I'd be leaving out a huge bulk of ZW's character, motivations, and canon interactions and developments. It's also necessary to explain that this pairing is not canon and has quite a ways to go on ZW's part before it can be.