[ Bleach, Community, Durarara!!, FMA, Glee, JR, OP, REBORN!, Sherlock, SPN, TOA ]
SHARING TIME:
ღ - While I focused on other fandoms more this time, there are still a whole boatload of ONE PIECE SPOILERS if you're not current with the fandom. I'm not warning as stringently as I usually do, because I'd have to put warnings on everything then. Basically, if you're not at least within a few weeks of the current chapter, you'll probably be spoiled by some of the comments/links.
ღ - I'm still adding a crapload of art to my deviantART account and, having finished off the 2010/10 folder, I've started a 2010/11 folder. (So far it's a lot of Dragonball, Bleach, Naruto, How to Train Your Dragon, and One Piece.)
AND ONTO THE RECS:
Bleach - 4 Fanfics
Community - 5 Fanfics
Dirty Dancing - 1 Fanfic
Glee - 6 Fanfics
Junjou Romantica - 4 Fanfics
Sherlock - 1 Fanfic
Supernatural - 1 Fanfic
Katekyou Hitman REBORN! - 1 Fanart
One Piece - 5 Fanart
Durarara!! - 1 Doujinshi
Fullmetal Alchemist - 1 Doujinshi
Katekyou Hitman REBORN! - 2 Doujinshi
Tales of the Abyss - 1 Doujinshi
Bleach: Seems Like Forever by copperheadfightingninja - What I liked about this fic is the way Ichigo is so gruff, even in his own thoughts as he sits by himself on the rooftop of the school. Post-war especially, it felt nicely done to me. But also, overhearing Rukia and Orihime's conversation, the way Orihime can tell Rukia things that she couldn't say aloud to others, and his reactions were also a lot of fun to read, because I'd just finished rereading those chapters today (all what Ichigo went through for her, during the fights with the Espada) and this was a great little coda for those. Plus, the ending totally had me in that fluttery, happy place that I love, making it super enjoyable to read. <3 (Ichigo/Orihime.)
Bleach: It's All About Timing by Sweety8587 - I was browsing FFNET randomly this afternoon and managed to stumble over this fic and kind of fell a little bit in love. It's somewhat simple in concept--Orihime is trying to work up the nerve to give Ichigo a birthday present and it seems like her timing is all off, no matter how hard she tries--but it's in the little details that make this fic fantastic. Orihime's thoughts, even as she's screwing up her courage and trying to stay focused, the little stray thoughts about aliens and elephants and everything weird is just so charmingly Orihime. And I love how you can feel Tatsuki's patience with her and how she really adores Orihime and Ichigo's confusion, but he's always a little more gentle with Orihime and just. Oh, I wanted to flail madly at the ending, I love that it didn't have to end in makeouts to be incredibly happy-making and satisfying. (Ichigo/Orihime.)
Bleach: Maid in Heaven by Sweety8587 - When I clicked onto this fic, I pretty much knew what I was looking for with it, given that the summary was: A series of IchiHime drabbles centered around the theme of 'Maid'. I was looking for maid-play antics and this fic delivered them very nicely! I'll grant that Ichigo is smoother here than he is in canon, but it's clearly an established relationship and I can buy that someday he'd get there and, really, the point was maid-play antics. Ichigo teasing Orihime through the maid's costume, the totally adorable/sexy picture that made, the nicely done het sex (still such a rarity after all this time, but still so welcome!) and the sense of sex being fun, even as Orihime was desperate to tumble over the edge of release for quite some time, is all exactly what I was looking for with this fic. It's very satisfying and I definitely hope to see more maid-based fics from this author. ....I have a bit of a weakness for it, which I'm sure I'll be subtle about. (Ichigo/Orihime, NC-17.)
Bleach: Oedipus Complex by Crystal Dawn - The premise of this fic alone is pretty aces. When Ichigo refuses to act on his feelings for Orihime, Isshin does the only logical thing - he decides to marry her himself! Can Ichigo stop the wedding, or is Orihime going to be his new step-mother? Isshin dating Orihime in order to get Ichigo to get his head out of his ass! Awesome. And the fic definitely lived up to the potential, it had some really great characterization and it was super-fun all the way around, with Ichigo trying so hard to push her away and Orihime being so darling and adorable and sweet. I especially liked that it was set from Ichigo's point of view and stayed there, so you really got a chance to get inside his head (occasionally literally) and he felt right to me here. But also Isshin! And the rest of the Bleach cast, each with their own moments of hilarity! It was satisfying as a regular Bleach fic as much as it was satisfying as an Ichigo fic and and Ichigo/Orihime fic. The best fics add in those touches with the rest of the cast, on top of an awesome summary, and give me ship satisfaction. Definitely a great little read today. (Ichigo/Orihime.)
Community: They Can Never Call You By It by columbuscrab - I'm not sure what made me decide to give this fic a shot on this particular morning (since I usually save fic for reading on the go) but probably the number of comments made me curious. So, what the hell, I gave the beginning of it a shot. It didn't take long for me to be totally sucked into the fic, hardly daring to look away from it until I was finished, because the author does Annie having a relapse beautifully. Her characterization felt spot-on to me, both for Annie and Jeff, the way Annie feels like she's drowning half of the time and spiralling out of control and all the little things she notices and the way everything just snowballs on her, the way it's almost uncomfortable to read at times, because it felt right for this kind of story. The writing itself is beautiful, so smooth and easy to read, and the pacing of the fic is fantastic. It's one of those almost sort of breathless fics that turns out to be one of the best Community fics I've read yet. I am so glad I gave this one a chance. (This fic is on the level of canon, but if you like Jeff/Annie, you should like this.)
Community: I tried to be chill (but you're so hot that I melted) by dollsome - I've been meaning to recommend this fic for, like, forever and I am finally getting to it because it's one of those excellent fics in the fandom, the ones that you really almost have to put on a must-read list if you were to make one of those. It's Annie and Jeff being early for a study group meeting and it's all kinds of awkward no matter how hard they try to make it not be awkward and the author really runs with the shifting POV--which normally annoys me, but the deliberate style choice here works excellently well. The timing and the little turns of phrase are very much in the spirit and style of the show, there was more than one point I cracked up laughing. I love that this is a Jeff/Annie UST fic, but it gets in the entire group and their dynamics! That is one of my favorite things about fandom! (Jeff/Annie basically.)
