Hee!

[redbrunja]

Rock Lee? Master of the Drunken Fist?

That. Is. So. Awesome.

And Gaara rescues him! Win!

Also, Temari totally pwning that chick when Shikamaru is like, 'yeah, let's get out of here' was totally, totally awesome. I've been waiting for that scene for a long, long time.

And I have to say, while I know it is a staple of shounan manga, I am so. fucking. sick. of the fight fight, 'they're stronger than I thought, I must level up' fight fight, 'they're stronger than I thought, I must level up' fight fight, they're stronger than I thought, I must level up' fight fight, lather, rinse and repeat for every. single. character over and over and over again.

I mean, Christ, if I was one of these characters, I would just damn well use my most powerful attack and either a.) decimate the fucker or b.) not, and have to get creative.

("Isn't that overkill?" "I think that's just enough kill."

Comments

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

That reminds me of a Power Rangers parody I read, where the team decided to just go with the giant combo robot and stomp the bad guy before he sized up and destroyed half the skyline for the third time that week.

Which leads me to another thought regarding why a small town would have such a large number of skyscrapers when they KNOW what happens to skyscrapers in the area.

[pikabot]

YES. DRUNKEN FIST LEE IS THE BEST THING EVER.

EDIT: Gaara rescuing him, not so much win. That really pissed me off, because Gaara's stomping on his spotlight again.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Well, Gaara is. I was pleased, however, because it's Gaara not being murderous in a typically antisocial way, and the fact that I was like, 'no, Lee, you just fixed your body, don't fuck it up now!'

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Yes! Exactly! It's like, stop fucking around and just go for the kill!

[pikabot]

Yeah, but...that should have been like, Lee's triumphant return. And it was, until Gaara showed up. For no real narrative reason, nor one that makes sense in terms of the story, because it's only been a few hours since they all set out and the Sand village is in a completely different country...

And as the end of the fight reveals, they didn't even need to have Lee beat Kimimaro! There was just no reason for Gaara to be there, and it pissed me off because Lee deserves his chance to shine.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Every single MALE character, you mean. Every once in a while, a mangaka will forget the rule and give a girl a minor power up. Though it may have to happen off screen.

Yeah, much as I love my shounen action, that's one of the many things about it that annoy me.

[pikabot]

Well, to be fair, most of their most powerful moves are detrimental to their body, or eat up the lion's share of their resources, so that if it misses or isn't effective against them due to some bizarre ability they have, they're proper fucked. It makes more sense to suss out their weaknesses and powers first so that when you do go for the kill, you can be sure that it works and that if it doesn't, you're not in too much trouble.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

It does make sense, but I get so frustrated with the excessive foreplay.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Very true. I'm waiting with baited breath for Sakura's power up.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Lee does deserve a chance to shine. It didn't bug me as much as it bugged you, but I see where you're coming from.

[enderxenocide.livejournal.com]

ROCK LEE IS MY HERO. alkjfdlk He's just. I have no words for how amazing that boy is. I'm really sorry you didn't get to see our skit at Sakura Con--we plan on filming it this summer and putting it up on Youtube. Because Rock Lee and Gai-sensei are amazing.

I'm with you on the Gaara thing--you could tell, I think (even in the first fight) that Lee did not care that Gaara was creepy-as-all-hell. He just thought, "I get to fight that guy!" I think that's a lot of it, that both Naruto and Lee treated Gaara differently, and it pays off. Because you are completely right, Gaara is aware of what he did to Lee. He's not terribly remorseful, because this is still GAARA, even if it is reformed!Gaara. But it is a HUGE step. And yes, as much as I wanted to see Lee kick Kimimaro's ass, I'm so glad that he didn't make his injuries any worse. It's a huge thing, too, for your former enemy to give you a hand, and recognize your strength. Gaara has a line in there about why Lee isn't moving as quickly as he did in the first fight, and it's just amazing to me that this kid remembers that and was impressed by it. Very little impresses Gaara, I think. ANYWAY. I love this arc.

Also, I'm so glad that you liked that scene with Temari and Shikamaru! :D

I'm also really curious as to your thoughts on the villans-- I'm very fond of Kabuto, mostly because he reminds me of Ni Jyeni, and that type fascinates me.

[solace-adrift.livejournal.com]

Yes. Drunken Lee is awesome. I’d highly suggest watching the anime episode for that because the animation is utterly beautiful.

Shikamaru’s fight here is one of my favorite fights in the entire series, and the end is just awesome. After spending about half hour realizing that no matter how smart he is the other girl just out powers him, Temari just shows up and brushes her off with a single move. Also his line right there about her almost being as scary as his mom? Sweet.

