[ Avatar, Bleach, FFVIII, Furuba, Host Club, GW, LM, LOVELESS, Mushishi, Naruto, Tenipuri, HOLiC ]
Notes/Babbling: Omg, Host Club chapter 28 was scanslated and you would not believe how fast I jumped on that baby. I've seen this chapter in the raws (seriously, Viz, I would have totally bought volume 7 from you, why the hell isn't it coming out until September) and I have been PINING for this chapter. Eeeeeeee. I was originally going to say I was going to read/rec more fic than this tonight, but I was too tired. NOT ANYMORE. ♥
I mean, I'd seen raws and I'd gottan a summary from the ever-lovely Tammaiya, but it's not the same as reading that scene at the end. It's just. aslda;lskfasldj, I knew every detail of what was coming. But I still laughed like a demented loon anyway. ♥
Series:
Linkblogging - 1 Post
Avatar: The Last Airbender - 1 Fanfic
Bleach - 3 Fanfics
Final Fantasy VIII - 1 Fanfic
Fruits Basket - 1 Fanfic
Fruits Basket/Ouran Koukou Host Club - 1 Fanfic
Gundam Wing - 2 Fanfics
Love Mode - 1 Fanfic
LOVELESS - 1 Fanfic
Mushishi - 1 Fanfic
Naruto - 6 Fanfics
Ouran Koukou Host Club - 2 Fanfics
Prince of Tennis - 1 Fanfic
xxxHOLiC - 2 Fanfics
Multiple/Miscellaneous - 1 AMV
* - YouTube - Mac vs PC [link] - I, like a lot of people, find those Mac vs PC ads kind of annoying (Especially because, oh, Mac. I'm sure you're hot shit and all, but I could never run JACK SHIT on you, all the fucking programs are for the PC, dipshit.) and after fandom_wank had a post that had several parodies (this one is indeed pretty damn funny), I was enjoying things a lot. But this one is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time as the guy tells his experiences with working on a Mac. It's partly that he has a very natural charm, it's partly the way the clips are spliced together to be absolutely hilarious. I just. I cannot speak of it's hilarity without gibbering. I cried from laughing so hard at this. (And, yes, I'm aware that it's been around for awhile. It's still the funniest thing ever.)
- Avatar: The Last Airbender - Holding Hands by Phoenikoi - I either picked the link for this up off friendsfriends or got the link off memlu's journal itself, but however I came across it, I just... I mean, I... I think I really did do a dorky little happy sigh at the end of this fic. Because it's so cute and charming and makes me want to curl up and go, "Eeeeee!" at how adorable young love is. And I can just picture this immediately after The Cave of Two Lovers, it could have dovetailed just wonderfully if the show was going to go with Aang/Katara at that point. It's just a short, adorable, sweet fic that made me melt. ♥ (Aang/Katara.)
- Bleach - Parting is all we know by Rilina - [Note: There will be some spoilers for those who are anime-only or haven't gotten to chapter 200 yet.] This was a brilliant fic, one of those that I never knew I wanted until I was a third of the way through it and then I couldn't put it down. I often crab about Bleach fandom and it's lack of stories with plot or anything to sink my teeth into, but this story has become one of those that makes me remember why I love the series/fandom in the first place. The details and little touchs are incredible, Karin making her way through Soul Society, her reaction to everything we've become so familiar with is so incredibly spot on that it... you know how when you read something that really, really resonates with you and it gives you a charge of restless energy afterwards? That's what I have with this fic. The way she interacts with the Shinigami we've come to know, the way she finds out things about her family, about herself, about 'life' after death, all of it is revealed and paced beautifully. The ending packs one hell of a punch. There is probably no part of this fic that's not done just exactly right. It's gorgeous. (No warnings/pairings.)
- Bleach - untitled by Rilina - This is such a short fic, but I had to rec it regularily because it's just... it's one of those moments that must have been so powerful in the series, when those two people left Soul Society, but it's rarely written about, it seems. Or maybe I just haven't been reading the right authors. With this fic... the way it builds up Soi Fong's situation and the way you know it's going to resolve itself... it's incredibly powerful. You don't even see the resolution, but it hurts all the same because you know how it ends. (No warnings/pairings.)
- Bleach - Psychiatry by purplekitte - So often with this kind of fic (Summary: Aizen, psychiatrist, mentions of others, implied Aizen/Momo), the humor falls flat because the author doesn't have a delicate enough hand to pull off the parody, they just go for OOC crack and it doesn't quite work. This fic... had me laughing out loud at several points, I could actually picture Aizen doing these things in a parody and I just. There were moments that were really funny (you'll know the ones I mean when you get to them) and the Aizen/Momo humor was... I wouldn't quite have thought their situation could be funny, but this had me giggling out loud. Also, the reference to the Evil Overlord list? WIN. ♥ (Some implied Aizen/Momo, but it's half gen, too.)
