#casual!zabuza

[sanflawoah]

Black Myth: Wukong

More brainrot commentary because I'M NOWHERE NEAR DONE WITH GOING INSANE OVER THIS MONKE GAME.

Cursed texts and massive spoilers bellow. Lots of random bits and wee woo wee woo.

First of all, YEEESSS to everything well written big budget media with heavy cultural elements that isn't western centric. Love it 👏, a thousand more like this please.

HONESTLY can't get enough of the character designs. Watching the old tv show in my childhood got me imagining the JTTW characters as these cute human with animal ears. But since the game took a more serious and darker tone they took the character design to 1000. So many memorable characters with distinct style, drip, and combat.

Ok so whose idea was it to make some of the plants sentient and will beat your ass for daring to pick them up. I now have trust issues with ginseng and mushrooms

The toad bosses reminds me of Gamabunta. For a moment they also gave me a war flashback of Jedi Survivor's Oggdo-Bogdo, I want those things vaporised from earth 🔫🔫

Kang-Jin darkening the environment during her second stage, I legit thought it was a problem with my screen, until I found out other players had it too lmao. Also looove her design, silver loong with holographic glow, prettiest loong in the game

Boss musics are so LIT, I've been looping them for weeks

The Scorpionlord. First I saw him I was like HANZO HASASHI :DD??? But instead of hellfire, this time he uses venom. And the fact that the environments have autumn palette, connects me to MK 11 Shirai Ryu fire garden arena lol

an NPC called Starved Abomination. The name really sends me because ngl it's a relatable concept, I too became an abomination whenever I'm starving.

To punish Wukong for his lifetime worth of trash-talking, the game now choose The Destined One as shy and doesn't talk much except for when he screams during fights. All my grievances of expecting him to be chatty and noisy actually works out the more I understand the story. And turns out it was all part of his journey, you are meant to complete him by collecting Wukong's scattered senses. Lil introverted fur-ball of scream I love you so much. Since the NG+++ Wukong stance actually gave him voicelines, I'm guessing the Destined One is going to complete his development in actually becoming Wukong in the DLC.

Everyone and I mean EVERYONE had a beef with Wukong and now we gotta pick up after his mess. My poor Destined One walked into an area completely clueless and suddenly everyone is jumping on him because "REMEMBER THE THING YOU DID TO ME A FEW HUNDRED YEARS AGO??? WELL FUK YOU, NOW DIE."

~

🐱Yin Tiger🐱. First time I met him I was like ohhh who are you, you look so cool and kinda cute tho, look at those big boba eyes, pspspsps.

He's all busy with his hammer and zabuza sword, thinks you're so annoying for bothering his work. Then there's this "challenge" option and suddenly he rose and casually tossed his hammer to the ground, I was like wait I was just joking aYO I WAS JUST JOKING-, then proceeds to delete my HP in 30 seconds. Anyway I love how he appears big and heavy and yet moves so swiftly. Of ALL the tiger bosses in this game, imo he's the coolest and THE SANEST. I still can''t get over the Tiger Vanguard and Mad Tiger trauma, those orange cats are on a whole new level of insanity.

🕷️Fourth Spider Sister🕷️. I'm actually so INVESTED in her mystery, like why are you helping me? Why do you look so sad? Are those tear stains on your cheeks?? Why did the Immortal Crane said that I'm giving you "false hopes"? What were we in the previous life?

"Think about her, won't you? Should you feel like stirring trouble in your next life." WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, TELL ME. SHE SEEMS SO NICE THO, she's just a sad goth girl what did she do?? What did WE do?? And her journal entry is so interesting.

🐉Yellow Loong🐉. LISTEN.... I literally had to pause for a moment when I saw him. Cutscene plays and I was like Oohh it's going to be that type of charismatic character reciting monologue, and then I saw his name and it's THE YELLOW LOONG??? This suave horned man is The Yellow Loong??

Well damn I have to say that's one handsome loong. He's one of those elegant style fighters, my favourite genre, up there with Whiteclad Noble and Erlang Shen.

👁️Erlang Shen⚡. The way I turned up the volume when I heard Andrew Koji's Erlang voice.....It's just so.......pleasant to hear. Something about the way he did his voice, the smug taunts, the gentle almost-whispers, and the gROWLS???

I can't even with the entirety of Erlang's character design in this game, because dAMN BOI what a BEAUTY. I thought the game was going to make his appearance more mature looking, or even scarier, because that's just how it is with game character design formula, especially in games like this. But NOOOOO..... they made him ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. His face, his voice, HIS MOVESS, the way they designed his martial arts so elegantly. When you perfect dodge everything with him, it really feels like a dance. I have to note that when sometimes you tried heavy attack on him aND HE SIMPLY JUST-.... took one step to the side.... THE ABSOLUTE SLAYYY DISRESPECT💅💅. Welcome back Isshin from Sekiro.

Also I just found out that depending on what transformation you're using, he's going to react differently on each. Particularly interesting one was when you use Azure Dust. Most of the time, when you transform, he's going to transform too and chances are he's going to one-shot you out of the transformation. He doesn't do that with Azure Dust for some reason, instead he got amused because Lmao returning back to your origin?. And this line, "Walking his path is no easy feat, it will test you relentlessly". SOMETHING SOMETHING ABOUT ERLANG HAVING THIS HIDDEN BURDEN THROUGHOUT THE PLOT IS DRIVING ME INSANE, I NEED THE DLC TO EXPLORE HIS CHARACTER MORE I'M BEGGING YOU GAME SCIENCE. You can't leave me hanging with his journal entry please I want him to have some peace and closure.

Powerful quiet character with hidden struggle, the bane of my existence, my beloved.

☂️🐉The Four Heavenly Kings🎸🗡️. MAN I love these guys, their fight feels so rewarding somehow, because after all those struggles with Erlang, they feel more like a reward battle for visual entertainment.

Aside from being relatively easy, they're just so fun to watch. I keep wanting to stall the fight just to see what move sets they could perform because their coordinated attacks are just SO COOL.

South king throwing the sword at us, joined by the West king throwing punches, and then the West king passing the sword back to South king. That brief moment of them passing weapons, they need to do more of that, so sick.

The North king combo with every other kings. The West jumping up using the North's umbrella, summoned the dragon, the South yeeting the sword, and the East buffing up the umbrella thrust attack with his Pipa magic. I'd hate to be a normal human citizen under them during that scene GODDAMN. I'd say the West is the game's favourite king because he's the one with the most screentime. He's the one with distinct glowing eyes and he was the most visible behind Erlang during the opening. The North being the coolest because WTF WAS THAT TYPHOON UMBRELLA WITH THE WEST'S DRAGON ROLLING WITH IT, AND THE MUSIC QUE, ABSOLUT CINEMA. The East probably being the chillest of them all because my man was just serenading the fight yo, I like how his fingers actually moves accurately playing the BGM. I know they're on the heaven's side, but for some reason I want them to be on our side if it's possible in the DLC. If we could get Erlang, then surely we can get them? They're too epic not to have.

🐒THE GREAT SAGE'S BROKEN SHELL🐒

THE MONKEY, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND. SUN. WU. KONG. THE SCREAM I SCRUMPT WHEN THIS MF SHOWED UP ON SCREEN. TEARFUL CHEER AND AND UNIMAGINABLE TERROR. AND WITH THAT BITS OF THE OG TV SHOW THEME MOTIF PLAYING WHEN HE SUMMONED JINGU BANG.

Who would've thought that we're going to fight our former self as a literal your greatest enemy is yourself concept. Like yO IT'S THE G HIMSELF WUKONG but now FUK I HAVE TO FIGHT HIM?? Look, sir, Mr. Great Sage, I know I've been playing around as you and I don't even know what I'm doing, I'M SORRY.

So now we're fighting zombie Wukong. He's literally soulless inside and his voice sounds demonic. YET STILL he radiates that lively asshole energy. You try pillar stance to get away from him, he does the same but his pillar is TALLER than yours. You try to walk off calmly, he does the same but then taunts you for it, eats a peach and then flicks the seed to your head. Kicks you to the sky and transforms his jingu bang into a pillar and plants it to the ground with you under it. He cheats by summoning kintoun and body slammed you. He summoned his clones to kick you in all directions only for the original Wukong to wait on the side yawning, then he kicks your jingu bang back at you like "pick it up bitch", and taunts you with his hand gesture to come at him. Ok now you're raging and you tried to pillar stance heavy attack at him, he's like "shut yo bitch-" and GRABBED YOUR JINGU BANG WITH YOU STILL HOLDING ON TO IT AND STARTS USING YOU AS A FLY SWATTER. Just as you think that these suffering couldn't get any worse, you tried to heal and he IMMOBILISED YOU, SNATCHED YOUR GOURD AND TOOK A SIP, decided that it tastes like shit and threw it back at you. Now THIS is the little shit that I know and love.

