Fanfiction ponderings...

[wafflejones]

And for once, it's about my own ideas!

Calling all CardCaptor Sakura manga fans:

I've been looking at the scanlations of the first arc (with the rude comments removed) and I was wondering something. According to Yue, after someone captures all of the cards they have to defeat him in order to lay claim to the all of the cards and the guardians. If they lose against him, they and those who had came in contact with the cards will forget what they treasure/love the most.

Then on page 07 (Ch. 04, Vol. 6) he says to Sakura after she used the Wood card, "He (Kerberos) told you the absolute minimum you had to know. I suppose that is the custom of the candidates to be the new master."

So tell me, is this some kind of a translation issue or am I crazy for thinking Yue was implying that there were other candidates before Sakura? I mean why would something be a 'custom' if Sakura was the first person to open the book after Clow's death? A 'custom' means (to me at least) that something has been done before and what ever laws in place mean that it must happen again. At dictionary.com the first definition is "a habitual practice; the usual way of acting in given circumstances." So...

Would it be too far off to say that someone had tried to become the master of the cards before Sakura? That maybe somehow they remembered through some means? That they wouldn't be too happy to know that someone succeeded when they could not? The plotbunny in my head is saying YES. Someone either squash it or feed it more carrots.


Kay next thing is for any Xiaolin Showdown fans and/or people who know a lot about East Indian culture.

Yeah, it scares me too. She comes around later in the story I'm making but I'm worried about her (and her older sister) now. I haven't picked which religion or ethnicity she and her sister are quite yet. I know for sure that she is 9-10 years old, is from Tamil Nadu, India and she was raised knowing the martial art of Varma Kalai (she sucks at it. her sister on the other hand...)

Problem #1: Stereotypes. Let's be honest, XS is full of them. The great thing about XS, though, is that most of the characters move apart from those stereotypes. Omi is not the same by the end of the series. Neither is Rai or Kimiko. Hell, you could make a case for Clay too. But they still have stereotypes attached to them. How much of that should I consider in her character and how would I prepare for the flames that I'd deserve? I've made her a meek, quiet sort of person. Take a look at media (like Anthy from Utena) and see how many Indians are portrayed as meek there are. ...Yeah, I'm kinda worried.

Problem #2: Her name is Kunjana and her sister's is Lavanya. According to a name site (that I can't find the link to at the moment) Kunjana means 'forest girl.' Is...that true? Should I name her something else? Because 'forest girl' fits her role quite nicely and I'd like to keep it, if it makes sense that is.

Problem #3: Anti-Mary Sue? Now we know how awful Sues are in fiction but what about the ones that aren't perfect and shiny but rather go the opposite direction? Yes I'm talking about the 'Anti-Sue' those characters that are so 'imperfect' but are annoying anyway because they are either there to be pitied 'cause everyone hates them or everyone loves them because they should be pitied. Kunjana isn't perfect. She sucks at her family's marital arts and she's afraid of a lot of things, like loud noises. She makes bad decisions, like following her sister into the hands of evil. She does, however, try to 'anything' that seems broken, which can be a strength and a flaw. Any suggestions of how to keep her from becoming an Anti-Sue?


Well that's it. If you know any comms that would be better to ask these questions at, let me know.

Wow, that was a mouth-full. I mean, a hand-full...whatever.

EDIT: BAH. Might as well make this public; it's not that private anyways. I was being a bit paranoid for nothing...and any passers-by could lend me a hand.

Comments

[kyaathecatlord.livejournal.com]

I believe there were other candidates based off your evidence. I'm not a huge CCS fan, although I admit I love Sakura/Tomoyo to death. :P

tiassa might have some insight, she loves Kero! :P

[abyss-of-colors.livejournal.com]

Yeah this idea really latched on. YAY Tomoyo/Sakura! It's adorable~

EVERYONE SHOULD LOVE KERO. *nod*

[sammywhatammy]

I don't remember how the text actually went... My Japanese manga is in storage, unfortunately, so I can't look it up for you.
But as far as I remember, it was kinda implied that Sakura was the only candidate? I mean, Clow didn't intend for anyone else to become Master/Mistress, but left the Guardians in the dark about what he knew. He only left clues about the signs of Sakura's coming...

[abyss-of-colors.livejournal.com]

That is true. Both Yue and Kero didn't even remember how Clow 'died'... it's just that Yue seems too imply (to me) that he'd judged someone else before Sakura. Maybe it's just more of Clow's memory spell?

[sammywhatammy]

Or it's his arrogance in thinking Sakura won't beat him, and Kero will have to find another candidate :D;;;;; Oh Yue ;;;

[abyss-of-colors.livejournal.com]

Yeah! Oh man, re-reading the end of that arc made me realize just how bitter he was about the whole 'next master' business. XD

[sammywhatammy]

Ohhhhhhhhh yeah. CLAMP and it's messed up loves, wtf.

[speedtracer.livejournal.com]

I haven't read CCS in a while, but couldn't Li be considered a candidate for the Clow cards since he's a descendant of Clow too? So maybe aside from there actually being others who tried to master the cards before Sakura, Yue was referring to other people around Sakura who would be able to be candidates, such as Li and maybe even Toya?? lol. Cardacaptor Toya would be fun to see :D

[abyss-of-colors.livejournal.com]

Good point! Yeah I guess he could have been talking about Shaoran.

@CardCaptor Touya...I think I saw a fanfic like that once. XD

[rhap-chan.livejournal.com]

As for your CCS question....... totally thought the same thing and WROTE IT. You should too. Sweet plotbunny.

[abyss-of-colors.livejournal.com]

Yay! So I'm not crazy! I wanna see yours so I know where to deviate. It wouldn't be the first time I wrote something, unaware that it is similar to what other people write. *sigh*

[rhap-chan.livejournal.com]

Here, but be warned-- it's the plot that's good, not the story... -.-";; The last chapter or so really focuses on the last captor.

*read it*

[abyss-of-colors.livejournal.com]

It is a bit quick-paced but homg, that ending! That was a good, CLAMP-ish turnabout!

...i don't know how to follow that act! D:

Re: *read it*

[rhap-chan.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the compliment, but I'm sure you can do better, lol.