- Final Fantasy VIII - Storm by Schism-ism - I admit, part of me is arguing with the ending of this fic, because I don't agree that they're better off apart. But most of me is delighted that measuringlife pointed this fic out because it has lovely writing and the quiet, cute moment between Squall and Rinoa is really, really well-done. It's adorable and I like how young they are, while still having gone through so much. The way Squall reacts to her, the way it can appear like indifference, but is anything but. It's just... quite and short and lovely. (Squall/Rinoa.)
- Fruits Basket - In Love and War by Phoenikoi - I will state a few things upfront. One, I had trouble getting into this fic because it's very anime-based (but, then, it was written in 2004) and I've been slowly immersing myself into the manga characterizations. Two, the writing is a little stiff and stop-start-stop-start in places and would have benefitted greatly from some scene divisions, it felt very bumpy in narrative to have dialogue one minute then a super-fast-forward the next. But. For all my complaining, I have zero complaints about the actual characterization within the story, the author did a lovely job of the Yuki/Tohru/Kyou triangle, showing the tension between the two even as Tohru loves both of them. There are beautiful little moments from Shigure and Ayame popping up from time to time, the flow of the events themselves is very much in line with how I could have seen the anime going. It's a fic that... admittedly. I'm a Kyouru shipper first and foremost. But I still am honestly glad I read this fic and that says a lot for me, considering my preferences. :D (Yuki/Tohru/Kyou.)
- Fruits Basket/Ouran Koukou Host Club - Ouran Academy Guest Lecturers Series- Japanese Literature (Sohma Shigure) by Celeste - The entire time I was reading this fic, I was quietly marveling at how amazingly well the two series went together, how Shigure slid right into the Host Club series... until I realized just why that is. Because the Host Club manga is a series that gently mocks other shoujo series and Furuba is very, very shoujo, so Celeste was able to pull out these brilliant little parallels between the two series. She has dozens of little details crammed into the fic that just make the whole thing come alive, little bits of characterization that make the image of the crossover crystal-clear in my head. Shigure's characterization is also wonderful, the atmosphere of both series, that zany, off-the-wall feeling is present loud and clear. But mostly it's that the crossover works and it's not just a crossover, it's a crossover with a purpose. It excells at that. Plus, omg, funny and cute and clever and sparkling and it covers the whole entire club! Fantastic. (No real warnings/pairings.)
- Gundam Wing - Compromise by Tari Gwaemir - This is a short little GundamW fic, but I like the author's work a lot and it was Heero and Duo, how could I not at least give it a shot? And it was just a neat little fic, Heero and Duo's friendship so very... well, Heero and Duo. The characterization fit with them very well, the way you can sense their issues lurking under the surface, how badly messed up they can be at times, but without making it the focus of the fic, it was actually something of a more light-hearted fic. It's just. It's Heero without being over the top about his near-suicidal tendencies that aren't really suicidal at all, just really, really uncaring about the risks. And it was. I mean. I'm kind of flailing in my attempt to show how much I loved this little fic. (No warnings/pairings.)
- Gundam Wing - Cake Walk by Merith - I was in a GundamW mood this morning and I saw that Merith had posted this not too long ago, so I settled in to read. What I really liked about the fic was, okay, yes, the mission speak aspect of it, the g-boys and all the little details of Heero coordinating their mission, but it was also the way... Duo was so much of a brat in that way where he still gets his job done and Heero just sort of blithely ignores him the whole time, which is just so Heero. It's nice that it's not just for five seconds, either, there's a satisfactory feel to the length of the piece and it was fun and the characterization was fun and the banter/not-banter was fun and... well, yes, we see where I'm going with this. XD (Heero/Duo.)
- Love Mode - Differences in Between by darkgloom - [Note: Spoilers for volumes 6 and 9.] My only real complaint about this fic is the length, it's so short! I wish it had been longer, even though I know the fic was the right length needed for the premise--to take a scene from canon and change it, tweaking that night Kiichi was shot and changing it just a little. The feelings and sensations going through Kiichi, the way I know what's happening, but still feel Kiichi's confusion, the lovely writing of the piece... I just... *wistful sigh* Haruomi/Kiichi/Tien Li is one of those pairings I desperately wish could have worked out somehow. A fic like this sort of makes that wistfulness that much stronger because it's good. (Tien Li/Kiichi/Haruomi... sort of.)