The whole time you tried to do a move against him, he returned the favour but better. You think your staff extension is long? Ok he'll extend his staff to a kilometer, and that's STILL him holding back. You can do ring of fire? His is bigger in diameter and burns brighter. The game had to nerf out his lore accurate skills because it's just so atrociously OP.

Ok so you finally defeated him? Just as he got dusted away he still managed to croak a last laugh.

Que good ending animated cutscene with the JTTW plot in reverse serenaded with Celestial Symphony. Happy onions, happy onions tearing up the eyes. Crank the volume up, it's all coming together. That's Ba Jie, that's Sanzang, that's Wujing, that's horse.

MMMMMMM MONKE.

[socra-time]

Naruto Episode Comments, Ep. 1-20

(Context: I know a lot of the character’s names and some of the big plot points, but I’m going in blind otherwise)

Ep 1:

-Naruto is kinda annoying but also he’s just a lil gremlin and I can respect that

-I kinda love Iruka. Also he’s hot.

-”Clone jutsu? That’s my worst jutsu!” says Naruto, known for his Shadow Clone jutsu

-there’s just something so charming about the old anime style (but also some of the expressions are so goofy)

-HOLY SHIT IRUKA IS A REAL ONE

-I don’t trust the Hokage. I don’t really have a concrete reason for this yet, but his vibes are off

-oooh Irukaaaaa you’re so sexy for not being an asshole to the traumatized child

-oh I guess Shadow Clone jutsu is different from regular clones so disregard my earlier comment

-honestly this was a better first episode than I was expecting. I’m sold!

Ep 2:

-Naruto continues to be a lil gremlin

-Naruto pls for the love of god stop using your stupid ass “sexy jutsu”

-the Hokage really has had enough of these little kids and honestly I can’t even blame him

-I love the voice of Konohamaru’s trainer (I’m watching dub btw), it’s so pompous

-I love the ninja sandals. I want a pair.

-I like that Naruto’s voice actually sounds childish. It’s a tad bit grating sometimes but I think I’ll get used to it quickly

-STOP IT WITH THE SEXY JUTSU

-STOPPPPPP

-anyways #KonohamaruForHokage

Ep 3:

-again, the ninja sandals are so fucking drippy

-Ino wtf is up with your outfit. Why is half of it bandages

-the amount of sheer passive-aggressiveness in these 12 year old girls-

-Naruto has a crush on Sakura at first???? I didn’t know that lol

-Sasuke does not give a singular shit about anything other than his brooding and tbh I didn’t expect anything less

-Sakura’s little inner monologue is so feral lmao

-I don’t like Sasuke’s voice so far. It’s monotone, but not in an edgy way, just in a kinda dull way? Also he doesn’t really sound like a kid

-no hate to Shikamaru but his ponytail looks painful. My scalp hurts just looking at it

-oh my god not Sakura ragging on Naruto for being an orphan-

-lmao the amount of fucking drama with this team of kids is crazy

-why are the Hokage and Kakashi just casually breaking into Naruto’s home to look around

-rip Naruto’s bowels

Ep 4:

-I was not expecting Kakashi to sound like that but I’m kinda here for it actually

-oh I can already tell I’m gonna hate how the female characters are written in this show. Sakura honey I’m so sorry

-I know Sasuke’s got trauma or whatever but god he’s so fucking edgy. “I hate most things and I don’t like anything” bitch just say your favorite food or something

-oh my god Naruto is so tiny compared to Kakashi

-ok I already see why people love Kakashi so much

Ep 5:

-Kakashi is raining hell down on these children and I’m so here for it

-Kakashi is so COOL

-fucking “HEADHUNTER JUTSU” is the most metal name for a jutsu

-“you think like little kids” says Kakashi to the 12 year olds

-Kakashi really didn’t need to give his “you failed” monologue while pinning Sasuke to the ground. Bro was just doing it to assert dominance lmao

-I know that Sasuke’s reasoning for sharing is logical and not because he cares about Naruto, but I like that he offers his food to Naruto first

-aw the squad is starting to squad just a teeny tiny bit

Ep 6:

-booooo Naruto is a cat hater :(

-I love that Naruto is shorter than Sakura

-I like that we get some worldbuilding early on (also I’m a sucker for a good map so the scene explaining the different regions was cool)

-okay Sasuke is a badass

-Kakashi is also a badass but I already knew that

-I love how chill Kakashi is about literally everything

Ep 7:

-Kakashi is so over the bridge builder guy’s bullshit

-I do wish there was more of a sense of scale regarding how far apart the different locations are, since I have no idea how far away from Konoha the Land of Waves actually is

-okay I was NOT expecting Zabuza to fucking THROW HIS GIANT CLOUD STRIFE SWORD LIKE A BOOMERANG???

-Zabuza 🤝 Kakashi

not wearing their headbands correctly

-I like Zabuza’s voice

-the sharingan doesn’t make that much sense to me in terms of how it works but I’ll just chalk it up to anime logic

EP 8:

-oh the Water Prison jutsu is kinda terrifying to think about

-I can’t get over Zabuza’s fuckin armwarmer thingies

-ah yes gotta love the choppy old anime fight animation

-between Kakashi and Zabuza, Sasuke really cannot get a break from being pinned to the ground

-the demon wind shuriken is so sick-looking

-okay good on Naruto and Sasuke for working together but couldn’t they have given Sakura something to do

Ep 9:

-binging this makes the flashbacks at the beginning of episodes very annoying

-oh Kakashi is fucking PISSED

-shoutout to whoever animated all the hand signs for the jutsus holy shit

-yeah Kakashi would be so annoying to fight ngl

-Sakura is constantly calling Naruto out on his bullshit and that’s the kind of hater behavior I’m here for

-the soundtrack is hitting different this episode

-wow Naruto really saw another kid kill a man and got immediate imposter syndrome lmao

Ep 10:

-I like Haku’s painted nails

-aw Kakashi is actually a really encouraging teacher

-how is Naruto so bad with chakra control and yet was able to master Shadow Clone jutsu????

-Kakashi casually defying gravity to walk up a tree with his crutches was actually kinda hilarious to me for some reason

-I’m still not sold on Sasuke’s voice. There are moments when it’s fine but otherwise it’s just so stiff

-YAY FOR SAKURA GETTING A WIN OVER THE BOYS

-aw Naruto encouraging Sakura was cute (even though he was salty about her beating him)

-I like the difference that’s set up between having a lot of chakra (like Naruto) versus good chakra control (like Sakura)- hopefully this means people are going to go about how they train and fight differently

-Naruto asking Sakura for advice and asking her not to tell Sasuke anything was actually kinda endearing lol

Ep 11:

-dumb question maybe but if Gato is so against the bridge being built and he has the resources to hire a bunch of goons, why doesn’t he just bomb the bridge or something

-ah yes Sakura discovers poverty

-Sasuke is slowly growing on me. He’s very awkward

-Sakura I’m so sorry you have to deal with those two idiots as teammates

-holy fuck Inari’s backstory with Kaiza was darker than I thought it would be

-also rip Kaiza you were a real one

Ep 12:

-lmao not Naruto thinking Haku is prettier than Sakura fjfhshhajasisa-

-aw Sasuke helping Naruto walk home after training was nice, there’s definitely very slight development happening in their relationship as rivals

-Kakashi’s talk with Inari was a really nice moment

Ep 13:

-I like the way Haku talks. It’s very impassive and mysterious

-I’m always a fan of when the MC inspires literally everyone around them and Naruto is no exception

-Haku’s painted nails continue to slay (also I realized his toenails are painted too)

-the needles Haku fights with are really cool-looking but also seem really impractical

-YEAHHHHH NARUTO TIME

-aw Kakashi is proud of his kids

-goddamn Haku is so cool

Ep 14:

-I’m only thinking about this now but did Naruto never wonder why he had a big seal on his stomach

-literally half this episode was recap which was kinda annoying

-Naruto I love you but you’re so stupid

Ep 15:

-I really wish they gave Sakura more to do in this fight. I get that Kakashi’s the only one who can take Zabuza and that we need to see Naruto and Sasuke fighting together, but Sakura is kinda just standing there the whole time

-Haku needs to go to therapy ASAP

-I’m still confused about how Kakashi’s sharingan works tbh

Ep 16:

-aw yeah baby Sasuke sharingan time

-aw yeahhhh Sasuke saving Naruto

-god fucking dammit I think Sasuke is my favorite Team 7 member and I hate that for me

-oh boy Naruto is about to go apeshit

-also there is no way in hell anyone watching this actually believed Sasuke died

Ep 17:

-geez the animation quality really went up this episode

-yeah Haku’s backstory is just as tragic as I thought it would be but also Jesus Christ his relationship with Zabuza is so fucked up

-I’m very curious as to why Kakashi has the sharingan if it’s a bloodline trait of the Uchiha clan (and also why he only has it in one eye)

-Kakashi summoning fucking dogs was so random but also hell yeah doggies

-andddd Kakashi’s a lightningbender? I thought the sharingan was his main thing but apparently not

-Haku PLEASE go to therapy

Ep 18:

-this show’s soundtrack has actually been so good so far

-so like was Naruto actually gonna kill Haku before Haku stopped him

-oh FUCK rip Haku (also first real-time death of the series!)