Community: Promicide by crackers4jenn - I continue to love a good group scene and all their crazy dynamics that still includes my favorite ship--basically, Annie drops the crazy bomb about Greendale's prom and the group reacts. I love Jeff and Annie both, but some of Troy's lines in this or some of Pierce's little actions are just gold. The dialogue is beautiful and so spot on with these characters, especially the thoughts that run through Jeff's head and the timing of how the group interacts with each other and just. asl;dkfjalkjslkj I picked it up for the ship factor but I think I wound up loving it a bit more for the group factor because they're all so damn perfect. ♥ (Some vague Jeff/Annie, but it's also a gen piece, I think.)
Community: In Which Jeff Winger Acts Like a Little Girl and Annie Edison Grows a Backbone by office_bluth - This was a cute little fic about Jeff realizing he's got a real thing for Annie and trying to work through what that means, whether to talk himself out of it or eventually go for it or what, while Annie gets to show she's grown up a little, too. It's nice to see the other characters in amongst the Jeff/Annie as well, especially Britta who can call Jeff on being obvious about what he's thinking, and it was another one of those fun pieces I read this morning to give me my fix for this series and this ship. (Jeff/Annie.)
Community: In The Blazing Offense by redbrunja - Sure, I picked this fic up for the makeouts/not quite porn in the car with Jeff and Annie, which was very nicely done and lovely to read, but I wound up enjoying the humor of the piece even more than that. Jeff's point of view on the fic, the way he watches Annie have a conversation with Shirley after they get caught, the way it all just sort of turns into the usual Community-style chaos and hilarity from there was pitch-perfect at the end. I wound up laughing so hard, it hit me just right. (Jeff/Annie.)
Dirty Dancing: How You Call Your Loverboy by lowriseflare - I picked this story up from this rec on het_reccers and was immediately intrigued because... Dirty Dancing fic! I, like a lot of others, have a soft spot for that movie that I can't really articulate, but love it kind of ridiculously anyway and get sucked into it every time it's on tv. This is a beautiful little piece set during Baby and Johnny's practicing for the performance at the Shelldrake, it's about the growing attraction and hesitation that Baby feels even though it's all been pretty innocent so far. It's a gorgeous little piece that made me feel all the things the movie did. (Johnny/Baby.)
Glee: I could wait forever for this by Nova802 - I think, if the author had been a less talented writer, I might not have made it through this fic--but, then, fics set a few years down the road where Puck and Rachel are both in New York aren't usually my thing, I have to be convinced a bit. And I'll also admit that I wasn't quite sure how to feel about the Santana and Rachel friendship, even several years after high school or the... delight of Rachel's character? I'm so used to her being obnoxious, I guess. And the reason I mention these things is because the fic had an uphill battle with me... and yet still managed to win me over. Puck's point of view in the fic was nicely done, the rough around the edges but with a decent guy underneath, the smooth writing of the entire piece, the sexual charge between him and Rachel, all of that was very nicely done. (Puck/Rachel.)
Glee: A Fine Bromance by joker to the thief - Oh, this is what I love from fandom! Humor fic that made me snort with laughter and had a great ending line! I knew it was probably going to be good from the summary--I'm like the LeBron of bras. I can do it with one hand. I can do it with my eyes closed. One time, I just looked at this Cheerio's bra and it literally popped open.--but I really enjoyed it for the Puck and Finn friendship as well as Puck losing his shit over not being able to get Rachel's bra open. The rest was just kind of beautiful, totally an excellent read tonight. (Puck/Rachel.)
Glee: friday i'm in love by joker to the thief - Well, since I'd read the author's previous fic, clearly I had to read another one as well. And I really wanted to write a decent recommendation for another delightful fic with Puck hanging out with Finn and Sam while thinking about Rachel, but I feel nothing gets the humor across best rather than a long-ass quote: Come to think of it, he's been in this position more times than he can count in the last couple of weeks. Three days ago, it was a Lord of the Rings marathon at the Hudson/Hummel house, where Kurt kept insisting they put on this weird as fuck avocado mask for their U-zone (or was it T? Whatevs. ), which ended up being a Lord of the Rings drinking game where everyone had to take a shot whenever Gollum said 'precious'. Needless to say, his girl did not appreciate the drunken booty call, asking her if she wanted to 'blow his Horn of Gondor'. I have missed this Glee. (Puck/Rachel.)
Glee: Puckasaurus Rex by joker to the thief - More adorable Puck and Rachel! This time, set from Rachel's father, Leroy's point of view, starting back when they were just little toddlers and Puck and Rachel first met. They are freaking adorable as kids and yet not too sugary sweet and then there's the flashforwards at the end and you know it's coming and yet. I think I kind of died a little of fangirl squee at how fucking cute it at all was. So. Much. Adorable. ♥ (Puck/Rachel.)
Glee: i can't quit you, baby by joker to the thief - I know! But I can't quit reading this author now that I've found some Glee fic that hits me just right! And this one was less funny and more cathartic, when Puck's dad shows up and offers his son a way out of Lima after he knocks Rachel up. And it's nice to see that Puck's not his father and to have his life be really happy, even if it's not the big stardom that he probably dreamed of. It was just... happy-making. (Puck/Rachel.)
Glee: here she comes again by vnilla - Do you know what I love about this fic and the author's take on the characters? It's still as sharp and wonderful and excellent as the potential the show has, but it's good and it makes you really love all the characters and their relationships with each other. Rachel especially is just wonderful in this fic, she's still just as crazy as ever but in a much more positive way. And, oh, the back and forth with Puck and Rachel's relationship, the long road it takes, the moments of humor and the awesome moments of humor and actual character growth and the interspertion of songs into the fic, all of it is fantastic. It makes me want to believe in this show and this fandom again! A really excellent, satisfying read for today. (Puck/Rachel.)
