SatAM/Segaverse Rant

[here_inmyhead]

Should be watching more SatAM. Heck, it'll probably make me happier than I am now. Except I'm scared. Petrified.

Because I have a heavy feeling that after I finish watching the series, I want to be apart of the fandom.

That's why I'm scared.



I grew up with a little game knowledge here and there. 4 AoStH tapes. 2 Game Gear games. That was all. Until SA2B enchanted me. And Shadow. Then I became curious about all things Sonic. I wouldn't know or appreciate the blue hedgehog as much today if it weren't for that one game alone. Heck, that could be it for Sonic. I'd be content just playing SA2B over and over.

In other words, I'm a SEGASonic girl. SA1-SA2 era-bred at that, though I only played the remakes (SADX & SA2B) on Gamecube. Which is odd for me, because I was pure NES old*sk00l from the Nintendo side of gaming. Aside from maybe, trying to keep up with SNES games after having played the N64, I wasn't used to going well... "backward".

Sonic fandom is like a mix of cats and dogs, with all its diverse universes and such. It's the same Sonic, but people constantly argue who is the "real" Sonic, which to me is a big bunch of baloney. The cats & dogs either tear each other to shreds or live together as friends--depending on the familarity of universes. There's a lucky who enjoy all--but let's get back to the subject.

SatAM hates Segaverse. Segaverse hates SatAM. Neither of them knows what each other's universe is really like.

It's Sally Acorn vs. Amy Rose and Sonally vs. Sonamy. Newsflash for ye people:

SALLY AND AMY ARE VIRTUAL OPPOSITES.

They're not even in the same dimension, so how could they even "fight" over Sonic? (Not to mention in Archie the "tension" between these two isn't mentioned all that much) Also, it's a different universe. One world is taken over by a dictator. The other has occasional threats now and then but are stopped in time. In other words, Sally and Amy grew up differently. Of course Amy has more freedom to be perky and hit things with her hammer and overall, be a preteenage girl. Sally's father disappeared, and for a princess, she had to grow up fast--it was time to lead the group, or Knothole goes bye-bye.

I roll my eyes at the Segaverse fanbrats when they attack a series they hadn't even seen. It's well... they're so easy to flick away. Its fanbase consists of Shadow fangirls who haven't hit puberty yet.

SatAM fanbrats however, are MUCH more difficult to deal with. Because they're older.

SatAM elitists. The two words alone make me sick and send bad memories to shiver me up and down. I was 'bout a youngun in Sonicdom, and I wanted to know a little more about SatAM. What better way to do it than say, some popular places like Deviantart?

Boy oh boy oh boy. What a ride I was about to discover.

Somehow, SatAM can't be mentioned without people slamming Segaverse, and/or how ZOMG HORRRRRIIIBLE the new games are. Again and again and again and again and AGAIN. Now, here's why I despise Byron Nightshade, despite the celebrity he is. Not only did he write a "Elegy" to Sally Acorn due to her frequent bashing and the loss of SatAM fandom, he in turn went against Segaverse Sonic, portraying him and his fans (*cough* Or "the mob", as he writes them) as shallow "cool hip" twits without a care. Another thing: he DESPISES Amy Rose. What does he do? He writes a fic putting her into the SatAM universe, comparing and contrasting between it and SEGAverse and how ZOMG SUPERIOR SatAM is compared to the stupid, hollow SEGAverse that plagues today. I found his slandering of SEGASonic and his hypocritical bullshit against the SEGAverse while worshipping SatAM under the same breath just... insulting. But people praise him because he's OMG SO WUNDURFUL AND WIZE!1111!1

Also. Why the HECK does SatAM fandom have the need to slaughter Shadow? 99.98% of his haters don't even know his character. (If someone told me he was an angsty emo kid, I would've driven a nail down their skull and force them to replay SA2) They complain about Sally bashing? Erm, that doesn't make it right to kick down a black hedgehog under the same breath. Which brings me to another point:

Their fandom grew up on the SatAM series and Sally. My fandom grew up on the latter games and Shadow. You feel close to what you grew up with. (I'd know--when my Sonic experience consisted of these AoStH tapes and Game Gear games, my favorite character was Tails. He still has a warm place in my heart since then) Imagine a teddy bear given by your uncle at age 4. One day, you're ten, and Mommy wants you to stop playing with Teddy. She doesn't know a THING why Teddy is important to you--she's apathetic as you watch her rip your childhood friend to shreds.

That's how people feel when the things they love are bashed in fandom. The SatAM fans get upset whenever they see kill art of Sally Acorn, the only justification being "SHEZ NEKKID!!111!!1" or "SHE GETZ IN DA WAY OF SONIC & AMYZ/SONIC & MINAZ/SONIC & ROBOTNIKZ TWU WUV!111!1". How do you think it makes ME feel whenever the new games get spat on or when they start crucifying the unholy "wangsty emo kid" Shadow? It's like, "Hey, I got into fandom 'cause of this guy, dangit!"