- LOVELESS - Call Me Anytime (chapter 04) by sub_divided - I dragged my feet on reading this fic for almost two months now because it's one of the rare fics in this fandom that actually feels like LOVELESS to me. Perhaps I'm overly attached to it because it's one of the few multi-chaptered fics that I've been reading in the fandom, but I don't think that's just it. There's something that's quietly in synch with the series, the messy relationships, the complicated histories of the characters, the subtle things that are both wrong and right about all of them. Ritsuka's character is especially, painfully spot-on, it feels like I'm watching the anime or reading the manga (I imagine I've remarked on this when I've recommended previous chapters) and every chapter feels delicate and fragile... which is probably a bad way to put what I mean. Anyway. LOVELESS fic. Good LOVELESS fic. (Implied Ritsuka/Soubi?)
- Mushishi - Gift by Tari Gwaemir - Mushishi fic is such a rare treat, especially when it has that same beautiful, soft, almost delicate while still feeling rich and textured style. I didn't have any trouble hearing Ginko's voice in my head or the soft speech of all the characters, picturing the slow, easy-paced movements of everything. It's a short fic, but it's gorgeous nonetheless and gave me my fix for today. (No real warnings/pairings.)
- Naruto - Four Weeks of Rain by Rilina - After having read the author's fantastic Bleach fic, I was curious to see how she would tackle a series like Naruto. This, too, is an amazing story, the kind that I could not look away from once I had started reading. The sheer amount of detail put into the little scenes, the way each of them may only be a few hundred words or so, but they feel like complete little stories, the way they're all strung together in a single theme, it makes for an incredibly satisfying read. The subtle emotions of the piece are like the manga at its best, the way I felt connected to each and every character, the way it's a picture of life in Konoha during the rainy season, the way the author was brilliant at just absolutely nailing every scene she put her hand to. It's one of those stories that felt longer than it actually was because it was so fulfilling, it didn't need anything more or anything less (well, okay, I wouldn't have turned down an Iruka section ^_~), it was happy in all the right places, sad in all the right places, just the way a fic like this should be. (One or two implications of pairings, but it's an overall gen fic. Entirely.)
- Naruto - Team Jiraiya by Rilina - There is precious little Jiraiya fic in the world, but when one like this comes along, I don't feel the loss so keenly. The emotional impact of this fic is amazing, my fangirl heart was aching a little by the time it was done, the way loss and hardship in life is so clearly shown in such a short fic. But it's the weight of Jiraiya's character, his choices and his attitude and where he holds his grief that really got to me. It's not the way I expected the fic to end... and I think that's part of what made me love it even more, because I can see Jiraiya this way. (No warnings/pairings.)
- Naruto - What Remains by Rilina - [Note: There will be spoilers through volume 31, the resolution of the Gaara storyline post-timeskip.] It's been so long since I've read Naruto fic that's affected me like this author's work that I've been pretty much tearing through everything of hers that I can get my hands on. I feel a little strange recommending everything, but not enough that I'll stop because she has such lovely variety in her stories as well. Her take on Gaara and Temari, the sand siblings' relationship is just gorgeous. There's something of a subtle quality while not trying too hard, like Kishimoto at his best--and, indeed, there's something in this fic that reminded me of the Naruto manga style. It's also a really, really, really good salve for the aftermath of that arc and just... good Sandfic. (No warnings/pairings.)
- Naruto - Gentle, and low by Rilina - Another fic from this author (I swear, I didn't read/rec them all in a row, I actually read other things in and amongst them this morning) and it's Hinata fic this time that's just... gentle and lovely and subtle in the way all her fic is. The future she writes for Hinata here is lovely, very in the spirit of a series like Naruto, where she finds her own way and remains true to herself when she finally gains the respect of the Hyuuga that she's worked for for so long. Set through the eyes of Kurenai, it's especially well-told, you really get that sense of a rush of realization when Hinata is finally grown, but she's still so... Hinata. Toss in some lovely imagery and you have a gorgeous short fic. (No warnings/pairings.)
- Naruto - Passing Over by gelfling8604 - [Note: There are spoilers for recent chapters in the manga.] I've been recommending a lot of fic that's really short lately, but... well, lately, there's been short fic that's actually catching my attention. And this fic was just exactly a perfect addition to Sasuke's return in the manga, this fit together beautifully with Naruto's reaction to the scene. With Sasuke's treatment of Naruto in that scene. With the way Sasuke didn't give a damn about Naruto, the way that hit Naruto harder than any punch he could have thrown, the way the author gets that across without even having to say it. This is SasuNaru like SasuNaru should be done. Also, kitty omg omg omg. *heap of fangirl squee* (Sasuke/Naruto.)
