If It Weren't For The Computer Screen, I'd Have You Right Now

[redbrunja]

So, I totally want to drag Sai off to bed, have my way with him, have him paint me, and then drag him back for more of the way-having and possibly cuddling.

Is that bad?

It's just... he's so pretty and his powers are so cool, and he's such an emotionally stunted, twisted kid - it's like he has all the hotness and gravatis that Sasuke didn't.

Also, now I have a pairing for Naruto, and I'm so sad.

I mean, I shipped Kakashi/Sakura, but that wasn't quite the same thing, since I got into that first, and then was like, 'I should probably read that manga that enderxenocide is always talking about so I can write fic and know when I'm reading ooc fic,' but Kakashi/Sakura is SUCH a fanon pairing that... it was just so relaxing, you know?

And now I'm watching Sakura punch Sai in the face, and come out and ask about his drawings, and my subtext radar is pinging like a mad thing, and I'm like "NOOOOOOOOO! I didn't WANT a real pairing, where I read the text and go, 'this would be awesome!' I want my 'shipping nobody but think Sakura/Kakashi would be hot plus they're my favorite characters" pairing!'

Damn you, Sai!

....now come closer...

Comments

[nephthysmoon.livejournal.com]

I've never been involved in Naurto - but that is hilarious.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

::last bastion of Sai Indifference::

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

1) I don't really feel anything for Sai's character, good or bad, but I'm glad that you found another character to love in the manga.

2) I feel for you with regards to pairings! Canonically, I ship Naruto/Sakura and have since the genin period. But in fanon, all I do is read Kakashi/Sakura. For whatever reason, my brain is totally satisfied with this arrangement.

Re: ::last bastion of Sai Indifference::

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

2) I feel for you with regards to pairings! Canonically, I ship Naruto/Sakura and have since the genin period. But in fanon, all I do is read Kakashi/Sakura. For whatever reason, my brain is totally satisfied with this arrangement.

I find the complete disregard and impossibility of my ship to be canon to be very relaxing, personally. (Speaking of, I just got a guy friend to start watching Avatar, and we were talking about Katara and Zuko sperately as characters, and he randomly goes, 'you know, I could see them ending up together. Stories do that kind of relationship a lot.')

Re: ::last bastion of Sai Indifference::

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

(Speaking of, I just got a guy friend to start watching Avatar, and we were talking about Katara and Zuko sperately as characters, and he randomly goes, 'you know, I could see them ending up together. Stories do that kind of relationship a lot.')

That's really the kicker. I'm sure Kataang fans like that their romance-ship-based-on-friendship-and-family-feelings is different from typical "enemies attract" or "redemptionista" pairings, but... but the rest of us are waving at the screen and making inarticulate noises because IT'S RIGHT THERE, the POSSIBILITIES, and most people like enemies attract / redemptionista pairings. Fandom goes crazy over them, traditionally, and invents them for shows even where there ISN'T all the convenient build up Zuko and Katara get (ex: Harry/Draco).

[speaking having only seen up to 3x13] ATLA is unusual for me when it comes to ships, because I've never shipped a pairing that was an "enemies turned allies" pairing that had this much in-canon subtext and potential and hand-touching-mouth stuff that *didn't* make use of it, sooner or later. It's weird, somehow. Like, I know that if there is going to be a final pairing it'll probably be Aang and Katara (though my ideal finale is ambiguity for all ships), but I just keep wondering what all that other stuff was about. Other than, I suppose, to amuse us. Usually, if I know my pairing isn't going to be canon, it's because the pairing is impossible and unlikely from the start, within the structure of the story itself or the themes (Draco/Hermione, for example). It's weird to have a ship of this type be so possible yet not happen. It messes with my ship predictive meter.

I find the complete disregard and impossibility of my ship to be canon to be very relaxing, personally.

Oh totally. That's why I like Draco/Hermione fiction for HP. For certain fandoms I want it to be canon, for others I am happier not having to deal with it at all.

Re: ::last bastion of Sai Indifference::

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

*to edit: If i'm right and it doesn't happen, I'm not saying that I'll be upset. I expect as much. And I'm not really confused, either, because I can see the progression from one side. With regards to the other side, I'm just trying to think back and wonder *why* the creators made certain decisions that they did, especially in the season 2 finale, when they could have done the same scenes without the unresolved tension.