Junjou Romantica: Candid by Serenity Aur - One of the staples of Junjou Romantica fandom is how Nowaki wins Hiroki over through that smile of his and how weak Hiroki is to him, which this fic also deals with, but adds in a few lines that I really liked--about how most of the world sees Nowaki as this almost simple, but good-hearted kid. Which he is, in a lot of ways. But Hiroki also knows that Nowaki isn't all that simple, that he's constantly thinking and the ideas he comes up with! It just put that extra little sparkle on the fic for me, to have that come up, since it gets at the heart of what I like so much about Nowaki. Plus, Hiroki being ridiculously in love is always fun. <3 (Nowaki/Hiroki.)
Junjou Romantica: Fitting the Bill by faye_naruse - You know who I kind of love, despite that he was only in two chapters? Shinoda! If I hadn't been already conditioned to like Nowaki with Hiroki, I would have absolutely shipped the hell out of Shinoda/Hiroki, because he saw through Hiroki so well and pushed at him when he needed it and it was also super hot. This fic continues that weird sort of feeling--like, I'm kind of shipping this, but not really because, well, Nowaki....--and I really like the author's take on Shinoda and Hiroki a few years later. It's not quite the same spark as it was before, but both are in really good places, so it's a little gentler, even if Shinoda still deliberately pushes Hiroki's buttons and teases him. It's one of those that's kind of a perfect wrap-up to Shinoda's reapparance in the manga, this time with both Hiroki and Nowaki, which makes this a really satisfying piece. (Nowaki/Hiroki, past Shinoda/Hiroki.)
Junjou Romantica: Tipsy by faye_naruse - You know what's one of my new favorite things in fandom? Hiroki coming out of a drunken stupor while in the middle of sex with Nowaki. Somehow, it just amused the hell out of me in this fic, a lot of which was because Hiroki's reaction was so... Hiroki and Nowaki was so... Nowaki and it all goes about how you'd expect. But also because it's sex up against the wall and that is one of my favorite things ever. Between a combination of the humor and the sexytimes, this fic was totally a fun read. ♥ (Nowaki/Hiroki, a light NC-17.)
Junjou Romantica: Crime and Punishment by Avarice - I know I shouldn't enjoy this kind of fic as much as I do--aside from the fic being very nicely written, of course--but Hiroki getting distracted by Nowaki, Hiroki coming up with a plan, the plan backfiring on them both terribly, and poor, poor Nowaki being tormented like that? It amuses me every single time I read it. Plus, the sexytimes are very nicely done as well and it's just. One of those great little Egoist moments that, of course, it all ends up the way it does, both the good and the painful. XD (Nowaki/Hiroki, somewhat NSFW.)
Sherlock: The Story of How Mycroft Holmes Got Demoted by lavvyan - Siobhan pointed this fic out earlier and, thus, I read it and am glad she did. I have a thing about the series and the fandom for it--I don't not ship Sherlock/Holmes, but I don't think I'm ready for kissytimes yet. So, I have to be careful when stepping around in the fandom, but this was just about the right level for me and it was set from Mycroft's point of view, which made it all the more delightful! I really liked the take he has on his brother, the antagonism and genius and long history that's all between them, how there's still care in its own way under that, how Mycroft maybe sees his brother a little differently after John gets sick and Sherlock reacts. It's sharply done and just what I was looking for from this fandom. (Implied Sherlock/John.)
Supernatural: Easy as Pie by musesfool - I don't read much Supernatural fic these days, either I'm just not that into the series or I'm tired at just the thought of wading through the fandom to find the gen fic that would suit my tastes, but. Every so often I stumble across an author where the stars align or whatever and this one just happened to hit me at the right time and it was just. This really fun palate cleanser of a fic after all the angst from the current season. It's happy and fun and has a couple of really, deeply excellent lines (you'll know them when you get to them) and just made me happy to read. <3 (No warnings/pairings.)
- Katekyou Hitman REBORN! - [ Pixiv Account ] - I've probably linked to art from this artist's Pixiv account before because I've been all over the REBORN! section when it comes to Dino/Hibari art, but I don't think I've recommended the whole account properly. There might not be a ton of art here, but there's a handful of really cute, really well-done stuff! The lines and colors are often glossy, slick, and smooth, which is one of those things I'm really weak to. Plus, the artist gets in a lot of really nice detail even in chibi-ish art and does the occasional bit of really cool Halloween art and does some awesome Hibari stuff. Hell, there's even a Mukuro/Hibari image that I really liked, so you can tell Hibari is totally her favorite and I APPROVE. Plus! A very nice Mukuro/Chrome as well! Basically, there's just a really nice fix of art here. ♥ (Some Dino/Hibari, a little gen.)
- One Piece - [ Pixiv Account ] - I kind of love this artist's work ridiculously. Whether it's Nami in a wedding gown or Sanji in a black and red suit or Ace and Luffy falling through the sky together or more of Doflamingo/Crocodile or cute group sketches of the Strawhats or awesome Sanji and Usopp from their STRONGWORLD adventure or one of the hotter Namizou, Luffyko, and Sanjiko images I've come across and even a little bit of Zoro/Sanji AU (with guns!) as a bonus. All of them are well-drawn, there's a whole bunch of them here, and the artist nicely captures the spirit of One Piece, both in the solo images and the awesome ENTIRE GROUP images. How could I ask for more? I love this artist kind of a lot. ♥ (Maybe some Ace/Luffy, but I think this is primarily a gen account.)
- One Piece - [ Pixiv Account ] - While it's maybe less frequent than it used to be, I still have a fondness for Japan's fondness for Shuraiya, especially when they do such beautiful art of him. That's probably one of the main reasons to visit this account, but I also like that there's a gorgeous one of Marco with his phoenix wings and a really beautifully done one of three of the Supernovas and, my favorite, an awesome STRONGWORLD image of everyone falling through the sky. There's not a ton of art here, but what is really charmed me and is beautifully done, the bright anime cel-style colors and nicely done lines and sense of fun being why I keep coming back to OP fanart. (No warnings/pairings.)
