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Naruto Shipping Meme
I always enjoy laying out who should be macking on whom...
One True Pairing: Kakashi x Sakura. Let me explain how OTP this OTP is for me. I have basically two reasons for reading Naruto: I needed a distraction from Avatar, and I wanted to write fic for those two. smillaraaq recced "Duty Before Honor" to me, and I was hooked. I seriously started watching because my artistic integrity wouldn't let me write about two people who's characterizations I got from wikipedia and other fanfic.
One True Threesome: Despite how everyone is grouped into clusters of three, I really don't have a threesome. Sakura deserves better than Sasuke and/or Naruto, I get no romantic vibes from Choiji, Ino/Shikamaru is Sakura/Sasuke redux without the hints that he actually cares about her, Hinata is totally made for Neji and wants Naruto, and none of the jounin interact with each other enough for me to get a vibe off them as a couple, much less a menage a trios.
One True Crack!Threesome: That said, Tsunade x Jiraiya x Orochimaru could work, because we know Jiraiya adores Tsunade, and Orochimaru was biting both of them in rather suggestive places.
One True Foursome: Frankly, there is not enough ensemble interactions (thanks a lot, Kishimoto) to have one of these. Really, you're just randomly throwing character together and expecting them to orgy. ...unless it's Tsunade x Jiraiya x Shinuze x Naruto and oh my fucking god my brain is cracked out.
Canon fave: Naruto's parents. I think they are just adorable and I love the idea of ninjas marrying in and out of different villages.
Not quite canon but should be: Temari/Shikamaru. You see them fighting, working together, and working together with slightly less vitrol. I call that a damn good foundation for a relationship, especially when combined with all the comparisons that Shikamaru makes between Temari and his mother, the fact that Temari gives Shikamaru the kicks in the ass he needs to do things, and the awesome hospital conversation, that make me actually like Shikamaru (and that takes effort, yo.), and the fact that Temari and life with Temari is the exact opposite of what Shikamaru says he wants, and Shikamaru is not smart enough to want what he needs.
If this happens I'll stab my eyes out with a spork: Sasuke x Glasses Chick. First I am morally opposed to Sasuke getting some, ever. Secondly, someone made the comment that she didn't feel that... Karin? had the slightest idea of who Sasuke was, beyond the pretty, and I think that comment was dead on. It would piss me off royally to have Karin get something Sakura wanted when they both behaved towards Sasuke in the exact same way, only Sakura actually cared about him knowing how screwed up she is. (Note: I don't think that Sakura wants Sasuke like that now, but I know Karin/Sasuke would still break her head, and I couldn't stand that. Also note that I have no venom for Karin in this whole situation. I just don't want her and Sasuke screwing. Sorry Karin.)
You are one sick bastard: Orachimaru/Sasuke.
I'm one sick bastard: Hinata/Neji. I ship this so fucking hardcore it's crazy. I didn't expect to like Hinata as much as I do, but I love that poor broken girl, and the pseudo -incestuous, I-hate-you, I'm-raised to protect you, relationship between Hinata and Neji is fantastic. (Also, I adore the fact that it's one of the few times where a man refers to a woman with a more respectful honorific than she used for him - Tsunade excluded.)
Also, Gaara/Temari. I crave fic about them so, so badly, but it's always Temari and Kankarou, and while several select authors have made me really like the middle Sand Sib, I want to read about Temari being the eldest child of this fucked up family where her father is trying to kill her youngest brother and her youngest brother is a psychopath and she's being strong and emotionally neglected and awesome. Basically, I think Temari/Gaara would have a fantastic dynamic that I wish I could do justice to.
I dabble a little: Sakura/Sai (this is more than a little), Naruto/Hinata, Sakura/Gaara (it shouldn't work, but does)
It's like a car crash: Anything with Sasuke. Saskue/Sakura. Tsunade/Jiraiya (you morons!). Sasuke/Hinata. On so many levels, Hinata/Neji.
Tickles my fancy but not sold quite yet: Sai/Sakura. I really love their interactions, but I've yet to read a fic that had them actually together. However, I adore the idea of Sakura having someone as cool and attractive as Sai crushing on her, and her possibly not responding. (Sorry, Rock Lee).
Makes no canon sense but why the hell not: Iruka/Anko. Damn you nimble! If you actually think about this pairing, it's starts to work amazingly well in your head!
