User blog:Matt Hadick/TAO: Rize of the Ying-yang Recap, Part 2



Not only do Wikia's collaborative writing projects inspire entertaining stories rife with suspense and dramatic tension, they illustrate the collaborative spirit of Wikia's impassioned user base and the platform's unique ability to engage fans in creative ways.

Now, Wikia is trying something new to further bridge the divide between fans and creators. The Masters of Animanga project has anime and manga's most renowned figureheads providing original art, characters, and story outlines to set the stage for a trio of new collaborative writing projects. With the Masters of Animanga CWP, users aren't only collaborating with one another -- they're collaborating with the masters themselves. It's a one of a kind opportunity for fans of anime and manga to play a principal role in the creative process, transcending fan fiction to help build something striking, entertaining and -- above all -- completely original.

[TAO: Rize of the Ying-yang http://animanga.wikia.com/wiki/Collaborative_Writing_Project:_TAO:_Rize_of_the_Ying-yang], the second story in Wikia's Masters of Animanga series comes courtesy of acclaimed manga artist and character designer Shin-ichi Hiromoto (Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Pokémon Colosseum, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness)!

TAO: Rize of the Ying-yang has been live since Friday, September 13th, and there has already been a flurry of activity. For Part 1 of the recap, click here.



9/16
Khopesh wakes to find The Elemental Hero sitting beside him, and upon closer inspection, realizes that the character is actually Hope. As it turns out, he and this Hope character have a bit of a history together. Mibu, Erika, and Mizuki continue to train in preparation for stopping Urumi. VictoriousBeckFan reveals that Mibu's mother used to take care of Kirasaki, a mysterious warrior sent to aid our heroes on their quest.

DuskNeo and Zombomb detail Urumi and Asura's metamorphosis into Queen Urumi-Asura, the commander of the legion of swords and the king of fairies. To make matters worse, she's now the God of Fire and Darkness (which doesn't bode well for anyone.) Luckily, Kirasaki invokes a protection spell, unleashing a beam of light that provides an energy field for our hero and the city's inhabitants.

After a quick battle between Khopesh and Queen Urumi, Urumi pulls out Khopesh's heart. What a way to go. The heart, however, won't stop beating, and continues to glow. Before long, after quite a bit of confusion and discussion amongst our heroes, the heart delivers a message to Mibu.

9/17
In order to defeat the evil queen once and for all, Khopesh's heart advises, Mibu has to put an end to the petty rivalry between Erika and Mizuki, ScorpionTail wrote. Even though their rivalry has persisted for centuries, it doesn't matter given new circumstances. After quite a bit of squabbling, Mibu finally gets a word in, letting them know that if the depths of their souls don't change, and they refuse to compromise, they are all doomed. He gives an impassioned speech, courtesy of Zeromaro, and they begin to listen.

9/18
ChaosWyvern-i details the characters' fusion. Erika and Mizuki become Eri-Mi, Yin-Yang, a being that represents "the middle ground and balance between light and dark, chaos and order." After the transformation is complete, the group is surprised by Fragbleth, leader of the Seven Swordsmen, who breaks into Mibu's apartment wielding a pair of katanas.

To Be Continued, Friday...