- One Piece - [ Pixiv Account ] - [You can also find the artist's deviantART account here.] I'll mention ahead of time that this artist does a lot of T&A on the women of One Piece, especially Nami, which might have turned me off more than it did... except I am completely in love with this artist's coloring. I am totally weak to the vibrant colors used on Nami, the jewel-bright tones of her hair and eyes, the amazing blues of the ocean and the adorable clothes that I would totally wear on her. But it's also the awesome Luffy/Nami fanservice and awesome images of them and KOHZA/VIVI FUCK YEAH and even some really adorable Usopp/Kaya to go along with it! I'm just. Completely in love with how much art there is here, the beautiful colors that are totally my thing (I am a sucker for the brighter colors like this), and the focus on the women of OP who deserve it. There's as much LuNa as there is Nami with Robin and even more of Nami on her own, which is nice to run into sometimes when the guys of OP usually get so much focus. I can overlook the T&A aspect because, a) Nami is smoking hot and b) there's obviously such affection for her character that I don't mind it. The whole thing is one of my new favorites. ♥ (Some Luffy/Nami, a little Kohza/Vivi and Franky/Robin, some T&A making it NSFW at times, but also worth it for the Nami gen.)
- One Piece - [ Pixiv Account ] - This artist was super fun! I was browsing for more ZoSan art because I've been on a kick for them and stumbled over the artwork here and I liked the colors and glossy feel to the art a lot, but. Then there were AUs with guns and both Zoro and Sanji were super-hot and, well. Let's put that on the list of things I am also weak towards. I like her fully colored art the best, I think, but all of her multi-page stuff, especially this series of post-time-skip images! There's a real sense of fun with her characters along with the hot and her work just gets better and better over time, so I'm really hoping she sticks around for awhile and draws more glossy, shiny ZoSan art! With guns. P.S. There is fox!Sanji with Zoro and I love this artist just that much more. ♥ (Zoro/Sanji.)
- One Piece - [ Pixiv Account ] - There's only about a dozen images here, but I had to recommend this artist just for this image alone, because it's Zoro carrying Sanji who has his legs wrapped around Zoro's waist while firing off two guns and it's kind of one of the hottest ZoSan images I've ever seen. The artist also has some very nicely done Luffy art and a very pretty Nami image and an excellent ZoSan kiss series and even some fox!Sanji art that's just gorgeous. It's one of those artists where I wish there were more here because she does such great lines and colors and knowsssss what I like and reminds me of why I'm so obsessed with this fandom sometimes. Really there's some truly excellent art here! <3 Oh, and an excellent reaction to their reunion, lol. (Some Zoro/Sanji, some gen.)
Durarara!! doujinshi (raw): Cicatrix - [Note: This post is locked, but the comm is freely joinable.] This doujinshi isn't going to be for everyone and I'm not even sure why I myself liked it, since its whole point is pretty much Izaya abuse. Not necessarily hardcore abuse, but it's rather non-con at points and I guess maybe that works for me well enough because it's Izaya. I wasn't going into this doujinshi for its ICness, I was going into it for the Izaya porn and the doujinshi delivered that pretty well weith both Shiki/Izaya and Shizuo/Izaya. The art is servicable, bordering on pretty at times, and there are tattoos involved! And the Shizuo/Izaya half was very nice and just. This was a fun treat today. (Shiki/Izaya, Shizuo/Izaya, NC-17, non-con.)
Fullmetal Alchemist doujinshi (raw): thorn - [Note: This post is locked, but the comm is freely joinable.] Every so often there's some FMA doujinshi posted and I always make a note to catch up on them, bookmarking it for later, and then never quite get around to it. Until sometimes I do and then I go, WAIT, WHY DID I EVER WAIT ON THIS FANDOM?? because I enjoy the Roy/Ed doujinshi so much. I liked this artist's style, it's difficult to describe, but I enjoy seeing it in manga (usually semi-gothic manga, which I enjoy a lot) and I enjoyed it here. The details of it were solid and the characters looked pretty (especially Roy! which always makes me happy, too!) and there's an excellent koala-style carry while the two of them continue to make out. I'd probably have recommended it just for that, even though it's set post-anime, this doujinshika manages to make Roy's eyepatch look kind of awesome. (Roy/Ed.)
Katekyou Hitman REBORN! doujinshi (scanslated): Haroin (Halloween) - [Note: This post is locked, but the comm is freely joinable.] This was an adorable little Halloween treat! It's not precisely shippy, because it's one of those that has Hibari as a little baby that Dino's raising, but if you enjoy the ship, any kind of interaction can be really fun! And I kind of love the artist's style, her itty bitty Hibari is adorable as all get out, you can see why Dino is totally weak to his ridiculous Halloween request, but her Dino is also kind of smoking hot. There's a reaction page of him that's just. a;lsdkfjalskj yes plz. Mostly, this was just cute fluff that was totally fun. ♥ (This is gen, but if you like Dino/Hibari interaction, you might like this.)
Katekyou Hitman REBORN! doujinshi (scanslated): Dolcetto O Scherzetto? - [Note: This post is locked, but the comm is freely joinable.] This is a bit of an odd story, you can tell it's part of a larger story arc, but I think it stands well enough on its own, especially for a cute little Halloween treat type of story. And it's LION*PUNCH, who are one of my favorites for this pairing, so of course the artwork is lovely and Dino especially is super hot. It's not a long one, but it also has TYL!Hibari making out with his younger self and has Dino in costume that looks kind of awesome and it was just kind of really fun! I enjoyed it a lot. ♥ (Dino/Hibari.)
Tales of the Abyss doujinshi (scanslated): Sukidayo - Every so often this group comes out with a TOA doujinshi and I love them for it because they pick such gorgeous books to do and this one is no example. It's not a complicated story, it's a little over 20 pages for the actual plot (such as it is), with Luke noticing that he's making Tear worry and he's sorry about that, but part of him isn't sorry because it means a lot to him that she's worried. It's hard to describe why this makes for such a beautiful doujinshi, but a lot of it is in the dreamy, almost hazy feeling of things and the stunningly pretty art. There were several pages where I sort of just stopped to stare because it was so lovely and the feelings between Luke and Tear were so obvious, yet still subtle. It was a beautiful book to add to the collection of TOA translated doujinshi. ♥ (Luke/Tear.)
