Title: The Empty Cage
Author: Rathanel
Rating: M
Genre: Adventure/Drama
Chapters: 55
Words: 350,108
Updated: March 10, 2013
Published: August 20, 2011
Status: WIP
Fandom: Naruto
Pairings: None
Summary:AU. Desperate and rushed, Minato Namikaze is forced to rely on the Death God's seal, a seal he doesn't fully understand, and his son pays the price with his life. So who is the blond-haired kid running around Konoha? M for language and violence.
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7305950/1/The_Empty_Cage

First off, I really and truly like this fic, but I can't judge grammatical skill, at all. So I have no idea if everything is correct and proper, you judge that.
Similarly I should mention that I skipped the entire first chapter and skimmed half of the second before reading the rest of 30 chapters in a single day.

As for the AU, it's not that big, at least initially. Most of the differences stem from Naruto's (kyuubi's) character and actions. With some personality differences in the older generation, most notably Sarutobi. But they all develop logically as does the world so everything is good.

I should also mention the multiple POV, there are a lot, but they do flesh out the world so I didn't mind. But you might so if you don't like that sort of thing, now you know.

In conclusion I liked it and though I should share it.

4/5



Checked by Minion, March 20, 2013

 

I like it and its being updated at a regular schedules.

Basic Premise is that Naruto actually died and its the Kyuubi in his body. Why the Kyuubi doesnt just break free is that the seal does work to a fashion and will banish the Kyuubi for 100 years. And Kyuubi really wants to find out what happened to his friends/family(other Bijuu).

 

I was just about to go read the fic until I got to this line. Tell me the Kyuubi isn't some bleeding heart for his 'family' in this. He's supposed to be the manifestation of human hatred, or something along those lines, so why the hell would he give a flying fuck about the other bijuu?

 

Sadly that's pretty much what the fic is cooking. Adds a dash of amoral sociopath to flavor, but in the end it left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

I didn't like for those very same reasons. I don't dig the whole 'bijuu' society route. 2/5.

 

It is a decent read... if you don't mind massive AU rooted long before times of Madara himself. And the fact that Biju are not mindless beasts but intelligent and rational beings, with any information of contrary turning up to be human born propaganda.
Won't give fic more then 3/5, but its worth the time spent reading(if barely).

 

Hmm... I wouldnt say that to the point that you perceive it as. But I do see your concern. There is some of that that Kyuubi is less a manifestation of human hatred as he is a amoral human being.

Which is not convincing you to read this story is it?

 

I read it... barely...

It has some good stuff in it, i.e. the Kyubi discovering how to be human, but it also has some very bad things in it imo, the Kyubi has a name, which makes it feel like you're reading about an oc for a while, until you remember he's actually the nine-tails, there are a lot of scenes where "Naruto" gets hurt and everyone worrys about him, and this is before graduation...

The clan heirs + Naruto decide they need to fix the graduation exam, so befriend someone to do it, who just happens to be Sakura...

And the above poster is underestimating how badly Naruto cares about the other Bijuu, it's like the main focus of the story how he's going to free his family and look for them, and it looks like that will be the plot in the future, unite the bijuu + hosts against the Akatsuki, I personally didn't like it as I could guess a lot of it before it happened, but like I said at the top, their were some good bits in it.

2.5/5

 

The Empty Cage by Rathanel - M - Naruto

Title: The Empty Cage
Author: Rathanel
Rating: M
Genre: General
DLP Category: Other Fandom
Fandom: Naruto
Pairing: No Pairing
Status: Work in Progress (306k words)
Summary: AU. Desperate and rushed, Minato Namikaze is forced to rely on the Death God's seal, a seal he doesn't fully understand, and his son pays the price with his life. So who is the blond-haired kid running around Konoha? M for language and violence.
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7305950/1/The_Empty_Cage

This is a very well thought out story. I give it a 5/5 for managing to keep my attention for over 300k words on a story that doesn't actually have Naruto as the main character. This really is a story that can be considered best of its category. It practically is a pioneer of its own category of fiction starring Kyuubi instead of Naruto.

If people like this story then I will be posting Rathanel's other story Swapping the Cage and perhaps Ramen Days as well on the review board.