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[[quoteright:246:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cover_36.jpg]]
->''But I never forgot my father's boogeyman, and all throughout my life, his words – words that he didn't even know I had heard – would haunt me: "Those who walk the shadows may very well become one with them."''\\
''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11267384/1/Chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro]]'' is a ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fanfiction by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5953312/boomvroomshroom Boomvroomshroom]]. It is set in an AlternateUniverse where Shikamaru is born hardworking like his mother instead of lazy like his father. Because of that, he beats out Sasuke for Rookie of the Year and ends up being put on Team 7 under Kakashi along with Ino and Naruto. (Sasuke is put on Team 10 with Asuma, Hinata, and Choji; Sakura is put on Team 8 with Kurenai, Kiba, and Shino.)
Though it starts out similar to canon, it very quickly devolves into something a lot more complex, involving original missions and plenty of scheming within Konoha and the rest of the ninja world. Despite the "smarter and darker" setup, Chiaroscuro does well in avoiding the overpowered hero pitfall by consistently setting up believable challenges and mistakes, caused by incomplete information rather than logical errors. It also regularly features many different types of intelligence, such as strategy, logic, deception, self-awareness, and maturity, and with it, strong yet relatable characters.
With its distinctive blend of humor and drama, Chiaroscuro definitely lives up to its name.
(Not to be confused with {{Chiaroscuro}}, the art trope.)
!!Side Links
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/forum/The-Chiaroscuro-Effect/185326/ The Chiaroscuro Effect]]'' A forum created on ff.net, for extras and short writing blogs by the author, as well as inspired works.
* ''[[https://sites.google.com/view/boomvroomshroom boomvroomshroom's links]]'' Fanart compilation.
----
!!''Fanfic/Chiaroscuro'' provides examples of:
* AdaptationalHeroism: Hinata prevents Sasuke from going rouge.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny: The only reason why Kakashi gets away with half the stuff he pulls.
* AntiHero: Many of the shinobi have darker characterizations due to psychological issues.
* AscendedExtra: Shikamaru and Ino get this as a result of replacing Sasuke and Sakura in Team 7.
* BrickJoke: In chapter 5, Shikamaru finds a bag of sunflower seeds in their tent bag and tosses it. In chapter 51, the team notices an out-of-place patch of sunflowers growing among the trees. While Shikamaru wonders where it came from, Kakashi suggests that it might have fallen out of someone's tent bag.
--> "Normal people don't store sunflower seeds in tent bags."
--> Kakashi-sensei honest-to-goodness ''giggled''.
* BoringYetPractical: Kawarimi, Henge, and the Headhunter are often used, and for good reason.
* BrokenAce: All of the child prodigies are described as this.
* CalvinBall: Somehow ninja chess ends up involving playing cards and kunai.
* ChekhovsArmoury
** ChekhovsClassroom: The history lesson on Uzushiogakure sets up most of the framework for sealing later on in the story.
*** The kids' first C-rank to Tanyu is also revisited multiple times.
** ChekhovsGun: The identification wristbands given to the competitors during the Chunin Exams. [[spoiler: Shikamaru manages to hack the seals and uses them to incapacitate ''Orochimaru''.]]
** ChekhovMIA: Remember how the Wave arc is skipped in favor of an original first C-rank? [[spoiler: Zabuza and Haku don't die, so they eventually reappear as Mei Terumi's subordinates, and help her infiltrate the Akatsuki.]]
** ChekhovsSkill: Shikamaru first comes up with an offensive use of the Kawarimi during the bell test. [[spoiler: It's used to save his life from Orochimaru.]]
** ForbiddenChekhovsGun: Shikaku's "original technique" wasn't just a random power-up. It was actually [[spoiler: a rediscovered version of Kaguya's Will Manifestation technique.]]
* CombatPragmatist: Ino [[spoiler: defeats Lee in the Chunin exams by spamming genjutsu and then hitting him when he is busy taking off his leg weights.]]
** Even Kakashi admits that Raikiri is too loud and flashy to be a reliable technique. [[spoiler: He has other original techniques, but up until Orochimaru, no one lived to tell the tale.]]
** Sakura also counts, when she gets around Neji's Byakugan by using auditory genjutsu instead.
* CoolBigSis: Ino, after she understands Naruto a bit more.
* CrazyPrepared: Even goes down to explaining some important details like always researching the terrain and targets before starting a mission.
* CuttingTheKnot: Because Kimimaro's bones were too strong for regular attacks, [[spoiler: the Akatsuki simply immobilized him with a genjutsu and choked him to death instead.]]
* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: [[spoiler: Shikaku creates one, which he teaches to Shikamaru. It's later revealed to be a rediscovery of the same technique Kaguya used to create Black Zetsu.]]
* DarkHumor: The characters often laugh at cruel things, including their own comrades dying, because the only other alternative is to be scared.
* DarkIsNotEvil: Played with.
* DopeSlap: Naruto gets this a few times in the beginning, from Ino.
* DumbBlonde: Averted. Ino is sneakier than she looks. Naruto also wises up more than in the main series.