ღ - While I focused on other fandoms more this time, there are still a whole boatload of ONE PIECE SPOILERS if you're not current with the fandom. I'm not warning as stringently as I usually do, because I'd have to put warnings on everything then. Basically, if you're not at least within a few weeks of the current chapter, you'll probably be spoiled by some of the comments/links.
ღ - I'm still adding a crapload of art to my deviantART account and, having finished off the 2010/10 folder, I've started a 2010/11 folder. (So far it's a lot of Dragonball, Bleach, Naruto, How to Train Your Dragon, and One Piece.)
AND ONTO THE RECS:
Bleach - 4 Fanfics
Community - 5 Fanfics
Dirty Dancing - 1 Fanfic
Glee - 6 Fanfics
Junjou Romantica - 4 Fanfics
Sherlock - 1 Fanfic
Supernatural - 1 Fanfic
Katekyou Hitman REBORN! - 1 Fanart
One Piece - 5 Fanart
Durarara!! - 1 Doujinshi
Fullmetal Alchemist - 1 Doujinshi
Katekyou Hitman REBORN! - 2 Doujinshi
Tales of the Abyss - 1 Doujinshi
Bleach: Seems Like Forever by copperheadfightingninja - What I liked about this fic is the way Ichigo is so gruff, even in his own thoughts as he sits by himself on the rooftop of the school. Post-war especially, it felt nicely done to me. But also, overhearing Rukia and Orihime's conversation, the way Orihime can tell Rukia things that she couldn't say aloud to others, and his reactions were also a lot of fun to read, because I'd just finished rereading those chapters today (all what Ichigo went through for her, during the fights with the Espada) and this was a great little coda for those. Plus, the ending totally had me in that fluttery, happy place that I love, making it super enjoyable to read. <3 (Ichigo/Orihime.)
Bleach: It's All About Timing by Sweety8587 - I was browsing FFNET randomly this afternoon and managed to stumble over this fic and kind of fell a little bit in love. It's somewhat simple in concept--Orihime is trying to work up the nerve to give Ichigo a birthday present and it seems like her timing is all off, no matter how hard she tries--but it's in the little details that make this fic fantastic. Orihime's thoughts, even as she's screwing up her courage and trying to stay focused, the little stray thoughts about aliens and elephants and everything weird is just so charmingly Orihime. And I love how you can feel Tatsuki's patience with her and how she really adores Orihime and Ichigo's confusion, but he's always a little more gentle with Orihime and just. Oh, I wanted to flail madly at the ending, I love that it didn't have to end in makeouts to be incredibly happy-making and satisfying. (Ichigo/Orihime.)
Bleach: Maid in Heaven by Sweety8587 - When I clicked onto this fic, I pretty much knew what I was looking for with it, given that the summary was: A series of IchiHime drabbles centered around the theme of 'Maid'. I was looking for maid-play antics and this fic delivered them very nicely! I'll grant that Ichigo is smoother here than he is in canon, but it's clearly an established relationship and I can buy that someday he'd get there and, really, the point was maid-play antics. Ichigo teasing Orihime through the maid's costume, the totally adorable/sexy picture that made, the nicely done het sex (still such a rarity after all this time, but still so welcome!) and the sense of sex being fun, even as Orihime was desperate to tumble over the edge of release for quite some time, is all exactly what I was looking for with this fic. It's very satisfying and I definitely hope to see more maid-based fics from this author. ....I have a bit of a weakness for it, which I'm sure I'll be subtle about. (Ichigo/Orihime, NC-17.)
Bleach: Oedipus Complex by Crystal Dawn - The premise of this fic alone is pretty aces. When Ichigo refuses to act on his feelings for Orihime, Isshin does the only logical thing - he decides to marry her himself! Can Ichigo stop the wedding, or is Orihime going to be his new step-mother? Isshin dating Orihime in order to get Ichigo to get his head out of his ass! Awesome. And the fic definitely lived up to the potential, it had some really great characterization and it was super-fun all the way around, with Ichigo trying so hard to push her away and Orihime being so darling and adorable and sweet. I especially liked that it was set from Ichigo's point of view and stayed there, so you really got a chance to get inside his head (occasionally literally) and he felt right to me here. But also Isshin! And the rest of the Bleach cast, each with their own moments of hilarity! It was satisfying as a regular Bleach fic as much as it was satisfying as an Ichigo fic and and Ichigo/Orihime fic. The best fics add in those touches with the rest of the cast, on top of an awesome summary, and give me ship satisfaction. Definitely a great little read today. (Ichigo/Orihime.)
Community: They Can Never Call You By It by columbuscrab - I'm not sure what made me decide to give this fic a shot on this particular morning (since I usually save fic for reading on the go) but probably the number of comments made me curious. So, what the hell, I gave the beginning of it a shot. It didn't take long for me to be totally sucked into the fic, hardly daring to look away from it until I was finished, because the author does Annie having a relapse beautifully. Her characterization felt spot-on to me, both for Annie and Jeff, the way Annie feels like she's drowning half of the time and spiralling out of control and all the little things she notices and the way everything just snowballs on her, the way it's almost uncomfortable to read at times, because it felt right for this kind of story. The writing itself is beautiful, so smooth and easy to read, and the pacing of the fic is fantastic. It's one of those almost sort of breathless fics that turns out to be one of the best Community fics I've read yet. I am so glad I gave this one a chance. (This fic is on the level of canon, but if you like Jeff/Annie, you should like this.)
Community: I tried to be chill (but you're so hot that I melted) by dollsome - I've been meaning to recommend this fic for, like, forever and I am finally getting to it because it's one of those excellent fics in the fandom, the ones that you really almost have to put on a must-read list if you were to make one of those. It's Annie and Jeff being early for a study group meeting and it's all kinds of awkward no matter how hard they try to make it not be awkward and the author really runs with the shifting POV--which normally annoys me, but the deliberate style choice here works excellently well. The timing and the little turns of phrase are very much in the spirit and style of the show, there was more than one point I cracked up laughing. I love that this is a Jeff/Annie UST fic, but it gets in the entire group and their dynamics! That is one of my favorite things about fandom! (Jeff/Annie basically.)
