Kishimoto Masashi - Naruto, vol. 11-16

[oyceter]

So, that part where Orochimaru attempts to talk the Hokage to death wiggle his fingers in a menacing manner take over Konoha? So boring!

Also, Orochimaru is so Voldemort, or Voldemort is so Orochimaru. And obviously, this means the third Hokage is Dumbledore. I feel like Naruto is like Ron if Ron were Harry, and vice versa with Sasuke and Harry, and Sakura is Hermione. Sasuke even has the evil mark put on him by Voldemort Orochimaru, and he is all angry and angsty like Harry.

It's the Hogwarts School of Ninjutsu!

I love Jiraiya so much, and even more so when I realized that Kakashi was just focusing on training Sasuke because Sasuke is just that speshul. I also think rilina's right about Kakashi not being the best of teachers (spoilers till vol. 10 in the link).

But... FROGS! Naruto attempting to call up frogs and only succeeding in tadpoles! The giant frog who looks like Naruto like he's a pesky fly!

I so love Naruto's "WTF?!" face.

And the individual fights! I loved Shikamaru outwitting Temari and then admitting defeat, loved Naruto against Neji and Naruto actually using strategy. And, of course, I love that Naruto gains great confidence from his belief that he can summon giant frogs.

And! And! ROCK LEE!!!!! He is back! Yay! I am so glad we got to see Sasuke and Gaara's fight from Rock Lee's POV! It makes so much sense, and it adds so much more psychological tension to the fight, particularly when we all realize that Sasuke is using the exact same taijutsu he got from Rock Lee, except Rock Lee took years to master it and Sasuke took a few weeks. Poor Rock Lee! I cuddle him and call him woobie.

And of course....

GAARA! OMG! HUGGLES! INCOHERENCY! PAIN!

I was feeling sort of sorry for him after he tried to kill Rock Lee in his sleep, although much ire was reserved for the fact that he tried to kill Rock Lee in his sleep. But, oh, the revelation about Shuukaku! Naruto's empathy, and the look at what Naruto might have become without Iruka, without Sasuke and Sakura and all the rest of Konoha.

I reached this part, and Rachel was asking, "Did you get to Gaara's backstory? Did you? Did you?"

"Maybe?" I said. "I know he's got a demon in him and his clan and his father hate him."

"Oh, yeah, that's not it," she said, disappointed. "Trust me, you'll know it when you get to it."

And then I got to it.

I would like to note that Gaara's aunt uncle is the most evil person alive. And that I was totally awwww-ing over poor wee Gaara with the teddy bear, lost and forlorn, and cheering when his aunt uncle told him that his mother loved him, and that love was important and that pain could be healed by it. And awwww, poor Gaara, and the scene when he tries to commit suicide but is stopped by the sand demon in him? Woe!

And then (as Rachel put it), even if he weren't insomniac, even if his father didn't just try to assassinate him, even if his one parent-figure hadn't just tried to assassinate him, even if he didn't have a monstrous sand creature inside of him, even if everyone weren't scared of him, he would still have the most angsty childhood ever because his one parental figure not only tried to kill him, but also told him that no one loved him, ever, including his own mother, who wanted him dead.

Just.... OW.

Oh yeah, also, the third Hokage sacrificed his life, and I probably would remember this more if a) I cared more about the third Hokage, b) Orochimaru hadn't just wasted hours of my life wiggling his fingers, and c) if it hadn't been cut between the worstest, angstiest, most horriblest tragic childhood ever and wee!Gaara with his big eyes and his wee teddy bear (of DOOM, because everything in manga is of DOOM).

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Comments

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I love Jiraiya. He writes porn, he summons frogs, he throws Naruto over a cliff, he peeks at women and claims it's research, he has cool makeup, and he is a really good teacher-- exactly what Naruto needed. There is nothing to not love.

The Hogwarts School of Ninjutsu (http://www.deviantart.com/view/7286542/).

I am so with you about the finger-wiggling of DOOM. So dull, especially since the Third Hokage was so low on the list of characters I cared about as to not even place.

But then! The tragic teddy bear of DOOM! The sad black-circled eyes! The tragic attempts to be helpful and make friends! The sand rising up under the knife to his wrist! The "ai" tattoo! WOE!

Gaara wins all angst polls, forever and for all time. That evil bitch bastard of an aunt uncle had a way easier death than she he deserved, in my opinion.

[rilina.livejournal.com]

Have you seen any of the crackfic crossovers? This one (http://muffytaj.livejournal.com/280187.html) nearly made me fall off my chair because I was laughing so hard. (Oyce, you can read this one; there aren't any spoilers.)

[rilina.livejournal.com]

The finger wiggling does indeed go on for a really, really long time. Though pne thing I did like about that sequences was the flashbacks we got to the previous generations of genin teams, etc. But overall, it's a part of the story where I skimmed a lot. However, I do think that you're not supposed to care about the death because you already cared about Sandaime; I think you're supposed to care about Sandaime because of how he died. (If that distinction makes any sense, and not to say it necessarily works out that way for all readers.)

I think I officially moved from liking the series to loving the series when Jiraiya showed up, and there was froggy goodness, and the dance o' awesomeness (when he saves Ibiki and co), etc.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

Orochimaru hadn't just wasted hours of my life wiggling his fingers,

Try WATCHING THE ANIME of that part. AAARRGGGGHHHHH.

And now! Now! Now that you've got Gaara's backstory, you can go look at my entry for the Naruto Memorial Project (http://www.deviantart.com/view/11576962/).

[telophase.livejournal.com]

And don't forget my other crossover pic (http://www.deviantart.com/view/8297103/), although I like that painting better. :D

[oyceter]

That picture rocks! Jiraiya would be the bestest DADA teacher ever.

And woe! You have a cute Gaara icon with his giant, black-ringed eyes!

[oyceter]

Hee! I think there should be one of Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura as the Trio facing off against Voldemort Orochimaru.

Although Sasuke would probably take over the Harry role and then Naruto would sulk outrageously, and call up a frog.

[oyceter]

Oh! I loved the flashbacks so much! Especially that repeated trio of kids, wah!

I did like how Sandaime died, though I wish it got there faster... (to sound callous)

[oyceter]

I have indeed heard long and dreadful stories from Rachel about it!

And! I saw your picture! It is awesome! It has a wee teddy bear teh cute it kills!

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Don't you love my sad Baby!Gaara icon? octopedingenue made it for me with the line I requested, from Sondheim's Children Will Listen (http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=F22E76F53C735295), which you should listen to again now that you've read the Chapters of Woe.