* EvilLawyerJoke:
--> "Giant, bloodsucking, parasitic insects. Are you sure it wasn't a lawyer?"
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin:
--> "Great Heavenly Rotation!"\\
There were great gasps from the crowd. ''"What is that technique?"'' they were saying.\\
''Obviously,'' [[DeadpanSnarker Shikamaru]] thought, ''it involves greatness, the heavens, and rotation.''
* FaceHeelTurn: Averted. [[spoiler: Hinata prevents Sasuke from abandoning the village by [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calling him out]] on his selfishness and punching him in the face when he tries.]]
* ILied: "Ninja."
* InsaneTrollLogic: Kakashi messes with the Suna nin by eating fresh sushi in front of them. And then claiming he got the fish from "ponds" (mirages) out in the desert. And then claiming he ran faster than the speed of light to catch them.
** Kakashi and Shikamaru arguing about cheating at board games.
--> Shikamaru: That only works if you're five.
--> Kakashi: Actually, I was born on a leap year, so technically, I'm six.
--> Shikamaru: No you weren't. You were born on September 15th.
--> Kakashi: September 15th on a leap year.
** Another quote from Kakashi:
--> "There is a limited amount of chaos available in the universe. Therefore, if we create a regular amount of expected chaos, it will deter the unexpected chaos from also joining in, because the space it requires will already be taken up by the chaos we prepared for."
* ItAmusedMe: One has to wonder how many of Kakashi's pranks are ''actually'' part of a greater scheme.
* ManipulativeBastard: The Sandaime, though it's clear that he doesn't really want to do it, and that he's very guilty over it.
* MortonsFork: The Friendship Rule is deconstructed heavily. If you choose a mission over your teammates, your friends die. If you choose your teammates over a mission, your other friends depending on that mission also die.
* NoodleIncident: Involving rice cakes, apparently.
* ShapedLikeItself:
-->"What sort of things?"\\
"Stuff."\\
"What soft of stuff?"\\
"Things."
* ShoutOut: the proctors of the Chunin Exams are two guys named Shi Masa and Moto Kishi.
** Three of the random Genin nominated for the Chunin exams were named after well-known manga artists – Tite Kubo (''Manga/{{Bleach}}''), Hidekaz Himaruya (''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers''), and Akira Toriyama (''Anime/DragonBallZ'').
** Three more Genin were puns of manga titles – Tama Gin (''Manga/GinTama''), Ina Yashu (''Manga/InuYasha''), and Ruroshin Kenrouni (''Manga/RurouniKenshin'').
** Lady Arakawa (''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''), Lord Isayama (''Manga/AttackOnTitan''), and Captain Takeshi (''Manga/DeathNote'') are named after more manga artists.
* TechnicolorNinja: Averted. One of the first problems the rookie sensei set out to correct are the clothing choices of their students.
* TrainingFromHell: Team 7's D-ranks included chasing Tora…through the Forest of Death.
* WhamEpisode: Chapter 14 is the first of many.
----
->''But I never forgot my father's boogeyman, and all throughout my life, his words – words that he didn't even know I had heard – would haunt me: "Those who walk the shadows may very well become one with them."''\\
''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11267384/1/Chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro]]'' is a ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fanfiction by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5953312/boomvroomshroom Boomvroomshroom]]. It is set in an AlternateUniverse where Shikamaru is born hardworking like his mother instead of lazy like his father. Because of that, he beats out Sasuke for Rookie of the Year and ends up being put on Team 7 under Kakashi along with Ino and Naruto. (Sasuke is put on Team 10 with Asuma, Hinata, and Choji; Sakura is put on Team 8 with Kurenai, Kiba, and Shino.)
Though it starts out similar to canon, it very quickly devolves into something a lot more complex, involving original missions and plenty of scheming within Konoha and the rest of the ninja world. Despite the "smarter and darker" setup, Chiaroscuro does well in avoiding the overpowered hero pitfall by consistently setting up believable challenges and mistakes, caused by incomplete information rather than logical errors. It also regularly features many different types of intelligence, such as strategy, logic, deception, self-awareness, and maturity, and with it, strong yet relatable characters.
With its distinctive blend of humor and drama, Chiaroscuro definitely lives up to its name.
(Not to be confused with {{Chiaroscuro}}, the art trope.)
!!Side Links
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/forum/The-Chiaroscuro-Effect/185326/ The Chiaroscuro Effect]]'' A forum created on ff.net, for extras and short writing blogs by the author, as well as inspired works.
* ''[[https://sites.google.com/view/boomvroomshroom boomvroomshroom's links]]'' Fanart compilation.
----
!!''Fanfic/Chiaroscuro'' provides examples of:
* AdaptationalHeroism: Hinata prevents Sasuke from going rouge.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny: The only reason why Kakashi gets away with half the stuff he pulls.
* AntiHero: Many of the shinobi have darker characterizations due to psychological issues.
* AscendedExtra: Shikamaru and Ino get this as a result of replacing Sasuke and Sakura in Team 7.