Community: Promicide by crackers4jenn - I continue to love a good group scene and all their crazy dynamics that still includes my favorite ship--basically, Annie drops the crazy bomb about Greendale's prom and the group reacts. I love Jeff and Annie both, but some of Troy's lines in this or some of Pierce's little actions are just gold. The dialogue is beautiful and so spot on with these characters, especially the thoughts that run through Jeff's head and the timing of how the group interacts with each other and just. asl;dkfjalkjslkj I picked it up for the ship factor but I think I wound up loving it a bit more for the group factor because they're all so damn perfect. ♥ (Some vague Jeff/Annie, but it's also a gen piece, I think.)
Community: In Which Jeff Winger Acts Like a Little Girl and Annie Edison Grows a Backbone by office_bluth - This was a cute little fic about Jeff realizing he's got a real thing for Annie and trying to work through what that means, whether to talk himself out of it or eventually go for it or what, while Annie gets to show she's grown up a little, too. It's nice to see the other characters in amongst the Jeff/Annie as well, especially Britta who can call Jeff on being obvious about what he's thinking, and it was another one of those fun pieces I read this morning to give me my fix for this series and this ship. (Jeff/Annie.)
Community: In The Blazing Offense by redbrunja - Sure, I picked this fic up for the makeouts/not quite porn in the car with Jeff and Annie, which was very nicely done and lovely to read, but I wound up enjoying the humor of the piece even more than that. Jeff's point of view on the fic, the way he watches Annie have a conversation with Shirley after they get caught, the way it all just sort of turns into the usual Community-style chaos and hilarity from there was pitch-perfect at the end. I wound up laughing so hard, it hit me just right. (Jeff/Annie.)
Dirty Dancing: How You Call Your Loverboy by lowriseflare - I picked this story up from this rec on het_reccers and was immediately intrigued because... Dirty Dancing fic! I, like a lot of others, have a soft spot for that movie that I can't really articulate, but love it kind of ridiculously anyway and get sucked into it every time it's on tv. This is a beautiful little piece set during Baby and Johnny's practicing for the performance at the Shelldrake, it's about the growing attraction and hesitation that Baby feels even though it's all been pretty innocent so far. It's a gorgeous little piece that made me feel all the things the movie did. (Johnny/Baby.)
Glee: I could wait forever for this by Nova802 - I think, if the author had been a less talented writer, I might not have made it through this fic--but, then, fics set a few years down the road where Puck and Rachel are both in New York aren't usually my thing, I have to be convinced a bit. And I'll also admit that I wasn't quite sure how to feel about the Santana and Rachel friendship, even several years after high school or the... delight of Rachel's character? I'm so used to her being obnoxious, I guess. And the reason I mention these things is because the fic had an uphill battle with me... and yet still managed to win me over. Puck's point of view in the fic was nicely done, the rough around the edges but with a decent guy underneath, the smooth writing of the entire piece, the sexual charge between him and Rachel, all of that was very nicely done. (Puck/Rachel.)
Glee: A Fine Bromance by joker to the thief - Oh, this is what I love from fandom! Humor fic that made me snort with laughter and had a great ending line! I knew it was probably going to be good from the summary--I'm like the LeBron of bras. I can do it with one hand. I can do it with my eyes closed. One time, I just looked at this Cheerio's bra and it literally popped open.--but I really enjoyed it for the Puck and Finn friendship as well as Puck losing his shit over not being able to get Rachel's bra open. The rest was just kind of beautiful, totally an excellent read tonight. (Puck/Rachel.)
Glee: friday i'm in love by joker to the thief - Well, since I'd read the author's previous fic, clearly I had to read another one as well. And I really wanted to write a decent recommendation for another delightful fic with Puck hanging out with Finn and Sam while thinking about Rachel, but I feel nothing gets the humor across best rather than a long-ass quote: Come to think of it, he's been in this position more times than he can count in the last couple of weeks. Three days ago, it was a Lord of the Rings marathon at the Hudson/Hummel house, where Kurt kept insisting they put on this weird as fuck avocado mask for their U-zone (or was it T? Whatevs. ), which ended up being a Lord of the Rings drinking game where everyone had to take a shot whenever Gollum said 'precious'. Needless to say, his girl did not appreciate the drunken booty call, asking her if she wanted to 'blow his Horn of Gondor'. I have missed this Glee. (Puck/Rachel.)
Glee: Puckasaurus Rex by joker to the thief - More adorable Puck and Rachel! This time, set from Rachel's father, Leroy's point of view, starting back when they were just little toddlers and Puck and Rachel first met. They are freaking adorable as kids and yet not too sugary sweet and then there's the flashforwards at the end and you know it's coming and yet. I think I kind of died a little of fangirl squee at how fucking cute it at all was. So. Much. Adorable. ♥ (Puck/Rachel.)
Glee: i can't quit you, baby by joker to the thief - I know! But I can't quit reading this author now that I've found some Glee fic that hits me just right! And this one was less funny and more cathartic, when Puck's dad shows up and offers his son a way out of Lima after he knocks Rachel up. And it's nice to see that Puck's not his father and to have his life be really happy, even if it's not the big stardom that he probably dreamed of. It was just... happy-making. (Puck/Rachel.)
Glee: here she comes again by vnilla - Do you know what I love about this fic and the author's take on the characters? It's still as sharp and wonderful and excellent as the potential the show has, but it's good and it makes you really love all the characters and their relationships with each other. Rachel especially is just wonderful in this fic, she's still just as crazy as ever but in a much more positive way. And, oh, the back and forth with Puck and Rachel's relationship, the long road it takes, the moments of humor and the awesome moments of humor and actual character growth and the interspertion of songs into the fic, all of it is fantastic. It makes me want to believe in this show and this fandom again! A really excellent, satisfying read for today. (Puck/Rachel.)
