[ Gravitation, Naruto, Yamimatsu, Harry Potter ]
Notes/Babbling: Naruto again? ....I blame both the Universe and Kelsey/Tammaiya for this. The Universe because I was already reading a handful of Naruto fics again and it was a creepy coincidence that we talked for a few comments about KakaIru (my beloved pairing, obviously) and Kelsey and Tammaiya for actually talking about the series and keeping me in the mood, instead of just letting it be a passing thing.
..... >E
Series:
Gravitation - 1 Fanfic
Naruto - 2 Fanfics
Yami no Matsuei - 5 Fanfics
Naruto/Harry Potter - 1 Fanart
Naruto - 7 Fanart
- Gravivation - Nostalgia by Ralphiere - I think it's the little touches that make me like stories like this so much--the way Eiri thinks about his own childhood when Shuuichi is uncovering something from his and waxing nostalgic about it, but it's not super-angsty, it's just... quietly Eiri. It's also that the theme (radio-cassette player) works really well with these characters, but that there's still a certain sense that... the author made it feel very natural for the story, rather than just going with something dull or lifeless. Plus, Shuuichi isn't over the top, but he's still Shuuichi. Eiri isn't over the top, he's still Eiri. And I ♥ the ending, as usual. (Yuki/Shuuichi.)
- Naruto - Dear Sir or Madam by Never Eats Oranges - I know I've seen this fic summary before and it seems like I should have read it before, but... well, anyway, I was in the mood for humor again the other day, so I stumbled over this one, read, and promptly laughed the entire way through. The kind where it could have been so flat and unfunny, various members of the series writing anonymously to Iruka for an advice column, but the author's talent and sense of timing really pulled it off, so that I was nearly rolling around on the floor, clutching my sides in laughter. It's just... from the way Kakashi is teasing him to the way notes spread around the characters like wildfire (like the way Tsunade just knows stuff, the way she has her sources) to the way the teachers discuss amongst themselves to... just... Gai... *rolls around on the floor and giggles* (Err. Mostly parody, so I'm not sure anything counts?)
- Naruto - Love is the Strongest Energy by Suke-san - You know, a part of me is torn over this fic. On the one hand, it's the fun sort of humor fic that I honestly am amused by and giggle over in exactly the way the author intended. On the other hand, it does get a little frustrating to not be able to find serious fics sometimes. But that's not really this fic's fault, so don't let my crabbiness over something that this fic never intended to be warn you off the story. It's one of those that I'd always seen around, but never quite got around to clicking on myself until the other night, when I started it and just could not put it down because it was so delightfully entertaining. The author's humor works really well in a story like this and... okay, sure, there's a lot of fangirl Japanese and wince-worthy nicknames like "Ruru" or just "Kaka" instead of Kakashi, but they're mostly confined to the author's notes and are obviously joking. And, yeah, it can get a little, "...wait, what just happened?" in places, but the author usually does a good job of clearing it up not long after.
....and I realize I'm citing a lot of crits for a story that I don't think really deserves a backhanded compliment sort of rec, because I did still enjoy myself immensely while reading it, I do still think that it belongs on my list. Because there are moments in the story where... Neji'll be expounding on fate and a free-as-the-wind bird will fly over in the most perfectly comedic timing by the author and I will have to stop and just laugh hysterically. Or Gai will come bounding into a scene and he will be just absolutely perfect and I'll be reduced to kicking my feet in a laughing fit all over again or Sasuke and Neji will have their little "....hn."-off or Sasuke's reactions to everything or when they have to come up with a plan to get Kakashi and Iruka "back together" or when Iruka is absolutely ADORABLE when he doesn't know WTF is going on or a million other things that make this a genuinely good story. Also, the writing flows really well, making it the kind of story that you can start and a half an hour will go by before you've even noticed it. Much, much fun and I totally loved the crack. ♥ (Kakashi/Iruka, with hints of other canon-friendly pairs.)