Not that I'm complaining, either, as I am a big fan of unresolved tension. Just...curious and speculative.

Re: ::last bastion of Sai Indifference::

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Exactly! It's like, okay, I understand not writing canon Katara/Zuko, but what blows my mind is how surprised M & B seem about the fact that so many people like it. I mean, SO MANY people see it, whether they're been prepped to or not, that I really wonder how deliberate it was, or if it was all unconscious.

Oh totally. That's why I like Draco/Hermione fiction for HP. For certain fandoms I want it to be canon, for others I am happier not having to deal with it at all.

*nods* And I think there's a certain... fandom relaxation that occurs when everyone is on the same page about how canon a pairing is. It's why the Toph/Aang and Suki/Sokka ships are so laid back, imho.

Re: ::last bastion of Sai Indifference::

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

It's like, okay, I understand not writing canon Katara/Zuko, but what blows my mind is how surprised M & B seem about the fact that so many people like it. I mean, SO MANY people see it, whether they're been prepped to or not, that I really wonder how deliberate it was, or if it was all unconscious.

Until I heard that interview about the katara-aang kiss where Bryke were like "I'm surprised about Zutara" I never really thought about them being surprised. I had assumed that they put that tension in there deliberately--not for intention of it turning canon, per se, because I already had a feeling where the final ships were going--but I always assume, as a default, that most things we watch on screen are intentional. And I'm speaking mostly of the end of season 2 (which, if that cave scene hadn't happened, I could totally understand it being unintentional that people liked Zutara.) Especially as late as season 2, you know the main characters are being written in certain ways so as to set certain foundations for future plot events. With Zuko, in particular, the arc journey is incredibly important. So I had assumed, and I still do, that the cave scene face-touching tension was deliberate. Especially when you contrast it to the earlier parallel with Song (an almost identical conversation scenario). I still think it was deliberate... how could it NOT be? How could it be anything except deliberate, when there's plenty of ways to write that scene without the UST? That scene could have been way, way more platonic and/or motherly than it was written.

But what I don't understand, is that since by logic it had to be deliberate because they WROTE it that way: why? Obviously it's not going anywhere in the overall story, so why?


...but then I wonder why I care. I mean, I'm glad to have the scene. I just.... would prefer to understand how there could be this disconnect between the writer's intentions and the audience.

okay, an idea

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I think I have a theory: tv writing practices. I mean, shows are storyboarded and conceived scene-by-scene by groups, and then an episode is turned over to a particular person or two people who write the actual dialogue and moment-to-moment content of the episode. So I suppose it's possible that for something like the CoD cave scene, whoever wrote the episode script is actually responsible. ....except that those scripts get approved and edited by multiple people INCLUDING the main two creators, so that can't just be it. It couldn't have been an accident.

I think it's hard to believe there is this disconnect between author intention (according to interviews, though as I've said writers lie all the time in interviews) and audience interpretation, because I know that when I write a story, almost everything is deliberate. I certainly wouldn't introduce that kind of ambiguous and multi-meaning tension into a scene by accident. And I'm doing it for a HOBBY...they're getting paid for it, right?

I'm used to watching drama shows where everything is planned out and where characters are carefully developed over time. Avatar, in particular, has had an excellent track record with this. We've seen the great lengths of continuity the writers have taken this show... from props that appear in season 1 and then reappear in season 3 to long-running continuity hints like the White Lotus. Continuity and deliberate story-telling has always been one of this show's highest selling points, for me. So... how? Why? What is the story purpose being confused, here?

Re: okay, an idea

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

What really boggles me (and gives me hope at the same time) is that regardless of what they say about romance, B & M, are pretty damn clear on the emotional connection between Katara and Zuko. For example, in the commentary on WAT, they talk about how Katara has the most... I can't remember how exactly they phrased it, but basically she had the most emotional connection and was hurt by him the most, so her being suspicious of him has the greatest storytelling impact.

I can't fathom how they can say that and know that and be boggled when people clue into it. I.. part of me wonders if they both just really identify with Aang, and don't see the attraction to Zuko on a innate level.

