the pairings meme, day 27
Day 27 - A pairing that you loved and ended up hating?
So I used to be a big Naruto fan. This can't really be a secret, considering how much fanfiction I wrote for it. What might be surprising, though, is that at one point, Temari/Shikamaru was my favorite pairing in the series. I didn't necessarily like the simplified version of it that most of the fandom preferred ("teehee Temari beats him down and this is love!"). But I liked the interplay of two intelligent people who connected in unexpected ways. I liked how good they were for each other: Temari for teaching Shikamaru that women--and life in general--were more than just troublesome, and Shikamaru for giving Temari someone on her level who wasn't just a little brother figure to relate to. Plus, they totally had unresolved sexual tension.
Then came the timeskip and Part II. And then came Shikamaru's arc. In which he was focused on to the exclusion of his team; in which he was allowed to go against the themes of the manga; in which Kishimoto essentially admitted that he had a big fat crush on Shikamaru and would let him do anything because he was just that cool. So, no. No more Temari/Shikamaru for me. I'll just ship Temari with girls now. Insofar as I care about Naruto at all.
Day 01 - What is your current favorite ship?
Day 02 - What was your very first ship?
Day 03 - A pairing that needs to happen now?
Day 04 - The pairing with the most chemistry?
Day 05 - The pairing with the least chemistry?
Day 06 - The best kiss?
Day 07 - The most heartbreaking scene?
Day 08 - The pairing with the most baggage?
Day 09 - The most believable relationship?
Day 10 - Why aren't these two married in real life?
Day 11 - What is your dream pairing?
Day 12 - Who had the best wedding?
Day 13 - What is your favorite television pairing?
Day 14 - What is your favorite book pairing?
Day 15 - What is your favorite real life pairing?
Day 16 - What is the absolute worst pairing?
Day 17 - A pairing you thought would never work out, but did?
Day 18 - What is the cutest pairing?
Day 19 - A pairing you've rooted for since the beginning?
Day 20 - The "can't stand the sexual tension anymore" pairing?
Day 21 - A pairing you like and no one else understands why?
Day 22 - A pairing you hate and no one else understands why?
Day 23 - A crazy love triangle/quadrilateral that worked out great?
Day 24 - A crazy love triangle/quadrilateral that worked out badly?
Day 25 - A pairing that was/would-be adorable, but could never work out?
Day 26 - A pairing that you hated and ended up loving?
Day 27 - A pairing that you loved and ended up hating?
Day 28 - A pairing that you will never understand?
Day 29 - What ship had the best proposal?
Day 30 - Your favorite ship forever and ever and ever?
So I used to be a big Naruto fan. This can't really be a secret, considering how much fanfiction I wrote for it. What might be surprising, though, is that at one point, Temari/Shikamaru was my favorite pairing in the series. I didn't necessarily like the simplified version of it that most of the fandom preferred ("teehee Temari beats him down and this is love!"). But I liked the interplay of two intelligent people who connected in unexpected ways. I liked how good they were for each other: Temari for teaching Shikamaru that women--and life in general--were more than just troublesome, and Shikamaru for giving Temari someone on her level who wasn't just a little brother figure to relate to. Plus, they totally had unresolved sexual tension.
Then came the timeskip and Part II. And then came Shikamaru's arc. In which he was focused on to the exclusion of his team; in which he was allowed to go against the themes of the manga; in which Kishimoto essentially admitted that he had a big fat crush on Shikamaru and would let him do anything because he was just that cool. So, no. No more Temari/Shikamaru for me. I'll just ship Temari with girls now. Insofar as I care about Naruto at all.
Day 01 - What is your current favorite ship?
Day 02 - What was your very first ship?
Day 03 - A pairing that needs to happen now?
Day 04 - The pairing with the most chemistry?
Day 05 - The pairing with the least chemistry?
Day 06 - The best kiss?
Day 07 - The most heartbreaking scene?
Day 08 - The pairing with the most baggage?
Day 09 - The most believable relationship?
Day 10 - Why aren't these two married in real life?
Day 11 - What is your dream pairing?
Day 12 - Who had the best wedding?
Day 13 - What is your favorite television pairing?
Day 14 - What is your favorite book pairing?
Day 15 - What is your favorite real life pairing?
Day 16 - What is the absolute worst pairing?
Day 17 - A pairing you thought would never work out, but did?
Day 18 - What is the cutest pairing?
Day 19 - A pairing you've rooted for since the beginning?
Day 20 - The "can't stand the sexual tension anymore" pairing?
Day 21 - A pairing you like and no one else understands why?
Day 22 - A pairing you hate and no one else understands why?
Day 23 - A crazy love triangle/quadrilateral that worked out great?
Day 24 - A crazy love triangle/quadrilateral that worked out badly?
Day 25 - A pairing that was/would-be adorable, but could never work out?
Day 26 - A pairing that you hated and ended up loving?
Day 27 - A pairing that you loved and ended up hating?
Day 28 - A pairing that you will never understand?
Day 29 - What ship had the best proposal?
Day 30 - Your favorite ship forever and ever and ever?