Ah, but see for a ninja using your most powerful technique right off the bat would be suicide. Putting aside the fact that most powerful techniques tend to either take a massive amount of chakra or beat up the user’s body, if an opponent were ever to not die from that technique, or even if another ninja were to see it and not die, enemies could quite easily find a way to counter it. Most ninja only have one or two ninjutsu techniques to call on, and their entire livelihood, hell their lives, depend on it. Case in point: hunter nin. An entire faction of shinobi devoted to making sure these secret techniques, stay secret. This actually happens in a later fight in the manga (I won’t spoil who) where ninja A was utterly defeated the first time he fought ninja B but the second time they fought A wiped the floor with B because he had learned to counter his most powerful techniques.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Aye, the off-panel one...

(BTW: Fairy Tail. Read it. The heavy hitter fighter reminds me of Izumi in FMA, but sans some of the common sense, and the mangaka seems to realize how to handle it when you're writing shounen action and your main heroine is going to be a part of the team, but not get to be a big fighter.)

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

That was Spike, and I can't remember the details, but he was talking about how he was going to kill the slayer.

It would save so much time! And they never, ever learn! It sucks!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

It's on the list.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I think the line is actually 'scarier than my mother.' Which made me cackle.

I understand why it would be suicidal within the world, but as a reader it gets so old.

And I'll look forward to that fight!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Speaking of, I know I need to read your latest chapter and get back to you. I'm working on getting my insane inbox down and working at my job a lot, but I wanted you to know that I haven't forgotten.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I have no words for how amazing that boy is.

Yeah, he really, really is.

I think that's a lot of it, that both Naruto and Lee treated Gaara differently, and it pays off.

*nods* And would you mind refreshing my memory: The sand sibs weren't into betraying Konaha, but did because of orders, and then during the fight, Naruto beat Gaara and told him that he did it because of his precious people, right? And that made a huge impression on Gaara?

(I've been reading so much that I don't always remember it the best.)

I'm also really curious as to your thoughts on the villans-- I'm very fond of Kabuto, mostly because he reminds me of Ni Jyeni, and that type fascinates me.

You mean, the walking plot devices? I have to admit, I don't really care about them much now, but I am starting to... not like, but really understand where Sasuke is coming from. His choices are horrific, but I know why he's making them.

Also, did you get my message about coming to visit?

[tobu-ishi.livejournal.com]

This is exactly why I love Arakawa Hiromu. (And sometimes Takahashi Rumiko.) ♥

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Arakawa is great, and she plays it smart by having female characters in a variety of roles and having them excel in those roles, instead of going "look! fighter girl! who will now sit on the sidelines since there are more boys now!" So far Fairy Tail, though not quite as good(but very fun) seems to be playing it smart the same way.

Takahashi, from what i've read, seems to start off well, but then give up on all forward motion or plot developments once she's popular.

[solace-adrift.livejournal.com]

I suppose I agree. I mean, whenever I end up writing Naruto fanfic it is one of the first elements to get tossed out. I always end up striving for a cross between the fight scenes in Samurai champloo, Avatar, and Blade of the immortal. Fast, intense, and brutal.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

I suppose some wouldn't consider it sporting. Marquis of Queensbury rules and all that.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Fuck sporting. They're ninjas. It's duty before honor, baby.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Avatar does the best power ups. Either they're short and fucking sweet (Toph's mental bending, Katara's bloodbending, Zuko's lightning bending) or you just come back from hiatis and sweet jesus, their hair is longer and they're even more badass than they were before (Katara, Toph, Suki).

And I'm really, really interested in Blade of The Immortal. I keep hearing about it. How many volumes is it?

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Oh, joy.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, depends on the fandom. With ninjas, anything they do is proper, though they lose points if the enemy saw them coming.

[tobu-ishi.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Takahashi frustrates me. The woman is a genius at creating interesting, funny worlds (usually just slightly off-kilter from reality, but consistently so and in a particular way), and peopling them with fun, energetic, dynamic casts of fascinating characters from both genders, who embark on an engaging and entertaining plot with plenty of amusing sidestories...

...and never finish it. Takahashi has actually come right out in an interview and said she hates wrapping up and ending stories, because it feels like saying goodbye to the characters.

So, as her plots approach their logical conclusion, she just lets them dissipate into a scatter of filler stories, sometimes running on interminably in no particular direction, and eventually just declares the series over and starts a new one. It's deeply frustrating. >:[

[solace-adrift.livejournal.com]

Twenty two I think. Mind you, it’s a little hard to tell really, because there’s quite a lag between the Japanese release, the American one, and then the ‘net one. The place where I read it (bleach exile) has up to chapter 130, but the latest spoilers are up to 167. It’s really quite weird. I would still highly suggest reading it, despite the odd release schedule.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Okay, thank you.