Everyone else loves it but I just don't feel it: Sasuke/Naruto. No. Just no. Even if one of them were female, it would be like Veronica/Wallace - some relationships are all about the platonic love.
Guilty Pleasure: I once read this one OrochimaruxSakuraxSasuke fic that was way the fuck hotter than I'm totally comfortable admitting.
Older/Younger fave: *points to OTP*
My first: *points to OTP*
When all is said and done: *points to OTP* You know, the one flaw in this meme is the fact that the last three questions always seem so repetitive.
One True Pairing: Kakashi x Sakura. Let me explain how OTP this OTP is for me. I have basically two reasons for reading Naruto: I needed a distraction from Avatar, and I wanted to write fic for those two. smillaraaq recced "Duty Before Honor" to me, and I was hooked. I seriously started watching because my artistic integrity wouldn't let me write about two people who's characterizations I got from wikipedia and other fanfic.
One True Threesome: Despite how everyone is grouped into clusters of three, I really don't have a threesome. Sakura deserves better than Sasuke and/or Naruto, I get no romantic vibes from Choiji, Ino/Shikamaru is Sakura/Sasuke redux without the hints that he actually cares about her, Hinata is totally made for Neji and wants Naruto, and none of the jounin interact with each other enough for me to get a vibe off them as a couple, much less a menage a trios.
One True Crack!Threesome: That said, Tsunade x Jiraiya x Orochimaru could work, because we know Jiraiya adores Tsunade, and Orochimaru was biting both of them in rather suggestive places.
One True Foursome: Frankly, there is not enough ensemble interactions (thanks a lot, Kishimoto) to have one of these. Really, you're just randomly throwing character together and expecting them to orgy. ...unless it's Tsunade x Jiraiya x Shinuze x Naruto and oh my fucking god my brain is cracked out.
Canon fave: Naruto's parents. I think they are just adorable and I love the idea of ninjas marrying in and out of different villages.
Not quite canon but should be: Temari/Shikamaru. You see them fighting, working together, and working together with slightly less vitrol. I call that a damn good foundation for a relationship, especially when combined with all the comparisons that Shikamaru makes between Temari and his mother, the fact that Temari gives Shikamaru the kicks in the ass he needs to do things, and the awesome hospital conversation, that make me actually like Shikamaru (and that takes effort, yo.), and the fact that Temari and life with Temari is the exact opposite of what Shikamaru says he wants, and Shikamaru is not smart enough to want what he needs.
If this happens I'll stab my eyes out with a spork: Sasuke x Glasses Chick. First I am morally opposed to Sasuke getting some, ever. Secondly, someone made the comment that she didn't feel that... Karin? had the slightest idea of who Sasuke was, beyond the pretty, and I think that comment was dead on. It would piss me off royally to have Karin get something Sakura wanted when they both behaved towards Sasuke in the exact same way, only Sakura actually cared about him knowing how screwed up she is. (Note: I don't think that Sakura wants Sasuke like that now, but I know Karin/Sasuke would still break her head, and I couldn't stand that. Also note that I have no venom for Karin in this whole situation. I just don't want her and Sasuke screwing. Sorry Karin.)
You are one sick bastard: Orachimaru/Sasuke.
I'm one sick bastard: Hinata/Neji. I ship this so fucking hardcore it's crazy. I didn't expect to like Hinata as much as I do, but I love that poor broken girl, and the pseudo -incestuous, I-hate-you, I'm-raised to protect you, relationship between Hinata and Neji is fantastic. (Also, I adore the fact that it's one of the few times where a man refers to a woman with a more respectful honorific than she used for him - Tsunade excluded.)
Also, Gaara/Temari. I crave fic about them so, so badly, but it's always Temari and Kankarou, and while several select authors have made me really like the middle Sand Sib, I want to read about Temari being the eldest child of this fucked up family where her father is trying to kill her youngest brother and her youngest brother is a psychopath and she's being strong and emotionally neglected and awesome. Basically, I think Temari/Gaara would have a fantastic dynamic that I wish I could do justice to.
I dabble a little: Sakura/Sai (this is more than a little), Naruto/Hinata, Sakura/Gaara (it shouldn't work, but does)
It's like a car crash: Anything with Sasuke. Saskue/Sakura. Tsunade/Jiraiya (you morons!). Sasuke/Hinata. On so many levels, Hinata/Neji.
