What makes a shrine a shrine?

[Todd]

I thought it'd be fun to revisit some old discussions from the Livejournal community. Let's start with a favorite, one of the more popular ones, asked by like five different members throughout the years:

What, to you, constitutes a good shrine/fansite?

[Mikari]

Though it's in no way an official definition I used to see fansites as the bigger sites that were about a game/series, etc, often the whole series. I pictured shrines as being smaller and more character focused... In the past at least. Now that line is blurred and I look at the terms as almost the same thing. Though I still tend to picture something a little more personal when I hear the word shrine and something more open to the public (such as with fan submitted content and the like) when I hear about a fansite.

That aside, going into the actual discussion, it depends really. A pleasant design, quality content, a personal touch of originality... but all of those things can be defined in many ways.

The first thing I'll see are the layout and colors, they should be pleasant to the eyes. Ironically, I don't really complain about "unreadable" or "tiny" text if it looks good because I won't be reading it anyway, I'll be listening to it and my computer can read big or small font just the same. But for someone who actually reads through a site that would be important, also in the rare event that I attempt to read, I can zoom in, but the colors still need to be comfortable. Working links and images, an easy navigation, decent loading time and device compatibility are good too.

Beyond the first impressions there's the content. Basics should be included, as not everyone is a fan of the subject and might be new. But for those who already know the subject, the basics would be pretty boring and more than that would be needed. The arrangement and style can be given a personal touch that makes the site look unique, especially with theories and such personal yet analytical content. Referencing events that happened to the character can also give the analysis a sense of placement and make people think about such events sometimes in a new light. Though it must be done in a way that's not repetitive for those who knows what happened, yet easy to understand for those who don't.

[Todd]

Though it's in no way an official definition I used to see fansites as the bigger sites that were about a game/series, etc, often the whole series. I pictured shrines as being smaller and more character focused... In the past at least. Now that line is blurred and I look at the terms as almost the same thing. Though I still tend to picture something a little more personal when I hear the word shrine and something more open to the public (such as with fan submitted content and the like) when I hear about a fansite.

That's how I used to view shrines and fansites too. Shrines were more character based. Fansites are more general, like to an entire series. I agree the line has blurred over the years, especially here at Amassment.

I think a shrine is different to different people. Some people prefer basic info, and think shrines should be informative above all else. Others prefer analysis and think shrines should be opinionated and analytical. I prefer a mixture of both. I inform my visitors about my topic, but I interject with opinions and my own personal perception of events. Even on essays that are majorly analytical, I do my best to back up my reasoning with facts. That makes them informative as well.

I think the key is marking your opinions as such. Using words like "I think..." or "I feel...", or sticking your analytical articles in a special section labeled as such.

[Mikari]

Clarity between facts and interpretations is a definite plus. I remember those site in geocities and the things they made me think... but they are amusing memories of insane theories (that were way off as I later found out). Though I confess that now days I wiki if I need a reminder of some detail because I'm writing a story or something, rather than go to shrines or fansites. The fansites/shrines, however, give a different experience beyond that... it's like a whole special edition magazine, rather than an article within one, so to speak.

[Destinie]

I guess I used to see shrines and fansites differently, but now I see them the one in the same. I never really liked the term "shrine", so when I resurfaced, I called them "tributes". Anyway, I think what establishes a shrine is the individual's approach to making it. I don't see it like a Wikipedia page but if that's how that person wanted to treat it, then I think it could be considered a shrine. I think it's just any way that individual wants to represent their affection for a certain topic.

For personal taste, however, I do enjoy shrines that are more analytical and opinion-based (with some facts thrown in there).

Shrines, however, have really evolved from what they used to be. I looked at a site recently that I had really liked when I was younger, that had very little content. I think shrines back in the day were a way for people to connect with each other using interests they had in common. These days, we have things like facebook and twitter, so connecting through a shrine is less common. I think this has given way to their evolution. (Just a thought!)

