[ Saiyuki, Prince of Tennis, Naruto, One Piece, Inuyasha ]
Notes/Babbling: ....I was supposed to write more recs than this, but then I sort of started falling asleep and... ....zzzZZZzzz....
Series:
Saiyuki - 1 Fanfic
Prince of Tennis - 3 Fanfics
Naruto - 5 Fanfics
One Piece - 4 Fanfics
Inuyasha - 1 Fanfic
- Saiyuki - All in the Look by Jan - I don't read a whole lot of Saiyuki fic because I wouldn't understand all of it, since I'm horrifically behind with the series. But every once in awhile I come across a shorter piece that's just long enough and I was soooooo tempted by the "Sanzo/Hakkai" label on the fic, so I clicked on it and read. And this is what I like from Sanzo/Hakkai... it doesn't disregard the other important relationships in the series, but still focuses in on what makes THIS one work. The writing was subtle and just... I could almost feel the tranquility that Hakkai presented, which was such a good thing for a fic like this, because I felt like I could almost touch that certain something that attracted the two of them together. Adored this. (Light Sanzo/Hakkai.)
- Prince of Tennis - Riding a Bike by Lady Cosmos - I love that this story is one of those little things where... it's not necessarily something I would have thought of myself, but it seems so obvious a thing to write about with an idea like this. The characterization is just lovely--not too sappy, but still genuinely touching in its own way, as MomoRyo should be. Plus, eeee! It sparkled, which MomoRyo really needs, I think, and Lady Cosmos is a terrific writer and this just... said so much about their relationship without really having to say it. I love that about MomoRyo. (MomoRyo.)
- Naruto - All Those Little Things by Lynnxlady - So, I'm still at the point in the manga where Tsunade hasn't been around that much, she's just come back to Konoha (at least as of the time I write this rec, I'm still getting to the rest of it! XD) and I just... I remember seeing a fanart or two of Jiraiya/Tsunade and being intrigued by the idea 'cause I liked Jiraiya a whole lot at the time. Thinking that I'd never be able to find a story that matched up with my hopes for the characters, I clicked on this one anyway 'cause it promised me smut. And just... holy shit, this is perfect for what I wanted. The writing is incredibly sharp and good, just beautifully written, and the characterization is so perfect that my teeth ached from it. They're not in smooshy love, but they're not just using each other, either, and the story never had to comment on that, really, you just GOT what kind of relationship they had from Tsunade's feelings. And, oh, it was gorgeous that she didn't pull her punches, that he didn't pull his, that they drank and swore and were fighters/ninjas, that there weren't any easy answers, but they didn't dwell on things, either. She didn't forget the people she'd loved before, but neither was the attraction to Jiraiya about them, it stood on its own. And the attraction/sex? Gorgeous. Just... wah, GOOD HETSMUT for a pairing that I suspect I will now be forever in love with. I could not have asked for anything more than what this fic gave me. LOVELOVELOVE. (Jiraiya/Tsunade, graphic content.)
- Naruto - Lee and Sakura Get Laid - part 01 and part 02 by solderini - I... I... I... my love of LeeSaku knows no bounds with this fic, because... they're just... oh, god, I FLAIL at the cute. Admittedly, the storyline is a little bit parody-ish, especially the stuff with Neji and Lee's rivalry, but it's not out-and-out parody, so I wind up having spazzy fits over the cuteness that is LeeSaku. I just... this story is so much of WHY I love these two--how much he adores her, how much he loves her, how well he treats her, how much of a DORK he is, and the way she smiles around him, the way she's amused, but so terribly fond of him, the way they're more than they seem at first, the way there's something interesting to this relationship. Plus, OMG THE FUNNY. I just... god, I laughed so hard I think I had to stop a few times just to get it out of my system before I kept reading. Solderini plays on the quirks of the characters, creating these situations that are just absolutely hysterical and does it with a wonderful sense of timing even in text. Just... this is one of those rare fics that worked on every level it was going for, I think. And is exactly why I love Lee/Sakura so damn much. *happy, giddly, sparkly fangirl* (Lee/Sakura.)