- Yami no Matsuei - The Joys of Motherhood by Tammaiya - Heeheehee. Watari, gender-changing potion, massive confusion in the Meifu, Tatsumi strangling him, and poor, poor confused Tsuzuki. Beautifully hysterical use of the above elements to make a fic that could have been rather flat and not that funny into something that had me cackling the entire way through it. It's just... the little things like Watari's evil little smile or Tatsumi baiting, Tatsumi actually attempting to strangle the life out of Watari, Tsuzuki just trying not to get caught in the crossfire, girl!Terazuma and boy!Wakaba, the cute Tsusoka, to... just... the beautiful ending that was so absolutely perfect for these characters. It really is a wonder they haven't all strangled Watari yet. But that's what I loved about this story, that it was the sort of madcap humor that I could believe and just see with these characters. ♥ (Some Tsuzuki/Hisoka, hints of Tatsumi/Watari.)
- Yami no Matsuei - Musical Chairs by Tammaiya - How, how I missed that she'd written Yamimatsu fic, much less fic with Tatari in it, I will never know. The author had done some really funny 30-second summaries, I realized I hadn't read the Yamimatsu ones, promptly zoomed off to read and then sparkled like hell, because... eeeeee! Get Tatsumi Drunk Party! That's just so brilliantly Watari, especially right down to the narrative, that was that beautiful mix between brilliance, something serious, and completely mad-scientist!insanity that Watari has--this story was worth it for the Watari narration alone, then adding in the genius insanity of Muraki crashing the party, Tatsumi's reluctance to get involved with any of this mess, MUSICAL CHAIRS, Watari cheating, and a lovely, lovely end. Oh, man, why can't there be more fic like this in the fandom? ♥ (Tatari, Tsusoka.)
- Naruto/Harry Potter - [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - For all that I came to this site for the KakaIru fanart, I wound up liking the Harry Potter fanart better, because the artist just does a terrific job with the Sirius/Remus illustrations--they're gorgeously detailed, the lines are fantastic, I even really like the way her colors are used. I think, though, that it's because the Naruto fanart may be older and you can see how much the artist has progressed over time? Because the current top illustration of kiddie!Iruka holding an Icha Icha Paradise book on a stick out in front of kiddie!Kakashi to make him run looks really good--and who wouldn't want to see that, btw? Totally worth going to the site for. XD But the best illustration on the site? Even better than Kakashi, Iruka, and Naruto swimming underwater with the dolphin? Even better than the beautifully color Marauders group illustration? There's this stunning one of Sirius and Remus lying back in the grass that utterly wins my heart over. Not a ton of art here, but I happily got my fix just a little bit from the site. :D :D :D (KakaIru, a little Sirius/Remus that could totally be gen.)
- Naruto - Totokian-Tamakura [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I admit, I am weak to this sort of art. Weak. The big-headed, uber-adorable chibis with the pretty coloring? So. Much. Love. From. Me. Normally, I don't really get into a site too much if it's just chibis, but this artist has enough skill, does these really pretty, fine lines and combines it with these lovely colors, the bright kind that I just go for... then tosses in ultra-cute poses and I am squeeing from the cute. Just... there are so many I'd love to directly point out because they are so. freaking. cute. *is spazzy fangirl happy* ♥ ♥ ♥ (KakaIru.)
- Naruto - ASURA [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I really hesitated over this site at first, because I wans't sure if I wanted to rec it or not, but... when the artist draws the characters with a scarf around their face or a mask over their features or just something to cover up the lower half of their faces, the art is actually pretty cool. Which, of course, thankfully means there's a lot of really nice Kakashi illustrations on the site and a couple of really cute KakaIru illustrations--I'm particularily fond of the one of them lying on each other in the grass. <3 But I suspect the real reason I was won over was the under gallery. >__>a I'm pretty easy to be won over when you have intense kisses that the author's vaguely rough sketch-like stuff really lends itself well to or when you have Kakashi and Iruka sleeping in the same bed--which I would have fawned over anyway, but it doesn't hurt that it was some of the artist's best work--or the occasional R-rated ones that are nice. *___* (KakaIru, content warning for the ura gallery, obviously.)