* BrickJoke: In chapter 5, Shikamaru finds a bag of sunflower seeds in their tent bag and tosses it. In chapter 51, the team notices an out-of-place patch of sunflowers growing among the trees. While Shikamaru wonders where it came from, Kakashi suggests that it might have fallen out of someone's tent bag.
--> "Normal people don't store sunflower seeds in tent bags."
--> Kakashi-sensei honest-to-goodness ''giggled''.
* BoringYetPractical: Kawarimi, Henge, and the Headhunter are often used, and for good reason.
* BrokenAce: All of the child prodigies are described as this.
* CalvinBall: Somehow ninja chess ends up involving playing cards and kunai.
* ChekhovsArmoury
** ChekhovsClassroom: The history lesson on Uzushiogakure sets up most of the framework for sealing later on in the story.
*** The kids' first C-rank to Tanyu is also revisited multiple times.
** ChekhovsGun: The identification wristbands given to the competitors during the Chunin Exams. [[spoiler: Shikamaru manages to hack the seals and uses them to incapacitate ''Orochimaru''.]]
** ChekhovMIA: Remember how the Wave arc is skipped in favor of an original first C-rank? [[spoiler: Zabuza and Haku don't die, so they eventually reappear as Mei Terumi's subordinates, and help her infiltrate the Akatsuki.]]
** ChekhovsSkill: Shikamaru first comes up with an offensive use of the Kawarimi during the bell test. [[spoiler: It's used to save his life from Orochimaru.]]
** ForbiddenChekhovsGun: Shikaku's "original technique" wasn't just a random power-up. It was actually [[spoiler: a rediscovered version of Kaguya's Will Manifestation technique.]]
* CombatPragmatist: Ino [[spoiler: defeats Lee in the Chunin exams by spamming genjutsu and then hitting him when he is busy taking off his leg weights.]]
** Even Kakashi admits that Raikiri is too loud and flashy to be a reliable technique. [[spoiler: He has other original techniques, but up until Orochimaru, no one lived to tell the tale.]]
** Sakura also counts, when she gets around Neji's Byakugan by using auditory genjutsu instead.
* CoolBigSis: Ino, after she understands Naruto a bit more.
* CrazyPrepared: Even goes down to explaining some important details like always researching the terrain and targets before starting a mission.
* CuttingTheKnot: Because Kimimaro's bones were too strong for regular attacks, [[spoiler: the Akatsuki simply immobilized him with a genjutsu and choked him to death instead.]]
* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: [[spoiler: Shikaku creates one, which he teaches to Shikamaru. It's later revealed to be a rediscovery of the same technique Kaguya used to create Black Zetsu.]]
* DarkHumor: The characters often laugh at cruel things, including their own comrades dying, because the only other alternative is to be scared.
* DarkIsNotEvil: Played with.
* DopeSlap: Naruto gets this a few times in the beginning, from Ino.
* DumbBlonde: Averted. Ino is sneakier than she looks. Naruto also wises up more than in the main series.
* EvilLawyerJoke:
--> "Giant, bloodsucking, parasitic insects. Are you sure it wasn't a lawyer?"
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin:
--> "Great Heavenly Rotation!"\\
There were great gasps from the crowd. ''"What is that technique?"'' they were saying.\\
''Obviously,'' [[DeadpanSnarker Shikamaru]] thought, ''it involves greatness, the heavens, and rotation.''
* FaceHeelTurn: Averted. [[spoiler: Hinata prevents Sasuke from abandoning the village by [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calling him out]] on his selfishness and punching him in the face when he tries.]]
* ILied: "Ninja."
* InsaneTrollLogic: Kakashi messes with the Suna nin by eating fresh sushi in front of them. And then claiming he got the fish from "ponds" (mirages) out in the desert. And then claiming he ran faster than the speed of light to catch them.
** Kakashi and Shikamaru arguing about cheating at board games.
--> Shikamaru: That only works if you're five.
--> Kakashi: Actually, I was born on a leap year, so technically, I'm six.
--> Shikamaru: No you weren't. You were born on September 15th.
--> Kakashi: September 15th on a leap year.
** Another quote from Kakashi:
--> "There is a limited amount of chaos available in the universe. Therefore, if we create a regular amount of expected chaos, it will deter the unexpected chaos from also joining in, because the space it requires will already be taken up by the chaos we prepared for."
* ItAmusedMe: One has to wonder how many of Kakashi's pranks are ''actually'' part of a greater scheme.
* ManipulativeBastard: The Sandaime, though it's clear that he doesn't really want to do it, and that he's very guilty over it.
* MortonsFork: The Friendship Rule is deconstructed heavily. If you choose a mission over your teammates, your friends die. If you choose your teammates over a mission, your other friends depending on that mission also die.
* NoodleIncident: Involving rice cakes, apparently.
* ShapedLikeItself:
-->"What sort of things?"\\
"Stuff."\\
"What soft of stuff?"\\
"Things."
* ShoutOut: the proctors of the Chunin Exams are two guys named Shi Masa and Moto Kishi.