Tickles my fancy but not sold quite yet: Sai/Sakura. I really love their interactions, but I've yet to read a fic that had them actually together. However, I adore the idea of Sakura having someone as cool and attractive as Sai crushing on her, and her possibly not responding. (Sorry, Rock Lee).
Makes no canon sense but why the hell not: Iruka/Anko. Damn you nimble! If you actually think about this pairing, it's starts to work amazingly well in your head!
Everyone else loves it but I just don't feel it: Sasuke/Naruto. No. Just no. Even if one of them were female, it would be like Veronica/Wallace - some relationships are all about the platonic love.
Guilty Pleasure: I once read this one OrochimaruxSakuraxSasuke fic that was way the fuck hotter than I'm totally comfortable admitting.
Older/Younger fave: *points to OTP*
My first: *points to OTP*
When all is said and done: *points to OTP* You know, the one flaw in this meme is the fact that the last three questions always seem so repetitive.
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Although, now that I think about it, I bet her similarities to Sakura are part of the reason he's never seems to get annoyed with her, even if he never responds.
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He just has a crush on Sasuke. Someone on my flist mentioned that as soon as Sasuke wasn't in the manga, it got a whole lot better, and my though was "that's so mean! .... and true." But we know that Sasuke is Kishimoto's favorite character - I bet he thinks we think Sasuke is so awesome (because he does) that we love him no matter what he's doing.
So, I have a friend who actually writes beautiful Sasuke/Naruto that made me see how it could work. I can't stand the stuff usually, but dammit, she had to go and make it believable.
Exception that proves the rule. ^_^
Its so shippable! I denial-ed my way out of it, and like Kiba/Hinata and Neji/TenTen, but dammit, Neji/Hinata is such a beautiful train wreck that its impossible to resist.)
I'm all about the Neji/Hinata (in part because I never saw anything to give me Kiba/Hinata vibes) and I love it so much. I mean... it's one of those so-fucked-it's-gorgeous relationships, with the added bonus of them being a.) really good for each other b.) really good for the family as a whole.
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And I really want to find the episodes that have Kiba being attentive, and read some good Kiba/Hinata fanfic.
I'm curious as to how exactly you think Hinata/Neji would be beneficial to the Hyuuga clan - do you mean resolving the monstrosity that is the separation main house and the branch house? Because the idea of them as a pairing making things better for people beyond themselves is actually really interesting.
First, I think Hinata/Neji would end the separation between the two house, because NEITHER of them would EVER let any of their children have the seal on them (unless, as I read in a fanfic, everyone with the special eyes had the seal to prevent the secrets from getting out, and no one know how to trigger it, so it couldn't be used to control). Secondly, I think Neji would support Hinata as a ruler, in a way Naruto couldn't. He'd be strong enough to help her enough that she would have an ally against the rest of her family, but no take over and be ruling her as a puppet.
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Exactly. You need to be trained to function effective in that situation, or you're going to have one hell of a learning curve. And please, Hyuuga Clan practically IS the mafia.
Oh. Now I want to write that AU.
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My state! I just went past you this weekend! And why are you moving away?
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No, I was wondering about the move. And I remember you telling me you live/lived in Australia, but I think I was still a little unsure about your citizenship.
And since Australia is on my list of places I want to visit (again), I assure you, one day you may have this american girl randomly knocking on your door. ^_^
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-I’ve read like one ot3 Sasuke/Sakura/Naruto fic that was good (but then the author writes everything with heart aching beauty) but in general I have to agree with you; the Naruto teams just don’t give off much of an ot3 vibe.
-Temari and Shikamaru is a pairing that kinda crept up on me. Each time they met it become just a little bit more likable, ‘till you come to part two and there’s no stopping it.
-Karin/Sasuke? I didn’t even know that was a ship (well beyond how every character in Naruto is randomly shipped with everyone other one regardless of any kind of logic).
-Neji/Hinata was really my first and main pairing for Naruto, though I could never quite figure out which aspect of it I liked; the reconciliation type or the messed up type. And technically speaking (though it really doesn’t take away from the creepy factor) it’s not actually incest if we assume that the Narutoverse has Japanese cultural norms.
-Sasuke/Naruto: WORD.
-If I have Tsunade x Jirayai x Shizune x Naruto nightmares I’m blaming you…
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in general I have to agree with you; the Naruto teams just don’t give off much of an ot3 vibe.
