What are you reading?

[Dracos]

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7478991/4/Those_Who_Love_Monsters

Simply put...  I think this is an amazing response to the recent chapters of Medaka Box.  An absolutely amazing response.  It's a good halloween fic regardless, but if you know the background, it really is quite fantastic.

[Ebiris]

Ranma is interesting because he's frankly so much better at providing a whirlwind of romantic comedy as a focus than the main lead that totally changes the flavor.

Seriously? Ranma? The oblivious sexless dude who likes a single girl because she has a nice smile and feels nothing for the affections of all the other girls after him?



I realise it's fun to replace the main character with a different one to take the story in exciting new directions from the get-go, but Saito is good at what he does.

But hey, if we're in 'what would make a good crossover' territory, I always thought Zelgadis would make for an awesome familiar. He's noticably monstrous, so it would do away with the tiresome "Hohoho, only you would summon a human, Louise!" bit that's up there with "I have three daughters, pick the one you like!" in terms of repetition in fanfic beyond reason. He'd have a good reason to stick around with Louise, since the new magic system in ZnT might have the cure he craves - in fact, Louise learns an ultimate dispel pretty early in the show, so he could even get restored to human early in the fic, opening much more possibilities to explore. He has his own unique powerset that would let him solve things in different ways than expected, while still being from a fundamentally comedic setting that meshes well with this one. And while he's not a complete dick, he does have flexible morals and relishes having an evil reputation, so he wouldn't be afraid to step out of line and do things his way.

Someone ought to write this!

[Brian]

Drac's stance is that FoZ's major flaw is that Saito is made of cardboard and has no spine -- and is disallowed character growth.  >.>

Edit: To be fair, from what I've read of the manga (and light novel synopsis), there is some epic buttmonkeying going on there.  Like, Goku, the Monkey-King epic.

[Dracos]

Yup, pretty much.  The fact that Saito constantly gets reset on a character growth scale ruins him.  Or at least, that was going on up to where I got sick of the anime (A few eps into season 2).  Look, we want to play up the S/M games again, "DOG, wear this HITME sign".  "Really, you guys have successfully worked together to take out an invading military army and save your queen from assassins.  Grow the fuck up and show each other a little respect already."

To Ranma: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6677172/1/Zero_Interface I contest that he is an interesting source of romantic comedy here, mainly because of a combination of playing with his curse and choosing a unique angle for the whole familiar/master link.  Much more than Saito was in a lot of ways.  Saito could be an interesting character, but isn't really from a romantic comedy angle (as much as women throw themselves at him) anymore than a sort of 'here's busty woman, slapstick beating from louise commencing.'  Well, that's not entirely fair, he does get into some funny situations, but they're more funny sexual ones then romantic stuff.  It's not like he ever gets dragged on anything resembling a date by any of them.

I have no complaint whatsoever though on Eb's idea.  That would be an awesome fic and bring a 'Human that totally escapes the Commoner' garbage change.  Louise is also obviously powerful in an undeniable way.  A magic casting golem that can fly is easily leagues above other familiars in a very clear fashion right from the get go.  Instead of the spring festival being 'yet another failure' first to her eyes, she got something cool.  You're absolutely right that there really could be a cure.  And after that really, he owes her and stays around.  He's used to some epic battles too, but in a very different way as shirou.  And he has friends that might try and come to find him.

In a similar theme, Olg's fic has Eddie come out in full demonic god glory, but different then what Zelgadis does, that kind of demonic presence is scary to the teachers.  But again, also gives Louise a "I summoned something AWESOME" vibe.

[Jon]

World in torment. Apocalyptic cult. Broken children. Wounded adults. Doomed planet. Desperate scientist. Last hope.

Trust me.

[thepanda]

Those who love monsters is complete.

Currently four chapters into Cutting Loose. "What if Naruto befriended Tenten, who then helped him graduate a year earlier?" Nothing special so far, but readable.

[Dracos]

Good ending, though 4 was kinda of the better one :)

Still, an excellent enjoyable work.

[Dracos]

On Cutting Loose:

I remember this, funny enough you linked to the chapter I stopped reading it on.  Namingly in canon, most villages aren't friendly with each other except in the face of overwhelming danger (or to attack).   The delivery of 'Hey Naruto is a Jiinchiruku' from an enemy is fine, but the follow up concern as allies/friends made that chapter just feel really weird.  It just reflected too much of a general knowledge that never felt evident in canon.  Other villages know who the jiinchiraku are well enough to recognize them by name, but it's not general knowledge for the ninjas of the village themselves?  Just felt weird.