** Three of the random Genin nominated for the Chunin exams were named after well-known manga artists – Tite Kubo (''Manga/{{Bleach}}''), Hidekaz Himaruya (''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers''), and Akira Toriyama (''Anime/DragonBallZ'').
** Three more Genin were puns of manga titles – Tama Gin (''Manga/GinTama''), Ina Yashu (''Manga/InuYasha''), and Ruroshin Kenrouni (''Manga/RurouniKenshin'').
** Lady Arakawa (''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''), Lord Isayama (''Manga/AttackOnTitan''), and Captain Takeshi (''Manga/DeathNote'') are named after more manga artists.
* TechnicolorNinja: Averted. One of the first problems the rookie sensei set out to correct are the clothing choices of their students.
* TrainingFromHell: Team 7's D-ranks included chasing Tora…through the Forest of Death.
* WhamEpisode: Chapter 14 is the first of many.
----
to:
->''But I never forgot my father's boogeyman, and all throughout my life, his words – words that he didn't even know I had heard – would haunt me: "Those who walk the shadows may very well become one with them."''\\
''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11267384/1/Chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro]]'' is a ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fanfiction by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5953312/boomvroomshroom Boomvroomshroom]]. It is set in an AlternateUniverse where Shikamaru is born hardworking like his mother instead of lazy like his father. Because of that, he beats out Sasuke for Rookie of the Year and ends up being put on Team 7 under Kakashi along with Ino and Naruto. (Sasuke is put on Team 10 with Asuma, Hinata, and Choji; Sakura is put on Team 8 with Kurenai, Kiba, and Shino.)
Though it starts out similar to canon, it very quickly devolves into something a lot more complex, involving original missions and plenty of scheming within Konoha and the rest of the ninja world. Despite the "smarter and darker" setup, Chiaroscuro does well in avoiding the overpowered hero pitfall by consistently setting up believable challenges and mistakes, caused by incomplete information rather than logical errors. It also regularly features many different types of intelligence, such as strategy, logic, deception, self-awareness, and maturity, and with it, strong yet relatable characters.
With its distinctive blend of humor and drama, Chiaroscuro definitely lives up to its name.
(Not to be confused with {{Chiaroscuro}}, the art trope.)
!!Side Links
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/forum/The-Chiaroscuro-Effect/185326/ The Chiaroscuro Effect]]'' A forum created on ff.net, for extras and short writing blogs by the author, as well as inspired works.
* ''[[https://sites.google.com/view/boomvroomshroom boomvroomshroom's links]]'' Fanart compilation.
----
!!''Fanfic/Chiaroscuro'' provides examples of:
* AdaptationalHeroism: Hinata prevents Sasuke from going rouge.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny: The only reason why Kakashi gets away with half the stuff he pulls.
* AntiHero: Many of the shinobi have darker characterizations due to psychological issues.
* AscendedExtra: Shikamaru and Ino get this as a result of replacing Sasuke and Sakura in Team 7.
* BrickJoke: In chapter 5, Shikamaru finds a bag of sunflower seeds in their tent bag and tosses it. In chapter 51, the team notices an out-of-place patch of sunflowers growing among the trees. While Shikamaru wonders where it came from, Kakashi suggests that it might have fallen out of someone's tent bag.
--> "Normal people don't store sunflower seeds in tent bags."
--> Kakashi-sensei honest-to-goodness ''giggled''.
* BoringYetPractical: Kawarimi, Henge, and the Headhunter are often used, and for good reason.
* BrokenAce: All of the child prodigies are described as this.
* CalvinBall: Somehow ninja chess ends up involving playing cards and kunai.
* ChekhovsArmoury
** ChekhovsClassroom: The history lesson on Uzushiogakure sets up most of the framework for sealing later on in the story.
*** The kids' first C-rank to Tanyu is also revisited multiple times.
** ChekhovsGun: The identification wristbands given to the competitors during the Chunin Exams. [[spoiler: Shikamaru manages to hack the seals and uses them to incapacitate ''Orochimaru''.]]
** ChekhovMIA: Remember how the Wave arc is skipped in favor of an original first C-rank? [[spoiler: Zabuza and Haku don't die, so they eventually reappear as Mei Terumi's subordinates, and help her infiltrate the Akatsuki.]]
** ChekhovsSkill: Shikamaru first comes up with an offensive use of the Kawarimi during the bell test. [[spoiler: It's used to save his life from Orochimaru.]]
** ForbiddenChekhovsGun: Shikaku's "original technique" wasn't just a random power-up. It was actually [[spoiler: a rediscovered version of Kaguya's Will Manifestation technique.]]
* CombatPragmatist: Ino [[spoiler: defeats Lee in the Chunin exams by spamming genjutsu and then hitting him when he is busy taking off his leg weights.]]
** Even Kakashi admits that Raikiri is too loud and flashy to be a reliable technique. [[spoiler: He has other original techniques, but up until Orochimaru, no one lived to tell the tale.]]
** Sakura also counts, when she gets around Neji's Byakugan by using auditory genjutsu instead.
* CoolBigSis: Ino, after she understands Naruto a bit more.