- Naruto - Full Bloom by Lynnxlady - Have I gone on enough about how much I adore Lee yet? Because I do. This was a soft, sweet, gentle little ficlet that I enjoyed especially for the way Lee looks at Sakura, which just warms my heart, even as it causes a few twinges here and there. Lee is one of those characters who made my heart flip over and fall for him and this story capitalizes on what it is about Lee that can do that. My heart flopped about for him during the one line about how he thinks about her and Sasuke (it's not really a Lee-->Sakura-->Sasuke story, mind, it was just one line, but it was indicative of that feeling I get for Lee when he's being so... Lee-like) and the characterization just... brought to mind soft, gentle grasses and a light breeze and a slight bittersweetness and some genuine happiness. ....which is an incoherent reaction, I know, but this story just made me feel and that's the best way I can describe it. (Sakura/Lee.)
- One Piece - Won't You Come Home? by karaleyn - This was... a cute story and it's nice to sometimes read a story where Usopp gets to be the center of the fic for once. The thing that really caught my attention with this story is that you can feel the author's affection for the character (and the rest of the crew as well), that she's got a lot of enthusiasm for the story she's telling and it's something I get from the manga itself. And the friendship between all the characters was nicely presented (especially the way Usopp sees/interacts with them), making this just... yeah, a cute little fic that was fun to read. ^_^v (No warnings/pairings.)
- Prince of Tennis - Glory by Emily Ravenwood - I... keep feeling like I've rec'd this story already, but I can't find it anywhere on my list. So, taking another stab at it then. ^_~ Emily is writing these Rikkai stories that... I mean... if previous to "Challenge", you'd asked me to read a story about Yukimura and Kirihara interaction, I probably wouldn't have done it, simply because I've had such a hard time tearing myself away from the YagyuuNiou stuff. Yet... she's made this team interesting for me in a way that's just amazing... she's got such a strong knack for fleshing out these characters and making them interesting and telling a genuinely good story. She was a good FMA writer, she's a flat-out great Prince of Tennis writer--and the emotion between her characters (okay, okay, I'm using this story as a springboard for a more generalized post about her Rikkai writing, that doesn't mean you shouldn't read this one anyway *grin*) is just... she made them come alive. (No real pairings, maybe a little Yukimura/Kirihara hintage, but closer to UST than anything.)
- Naruto - Summer by Pellaz - This is quite possibly my ultimate SasuNaru fic because... well, okay, see, I could go on this huge, long jag about how I see the characters, where I think they're going, what I want from the series, but I think the fic says it better than I could. I love this story because the writing is wonderful, the characterization and dialogue are sharp, insightful, and damn near perfect, and it's the aftermath of Sasuke's betrayal (and eventual ass-kicking delivered by Naruto) that I wanted to see so damn badly. Her characterizations are just spot-on (the scene with Naruto and Iruka is fabulous, even if Naruto's speech is a little off--which straightens out about a third of the way in and is just rocking from then on out) and I lovelovelove that Sasuke and Naruto deal with their issues in a very SasuNaru sort of way. Snark, snarling, and an odd sort of understanding. Excuse me while I go have fits of happy fangirl joy. (SasuNaru.)
- Prince of Tennis - Glove by niche - I will admit that the writing of this story is very... mm, I'm not sure how to term it. Very much taken with imagery and vague descriptions and I think the point gets lost a few times along the way. (But, then, I'm more and more a fan of minimalism as I get older, so what do I know? *grin*) The thing that I liked about it, however, was that that kind of style often works with TezukaFuji because they rarely come right out and say anything, so the atmosphere in this writing reflects that. And I loved the not-needing-to-say-anythning-specific feel the author has with the characters, they way they just sort of seem to get what's going on and... well, really, I just love the scene at the end with the gloves. I love stuff like that. XD (TezukaFuji.)
- Inuyasha - narcissi by rondaview - You know what I love about this fic? A Sesshoumaru POV that I believed, bought, and liked. The writing was beautiful, just absolutely perfect--not too psycho, not too uncaring, not too passionate, not too arrogant, not too smug, not too any of the other things that I fear authors could make him. Oh, it felt right, especially the way he looked at the world around him, his own mortality (or lack thereof), even his sort-of-kind-of-not-really relationship with Kagura. Which I wouldn't have thought I'd have believed, but the way it was written here makes a beautiful sort of sense. Add in some gorgeous writing and a knack for getting the feel of the IY characters down, and, damn, do I want MORE. (Some Sesshoumaru/Kagura.)