- Naruto - nineg [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - This site (as of the date I originally visited it here) I knew would probably be good, since there was this really nice b&w sketch of older!Sakura and... well, it did take me awhile to warm up to the gallery proper, but you get a little ways into the gallery and you can just see the artist getting better and better. Her lines tighten up, her details get stronger, and she has some really kick-ass poses--there's one of Kakashi and one of the nin dogs with an unfurled scroll arcing over their heads that's just COOL. The one right after it, a back shot of Kakashi with a bloodied katana and a circle of blood around him that was also really just kind of COOL. Oh, oh, and the one of Kakashi, Rin, and Obito! The lines were some of the artist's strongest yet. <3 Then there's the oekaki section of the various Naruto characters that actually gets a pretty good mix across the board and looks really good and that becomes the other highlight of the site. That there's one of Kiba sometimes or one of Zabuza that looks really good or Jiraiya and Naruto or Yondaime and Naruto and so on. I had fun. XD (Some KakaIru, some gen.)
- Naruto - sui-sui [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - It's been awhile since I came upon a Naruto site that had this genuinely good CG-style of art that... well, I suppose I shouldn't call it CG art, it's more like cel-style art and the artist here really does a good job with it. Her colors aren't too bright or flat and her lines are really good--you can especially tell in all of the illustrations of Sasuke and Naruto. (Though, I think my favorite was of Jiraiya, Yondaime, and Naruto or the sweetly adorable one of Yondaime kissing infant!Naruto's head... ooh, or the great one of Yondaime and Sasuke's father staring at each other while their toddler kids climb all over them. Right down to the touch of the little plush Itachi!doll in toddler!Sasuke's hands. XD) Overall, it was just a really strong site that I quite enjoyed and I don't normally seek out the SasuNaru art. <3 (Some SasuNaru, some KakaIru, some gen.)
- Naruto - SIDORO [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I found the art of this site to be rather hit-or-miss at first, there were many I didn't quite care for, but... as always, there only needs to be a handful of illustrations I genuinely liked or a prettypretty KakaIru kiss (with the hint of more) and I'll start caving. When you compare the artist's later work to her earlier stuff, I think you can really see improvement--that one grayscale one where Kakashi is leaning on top of Iruka, one hand in his hair, the other clasping his hand? So fantastically detailed, the lines of each of their hair are tremendous and I swoon from the intensity of it. Also, the one of Tsunade and Orochimaru (with Jiraiya and Kakashi in the background) should not be as neat as it is, but I actually found it to be really kind of cool. *__* Same with the one of adult!Neji. *__* So... yeah. I'm on the fence about some, I really loved others, which makes this a fun site for me. XD (Half KakaIru, half gen.)
- Naruto - SHARA [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - So, remember what I said about how I'm often easily won over by KakaIru kissing or slightly smutty fanart? That may apply here a bit as well. The artist isn't bad at all, I actually rather like her b&w sketches, especially when she draws these nicely intense kisses with just a hint of roughness to them that really fits with the characters. Plus, there's a good selection, I like the way she does fighting!characters, I like the way she often draws Iruka's hair loose, I like the way her Kakashi looks unmasked, and I really kind of enjoyed the couple of animated smutty illustrations. Another one of those sites that gave me my fix and happily so. ♥ (KakaIru.)
- Naruto - [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I am almost positive that I've rec'd this site before (I know I've seen some of the illustrations before), but... well, I'll skim the three pages of recs I have, but I have no idea where it could gotten off to in that rat's nest I call an archive. So, if this is a re-rec... well, it'll hardly be the first time. ^_~ Anyway, this is one of those sites that has several illustrations that... I don't know how stunning they are individually, but when you add many of them up together, when you look at the site as a whole, I adore the art on it. The artist has a really good sense for lines, colors, poses, all of that, even tries out different styles (some look hand-drawn, while others look they must have been completely CG'd--the closeup of a snow-laded!Kakashi pre-Sharingan eye is really cool for the way your focus is drawn towards his eyes, which look so vivid, but the one of ANBU!Kakashi back to back with chuunin!Iruka, both holding their weapons in fighting stances while sakura petals drift by is also just so, so pretty) and occasionally draws the smutty illustration here and there... well, yes, I love all of that. ♥ (Kakashi/Iruka.)
