Interesting.

Had a dream involving Ginger and Lou today. It was a strange one, something about them on a boat and one of them scuba-diving to try to hide from someone after him (and maybe to look for something under the water). But I woke up wishing to role-play Ginger and Lou, like with someone else taking Lou so the characters could have more in-depth conversations. I play both of them wherever I've been using them in RPs, which works alright, but sometimes I'd like more than that.

And it's interesting how attitudes change. About five years ago, I felt that the Sailor Moon novel Diamonds Not Forever handled the Nephrite/Naru relationship better than the TV show. But I'd never actually watched the episodes and read the book in close proximity. A couple of weeks ago, I did just that, and came away feeling that the TV show did it better after all.

On the one hand, I don't like how in the TV show, Naru feels like she wants to stay with Nephrite even if he keeps lying to her. (I do like, however, how she's mature enough to realize that sometimes people lie for kind reasons and not just to be cruel.) In the novel, she isn't so dead-set on being in love with Nephrite and she feels that they're not right for each other. But rather than the lying being her main concern (even though it does come up), she seems to feel like the main problem is the age difference. That's such a contrast to her saying in the TV show that age doesn't matter if there's true love, and of course, I've become a huge supporter of May-December romance.

The novel also completely changes locations and eliminates some plot points. I don't like how it has Nephrite telling Naru that he wants to get to know her better even after she says they're not right for each other. He comes on rather creepy and disturbing. By contrast, his approach in the TV show at that point is to say that he doesn't want to put Naru in danger, so he's going to leave, but he needs the Silver Crystal. He thinks Naru knows where it is and can get it for him. He's manipulating her in both scenes, not having realized himself that he really is coming to care for her, but I definitely prefer his approach in the TV show. It's way less creepy. And I love that when he finds that the crystal Naru brings isn't the Silver Crystal, he makes sure to give it back to her after the fight with Zoisite's minion is over.

I think my favorite thing about the novel these days is when Nephrite mentions the bits of his past that he remembers in dreams. It was the author's attempt to show the manga backstory of the Shitennou being Mamoru's protectors in the past. Also, I like that Usagi is more mature in the novel. She handles talking to Naru about Nephrite much better than she did in the TV show. Their friendship is really sweet and cute and it's mentioned that they've known each other since kindergarten. Probably something of the author's own invention, but I'm all for it. I detest how Naru's screentime decreased exponentially after Sailor Moon R. She was Usagi's best friend before the Senshi came along and I don't like to think that they grew apart.

For my post-series stories, I have it that Naru realizes it would be preposterous to want to stay with Nephrite or anyone else if the lying continues. But as in the TV show, she has no problem with the age difference.

Looking forward to the new Sailor Moon Crystal episode this Saturday. Hopefully it will give me another little push and I'll get out another chapter for the fic. I do have the opening scene started and I know basically what the chapter will entail. I just need a good push, like a new Sailor Moon thing usually seems to give to me.