- Naruto - untitled by Rilina - This time it's a Shikamaru/Temari short fic and it's... I've read a few fics for this pairing over my course in the Naruto fandom, but I think this might just be my favorite one yet, there's something so... interesting about them here, like I could possibly actively ship them if they were always written this way. I mean, it's just a walk to the gates of Konoha as she's leaving for awhile, but smooth quality of the narration, the way the characters just shine through with it... it's somehow perfect. (Shikamaru/Temari.)
- Ouran Koukou Host Club - Record Highs by Cssndr - I'm far more likely to give a Kyouya/Tamaki fic a shot because they're rapidly developing into my favorite Host Club pairing and this fic... it's a light, short thing, it's just one moment in time, just a flash of an image, but there's something cute and sweet about it. Well, as cute and sweet as Kyouya can be, which isn't all that much. And the imagery is really nice, the way Tamaki is so expressive here, I could picture his expression easily even with the text. And... aww, Kyouya/Tamaki makes me happy. ♥ (Kyouya/Tamaki implied.)
- Ouran Koukou Host Club - Big Brother by Cssndr - Much like the author, I had a lot of fondness for Ayame's character, she was a bit annoying at first, but then I really warmed up to her fast. So it would have been neat just to see her appear in fic. But the author actually used her incredibly well in this fic, the parallels she drew between Kyouya and Ayame were well-done, the way the potential for them as a pairing is something that intrigues me... but, of course, it would go exactly like this. It says so much about Kyouya with just a few implications that I adored it... and, yeah, I can see Kyouya doing that. Very much so. (Kyouya/Tamaki implied, some Kyouya/Ayame.)
- Prince of Tennis - Genius by Tari Gwaemir - This morning is apparenlty my morning to catch up on fic that I've been meaning to read for ages. I'm sorry I hadn't read this fic earlier because it's one of those Tenipuri fics that is the reason I'll probably never leave this fandom, not even after four years, at least one of which has been almost lazy interest at best, the kind of fic that feels "old school" to me because it's just so damned good. It's insightful, capturing Fuji in a brilliant way, feeling absolutely right to me, when so many Fuji fics feel a little off. I read this fic the entire way through, not even bothering to think in terms of agreement or disagreement, it simply felt right to me. It was almost a little breath-taking and I can't even describe why, just that it was Fuji and everything Tenipuri fic is (or should be) for me. (No warnings/pairings.)
- xxxHOLiC - Balance by orpheneritus - It's been awhile since I've read orpheneritus' fic, but I remember liking the author's style a lot from the Prince of Tennis fandom, so I was curious to see how her HOLiC fic would fare. I thought the ending was a little rushed, I would have preferred it to be taken a step back. But I feel I can say that because the rest of the fic was so quiet and powerful that it genuinely affected me. I felt Doumeki's anger after the eye incident, after his gift to Watanuki was accepted and the way Wataunuki was curling up in on himself. The emotions of the piece were gorgeous, Doumeki's characterization was brilliant. I can believe his anger afterwards, I can absolutely believe it. It's powerful and quiet until it's suddenly intense and it's so much like the HOLiC series experience for me. (Doumeki/Watanuki.)
- xxxHOLiC - Delirium by evherie - I desperately wish to be able to talk about this fic, why I found it to be the most brilliant thing I've read in quite some time, but I can't. I can't ruin it like that. Because I went into the fic with only a vague notion of it being an xxxHOLiC crossover with Neil Gaiman's Sandman universe and that the author wrote some of the best HOLiC fic I'd ever read. And it was so, so much more than I expected. Brilliant writing. Brilliant concept. Brilliant execution. Brilliant characterization. Brilliant, brilliant stealth crossover that, when I realize, yes, Delirium was talking about that guy, I burst into howling laughter because I would have paid good money to see that. The ending is brilliant as well. Just. Wow. One of the most incredibly clever fics in the HOLiC fandom, the interaction between Yuuko and Delirium is priceless. (No real warnings/pairings.)
- Multiple Series AMV - What's This? - I wasn't really expecting anything (either good or bad) when I randomly clicked onto this AMV. And maybe it's just that I was in a particularily good mood or it managed to hit me just right. But this thing had me practically in tears by the time it was done. The clip choices are just. Just. Genius, there's no other words for it. The entire time Jack (from The Nightmare Before Christmas) is singing his song, it's beyond fantastic because I've watched that movie a bajillion times and usually I can't help picturing the original context. But this. But this. It actually created this thing where... all I could picture was Jack walking around Yaoi Town, singing this exact song, and I was dying of laughter the entire time. BRILLIANT.