..... >E
Series:
Gravitation - 1 Fanfic
Naruto - 2 Fanfics
Yami no Matsuei - 5 Fanfics
Naruto/Harry Potter - 1 Fanart
Naruto - 7 Fanart
- Gravivation - Nostalgia by Ralphiere - I think it's the little touches that make me like stories like this so much--the way Eiri thinks about his own childhood when Shuuichi is uncovering something from his and waxing nostalgic about it, but it's not super-angsty, it's just... quietly Eiri. It's also that the theme (radio-cassette player) works really well with these characters, but that there's still a certain sense that... the author made it feel very natural for the story, rather than just going with something dull or lifeless. Plus, Shuuichi isn't over the top, but he's still Shuuichi. Eiri isn't over the top, he's still Eiri. And I ♥ the ending, as usual. (Yuki/Shuuichi.)
- Naruto - Dear Sir or Madam by Never Eats Oranges - I know I've seen this fic summary before and it seems like I should have read it before, but... well, anyway, I was in the mood for humor again the other day, so I stumbled over this one, read, and promptly laughed the entire way through. The kind where it could have been so flat and unfunny, various members of the series writing anonymously to Iruka for an advice column, but the author's talent and sense of timing really pulled it off, so that I was nearly rolling around on the floor, clutching my sides in laughter. It's just... from the way Kakashi is teasing him to the way notes spread around the characters like wildfire (like the way Tsunade just knows stuff, the way she has her sources) to the way the teachers discuss amongst themselves to... just... Gai... *rolls around on the floor and giggles* (Err. Mostly parody, so I'm not sure anything counts?)
- Naruto - Love is the Strongest Energy by Suke-san - You know, a part of me is torn over this fic. On the one hand, it's the fun sort of humor fic that I honestly am amused by and giggle over in exactly the way the author intended. On the other hand, it does get a little frustrating to not be able to find serious fics sometimes. But that's not really this fic's fault, so don't let my crabbiness over something that this fic never intended to be warn you off the story. It's one of those that I'd always seen around, but never quite got around to clicking on myself until the other night, when I started it and just could not put it down because it was so delightfully entertaining. The author's humor works really well in a story like this and... okay, sure, there's a lot of fangirl Japanese and wince-worthy nicknames like "Ruru" or just "Kaka" instead of Kakashi, but they're mostly confined to the author's notes and are obviously joking. And, yeah, it can get a little, "...wait, what just happened?" in places, but the author usually does a good job of clearing it up not long after.
....and I realize I'm citing a lot of crits for a story that I don't think really deserves a backhanded compliment sort of rec, because I did still enjoy myself immensely while reading it, I do still think that it belongs on my list. Because there are moments in the story where... Neji'll be expounding on fate and a free-as-the-wind bird will fly over in the most perfectly comedic timing by the author and I will have to stop and just laugh hysterically. Or Gai will come bounding into a scene and he will be just absolutely perfect and I'll be reduced to kicking my feet in a laughing fit all over again or Sasuke and Neji will have their little "....hn."-off or Sasuke's reactions to everything or when they have to come up with a plan to get Kakashi and Iruka "back together" or when Iruka is absolutely ADORABLE when he doesn't know WTF is going on or a million other things that make this a genuinely good story. Also, the writing flows really well, making it the kind of story that you can start and a half an hour will go by before you've even noticed it. Much, much fun and I totally loved the crack. ♥ (Kakashi/Iruka, with hints of other canon-friendly pairs.)