-Kakashi closing Haku’s eyes and saving his body was nice, you can tell that he feels bad about him dying even though he was on Zabuza’s side

-also they didn’t hold back on the blood, goddamn

-I like that the bridge builder seems to have a bit of a soft spot for Sakura since she’s been with him the most

Ep 19:

-Gato is literally so fucking disgusting I need him dead ASAP

-Kakashi wrangling Naruto back from attacking Gato was kinda funny

-ah yes the big Shonen Protagonist Speech™ from Naruto

-Zabuza’s last hurrah was fucking epic, I really like how his and Haku’s story ended (also the line “where he’s going, I cannot follow” about Zabuza joining Haku in the afterlife was metal). I like that Zabuza got a last moment of humanization

-aw Naruto is such a wholesome, determined lil guy

-oh Naruto is gonna be so insufferable when he finds out the bridge is named after him

Ep 20:

-HELL YEAH CHUNIN EXAM TIMEEEE IM SO EXCITED

-wow Naruto is really out here fantasizing about being Sasuke’s knight in shining armor

-Sasuke is a cocky little shit but also he’s technically right about Naruto and Sakura being “worse” than him

-so far Sakura’s biggest fight has been her beating up fuckin Konohamaru

-SAND SIBLINGS SPOTTED!!!

-I don’t like Temari’s voice

[fatkish]

@kisame-hoshigaki-rp

I just watched Casual Geographic’s new video: Animals with the Worst Childhood and now I’m curious

Is this what it was like growing up in Kirigakure? I mean, I know it was called the Blood Mist Village but seriously. Zabuza said that your Genin exam included killing off everyone else. Tell me please, tell me these childhoods are worst than what you went through. My poor sweet shark man, tell me your childhood wasn’t this bad. I know somewhat of Itachi’s and a little of Sasori’s (Sasori was the cutest kid ever, super adorable) but I don’t know yours. Tell me that your childhood was nice, even if it wasn’t. It’s gonna break my heart if it was as bad as this. Also, here’s a picture of Sasori as a child.

And here’s Itachi just because

Look at how cute he is! My plan is to go back in time and Kidnapp Itachi and give him a better childhood even if he kills me. Do I have to kidnapp you too Kisame? I’ll adopt every Akatsuki kid. Even Hidan.

[x-authorship-x]

how do the narutoverse characters all speak the same language? i get it if its in the same land / village, but another land / village ??? how do they understand eachother?? do they have the same universal language or do they all speak the same language?

... i'm definitely nit-picking now. if only i could learn to be a normal human being and stop having existential crises with these question~~~ ��

Also technology is wack in Naruto, wdym you send messages thru letters but you guys have phones, emails and television??

Well... for a given understanding of what exactly is the "same language" and a forgiveness of regional dialects, varying literacy, and colloquialisms... Everyone speaks Japanese in Canon.

I don't know Japanese and I haven't watched/read the manga/anime so I couldn't say if the Japanese used is consistent across characters or anything. Also I'm not looking for anyone to kick down my ask box to info dump on this

In my fics, I lean into varying accents and local colloquialism in order to give a sense of varying regions, class, culture, etc etc. However, writing in English is very different from writing in Japanese because... well, I don't speak Japanese so I know the vibes of 'why' but I literally can't explain it.

Shisui speaks like a perfect Clan kid from the heart of Konoha; Raidou is from the same place but his voice is rounder, less polished, and he might have shared some "rougher" slang with his Squadmates since he's the only one who grew up in a working class civilian neighborhood.

Kisame has a different accent to Shisui (Kiri compared to Konoha) but they are totally fine with communicating because they've both had a high level of village-centred education that teaches them how to talk, how to speak, and how to blend in. Kisame has therefore been trained out of his rural dialect/accent (later on in this AU, some of you may notice that Zabuza has stubbornly held onto his).

When Shisui was undercover in Lightning's rural areas, he altered his accent and manner of speaking to better blend in.

The Crows speak in a way that is totally different to Humans. Shisui, as a fluent but obviously non-native speaker, uses much more basic language. There are noticable translation issues (no word for 'Hokage' so they use 'Hat', they never use Human Names, Akira isn't Akira's 'true name' but rather the Human equivalent used for functionality) which emphasises that the Crow language is completely distinct from the Human's.

Let's get back to Canon (🙃)

People can speak the "same language" and not be able to understand a word the other person is saying. I know a woman who's husband's family were from a different village and the in-laws could barely make small talk because they were so heavy on the slang, which absolutely did not translate to the other region's slang.

In Narutoverse, there's some stuff to consider off the top of my head

One, it's an anime, Kishi has too much timeline to forget and insane plot decisions to introduce to bother with linguistic nuance and do this idea justice so - as far as I'm aware - he didn't do language variation in canon.

Two, I think if Shinobi villages had their own languages, it would be something treated more like a hidden code than used casually, domestically, or be ritualistic in important events etc. I do think there'd be a shared 'higher' language at least, for treaties and Daimyos and shit, even if the rural farmers didn't know it even existed. And this means Shinobi would know it too.

Three, texting. Can the rural farmer own a cute little flip phone with a few attached charms? The world of translation would surely open up at least, although that doesn't mean dialects or different languages would disappear

Again, I'm not a linguist and i have no interest in being one!

The idea is cool tho

(every time I answer an ask, I tell myself it'll be shorter this time and yet...)

[sneezemonster15]

Hey, I hope you're well :)

You know how one of the most famous jokes people make about naruto is " power of friendship" right? Like how naruto gets strong cuz of his friends and stuff like that. Did the anime add the power of friendship in? Like in the first arc its naruto bonding with sasuke in the land of waves and then them getting crazy over each other, then in the forest of death it's naruto encouraging sasuke to get strong and sasuke spotting naruto imposters, then in after coming back from orochimaru's lair naruto learns a new power to catch up to sasuke, in the pains arc he learns a sage mode to avenge Jiriya, and then after that it's back to sasuke. Like to me, the arc either had to do with sasuke or something else, not really the other teams ( aparts from shikamaru and the others avenging asumas death), you only get snippets of naruto interacting with the other teams. His motivation for getting strong had nothing to do w the other teams right? To me he didn't interact with the other teams much. I could of missed something out tho... so yea, did the anime add it in? Bty I've only read the manga so I'm wondering if it was changed in the anime.

Hey. Yes, I am well. :)

It's true that anime did push the friendship element featuring Naruto in fillers. There is an episode or two where eight year old Naruto, Shikamaru, Chouji, Sakura feature and it portrays that Naruto was always friends with these characters when in canon, all of these characters were categorically shown to resent, hate, or simply be dismissive of Naruto. There's also a couple of filler episodes that feature a character called Sora, where Naruto is shown to commingle with other Konoha characters such as Kiba and Shikamaru, which pushes the idea of power of friendship. There are other episodes as well where Naruto is shown to join other teams such as Gai's team or team eight on some mission or the other.

In canon, he mostly is a part of his own team, and other times, other members join him up for certain missions such as Sasuke retrieval arc or when they are fighting the Akatsuki members Hidan and Kakuzu, where Naruto is shown to value friends other than Sasuke but well, the whole point of the arc was to bring Sasuke back. Even when he fights Hidan and Kakuzu, he insists on going it alone.

