On physiology and dimensional travel...

[Saucer]

The recent ressurection of the "magnificent love-triangle world" thread inspired this thought in me. I am reminded of a short story by Larry Niven, in which a time traveler strays into an alternate timeline where humans evolved from wolves, rather than apes. Humanoid apes exist, but they're very primitive and need to be cared for by the wolf-humans. The traveler is accepted by the wolf-people, but as he spends more time in a timeline where he doesn't belong, he starts becoming stupid and turning into one of the primitive apes. He rushes to his time machine and hurries home. But as he departs, the daughter of the Lord he was staying with jumps into the machine with him. She's fallen in love with him and wants to go with him. The problem is, when they return to his timeline, she turns into a dog!

So it causes me to wonder, what will happen to our friend's from Shinonome after they've spent excessive amounts of time on El Hazard, a dimension where they shouldn't theoretically exist? How does the physiology of the people of El Hazard differ from earthlings? Do they live longer? And if they stay there long enough, will they become like the people of El Hazard eventually? Does Makoto's ability to operate the ancient El Hazard technology increase over time, to the point where he can travel to Earth like in the end of the OVA? And what of Ifurita on Earth? If she stays there long enough, will she become human?

[Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)]

So it causes me to wonder, what will happen to our friend's from Shinonome after they've spent excessive amounts of time on El Hazard, a dimension where they shouldn't theoretically exist? How does the physiology of the people of El Hazard differ from earthlings? Do they live longer? And if they stay there long enough, will they become like the people of El Hazard eventually? Does Makoto's ability to operate the ancient El Hazard technology increase over time, to the point where he can travel to Earth like in the end of the OVA? And what of Ifurita on Earth? If she stays there long enough, will she become human?

Just to throw a wrench in the mix, it all depends on how you define the reality they're in.  I mean, I could easily turn El-Hazard into a mere time travel story, not necessarily dimension story.  I see it quite concievable that Earth could blow itself up and the remaining survivors move away from technology to deliberately try to not repeat the past.  ;P

[theravenisdead]

I think it would be concievable that EL Hazardians are fairly imune to disease , inherited or contracted (or otherwise   )

Given how technologically advanced their ancestors society was before its destruction, it is concievable that they ancients had genetically engineered their own species to create a literally perfect being. Genetic engineering to eliminate mental illness, inherited genetic disorders and diseases, as well as degenerative illnesses over time, such as from old age.

While this would not mean that EL Hazardians would live forever (I'm sure the ancients realized the impracticality of this) It does mean that they would have lived a life without so much as catching a cold, let alone cancer-equavelent diseases.

Ergo, their decendents probably have had these benefits and enhancements passed to them through the ages. Its even concievable that nanotechnology is present to aid in self-regeneration from injuries.
Or, the healers of El Hazard may have special enhancements to aid in the healing of regular El-Hazardians through means artificial or genetic.

Of course this is all speculation ^_^

[MrWhat]

what will happen to our friends from Shinonome after they've spent excessive amounts of time on El Hazard, a dimension where they shouldn't theoretically exist? [...] Do they live longer?

Aaron Bergman had something like this in his "World of Endings Promised."  The journey across dimensions granted the Wanderers immortality as well as their abilities... until something went wrong.

it all depends on how you define the reality they're in.

My take is that Earth, El-Hazard and Creteria are the same planet in three alternate/what-if dimensions.  All three worlds have humans, and although many species are different, they all have basically-compatible animal and plant life.  

It does mean that they would have lived a life without so much as catching a cold, let alone cancer-equavelent diseases.

Only a (cough) complete weirdo would write a semi-realistic story with a El-Hazard native who contracts terminal cancer.  (BTW, I just wrote about 1000 words of Hana Ni Arashi.  First real progress on that darn thing in ten months.  Woo hoo!)

[js_morris]

...blink...

Huh. I just always considered it to be a situation like the Earth 1/Earth 2 scenario in DC Comics, that these worlds sit side-by-side at different vibratory rates.

You go with what sounds right, I guess.

JSM

[theravenisdead]

Weirdo? o.O
Not that've I've ever thought of the idea, though I wouldn't think it odd.
A different approach, but not weird.

[Spanner]

Weirdo? o.O
Not that've I've ever thought of the idea, though I wouldn't think it odd.
A different approach, but not weird.

Mr. What was just being self-effacing - since he himself has written exactly such a story: Hana Ni Arashi.

And if he's back in gear on THAT, I guess I'd better start stocking up on my antidepressants.

[MrWhat]

Mr. What was just being self-effacing - since he himself has written exactly such a story: Hana Ni Arashi.

Sorry 'bout that.  I was too busy trying to be clever to make sure that wouldn't get read wrong.

And if he's back in gear on THAT, I guess I'd better start stocking up on my antidepressants.

I had an extra twenty minutes, earlier this evening, and I added maybe another 200 words.  That's me, filling the bathtub with an eyedropper.

[theravenisdead]

*nods nods* I should have caught that one  

btw, The fanfic is great so far. Darker than even I imagined going in, but definately worth the read  
Keep it going!

[anubimon]

Didn't Makoto say something along the lines of "I feel that El-Hazard is where we really belong." somewhere in Alternative World? So maybe they were just "meant" to be there and no ill effects would come to them.


Of course, I still don't know why none of the Wanderers seemed to miss home at all and never had any thoughts of going back.

[JockoMegane]

Hello,

I've had some thoughts on this subject...  

One, owing to director Hiroki Hayashi's inspiration for El-Hazard from Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Mars" series, perhaps El-Hazard is actually Mars only a long, long time in the past?  Of course, there are very big holes in this theory...in fact the only way to make it fly is to put the caveat in that El-Hazard *cannot* be in an alternate universe/dimension, which I think most will agree it is.  After all, it's the easiest explanation.

Two, as for the physiology angle, I suspect perhaps that as Makoto and his pals gain powers by travelling to El-Hazard, perhaps if an inhabitant from El-Hazard were to ever travel to Earth they would thus *lose* whatever inate powers they had had on El-Hazard.  In other words, the trip back and forth working both ways.  Of course, how this would effect a being such as Infurita is open to debate.  This could be the case, especially as the OVA makes staying in El-Hazard permanently a very, very tempting possiblity for our brave travellers.  After all, what the hell's the point in going back to Earth permanently besides for a short visit here and there?  

Sorry if this has already been kicked around here before, just things I've been thinking on and off since first watching the OVAs about six months ago.

[Fujisawa4654]

Here's my opinion on the subject:

Who gives a sh**!!?

lol jk

[JockoMegane]

Hmm...shouldn't that be potato instead of po-ta-toe? ;-)

j/k

[Fujisawa4654]

Hmm...shouldn't that be potato instead of po-ta-toe? ;-)

j/k

It says PO-TA_TOES

[JockoMegane]

So it does, so it does.

But what about potatos? Okay, I'll stop.  Cool .gif, btw.  If it is a .gif.