#trust me there are plenty of shows with fleshed out dynamics between different types of people other than 'two cis white abled men'

[musical-chick-13]

“I can’t HELP that I only ship cis white abled men, they’re the only characters who ever get to interact with each other in a meaningful way!”

Then watch better shows.

[purple-possibilities]

@mreyes1994​ requested Genma for the Character Ask.  Here you go!

First impression Is that the coughing guy?  Didn’t the coughing guy die?  No it can’t be, because Ichigo* wasn’t voicing the coughing guy.  Ok, so different guy.  Seems very deep.  Kinda philosophical.  Would probably make a good mentor.  I like him. *i watched the dub, and the voice actor is the same one who voices Kurosaki Ichigo from Bleach.

Impression now Is it hot in here or is it just Genma?  Definitly a character I would have liked to see more of.  There are such subtle allusions to his shared past with other amazing characters; he was on Team Chouza with Gai and Ebisu (and why are they not shown being friends i thought people were tight with their genin teammates? PLUS GAI---HE WOULD NEVER STAND FOR THIS LACK OF FRIENDSHIP) and he was on the Yondaime’s Hokage Guard Platoon (he’s 3 years older than Kakashi, meaning he was 17 when Minato died, and therefore learned the Hiraishin as a 15/16 year old.  How is he only a Tokubestu Jounin?  Yes, he needs to be with Raido and Iwashi to do it but still that’s badass).  I feel like Kishi and SP just kind of threw Genma in there when they needed an adult somewhere, or else they wouldn’t have given him so many random qualifications.  Genma has been around, and no, I’m not talking about his sex life.

Favourite moment When Shikaku starts the mental connection with Genma to inform him that Madara was brought back to life with Edo Tensei, and Shikaku is like “I have something to tell you, and it’s super important that I convey it to you quickly, so don’t ask questions.” and Genma agrees, so Shikaku starts again, “Marada has been reanimated with Edo Tensei---” and then Genma just can’t help but interrupt.  Repeatedly.  And makes jokes.  I love it.

Idea for a story I’ve actually always wanted to write a story which gets deep into Genma’s character.  Not this playboy bs, background character nonsense.  It could have a pairing, idk, maybe with Shizune, or Ino, or maybe even an OC, idk.  Ok, it’s a romance now (I love love, ok, sue me pleasedon’tsueme).  But in the story, it’s not just about wooing or getting the pair together, it explores Genma’s past, and his relationship with the main cast, and fleshes out all these details of his life.  And we see so many other characters in it.  Raido and Iwashi feature in it a lot, of course.  I’ll make it Post Fourth War, too, and maybe Kakashi is Hokage (because I love him leave me alone).  We get to see Genma’s friendship with GAI (omg this makes me so happy to think about...look what you made me do) and also his relationship with Ebisu (you can’t tell me that Genma doesn’t tease Ebisu about being a closet pervert like, all the time. Even you must know it’s true).  We get to see them comforting Chouza after the loss of Shikaku and Inoichi (and why yes, the flashbacks to their time on team Chouza will be plentiful) and maybe even see Genma with Chouji, sharing stories about his dad and the antics they all used to get up to.

Unpopular opinion I don’t know where people got the idea that Genma is a perverted player.  The series never even shows him flirting.  So why does he have a reputation of chasing after every warm body on two legs?  Is it because he’s attractive?  Is it the senbon?  Is it the bandanna?  I don’t get it.  And I don’t see him that way.  

My initial impression of Genma was that he was a deep thinker, and I hold on to that.  Sure, he’s got the reputation of being kind of a jokester (although with words less than with actions---he’s not going around playing pranks, I can’t see that happening) but that just means he’s playful.  

Playfulness can be expressed in many different ways, and yes, flirting is one of them.  But there’s a difference between being a flirt and constantly trying to get into people’s pants.  I don’t see Genma as one of those dudes at the bar trying to get his dick wet.  I think it’s more the case of---in casual conversations---if Genma sees an opening to make a crack at someone, or flirt, or joke, then he just goes for it.  He has a smart mouth (and ass, too lol).  His personality in conjunction with his looks very well could attract all sorts of people, but I don’t think his intention for making those types of quips/flirting is to have sex with them, or even grab a date.  