Naruto mostly learns from anti hero archetype characters such as Haku, Zabuza, Neji, Gaara, Obito, Nagato and Sasuke, of course. But his relationship with Sasuke is different, much more intense and complex. His quest starts to become the hero, the hokage, the strongest ninja ever, but when he loses Sasuke at the end of part one, it becomes about Sasuke and how to get strong enough to bring him back, and becoming hokage takes a backseat. This is especially highlighted in the kage arc. He defies every single person that he respects, approves or is friends with, whether it be Shikamaru, Kakashi, Gaara, Sakura, for Sasuke.

You aren't wrong. In canon, this element of friendship focuses on his friendship with Sasuke. We only get snippets of his interaction with other teams and the most meaningful interaction that he has among those is with Shikamaru, as he is the one who consoles Naruto after Jiraiya's death. His interaction with Kiba is limited to casual insults, with Hinata it's mostly to encourage her, his interaction or lack of it with Shino is basically a canon joke, he has a meaningful interaction with Neji in the first part but it is almost entirely missing in Shippuden until war arc where he dies, his interaction with other members such as Ino, Chouji, Lee, Tenten is very limited. At best, it's casual and fleeting. In war arc, we see these characters go the extra mile for Naruto, but really, it's a war where everyone's life is hanging in a balance and Naruto is obviously their only hope. Of course, there's no malice in it. But Naruto sees it as friendship, something he always wished for, to be accepted. He has been accepted and approved by others in Pein arc and from there onwards, his magnanimity and selflessness makes him push himself further and further for the sake of the shinobi world and while everyone is fighting to the same ends, supporting him, he sees it as a team effort. But really, it was mostly him. And then Sasuke. Those two are the main act.

Fillers aren't to be taken seriously. They are written by different authors, a lot of whom don't really get the point of the manga or a character. I mean, don't you think it defeats the entire purpose and motivation of Naruto's character to be shown as being so hobnobby and friendly with all these other characters when the whole point of his struggle and tragic backstory was that he was the kyuubi vessel, always ostracized, resented and abhorred by everyone, which in turn informed his driving factor to become hokage, something which will make him finally be accepted?

So yeah. Most fillers defy canon and are basically shit. Naruto's greatest motivation in part one, to start with was to become Sasuke's equal so as to be able to be friends with him, to become as strong or more than Sasuke, which would then lead to him becoming hokage one day. And in part two, the hokage dream is there in conjunction with bringing Sasuke back, but obviously, if Sasuke isn't in his world, absolutely nothing matters. Not being hokage, not being the fated hero, not being the stopper of the cycle of revenge, nothing. That boy is crazy about Sasuke and absolutely nothing trumps that. No matter who tries to make him do it.

[rozaceous]

while zabuza pov would be ELITE, sakura must be entirely off the rails at this point and im dying to know how, and tenzo is my severely underrated bestie; shikamaru having a thing for mariko is THE funniest thing holy shit. canon shikamaru says "i want a normal wife who isnt too pretty or ugly and doesnt nag" and then his brain points at mariko like THAT ONE and hes like hey. what the fuck <3. i dont necessarily want them canon and we JUST got fed with the new haku chapter but holy shit the idea of them together being the ultimate [NO ONE liked that] couple. i NEED to see team ten roast him alive over this. yoshino doesnt LIKE it but shes absolutely lowkey hoping this girl beats the misogyny out of him and meanwhile shikaku is sweating bullets at the idea of having to add her to the family tree.

(we're getting all these snippets eventually, dw)

ohohohoho anon. shikamaru in canon wants the stereotypical calm life and then marries SABAKU NO TEMARI, whom he once termed, very complimentarily, "the cruelest kunoichi." this boy has no idea what he actually likes/there's some dissonance there lol.

so if mariko kicked his ass definitively in the chuunin exams (again, she gets out of his hiden, which no one has ever done before, literally) and only gets scarier from there? well. his father's preference for domineering women might just be genetic.

for the record, shikaku thinks this is hilarious. yoshino thinks this is a sign of shikamaru developing taste. (also, you want the girl who can break your hiden in the clan. just...putting that out there.)

mariko tho would not take shikamaru's casual misogyny well. she'd look at him like he was scum lurking at the bottom of a stagnant pond. this, unfortunately, would not help matters. and you can BET that ino is roasting him, absolutely.

[ayeathelas]

[Chapter 5: Swords and Tools] Lost - One Piece and Naruto Crossover

(UPDATED: 05/19/23)

Morning comes soon enough, and the harbor is still. Birds call in the sky, and fish swim through the water, but Zoro can tell the village doesn’t get many visitors.

Fishermen set off in their boats, casting their nets out, the wind softly billowing in their sails. Zoro’s lying down on over the white-washed pony walls near the road to the sea, eyes closed and legs crossed as he takes in the warm sun like a lazy cat. It’s not the worst way to spend his morning. It feels good, and the gentle breeze rustles through his hair, cooling him down.

A shadow falls across his face. Zoro’s peaceful expression turns into a scowl. He opens his eyes to be met with the ugly mug of a swordsman.

“Really?” Zabuza scoffs. “You napping? Now?”

Zoro doesn’t move. “What, you got a problem with that?” he retorts, relaxing further into his pose.

Zabuza huffs quietly, looking away from him and glancing up at the cloudless blue sky. “Whatever. Don’t get too comfortable. It’ll probably rain today.” He turns to stare at Zoro. “You planning on staying out here all day?”

“I’m enjoying the sunlight,” he answers coolly, closing his eyes again.

Zabuza rolls his eyes. “Yeah, whatever. I don’t care.”

Zoro opens his eyes, side-eying the Kiri-nin. He’s been acting weird since yesterday— something’s off. He’d ask what’s wrong, but from prior experience (i.e. Sanji) it has to be worded well or an argument will ensue.

“Oi,” Zoro asks, propping himself up on the limestone wall, “what’s your deal? If you’ve got a problem with me, quit beating around the bush and just say it.”

Zabuza looks over, his face blank but his eyes narrowed. Then he turns and stares at the ocean. “Since when were you a bounty hunter?” he asks. There’s a tinge of apprehension in his voice, but also… disappointment.

Well, maybe that’s not the response Zoro wanted.

The greenette shrugs, leaning back against the stone wall. “Since you're so curious, yeah, I was a bounty hunter for a short while. Mostly for the money. I took on a few jobs here and there, but it was mostly on pirates.”

Zabuza sighs. “You ever heard of a Bingo Book?”

“Nope.”

“It's a dark ledger of the damned, a collection of names and faces of those deemed enemies of the shinobi world. It's a catalog of targets, marked for elimination. Each entry a stain, a record of blood spilled and debts to be paid. A tool for the ambitious, the ruthless, and the heartless. It's a book that holds the secrets of shadows, a list of prey to be hunted down, captured or terminated. For those who make it into the bingo book, it's a mark of infamy, a testament to their sins or perceived threats.”

“That's some heavy shit,” Zoro admits. “So what, are you a bounty hunter?”

“Something like that,” Zabuza grunts.

Zoro hums and glances out at the sea, watching as a school of fish dart beneath a wave. The sun is already rising higher in the sky, burning hot against his skin, and a cool breeze brushes past him, carrying with it the salt smell of the sea and the sharp tang of smoke from the nearby fire pit.

“Cut to the chase. What’s this really about?” Zoro finally asks, breaking the silence. His gaze is fixed firmly on his reflection in the calm water. He keeps his arms folded casually against his chest, but there’s no mistaking the tension in his muscles.

“Stay away from Haku,” Zabuza orders flatly.

Zoro turns his head in confusion. “What?”

“You heard me.” Zabuza’s voice is gruff, his words clipped. He turns towards the sea, the sun reflecting off his sword. His gaze flits around the beach, taking in his surroundings. “What makes you think I want anything to do with a pirate, anyway?” he asks, voice dripping with contempt.

“Why does it matter?” Zoro counters, his voice full of annoyance. “Is this about me being a bounty hunter?”

Zabuza narrows his eyes, but doesn’t respond.

Zoro presses further. “Do you really think I’d sell out my companions?”

“It’s not below other bounty hunters to take bounties on other hunters.”

“That’s crazy!”

“Is it?” he asks, staring at Zoro. “I’d say I’m being reasonable,” he says as he crosses his arms.

Zoro shakes his head. “What’s Haku to you, anyways?”

He pauses, letting the question hang in the air for a moment. He watches the sea as waves crash onto the shore, ripples splashing against the sand as the waves recede once more. The gulls cry somewhere far off in the distance.

Zabuza stays silent for a moment before turning his head to look at Zoro. "He's my tool," he replies simply, averting his gaze. His voice is almost nonchalant, like this is an everyday conversation.

“Your tool?” Zoro echoes. That doesn't sound like a compliment to him.