- Yami no Matsuei - The Joys of Motherhood by Tammaiya - Heeheehee. Watari, gender-changing potion, massive confusion in the Meifu, Tatsumi strangling him, and poor, poor confused Tsuzuki. Beautifully hysterical use of the above elements to make a fic that could have been rather flat and not that funny into something that had me cackling the entire way through it. It's just... the little things like Watari's evil little smile or Tatsumi baiting, Tatsumi actually attempting to strangle the life out of Watari, Tsuzuki just trying not to get caught in the crossfire, girl!Terazuma and boy!Wakaba, the cute Tsusoka, to... just... the beautiful ending that was so absolutely perfect for these characters. It really is a wonder they haven't all strangled Watari yet. But that's what I loved about this story, that it was the sort of madcap humor that I could believe and just see with these characters. ♥ (Some Tsuzuki/Hisoka, hints of Tatsumi/Watari.)
- Yami no Matsuei - Musical Chairs by Tammaiya - How, how I missed that she'd written Yamimatsu fic, much less fic with Tatari in it, I will never know. The author had done some really funny 30-second summaries, I realized I hadn't read the Yamimatsu ones, promptly zoomed off to read and then sparkled like hell, because... eeeeee! Get Tatsumi Drunk Party! That's just so brilliantly Watari, especially right down to the narrative, that was that beautiful mix between brilliance, something serious, and completely mad-scientist!insanity that Watari has--this story was worth it for the Watari narration alone, then adding in the genius insanity of Muraki crashing the party, Tatsumi's reluctance to get involved with any of this mess, MUSICAL CHAIRS, Watari cheating, and a lovely, lovely end. Oh, man, why can't there be more fic like this in the fandom? ♥ (Tatari, Tsusoka.)
- Naruto/Harry Potter - [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - For all that I came to this site for the KakaIru fanart, I wound up liking the Harry Potter fanart better, because the artist just does a terrific job with the Sirius/Remus illustrations--they're gorgeously detailed, the lines are fantastic, I even really like the way her colors are used. I think, though, that it's because the Naruto fanart may be older and you can see how much the artist has progressed over time? Because the current top illustration of kiddie!Iruka holding an Icha Icha Paradise book on a stick out in front of kiddie!Kakashi to make him run looks really good--and who wouldn't want to see that, btw? Totally worth going to the site for. XD But the best illustration on the site? Even better than Kakashi, Iruka, and Naruto swimming underwater with the dolphin? Even better than the beautifully color Marauders group illustration? There's this stunning one of Sirius and Remus lying back in the grass that utterly wins my heart over. Not a ton of art here, but I happily got my fix just a little bit from the site. :D :D :D (KakaIru, a little Sirius/Remus that could totally be gen.)
- Naruto - Totokian-Tamakura [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I admit, I am weak to this sort of art. Weak. The big-headed, uber-adorable chibis with the pretty coloring? So. Much. Love. From. Me. Normally, I don't really get into a site too much if it's just chibis, but this artist has enough skill, does these really pretty, fine lines and combines it with these lovely colors, the bright kind that I just go for... then tosses in ultra-cute poses and I am squeeing from the cute. Just... there are so many I'd love to directly point out because they are so. freaking. cute. *is spazzy fangirl happy* ♥ ♥ ♥ (KakaIru.)
- Naruto - ASURA [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I really hesitated over this site at first, because I wans't sure if I wanted to rec it or not, but... when the artist draws the characters with a scarf around their face or a mask over their features or just something to cover up the lower half of their faces, the art is actually pretty cool. Which, of course, thankfully means there's a lot of really nice Kakashi illustrations on the site and a couple of really cute KakaIru illustrations--I'm particularily fond of the one of them lying on each other in the grass. <3 But I suspect the real reason I was won over was the under gallery. >__>a I'm pretty easy to be won over when you have intense kisses that the author's vaguely rough sketch-like stuff really lends itself well to or when you have Kakashi and Iruka sleeping in the same bed--which I would have fawned over anyway, but it doesn't hurt that it was some of the artist's best work--or the occasional R-rated ones that are nice. *___* (KakaIru, content warning for the ura gallery, obviously.)