* CrazyPrepared: Even goes down to explaining some important details like always researching the terrain and targets before starting a mission.
* CuttingTheKnot: Because Kimimaro's bones were too strong for regular attacks, [[spoiler: the Akatsuki simply immobilized him with a genjutsu and choked him to death instead.]]
* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: [[spoiler: Shikaku creates one, which he teaches to Shikamaru. It's later revealed to be a rediscovery of the same technique Kaguya used to create Black Zetsu.]]
* DarkHumor: The characters often laugh at cruel things, including their own comrades dying, because the only other alternative is to be scared.
* DarkIsNotEvil: Played with.
* DopeSlap: Naruto gets this a few times in the beginning, from Ino.
* DumbBlonde: Averted. Ino is sneakier than she looks. Naruto also wises up more than in the main series.
* EvilLawyerJoke:
--> "Giant, bloodsucking, parasitic insects. Are you sure it wasn't a lawyer?"
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin:
--> "Great Heavenly Rotation!"\\
There were great gasps from the crowd. ''"What is that technique?"'' they were saying.\\
''Obviously,'' [[DeadpanSnarker Shikamaru]] thought, ''it involves greatness, the heavens, and rotation.''
* FaceHeelTurn: Averted. [[spoiler: Hinata prevents Sasuke from abandoning the village by [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calling him out]] on his selfishness and punching him in the face when he tries.]]
* ILied: "Ninja."
* InsaneTrollLogic: Kakashi messes with the Suna nin by eating fresh sushi in front of them. And then claiming he got the fish from "ponds" (mirages) out in the desert. And then claiming he ran faster than the speed of light to catch them.
** Kakashi and Shikamaru arguing about cheating at board games.
--> Shikamaru: That only works if you're five.
--> Kakashi: Actually, I was born on a leap year, so technically, I'm six.
--> Shikamaru: No you weren't. You were born on September 15th.
--> Kakashi: September 15th on a leap year.
** Another quote from Kakashi:
--> "There is a limited amount of chaos available in the universe. Therefore, if we create a regular amount of expected chaos, it will deter the unexpected chaos from also joining in, because the space it requires will already be taken up by the chaos we prepared for."
* ItAmusedMe: One has to wonder how many of Kakashi's pranks are ''actually'' part of a greater scheme.
* ManipulativeBastard: The Sandaime, though it's clear that he doesn't really want to do it, and that he's very guilty over it.
* MortonsFork: The Friendship Rule is deconstructed heavily. If you choose a mission over your teammates, your friends die. If you choose your teammates over a mission, your other friends depending on that mission also die.
* NoodleIncident: Involving rice cakes, apparently.
* ShapedLikeItself:
-->"What sort of things?"\\
"Stuff."\\
"What soft of stuff?"\\
"Things."
* ShoutOut: the proctors of the Chunin Exams are two guys named Shi Masa and Moto Kishi.
** Three of the random Genin nominated for the Chunin exams were named after well-known manga artists – Tite Kubo (''Manga/{{Bleach}}''), Hidekaz Himaruya (''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers''), and Akira Toriyama (''Anime/DragonBallZ'').
** Three more Genin were puns of manga titles – Tama Gin (''Manga/GinTama''), Ina Yashu (''Manga/InuYasha''), and Ruroshin Kenrouni (''Manga/RurouniKenshin'').
** Lady Arakawa (''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''), Lord Isayama (''Manga/AttackOnTitan''), and Captain Takeshi (''Manga/DeathNote'') are named after more manga artists.
* TechnicolorNinja: Averted. One of the first problems the rookie sensei set out to correct are the clothing choices of their students.
* TrainingFromHell: Team 7's D-ranks included chasing Tora…through the Forest of Death.
* WhamEpisode: Chapter 14 is the first of many.
----
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 74 (click to see context) from:
** Three of the random Genin nominated for the Chunin exams were named after well-known manga artists – Tite Kubo (''Manga/{{Bleach}}''), Hidekaz Himaruya (''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia''), and Akira Toriyama (''Anime/DragonBallZ'').
to:
** Three of the random Genin nominated for the Chunin exams were named after well-known manga artists – Tite Kubo (''Manga/{{Bleach}}''), Hidekaz Himaruya (''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia''), (''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers''), and Akira Toriyama (''Anime/DragonBallZ'').
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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[[quoteright:246:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cover_36.jpg]]
->''But I never forgot my father's boogeyman, and all throughout my life, his words – words that he didn't even know I had heard – would haunt me: "Those who walk the shadows may very well become one with them."''\\
''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11267384/1/Chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro]]'' is a ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fanfiction by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5953312/boomvroomshroom Boomvroomshroom]]. It is set in an AlternateUniverse where Shikamaru is born hardworking like his mother instead of lazy like his father. Because of that, he beats out Sasuke for Rookie of the Year and ends up being put on Team 7 under Kakashi along with Ino and Naruto. (Sasuke is put on Team 10 with Asuma, Hinata, and Choji; Sakura is put on Team 8 with Kurenai, Kiba, and Shino.)