“That’s right.” Zabuza turns back to stare at the horizon as the wind blows against him slightly. It smells fresh and salty, carrying with its breeze a faint smell of fish. He closed his eyes. “Like a sword.”

Zoro walks until he stands in front of him, eyes narrowed and dark. “People are not swords,” he mutters in anger. He pulls out the Wado Ichimonji, tilting it to let the blade catch the sun's rays. “They break more easily.”

His thoughts drift to a swordswoman, one who refused to back down from a fight, and the stone over her earthen bed.

Zoro places his hand on the hilt of his blade, gripping it tightly. “There are things that can't be cut,” he continues with his dark, threatening tone. “What happens then? Haku is a person,” he seethes, “one with his own thoughts and feelings. He deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, not like some object to be used and discarded.”

“Ha!” Zabuza scoffs. “What do you know about loyalty and honor? You pirates are all the same.” He raises his chin defiantly, his lips pulled in a snarl. “You'll never understand the bond between a ninja and his tool.”

“Well,” Zoro begins, shifting his weight and folding his hands across his chest. “We pirates have a strong sense of camaraderie and loyalty to our crewmates. We would never treat someone as a mere tool. He deserves better than that.”

“You talk a big game, swordsman,” Zabuza sneers. “But I don't see you doing anything about it.”

Zoro takes another step forward, his finger pointing at Zabuza’s chest. “If you don't change your attitude towards Haku, I'll make you regret it. I won't let you treat him like a tool while I'm around."

Zabuza stares at the green-haired man, searching for some expression on his face. When he doesn’t find it, he turns away. “Tch.” He walks back towards the house without saying another word.

Zoro sheathes his sword, laying back down angrily, squeezing his eyes shut to get rid of the other man’s ugly mug from his vision. Stupid bastard, he thinks irritably. He’d learn soon enough.

He hears a soft thud on his right. Probably some cat, or something. Not important enough to open his eyes.

“Did you mean that?” the cat asks, sounding strangely like Haku.

Cats can’t talk. Zoro turns and opens an eye, a timid Haku standing next to him.

"Sorry for waking you up!" Haku says, looking embarrassed.

"Don't apologize,” Zoro yawns, stretching lazily before getting up. “I wasn’t asleep anyway. Did I mean what?”

“What you said,” Haku repeats softly, trying to keep his voice even. “To him, about me.”

He nods firmly, his gaze intense. “Hell yeah, I did,” he replies. “You're not just some puppet for Zabuza to control. You're a badass fighter and a person with your own thoughts and feelings.”

Haku smiles, his cheeks warming from the rare praise. “Thank you, Zoro. But I must ask, why would you risk angering Zabuza-sama by speaking like that?"

Because he doesn’t seem to realize he treats you like that, is what Zoro wants to say. But instead, he settles with telling him something else.

Zoro watched Haku for a moment, gauging his expression. He can see the uncertainty in the younger boy's eyes, the same doubt that he had once felt himself. It’s something he recognizes all too well, the feeling of being used and discarded, of being seen only for one's utility and not as a person with their own worth.

"You remind me of a friend of mine," Zoro says suddenly, his voice quiet. “His name is Chopper.”

Haku looks up at Zoro with curiosity, his eyes reflecting the town in front of them. "Chopper?" he asks.

The salty breeze fills their lungs, bringing a sense of peace to their troubled minds. Haku fiddles with a blade of grass, his eyes cast down as Zoro begins to speak.

"Chopper is a friend of mine," he says, his voice low and solemn. "He's been through a lot, just like you. People used to see him as a monster, something to be feared and avoided. He felt like his only value was in his abilities, as a doctor or a fighter."

Haku listens intently, his eyes fixed on Zoro. "That sounds terrible. How did he overcome that?"

Zoro leans back against a nearby rock, his eyes staring off into the distance. "It wasn't easy. Chopper had to learn that his value wasn't determined by other people. He had to realize that he was more than just his abilities, that he was a person with his own thoughts and feelings. And he had to find people who would accept him for who he was, not just what he could do for them."

Haku nods slowly, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "I live to serve him. Shinobi are nothing more than tools."

Zoro's gaze hardens as he looks at Haku. "You're worth more than that, Haku. You have your own hopes and dreams, your own desires and fears. You're not just a tool to be used and discarded. You're a person, with your own worth and dignity."

Haku looks up at Zoro, his eyes searching. "I couldn’t betray Zabuza-sama like that. What are you asking me to do?"

Zoro's hand finds Haku's shoulder, the touch gentle and comforting. "You have to ask yourself. What's more important? Living up to someone else's expectations, or following your own path?"

Haku takes a deep breath, his eyes shining with uncertainty. "I don't know," he whispers.

Zoro sighs. "It's not an easy question to answer. You have to find the answer for yourself."

The waves crash against the shore, the sound a soothing lullaby. Haku looks out at the sea, his mind racing with thoughts and doubts. But there's a seed of hope, of possibility, that's been planted within him. He doesn't know where it will take him, but for the first time in his life, he feels like he has a choice. A choice to be more than just a tool. A choice to be himself.

Haku looked up at Zoro, his eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you, Zoro,” he whispers to the swordsman.

Zoro grunts in response.

The next morning is as sleepy as the previous one, and as the village wakes up, Pino is frying some fish at the small stove in the corner of his kitchen.

Zabuza is still slightly groggy when he enters the room and sees Haku asleep on Zoro’s shoulder on the sofa. The greenette’s hair is disheveled, sticking up everywhere, and his shirt hangs loosely from his body. He yawns loudly and stretches out lazily, his arms above his head and his legs sprawled out.

“Mornin’,” he mumbles sleepily.

“Morning,” Zoro replies as he rubs his eyes with the heel of his palm. “How'd you sleep?”

Zabuza gives a grunt of acknowledgment before sitting heavily down on a chair opposite the couch.

Loud knocks come from the door, startling Haku awake and nearly causing him to fall off the armrest of the sofa.

“I’ll get it,” Pino says, walking towards the door and opening it.

A group of villagers stands anxiously, and Zoro can pick out a few he remembers seeing before.

“Hello! Good morning to you all,” Pino greets.

“Pino,” one interrupts, a shade of fear cast on his face. “He’s on his way!”

“Who is?” Zabuza asks, resting his arm on the doorframe.

“Kaizuko!” a woman interjects. “He’s coming here, right now!”

Pino gasps. “Here? Now?”

“Yes!”

“Why?” Zabuza demands. “What does he want?”

The villagers exchange glances, and then one of the women speaks up again. “He wants more money. We already paid them this month, but he’s been going around, door to door, this morning demanding us to pay our taxes. 50,000 ryo per person.”

Pino pales. “I— wait, I couldn’t possibly afford that!” he stammers nervously, looking at everyone else. They all shrug helplessly, the expressions on their faces saying it all: they didn’t think anyone could.

Zoro’s eyes darken. History seems to be repeating itself again.

"Why would he need more money?" Pino continues. "We just paid them two weeks ago."

"Actually," Haku interjects, "I've been meaning to talk to you all about tha—"

A man suddenly comes running toward the group. "He's here!" he shouts between pants as he comes to a stop in front of Pino's house. "He's here, it's—"

"Who's here?" a certain warlord asks, seemingly having appeared out of nowhere.

The crowd jumps up with a scream, dispersing quickly. Kaizuko is left behind, his shifty-looking men standing behind him.

"Those stupid peasants," he mutters. "Pino, your donation, please," he demands with a snap of his fingers. One of his men reaches his hand out, open, awaiting the money.

Pino chuckles nervously. "My lord, you see, about that—"

But Zoro cuts him off. He stands up and walks over toward Kaizuko and his men. As soon as he's close enough, his fist connects with his opponent's jaw, sending him flying across the courtyard.

Kaizuko rubs his jaw in a self-soothing manner, his eyes darkening. "What's this, Pino?" he asks menacingly, taking a step closer. "I thought we decided to keep things simple for the time being."

"Of course," Pino agrees, backing away and raising his hands defensively. "But you see, I've run into a little problem."

"Don't tell me you used my money to hire these thugs!"

"Who are you calling a thug?" Zabuza asks, stepping out from the doorframe, Haku trailing behind him. His tall shadow looms over the others, casting an imposing figure on the ground. The three soldiers, their jaws dropping and their eyes wide with shock.

"Sir?" one of his men whispers. "That man is Momochi Zabuza."

"So what?" Kaizuko snarls, standing to his feet.

"He is also known as the Demon of the Hidden Mist."

"Oh."