- Naruto - Flash Frame by rondaview - There's nothing particularly loving about the way they touch each other. In fact, Naruto is secretly convinced that Sasuke's been tucking these moments into the back of his head all along, probably for future blackmail or some other equally nefarious purpose. The thing that I absolutely, positively love about this story? That it's not really fluffy, but it's not really ouchy, either. It's sharp-edged and it's not particularily nice, but it doesn't make me want to curl up in a little ball, either. The way the narrative flows over each point is nicely done, the way it's a character piece, but never gets too caught up in the trying to explain feelings, instead showing us moments that help show us the SasuNaru relationship, in so much of its complexity. This is why I haven't given up in disgust on the Naruto fandom. (SasuNaru.)
- One Piece - The Terribly Romantic Romance of Ace and Chopper by Calico Kat - This one just never stops being funny, it really doesn't. It's just... it makes me love it SO MUCH because the voices for both Ace and Chopper are both right on, just perfect, and the writing is solid and just... *sporfles* SO. FUNNY. (Ace/Chopper... ....what?)
- One Piece - A Lesson Taught by meethzoonk - Do you know how badly I wanted a Luffy/Nami fic that was both IC and well-written? Oh, it pained me that I had yet to find one. And then this story came along. And it was funny. It wasn't just tolerable, it actually sparkled and was funny and clever and, oh, Luffy was perfect in his cluelessness and Nami was perfect in her frustration and being practically the only sane person on that boat. I really just sort of flail over this story because I laughed so hard over it and because it had all the right sort of details with Nami's map and Luffy's being distracted with food (without being cliche, I thought! <3), but also because I could see this happening. It felt very natural to me... well, at least natural in the sense of One Piece, which is whacky and fun. Just... *happy sigh* I am an incoherently happy Luffy/Nami fangirl. (Luffy/Nami.)
- One Piece - I.O.U. by meethzoonk - Every time I read this fic, I just... I start laughing all over again because it so precisely hits what I love about the One Piece sense of humor. The things that, in hindsight, seem like they obviously would have turned out that way, but you never really expected it going in. Plus? FUNNY. The author has a very strong sense for comedic timing and she really does an excellent job with Nami and Luffy's characters. I could JUST SEE this, to the point where I could nearly have imagined it in the manga. (Not actually Luffy/Nami, pretty much completely gen, but, dammit, I need fics in that catagory, so. XD)
Series:
Saiyuki - 1 Fanfic
Prince of Tennis - 3 Fanfics
Naruto - 5 Fanfics
One Piece - 4 Fanfics
Inuyasha - 1 Fanfic
- Saiyuki - All in the Look by Jan - I don't read a whole lot of Saiyuki fic because I wouldn't understand all of it, since I'm horrifically behind with the series. But every once in awhile I come across a shorter piece that's just long enough and I was soooooo tempted by the "Sanzo/Hakkai" label on the fic, so I clicked on it and read. And this is what I like from Sanzo/Hakkai... it doesn't disregard the other important relationships in the series, but still focuses in on what makes THIS one work. The writing was subtle and just... I could almost feel the tranquility that Hakkai presented, which was such a good thing for a fic like this, because I felt like I could almost touch that certain something that attracted the two of them together. Adored this. (Light Sanzo/Hakkai.)
- Prince of Tennis - Riding a Bike by Lady Cosmos - I love that this story is one of those little things where... it's not necessarily something I would have thought of myself, but it seems so obvious a thing to write about with an idea like this. The characterization is just lovely--not too sappy, but still genuinely touching in its own way, as MomoRyo should be. Plus, eeee! It sparkled, which MomoRyo really needs, I think, and Lady Cosmos is a terrific writer and this just... said so much about their relationship without really having to say it. I love that about MomoRyo. (MomoRyo.)
