Kay Zozma (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} zozma) wrote,@ 2004-02-26 17:21:00 |
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Announcing the 2003 Zozzy Awards!
I proudly present the 2003 Zozzy Awards!
Last year I had the idea for a specialized kind of fic award. The inspiration was the MTV Movie Awards, which include awards that are given not for overall performance, but for interesting sections of films - like "Best Fight Scene" and "Best Kiss." I decided to come up with my own categories for elements commonly found in 3x4 fics, and gave out one round of these awards for fics written during 2002. Now it's time to do it again.
Rules:
To be eligible for a 2003 Zozzy Award, the fic or scene in question must have been (to the best of my knowledge) publicly posted for the first time during calendar year 2003. Fics could be unfinished, as long as the completed sections were posted. Only fics featuring Trowa and Quatre were considered.
Purpose:
Yes, there is a point to giving out the Zozzy Awards. The story elements highlighted by the various categories are ones that can be found in many fanfics; they're all fairly obvious choices to consider for a 3x4 fic, and any one of them could be done in a very cliched, trite manner. The winning fics are examples of using these common elements in ways that were fresh, well-written, and memorable. It's this skill for taking a standard component of fanfiction and making it distinctive that I wish to recognize with the Zozzies.
Disclaimers:
The Zozzies are EXTREMELY biased and capricious. How much so? Well, I gave myself two awards for 2002, and I've given myself another for 2003. Many of this year's winners also won last year, though no one repeated as a winner of the same category both years. I also want to point out that some of my favorite fics from 2003 are NOT represented here--the elements that I loved about them just didn't fit THESE categories. Still, each of the winning fics is one that I enjoyed reading overall, not only for the element recognized by the award.
Prizes:
There are a lot of Zozzy categories, and I'm cheap and lazy. Therefore, the only prizes are nifty badges, which have been mailed to the winners.
So now, without further ado: The Zozzy Awards for 2003!!
Many of these fics are rated NC-17. Do not click on any of the links if this is a problem for you for any reason, whether youth, personal squeamishness, or whatever.
Best Fight Scene - Anne, who writes more action scenes than anyone else I know of in the 3x4 fandom, always does a fantastic job with this plot element that many of us never or rarely attempt. In 2003, she did so well that she ties with herself, winning for two fics: "Thin Red Line" and "The Road to OZ."
Thin Red Line
The Road to OZ
Best Literally Fluffy Element - Ah, fluff. It's fun to have it, and more fun to really play with it. This year's winner is kebzero for the use of cotton candy in the story "Escaping Solitude."
Best Circus Scene - I usually think of Trowa's ties to the circus first, but in 2003 two authors brought Quatre into the spotlight as well--not in the ring, but in the glare of public attention brought on by a "media circus." I couldn't bring myself to choose between the two highly entertaining interpretations of this phenomenon, so the award goes both to Wingnut's
"Expose" (no direct link to fic, so pick "Fanfiction" and then "WingNut" from the authors list then revealed)
and to Windsor Blue's "The Most Eligible Bachelor."
Best Quatre-Dragged-from-the-Winner-Inc.-Offi
Best Mention of Quatre's Expertise in Etiquette: - Quatre's not just known for being cute, brave, and rich--he's also famed for his politeness. AKA Anonymous gives us a humorous look at how wanting to use just the right words for the occasion can be its own source of stress, in "Dear So-and-So."
Best Speechless Trowa - Just because Trowa tends to think before he speaks doesn't mean he always stays silent. Still, sometimes it's fun to see how Quatre can overwhelm his senses and leave him wordless. Jan writes such a scene extraordinarily well in his fic "An Ordinary Evening."
Best Alternative Nickname - This category has two divisions this year--tame and racy. For sweet nicknames for Quatre and Trowa themselves, no one else was able to overcome my personal bias for my own choices of Coriander and Tarragon in my AU "Wheelwright's Whim."
On a different level, Alleyprowler came up with great nicknames for a certain part of each lover's anatomy in "Gonads and Strife." How could I not love a fic that introduces us to Little Heavyarms and the Pink Scimitar?
Gonads and Strife
Best Mention of Eye Color - I've been known to rant about fics that focus obsessively on the jewel-like irises of the characters. Raletha shows us how much more effective a scene can be written by keeping things simple, in "Apricots."
Most Interesting Interpretation of Quatre's Family - I love to see descriptions of Quatre's family that allow for complexity and nuance, while they show how powerful the influence of family connections can be. Lady Bast shows us a web of obsession and control without ever becoming heavyhanded or simplistic in her portrayal. Even unfinished, "Prince of Nekheb" provides us with an amazingly well-done story.
