I'm not ranting about plagiarism or anything like that. It's something that is somewhat less tangible yet infinitely more visible than plagiarism: a lack of creativity.

Why are FY pages coming out with similar titles? Why do some FY pages insert the creator's name into the title and tack on "Fushigi Yuugi Page"? Or "YourNameHere's Cool Anime Page." (Here's a thought for you: if your page is cool, and another page is cool, which one is cooler?) Granted, the title of this page isn't very original, but this is a fanclub. There's nothing very original in being a fanclub anymore. Oh nooo.

The first FY fanclub was started in the fall of '97: The Nakago Ruling Class. Following that was this club and the Chichiri D.A. Club. Subsequently, other FY characters developed fanclubs. I can see FY characters developing fanclubs because it is inevitable. However, if you aren't intending to maintain the club page and make it interesting and dripping with content, why do it at all? Just think of all those irritating webpages that you've been to, and repeat after me: "I don't want to be a piece of jetsam floating about the Internet."

It is one thing to make your webpage a fanclub. It is another thing to make it a fanclub for no reason other than you cannot think of what to make your page. If you can't think of what to base your page on, why make it?

I have seen way too many character fanclubs and simple "Fushigi Yuugi Fanclubs" now and I'm irritated. Many of these fanclubs are just there to get people to visit the webmaster's/mistress's page simply by the virtue of having the fanclub as an extension of the page. If you are trying to get hits, try making a spectacular page instead of trying to ride on someone else's coattails by making a fanclub.

Fanclubs simply aren't attractive anymore. I've lost the urge to visit all these fellow FY fanclubs popping up because I'm convinced they aren't there for a good reason. Congregating FY fans together? Bully for you. However, please realize that the free service people have put together two things that already do the aforementioned task. They are webrings and mailings lists.

If you are seriously trying to get interaction about a certain subject, make a mailing list and plug like hell. But keep in mind that there are already other mailing lists that are possibly about the same thing you are thinking of, and people will gravitate there first because it is well known.

Think twice before creating a mailinglist/webring/fanclub. Why the hell would you create another webring without a purpose? Are you trying to create more things for people to clog their page with?

I guess what I'm trying to say is "Be original, gawddamnit!"

Or rather, being redundant is stupid.

After all that, it kinda sounds like I'm putting down all fanclubs. Including this one. However, I'm not. I'm not putting down the fanclubs at all. I simply don't understand why people put up fanclubs without thinking twice about it.

It must be a reflex thing. After all, Ranma 1/2 characters have temples and churches. Sailor Moon and Fushigi Yuugi have fanclubs so if I make a FY page, it should be a fanclub.

Now that I've irritated the hell out of me and anyone reading this, I'll leave.