But bah. People only feel sympathy toward Sally fans. You get stamped as an "untouchable" if you mention Shadow got you into fandom. They'll just think you're a slobbering fangirl. Forget that I bought both Mega and Gems Collection to see how amazing the old games were, and my struggle to get the SatAM DVDs in the first place! :o *cough*

...Why do I imagine Sally, Sonic, and Shadow being nailed to a cross, symbolizing universes? Ugh, I think too much sometimes.

In other words, I'm scared because if I get into SatAMdom and look for fanart and fanfiction, I need people I can trust who AREN'T elitist jerks and don't bash the living hell out of Segaverse and Shadow. It'll be a godsend, kthnx. T_____T In other words, someone who isn't ChadTheCartoonNut. *BRICK'D!*



I don't know if I've said enough. But bleh. Let's end this whiny TL;DR rant now.

Comments

[sarajayechan.livejournal.com]

Why does it even matter how a person got into a fandom anyway? @_@ People are so ridiculous.

[insanepurin.livejournal.com]

Shhh! The only way you can be a TRUE Phantom of the Opera fan is to have read the 1st Edition of the book in French! *cough*

[sarajayechan.livejournal.com]

But what about us who don't know how to read French? :o

(Seriously, though. I just got interested in Bleach cause of this girl, and if I were a guy people would be all "OH YOU JUST LIKE HER BOOBIES". Silly, silly elitist fans.)

[insanepurin.livejournal.com]

I'm clueless at French. I had to have my Dad read The Little Prince to me because only he had knowledge in the language. XDD!

(LOLZ STEREOTYPES. Nice Orihime icon. ^^ Even if when I tried reading Bleach, it didn't interest me much. XDD)

[sarajayechan.livejournal.com]

XD I'm just glad my schoolbooks translated the foreign stuff I had to read for World Lit.

Thanks. :D I didn't think it'd interest me either and so far it is very like most other shounen manga. I'm embarassed to say that hearing about the wankage going on in the fandom made me wanna check out the series. @_@ THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE unless you count QoR making me appreciate TR all over again.

[ceasefire.livejournal.com]

I could never get into SatAM. I loved SUG and that one Sonic where it was only him and Tails and the only bad guys were Robotnik, Scratch, Grounder and Coconuts... and I adored Sonic Gaiden. I mostly played the games though. ^_^;;

[insanepurin.livejournal.com]

Hee. The one with Scratch, Grounder, and Coconuts was Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (AoStH). :) What is Sonic Gaiden again? I think you explained it to me once, and that might have been the movie/2 OAVs...

[yamikaosu.livejournal.com]

I think this is the reason that I don't particularly get into fandom. :/ I mean, I can't understand why people have to throw fits over whether people got into the entirety of Sonic the Hedgehog through the games (old or new), the TV shows, the comics, or heck, finding a Sonic plush somewhere. I can't even remember what my first taste of Sonic was...it was either playing the first StH on my friend's Genesis, or seeing AoStH in the morning before school (and either way, whichever one came second only amplified the reaction). But...what's the difference? I mean, yes, depending, you'll find and like different characters. Which is fine, Everyone's entitled to like and dislike certain characters and whatnot. But we all share the fact that we love Sonic the Hedgehog. Whether we love him and Shadow getting it on saving the world in SA2, or him and Tails outsmarting Scratch and Grounder (<3), or whatever happens in the comics...it doesn't change the fact that we all share this fandom.

Why don't people see that?

It is incredibly unfair to think that someone isn't a true fan because of what got them into it in the first place. Honestly, Sonic fans of all sorts should feel lucky to have such an expansive fandom that covers so much, and can bring so many different types of fans together, old and new. And by creating new Sonic games, that fandom continues to expand, because someone's always going to try a new game and introduce themselves to the fandom in that way. So you'll have the people that have been with Sonic ever since the first game released, and people who are just coming in from playing ShtH, SNG, or SatSR...all with, I'm sure, so much that could be learned from one another.

Mini-rant aside, it...just doesn't make sense to me. I would love to see SatAM, I really, really would (all you guys getting the boxset is not helping this XD), just to expand what I know about the series. Does anyone ever try that? Do any of these elitist bastards stop and say "Hey, I should try playing SA2 or ShtH? Maybe I'll be able to see Shadow in a different light?" Making hasty judgments on a character because of their fanbase is childish.

...I feel as if I'm not really getting anywhere and just ranting, so I'll stop. But...I just don't understand. What's wrong with liking the WHOLE fandom? Is it going to be the end of the world for someone to like SatAM AND ShtH? For someone to like Sally and Amy with Sonic at the same time?