GOAL: 946/1200
I mean, I'd seen raws and I'd gottan a summary from the ever-lovely Tammaiya, but it's not the same as reading that scene at the end. It's just. aslda;lskfasldj, I knew every detail of what was coming. But I still laughed like a demented loon anyway. ♥
Series:
Linkblogging - 1 Post
Avatar: The Last Airbender - 1 Fanfic
Bleach - 3 Fanfics
Final Fantasy VIII - 1 Fanfic
Fruits Basket - 1 Fanfic
Fruits Basket/Ouran Koukou Host Club - 1 Fanfic
Gundam Wing - 2 Fanfics
Love Mode - 1 Fanfic
LOVELESS - 1 Fanfic
Mushishi - 1 Fanfic
Naruto - 6 Fanfics
Ouran Koukou Host Club - 2 Fanfics
Prince of Tennis - 1 Fanfic
xxxHOLiC - 2 Fanfics
Multiple/Miscellaneous - 1 AMV
* - YouTube - Mac vs PC [link] - I, like a lot of people, find those Mac vs PC ads kind of annoying (Especially because, oh, Mac. I'm sure you're hot shit and all, but I could never run JACK SHIT on you, all the fucking programs are for the PC, dipshit.) and after fandom_wank had a post that had several parodies (this one is indeed pretty damn funny), I was enjoying things a lot. But this one is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time as the guy tells his experiences with working on a Mac. It's partly that he has a very natural charm, it's partly the way the clips are spliced together to be absolutely hilarious. I just. I cannot speak of it's hilarity without gibbering. I cried from laughing so hard at this. (And, yes, I'm aware that it's been around for awhile. It's still the funniest thing ever.)
- Avatar: The Last Airbender - Holding Hands by Phoenikoi - I either picked the link for this up off friendsfriends or got the link off memlu's journal itself, but however I came across it, I just... I mean, I... I think I really did do a dorky little happy sigh at the end of this fic. Because it's so cute and charming and makes me want to curl up and go, "Eeeeee!" at how adorable young love is. And I can just picture this immediately after The Cave of Two Lovers, it could have dovetailed just wonderfully if the show was going to go with Aang/Katara at that point. It's just a short, adorable, sweet fic that made me melt. ♥ (Aang/Katara.)
- Bleach - Parting is all we know by Rilina - [Note: There will be some spoilers for those who are anime-only or haven't gotten to chapter 200 yet.] This was a brilliant fic, one of those that I never knew I wanted until I was a third of the way through it and then I couldn't put it down. I often crab about Bleach fandom and it's lack of stories with plot or anything to sink my teeth into, but this story has become one of those that makes me remember why I love the series/fandom in the first place. The details and little touchs are incredible, Karin making her way through Soul Society, her reaction to everything we've become so familiar with is so incredibly spot on that it... you know how when you read something that really, really resonates with you and it gives you a charge of restless energy afterwards? That's what I have with this fic. The way she interacts with the Shinigami we've come to know, the way she finds out things about her family, about herself, about 'life' after death, all of it is revealed and paced beautifully. The ending packs one hell of a punch. There is probably no part of this fic that's not done just exactly right. It's gorgeous. (No warnings/pairings.)
- Bleach - untitled by Rilina - This is such a short fic, but I had to rec it regularily because it's just... it's one of those moments that must have been so powerful in the series, when those two people left Soul Society, but it's rarely written about, it seems. Or maybe I just haven't been reading the right authors. With this fic... the way it builds up Soi Fong's situation and the way you know it's going to resolve itself... it's incredibly powerful. You don't even see the resolution, but it hurts all the same because you know how it ends. (No warnings/pairings.)
- Bleach - Psychiatry by purplekitte - So often with this kind of fic (Summary: Aizen, psychiatrist, mentions of others, implied Aizen/Momo), the humor falls flat because the author doesn't have a delicate enough hand to pull off the parody, they just go for OOC crack and it doesn't quite work. This fic... had me laughing out loud at several points, I could actually picture Aizen doing these things in a parody and I just. There were moments that were really funny (you'll know the ones I mean when you get to them) and the Aizen/Momo humor was... I wouldn't quite have thought their situation could be funny, but this had me giggling out loud. Also, the reference to the Evil Overlord list? WIN. ♥ (Some implied Aizen/Momo, but it's half gen, too.)
