hmpf

That's not actually the word I'm looking for, but I can't think of a better expression right now, so it will have to do.

Anyway, I'm sure you all know what I mean. Many of you have been part of it, probably several times - like myself. It's fun, in an exhausting, and sometimes exasperating kind of way. Suddenly, fandom takes precedence over Real Life, with a vengeance. You're staying up all night surfing the net for news, any news, any little bit that one might have missed. Lurking at a dozen forums, trying to glean spoilers or other kinds of info, or read reactions to something one already knows. You're in a permanent state of nervous excitement. You can't eat or work properly... It's frelling annyoing, but my self-control just isn't strong enough to fight it. It's as if a part of my brain just... quits. (I'm glad not too many RL people are reading this blog... *g*)

First time it happened to me? The Lord of the Rings wait (especially for the first movie...) - Then the cancellation of Farscape - and now, ironically, Harry Potter, book five. Ironically, because I'm *still* not really a HP fan. I'm not even really sure I want to read the book. I'm a HP fan the way I was a HL fan - head over heels for one character, but kinda lukewarm about the rest of the universe. Sure, there's parts of the books I enjoy immensely, and aspects of the universe I find intriguing, but without Sirius (and, to a lesser degree, Remus), I wouldn't *dream* of, say, reading fan fiction about it. And I still hold that there are more impressive children's books out there, books that I wish had a fandom, because I'd really *love* to read fic about them. (I've recommended them many times already, but I just feel a need to plug Michael de Larrabeiti's 'Borribles' books again...)

Nevertheless, I've been behaving like a Potterhead for about a week now, and it has interfered majorly with my studies, and my sleeping habits, and a thousand other things. Not to mention that I've been depressed (to a not too devastating, but still noticeable degree) since I found out about The Death on wednesday. Did I mention that HP - of all fandoms! - has finally turned me into a slash reader?! How's that for irony... I blame it all on the great fics out there. I didn't *want* to read them, but they kept being recommended all over the place! There, now I feel better. Well, not really, but it's nice having someone to blame. I'm not so twisted yet as to blame J.K. Rowling for making the choices she did - these are *her* books! Better blame the slashers for adding so many layers and making those characters so real that I can't help but care deeply about them. *eg*

Maybe I should start sending feedback, so that they see the ship is still in demand? Hm... but I don't *need* another active fandom!

Ah, decisions, decisions... Why So Difficult?!?

Well, due to my recent - slight - infatuation with Sirius Black, I went websurfing in the realms of Harry Potter fandom. During my surfing, I stumbled across some fan art, and... well, can anyone, please, explain to me why most of it seems to be in anime style? Frell, I don't want CuteAndrogynous!Sirius, I want SeriouslyUglyAndFrightening!Sirius!

Seeing the anime-isation of the Potterverse also reminded me of a phenomenon I've been noticing in fandom in general in recent years. More and more, it seems to be necessary not only to know terms like slash, filk and FIAWOL but also to know Japanese. Bishounen, yaoi, (name)-chan etc. seem to be common knowledge these days. Anime fandom related vocabulary seems to be especially prevalent in slash... I'm not a slash writer nor much of a slash reader, but I do know slash writers and readers and I'm increasingly often coming across these terms in their blogs, on their websites, and on forums and mailing lists. It can be frelling confusing, though I've managed to learn basic anime fandom Japanese now (although I'm not even an anime fan, with the exception of Hellsing). It seems to be related to age - LotR(movies) fandom and Harry Potter fandom in particular seem to have fallen victim to the anime invasion, and it seems to me that these two fandoms draw, in general, a younger fan generation than Farscape or Highlander do. Will fandom entirely be taken over by anime, I wonder? ;-)