Re: okay, an idea

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I plan to watch DVD commentaries this week, and by this weekend watch BR...I've been holding out long enough, but now that I know there's just going to be a marathon dumped on us, I'm netflixing this shit.


I'm glad that they acknowledge the emotional connection. We've been saying that since their fight in the North Pole: that even if it's not something romantic there is a definite trust/distrust connection there. After Aang, Katara is the person in the group who's had by FAR the most interaction. I don't think Sokka ever had an actual conversation with Zuko until tWAT.

If they intended for an emotional connection that had to do with friendship/forgiveness/platonic connection, then I suppose it's possible they were trying to use the cave scene to recreate with Zuko the mother-comforter role Katara has for Aang. I can *kind* of bend my brain to see how they might have wanted that...except that what came out was so not...not...anything like that at all. The comfort and emotional connection was there but it was not anything like the "motherly" scenes Katara had with Aang in season 1 and 2.

So we know they intended a strong emotional connection. That's good, and that supports what we saw in the Siege of the North and in the conversation at the end of WAT. I thought it was fairly clear given the dramatic content of the cave scene. I suppose maybe they just thought it would be purely platonic and about forgiveness and acceptance... and somehow forgot that what audiences see are two attractive teenagers of close age who haven't had much prospects until that point who are trapped alone together in a small space under the stress and threat of danger who've argued in the past and are now forced to accept and forgive and are standing very close to each other... on tv. Seriously, this is a television show, what ELSE do they expect people to think?

Re: okay, an idea

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I know I'm just repeating myself now, and preaching to the choir, so sorry for the long replies.

Re: okay, an idea

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's like, 'hello, cluebat time.' I mean, when the freaking NETWORK THAT AIRS IT constantly teases the possibility of Zutara... how can the creators not realize WHY people ship them?

Also, I would be very, very interested to look at interview responses and con questions over the years. First, because I have a very hard time finding (not that I've looked super hard, mind you) direct quotes from them. It's always someone else repeating what they said or read somewhere else. I'd be curious to see if they were initially more... open to the possibilities of Katara/Zuko, and then after so many moons of screaming Zutara fangirls, got tired of it and where like, 'WE'RE WRITING KATAANG, PEOPLE! KATAANG!' Because, psychologically speaking, having opposition to an opinion will often make it more closely held.

(And never apologize for long comments to me.)

[enderxenocide.livejournal.com]

asjkldsaljkdsajklfdsjkl SAI/SAKURA. This is like my secret pairing. I love it, but OMG SAI IS SO VERY GAY. But he'd totally be straight for Sakura.

But yes. SAAAAAAAIIII. ♥

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Hell yes he would!

[ivy-chan.livejournal.com]

I have but one Sai/Sakura to rec to you, but BEWARE: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4085950/1/Iconography

Sai had to work hard to win me over, but once he did, I was sold. Also, he's an artiste and it's a beautifu, beautiful thing.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you! Sai had to do almost nothing to win my over. He got is assignment and I saw his ninjutsu and I was sold.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

It would! He would be the rational, disconnected distance attacks, and she'd be the in your face, emotional, hand to hand stuff.

[sureasdawn.livejournal.com]

I ship Sakura with pretty much all of Team 7, including Yamato and Sai. Though usually not at the same time.

I love this pic, where Sakura has Sai's jacket on her shoulders. (http://arriku.deviantart.com/art/Konoha-s-Golden-Team-37100716)

And this one's pretty cute too. (http://arriku.deviantart.com/art/Sai-Sakura-36169574)

I love Sai, I hope Kishimoto does more with his character. (http://arriku.deviantart.com/art/Artist-s-Block-38482159)

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I ship Sakura with a lot of people, notably NOT Sasuke or Naruto.

Thanks for the pretty, pretty links!

[jakia.livejournal.com]

I would ship Sai/Sakura, only in my mind Sai is gayer than a fruit cake, so...

[ivy-chan.livejournal.com]

It's all the penis references, isn't it? XD

[jakia.livejournal.com]

Yes. It's something about a man having that big of an obsession with penises that just screams gay to me. Could be wrong, though.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

As someone else said, 'he'd go straight for Sakura.'