12 replies to this topic

[oorainbow247oo]

It's time the only main character of the Konoha 11, outside of Team 7, got his own discussion thread.
In the beginning, he was easily one of the most entertaining characters of the group, and got very good development throughout the series. However, as time went on (this is my opinion, agree with it, or disagree, I don't care which), he has slowly become too perfect, his plans have gone flawlessly, and he has hogged the spotlight away from the other members of the Konoha 11. If Shikamaru wants to avoid being the next "creator's pet", like Sasuke, he has to show some more weaknesses, and share screentime with the other members.
Sound off below, and give your opinion on this thread!

[Nate River]

It's time the only main character of the Konoha 11, outside of Team 7, got his own discussion thread.
In the beginning, he was easily one of the most entertaining characters of the group, and got very good development throughout the series. However, as time went on (this is my opinion, agree with it, or disagree, I don't care which), he has slowly become too perfect, his plans have gone flawlessly, and he has hogged the spotlight away from the other members of the Konoha 11. If Shikamaru wants to avoid being the next "creator's pet", like Sasuke, he has to show some more weaknesses, and share screentime with the other members.
Sound off below, and give your opinion on this thread!

Avoid? I think it's took late for that. I wrote a LAP over at NarutoFan about why he was my least favorite character. He still is. f I have time, I might update that and post it in this thread. However, I've beat this to death in other threads. So, I don't know....

Didn't Kishimoto once say if he were a girl he'd probably date Shikamaru?

[CloudMountainJuror]

"Perfect"? Eh. I still care way more about him, Chouji, and Neji than Naruto.

Plus, he hogged the spotlight? Please. The other members of the K-11 have gotten barely any screen-time compared to Part 1. If anything, Kishi needed to focus on them way more, Shika included.

Edited by zacrathedemon5, 11 December 2012 - 02:50 PM.

[Sakamaki Izayoi]

Avoid? I think it's took late for that. I wrote a LAP over at NarutoFan about why he was my least favorite character. He still is. f I have time, I might update that and post it in this thread. However, I've beat this to death in other threads. So, I don't know....

Didn't Kishimoto once say if he were a girl he'd probably date Shikamaru?

Believing on what kishimoto says on his interviews.
2012 almost 2013.

Edited by Dαrkrєrsŧ, 11 December 2012 - 02:47 PM.

[Nate River]

Believing on what kishimoto says on his interviews.
2012 almost 2013.

?

I'm not sure what you are trying to say. Besides, I can't say that I care all that much whether he meant it or not.

[sushi.]

Avoid? I think it's took late for that. I wrote a LAP over at NarutoFan about why he was my least favorite character. He still is. f I have time, I might update that and post it in this thread. However, I've beat this to death in other threads. So, I don't know....

Didn't Kishimoto once say if he were a girl he'd probably date Shikamaru?

Why is Shikamaru you least fav character?

[kirabook]

Eh, Shikamaru matters just as much as the other rookies. I like him, but I don't exactly LOVE or hate him at all. He's just there, and when we see him (which is rare), he does some pretty cool stuff. Other than Hinata, we don't see any major weaknesses or falls of the K-11 in part 2.

I don't know why Shikamaru should be picked on when his relevance is near 0. I mean, if he appeared as often as Sasuke did and never seemed to make a mistake, then maybe I can understand why some might complain about his perfectness, but I seem to only recall him having... 3 plans out of the entire 600+ chapters of Naruto. (If I can recall correctly, the chuunin exams, sound 5, killing Hidan.) One of which failed miserably and he decided to never make that kind of mistake again, which you could very well call development since we didn't see him fail in part 2, unless that Asuma stuff was also his plan and he caused his sensei to die, but I don't recall him being in charge then...

Anyway, I do like Shikamaru, I think he's pretty cool. But I don't believe he's important enough to critique so critically. Not to say you can't, but there seems to be so little to go by and I feel like we hardly know much about him or other missions/events he was involved in and how he did.

[Deej]

Am I back in 2006? Because that is the last time Shikamaru ever got any real screentime. Have you been reading the past six years? He has barely been in the manga since then. Even during the war, Ino and Choji got a lot more to do than him. Even though he was the one closest to Asuma. Kishi does do a good job developing Team 10 as a whole. Shikamaru is also one of the most popular characters in Japan. If anything, Kishi has underutilized him the past few years.

