Fopinions February: How I got into Nirvana in Fire

[extrapenguin]

Today's Fopinions February is for krait, on the topic of how I got into Nirvana in Fire. If I am incoherent, it is because I am sick and probably running a fever.

In short, I saw schneefink chat about it on my reading list during 2016*, then in 2017, decided to check it out. I was perhaps in a bit of a creative rut that Yuletide after completing my assignment, and was well-placed to check out a new canon. Subtitles have never been a problem for me – I grew up with them, watching Animal Planet Finland, where all the audio was in English and it was thus subtitled into Finnish – and neither are non-mine cultures (I get inundated with American stuff all the time, for one), so I gave it a try. And I was hooked! And now I'm studying Chinese... It has been a nice journey, even if I didn't write that much fic because audiovisual canons rarely hold my attention, compared to text-based fandoms.

I also found a NIF Discord, somehow (Tumblr might've been involved?), and through there got into more Chinese-origin fandoms (oh hi, Modao Zushi!), but the way I got into Guardian was the same as the way I got into NIF: I saw people chat about it on my reading list, then watched it all waiting for Yuletide sign-ups to go out.

* FFA might've been abuzz about it in Nov 2017 as well, but IIRC they only got to it later.

Comments

[syncytio]

LOL this is such good timing cos I started reading NiF fics just this week (never watched it thought) and my friend has been screaming abt modao zushi at me to the point I started reading it too

[extrapenguin]

Ha! So it goes. :D Though I do rec watching NIF, because it has such excellent production values and plotting; it's super enjoyable!

[syncytio]

I am drawn to NiF beccause of well....all the pretty if I'm being absolutely honest. >>

I just need to find a place I can watch it

[extrapenguin]

Viki has NIF English subtitles, is free (albeit with ad breaks), and isn't region-locked! And yes, it is full of pretty.

[krait]

Yay, NiF!! <3

I'm so late to the party with this canon/fandom; it must have been so awesome to be in it when it was most active!

I totally have fic ideas and a tiny .doc file with some scribbled fic notes but am intimidated by the research necessary, so I doubt anything will ever come of it except maybe a drabble or two.

(Is that Discord still a thing? I don't quite understand Discord, but I do technically have an account...)

Going by your post and the first comment on it, I guess I should just resign myself to puting Modao Zushi on my to-do list. :D

[extrapenguin]

I thought I was a bit late to the party, but the party seems to be going on still, just more slowly. The fact that it's non-anglophone seems to have slowed its progress, so it's more word-of-mouth rather than "everyone knew about it when the episodes were airing", leading to a more stable, sustainable fandom. Here's the 24-hour invite link to the Discord, which is still a thing!

I feel you about the scribbled fic notes; I have 5k of WIP about Jinghuan getting a redemption that is probably permanently stalled. Oh well.

As for Modao Zushi ... I actually have a love-hate relationship with it. I love the novel's protagonist, and the A plot, but it would be much better without the romance B plot, or indeed the love interest. It's also classified as M/M Romance, so all the fandom is all over the canon ship. *g* (I really should write my review post, now that it's all available translated.) There's also an animated adaptation, but that just gutted the mystery aspects of the book and also dumbed down the protagonist's character, so I anti-rec it. Should you wish to try, here's a translation from the start, and this Google Drive from ch 79 onwards (in better English than the other one, imo).

[schneefink]

:D
I'm happy I could inspire you to check it out :)

[extrapenguin]

I'm happy as well – it was lots of fun!