[Dracos]

www.fanfiction.net/s/6441645/1/Patriots_Dawn

Read some of this today.  It started out with a pretty neat concept: Uchiha Itachi, playing up his role as dark hero type, decides to give Naruto a message: There are horrible people out to kill him and the sandaime's protection won't be enough.  Work hard, Survive.

It's a nice thought, giving Naruto a more clear/dangerous objective to drive his early years progress.  There's no time for pranking when there's truly dangerous men planning your death and all.

Some things past that seem just done to stand out.  Asuma being the team lead.  Iruka just not connecting with the new Naruto, despite him working really hard.  Naruto getting good at ninjutsu early.  Some weirdness in not really getting what makes or doesn't make an elemental jutsu (Doton jutsu definitely count).

Interesting/unique, Interesting/unique,...WHAM, WAVE COUNTRY.  Sigh.

Overall, the writing is pretty good, but I'm left sort of...not wanting to cheer for Naruto in it.  He's self-centered and self-absorbed.  Even when he is given personal attention and support by both Might Gai and Sarutobi Asumi, he doesn't really go much beyond thinking it's awesome to have support.  It doesn't form links to the leaf village.  Neither does the Sandaime's trust in him.  The team also doesn't feel like a team.  It's almost kind of informed how it goes together.  They never knit with trust.  I've only really read 6ish chapters of it, but I just don't feel it's shooting for a winning trajectory.

Needs to be more Motivation-like :3.

[thepanda]

Needs to be more Motivation-like :3.

The more you mention it, the less chance we'll see a new chapter soon. Don't irritate the Brian. Even if the fic is awesomeness.

You know what's not awesomeness? This fic. Naruto had it tough. I get that. But this pure-purity-pureness bullshit has got to stop. The setup is interesting, but the writing. . . my god.

I'm also taking another stab at Team 8. This will be my third attempt at this fic. I made it to chapter 6 the first time, four the second, and I'm stalling out halfway through three this time. I don't know why I have such a hard time with this fic. The writing isn't bad, the plot is interesting, and it does seem to have something to say about the characters. I just can't seem to get into it. At all.

Can anyone recommend a Naruto fic that's nakama-rific without the need to make everything darker and edgier or turn the whole world against the protagonists or any of the other 'I want you to like these characters so I'll hit you over the head with how much better they are than all of creation' tropes people like to use?

And Drac, I've read Motivation. Several times. Suggest something else. -_-;

[Yuthirin]

Motivation is infinitely suggestible.

[Brian]

What have I wrought?

[Dracos]

Can anyone recommend a Naruto fic that's nakama-rific without the need to make everything darker and edgier or turn the whole world against the protagonists or any of the other 'I want you to like these characters so I'll hit you over the head with how much better they are than all of creation' tropes people like to use?

And Drac, I've read Motivation. Several times. Suggest something else. -_-;

No.  Team 8 is kinda close, but it stays focused on that individual team and not the greater set.  ShaperV's one is more around harem than nakama.

Very few fics focus on a notion that the ninja team in view is even friendly to itself.  Fewer still play with The Will of Fire, that leaf ninja stand beside their own.  It's not a surprise, as the core setup doesn't lend itself to that really and also canonically, while it is a story about Friendship and Understanding conquering all (in the end), it is not a story about Nakama.  Very much not.  Barely ever is it thrown in (2 sections total) that Naruto has allies/friends that will die for him (Chase of Sasuke being one and that's more Sasuke's thing and a brief scene in recent war arc).

So while fics where the team is great/True Friends (team 8, Road Less Traveled, People Lie ), or a character is amazing (Genius of Konoha, Nin Tech, Time Braid), or a character grows (Lavender Beast of Konoha) or is twisted or powerful or devoted (Few Angry Words) or loyal (Will of Fire, Heart of Stone) are common, fics where the village as a whole, or even the main stars hit the kind of 'We're One Piece/Fairy Tail Nakama' is rare.  The canon doesn't lend itself to it.

I'm somewhat convinced at this point that I have read through the entire 1 percent of naruto fics that might have good stuff and good writing in it and be long enough to take a while.  I suspect the same might go for you at this point.

[Dracos]

What have I wrought?

Fans.

[Brian]

When Motivation gets a TVTropes page....

Related:

Panda, Drac, give this list a shot (and yes, Motivation is there...  But it doesn't have a page yet!):
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FanficRecs/Naruto