Last minute nominations! Because I've actually been reading quite a few different excellent fics this past year, which means that for once I actually have stuff I can nominate. Most of the nominations I would have made have already been done by other people, though, so these are just me filling in the gaps of other things I think deserve to be in there.
Best Setting
Sinnoh, in Brothers' Bond by Sid87. The way the fic is written makes it feel like a real place that, Pokémon aside, could easily exist in the real world. I don't usually pay much attention to worldbuilding or lack thereof when I read stuff, but it's so well-done here that even I noticed how good it is.
Best Character Development
First off, how does this award work, exactly? I've seen nominations both for an entire fic, implying it's about how almost every character in the fic is well-developed, and then I've seen nominations for just a single character, which would mean the award is about just how well that one character is developed (which is something I'd think would be covered by the Best Character awards anyway). So, assuming the former is how the award is meant to work:
The Legend's End by Scaldaver. Another fic which does an excellent job of writing the Pokémon as fully participating, real characters, to say nothing of how well-rounded the human characters are. I particularly enjoyed the main character's struggle to come to terms with the terrifying but necessary mission he's been forced into pursuing.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Overthrown by Knightfall. Practically everyone in it has issues and/or is borderline insane, even the ones who only appear for a few scenes. It's one of the main reasons I found the fic so compelling to read.
Best Human Main Character
Bill, from Anima Ex Machina by JX Valentine. (Assuming he counts as human. His mind is still human even if his body isn't, and that's what I consider important - but if Jax thinks he should go down under Non-Human then I'm happy to change this.) So I finally started reading AEM this year, after many past years of seeing it nominated all over in the awards and getting the impression that I'd really enjoy it if only I got around to reading it. Well, I was right that I'd enjoy it - the main reason? Bill. He is adorable, constantly goes through hell, and only comes out all the more adorable for it. What's not to like?
Best Human Supporting Character
Shelton, from Requiem by Sidewinder. I've seen Dorian nominated for Best Main, and Dorian and Shelton's relationship nominated for Best Non-Romantic, so why not give Shelton herself a shot at Best Supporting Character? She may be part of a heartwarming sibling-like relationship with the main character, but she's also entirely her own person with her own motivations and opinions on things, making her work excellently as both a companion and a foil to Dorian.
Best Non-Human Supporting Character
Alakazam, from Requiem by Sidewinder. Oh, Alakazam. The conflict between his loyalty and love for his trainer and the knowledge that what said trainer is doing is horribly misguided and wrong makes Alakazam probably the most compelling Pokémon character in a fic full of really well-defined Pokémon characters.
Best Minor Character
Wire, from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Overthrown by Knightfall. This Metagross appears for all of one chapter, but in that short time I was really able to sympathise with him and the horrible situation he was trapped in. In fact, said chapter happened to be the first one I read and was plenty to convince me I should go back and read the whole fic from the beginning.
Also, something I'd like to bring up: as much as I'm overjoyed to see that Jax has read at least some of Foregone Conclusion... that fic's not actually eligible for this year's awards, as it was finished in 2011. (Besides, you know the Ixodida deserves to win Best Original Species yet again. Jax's incredibly well-thought-out alien parasite is even cooler than my prehistoric Grovyle evolution.)
Best Setting
Sinnoh, in Brothers' Bond by Sid87. The way the fic is written makes it feel like a real place that, Pokémon aside, could easily exist in the real world. I don't usually pay much attention to worldbuilding or lack thereof when I read stuff, but it's so well-done here that even I noticed how good it is.
Best Character Development
First off, how does this award work, exactly? I've seen nominations both for an entire fic, implying it's about how almost every character in the fic is well-developed, and then I've seen nominations for just a single character, which would mean the award is about just how well that one character is developed (which is something I'd think would be covered by the Best Character awards anyway). So, assuming the former is how the award is meant to work:
The Legend's End by Scaldaver. Another fic which does an excellent job of writing the Pokémon as fully participating, real characters, to say nothing of how well-rounded the human characters are. I particularly enjoyed the main character's struggle to come to terms with the terrifying but necessary mission he's been forced into pursuing.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Overthrown by Knightfall. Practically everyone in it has issues and/or is borderline insane, even the ones who only appear for a few scenes. It's one of the main reasons I found the fic so compelling to read.
Best Human Main Character
Bill, from Anima Ex Machina by JX Valentine. (Assuming he counts as human. His mind is still human even if his body isn't, and that's what I consider important - but if Jax thinks he should go down under Non-Human then I'm happy to change this.) So I finally started reading AEM this year, after many past years of seeing it nominated all over in the awards and getting the impression that I'd really enjoy it if only I got around to reading it. Well, I was right that I'd enjoy it - the main reason? Bill. He is adorable, constantly goes through hell, and only comes out all the more adorable for it. What's not to like?
Best Human Supporting Character
Shelton, from Requiem by Sidewinder. I've seen Dorian nominated for Best Main, and Dorian and Shelton's relationship nominated for Best Non-Romantic, so why not give Shelton herself a shot at Best Supporting Character? She may be part of a heartwarming sibling-like relationship with the main character, but she's also entirely her own person with her own motivations and opinions on things, making her work excellently as both a companion and a foil to Dorian.
Best Non-Human Supporting Character
Alakazam, from Requiem by Sidewinder. Oh, Alakazam. The conflict between his loyalty and love for his trainer and the knowledge that what said trainer is doing is horribly misguided and wrong makes Alakazam probably the most compelling Pokémon character in a fic full of really well-defined Pokémon characters.
Best Minor Character
Wire, from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Overthrown by Knightfall. This Metagross appears for all of one chapter, but in that short time I was really able to sympathise with him and the horrible situation he was trapped in. In fact, said chapter happened to be the first one I read and was plenty to convince me I should go back and read the whole fic from the beginning.
Also, something I'd like to bring up: as much as I'm overjoyed to see that Jax has read at least some of Foregone Conclusion... that fic's not actually eligible for this year's awards, as it was finished in 2011. (Besides, you know the Ixodida deserves to win Best Original Species yet again. Jax's incredibly well-thought-out alien parasite is even cooler than my prehistoric Grovyle evolution.)
