Millions upon millions of fan fics1 exist out on the Internet, and the diversity is vast. From books to cartoons, from romance to adventure, you can find just about any sort of fan fic if you look hard enough. Some fan fics, however, are of better quality than others, and as such, have become very well known in their respective fandoms.2 Here are a few examples I have found and enjoyed:
-NGE: Nobody Dies (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
While the canon3 version of Neon Genesis Evangelion is a rather dark take on the mecha genre of anime, Nobody Dies is far lighter and more humorous, especially given the changes to the personalities of most canon characters. Additionally, many characters who died in canon survive here, such as Yui Ikari (the mother of protagonist Shinji Ikari) whose survival is actually a major divergence point.
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies
-Dangerverse series (Harry Potter)
This five-part series of fics chronicles a different life for Harry Potter, as rather than spending his pre-Hogwarts years with the Dursleys, he lives with Gertrude ‘Danger’ Granger, an original character (OC) created by the author who is the elder sister of Hermione. Many other OCs are present as well, and there are many divergences not only for Harry and Hermione, but for several other canon characters as well.
Link: http://whydoyouneedtoknow.fanficauthors.net/Living_with_Danger/index/ (Living With Danger), http://whydoyouneedtoknow.fanficauthors.net/Living_without_Danger/index/ (Living Without Danger), http://whydoyouneedtoknow.fanficauthors.net/Dealing_with_Danger/index/ (Dealing With Danger), http://whydoyouneedtoknow.fanficauthors.net/Facing_Danger/index/ (Facing Danger), http://whydoyouneedtoknow.fanficauthors.net/Surpassing_Danger/index/ (Surpassing Danger)
-Yesterday Upon the Stair (My Hero Academia)
In My Hero Academia canon, main character Izuku Midoriya lacks any superhuman abilities (or Quirks, as they are called in-universe) until a chance encounter with his idol All Might. But in an alternate universe, he secretly has the ability to see and interact with ghosts, some of whom are among his greatest allies.
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8337607/chapters/19098982
-Reset Bloodlines (Pokemon)
Cyrus, the leader of Team Galactic, has acquired a means of reshaping reality, forcing the godlike Legendary Pokemon Arceus to send Ash Ketchum back in time to stop Cyrus. However, Arceus was unable to remake the world exactly as it was, resulting in various differences, the biggest of which is the existence of humans with Pokemon abilities known as Bloodliners.
Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9939848/1/Pokemon-Reset-Bloodlines
-Assembly Line series (Marvel)
Some time after the first Avengers movie, Captain America decides to try recruiting new members, starting with Daredevil and Spider-Man. However, the idea quickly takes on a life of its own, as Bucky Barnes, Jessica Jones, Spider-Woman (a female clone of Peter Parker named Jessica Drew), and others are dragged into the chaos that comes with being part of the Avengers. Although this series is initially set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it later brings in concepts from the mainstream comics and the Ultimate Marvel universe.
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/284166
There are many more besides these (including spin-off/tie-in stories based on the first four examples), but listing them all in one go is practically impossible. Luckily, there are sites that list well-known fan fics for a variety of fandoms. One such site, TV Tropes, actually has pages that describe some of these fan fics, and also lists recommendations. Chances are, you’ll find one that catches your attention.
Until next time, stay tuned!
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Key:
- Fan fic: short for fan fiction
- Fandom: the book/movie/cartoon/etc. that a fan fic is based on (ex. the Avengers or Spider-Man fandom)
- Canon: the official characters, events, and similar of a fandom (ex. Black Widow is a canon character in Marvel comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe)