- Naruto - All Those Little Things by Lynnxlady - So, I'm still at the point in the manga where Tsunade hasn't been around that much, she's just come back to Konoha (at least as of the time I write this rec, I'm still getting to the rest of it! XD) and I just... I remember seeing a fanart or two of Jiraiya/Tsunade and being intrigued by the idea 'cause I liked Jiraiya a whole lot at the time. Thinking that I'd never be able to find a story that matched up with my hopes for the characters, I clicked on this one anyway 'cause it promised me smut. And just... holy shit, this is perfect for what I wanted. The writing is incredibly sharp and good, just beautifully written, and the characterization is so perfect that my teeth ached from it. They're not in smooshy love, but they're not just using each other, either, and the story never had to comment on that, really, you just GOT what kind of relationship they had from Tsunade's feelings. And, oh, it was gorgeous that she didn't pull her punches, that he didn't pull his, that they drank and swore and were fighters/ninjas, that there weren't any easy answers, but they didn't dwell on things, either. She didn't forget the people she'd loved before, but neither was the attraction to Jiraiya about them, it stood on its own. And the attraction/sex? Gorgeous. Just... wah, GOOD HETSMUT for a pairing that I suspect I will now be forever in love with. I could not have asked for anything more than what this fic gave me. LOVELOVELOVE. (Jiraiya/Tsunade, graphic content.)
- Naruto - Lee and Sakura Get Laid - part 01 and part 02 by solderini - I... I... I... my love of LeeSaku knows no bounds with this fic, because... they're just... oh, god, I FLAIL at the cute. Admittedly, the storyline is a little bit parody-ish, especially the stuff with Neji and Lee's rivalry, but it's not out-and-out parody, so I wind up having spazzy fits over the cuteness that is LeeSaku. I just... this story is so much of WHY I love these two--how much he adores her, how much he loves her, how well he treats her, how much of a DORK he is, and the way she smiles around him, the way she's amused, but so terribly fond of him, the way they're more than they seem at first, the way there's something interesting to this relationship. Plus, OMG THE FUNNY. I just... god, I laughed so hard I think I had to stop a few times just to get it out of my system before I kept reading. Solderini plays on the quirks of the characters, creating these situations that are just absolutely hysterical and does it with a wonderful sense of timing even in text. Just... this is one of those rare fics that worked on every level it was going for, I think. And is exactly why I love Lee/Sakura so damn much. *happy, giddly, sparkly fangirl* (Lee/Sakura.)
- Naruto - Full Bloom by Lynnxlady - Have I gone on enough about how much I adore Lee yet? Because I do. This was a soft, sweet, gentle little ficlet that I enjoyed especially for the way Lee looks at Sakura, which just warms my heart, even as it causes a few twinges here and there. Lee is one of those characters who made my heart flip over and fall for him and this story capitalizes on what it is about Lee that can do that. My heart flopped about for him during the one line about how he thinks about her and Sasuke (it's not really a Lee-->Sakura-->Sasuke story, mind, it was just one line, but it was indicative of that feeling I get for Lee when he's being so... Lee-like) and the characterization just... brought to mind soft, gentle grasses and a light breeze and a slight bittersweetness and some genuine happiness. ....which is an incoherent reaction, I know, but this story just made me feel and that's the best way I can describe it. (Sakura/Lee.)
- One Piece - Won't You Come Home? by karaleyn - This was... a cute story and it's nice to sometimes read a story where Usopp gets to be the center of the fic for once. The thing that really caught my attention with this story is that you can feel the author's affection for the character (and the rest of the crew as well), that she's got a lot of enthusiasm for the story she's telling and it's something I get from the manga itself. And the friendship between all the characters was nicely presented (especially the way Usopp sees/interacts with them), making this just... yeah, a cute little fic that was fun to read. ^_^v (No warnings/pairings.)
- Prince of Tennis - Glory by Emily Ravenwood - I... keep feeling like I've rec'd this story already, but I can't find it anywhere on my list. So, taking another stab at it then. ^_~ Emily is writing these Rikkai stories that... I mean... if previous to "Challenge", you'd asked me to read a story about Yukimura and Kirihara interaction, I probably wouldn't have done it, simply because I've had such a hard time tearing myself away from the YagyuuNiou stuff. Yet... she's made this team interesting for me in a way that's just amazing... she's got such a strong knack for fleshing out these characters and making them interesting and telling a genuinely good story. She was a good FMA writer, she's a flat-out great Prince of Tennis writer--and the emotion between her characters (okay, okay, I'm using this story as a springboard for a more generalized post about her Rikkai writing, that doesn't mean you shouldn't read this one anyway *grin*) is just... she made them come alive. (No real pairings, maybe a little Yukimura/Kirihara hintage, but closer to UST than anything.)