Junjou Romantica: Candid by Serenity Aur - One of the staples of Junjou Romantica fandom is how Nowaki wins Hiroki over through that smile of his and how weak Hiroki is to him, which this fic also deals with, but adds in a few lines that I really liked--about how most of the world sees Nowaki as this almost simple, but good-hearted kid. Which he is, in a lot of ways. But Hiroki also knows that Nowaki isn't all that simple, that he's constantly thinking and the ideas he comes up with! It just put that extra little sparkle on the fic for me, to have that come up, since it gets at the heart of what I like so much about Nowaki. Plus, Hiroki being ridiculously in love is always fun. <3 (Nowaki/Hiroki.)
Junjou Romantica: Fitting the Bill by faye_naruse - You know who I kind of love, despite that he was only in two chapters? Shinoda! If I hadn't been already conditioned to like Nowaki with Hiroki, I would have absolutely shipped the hell out of Shinoda/Hiroki, because he saw through Hiroki so well and pushed at him when he needed it and it was also super hot. This fic continues that weird sort of feeling--like, I'm kind of shipping this, but not really because, well, Nowaki....--and I really like the author's take on Shinoda and Hiroki a few years later. It's not quite the same spark as it was before, but both are in really good places, so it's a little gentler, even if Shinoda still deliberately pushes Hiroki's buttons and teases him. It's one of those that's kind of a perfect wrap-up to Shinoda's reapparance in the manga, this time with both Hiroki and Nowaki, which makes this a really satisfying piece. (Nowaki/Hiroki, past Shinoda/Hiroki.)
Junjou Romantica: Tipsy by faye_naruse - You know what's one of my new favorite things in fandom? Hiroki coming out of a drunken stupor while in the middle of sex with Nowaki. Somehow, it just amused the hell out of me in this fic, a lot of which was because Hiroki's reaction was so... Hiroki and Nowaki was so... Nowaki and it all goes about how you'd expect. But also because it's sex up against the wall and that is one of my favorite things ever. Between a combination of the humor and the sexytimes, this fic was totally a fun read. ♥ (Nowaki/Hiroki, a light NC-17.)
Junjou Romantica: Crime and Punishment by Avarice - I know I shouldn't enjoy this kind of fic as much as I do--aside from the fic being very nicely written, of course--but Hiroki getting distracted by Nowaki, Hiroki coming up with a plan, the plan backfiring on them both terribly, and poor, poor Nowaki being tormented like that? It amuses me every single time I read it. Plus, the sexytimes are very nicely done as well and it's just. One of those great little Egoist moments that, of course, it all ends up the way it does, both the good and the painful. XD (Nowaki/Hiroki, somewhat NSFW.)
Sherlock: The Story of How Mycroft Holmes Got Demoted by lavvyan - Siobhan pointed this fic out earlier and, thus, I read it and am glad she did. I have a thing about the series and the fandom for it--I don't not ship Sherlock/Holmes, but I don't think I'm ready for kissytimes yet. So, I have to be careful when stepping around in the fandom, but this was just about the right level for me and it was set from Mycroft's point of view, which made it all the more delightful! I really liked the take he has on his brother, the antagonism and genius and long history that's all between them, how there's still care in its own way under that, how Mycroft maybe sees his brother a little differently after John gets sick and Sherlock reacts. It's sharply done and just what I was looking for from this fandom. (Implied Sherlock/John.)
Supernatural: Easy as Pie by musesfool - I don't read much Supernatural fic these days, either I'm just not that into the series or I'm tired at just the thought of wading through the fandom to find the gen fic that would suit my tastes, but. Every so often I stumble across an author where the stars align or whatever and this one just happened to hit me at the right time and it was just. This really fun palate cleanser of a fic after all the angst from the current season. It's happy and fun and has a couple of really, deeply excellent lines (you'll know them when you get to them) and just made me happy to read. <3 (No warnings/pairings.)
- Katekyou Hitman REBORN! - [ Pixiv Account ] - I've probably linked to art from this artist's Pixiv account before because I've been all over the REBORN! section when it comes to Dino/Hibari art, but I don't think I've recommended the whole account properly. There might not be a ton of art here, but there's a handful of really cute, really well-done stuff! The lines and colors are often glossy, slick, and smooth, which is one of those things I'm really weak to. Plus, the artist gets in a lot of really nice detail even in chibi-ish art and does the occasional bit of really cool Halloween art and does some awesome Hibari stuff. Hell, there's even a Mukuro/Hibari image that I really liked, so you can tell Hibari is totally her favorite and I APPROVE. Plus! A very nice Mukuro/Chrome as well! Basically, there's just a really nice fix of art here. ♥ (Some Dino/Hibari, a little gen.)
- One Piece - [ Pixiv Account ] - I kind of love this artist's work ridiculously. Whether it's Nami in a wedding gown or Sanji in a black and red suit or Ace and Luffy falling through the sky together or more of Doflamingo/Crocodile or cute group sketches of the Strawhats or awesome Sanji and Usopp from their STRONGWORLD adventure or one of the hotter Namizou, Luffyko, and Sanjiko images I've come across and even a little bit of Zoro/Sanji AU (with guns!) as a bonus. All of them are well-drawn, there's a whole bunch of them here, and the artist nicely captures the spirit of One Piece, both in the solo images and the awesome ENTIRE GROUP images. How could I ask for more? I love this artist kind of a lot. ♥ (Maybe some Ace/Luffy, but I think this is primarily a gen account.)
- One Piece - [ Pixiv Account ] - While it's maybe less frequent than it used to be, I still have a fondness for Japan's fondness for Shuraiya, especially when they do such beautiful art of him. That's probably one of the main reasons to visit this account, but I also like that there's a gorgeous one of Marco with his phoenix wings and a really beautifully done one of three of the Supernovas and, my favorite, an awesome STRONGWORLD image of everyone falling through the sky. There's not a ton of art here, but what is really charmed me and is beautifully done, the bright anime cel-style colors and nicely done lines and sense of fun being why I keep coming back to OP fanart. (No warnings/pairings.)