Prince of Nekheb
Best Use of Trowa's Amnesia in an AU - I'm probably giving too much away about this story just by giving it this award, so all I'll say about Anne's "Loved Eternally" is that you should definitely read it.
Loved Eternally
Best Use of the Space Heart - Being an empath isn't all rainbows and butterflies. In several of her fics, Anne shows that this unusual form of intimacy can bring pain instead of pleasure. In 2003, I liked best what she did with this theme in "Thin Red Line."
Best Costume Design - Another categories with two divisions--Best Costume in a Clubbing Scene, and Best Costume in Anything-but-a-Clubbing-Scene.
D, our fabulous Fablespinner, has both Q and T looking hot, hot, hot when they meet at an otherwise lackluster party, in her pair of stories "Deserve Better" and "Much Better." The description of the clothes in the fics isn't very detailed--but each reaction to what the other's wearing IS. Plus, D illustrated the fics and showed us just how droolworthy Quatre's tight jeans and Trowa's V-neck shirt do look.
Deserve Better
Much Better
The Illustration
Ruth gives us a very well-dressed ensemble in "The Magical Voyage of Ash Catti," also worth a mention for her original characters that work so well with the Gundam Wing cast.
The Magical Voyage of Ash Catti
Best Appearance of Another GW Character as a Matchmaker - I couldn't forget, or resist the chance to reward, Raletha's portrayal of Catherine as an android designer who literally makes a match for Quatre. Trowa may be a Personal Android, but he's got plenty of personality in "Pretty Electric."
Best Portrayal of the Zero System - There have been a lot of fics dealing with the effect of the Zero System on its pilot. Although on the surface most of "A Love Affair Remembered" simply repeats a scene from the GW series, paxnirvana gives this fic enough more depth to show us something new and moving.
A Love Affair Remembered
Special Commendation for Keeping the 3x4 Torch Alight - Although I was able to find many 3x4 fics written in 2003 that I greatly enjoyed, they did seem to me to be fewer and farther between than in past years. Thus, I want to specially honor the fic author who I feel produced 3x4 fics most consistently throughout 2003. Though others continue to make their contributions as well, Anne Olsen deserves extra recognition for the quality and frequency of her fic updates. Anne also continues to keep the 3x4 fandom going with her modding activities and by hosting other authors of GW fics (including several fellow Zozzy winners) on her website.
Anne's Gundam Wing Page
Congratulations Winners--and Bartons, too!
I proudly present the 2003 Zozzy Awards!
Last year I had the idea for a specialized kind of fic award. The inspiration was the MTV Movie Awards, which include awards that are given not for overall performance, but for interesting sections of films - like "Best Fight Scene" and "Best Kiss." I decided to come up with my own categories for elements commonly found in 3x4 fics, and gave out one round of these awards for fics written during 2002. Now it's time to do it again.
Rules:
To be eligible for a 2003 Zozzy Award, the fic or scene in question must have been (to the best of my knowledge) publicly posted for the first time during calendar year 2003. Fics could be unfinished, as long as the completed sections were posted. Only fics featuring Trowa and Quatre were considered.
Purpose:
Yes, there is a point to giving out the Zozzy Awards. The story elements highlighted by the various categories are ones that can be found in many fanfics; they're all fairly obvious choices to consider for a 3x4 fic, and any one of them could be done in a very cliched, trite manner. The winning fics are examples of using these common elements in ways that were fresh, well-written, and memorable. It's this skill for taking a standard component of fanfiction and making it distinctive that I wish to recognize with the Zozzies.
Disclaimers:
The Zozzies are EXTREMELY biased and capricious. How much so? Well, I gave myself two awards for 2002, and I've given myself another for 2003. Many of this year's winners also won last year, though no one repeated as a winner of the same category both years. I also want to point out that some of my favorite fics from 2003 are NOT represented here--the elements that I loved about them just didn't fit THESE categories. Still, each of the winning fics is one that I enjoyed reading overall, not only for the element recognized by the award.
Prizes:
There are a lot of Zozzy categories, and I'm cheap and lazy. Therefore, the only prizes are nifty badges, which have been mailed to the winners.
So now, without further ado: The Zozzy Awards for 2003!!
Many of these fics are rated NC-17. Do not click on any of the links if this is a problem for you for any reason, whether youth, personal squeamishness, or whatever.
Best Fight Scene - Anne, who writes more action scenes than anyone else I know of in the 3x4 fandom, always does a fantastic job with this plot element that many of us never or rarely attempt. In 2003, she did so well that she ties with herself, winning for two fics: "Thin Red Line" and "The Road to OZ."