- Naruto - Summer by Pellaz - This is quite possibly my ultimate SasuNaru fic because... well, okay, see, I could go on this huge, long jag about how I see the characters, where I think they're going, what I want from the series, but I think the fic says it better than I could. I love this story because the writing is wonderful, the characterization and dialogue are sharp, insightful, and damn near perfect, and it's the aftermath of Sasuke's betrayal (and eventual ass-kicking delivered by Naruto) that I wanted to see so damn badly. Her characterizations are just spot-on (the scene with Naruto and Iruka is fabulous, even if Naruto's speech is a little off--which straightens out about a third of the way in and is just rocking from then on out) and I lovelovelove that Sasuke and Naruto deal with their issues in a very SasuNaru sort of way. Snark, snarling, and an odd sort of understanding. Excuse me while I go have fits of happy fangirl joy. (SasuNaru.)
- Prince of Tennis - Glove by niche - I will admit that the writing of this story is very... mm, I'm not sure how to term it. Very much taken with imagery and vague descriptions and I think the point gets lost a few times along the way. (But, then, I'm more and more a fan of minimalism as I get older, so what do I know? *grin*) The thing that I liked about it, however, was that that kind of style often works with TezukaFuji because they rarely come right out and say anything, so the atmosphere in this writing reflects that. And I loved the not-needing-to-say-anythning-specific feel the author has with the characters, they way they just sort of seem to get what's going on and... well, really, I just love the scene at the end with the gloves. I love stuff like that. XD (TezukaFuji.)
- Inuyasha - narcissi by rondaview - You know what I love about this fic? A Sesshoumaru POV that I believed, bought, and liked. The writing was beautiful, just absolutely perfect--not too psycho, not too uncaring, not too passionate, not too arrogant, not too smug, not too any of the other things that I fear authors could make him. Oh, it felt right, especially the way he looked at the world around him, his own mortality (or lack thereof), even his sort-of-kind-of-not-really relationship with Kagura. Which I wouldn't have thought I'd have believed, but the way it was written here makes a beautiful sort of sense. Add in some gorgeous writing and a knack for getting the feel of the IY characters down, and, damn, do I want MORE. (Some Sesshoumaru/Kagura.)
- Naruto - Flash Frame by rondaview - There's nothing particularly loving about the way they touch each other. In fact, Naruto is secretly convinced that Sasuke's been tucking these moments into the back of his head all along, probably for future blackmail or some other equally nefarious purpose. The thing that I absolutely, positively love about this story? That it's not really fluffy, but it's not really ouchy, either. It's sharp-edged and it's not particularily nice, but it doesn't make me want to curl up in a little ball, either. The way the narrative flows over each point is nicely done, the way it's a character piece, but never gets too caught up in the trying to explain feelings, instead showing us moments that help show us the SasuNaru relationship, in so much of its complexity. This is why I haven't given up in disgust on the Naruto fandom. (SasuNaru.)
- One Piece - The Terribly Romantic Romance of Ace and Chopper by Calico Kat - This one just never stops being funny, it really doesn't. It's just... it makes me love it SO MUCH because the voices for both Ace and Chopper are both right on, just perfect, and the writing is solid and just... *sporfles* SO. FUNNY. (Ace/Chopper... ....what?)
- One Piece - A Lesson Taught by meethzoonk - Do you know how badly I wanted a Luffy/Nami fic that was both IC and well-written? Oh, it pained me that I had yet to find one. And then this story came along. And it was funny. It wasn't just tolerable, it actually sparkled and was funny and clever and, oh, Luffy was perfect in his cluelessness and Nami was perfect in her frustration and being practically the only sane person on that boat. I really just sort of flail over this story because I laughed so hard over it and because it had all the right sort of details with Nami's map and Luffy's being distracted with food (without being cliche, I thought! <3), but also because I could see this happening. It felt very natural to me... well, at least natural in the sense of One Piece, which is whacky and fun. Just... *happy sigh* I am an incoherently happy Luffy/Nami fangirl. (Luffy/Nami.)
- One Piece - I.O.U. by meethzoonk - Every time I read this fic, I just... I start laughing all over again because it so precisely hits what I love about the One Piece sense of humor. The things that, in hindsight, seem like they obviously would have turned out that way, but you never really expected it going in. Plus? FUNNY. The author has a very strong sense for comedic timing and she really does an excellent job with Nami and Luffy's characters. I could JUST SEE this, to the point where I could nearly have imagined it in the manga. (Not actually Luffy/Nami, pretty much completely gen, but, dammit, I need fics in that catagory, so. XD)