These people need to learn how to not be so hypocritical, and be more well-rounded. THE END.

<3

[insanepurin.livejournal.com]

So much word and love to your own rant. *CLIIIIIIING* Ironically enough, you're one of the most fun people in Sonicdom. :333

[alba-aulbath.livejournal.com]

Fandoms are dumb, all around. I've never met a SMART fandom. Just smart people.

Don't be discouraged. Should I remember to find the old, good fics I remember in my childhood (as I grew up on ALL things Sonic, Segaverse and SatAM and AoStH), I'll be sure to let you know.

I also kinda wanted to do an introduction to the Chaotix in the SatAM-verse, because I really enjoy the darker tone. But at the same time, I have that Segaverse Chaotix fic I wanna write, too. DILEMMA.

[insanepurin.livejournal.com]

I think I was lucky when it came to Mario. XD Aside from annoying brats and awful fic, there were NEVER any elitists. Flame/shipwars also practically didn't exist. XD

Yes please! I heard Dan Drazen was awesome, and according to what I saw of him, seems like a nice guy too. :)

SatAM!Chaotix? I hadn't thought of it... sounds really cool! Maybe I can squeeze that in somewhere. A little comedic touch for a dark series, but keeping true to the tone, you know?

[alba-aulbath.livejournal.com]

Dan Drazen is fucking amazing. :D Check his stuff out. Old, new. It doesn't matter; I loved it all as a kid. And his reviews are mighty hilarious.

SatAM!Chaotix was something I really wanted to develop, especially after Sonic and Sally go to the Floating Island. (I imagine Knuckles was mighty pissed that his time stones were snagged!)

[militarypenguin.livejournal.com]

It sounds like there should be a sonic_neutral community for fans of both universes.

[insanepurin.livejournal.com]

You know what? That sounds like the best idea ever. *__________________________*

[darkfreakoid.livejournal.com]

I was brought into Sonic pretty much the same as you did. I was a devout Nintendo fan, I practically married the N64 and GB/GBC and played whatever I could on those consoles. I did remember playing Sonic 2 on the Genesis and liking that cute fox guy. It wasn't until I had got a Gamecube and played SA2B that I really noticed Sonic and through that game I wished to learn more. Then I got Sonic Mega Collection and was fascinated by all this stuff I was learning. It wasn't until around 03, when I was using the internet daily that I met people and had Sonic rps and such. If it weren't for Sonic, I wouldn't have met several of good friends that I still contact today. Today I'm mostly a SEGASonic person, but does that mean I'm not willing to learn about the comics or the cartoon? Not at all, but nowadays I'm less inclined (and have less time) to research into the fandom and the stories behind it.

[insanepurin.livejournal.com]

I'm a girl possessed with curiosity. If something touches me deep, I'm there. And hey. More for me to fangirl! :D If only those guys could see that. D:

[private-enemy.livejournal.com]

I had a similar experience when I was getting back into Sonic back in 2004. I knew both SatAM/Archie and SEGASonic, and I went around to places like DA expecting to see...well, unity, ya' know? I didn't think about it. Ya' see, when I got out of Sonic back in 2000, I still hadn't seen any Sonic sites on the internet (hell, I'm not sure if I even had the internet at that time). So imagine me coming back in 2004, and much to my surprise, finding these "warring factions" everywhere. "SatAM is a dead show and needs to stay that way!" "Sally's a bitch!" "The new Sonic sucks big time." "Shadow is the worst thing to ever happen to Sonic." I couldn't believe it at first, but of course, by now I'm quite used to seeing it, sadly.

Once again, I'm sorry you had to deal with those SatAM elitists. I've certainly seen my fair share, but on my end, I've had to deal more with SEGASonic elitists (those are just my encounters personally). I dread going on the SonicAnime.net forums, because there are some serious SEGASonic elitists there that I've gotten into arguments with in the past. My very first post there was a huge rant against them, followed by an even bigger rant later. :/

So, I guess...yeah, fandom does suck. XD

[insanepurin.livejournal.com]

Ugh, no kidding. @.@;; I know what you mean about SEGASonic elitists though. Before I waded in SatAM waters, whenever these guys opened their mouths about how much the new games suck compared to the old ones, I wanted to punch their heads in. @.@;;; Ranted about them constantly to friends until I finally caved in and posted in my journal despite fear of wank.

The whole bashing certain Sonic universes because TEYH ARENT THE ORINGINAL JAPANEZE!1!1!1 strikes me as humongoidly ridiculous. Just because it's an American cartoon doesn't mean it sucks.

Yeesh... all this infandom fighting is reminding me of the bombings in Jerusalem. There's groups who follow the same religion--but support it in different ways. Therefore, kaboom. Wartime. @.@;;;

Sonic = Serious Business Yo!