Thin Red Line
The Road to OZ
Best Literally Fluffy Element - Ah, fluff. It's fun to have it, and more fun to really play with it. This year's winner is kebzero for the use of cotton candy in the story "Escaping Solitude."
Best Circus Scene - I usually think of Trowa's ties to the circus first, but in 2003 two authors brought Quatre into the spotlight as well--not in the ring, but in the glare of public attention brought on by a "media circus." I couldn't bring myself to choose between the two highly entertaining interpretations of this phenomenon, so the award goes both to Wingnut's
"Expose" (no direct link to fic, so pick "Fanfiction" and then "WingNut" from the authors list then revealed)
and to Windsor Blue's "The Most Eligible Bachelor."
Best Quatre-Dragged-from-the-Winner-Inc.-Offi
Best Mention of Quatre's Expertise in Etiquette: - Quatre's not just known for being cute, brave, and rich--he's also famed for his politeness. AKA Anonymous gives us a humorous look at how wanting to use just the right words for the occasion can be its own source of stress, in "Dear So-and-So."
Best Speechless Trowa - Just because Trowa tends to think before he speaks doesn't mean he always stays silent. Still, sometimes it's fun to see how Quatre can overwhelm his senses and leave him wordless. Jan writes such a scene extraordinarily well in his fic "An Ordinary Evening."
Best Alternative Nickname - This category has two divisions this year--tame and racy. For sweet nicknames for Quatre and Trowa themselves, no one else was able to overcome my personal bias for my own choices of Coriander and Tarragon in my AU "Wheelwright's Whim."
On a different level, Alleyprowler came up with great nicknames for a certain part of each lover's anatomy in "Gonads and Strife." How could I not love a fic that introduces us to Little Heavyarms and the Pink Scimitar?
Gonads and Strife
Best Mention of Eye Color - I've been known to rant about fics that focus obsessively on the jewel-like irises of the characters. Raletha shows us how much more effective a scene can be written by keeping things simple, in "Apricots."
Most Interesting Interpretation of Quatre's Family - I love to see descriptions of Quatre's family that allow for complexity and nuance, while they show how powerful the influence of family connections can be. Lady Bast shows us a web of obsession and control without ever becoming heavyhanded or simplistic in her portrayal. Even unfinished, "Prince of Nekheb" provides us with an amazingly well-done story.
Prince of Nekheb
Best Use of Trowa's Amnesia in an AU - I'm probably giving too much away about this story just by giving it this award, so all I'll say about Anne's "Loved Eternally" is that you should definitely read it.
Loved Eternally
Best Use of the Space Heart - Being an empath isn't all rainbows and butterflies. In several of her fics, Anne shows that this unusual form of intimacy can bring pain instead of pleasure. In 2003, I liked best what she did with this theme in "Thin Red Line."
Best Costume Design - Another categories with two divisions--Best Costume in a Clubbing Scene, and Best Costume in Anything-but-a-Clubbing-Scene.
D, our fabulous Fablespinner, has both Q and T looking hot, hot, hot when they meet at an otherwise lackluster party, in her pair of stories "Deserve Better" and "Much Better." The description of the clothes in the fics isn't very detailed--but each reaction to what the other's wearing IS. Plus, D illustrated the fics and showed us just how droolworthy Quatre's tight jeans and Trowa's V-neck shirt do look.
Deserve Better
Much Better
The Illustration
Ruth gives us a very well-dressed ensemble in "The Magical Voyage of Ash Catti," also worth a mention for her original characters that work so well with the Gundam Wing cast.
The Magical Voyage of Ash Catti
Best Appearance of Another GW Character as a Matchmaker - I couldn't forget, or resist the chance to reward, Raletha's portrayal of Catherine as an android designer who literally makes a match for Quatre. Trowa may be a Personal Android, but he's got plenty of personality in "Pretty Electric."
Best Portrayal of the Zero System - There have been a lot of fics dealing with the effect of the Zero System on its pilot. Although on the surface most of "A Love Affair Remembered" simply repeats a scene from the GW series, paxnirvana gives this fic enough more depth to show us something new and moving.
A Love Affair Remembered
Special Commendation for Keeping the 3x4 Torch Alight - Although I was able to find many 3x4 fics written in 2003 that I greatly enjoyed, they did seem to me to be fewer and farther between than in past years. Thus, I want to specially honor the fic author who I feel produced 3x4 fics most consistently throughout 2003. Though others continue to make their contributions as well, Anne Olsen deserves extra recognition for the quality and frequency of her fic updates. Anne also continues to keep the 3x4 fandom going with her modding activities and by hosting other authors of GW fics (including several fellow Zozzy winners) on her website.
Anne's Gundam Wing Page
Congratulations Winners--and Bartons, too!
