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crack_van2004-08-31 03:52 pm
elke-tanzer.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2004-08-31 03:52 pm
Entry tags:
Thy Outward Part by Richard Lawson, Webdragon, Sebastian Weinberg, & Lara Bartram (PG13-NC17)
Fandom: RANMA 1/2
Pairing: Ranma Saotome/Akane Tendo, Kodachi Kuno/Ranma Saotome, Ukyo Kuonji/Ranma Saotome, Ryoga Hibiki/Akane Tendo, Kasumi Tendo/Dr. Tofu, Nodoka Saotome/Genma Saotome, Kentaro Marumoto/Ranma Tendo, Nabiki Tendo/Tatewaki Kuno
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Sterman.org and Lara's Fanfics and Sebastian's Bast!'s Ranma 1/2 Page (I believe Webdragon's pages have moved around a lot and are now offline)
Why this must be read:
Richard Lawson writes long, beautiful stories. This lovely example is a continuation story based on a single starting point of divergence from Ranma 1/2 canon, and grew into a series of stories by Richard accompanied by side stories by Webdragon, Sebastian Weinberg, and Lara Bartram, collectively known as Richard Lawson's Thy Outward Part series. I've been meaning to recommend this series ever since I recommended Richard's other big series, Thy Inward Love. Thy Outward Part has more adult content, but it's just as expertly written, and the character interpretations, while different, are just as valid.
The divergence from canon in Thy Outward Part happens during Ranma has his encounter with the Musk Dynasty in volumes 24 and 25 of the manga. The Pail of Preservation, or Chiisuiton, is a ladle which can lock a cursed person into one or the other of their forms. The Water Pot of Liberation, or Kaisuihuu, is a kettle which reverses the effect and unlocks a Jusenkyo curse, causing the cursed person to change when splashed with hot or cold water again.
The Ranma of Thy Outward Part is forced to cope with losing the Kasuihuu under a landslide before unlocking his curse, so he's stuck in his female form, possibly forever. Akane is unable to face marrying a locked-curse Ranma, his father disowns him, and he flees Nerima to attend college and get away from anyone who knew him. In his mind, he is male, but he starts to build a life in his cursed form, because he really has no other choice but to simply end it all. Needless to say, this series is rather wrenching to read, and it becomes more so when, a few years into the story, the possibility of unearthing the kettle becomes a reality. Akane has tried to get on with her life, and Ranma has built a friendship and a love with Kentaro in the mean time, and yet Nodoka, Soun and Genma refuse to let the unification of the Saotome and Tendo families falter.
Parts of the series are PG-13, but there are significant portions of adult content. These stories should be read in the following order:
Thy Outward Part
Building Bridges (by WebDragon)
The Nature of Love
Technical Virginity (by Sebastian Weinberg)
Those Tears Are Pearl
Gimme A Break (by Lara Bartram)
Serendipity
Painted Smile
A Better World Than This set well after A Painted Smile
The Risk (by Lara Bartram)
Pairing: Ranma Saotome/Akane Tendo, Kodachi Kuno/Ranma Saotome, Ukyo Kuonji/Ranma Saotome, Ryoga Hibiki/Akane Tendo, Kasumi Tendo/Dr. Tofu, Nodoka Saotome/Genma Saotome, Kentaro Marumoto/Ranma Tendo, Nabiki Tendo/Tatewaki Kuno
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Sterman.org and Lara's Fanfics and Sebastian's Bast!'s Ranma 1/2 Page (I believe Webdragon's pages have moved around a lot and are now offline)
Why this must be read:
Richard Lawson writes long, beautiful stories. This lovely example is a continuation story based on a single starting point of divergence from Ranma 1/2 canon, and grew into a series of stories by Richard accompanied by side stories by Webdragon, Sebastian Weinberg, and Lara Bartram, collectively known as Richard Lawson's Thy Outward Part series. I've been meaning to recommend this series ever since I recommended Richard's other big series, Thy Inward Love. Thy Outward Part has more adult content, but it's just as expertly written, and the character interpretations, while different, are just as valid.
The divergence from canon in Thy Outward Part happens during Ranma has his encounter with the Musk Dynasty in volumes 24 and 25 of the manga. The Pail of Preservation, or Chiisuiton, is a ladle which can lock a cursed person into one or the other of their forms. The Water Pot of Liberation, or Kaisuihuu, is a kettle which reverses the effect and unlocks a Jusenkyo curse, causing the cursed person to change when splashed with hot or cold water again.
The Ranma of Thy Outward Part is forced to cope with losing the Kasuihuu under a landslide before unlocking his curse, so he's stuck in his female form, possibly forever. Akane is unable to face marrying a locked-curse Ranma, his father disowns him, and he flees Nerima to attend college and get away from anyone who knew him. In his mind, he is male, but he starts to build a life in his cursed form, because he really has no other choice but to simply end it all. Needless to say, this series is rather wrenching to read, and it becomes more so when, a few years into the story, the possibility of unearthing the kettle becomes a reality. Akane has tried to get on with her life, and Ranma has built a friendship and a love with Kentaro in the mean time, and yet Nodoka, Soun and Genma refuse to let the unification of the Saotome and Tendo families falter.
Parts of the series are PG-13, but there are significant portions of adult content. These stories should be read in the following order:
Thy Outward Part
Building Bridges (by WebDragon)
The Nature of Love
Technical Virginity (by Sebastian Weinberg)
Those Tears Are Pearl
Gimme A Break (by Lara Bartram)
Serendipity
Painted Smile
A Better World Than This set well after A Painted Smile
The Risk (by Lara Bartram)