Though it starts out similar to canon, it very quickly devolves into something a lot more complex, involving original missions and plenty of scheming within Konoha and the rest of the ninja world. Despite the "smarter and darker" setup, Chiaroscuro does well in avoiding the overpowered hero pitfall by consistently setting up believable challenges and mistakes, caused by incomplete information rather than logical errors. It also regularly features many different types of intelligence, such as strategy, logic, deception, self-awareness, and maturity, and with it, strong yet relatable characters.
With its distinctive blend of humor and drama, Chiaroscuro definitely lives up to its name.
(Not to be confused with {{Chiaroscuro}}, the art trope.)
!!Side Links
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/forum/The-Chiaroscuro-Effect/185326/ The Chiaroscuro Effect]]'' A forum created on ff.net, for extras and short writing blogs by the author, as well as inspired works.
* ''[[https://sites.google.com/view/boomvroomshroom boomvroomshroom's links]]'' Fanart compilation.
----
!!''Fanfic/Chiaroscuro'' provides examples of:
* AdaptationalHeroism: Hinata prevents Sasuke from going rouge.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny: The only reason why Kakashi gets away with half the stuff he pulls.
* AntiHero: Many of the shinobi have darker characterizations due to psychological issues.
* AscendedExtra: Shikamaru and Ino get this as a result of replacing Sasuke and Sakura in Team 7.
* BrickJoke: In chapter 5, Shikamaru finds a bag of sunflower seeds in their tent bag and tosses it. In chapter 51, the team notices an out-of-place patch of sunflowers growing among the trees. While Shikamaru wonders where it came from, Kakashi suggests that it might have fallen out of someone's tent bag.
--> "Normal people don't store sunflower seeds in tent bags."
--> Kakashi-sensei honest-to-goodness ''giggled''.
* BoringYetPractical: Kawarimi, Henge, and the Headhunter are often used, and for good reason.
* BrokenAce: All of the child prodigies are described as this.
* CalvinBall: Somehow ninja chess ends up involving playing cards and kunai.
* ChekhovsArmoury
** ChekhovsClassroom: The history lesson on Uzushiogakure sets up most of the framework for sealing later on in the story.
*** The kids' first C-rank to Tanyu is also revisited multiple times.
** ChekhovsGun: The identification wristbands given to the competitors during the Chunin Exams. [[spoiler: Shikamaru manages to hack the seals and uses them to incapacitate ''Orochimaru''.]]
** ChekhovMIA: Remember how the Wave arc is skipped in favor of an original first C-rank? [[spoiler: Zabuza and Haku don't die, so they eventually reappear as Mei Terumi's subordinates, and help her infiltrate the Akatsuki.]]
** ChekhovsSkill: Shikamaru first comes up with an offensive use of the Kawarimi during the bell test. [[spoiler: It's used to save his life from Orochimaru.]]
** ForbiddenChekhovsGun: Shikaku's "original technique" wasn't just a random power-up. It was actually [[spoiler: a rediscovered version of Kaguya's Will Manifestation technique.]]
* CombatPragmatist: Ino [[spoiler: defeats Lee in the Chunin exams by spamming genjutsu and then hitting him when he is busy taking off his leg weights.]]
** Even Kakashi admits that Raikiri is too loud and flashy to be a reliable technique. [[spoiler: He has other original techniques, but up until Orochimaru, no one lived to tell the tale.]]
** Sakura also counts, when she gets around Neji's Byakugan by using auditory genjutsu instead.
* CoolBigSis: Ino, after she understands Naruto a bit more.
* CrazyPrepared: Even goes down to explaining some important details like always researching the terrain and targets before starting a mission.
* CuttingTheKnot: Because Kimimaro's bones were too strong for regular attacks, [[spoiler: the Akatsuki simply immobilized him with a genjutsu and choked him to death instead.]]
* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: [[spoiler: Shikaku creates one, which he teaches to Shikamaru. It's later revealed to be a rediscovery of the same technique Kaguya used to create Black Zetsu.]]
* DarkHumor: The characters often laugh at cruel things, including their own comrades dying, because the only other alternative is to be scared.
* DarkIsNotEvil: Played with.
* DopeSlap: Naruto gets this a few times in the beginning, from Ino.
* DumbBlonde: Averted. Ino is sneakier than she looks. Naruto also wises up more than in the main series.
* EvilLawyerJoke:
--> "Giant, bloodsucking, parasitic insects. Are you sure it wasn't a lawyer?"
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin:
--> "Great Heavenly Rotation!"\\
There were great gasps from the crowd. ''"What is that technique?"'' they were saying.\\
''Obviously,'' [[DeadpanSnarker Shikamaru]] thought, ''it involves greatness, the heavens, and rotation.''
* FaceHeelTurn: Averted. [[spoiler: Hinata prevents Sasuke from abandoning the village by [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calling him out]] on his selfishness and punching him in the face when he tries.]]
* ILied: "Ninja."
* InsaneTrollLogic: Kakashi messes with the Suna nin by eating fresh sushi in front of them. And then claiming he got the fish from "ponds" (mirages) out in the desert. And then claiming he ran faster than the speed of light to catch them.