The men stand still as the realization sinks in. "OH!"

Kaizuko scrambles backward. "Y-you! Demon!" he points to the unamused man. "We'll be back! With backup! Don't think you can get away from us!"

Zabuza takes another step forward, and Kaizuko nearly trips on his cape as he runs away, his soldiers scrambling after him.

Pino stands in shock, watching as the men scatter, the sounds of their heavy footfalls echoing through the village and fading rapidly. Haku blinks sleepily behind Zabuza before rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and joining the rest in shock. He turns to look at Zoro, his expression one of disbelief.

"Did you really punch that guy?" Haku asks.

Zoro shrugs. "He was getting on my nerves."

"Good," Haku nods before walking back into the house.

Zoro turns to the other swordsman, something unrecognizable in his expression. "What the hell was that about?" he asks, his voice low and angry, yet carrying underneath a hint of confusion. "Demon of the Hidden Mist? Give me a break."

Zabuza shoves Zoro aside. "It's not a name I wanted. Fuck off." He walks away without another word, leaving Zoro standing there staring after him, confused and slightly stunned by everything he had seen earlier.

"The Demon of the Hidden Mist," Pino says, staring at the harbor. "It's not a pretty story."

"Is it?"

"Hmm." He turns to the green-haired swordsman. "They say he got that name on the battlefield during the last Shinobi War. He'd pop up out of the mist and you'd never be seen again. He's a ghost story. I bet there are a lot of people out there who'd want to get their hand on him."

Zoro thinks back to the conversation they had about bounties. "Oh." What the missing-nin had said made sense now. Or, at least, his protectiveness of Haku did.

Pino sighs, leaning back on the doorframe. "I imagine it must be lonely to be like him," he turns his gaze to Zabuza's figure, walking off in the distance. "Probably can't trust most people."

Under the moonlit sky, Haku moves with the grace of a shadow, his lithe figure blending seamlessly into the darkness. Clad in a black cloak that billows around him, his destination is fixed in his mind's eye. Tonight, Haku would bring Kaizuko to justice. And he had the perfect idea of how he was going to do it.

On his walk that morning, he'd come across a printing house that was situated in the middle of the village. A little exploring revealed that it had three entrances - two doors on the first floor, and a window that he had found out was usually open, according to a villager that had passed by him when he was observing.

Silently, Haku approaches the printing house that hummed with activity during the day but now lays dormant and unguarded. With practiced ease, he scales the walls, his nimble fingers finding purchase on the cracks and ledges. Reaching the balcony, he crouches down, surveying the landscape before him.

He slinks through the open window, silently making his way down to the main floor where the press was held. Luckily, it seems that the owner had left in a hurry that day, leaving behind paper and ink on a desk. Haku figures out the mechanism behind the press quickly, and he wastes no time printing his message. He sneaks back upstairs, wincing when the open window causes a draft to slam a door shut.

The night breeze whispers through the streets, carrying the secrets of the village, and Haku takes advantage of this unseen ally. From the folds of his cloak, he produces a stack of flyers that will reveal the truth about Kaizuko. Each sheet bears damning evidence of the leader's gambling addiction, outlining how it has compromised his judgment and integrity. Haku's handiwork will be the catalyst that shatters the façade, exposing the warlord's vices to the populace.

With a determined focus, Haku sets about his task. Swiftly and silently, he slips from rooftop to rooftop, his bare feet barely making a sound on the tiles. With each leap, he leaves behind a trail of flyers, like whispers of rebellion in the wind. From the darkened heights, he watches, perched, as the flyers scatter across the village, carried by the night breeze to reach their intended recipients.

As the flyers descend upon the village, they dance and twirl, guided by the unseen hands of fate. Some flutter through open windows, landing on tables and into the hands of unsuspecting citizens. Others find their way into the streets, where passersby will discover them as they embark on their daily routines in the morning. Haku's revenge is set in motion, and the truth will find its way to those who needed it most.

Haku's eyes glint with a sense of satisfaction as he watches his message of justice unfold beneath the moonlit night. He knows the impact of his actions will be significant, that the seeds of doubt sown in the hearts of the villagers will take root and grow. Kaizuko will be exposed, his hold weakened by the revelation of his addiction. Maybe it would even inspire the village to rise up against him.

With the task completed, Haku retreats from the rooftops, fading into the shadows once again. The night continues to envelop the village, as if nothing has transpired. But deep within, the spirit of change stirs, its whispers growing louder with each passing moment.

Haku has cast his die in this dangerous game, and the wheels of fate are set in motion. The path to justice has been illuminated, and it is only a matter of time before the sleepy little village finds itself ablaze with rage.

[LOST masterlist]

[jacksgreysays]

Fake Fic Summaries 31/?, the Ice Ice Baby edition (2023-04-22)

“Something chill,” you say with a shrug of your nonexistent shoulders. “Cool but, you know, chill,” you say, affecting a casual demeanor you don’t really feel because if you aren’t focusing on that then you’ll freak out about the fact that your shoulders don’t exist because you are dead and talking to Death.

{COOL. CHILL.} says Death.

“If it’s not too inconvenient,” you add, because it wouldn’t do to be rude to the end of all things.

You don’t have eyes to see, but you get the feeling that Death is smiling.

A rebirth and three years later, ice forming over your toddler hands, you finally get the joke.

Or, another take on a SI!OC but this time Yuki clan style

~

Real tiny post because I really wanted to put that summary out in the world, but I don’t think I’ll follow up on it. Mostly because I’ve got so many other OCs and also because, given the set up, so much of this would be creating things whole cloth as opposed to the fun puzzle of taking canon, tearing it to bits, and then making a nice little mosaic from the pieces.

I have a few more thoughts about it: mostly considerations on whether or not this would be Haku’s twin, as in the tradition of many SI!OCs, because the DoS take of Zabuza and Haku’s relationship being more benign means that’s actually the best outcome for a pair of orphans fleeing the bloodline purges which means they really shouldn’t change too much. In which case it just becomes a Haku is actually reincarnated fic… which actually isn’t counter to the fake fic summary above, but would mean the Haku we know and love is gone, RIP.

I have other Yuki clan headcanons—based on the Legends of Sunshine campaign I was part of—but they’re minor at best and, again, don’t really change/affect/involve familiar canon stuff.

Anyway, you may have noticed that I didn’t put a fake fic title before the fake fic summary, but that’s because the only ones I can think of are so stupid and very clearly makes the genre comedy and they’re all rough variations of: Go Frost Yourself

Which would make this particular SI!OC, like, a barnstorming type of high energy “I’m so mad at my past self that they made a joke to Death and ended up here that I’m never going to pretend to be calm when I’m not ever again” type of thing. Which is pretty interesting for an ice user since by archetypes they’re mostly… you know… cool.

I'll see myself out now.

[skykashi]

The way Zabuza, an S-rank rouge Ninja was hiding, discreetly watching them thinking that no one can see him then Kakashi casually turns his head back and looks right into his eyes is just badass af

is he about to show his face?

[the-husbando]

🔪Zabuza Momochi🔪

[tora-the-cat]

Zabuza: We’ve got you beat brats, haha

Kakashi, excited to unleash these children on another soul: haha. you’ve activated my trap card. my secret weapon, you may say.

Zabuza: wh- what? the fuck are you talking about?

Kakashi: Sasuke, use repressed anger issues!

[thiefking]

btw people are still kinda doing this, on tumblr and in this fashion, i'm sure, but i know they are personally because (and no offense to this person i thought it was quite sweet) i left a comment on a video a while back explaining my own interpretation of a fuckin naruto episode was that naruto had NOT instantly convinced zabuza haku mattered but that zabuza had always felt that way, kakashi had picked up on that and tried to quiet naruto because he didn't need to say it, and naruto said it anyway thus rubbing salt in the wound and forcing zabuza to ditch the facade cause at that point it'd hurt his pride more to keep pretending

i laid all that down super casually just pointing out various little tells and employed the phrase "stuck his little ramen fingers inside that gaping (emotional) wound". & i got a lot of replies from people remarking they'd never thought about it like that but i made a good point/was probably right/etc and that's nice but then this one guy replies that i could make an entire channel analyzing scenes/episodes like this and well i appreciate it but i literally only analyzed that one because i realized other people interpreted it differently to me and i fear doing an entire series would just be repeatedly stating the obvious

i truly believe it's tumblr's fault all those terrible tiktok books exist but only because people wouldn't stop telling literally everyone on this website "holy shit write a book" whenever they had one slightly interesting idea or made a joke that happened to suggest a story about that subject

[captnjacksparrow]

Hey. So when do you think Sasuke realised his true feelings for Naruto? I feel like he knew since part one itself, in some way at least. He was aware of something. When Sasuke tells Naruto his body moved on its own, I feel like there were seeds of realisation or at least a trigger point. In Shippuden, he always seems like he is fully aware of his depth of feelings for Naruto, he gets super emotional because of it. The fact that he is driven to ask Naruto again and again about his feelings, and is disappointed except for chapter 698 proves that he knew this feeling was somehow different, and he wanted understanding from Naruto, maybe to validate his own feelings, since he is equally inexperienced if not oblivious like Naruto.