- Final Fantasy VIII - Storm by Schism-ism - I admit, part of me is arguing with the ending of this fic, because I don't agree that they're better off apart. But most of me is delighted that measuringlife pointed this fic out because it has lovely writing and the quiet, cute moment between Squall and Rinoa is really, really well-done. It's adorable and I like how young they are, while still having gone through so much. The way Squall reacts to her, the way it can appear like indifference, but is anything but. It's just... quite and short and lovely. (Squall/Rinoa.)
- Fruits Basket - In Love and War by Phoenikoi - I will state a few things upfront. One, I had trouble getting into this fic because it's very anime-based (but, then, it was written in 2004) and I've been slowly immersing myself into the manga characterizations. Two, the writing is a little stiff and stop-start-stop-start in places and would have benefitted greatly from some scene divisions, it felt very bumpy in narrative to have dialogue one minute then a super-fast-forward the next. But. For all my complaining, I have zero complaints about the actual characterization within the story, the author did a lovely job of the Yuki/Tohru/Kyou triangle, showing the tension between the two even as Tohru loves both of them. There are beautiful little moments from Shigure and Ayame popping up from time to time, the flow of the events themselves is very much in line with how I could have seen the anime going. It's a fic that... admittedly. I'm a Kyouru shipper first and foremost. But I still am honestly glad I read this fic and that says a lot for me, considering my preferences. :D (Yuki/Tohru/Kyou.)
- Fruits Basket/Ouran Koukou Host Club - Ouran Academy Guest Lecturers Series- Japanese Literature (Sohma Shigure) by Celeste - The entire time I was reading this fic, I was quietly marveling at how amazingly well the two series went together, how Shigure slid right into the Host Club series... until I realized just why that is. Because the Host Club manga is a series that gently mocks other shoujo series and Furuba is very, very shoujo, so Celeste was able to pull out these brilliant little parallels between the two series. She has dozens of little details crammed into the fic that just make the whole thing come alive, little bits of characterization that make the image of the crossover crystal-clear in my head. Shigure's characterization is also wonderful, the atmosphere of both series, that zany, off-the-wall feeling is present loud and clear. But mostly it's that the crossover works and it's not just a crossover, it's a crossover with a purpose. It excells at that. Plus, omg, funny and cute and clever and sparkling and it covers the whole entire club! Fantastic. (No real warnings/pairings.)
- Gundam Wing - Compromise by Tari Gwaemir - This is a short little GundamW fic, but I like the author's work a lot and it was Heero and Duo, how could I not at least give it a shot? And it was just a neat little fic, Heero and Duo's friendship so very... well, Heero and Duo. The characterization fit with them very well, the way you can sense their issues lurking under the surface, how badly messed up they can be at times, but without making it the focus of the fic, it was actually something of a more light-hearted fic. It's just. It's Heero without being over the top about his near-suicidal tendencies that aren't really suicidal at all, just really, really uncaring about the risks. And it was. I mean. I'm kind of flailing in my attempt to show how much I loved this little fic. (No warnings/pairings.)
- Gundam Wing - Cake Walk by Merith - I was in a GundamW mood this morning and I saw that Merith had posted this not too long ago, so I settled in to read. What I really liked about the fic was, okay, yes, the mission speak aspect of it, the g-boys and all the little details of Heero coordinating their mission, but it was also the way... Duo was so much of a brat in that way where he still gets his job done and Heero just sort of blithely ignores him the whole time, which is just so Heero. It's nice that it's not just for five seconds, either, there's a satisfactory feel to the length of the piece and it was fun and the characterization was fun and the banter/not-banter was fun and... well, yes, we see where I'm going with this. XD (Heero/Duo.)
- Love Mode - Differences in Between by darkgloom - [Note: Spoilers for volumes 6 and 9.] My only real complaint about this fic is the length, it's so short! I wish it had been longer, even though I know the fic was the right length needed for the premise--to take a scene from canon and change it, tweaking that night Kiichi was shot and changing it just a little. The feelings and sensations going through Kiichi, the way I know what's happening, but still feel Kiichi's confusion, the lovely writing of the piece... I just... *wistful sigh* Haruomi/Kiichi/Tien Li is one of those pairings I desperately wish could have worked out somehow. A fic like this sort of makes that wistfulness that much stronger because it's good. (Tien Li/Kiichi/Haruomi... sort of.)
