A non Gatch fic Im writing has sprouted no less than 14 footnotes. Its looking like a flipping academic paper! I think the exposition is needed, (Its `Tactics` an anime about Occult Japan, something I know well, so I can use the terminology.) but even Im intimidated by them. Should I prune, or shall I politely ignore?

Better to leave them in, Tengu, than having readers not understanding the story!

As you revise, you can also look to see what you can explain in text without disrupting the flow of the reading, which footnotes can do, but they can also be ignored if the reader does not need the explanation. Either way, it is better to have them than not have them.

I like a few footnotes, (like the ones TP uses) But I want to keep it sane, its only fic. Ill leave them in

There's a very long series of Japanese novels called Mirage of Blaze (there's been an anime miniseries done but it only barely scratched the surface) that involves many of the players from the Shogun era resurfacing through a variety of means in the modern day to wreak havoc. I can tell you that in reading the ones that fans have translated, I found the translated footnotes INVALUABLE. Even the Japanese need them due to how detailed the historical content is involved. So I'm with the others. Leave the footnotes. Where you can explain in text in later drafts instead of relying on footnotes, do it, but you don't want to ruin the story with excess history lessons.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9999871/1/ Does that link work? Yes, Chris W, Im now worrying about how to do the Stone seat rite (and what it is in Japanese) and the correct gyoju for an exorcist...hah. Yes, this anime is 25 eps long and never once does the hero...even Samurai Jack does the waterfall stuff.... ...If you think Im a tengu, you may keep that opinion although I am no tengu, I know my occult Japan well enough...

Mirage of Blaze goes heavily into the occult and Bhuddism as well. It's a LOT to take in. There's over 20 novels. (It has a somewhat yaoi bent but the love/hate/love story carries throughout the series and the couple takes a very, very long time to get together for a variety of complicated reasons.) I've never seen Tactics. Might have to check it out. Yup, the link works. (If cut and pasted.)