That Genma has a reputation in fanon as having dated every available kunoichi and/or shinobi honesty just seems to me like an easy plot device that strips Genma of who he is.  Like, ‘I wasn’t sure what to write/I wanted to make [character] jealous, so here’s Genma conveniently popping up at a bar to hit on one half of the main love interest.’  Which would be a totally great plot device if Genma was actually interested in the character he was flirting with, and we got an actual love triangle (and all that drama) or even some OT3 action (I never say no to poly relationships lol).  That would be great.  But he’s usually just written flatly, and he becomes a device and not a person/character.  It doesn’t do him justice, and Genma deserves better.  Say it with me now:

Genma deserves better!

I also don’t understand why, although clearly receiving signalled or verbal disinterest, Genma is always feeling people up.  I sincerely doubt that Genma cannot respect boundaries.  And if he wanted to check someone out, Genma is a ninja, and a great one.  He could totally sneak a peek without the person (who was made uncomfortable by his looking) noticing.  He’s not a creep.  He does not commonly engage in sexual harassment---I actually think he would be super mindful of people’s boundaries.  I think he’s very intuitive, and maybe even highly empathetic.  Not necessarily sympathetic (although I do think he has the capacity for it), but definitely able to understand other people’s emotions, often just from body language.  

That’s not to say that I don’t think he could develop a rapport with certain people, involving constant flirting or blatantly checking the other out, featuring wolf-whistling and cheeky comments, and maybe even a touch or two (he’d be that friend who always puts his arm around your waist and gets a little close, with hands that drift a little too low).  But that’s only if he knew the other person well enough to know they’d be fine with it.  And it would be a specific type of relationship, not just his default reaction to everyone.  

The fanon reputation he has is a discredit to his character.  It makes him so one dimensional, and cheapens what would otherwise be a dynamic and interesting character.  He is connected to so many people in the shinobi world; he’s in the periphery of almost every character.  And sure, maybe Kishimoto just didn’t want to draw another jounin, so Genma, Raido, and Iwashi just pop up when convenient.  But by whatever reason, he has all these connections, and they would be so interesting to explore.  

Along with being connected to Minato (who needs his own post, or we’d be here forever) Genma’s also connected to Gai and Ebisu and Chouza, and he probably had to work with Shikaku because of being around the Hokage (and Shikaku is obviously familiar with him).

Then there’s the fact that Genma has guarded three Hokage before the end of the war, and then presumably two more after the war---the man has been with FIVE HOKAGE.  In charge of PROTECTING them.  That alone makes him so interesting, regardless of everything else.  The things he must have seen, the plots he must have listened in on, the jobs he’s probably had to do, as someone the Hokage (past and present) trust implicitly.  And he’s just a Tokubestu Jounin?  WITH THE HIRAISHIN???  I don’t believe it.  

There’s something up with Genma, and while I don’t know what it is, I want to know.  Why can’t stories focus on that side of Genma, instead of reducing him to a playboy?  

Favorite relationship This is difficult, because Genma is so sidelined that you don’t see him interact much with the other characters.  You really only see him with Raidou, and sometimes Iwashi, so they win by default.  But honestly, I’m super interested in all of Genma’s many hinted at relationships, most notably his relationship with Minato.  I wonder how he came into the position (and Raido and Iwashi, too---Iwashi being chuunin, of all things, this doesn’t make sense, why is a chuunin guarding the Hokage?).  I think that Genma is the sort of person who loves relationships.  He’s the guy who can’t be alone. He doesn’t care if you’re reading at the kitchen table while he makes dinner, so long as you hmm along every once in a while.  Although he’s also probably an amazing conversationalist.  I want to have philosophical discussions with Genma on life and love and what sorts of pumpkin dishes are basic and which are shinobi acceptable (the answer: they’re all exceptional shinobi dishes, sibi---stop eating my soup!).

Favorite headcanon I’m going to get a little inappropriate with this.  But, Genma has an oral fixation if you know what I mean, and he knows his way around more than just a senbon...

This got super long holy shit.  I have a lot to say about Genma!  If you missed it, this post inspired a fic!

Here is the ask.  Send me a character (canon or oc) or even a pairing.  Up next is Hidan, and then Adult!Obito, Rock Lee, and Ino.

Already completed: Madara, Kakashi, Shino, Tenzou, Gai