- Naruto - nineg [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - This site (as of the date I originally visited it here) I knew would probably be good, since there was this really nice b&w sketch of older!Sakura and... well, it did take me awhile to warm up to the gallery proper, but you get a little ways into the gallery and you can just see the artist getting better and better. Her lines tighten up, her details get stronger, and she has some really kick-ass poses--there's one of Kakashi and one of the nin dogs with an unfurled scroll arcing over their heads that's just COOL. The one right after it, a back shot of Kakashi with a bloodied katana and a circle of blood around him that was also really just kind of COOL. Oh, oh, and the one of Kakashi, Rin, and Obito! The lines were some of the artist's strongest yet. <3 Then there's the oekaki section of the various Naruto characters that actually gets a pretty good mix across the board and looks really good and that becomes the other highlight of the site. That there's one of Kiba sometimes or one of Zabuza that looks really good or Jiraiya and Naruto or Yondaime and Naruto and so on. I had fun. XD (Some KakaIru, some gen.)
- Naruto - sui-sui [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - It's been awhile since I came upon a Naruto site that had this genuinely good CG-style of art that... well, I suppose I shouldn't call it CG art, it's more like cel-style art and the artist here really does a good job with it. Her colors aren't too bright or flat and her lines are really good--you can especially tell in all of the illustrations of Sasuke and Naruto. (Though, I think my favorite was of Jiraiya, Yondaime, and Naruto or the sweetly adorable one of Yondaime kissing infant!Naruto's head... ooh, or the great one of Yondaime and Sasuke's father staring at each other while their toddler kids climb all over them. Right down to the touch of the little plush Itachi!doll in toddler!Sasuke's hands. XD) Overall, it was just a really strong site that I quite enjoyed and I don't normally seek out the SasuNaru art. <3 (Some SasuNaru, some KakaIru, some gen.)
- Naruto - SIDORO [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I found the art of this site to be rather hit-or-miss at first, there were many I didn't quite care for, but... as always, there only needs to be a handful of illustrations I genuinely liked or a prettypretty KakaIru kiss (with the hint of more) and I'll start caving. When you compare the artist's later work to her earlier stuff, I think you can really see improvement--that one grayscale one where Kakashi is leaning on top of Iruka, one hand in his hair, the other clasping his hand? So fantastically detailed, the lines of each of their hair are tremendous and I swoon from the intensity of it. Also, the one of Tsunade and Orochimaru (with Jiraiya and Kakashi in the background) should not be as neat as it is, but I actually found it to be really kind of cool. *__* Same with the one of adult!Neji. *__* So... yeah. I'm on the fence about some, I really loved others, which makes this a fun site for me. XD (Half KakaIru, half gen.)
- Naruto - SHARA [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - So, remember what I said about how I'm often easily won over by KakaIru kissing or slightly smutty fanart? That may apply here a bit as well. The artist isn't bad at all, I actually rather like her b&w sketches, especially when she draws these nicely intense kisses with just a hint of roughness to them that really fits with the characters. Plus, there's a good selection, I like the way she does fighting!characters, I like the way she often draws Iruka's hair loose, I like the way her Kakashi looks unmasked, and I really kind of enjoyed the couple of animated smutty illustrations. Another one of those sites that gave me my fix and happily so. ♥ (KakaIru.)
- Naruto - [ Japanese Fanart Site ] - I am almost positive that I've rec'd this site before (I know I've seen some of the illustrations before), but... well, I'll skim the three pages of recs I have, but I have no idea where it could gotten off to in that rat's nest I call an archive. So, if this is a re-rec... well, it'll hardly be the first time. ^_~ Anyway, this is one of those sites that has several illustrations that... I don't know how stunning they are individually, but when you add many of them up together, when you look at the site as a whole, I adore the art on it. The artist has a really good sense for lines, colors, poses, all of that, even tries out different styles (some look hand-drawn, while others look they must have been completely CG'd--the closeup of a snow-laded!Kakashi pre-Sharingan eye is really cool for the way your focus is drawn towards his eyes, which look so vivid, but the one of ANBU!Kakashi back to back with chuunin!Iruka, both holding their weapons in fighting stances while sakura petals drift by is also just so, so pretty) and occasionally draws the smutty illustration here and there... well, yes, I love all of that. ♥ (Kakashi/Iruka.)