** Kakashi and Shikamaru arguing about cheating at board games.
--> Shikamaru: That only works if you're five.
--> Kakashi: Actually, I was born on a leap year, so technically, I'm six.
--> Shikamaru: No you weren't. You were born on September 15th.
--> Kakashi: September 15th on a leap year.
** Another quote from Kakashi:
--> "There is a limited amount of chaos available in the universe. Therefore, if we create a regular amount of expected chaos, it will deter the unexpected chaos from also joining in, because the space it requires will already be taken up by the chaos we prepared for."
* ItAmusedMe: One has to wonder how many of Kakashi's pranks are ''actually'' part of a greater scheme.
* ManipulativeBastard: The Sandaime, though it's clear that he doesn't really want to do it, and that he's very guilty over it.
* MortonsFork: The Friendship Rule is deconstructed heavily. If you choose a mission over your teammates, your friends die. If you choose your teammates over a mission, your other friends depending on that mission also die.
* NoodleIncident: Involving rice cakes, apparently.
* ShapedLikeItself:
-->"What sort of things?"\\
"Stuff."\\
"What soft of stuff?"\\
"Things."
* ShoutOut: the proctors of the Chunin Exams are two guys named Shi Masa and Moto Kishi.
** Three of the random Genin nominated for the Chunin exams were named after well-known manga artists – Tite Kubo (''Manga/{{Bleach}}''), Hidekaz Himaruya (''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia''), and Akira Toriyama (''Anime/DragonBallZ'').
** Three more Genin were puns of manga titles – Tama Gin (''Manga/GinTama''), Ina Yashu (''Manga/InuYasha''), and Ruroshin Kenrouni (''Manga/RurouniKenshin'').
** Lady Arakawa (''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''), Lord Isayama (''Manga/AttackOnTitan''), and Captain Takeshi (''Manga/DeathNote'') are named after more manga artists.
* TechnicolorNinja: Averted. One of the first problems the rookie sensei set out to correct are the clothing choices of their students.
* TrainingFromHell: Team 7's D-ranks included chasing Tora…through the Forest of Death.
* WhamEpisode: Chapter 14 is the first of many.
----
->''But I never forgot my father's boogeyman, and all throughout my life, his words – words that he didn't even know I had heard – would haunt me: "Those who walk the shadows may very well become one with them."''\\
''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11267384/1/Chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro]]'' is a ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fanfiction by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5953312/boomvroomshroom Boomvroomshroom]]. It is set in an AlternateUniverse where Shikamaru is born hardworking like his mother instead of lazy like his father. Because of that, he beats out Sasuke for Rookie of the Year and ends up being put on Team 7 under Kakashi along with Ino and Naruto. (Sasuke is put on Team 10 with Asuma, Hinata, and Choji; Sakura is put on Team 8 with Kurenai, Kiba, and Shino.)
Though it starts out similar to canon, it very quickly devolves into something a lot more complex, involving original missions and plenty of scheming within Konoha and the rest of the ninja world. Despite the "smarter and darker" setup, Chiaroscuro does well in avoiding the overpowered hero pitfall by consistently setting up believable challenges and mistakes, caused by incomplete information rather than logical errors. It also regularly features many different types of intelligence, such as strategy, logic, deception, self-awareness, and maturity, and with it, strong yet relatable characters.
With its distinctive blend of humor and drama, Chiaroscuro definitely lives up to its name.
(Not to be confused with {{Chiaroscuro}}, the art trope.)
!!Side Links
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/forum/The-Chiaroscuro-Effect/185326/ The Chiaroscuro Effect]]'' A forum created on ff.net, for extras and short writing blogs by the author, as well as inspired works.
* ''[[https://sites.google.com/view/boomvroomshroom boomvroomshroom's links]]'' Fanart compilation.
----
!!''Fanfic/Chiaroscuro'' provides examples of:
* AdaptationalHeroism: Hinata prevents Sasuke from going rouge.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny: The only reason why Kakashi gets away with half the stuff he pulls.
* AntiHero: Many of the shinobi have darker characterizations due to psychological issues.
* AscendedExtra: Shikamaru and Ino get this as a result of replacing Sasuke and Sakura in Team 7.
* BrickJoke: In chapter 5, Shikamaru finds a bag of sunflower seeds in their tent bag and tosses it. In chapter 51, the team notices an out-of-place patch of sunflowers growing among the trees. While Shikamaru wonders where it came from, Kakashi suggests that it might have fallen out of someone's tent bag.
--> "Normal people don't store sunflower seeds in tent bags."
--> Kakashi-sensei honest-to-goodness ''giggled''.
* BoringYetPractical: Kawarimi, Henge, and the Headhunter are often used, and for good reason.
* BrokenAce: All of the child prodigies are described as this.
* CalvinBall: Somehow ninja chess ends up involving playing cards and kunai.
* ChekhovsArmoury
** ChekhovsClassroom: The history lesson on Uzushiogakure sets up most of the framework for sealing later on in the story.