[dubiousdisc]

Oh, this thread is so going to turn into an in-joke... :P

I guess a fansite can be any site that's devoted to someone else's creation, though the definition might be even wider than that. A good one, though...I guess it is that magic appeal of those sites that invite you to read more. In these days where wikis are the go-to sites for information, I'd say that what makes a fansite stand out would be how much the owner can add to what's already readily available about the subject. So I expect to be made aware of details that I had not noticed before, read theories and so on. Things that are based on the owner obsessing over the fansite's subject, heh.

The fansites/shrines, however, give a different experience beyond that... it's like a whole special edition magazine, rather than an article within one, so to speak.

Honestly, this is the bestest metaphor for what I think a good fansite should be like. It's even implied in the term shrine, after all - some kind of sanctuary to something you like, in a way.

Speaking of which, since it seems like this topic is now also about the terminology - I too used to think shrine was a subset of fansite which was more focused on a single aspect of a broader topic. I guess now they can are used more or less as synonyms, though. Personally, I like to use the word dedication. Tribute somehow makes me think that the character in question is dead. XD Sorry, Destinie...

[dubiousdisc]

Sorry for double-posting but I just thought this deserved a long reply too:

I think shrines back in the day were a way for people to connect with each other using interests they had in common. These days, we have things like facebook and twitter, so connecting through a shrine is less common. I think this has given way to their evolution. (Just a thought!)

I guess that type of fandom-based interaction has mostly moved to Tumblr and stuff like that. Also, this might be just me, but I have the definite feeling that, in most cases, the fansite owners encouraged that type of communication as well. Hell, if I have to get all emotional - that is actually how I met my bestest friend and girlfriend: she owned (and still owns) a fansite which I happened to stumble upon one day and I thought to send her a mail about the awesomeness that it was, and then we kept exchanging mails and the rest is history.

Actually, thinking about it...I think a good part of the connecting power of fansites were that, a lot of time, they had space for user-submitted content such as fan art and the like, and back then they were the only places where you could showcase your stuff without having to open your own site. Now that fansites can't rely on that anymore for content, a lot of them have become more text-based, and at the same time more static. Back in the day, the idea of a fansite being complete as it was put online was absolutely insane, but now it's not uncommon as sites are written more like a soliloquy and less like a dialogue, so to speak.

[Mikari]

These days, we have things like facebook and twitter, so connecting through a shrine is less common. I think this has given way to their evolution. (Just a thought!)

I agree. Back then archives for fanworks were also less common. I remember I made my first site (for Dragon Ball Z) so that I would have a place to show off all my fanfic... which werescripts with terrible grammar and spelling, but people loved them just the same, lol. But don't we all frown at our old works at times? XD

Speaking of which, since it seems like this topic is now also about the terminology - I too used to think shrine was a subset of fansite which was more focused on a single aspect of a broader topic.

Speaking of broader topics, that reminds me of the combo fansites that are basically non-existent now. People would speak of "my site" or "my fansite" as a single entity and it was... except it had sections for a bunch of different anime and games. My old DBZ site evolved into a combo site before I eventually broke it into sections and ended up with a whole bunch of smaller sites... divided by content type rather than series. XD Haha I was so disorganized back then, all part of learning and fond memories though.

Back in the day, the idea of a fansite being complete as it was put online was absolutely insane, but now it's not uncommon as sites are written more like a soliloquy and less like a dialogue, so to speak.

Yes! I used to follow sites just to see what new at and story they put up. After all, there's only so much one can say and analyze without repetition so the fan made content really kept sites going with new updates.

[Destinie]

Personally, I like to use the word dedication. Tribute somehow makes me think that the character in question is dead. XD Sorry, Destinie...

LOL! Now that you mention it....

[dubiousdisc]

Yeah, I remember using it for just one site devoted to Ai from Pokémon, a character who is dead at the beginning of the story, is alive for a few minutes of screentime and then it dies again, so tribute sounded more fitting...XD

...speaking of which...now I suddenly want to bring that site back...

maybe I will!