Artworks

Review of Chiaroscuro

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/11267384/1/Chiaroscuro

Chiaroscuro by boomvroomshroom. Look it up if you don't have the patience of waiting for the updates, but fair warning its really long. Around 60 plus chapter 4000 plus words each not yet completed.

Its an AU fanfiction of Naruto, where Shikamaru is not a lazy couch potato. When reading this DON'T skip the prologue because seriously its there for a reason. Plus I assure you its not a flash forward.

Now for the actual review.

The story is great, a lot of politics and behind the scenes work has been given a lot of thought if you prefer detail-oriented stories. Other than Shikamaru a lot of the characters have a personality change, not just because of Shikamaru's presence, but I suppose it was the author's way of fitting them on to the storyline. Other than the bell test the original plot is almost abysmal so you'll be stepping in to an actual AU. Kudos to boomvroomshroom.

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WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!(If you do not value, not being spoiled about details please proceed ahead.)

Basically I'm going in go into minor details of my favorite scenes so far plus an in depth(not really) observation on the author's writing style and characterization.

This is your last warning.
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Everything is fair game up ahead.
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Okay!

I don't really think this is much of a spoiler, since its in the first or second chapter, but I love the new Team 7. Shikamaru, Ino, and Naruto make a really great dynamic. So does Team 10 with Sasuke, Hinata, and Choji. Too bad Team 8 doesn't get anymore limelight than a few chapters of involvement.

About the characters: Kakashi is an even bigger troll  in this story plus he is super duper overprotective of his team. He's got a few screws loose here and there but he is still awesome and hilarious.
Sandaime Hokage is more of a cynical bastard than usual. (I mean, what kind of shinobi isn't)
Hiashi Hyūga is a bit more egotistic.
And you can hate Danzo as always.

The author experimented with a few realistic ways of dealing with Tsunade and Gaara without Naruto's... grand speeches and without pulling anything too self-sacrificing.(Therapy, people. A lot of problems can either be settled with talking)

Shikamaru, as the synopsis implies, is completely a hard worker. He can't seem too be uninvolved with a lot of things because his curiosity just gets the better of him and he tends to involve himself with a boatload of rotten eggs(namely political schemes and S-rank assailants)
I like Ino better since she is less hostile towards Naruto. Speaking of Naruto, the author also wrote him to becoming OP like the original but the actual development is there and it is  written beautifully(the only word I can think of for now) and it feels more well-paced compared to the anime.

Shockingly Sasuke becomes a decent person in the future. I think Hinata, Choji, and Asuma's dynamic with him on a personal level is very realistic.(I say its better than being in a team with Naruto or Sakura). Hinata is still emotionally crippled in the first parts of the story but she gains confidence by being Tsunade's apprentice and she has this fire that was never expressed in the original. Choji is the same as ever, loves food and a great friend and teammate.

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Okay for more specific details.
My favorite chapters so far is chapters 29-35. Hinata is aggressive as a tiger. Sasuke and Hiashi did not see that fist coming  when she gave them a good old fashioned puch to the face. It was hilarious.

We also get  behind the scenes on Kirigakure when Mei Terumi was still plotting to over throw Yagura. It gets even more fun when Zabuza and Haku infiltrate the Akatsuki because the whole Tazuna mission to wave never really happened, it happened just not like the original.

The story mostly revolves around Team 7 but I always look forward to when Team 10 and Hinata's family drama pops up.

Oh, and one more thing. The way the author writes internal monologues make you think the characters have split personalities inside their heads, like Sakura. I'm pretty sure they don't have split personalities, that's just the style the author writes on how the characters internalize themselves.(eg. Sandaime Hokage)