Editorial: Fanfic Inspirations - In the Beginning
This editorial was originally written on July 11th, 2005. "Sonic the
Hedgehog" is the property of Sega, while "Samurai Pizza Cats" belongs to
the now defunct Saban Entertainment. Hmmm... since Saban got bought out
by Disney, doesn't that mean SPC belongs to them now?
This is the first in a series of four bimonthly editorials that look back
on the writers that inspired me to become and continue to work as a
fanfiction story writer, as well as the writers that may have been inspired
by me.
The topics:
Today - Part 1: In the Beginning
Sep. - Part 2: The Pokémon Masters
Nov. - Part 3: Reality and Fanfiction.Net
Jan. - Part 4: Passing on the Torch
If my memory serves me, I had the joy of getting my very own home computer
seven years ago for the very first time. First and foremost, everyone in
my house, myself included, saw the computer as a tool to be used for
typing up reports for school. And as a replacement for our typewriter,
which I could swear is as old as me, which had keys that stuck. Especially
the 'delete' key... it couldn't completely erase the letter in one stroke,
so whomever was using it had to run the 'delete' key over the space about
four or five times.
Anyway, of course with getting a new computer, it opened up a new media
for me to explore that I couldn't using a school computer. The Internet.
As typical of any newbie, I was amazed by everything the Internet had to
offer. But the one thing that stands out in my mind is when I first
discovered fanfiction - stories written by fans of TV shows, movies, and
books using those said characters and storylines they adored.
Back then, I was immensely into "Sonic the Hedgehog." Makes sense, since
back then my favorite comic book was the Sonic one that Archie put out
(and still does... they just released Issue #150 this month). I
remember reading many stories starring the high-speed gang of the hit
Saturday morning cartoon... especially Princess Sally Acorn, undeniably
my favorite of the bunch. And probably one of the pioneers of my penchant
for redheads... but that's another story...
The hype around that time about wanting to see a third season of the
TV show, kept around thanks to the comic, pulled many 'Sonic' fans into
creating many fanfics with their own interpretations of what might have
been. One story, which name escapes me at the moment, was about how
Doctor Robotnik was replaced with a duck cyborg named Packbell, and how
he managed to make Sonic and the gang worry about not how they can avoid
being changed into robots, but how they were to avoid being killed!
The story's chapters were action-packed and pretty entertaining. Makes
me wish I had started writing fanfiction back then... maybe I'd have
written more Sonic fanfics.
But Sonic wasn't my only love back then. There was another cartoon
back in the mid '90s that I absolutely adored. A show featuring three
cats who battled daily with a rat who had problems trying to remember
if he was a man or a woman. The show I'm talking about, naturally, is
the cult hit "Samurai Pizza Cats."
I was quite surprised to learn new stuff about SPC, a year after it had
been taken off the air. It was an anime (at the time, it was the first
time I had ever heard that term). None of the dialogue is a direct
translation of the Japanese counterpart... Saban made an entirely
different script for it. The U.S. only dubbed 40 of the show's 54
episodes. It was a lot of stuff that threw me for a loop, but the
funny thing is, it didn't lower my thoughts of the show at all. It was
so hilarious and corny back then, back when there were very little
standards of how anime dubs should really be treated.
Then again, a certain company these days makes me think we're still
back in the mid '90s. But again, that's another story...
Anyway, my favorite 'SPC' fanfic, and probably one of my favorites of
all-time, was the story 'SPC: Endgame,' written by Jonas Miles.
Following the events of the end of the TV show, this humongous tale
is a tour de force filled with hardcore action, romance, and yes, even
some of that goofiness that made the Pizza Cats fun to watch. The fic
is a big undertaking, and the first part, 'Crimson Dawn,' is gigantic,
but worth every minute it takes to read.
Unfortunately, he never did write beyond that massive first part. As
is the regret of many fanfiction writers, real life got in the way for
him. And even with any outcry of fan support that may still exist many
years later, considering the massive size of Part One, it would be hard
for him to regain any sort of form.
Luckily, there's another writer I know of that was in the same situation,
but the result is entirely different. But that's in Part Two of this
series.
Back in 1998, I was a newbie to the Internet and to the world of
fanfiction. With many great stories about and possibilities abound,
I began to wonder if I could make it as a fanfiction writer.
And then that fall, my answer came to me in the form of a little yellow
rat.
- Freedom Fighter
Want to read "Samurai Pizza Cats: Endgame, Part 1 - Crimson Dawn?"
The link to the writer's site, 'Jonas Miles' Samurai Pizza Cats Lair!,'
is http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Shrine/8650. Click under 'The
Library' or 'The Endgame Saga' links. Advanced warning... it's only
downloadable in ZIP format because it's so long (the site states
unzipped, the file is close to 400 KB, roughly 200 pages). It would
probably equate to a PG-13 rating, in case anyone's sensitive and
junk.
Look for Part 2 of this editorial series, "The Pokémon Masters,"
sometime this September!
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