As N Approaches Infinity
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | As N Approaches Infinity (ANAI) |
| Author(s): | Corisanna |
| Date(s): | 2015-03-16 - |
| Length: | WIP - 480k+ words; 84 chapters |
| Genre: | Gen, Crossover |
| Fandom: | Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Bleach |
| External Links: | at FFN, at AO3, Discord server |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
As N Approaches Infinity (ANAI) is a Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Bleach crossover fanfic by Corisanna. It is set in an alternate universe in which Homura Akemi meets the Kurosaki sisters, who have contracted with Kyubey to become magical girls. Homura realizes that the shinigami could serve as important allies in her fight against the Incubators, and the battle is joined.
As of October 2020, it is one of the most popular PMMM fics on AO3 with over 78,000 hits.
Synopsis
Each chapter opens with an algebraic expression representing when it takes place in relationship to the original timeline, X+N, in which Homura first encounters Karin and Yuzu Kurosaki, and is adopted by the Kurosaki family, the denizens of the Urahara Shop--and, more reluctantly, by the wider shinigami hierarchy. As Homura and her allies piece together the Incubators' sinister plan, they realize they must fight across multiple timelines in order to win the war. As ANAI opens in timeline X+N+54, it quickly becomes clear that their task is more challenging than initially anticipated.
Although ANAI occasionally uses characters or elements from the Thousand-Year Blood War, the fic itself is a canon-divergent AU for Bleach, picking up at the end of the Lost Agent arc. It also incorporates characters and storylines from PMMM spin-offs Kazumi Magica, although knowledge of anything outside the core anime is unnecessary to enjoy the fic.
Hidden runes and distortions in the witches' labyrinths are indicated by selective bolding, inspired by The Magic Catgirl's Like No Other.[1]
Reactions and Reviews
FFN
Good lord, this is one of the best crossovers I've ever read. Everyone is so beautifully in character and you have utterly mastered the skill of interweaving the lore of both settings to create something even more epic. [2]
AO3
AAA I'm screaming.. this is one of the most well-written stories on AO3 and FF.net! srs, I frequently patrol the major tags and by far this is in the top 10,, i really really love this crossover! pmmm and bleach all hold a special place in my heart and to see them done so well TOGETHER in a crossover made me weep tears of joy, i couldn't get the smile off my face for hours omg.[3]
This is honestly the best fanfiction I've ever read. Most fanfictions don't get away with being this long, obviously just a long-winded ramble with no clear end in sight, but this fanfiction makes it work. Excited to be reading all 300k words again. [4]
Tumblr
ANAI is honestly my favorite Bleach fanfic. It is also my favorite my PMMM fanfic. There is nothing I don't adore about it, I love your writing style, I love your characterization, I love all the plot ideas, I just AAAAAA IT'S SO GOOD. I LIVE FOR ALL THE HITSUGAYA/MAMI TEASING, I ALWAYS LAUGH FOR MINUTES (and feel bad for Hitsugaya, someone please help Tiny Ice Man, because Sayaka and Karin sure as heck aren't doing it)[5]
I absolutely adore As N Approaches Infinity. It's a special comfort fic where it looks like the mitakihara girls actually have a shot at being happy and living their lives without the author having to erase anything having to do with magicalgirlhood. It's what the so called "dark magical girl" genre could be if it stopped gleefully torturing little girls.[6]
Other
The Bleach/Madoka crossover that has permanently linked these two fandoms in my brain. In which the PMMM magical girls meet actual competent adults and the war against the incubator goes from a futile resistance by one magical girl to an actual organization of shinigami hunting a spiritual predator. Seriously though, the soul gems = hogyoku is a connection I will never get out of my brain and Ichigo & Homura siblings has my heart. Hopefully a fix-it, but definitely not a "shinigami fix everything" fic, the setting is incredibly different and what works in Bleach doesn't always in PMMM.[7]
Fandom and fan community
An ANAI fan community has sprung up as a subset of the larger PMMM and Bleach fandoms. While some content can be found on AO3 or tumblr, the bulk of fannish activity takes place on Discord on the ANAI server.
ANAI has inspired a large number of other fanworks, ranging from recursive fanfiction and fanart set in the same universe or more loosely related Bleach/PMMM crossovers citing it as an influence.
Fanfiction
- beside you (in time) by A-chan. AU in which Homura finds herself falling for Hitsugaya across multiple timelines.
- Smoke and Mirrorless Flowers by M.N. Nepp. An AU "what-if" divergent Chapter 71 of Corisanna's epic crossover "As N Approaches Infinity". Wherein Kyōko Sakura wakes to a familiarly aggravating, if expected, set of faces with a slightly different set of assumptions.
- The Worst Thing Next to Anarchy (Is The Government) by astrologia.That one universe where everybody in the afterlife decided it was a good idea to integrate battle-ready teen and pre-teen girls into what amounted as a post-mortem military government, and thus, resulted to shuffling the current social norms and power hierarchy, making certain that the ensuing years were filled with many people (and numerous nobles) running around like headless chickens. Post-canon AU.
- Stitches in Time by StarFlatinum. A loose cannon of a Time Lord, some uncontrollable shinigami, and a bunch of renegade magical girls must combine their time magic, science magic, magic time science, and magic magic to save all those they hold dear. Also the universe, but that's probably not important. Crossover between ANAI and Doctor Who.
- Auntie Homura's Visit by ProminenceWing. Its not every day that Kazui's time manipulating Aunt comes to visit, but when she does, its a good time.
- Madoka - Rumored Princess by LordSunshine. When strangeness abounds, people can Jump to the oddest conclusions...
- Orajje's As N Approaches Infinity Fan AUs and Oneshots by Orajje. A collection of my fan au's that were previously posted on the ANAI discord.
Fanart
- Fanart by the author.
- Cover Art by rogueandneurotic.
- “guess ill die” by nocturneia. being ANAI Toshiro is suffering
- Homura and Hitsugaya by Ken Catze.
- Cartoon of a scene from the prologue by Ruth-Lund.
- Yuzu and Karin Kurosaki as magical girls by arietidsx.
- Ichigo and Homura watching ballet videos by arietidsx.
- ANAI COVID-19 PSA posters by goldefantasia, a parody of Sailor Moon Says and an example of Covid-19 and Fandom.
- Wo ist die Walnuss?.. by lirida.
- Height Difference between Homura and Toushirou by goldefantasia.
Resources and Fannish Links
References
- ^ Author's Note for Chapter 1
- ^ Comment by TheQuiller
- ^ Comment by HallowedJack, 27 Apr 2018.
- ^ Comment by kept, 15 Jun 2015.
- ^ Post by anonymous Tumblr user, Mar 15th, 2021.
- ^ Post by anonymous Tumblr user, Mar 22nd, 2021.
- ^ Comment by Eluckwent on International Fanworks Day Feedback Fest 2022