I've just realised that Animorphs technically qualifies as one of my major fandoms, by my 'at least ten thousand words across at least three fics' measure. This slightly feels like cheating, because I've only written one fic (my Animorphs/Hunger Games fic) that's actually about the Animorphs, and my other three Animorphs fics are fusions that don't include the Animorphs characters. But I'm going to do a 'my fandom history' writeup for it anyway. It's been very influential for me, after all.


Animorphs

Animorphs was the first work of fiction I ever got really, passionately into, around the age of nine, and it would probably have been my first fandom if I'd had Internet access when I first started reading the books (I started using the Internet when I was around eleven).

I was aware of the Animorphs series before I started reading it, but I didn't have any real interest in it. Somehow, though, I got my hands on a book of book previews - like a demo disc, but with snippets of children's books instead of game demos - and it contained an extract from the first Animorphs book; I believe it was the scene in which Jake turns into a lizard and, unable to control his newfound animal instincts, eats a live spider. Apparently this caught my attention! I got the first book out of the library, I suspect, and that was it; I fell hard into the series and started checking out ten books at a time, which I think was the maximum number the library would allow.

Even though I didn't write fanfiction about the characters until this year, Animorphs has been a presence in my writing from the start; my writing style in my early Pokémon fanfiction, at the age of twelve, was heavily and noticeably influenced by Animorphs. And that early style is what my current style grew out of, so my writing would probably look completely different if I'd never read this series.

Animorphs is also to blame for much of my dark taste in fiction. My love of guilt-ridden characters making horrible choices in impossible situations? My increasingly worrying collection of media about teenagers undergoing traumatic experiences? It all comes back to these horrifying, brilliant books I read in primary school.

Ginger linked me to this condensed version of every Animorphs book yesterday, and I shrieked with laughter. I sobbed with laughter. It's the most perfectly accurate thing I've ever seen.

Favourite character: It's between Marco (sarcastic, cynical little shit) and Rachel (fashionable, feminine and incredibly bloodthirsty). Rachel was my favourite when I was a kid, but in rereading the books as an adult I've developed a new appreciation for Marco.
Favourite pairing: I've never really done much shipping in Animorphs, but I've always had a small soft spot for Marco/Jake. My favourite character dynamic is Marco and Rachel; I love the way they're constantly sniping at each other.
Number of words written: 23,083

I usually include an unposted snippet of fanfiction in 'my fandom history' writeups, but I don't have any Animorphs snippets to offer, alas!