theory about chakra and magic, re: "Lemonade"

[edenfalling]

Beta responses for my remix story are in. I shall finish editing it tonight and send it off tomorrow. *basks in the rush of finishing something*

Okay. Now for something completely different.

This is a theory, not really meant to work for Naruto on its own, but to integrate Naruto world special effects into BtVS world special effects. Canonically, chakra is composed of two things: physical energy (or stamina) and spiritual energy. Clearly, though, this spiritual energy stuff is not the same as the 'ki,' 'chi,' 'reiki,' or what have you that shows up in a lot of other fighting manga series. Chakra simply produces too many effects that have nothing to do with traditional martial arts.

Therefore, suppose the spiritual component of chakra is actually magic? Magic, channeled in a very specific way so it melds with physical, bodily energy (or 'ki'), instead of being used on its own? Jossverse magic is already a vague, amophous thing, which responds to chanting, gestures, and will as much as it does to more organized, traditional spells, so I think this might actually work.

Thoughts, anyone?

(This isn't going to come up for several chapters, but it fits together in my mind, and ties in nicely with the way Faith relates Willow's magic-induced changing eye color to Sasuke's chakra-induced changing eye color.)

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I've always read it as physical and mental energy because I remember thinking about how different Naruto!energy is with Yu Yu Hakusho!energy, because in Yu Yu Hakusho deals with energy of the spirit (evidenced by the increase in powers even when the spirit is severed from the body.)

As Sakura explained, it the the result of a harmony between the mind and the body. That is why strenthening the body as well as honing the mind and will result in increase of the chakra.

[(Anonymous)]

Read as 'honing the mind and will', not as 'will result'. If I weren't half dead with sleep than I would be able to structure my sentences better.

[edenfalling]

Yes, I know chakra's a combination. I'm talking specifically about the mental/spiritual component, not the resulting fusion. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

Please do not take badly. Am tired. Am therefore snappish.

[(Anonymous)]

And I'm saying that the mental component is not the same as a spiritual component. I'll have to look up the reference, yay manga slumming, but I don't think it was ment in any spiritual sense and thus your idea wouldn't work.

Don't get me wrong, I worship the ground you walk on and I wish you much happiness and many more stories. But I honestly think that your conclusion is based on flawed data. Its a good conclusion but can you back it up with info from the source?

[(Anonymous)]

"Chakra is the source of energy used by every Shinobi in the great series of Naruto. In fact, there are two energy sources used by them; Stamina, which could also be called physical energy, and Chakra, which could be called mental energy. As a result, each ninja style uses a different energy source; Taijutsu uses pure stamina, while Ninjutsu and Genjutsu use Chakra."

From http://www.narutofan.com/index.php/content-Ninja%20Guide,chakra%20control

Yet the picture below also mentions spiritual energy...so now I'm just befuddled and you could probably convince everyone else who's not as stubborn as I that what you say is the unequivocal truth.

[edenfalling]

Hmm. Okay, executive decision: for purposes of writing "Lemonade," chakra has a physical component (stamina) and a mental/spiritual component ('magic'), regardless of Kishimoto's exact intentions, which he hasn't made terribly clear in any case. If this is not canon, so be it. I allow myself one free contradiction of canon in every story, just as a failsafe, and that will therefore be my contradiction of Naruto canon in "Lemonade." (Kakashi's age is my contradiction in "Apartment Manager" and "Guardian" for example. I try not to use the free contradiction, but it's a useful way to keep myself from going insane trying to contort within the occasionally nonsensical and self-contradictory rules of canon.)

This will have no bearing on any straight Naruto stories, but I really wanted a way to sort of tie the overarching 'laws of magic' together among the three worlds involved in "Lemonade." Crossovers are easier if you can make the respective worlds play nice with each other.