- LOVELESS - Call Me Anytime (chapter 04) by sub_divided - I dragged my feet on reading this fic for almost two months now because it's one of the rare fics in this fandom that actually feels like LOVELESS to me. Perhaps I'm overly attached to it because it's one of the few multi-chaptered fics that I've been reading in the fandom, but I don't think that's just it. There's something that's quietly in synch with the series, the messy relationships, the complicated histories of the characters, the subtle things that are both wrong and right about all of them. Ritsuka's character is especially, painfully spot-on, it feels like I'm watching the anime or reading the manga (I imagine I've remarked on this when I've recommended previous chapters) and every chapter feels delicate and fragile... which is probably a bad way to put what I mean. Anyway. LOVELESS fic. Good LOVELESS fic. (Implied Ritsuka/Soubi?)
- Mushishi - Gift by Tari Gwaemir - Mushishi fic is such a rare treat, especially when it has that same beautiful, soft, almost delicate while still feeling rich and textured style. I didn't have any trouble hearing Ginko's voice in my head or the soft speech of all the characters, picturing the slow, easy-paced movements of everything. It's a short fic, but it's gorgeous nonetheless and gave me my fix for today. (No real warnings/pairings.)
- Naruto - Four Weeks of Rain by Rilina - After having read the author's fantastic Bleach fic, I was curious to see how she would tackle a series like Naruto. This, too, is an amazing story, the kind that I could not look away from once I had started reading. The sheer amount of detail put into the little scenes, the way each of them may only be a few hundred words or so, but they feel like complete little stories, the way they're all strung together in a single theme, it makes for an incredibly satisfying read. The subtle emotions of the piece are like the manga at its best, the way I felt connected to each and every character, the way it's a picture of life in Konoha during the rainy season, the way the author was brilliant at just absolutely nailing every scene she put her hand to. It's one of those stories that felt longer than it actually was because it was so fulfilling, it didn't need anything more or anything less (well, okay, I wouldn't have turned down an Iruka section ^_~), it was happy in all the right places, sad in all the right places, just the way a fic like this should be. (One or two implications of pairings, but it's an overall gen fic. Entirely.)
- Naruto - Team Jiraiya by Rilina - There is precious little Jiraiya fic in the world, but when one like this comes along, I don't feel the loss so keenly. The emotional impact of this fic is amazing, my fangirl heart was aching a little by the time it was done, the way loss and hardship in life is so clearly shown in such a short fic. But it's the weight of Jiraiya's character, his choices and his attitude and where he holds his grief that really got to me. It's not the way I expected the fic to end... and I think that's part of what made me love it even more, because I can see Jiraiya this way. (No warnings/pairings.)
- Naruto - What Remains by Rilina - [Note: There will be spoilers through volume 31, the resolution of the Gaara storyline post-timeskip.] It's been so long since I've read Naruto fic that's affected me like this author's work that I've been pretty much tearing through everything of hers that I can get my hands on. I feel a little strange recommending everything, but not enough that I'll stop because she has such lovely variety in her stories as well. Her take on Gaara and Temari, the sand siblings' relationship is just gorgeous. There's something of a subtle quality while not trying too hard, like Kishimoto at his best--and, indeed, there's something in this fic that reminded me of the Naruto manga style. It's also a really, really, really good salve for the aftermath of that arc and just... good Sandfic. (No warnings/pairings.)
- Naruto - Gentle, and low by Rilina - Another fic from this author (I swear, I didn't read/rec them all in a row, I actually read other things in and amongst them this morning) and it's Hinata fic this time that's just... gentle and lovely and subtle in the way all her fic is. The future she writes for Hinata here is lovely, very in the spirit of a series like Naruto, where she finds her own way and remains true to herself when she finally gains the respect of the Hyuuga that she's worked for for so long. Set through the eyes of Kurenai, it's especially well-told, you really get that sense of a rush of realization when Hinata is finally grown, but she's still so... Hinata. Toss in some lovely imagery and you have a gorgeous short fic. (No warnings/pairings.)
- Naruto - Passing Over by gelfling8604 - [Note: There are spoilers for recent chapters in the manga.] I've been recommending a lot of fic that's really short lately, but... well, lately, there's been short fic that's actually catching my attention. And this fic was just exactly a perfect addition to Sasuke's return in the manga, this fit together beautifully with Naruto's reaction to the scene. With Sasuke's treatment of Naruto in that scene. With the way Sasuke didn't give a damn about Naruto, the way that hit Naruto harder than any punch he could have thrown, the way the author gets that across without even having to say it. This is SasuNaru like SasuNaru should be done. Also, kitty omg omg omg. *heap of fangirl squee* (Sasuke/Naruto.)
