Reread no Jutsu!

[rachelmanija]

In honor of Viz flinging new volumes of Naruto into the market - up to 41 in English now and I'm not yet caught up so please don't spoil me - octopedingenue has launched reread_no_jutsu, a group reread community for Naruto, the shounen ninja manga that charmed me with its portrayal of a young ninja losing his mind during the ninja written exams and then broke and healed my heart more thoroughly than anything ever. (Volume 31, in case you're curious. Again, please do not spoil here.)

Please join and discuss!

Order the series from Amazon: Naruto, Volume 1

Comments

[octopedingenue]

You ARE going to write up the ninja written exam for the comm, aren't you. Note the lack of question mark at the end of that sentence.

It's probably a good sign that for basically every bit people are claiming my knee-jerk response is "WAIT I WANNA DO THAT ONE."

Naruto and Naruto are set as seals upon my heart. For love is strong as death.

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

At least we all seem to be grabbing, death-like, on to various different scenes?

[octopedingenue]

I completely encourage this! COMPETITIVE CRITICISM FTW. My only concern, particularly as we glomp onto attractive arcs, is less-sexy stories falling into the cracks, and then we sit around waiting for someone, anyone, to start conversation about the epic battle of Chouji VS Ten Ten. (I just made that up. I think.)

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

I was actually pretty pleased that people were grabbing onto different things, so far. There still may be some 'boring' bits, but, like, I'm happy to give Itachi to someone as long as I GET MY ROCK LEE INTRODUCTION.

And honestly, I'll talk about...um. Just about anything. I like to talk.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Am I the only person who does not care about Itachi and the Sekrit Pain that I am certain he reveals in chapters I haven't read yet?

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

Nope! I enjoy Itachi, but I have pretty much zero desire to write about any of his arcs. Mostly I like the way everything goes batshit when he's around.

[octopedingenue]

That's why I gave it to strongeruchiha/mildmay! :D

[octopedingenue]

Then I assign you volume 1 / Konohamaru / Team 7's hijinks pre-Wave Country, because I wanna get this show on the road!

YOU GET ALL THE ROCK LEE YOUR FRAGILE MORTAL SHELL CAN TAKE.

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

Shiny.

I'm tempted to ask for some of the Sasuke-inna-barrel fights too. Cause I love me some Rock Lee, but I also have a GIANT CRUSH on Shikamaru.

[octopedingenue]

YAY I like it when people I force to do things agree and assuage my guilt!

I can only hand you the reins of Shikamaru's barrel-fight of awesome if you can swear to love, honor, and cherish the simultaneous total hotness of Temari as well. This is not a case of zomg ship otp; it is a case of Obvious Hotness is Obvious.

In other words DO IT DO IT DO IT.

there are people without GIANT CRUSHES on Shikamaru?

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

That's why I'm here!

HOW CAN I NOT LOVE TEMARI it would be like not loving flowers or puppies or joy. I might even dig up my Shikamaru/Temari icon what I keep meaning to load.

Probably, as depressing as that sounds.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I'd definitely talk about Chouji's battle!

Just don't make me talk about any scenes where villains blither to each other about destroying Konoha so they can get one meeelion dollars! take over the world through snake-immortality.

[octopedingenue]

Not even to snark about it? Because that would be DELIGHTFUL.

Here, let me snark RIGHT NOW

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

http://rot13.com/

Spoilers for the blithering of villains in volume 37, which is honestly not ver spoilery:

Bxnl, fb, va ibyhzr 37 jr trg jung vf pyrneyl vagraqrq gb or gur qenzngvp erirny bs gur Nxngfhxv'f Tenaq Cyna... naq vg'f JBEYQ QBZVANGVBA!!!!

Nf bccbfrq gb gur tenaq cyna bs rirel fhcreivyynvaabhf betnavmngvba rire, V thrff.

Re: Here, let me snark RIGHT NOW

[octopedingenue]

Vfa'g vg, yvxr, jbeyq qbzvangvba guebhtu rpbabzvp fnapgvba be fbzrguvat? "Jr jvyy orpbzr gur zbfg onqnff va beqre gb flfgrzngvpnyyl sbepr bhe pbzcrgvgvba bhg bs ohfvarff naq gura EHYR GUR ABA-SERR-ZNEXRG JBEYQ!!!" Gung'f cerggl qnza uvynevbhf/fniil sbe avawnf.

Re: Here, let me snark RIGHT NOW

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Fgrc 1: Jr'yy fgneg ybgf bs jnef! Naq gura gur jubyr jbeyq jvyy or ng jne! Naq jr'er terng ng jne! Fgrc 2: ???? Fgrc 3: CEBSVG!

Re: Here, let me snark RIGHT NOW

[octopedingenue]

URL, VG JBEXRQ SBE TRATUVF XUNA

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Particularly since I'm now coaching the SAT!

I think I need a little icon of Naruto falling through space. It expresses my feelings so often.

[octopedingenue]

P.S. oh God volume 31. Viz volume 31, page 138-139: if I aren't already, I start bawling. And I do not stop.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

The desert! The loneliness! Baby Naruto wiping his eyes and looking up.

"Everyone came running to save you."

[octopedingenue]

Since I've been taking notes to write it up anyway: the field/village imagery stretches back to the very first chapter. Start with the love of just one person, and slowly it spirals outward...

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's fantastic.

[octopedingenue]

Totally gobsmacked me when I noticed. Behold the superpower of empathy.

Just re-read 31 last night after this conversation. The Sand Siblings are so much love!