He knows deep down that Naruto is special to him, he adores Naruto privately, he had since before the genin days. At the end of vote 1, I think he realises it fully, his true feelings for Naruto. What do you think?

Wonderful Ask, Anon!!! 😍😍😍. 

[[Lengthy Post ahead]]

WHEN DID SASUKE REALIZED HIS TRUE FEELINGS FOR NARUTO?

I am damn sure, like 100%, the moment he realized his true feelings is when he thought he was going to die and recollected all the memories he shared with Naruto (including the Accidental Kiss and Roasting Sakura for insulting Naruto) for one Last Time in the Land of the Waves Arc.

You might be thinking now, "What makes you so sure?"

Well, Kishimoto just hammered into our faces in many plotlines.

How is this panel has to do anything with Sasuke?, You may ask.

The answer is here.

"You will realize what you are, as death comes to embrace you".

Itachi, no matter how cold he acted before Sasuke in that battle, he simply couldn't keep up his Evil Brother act at the final moment of his death.

He just smiled. That is who Itachi really was and always will be for Sasuke.

Again, you may ask, 'All this happens much later in the series, Kishi might've had a different mindset back when he was drawing part 1'.

You are right. But Kishi's mindset was the same all the time. He even established this 'True face before Death' theme very strongly in Land of the Waves arc itself.

This is who Zabuza really was. He didn't treat Haku like a Tool. Infact, his final words were, "I wanted to go the same place as you".

Kakashi made sure to convey this message to Haku in the War Arc, when he fought with the Edo Tensei'ed Haku and Zabuza.

And there are many characters who died in this series. Almost all of them projects their true feelings before their death. Just rewind the deaths of Nagato, Yahiko, Konan, Obito, Madara. You might've noticed that there won't be any lies. For Example, Obito. When he died for the first time, he was really thinking about Kakashi and Rin. He even said, ‘I wish I could’ve spent more time with them’. That’s who Obito really was. He was convinced with that Tsukuyomi plan because he wanted to live in a dream world where Rin and Kakashi will be with him happily. 

So, a person, at their final moment thinks only about all their memories shared with that 'precious' person signifies only one thing. That person must have unconditionally loved the one they thought about.

Sasuke realized that he loves Naruto at that moment and he had no regrets because he smiled before falling into Naruto's lap.

And I always wondered, 'Why did Sasuke thought only about Naruto? Didn't he have any other good memories other than the ones he shared with Naruto?'.

Well, this goes way back when he was just 8, right after the Massacre. Yes, the chapter 698 confession. But I am not going to attach all the panels here as I will go in-depth about it later in this post.

However, there are three panels that provides the general gist of what Sasuke felt about Naruto, the whole time.

Happiness:

Whenever Sasuke watches Naruto, he reminded him of his family and it made Sasuke 'felt relieved' or 'feel warm and fuzzy'. Simply put, Naruto's presence made him happy.

And did Sasuke ever felt relieved?

Yes, he did!!

This above scene happens sometime after the massacre and yet, somehow Naruto could make him smile even in that distressful situation.

And this is one recurring feeling which Sasuke experience whenever he comes in contact with Naruto. After the Massacre, somehow Naruto became his source of happiness or relief. This panel right after massacre, that smile before his ‘supposed’ death, on seeing the Great Naruto Bridge with a relaxed smile, VoTE2  smile.....  

Sasuke smiled at all these scenes and you know the reason why!!!

Weakness:

This is exactly opposite from how he felt earlier. And this conflicting thoughts are what Sasuke was battling in his mind throughout Part 1 and Part 2 until Chapter 697. He liked Naruto's presence. But, For him, the very thought of bonding with him made him feel weak. 

According to Sasuke, the stronger he bonds with someone the more he has to worry about losing them and the very thought of losing them will put him in a precarious position which is considered as a weakness. And Sasuke doesn’t want to experience this again. 

Meaning, Sasuke doesn’t want to feel the pain of loss over someone, ever again. He wants to be the person who don’t care about anyone.

Did Sasuke ever expose his weakness?

Yes he did!!! 

This is his absolute display of weakness and this is what he always wanted to avoid. The very thought of something is going to happen to Naruto made him do something that put him under immense pain. 

Yes, In his mind, he doesn’t want to care about anyone’s loss. But his body doesn’t seem to listen to him. And that’s why his body moved on it’s own.

God!!! This made me cry!!!!

Pain:

Now, this feeling Sasuke had towards Naruto was very evident in the War Arc. That one time he sensed Naruto’s Chakra in Konoha and asked Orochimaru to hurry up. Also when Naruto was bawling after seeing countless shinobi’s deaths, Sasuke’s reaction changed from ‘I don’t care 😶’ to ‘How dare you😠’, I consider all these moments where Sasuke was bothered about Naruto . But since, I want to focus only on Pre- Land of the Waves moments, I’m not going to add those moments here.

Did Sasuke felt pain in Part 1?

Of course, he did!!!

Well, I always consider this scene as something ‘very personal’ for Sasuke. 

In this post, I’ve written about how chapter 3 is masked by the ‘Accidental Kiss’ as a comical facade but when you analyze it deeply you will find that Naruto and Sasuke’s rivalry thing goes long back, even before the series started.

After hearing Pinky’s insensitive comment, what Sasuke did here was completely extreme. He was just giving her a ‘Murder Stare’ which was way too extreme for Naruto, if he was just a teammate. When in reality, Naruto was not just his teammate. That’s why I think Sasuke was bothered by this insensitive comment and roasted her because he knew Naruto was suffering from this loneliness ever since he saw him when he was 8. And when someone made fun of his loneliness, Sasuke just couldn’t keep quiet. 

Isn’t this some form of feeling pain of the person you care about and standing up for them?

This is another scene which I don’t have to go in detail about. 

On my first watch, I always wondered, ‘Why Sasuke was making exceptions for Naruto? They just know for a very few days and yet why was he giving his lunch and standing up for him, which he doesn’t have to in the first place? It’s just 2 episodes in and Sasuke has already made 4 exceptions, why was he doing this?’

But after watching Episode 478, I came to the realization that Sasuke did all these because he knew about Naruto before the series even started. 

It’s funny that before this scene, Sasuke was giving his long-ass serious speech to Pinky about how he is an avenger, he was crying at that time, he wants to get stronger than someone and wants to kill him, he can’t waste his time here..... And yet when he saw Naruto suffering from Hunger, he just gave his lunch without minding the consequences. (Ninja Career says Hello!!!!)

Now, Let’s get back to my previous question I posed here, 

Why did Sasuke thought only about Naruto in his final moments? Didn't he have any other good memories other than the ones he shared with Naruto?

The answer is, ‘Sasuke always felt any one of the three extreme emotions such as Happiness, Weakness, Pain in the presence of Naruto. And all these 3 extremities are not something you feel for everyone unless that person shares your blood or the person you love unconditionally. Sasuke, at this point has no one that shares his blood plus the only blood relation left was the one he wants to kill. And since Sasuke thinks he is going to die, he doesn’t mind thinking about his happiest moments with the person he considers as ‘precious’ , because somehow Sasuke considers Naruto as ‘His Person’ or you can say ‘a part of himself’’

And that’s why I think Sasuke realized his true feelings just when he was about to die. 

At the end of vote 1, I think he realizes it fully, his true feelings for Naruto.

I had this same thought before, anon!!! But after multiple re-watches, I realized something else. You cannot realize your true feelings and say a painful ‘Good Bye’ at the same time.

Realizing true feelings works only in two ways,

You either say a ‘Good Bye’ to someone. After leaving that person you may realize you miss that person and eventually you may come to term with your feelings.

Or

You already have a strong feeling established in your heart and say a painful ‘Good Bye’. And VoTE 1 belongs to this category.

Simply put, Break ups and Love realization cannot happen simultaneously.

