anime novel series 2

1

Punk rock, band, beats, etc.
Their dreams together
K-On becomes the symbol
The beautiful eternal band
That is not what happened

Lots of reasons why anime appeals to this mindset
Simplicity of characterization (?)
Sense of eternity
Nostalgic to past times of youth and hope
Coolness - it is cool

2

Moe, a novel

Story
Backstory
Notes on moe

Story
Backstory
Notes on moe

Story:
- very depressed point in life
- gets invited to Luke’s wedding
- goes to Luke’s wedding
- reunites with friends
- realizes how much he is alone

Backstory:
- has known Luke forever
- they built up a life of possibilities together
- destroyed the friendship in various ways
- to Luke, it’s bad but not the end
- I have obsessed over it

Moe:
- what is meant by moe?
- how did I get into anime and manga?
- both as a kid, and later
- why is it so appealing and interesting?
- what does it suggest for fiction?

3

have moe/anime philosophy as third beat?

part 1, x to y dates in 201x (wedding)
part 2, x to y dates in 200x-y (high school)
part 3, infinite nonexistent plane
part 4, anime philosophy

real details time date place object etc.

4

Novel Ideas

Moe - that still seems a great idea
No one has done it
It’s extremely powerful
It’s strange - it’s a modern whaling industry
Big enough for a big story
Also very quiet and small
About small delicate moments and feelings
Also controversial
Not sure I have the courage
I would hope I do or can

Alternative - I feel I’m cramming too much in
Maybe it could work
A person imagining different lives
Different versions of what could have happened
Someone who always felt detached
Who loved things no one loved
Who was immune to the judgement of others
Who wanted to talk about these things
Who was detached somewhat
And it would have a sad yet triumphant ending
Of infinity into nothingness

5

they meet
they become close
they spend a night together
Alex after graduation tries to make it more or lasting
they don’t speak after that
Christine invites Alex to her wedding (?)
Alex goes, bringing Jack
She gets her time alone with Christine
it’s just as unresolved as it ever was
she breaks up with Jack
and dreams of different versions of life
though these begin to fade

6

Versions of characters
Chibi etc
Outfits, faces, fgo
In diff timelines and worlds
In fan art
In reboots
With new studio
In cross overs
With new author or artist
In routes
Before and after saves
In versions of life where they never existed but are remembered vaguely

Could put in this list

7

title
epigraph
invite
blues
home
decision
anime
Jack
Christine
spring
flashback
wedding
versions
end

8

what are alternatives? more sweeping
different perspectives by chapter
structure that includes non-narrative chapters
strong authority guiding you
smaller window of time like one day
bigger window of time like one year
flashback as complete scenes
more philosophical - go to these questions directly, not indirectly
multiple versions, brought to life
first person, naive philosopher archetype
first person as Alex
first person as someone else
assume audience knows manga and anime
assume audience doesn’t know manga and anime
who is the audience
time travel and repeats are real
time travel and repeats are imagined




Joseph Cross lives in Easton, CT and grew up in Washington, DC