Cross-overs

[Pickle]

What do you think of them? Do you think they work ever?

[Butterscotch]

Generally cross-overs are NOT two great tastes that taste great together. For whatever reason, they have trouble meshing...I'm not sure why. Maybe becuase people throw in whatever they like, rather than what might make sense...?

Cross-overs that work tend to be really, really good though. (I like to think that Mario's Day Job falls into the really, really good category)

[Juxapose]

What do you mean by "cross-overs"?

[Butterscotch]

Jan 29, 2009 15:00:42 GMT -5 Juxapose said:

What do you mean by "cross-overs"?

When characters from one story appear in another. For example, Batman teams up with Superman to stop Lex Luthor. (Which is actually a canon cross-over)

In fan-fic terms, the cross-overs are usually between two entirely unrelated stories: say, a story where the Witch Princess goes to teach at Hogwarts.

[Simfarmguru]

Some series crossover better than others...

For example, as any Ranma 1/2 fan will tell you, that series is a BORN crossover series. Mainly because Ranma's dad has sold him(aka "engaged") him to like, a million different women. Then Ranma has so many enemies himself he can't keep track so all in all, it's a really easy series to do crossovers on.

[Juxapose]

I guess crossovers can happen, but you have to be an excellent writer for that. I've seen some pretty crazy crossovers that made great sense, and had a good story. But if you don't know what you're doing, than crossovers can suck. Like it's practically impossible to cross-over Harvest Moon and Transformers.

[Simfarmguru]

Exactly.

Wow, freaky images of bad fics involving Transformers/HM....

[Rozewater]

You have to know your writing skill, your plot, and your genres. If you have no clue where you're going with all these characters, it's just like a marriage doomed to fail. Uncomfortable and fated to die a slow and painful death. Ick...

I've often wanted to attempt one, but sadly found myself lacking in logical muse. ^^;

[Pickle]

I'm going to agree with Rose on this: How well the crossover works depends a lot of the author, though genres do play a key role, as well as possible the creators of the original things being cross-over.

Now, the concept of Aliens vs Preditor has been around for a long while. However, the movie that eventually came out and the sequal wasn't...as good as it could have been. Yet, now maybe it's my own personal opinion, but I did like Freddy vs Jason.

However, crossovers don't stay in just movies. Take the Super Smash Brothers. Now, of course, it's a fighting came, but they took characters from side scrollers, rpgs, action adventures, and even on espinoage game, and they did balance the combat out. Of course, some character are a bit worse, but it is a fun game and a success.

As for fanfiction, I do admit that there are a lot crap, but some good ones. Surprisenly, I read this rather excellet crossover called Two out of Time. It was between Harry Potter and Megaman X. But before you scuff at the idea, it wasn't simply mashing thoe two worlds toghether. In short, Harry and Hermonie had a very powerful spell cast on them in an attack. Now, as shown by Dombledore, the spell is considered almost instant as it is believe the effects of the spell are breaking up a person into tiny pieces and scatter them through time, since nobody comes back from the spell. But the effect of the spell is actually more of a time transportation. And you can guess where they end up. At the same time, X, who's character is kept perfectly, has to deal with a crisis with Dynamo, who appears to be working for some interesting and possibly familiar people. The only probably is the author only got to chapter five.

...now I wanna go read it.

[Pickle]

I think I would like to make a list of rules for making a good cross-over. Would anyone like to help? I have a couple in my head and I know there are some things on there already, but still, I wanna do it. I think I shall use my favorite crossover not as an example, but at least the two genres mixed together are very different.

Here is the first rule I will out:

1. Characters should not learning ablilties that they should not be able to possess.

Example: Harry Potter should not be able to use reploid weaponry as well as X learning magic. Even if good reason is given. Because there is no good reason as far as I know.

Any other takers

BTW, this site amuses me. kaction.com/badfanfiction/

[Rozewater]

^ Agreed.

#2: Characters shouldn't change just because their setting does

I mean this in the sense that just because Harry gets thrown into the world of Pokemon shouldn't mean he automatically wants to become the Pokemon master. The characters should react in a realistic way, and not take lightly their existence being turned upside down. XD

[Pickle]

^Atta-girl!

3: Character's back stories should not be torn apart to cover up plot devices

Using Harry Potter, we are not going to find out that his parent wasn't Lily, but like...Areith from Final Fantasy VII. It doesn't make any damn sense and you destroyed some important connections (or non-connections for Aries)

However, I'll add a little appendix

3a: It came be appropriate to add origins if none already exist in a few rare cases.

I'm going to use a real example from Freddy vs Jason vs Ash

SPOILER: Click to show

In the comic, it states that why Jason still comes back is because his mother use the Necrocon to keep him alive. It not only fits, but it makes sense.

[Butterscotch]

4: Not everything goes together.

Any given work of fiction can cross-over to around 80-90% of other fictional works. Don't try and cram the other 10-20% in where they don't fit.

[Pickle]

Of course I want this topic revived, too.

[Zero]

Rule 5: Don't make characters from one series superior to the others in terms of overall ability

I can't tell how many crossover fictions I've read where Naruto is able to kick everyone's asses in, let's say Bleach. If he's a Soul Reaper, he's gotta go back to relearning how to use all his techniques all over again, not Rasengan every Arracanar to death.

If he was a Hollow, he'd have to learn to co-exist with Kyuubi, since there's a 100% chance he'd end up fused with him in some way, shape, form. He loses all Ninja abilities, and needs to learn to hunt like the Kyuubi, not just use his powers to destroy all those that gets in his way.

It just doesn't work if you make someone from one series overpowered for others from another series.