And that’s why Sasuke casually said, “To me, you’ve become my closest friend” without any hesitation. Because he already knew it otherwise obtaining Mangekyou Sharingan (MS) will not be possible if you don’t have such a strong feelings established already.

That whole battle started off as a way to obtain MS but then it changed into his desperate attempt to cut off his bond with Naruto to become stronger and only killing him can sever it because it’s such a strong one. It’s not a bond that will be severed by saying a simple, ‘Thank you’.

At this moment, Sasuke must be realizing he simply cannot cut off this bond and he is again making an exception by letting this one weakness to exist and embracing it by being closer to him for one final time.

And this is one of the hauntingly brilliant way of conveying A Connection indirectly. And the best part is... this scene is not accidental. We know Sasuke felt stinging pain in his arms and knelt down & coughed up blood. How did he end up straight above Naruto’s face?

It’s because Sasuke simply wanted to convey his unbroken bond with Naruto by deliberately leaning towards his face. Rain falls on Sasuke and all those droplets passes through Sasuke’s face and falls upon Naruto’s face or it is very possible that Sasuke might by crying and his tears might be touching his face, but either way, it creates a Connection which he couldn’t able to cut off. In the fillers, Sasuke’s sweat drop falls on Naruto. It’s almost similar to how at the end of chapter 698, both of their blood connects together to form a connection. Which means only death can separate their connection.

That’s why I feel that this is the moment where he is painfully saying his Good Bye for one last time, it pains him immensely because he already knows that leaving his ‘precious’ person who became a part of himself is not very easy added to that he hurt him so much during the battle. And for this reason, Sasuke felt ‘leaving Naruto is like ripping off half of his body’.

He knows deep down that Naruto is special to him, he adores Naruto privately, he had since before the genin days. What do you think?

Sasuke always fights this inner battle within himself. Mind Vs Heart & Body. 

His mind says, ‘No more Bonds. Just stay alone. That will save you a lot of pain’.

His body says, ‘Create Bonds. Feel Relieved’. 

When Sasuke met Naruto near the lake pier, His body wins the battle and that’s why he smiled back at him despite the trauma he went through few days earlier. This is when Naruto became special to him.

When Sasuke attempted to make friendship with Naruto. His body wins the battle and that’s why he offered food, trained along with him.

When Sasuke died for Naruto by casting away his dreams, his body moved on its own.

At the beginning of VoTE1 battle, his mind said, ‘Leave Naruto. Pursue your dreams by treading in a darker path by filling your heart with hatred’. His body said, ‘Be with Naruto. Achieve your goals by filling your heart with Love’.

By the end of VoTE1, Sasuke came to the conclusion that he really couldn’t sever his bond with Naruto, no matter how hard he tried. That’s why his body moved on its own and ended up straight above Naruto’s face for one last time. Carrying all the heart break of a painful breakup, Sasuke treads towards the darker path. For the very first time, Sasuke’s mind won the inner battle. And he was extremely saddened by it.

Throughout Shippuden, Sasuke mostly listened to his mind and whenever he does, he was seen pushing Naruto away like leaving with Orochimaru, ramming chidori through Naruto’s Shadow Clone when pursuing Itachi, promising to kill Naruto before Attacking Konoha, wanting to fight with Naruto in VoTE2.

But whenever he followed his heart, you can see scenes like Sasuke occupying Naruto’s personal space in Orochimaru hideout, Sasuke smiling at Great Naruto Bridge, asking Obito about Kyuubi (Naruto) when he joined Akatsuki, stopping his rampage on seeing Naruto’s eyes under The Bridge, asking Obito to wait and listened to Naruto under the Bridge, sensing Naruto’s chakra in Konoha and getting concerned about it, prioritize saving Naruto over everyone in the War Arc, switching off Sharingan at the last moment. These are all the moment where Sasuke’s heart was winning over his mind.

And finally at the end of VoTE2, Sasuke happily claimed, ‘I lost’, meaning, his mind which always asked him to cut the bond with Naruto lost to his Heart and Body which always wanted him to be with Naruto. And when Sasuke felt that he was unconditionally loved by Naruto who was willing to share his pain, Sasuke cried happily and finally sealed his Bond with Naruto.

But anyways, I still get this question, why do Sasuke had to battle his feelings for Naruto like a lover? And why Naruto had to act all Tsundere towards Sasuke for most of the Part 1 if only they are friends!!! Like Shikamaru was never shown to be acting tsundere towards Chouji or Naruto. Or Obito was never shown to battle his feelings towards Kakashi!!! Itachi was never shown to be obsessed about Sasuke all the time. Or Hashirama was never obsessed about Tobirama either. Like we were shown many fraternal bonds, friendly bonds throughout the series. And yet why none of those bonds fits for Naruto and Sasuke? 

Well, this post is not the right place to cover these questions and I am simply going to leave it at that. 

Sasuke realized it very early and that’s why he decided to push Naruto away by the end of Part 1. Whereas Naruto truly realized his feelings at the end of Part 1 and decided to put himself close with Sasuke in Part 2 and finally confessed in VoTE2 that, ‘Remember, you once gave me your food during the Bell Test? It’s because you simply can’t tolerate to watch me suffer before your eyes.... I also feel the same way about you.. I simply cannot see you suffer alone when you were willing to give your body to Orochimaru... It just hurt me a lot inside’.

They finally realize the feelings they had for each other is a love in a broader sense which cannot be labelled under a certain term (it may include a father, a mother, a friend, a lover too) and we can call them as Pure Soulmates, where one cannot live without the other, where one cannot bear to see the other one suffer and they always wanted to be standing next to each other sharing their happiness and pain in their hearts. 

[bobayeetroot]

Imagine how much easier it would be to be a casual naruto watcher if naruto wasn’t naruto and didn’t have the naruto characters. how easy it would have been to drop it and forget all about it after the ending and the neji mess. being like “oh this thing I really liked turned into a hot mess that justifies child slavery and genocide I guess I’ll never have anything to do about it ever again!!“. but that piece of shit had to write the bond between Naruto and Sasuke and so many incredible characters and the whole Madara and obito backstory and neji and haku and zabuza like how The fuck do I remove those things from my brain. why can’t I hate the whole naruto franchise in peace and instead I have to hate the naruto franchise while still having a big part of my brain heavily fixated on it.

hey anon!!!

oh my goodness tell me abt it. like the whole plot of the show was just so messed up, but i can’t get it out of my head. like there are/were so many characters that never got that they would’ve been necessarily “proud of” in the end, yknow? and it kinda sucks because you see their backstory and how they’ve grown and you’re just left with whatever we got at the end - like all that progression just got thrown the down the drain? seriously? i think that’s what caused the fixation, at least for me. it’s like kishimoto writes the most memorable characters that leave long-lasting impressions on you, and then you either just kills them off or gives them a basic, generic ending that they absolutely do not deserve - especially in correlation to how deep and complex their character traits are. basically, none of them got justified by being given the endings they deserved.

thanks for the ask!! and i’m sorry for the late reply! my inbox notifs aren’t working for some reason…

[inrainprose]

Just out of curiosity, since I know you focus mostly on Naruto's generation, do you have any favourite adult in the manga? Also I wanted to say that I really love your Brother to you series and have been trying for the last... 2 years or so to brace myself and get past the "Iruka died" tag and finally start reading FtC, which has been side-eyeing me in my Marked for Later list ever since.

My favourite adult is Tsunade, and now that I think about it she might be the only adult I like in Naruto haha. Zabuza maybe, though I feel like he's barely an adult.

I'm glad you enjoy what you've read, and I hope you'll like what you haven't if you ever do ^^ If it's any comfort we don't live through him dying or anything, it's what kick-starts the fic but it's only talked about. Though people have said it's quite heartbreaking that he's mentioned so casually by some characters, Naruto especially of course. In FtC, they never got to meet.

Thank you for your message!

[nepobabyeurydice]

everything about Haku, capitalism being the real criminal, the demoralization of the people, Sasuke being presumed dead, Sakura trying to keep it together. Naruto using the Kyuubi's chakra but not succuming to it. Haku taking the chidori to the chest, choking out Zabuza's name, the buckets of blood. (I think Kakashi should've had a panic attack here actually) he cut aways to Inari trying to start a revolution, and it working. Zabuza's casual cruelty melting away to Zabuza begging to be laid next to Haku's corpse, Naruto in tears, Sakura in tears, everyone in tears, oh dear god, this arc. It's silly sometimes, funny like a dark comedy, and so heartbreaking, because there are layers to this, so many brutal and painful layers.

I am once again reminding everyone that the Land of the Waves Arc is peak, thank you.