*** The kids' first C-rank to Tanyu is also revisited multiple times.
** ChekhovsGun: The identification wristbands given to the competitors during the Chunin Exams. [[spoiler: Shikamaru manages to hack the seals and uses them to incapacitate ''Orochimaru''.]]
** ChekhovMIA: Remember how the Wave arc is skipped in favor of an original first C-rank? [[spoiler: Zabuza and Haku don't die, so they eventually reappear as Mei Terumi's subordinates, and help her infiltrate the Akatsuki.]]
** ChekhovsSkill: Shikamaru first comes up with an offensive use of the Kawarimi during the bell test. [[spoiler: It's used to save his life from Orochimaru.]]
** ForbiddenChekhovsGun: Shikaku's "original technique" wasn't just a random power-up. It was actually [[spoiler: a rediscovered version of Kaguya's Will Manifestation technique.]]
* CombatPragmatist: Ino [[spoiler: defeats Lee in the Chunin exams by spamming genjutsu and then hitting him when he is busy taking off his leg weights.]]
** Even Kakashi admits that Raikiri is too loud and flashy to be a reliable technique. [[spoiler: He has other original techniques, but up until Orochimaru, no one lived to tell the tale.]]
** Sakura also counts, when she gets around Neji's Byakugan by using auditory genjutsu instead.
* CoolBigSis: Ino, after she understands Naruto a bit more.
* CrazyPrepared: Even goes down to explaining some important details like always researching the terrain and targets before starting a mission.
* CuttingTheKnot: Because Kimimaro's bones were too strong for regular attacks, [[spoiler: the Akatsuki simply immobilized him with a genjutsu and choked him to death instead.]]
* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: [[spoiler: Shikaku creates one, which he teaches to Shikamaru. It's later revealed to be a rediscovery of the same technique Kaguya used to create Black Zetsu.]]
* DarkHumor: The characters often laugh at cruel things, including their own comrades dying, because the only other alternative is to be scared.
* DarkIsNotEvil: Played with.
* DopeSlap: Naruto gets this a few times in the beginning, from Ino.
* DumbBlonde: Averted. Ino is sneakier than she looks. Naruto also wises up more than in the main series.
* EvilLawyerJoke:
--> "Giant, bloodsucking, parasitic insects. Are you sure it wasn't a lawyer?"
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin:
--> "Great Heavenly Rotation!"\\
There were great gasps from the crowd. ''"What is that technique?"'' they were saying.\\
''Obviously,'' [[DeadpanSnarker Shikamaru]] thought, ''it involves greatness, the heavens, and rotation.''
* FaceHeelTurn: Averted. [[spoiler: Hinata prevents Sasuke from abandoning the village by [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calling him out]] on his selfishness and punching him in the face when he tries.]]
* ILied: "Ninja."
* InsaneTrollLogic: Kakashi messes with the Suna nin by eating fresh sushi in front of them. And then claiming he got the fish from "ponds" (mirages) out in the desert. And then claiming he ran faster than the speed of light to catch them.
** Kakashi and Shikamaru arguing about cheating at board games.
--> Shikamaru: That only works if you're five.
--> Kakashi: Actually, I was born on a leap year, so technically, I'm six.
--> Shikamaru: No you weren't. You were born on September 15th.
--> Kakashi: September 15th on a leap year.
** Another quote from Kakashi:
--> "There is a limited amount of chaos available in the universe. Therefore, if we create a regular amount of expected chaos, it will deter the unexpected chaos from also joining in, because the space it requires will already be taken up by the chaos we prepared for."
* ItAmusedMe: One has to wonder how many of Kakashi's pranks are ''actually'' part of a greater scheme.
* ManipulativeBastard: The Sandaime, though it's clear that he doesn't really want to do it, and that he's very guilty over it.
* MortonsFork: The Friendship Rule is deconstructed heavily. If you choose a mission over your teammates, your friends die. If you choose your teammates over a mission, your other friends depending on that mission also die.
* NoodleIncident: Involving rice cakes, apparently.
* ShapedLikeItself:
-->"What sort of things?"\\
"Stuff."\\
"What soft of stuff?"\\
"Things."
* ShoutOut: the proctors of the Chunin Exams are two guys named Shi Masa and Moto Kishi.
** Three of the random Genin nominated for the Chunin exams were named after well-known manga artists – Tite Kubo (''Manga/{{Bleach}}''), Hidekaz Himaruya (''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia''), and Akira Toriyama (''Anime/DragonBallZ'').
** Three more Genin were puns of manga titles – Tama Gin (''Manga/GinTama''), Ina Yashu (''Manga/InuYasha''), and Ruroshin Kenrouni (''Manga/RurouniKenshin'').
** Lady Arakawa (''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''), Lord Isayama (''Manga/AttackOnTitan''), and Captain Takeshi (''Manga/DeathNote'') are named after more manga artists.
* TechnicolorNinja: Averted. One of the first problems the rookie sensei set out to correct are the clothing choices of their students.
* TrainingFromHell: Team 7's D-ranks included chasing Tora…through the Forest of Death.
* WhamEpisode: Chapter 14 is the first of many.
----