They don't. I think part of that is for all Kakashi's emphasis on teamwork, they don't seem to... enjoy each other's company enough without it turning into some kind of competition.
-Karin/Sasuke? I didn’t even know that was a ship (well beyond how every character in Naruto is randomly shipped with everyone other one regardless of any kind of logic).
Well, it's certainly clear to me that she wants into his pants...
-Neji/Hinata was really my first and main pairing for Naruto, though I could never quite figure out which aspect of it I liked; the reconciliation type or the messed up type. And technically speaking (though it really doesn’t take away from the creepy factor) it’s not actually incest if we assume that the Narutoverse has Japanese cultural norms.
*nods* Oh, I wouldn't say it's technically incest - but I do think there is that emotional factor present, in that they consider themselves part of the same family, and if you look at their dynamics, especially in the Chuunin exams, it really play out like little sister to estranged elder brother who she still loves.
-If I have Tsunade x Jirayai x Shizune x Naruto nightmares I’m blaming you…
-If I have Tsunade x Jirayai x Shizune x Naruto nightmares I have no one to blame.
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-And those relationships which aren’t tend to best when left as platonic ones.
-I meant ship in terms of anyone in fandom actually shipping it. For me shipping is an entirely fandom term. In cannon, at the very least one half of Karin does. Hard to tell what with the split personality and all.
-Oh, I definitely agree. It’s still deliciously messed up.
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?
-I meant ship in terms of anyone in fandom actually shipping it. For me shipping is an entirely fandom term. In cannon, at the very least one half of Karin does. Hard to tell what with the split personality and all.
You know, I don't know who/how many, but I always assume there is SOME group in fandom who ships whatever pairing is being discussed.
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(Actually, I always liked him with the ramen waitress, but that is because I have an elaborate conspiracy theory, very possibly Jossed by now since I haven't caught up with Naruto in about three years, regarding the ramen shop and Naruto's origins and lil Iruka. I know one part of it has been Jossed anyway because apparently Naruto's name came from one of Jiraiya's novels?)
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And yeah, I think that origin story has been jossed, but I'd love to hear it anyway. ^_^
TL;DR Theory Time!
PART 1
POINT 1) Naruto was orphaned as a VERY SMALL BABY.
POINT 2) Naruto, as the series opens and as shown in flashbacks, is a small boy living alone and taking care OF HIMSELF, and cannot remember any family.
POINT 3) A VERY SMALL BABY cannot take care OF HIMSELF. He requires somebody to feed him and change him, etc.
FIRST CONCLUSION: Somebody, at some point, took care of Naruto when he was a very small baby. That person gave him up to the care of the village at a young age, or he would have remembered them.
My own memory fuzzes out at about age four, and my four-year-old host nephew can feed himself and climb into bed if somebody tells him to, so we'll call that a benchmark.
POINT 1) The villagers of Konoha are shown, with a handful of exceptions, as unanimously REALLY DISLIKING AND DISTRUSTING Naruto for his entire life.
POINT 2) Naruto, for all his loudness and annoying behavior, is BASICALLY A NICE KID and tends to GROW ON most people who spend time around him.
POINT 3) To take care of a kid for the first few years of his life, you have to spend a LOT OF TIME around him, and usually end up rather FOND OF HIM in the process.
SECOND CONCLUSION: Whoever took care of Naruto as a baby is one of the handful of people who are nice to him in Konoha at the start of the series.
This very short list includes the Third Hokage, Iruka, and the proprietor of Ichiraku Ramen and his daughter, Teuchi and Ayame, who are always welcoming and friendly, and give him extravagant free food on special occasions. Unless the caretakers have simply not been introduced, we can work from that list.
POINT 1) The Third Hokage is an old man. He was an old man when the fox demon attacked. He CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT to take office again after the Fourth Hokage died, and was immediately faced with the task of rebuilding a shattered village. It's VERY UNLIKELY he had the time or energy for midnight feedings and ten diaper changes a day.
POINT 2) Iruka was, what, TWELVE YEARS OLD?
POINT 3) The owner of a small business like Ichiraku Ramen would not have been busy with rebuilding the village. He could EASILY HAVE KEPT A BABY in a bassinet behind the counter. And his daughter would have been about Iruka's age, ergo, ten or twelve years old...an age where a child can be trusted to LOOK AFTER A BABY while her father does the cooking in the same room.
