skygiants | (no subject)

bookblather asked about the thing that should have a fandom MOST and inexplicably doesn't have one, which means: IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT 7 SEEDS AGAIN. >:D >:D >:D

So for those of you who don't remember when I fell head over heels a year and a half ago, 7 Seeds is a manga about a bunch of teenagers who have just woken up to find themselves in a bizarre and terrifying post-apocalyptic Japan full of things that want to eat them. These kids -- carefully selected for their skills and arranged to wake up in groups of seven, plus one adult helper -- basically represent the last, most stupid, and most implausible plan of a whole bunch of really stupid and implausible plans developed to save humanity from METEORIC DOOM.

Bear in mind that when I say "carefully selected for their skills," I mean most of them are like "THE BEST TEEN BASEBALL PLAYER IN JAPAN" or "THE BEST PIANIST IN JAPAN" or "KNOWS THE MOST LANGUAGES IN JAPAN." Real useful apocalyptic skills here!

Then of course there is Team Failboat, who were selected for being the most socially maladjusted children in Japan, because our genre-savvy sinister mastermind did not want to gamble against the possibility that the only way to save the future would be to bank on a Wacky Band of Misfits.

7 Seeds has everything. It HAS EVERYTHING. A short list of stuff that fandom SHOULD LOVE that 7 Seeds includes:

- hilariously implausible doomsday scenarios!
- teamwork and friendships!
- kickass female characters!
- assholes who turn out to be surprisingly lovable!
- a ZOMBIE PLOT!
- a HUNGER GAMES PLOT!
- a PLOT about EVIL MUSHROOMS THAT GROW ON CROCODILES!
- infinite numbers of attractive teenagers to smush against each other in infinite combinations!
- plus a lot of CUTE PUPPIES!

In addition, a short list of stuff that I love that 7 Seeds includes:

- an incredibly diverse array of female characters who have really important relationships with each other!
- character development! in spades! for everyone!
- really thoughtful and well-done handling of trauma and abuse and cycles of abuse and the recovery process!
- teenagers who have realistic short-term crushes and then move on without having it be the source for endless angst!

There are a lot of things I love that I wouldn't wish a fandom on, because a fandom would probably do terrible things. But -- maybe optimistically -- I don't feel that way about 7 Seeds! There is just so much POTENTIAL. Like, okay, yes, probably if fandom did ever glom onto 7 Seeds, sixty to seventy percent of the resulting fanworks would be variations on dudeslash starring Awful Angry Ango, because that's just how fandom rolls. But I could ignore that and focus on the remaining 30%, which would be TEAM-BUILDING FIC and backstory fic and "today everyone has to face a new and EVEN MORE RIDICULOUS PERIL!"-fic and ridiculous AU fic and, like, silly crossover fic and some hilariously random pairing fics and at least a FEW amoral architect lesbian fics. AND IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL. I would be so happy!

Threaded | Flat

YESSS 7 Seeds really needs more of a fandom presence but yeah I know what you mean about the terrible fanworks (personally I have no opinions on angsty Ango dudeslash but I think almost all the fanfic I've come across has been angsty Ango het and there are not enough NOPES in this world!!!!). I need more cute fic/art actually like so much of romances and interactions are pretty romcom and lovely and fun, even in gen stuff, focus on the teaaaaams would be so entertaining, I want it all!!!

- teenagers who have realistic short-term crushes and then move on without having it be the source for endless angst!

Okay, that's pretty cool.

Apparently there is a bit of a fandom on tumblr. It hates Hana and talks about how it liked Ango more after he attacked her and explains why it's understandable. (And she's self righteous and every bad thing except the apocalypse itself is her fault.)

I cried and ran away.

BUT TEAM FAILBOAT YES TEAM FAILBOAT IS THE BEST. Especially once the emo duo joins up and struggle to hold onto their emo but fail because team failboat has anti-emo mojo.

*AGGRESSIVELY ADDS 7 SEEDS TO TO-READ LIST*

I think I'd sort of vaguely tossed it on there, but then I forgot about it. BUT NOW I REMEMBER.

I have nothing to add except everyone should read this and then go on to read 7 Seeds!

This sounds like the BEST THING EVER where can I get it? I mean, is Team Failboat actually honestly the ragged band of misfits trope trying to be invoked? Because, well, you know, AWESOME.

I STILL HAVE TO FINISH 7 SEEDS.