So the thread is pointless and not accurate. To compare him to Sasuke is so ridiculous it is not funny. Get back to me when Shikamaru gets endless powerups or has the entire plot of the manga revolve around him. If Shikamaru is the creator's new pet, than that creator has been doing a really bad job with him the past six years because he has barely appeared. Oh wait, he just had his dad killed. Yeah, that is great for him. And Kishi promised he'd play a bigger role with Naruto and he didn't. Which is why you never bother listening to Kishi interviews.

Is Shikamaru more important than most of the K11? Yeah, but that is not saying much. The K11 exist now to huddle around Naruto and cheer lead. They should all be much bigger characters. I am still ticked Neji was sacrificed for Naruto and NaruHina.

I see him as a very interesting character that still relies on intelligence when everyone else is about power. A guy that could be Hokage, but would never take the job. And he is one of the few characters(along with most of the K11) I care about as the manga nears its end.

Avoid? I think it's took late for that. I wrote a LAP over at NarutoFan about why he was my least favorite character. He still is. f I have time, I might update that and post it in this thread. However, I've beat this to death in other threads. So, I don't know....

Don't bother. In no universe should there be a LAP about hating Shikamaru. And if you still hate Shika in 2012, than there is something wrong. He is not Sasuke, Madara, Nagato, Itachi, Obito, or Naruto who can be controversial characters that shape the manga's world. Shikamaru doesn't do anything for you to hate. Unless there was a smart guy with a ponytail that beat you up, there is no reason to really dislike the character. Indifference is fine, but dislike? I mean Shikamaru? Do you hate rainbows and puppies too? Geez.

And if this is about Sakura not getting enough development and being jealous of Shika, well he ain't the threat and never was. Kishi had years to develop Sakura and didn't bother. It wasn't Shika by Naruto's side taking the heroine role. So I expect a LAP about the evils of Hinata. just kidding about that. Hating any character or writing a LAP about disliking them is lame. I hate when I see all the LAPs hating on Sakura. I would never do that to another character.

Didn't Kishimoto once say if he were a girl he'd probably date Shikamaru?

Um, so? And does that mean Kishi pictures himself as Temari? Never pay much attention to anything Kishi says.

"Perfect"? Eh. I still care way more about him, Chouji, and Neji than Naruto.

Plus, he hogged the spotlight? Please. The other members of the K-11 have gotten barely any screen-time compared to Part 1. If anything, Kishi needed to focus on them way more, Shika included.

This 100%

Edited by Deej, 01 January 2013 - 05:41 PM.

[Phantom_999]

He's cool. But not my favorite.

[Nate River]

Don't bother. In no universe should there be a LAP about hating Shikamaru. And if you still hate Shika in 2012, than there is something wrong. He is not Sasuke, Madara, Nagato, Itachi, Obito, or Naruto who can be controversial characters that shape the manga's world. Shikamaru doesn't do anything for you to hate. Unless there was a smart guy with a ponytail that beat you up, there is no reason to really dislike the character. Indifference is fine, but dislike? I mean Shikamaru? Do you hate rainbows and puppies too? Geez.

Heh.

You'll have to forgive my ignorance because I must have missed that memo that says disliking his character is capital offense. Puppies crap in my yard and rainbows are a bore. And there was this one time that this guy with his exact face assaulted me. I was five. It's why I decided to become a prosecutor. To protect the world from smart guys with pony tails. So, when I saw this character I knew I needed to live vicariously and just hate on him.

Or something like that.

So, you'll just have to tolerate the fact that I still don't like him in 2013 too. If you can't....well, it's not my problem is it?

I don't like the lazy genius stereotype. I think he's boring and a Gary-Stu. It's amazing how his primary character flaw has never really gotten in his way, isn't it? If there were something about him or his story that was worth investing in, I probably won't care about that, but really, there is nothing. Hey, that's one reason I don't like Hinata either. She's boring.

Um, so? And does that mean Kishi pictures himself as Temari? Never pay much attention to anything Kishi says.

Yeah, that's it.

Do you read the OP? He worried about him becoming a creator's pet. If he's saying that I would say we are already there. You must have also missed my reply to darkrest. I don't care if he was serious or not. I don't really require the confirmation

Shikamaru is also one of the most popular characters in Japan.

To borrow one of your phrases..."Um, so?" Why should I care?

I might get around to caring about that when forming my opinion of him, but not today.

[Phantom_999]

Of topic but I'm studying Law too Kage Nate. Well I'm planning on being a Paralegal after college, But In Canada they have quite the job upgrade from the normal description.

[Gravenimage]

This thread is troublesome *sighs*

[Phantom_999]

What makes you say that buddy?