- One Piece - [ Pixiv Account ] - [You can also find the artist's deviantART account here.] I'll mention ahead of time that this artist does a lot of T&A on the women of One Piece, especially Nami, which might have turned me off more than it did... except I am completely in love with this artist's coloring. I am totally weak to the vibrant colors used on Nami, the jewel-bright tones of her hair and eyes, the amazing blues of the ocean and the adorable clothes that I would totally wear on her. But it's also the awesome Luffy/Nami fanservice and awesome images of them and KOHZA/VIVI FUCK YEAH and even some really adorable Usopp/Kaya to go along with it! I'm just. Completely in love with how much art there is here, the beautiful colors that are totally my thing (I am a sucker for the brighter colors like this), and the focus on the women of OP who deserve it. There's as much LuNa as there is Nami with Robin and even more of Nami on her own, which is nice to run into sometimes when the guys of OP usually get so much focus. I can overlook the T&A aspect because, a) Nami is smoking hot and b) there's obviously such affection for her character that I don't mind it. The whole thing is one of my new favorites. ♥ (Some Luffy/Nami, a little Kohza/Vivi and Franky/Robin, some T&A making it NSFW at times, but also worth it for the Nami gen.)
- One Piece - [ Pixiv Account ] - This artist was super fun! I was browsing for more ZoSan art because I've been on a kick for them and stumbled over the artwork here and I liked the colors and glossy feel to the art a lot, but. Then there were AUs with guns and both Zoro and Sanji were super-hot and, well. Let's put that on the list of things I am also weak towards. I like her fully colored art the best, I think, but all of her multi-page stuff, especially this series of post-time-skip images! There's a real sense of fun with her characters along with the hot and her work just gets better and better over time, so I'm really hoping she sticks around for awhile and draws more glossy, shiny ZoSan art! With guns. P.S. There is fox!Sanji with Zoro and I love this artist just that much more. ♥ (Zoro/Sanji.)
- One Piece - [ Pixiv Account ] - There's only about a dozen images here, but I had to recommend this artist just for this image alone, because it's Zoro carrying Sanji who has his legs wrapped around Zoro's waist while firing off two guns and it's kind of one of the hottest ZoSan images I've ever seen. The artist also has some very nicely done Luffy art and a very pretty Nami image and an excellent ZoSan kiss series and even some fox!Sanji art that's just gorgeous. It's one of those artists where I wish there were more here because she does such great lines and colors and knowsssss what I like and reminds me of why I'm so obsessed with this fandom sometimes. Really there's some truly excellent art here! <3 Oh, and an excellent reaction to their reunion, lol. (Some Zoro/Sanji, some gen.)
Durarara!! doujinshi (raw): Cicatrix - [Note: This post is locked, but the comm is freely joinable.] This doujinshi isn't going to be for everyone and I'm not even sure why I myself liked it, since its whole point is pretty much Izaya abuse. Not necessarily hardcore abuse, but it's rather non-con at points and I guess maybe that works for me well enough because it's Izaya. I wasn't going into this doujinshi for its ICness, I was going into it for the Izaya porn and the doujinshi delivered that pretty well weith both Shiki/Izaya and Shizuo/Izaya. The art is servicable, bordering on pretty at times, and there are tattoos involved! And the Shizuo/Izaya half was very nice and just. This was a fun treat today. (Shiki/Izaya, Shizuo/Izaya, NC-17, non-con.)
Fullmetal Alchemist doujinshi (raw): thorn - [Note: This post is locked, but the comm is freely joinable.] Every so often there's some FMA doujinshi posted and I always make a note to catch up on them, bookmarking it for later, and then never quite get around to it. Until sometimes I do and then I go, WAIT, WHY DID I EVER WAIT ON THIS FANDOM?? because I enjoy the Roy/Ed doujinshi so much. I liked this artist's style, it's difficult to describe, but I enjoy seeing it in manga (usually semi-gothic manga, which I enjoy a lot) and I enjoyed it here. The details of it were solid and the characters looked pretty (especially Roy! which always makes me happy, too!) and there's an excellent koala-style carry while the two of them continue to make out. I'd probably have recommended it just for that, even though it's set post-anime, this doujinshika manages to make Roy's eyepatch look kind of awesome. (Roy/Ed.)
Katekyou Hitman REBORN! doujinshi (scanslated): Haroin (Halloween) - [Note: This post is locked, but the comm is freely joinable.] This was an adorable little Halloween treat! It's not precisely shippy, because it's one of those that has Hibari as a little baby that Dino's raising, but if you enjoy the ship, any kind of interaction can be really fun! And I kind of love the artist's style, her itty bitty Hibari is adorable as all get out, you can see why Dino is totally weak to his ridiculous Halloween request, but her Dino is also kind of smoking hot. There's a reaction page of him that's just. a;lsdkfjalskj yes plz. Mostly, this was just cute fluff that was totally fun. ♥ (This is gen, but if you like Dino/Hibari interaction, you might like this.)
Katekyou Hitman REBORN! doujinshi (scanslated): Dolcetto O Scherzetto? - [Note: This post is locked, but the comm is freely joinable.] This is a bit of an odd story, you can tell it's part of a larger story arc, but I think it stands well enough on its own, especially for a cute little Halloween treat type of story. And it's LION*PUNCH, who are one of my favorites for this pairing, so of course the artwork is lovely and Dino especially is super hot. It's not a long one, but it also has TYL!Hibari making out with his younger self and has Dino in costume that looks kind of awesome and it was just kind of really fun! I enjoyed it a lot. ♥ (Dino/Hibari.)
Tales of the Abyss doujinshi (scanslated): Sukidayo - Every so often this group comes out with a TOA doujinshi and I love them for it because they pick such gorgeous books to do and this one is no example. It's not a complicated story, it's a little over 20 pages for the actual plot (such as it is), with Luke noticing that he's making Tear worry and he's sorry about that, but part of him isn't sorry because it means a lot to him that she's worried. It's hard to describe why this makes for such a beautiful doujinshi, but a lot of it is in the dreamy, almost hazy feeling of things and the stunningly pretty art. There were several pages where I sort of just stopped to stare because it was so lovely and the feelings between Luke and Tear were so obvious, yet still subtle. It was a beautiful book to add to the collection of TOA translated doujinshi. ♥ (Luke/Tear.)