Dare Sensei

"One domino to the left, things were extremely different..."

Dare Sensei is a Web Comic written by Mary Bell and illustrated by the Palcomix Team that presents a version of Doctor Who as it may have been conceived by Japan. In this dimension, Rassilon visited Earth in 247 BC and returned to Gallifrey with knowledge of the era's most advanced culture — the Japanese.

Said traditions were quickly instituted, with subsequent (re)generations turning more and more "Japanese". Gallifrey even saw a substantial increase in the female population, which resulted in women holding various positions among the ruling class. While the Japanese appearances continued, the trends and architecture eventually fell out of favor.

But then a Time Lord nicknamed "Theta Sigma" stole a Type 40 TARDIS and began exploring the universe, making a career out of righting wrongs and picking up companions along the way. The Time Lord whose real name would be kept a great secret, and henceforth known only as...the Sensei.

Who is a woman.

The idea of a female Doctor is nothing new (Tom Baker suggested it in the 1970s), and there have been two BBC-licensed Who works with a female Doctor — The Curse Of Fatal Death (a parody for Comic Relief) and Exile (an "Unbound"-series audio where the Doctor doesn't really do much of anything). Fan films, such as they are, have toyed with this concept since the 1980s to varying degrees of success.

Dare Sensei seems to prove that, given the right conditions, it's Crazy Enough to Work.


 * Alternate Universe
 * Ascended Extra: Chameleon is far more mobile than her male counterpart.
 * The Artifact: Jamie McCrimmon, the only human who wasn't changed into an anime character (his appearance is based on Who photos). He's pretty much the same hairy-legged Highlander we know.
 * Bond Creature: The TARDIS has a mental link with the Sensei. Chameleon seems to have a bond as well, since she has apparently been heard singing in the back corridors.
 * Catch Phrase: The website tagline is "Doctor Who as you've never seen it before."
 * Captain Ersatz: Characters are deliberately borrowed from anime, with some attempt being made to match personalities (notes here). For example (as listed here), the Doctors are based on:
 * Ichi Sensei/First Doctor: Genkai.
 * Ni Sensei/Second Doctor: Takemoto Chie.
 * San Sensei/Third Doctor: Candice Audrey.
 * Yon Sensei/Fourth Doctor: Marilyn Carry.
 * Go Sensei/Fifth Doctor: Ilse Burnley.
 * Roku Sensei/Sixth Doctor: Princess Altessa.
 * Nana Sensei/Seventh Doctor: Saotome Nodoka.
 * Hachi Sensei/Eighth Doctor: Sakaki (credited as "Sakaki Hiragana").
 * Kyu Sensei/Ninth Doctor: Saotome Ranma (son/daughter of Nodoka).
 * Ju Sensei/Tenth Doctor: Osaragi Hazumu.
 * Ju Ichi Sensei/Eleventh Doctor: Shiho Sannomiya.
 * Deliberately Monochrome: Memories involving Ichi Sensei. Rather appropriate on the first two occasions, but not so much for the third.
 * Does Not Understand Sarcasm: Chameleon, to Ichigo.
 * Doppelganger: Chameleon seems to enjoy mimicking Tina's appearance, which she doesn't like.
 * Fiery Redhead: Ichi Sensei and Kyu Sensei, the only two redheaded incarnations.
 * Flash Back: So far, the comic has shown brief "clips" of An Unearthly Child, The Dalek Invasion Of Earth, The Three Doct-er, Sensei, Logopolis, a point presumably between Dalek Invasion and The Rescue where Ichi Sensei enters the story proper, and something with Yon Sensei and Meena regarding an erupting volcano. The site also has the last moments from The Parting Of The Ways.
 * Gender Flip: Relatively few, but still some major players.
 * Male-To-Female: The Doctor, the Master, the Brigadier, and Kamelion.
 * Female-To-Male: Susan, Romana, and the Rani.
 * Hentai: Subverted! Despite being illustrated by Palcomix's (admittedly very talented) artists, there's no pornographic material or nudity, resulting in probably the only work-safe part of that site.
 * Heroic Sacrifice: Davros, for his sister Yarvell. The scientific work he left behind was the spark which caused Yarvell to become...
 * Mad Scientist: Davrine, Queen of the Daleks.
 * Mythology Gag: At one point, Chameleon senses a dimension where the Sensei is a man called "the Doctor" and Chameleon herself is a handsome male robot. Tina doesn't see that as being likely, and thinks she's fantasizing again.
 * One Head Taller: Jamie, compared to Ni Sensei (who herself is shorter than her Who counterpart).
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old: The Sensei and the Mistress.
 * Shapeshifter Mode Lock: While the TARDIS may look pretty much the same inside, the exterior is stuck as a Japanese police box.
 * Shout-Out: Considering that 99% of the cast are anime characters (the exceptions being Jamie and Davros), this comes with the package.