- Naruto - untitled by Rilina - This time it's a Shikamaru/Temari short fic and it's... I've read a few fics for this pairing over my course in the Naruto fandom, but I think this might just be my favorite one yet, there's something so... interesting about them here, like I could possibly actively ship them if they were always written this way. I mean, it's just a walk to the gates of Konoha as she's leaving for awhile, but smooth quality of the narration, the way the characters just shine through with it... it's somehow perfect. (Shikamaru/Temari.)
- Ouran Koukou Host Club - Record Highs by Cssndr - I'm far more likely to give a Kyouya/Tamaki fic a shot because they're rapidly developing into my favorite Host Club pairing and this fic... it's a light, short thing, it's just one moment in time, just a flash of an image, but there's something cute and sweet about it. Well, as cute and sweet as Kyouya can be, which isn't all that much. And the imagery is really nice, the way Tamaki is so expressive here, I could picture his expression easily even with the text. And... aww, Kyouya/Tamaki makes me happy. ♥ (Kyouya/Tamaki implied.)
- Ouran Koukou Host Club - Big Brother by Cssndr - Much like the author, I had a lot of fondness for Ayame's character, she was a bit annoying at first, but then I really warmed up to her fast. So it would have been neat just to see her appear in fic. But the author actually used her incredibly well in this fic, the parallels she drew between Kyouya and Ayame were well-done, the way the potential for them as a pairing is something that intrigues me... but, of course, it would go exactly like this. It says so much about Kyouya with just a few implications that I adored it... and, yeah, I can see Kyouya doing that. Very much so. (Kyouya/Tamaki implied, some Kyouya/Ayame.)
- Prince of Tennis - Genius by Tari Gwaemir - This morning is apparenlty my morning to catch up on fic that I've been meaning to read for ages. I'm sorry I hadn't read this fic earlier because it's one of those Tenipuri fics that is the reason I'll probably never leave this fandom, not even after four years, at least one of which has been almost lazy interest at best, the kind of fic that feels "old school" to me because it's just so damned good. It's insightful, capturing Fuji in a brilliant way, feeling absolutely right to me, when so many Fuji fics feel a little off. I read this fic the entire way through, not even bothering to think in terms of agreement or disagreement, it simply felt right to me. It was almost a little breath-taking and I can't even describe why, just that it was Fuji and everything Tenipuri fic is (or should be) for me. (No warnings/pairings.)
- xxxHOLiC - Balance by orpheneritus - It's been awhile since I've read orpheneritus' fic, but I remember liking the author's style a lot from the Prince of Tennis fandom, so I was curious to see how her HOLiC fic would fare. I thought the ending was a little rushed, I would have preferred it to be taken a step back. But I feel I can say that because the rest of the fic was so quiet and powerful that it genuinely affected me. I felt Doumeki's anger after the eye incident, after his gift to Watanuki was accepted and the way Wataunuki was curling up in on himself. The emotions of the piece were gorgeous, Doumeki's characterization was brilliant. I can believe his anger afterwards, I can absolutely believe it. It's powerful and quiet until it's suddenly intense and it's so much like the HOLiC series experience for me. (Doumeki/Watanuki.)
- xxxHOLiC - Delirium by evherie - I desperately wish to be able to talk about this fic, why I found it to be the most brilliant thing I've read in quite some time, but I can't. I can't ruin it like that. Because I went into the fic with only a vague notion of it being an xxxHOLiC crossover with Neil Gaiman's Sandman universe and that the author wrote some of the best HOLiC fic I'd ever read. And it was so, so much more than I expected. Brilliant writing. Brilliant concept. Brilliant execution. Brilliant characterization. Brilliant, brilliant stealth crossover that, when I realize, yes, Delirium was talking about that guy, I burst into howling laughter because I would have paid good money to see that. The ending is brilliant as well. Just. Wow. One of the most incredibly clever fics in the HOLiC fandom, the interaction between Yuuko and Delirium is priceless. (No real warnings/pairings.)
- Multiple Series AMV - What's This? - I wasn't really expecting anything (either good or bad) when I randomly clicked onto this AMV. And maybe it's just that I was in a particularily good mood or it managed to hit me just right. But this thing had me practically in tears by the time it was done. The clip choices are just. Just. Genius, there's no other words for it. The entire time Jack (from The Nightmare Before Christmas) is singing his song, it's beyond fantastic because I've watched that movie a bajillion times and usually I can't help picturing the original context. But this. But this. It actually created this thing where... all I could picture was Jack walking around Yaoi Town, singing this exact song, and I was dying of laughter the entire time. BRILLIANT.
GOAL: 946/1200