THIRD CONCLUSION: Of the list of potential caregivers in the village suggested by the Second Conclusion, the most likely are Teuchi and Ayame.
POINT 1) A baby being weaned needs soft, nutritious, EASY-TO-SWALLOW FOOD.
POINT 2) RAMEN BROTH is a tasty, rich soup made by simmering string bags of vegetables, spices, and entire chicken carcasses or joints of meat for days at a time. (Believe me, my host father is a ramen chef.) RAMEN NOODLES, when allowed to overcook and then mashed, become a soft, mealy paste.
POINT 3) Naruto eats HARDLY ANYTHING BUT RAMEN to this day.
THE CONCLUSION is self-evident.
FINAL THESIS: As a baby, Naruto was put secretly into the care of Teuchi and his daughter Ayame, who were most capable of discreetly raising the child for his first few years of life. The smells and sounds of the restaurant contributed to Naruto's lifelong love for ramen.
When he was preschool-aged, they were required by the council of ninja to give him up, and he moved into his current apartment and was probably only 'cared' for by assorted resentful parties dropping by a few times a day to make sure he was eating and sleeping and going to preschool, resulting in his later feelings of isolation and lack of a family.
Teuchi and Ayame have never lost their fondness for the boy, though, and still express it in their daily interactions with him.
(As I'm sure you can guess, the Jossed evidence was that he is named after a popular ramen topping. XD)
Re: TL;DR Theory Time!
Re: TL;DR Theory Time!
Good to know that a few things that remain dear to my heart haven't changed. ♥
Re: TL;DR Theory Time!
That sounds exactly like something Kishimoto would do.
What do you bet he and the mangaka of Death Note get together and talk about how much they don't know how to write women?
Re: TL;DR Theory Time!
Not that Death Note isn't a cleverly written, often ingenious story that gleefully screws with the reader's head (at least until the thing with L that ruined my interest in the series and that I don't want to spoil for anyone reading your comments), but the lack of strong female characters is....frustrating, to say the least.
What say we invite Kishimoto and Ohba to dinner sometime, bring Takahashi and Arakawa along, and let the ladies throw things at the fellows until they agree to be schooled properly in writing girls who don't suck (and/or aren't disproportionately forced to suck, despite nifty potential...the thing with Sakura, for example, and it still irks me that Naomi was killed off so quickly when she could have been an amazing ongoing secondary antagonist)?
Re: TL;DR Theory Time!
Fuck yes. (And what does Ohba write?) But Sakura deserves so much better than what the mangaka gives her, despite the fact that I think he tries (he fails miserably, but with her he at least tries). And I loved Naomi when she was first introduced (totally Naomi/L shipper) and I had about three hours between reading the chapters where we meet her and when she was killed where I was so thrilled about having this new character.
Re: TL;DR Theory Time!
Actually, Light's conversation with Naomi was the first time I had to put the book down and reorient my morals. One thing the author and artist are /very/ good at, is playing on the traditional storytelling methods of setting up a hero and a villain to trick you into instinctively cheering for Light, at least at first. Halfway through that conversation, I realized I was kneejerk rooting for him to discover this innocent, wronged woman's name and kill her--and I started paging back through the panels, looking at how images were framed and sequenced, and had to admit it had been a very clever play on my conditioned responses to media.
(I was much warier after that, though. Only works as long as you don't notice it.)
Re: TL;DR Theory Time!
AI don't know if I consider the author more responsible in ALL cases, but if Ohba was doing all the plot and the artist was 'just' doing the drawings, Ohba is definitively the person who needs to get pummled.
And good point about the drawing of Misa and Naomi. There is only one fanservicy panty shot with Misa, and part of that can be attibuted to her personality. Also, it's significant that there isn't more shots of her, especially with her gothic lolita fashion sense.
I had the opposite response to Naomi - I pretty much hated Light from the get go (who watches the watchmen?) for many, many reason, mainly relating the the fact that he's a bored little shit playing god who is too arrogant to realize that he's just like the scum he's killing, only with a slightly more advanced weapon.
So I was practically cheering with joy when Naomi gave him the fake name, yelling, 'Yes, yes SUCK IT LIGHT, SUCK IT!'
Re: TL;DR Theory Time!
Takahashi draws...oh, man. A lot. Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2, Maison Ikkoku, One Pound Gospel, Inuyasha...