Arashi; A Remembrance

[cntrstrk14]

Hey everyone,

 

So many of you did not know the old member Arashi, but he was a former moderator on the site back in the day and currently one of eight people to hold the title of Staff Emeritas for his contributions and dedication to the site early on. Most of you probably never heard of him, but back in 2005 when NA was really kicking off and finding its legs Arashi was always around to help out people. Many members that joined around that time were first greeted by this goofy Swedish kid living in Madrid who just loved the Nara clan and Naruto to death. Arashi was fundamental in early staff, a time that resembled something closer to a wild west movie than a consistent and reliable team. Arashi was always a rock though, he was always there to help people and do approvals and anything else we needed. All around he really helped Ninja Academy become what it is today, and without him who knows where we would have been. Some of the most prominent members who are now leaders of this site have their first memories of talking with Arashi, and if he didn't maybe they wouldn't have stayed and fallen in love with the game. His impact really is not insignificant, as you can see from his 4,673 posts on the site. 

 

Arashi joined us in Janurary of 2005 and was an active member through 2007. His last time visiting us was in 2009.

 

Arashi had his share of medical problems. He never shared them much aside with some of the members he was closest with, but they were there. After a long fight with illness he passed away in November of 2011. 

 

Today, August 10, would have been Arashi's 30th birthday. It really hits close to me with how close in age Arashi was to me that he could just be gone. Someone who just disappears and you think is living a life somewhere just had their flame extinguished. It's really heartbreaking to say the least.

 

I thought the least I could do was write some thoughts about who he was here and what he did for us. I would like it if anyone that has memories of Arashi to share a story they remember of him in the replies below. And if you were not around then or didn't really know him I just want you to know that he existed, and that he's not forgotten here on NA. He'll always have a place in the Staff Emeritas for his hard work and love for the role play that we all enjoy today. 

 

In honor of Arashi's 30th birthday and to keep his spirit alive here, the staff is revamping his first and main character Nara Arashi as a full NPC to be prominently featured in Konoha going forward. Arashi's story, though crude as all stories were in 2005-2007 as we learned to write well together, had a very compelling core. We've rewritten it for your reading pleasure on the wiki link above and invite you to check it out. And keep an eye out for Nara Arashi next time you are in Konoha! Because though Arashi may not be here with us anymore, Konoha's Burning Shadow still lives on in our world!

 

 

 

[Tsu]

That Sweet Swed Meatball has a special place in my heart even though I never knew him well, he is the reason I am still on this page today. The first character I ever made was In Kusa. I was failing horribly on my sheet and Kusa had little activity. Arashi helped me get through reworking that character he even GMed me for the short amount of time that I was on the site the first time. He even helped me find the naruto comic for the first time. He actually spread his love for the Naruto world and let it infect me. Hoping he was still on the site i came back when i was a little older and i could deal with my dyslexia in a better fashion. I was sad to see that he was not active on NA. I remember that he told me not to be discouraged by any of my mistakes. I wish I had taken his advice earlier so i could have known him the way i know some of you. Im glad he told me i was welcome here and meant it. 

 

 

[Cho Hakkai]

Great man. He made me a fan club and my signature I currently have. I made it a point to never change it until I managed to talk to him again. I guess as long as im a member here, his tacos will forever be with me. 

[Tsu]

@Cho Hakkai Arashi actually said really good things about you when he Gm'ed me. Thats why I asked you to be my Gm when I came back to NA the first time. Wow, I forgot that. ?

[Celes]

I don't exactly have a specific story, but Arashi was undoubtedly one of my favorite staff members back then. I listed him as such on my old deleted profile and all. I've always had a pretty decent memory and can definitely remember a a number of interactions with Arashi, though primarily in the Creation forum. Still, he just had a genuine sense of friendliness and helpfulness about him. Not to say that other modmins back then weren't (well, some clearly didn't give off that vibe), but from my young mindset back then, he was the niceness one, hands down. Found myself missing him a bit as well when Tsu mentioned him in his status update a while back. He likely never remembered me from back then, but wish I'd have known him more.

 

Edit: Ha, I do remember 'arguing' back and forth with him about the placement of the x variable in the cost of a technique I made however long ago. It took, I believe cntr, to make us stop by saying either method worked but none of it was harsh or anything. Just lighthearted silliness or what have you.

Edited August 11, 2017 by Celes

[Rei]

The memories have faded, it's hard to piece together a conversation we ever had, but I'll always smile when I think of my meatball scarfing friend. 

[Ichigo]

Sad news, as I'm only 30 as well, and really shows how short life can be. He was a solid dude, always helpful and fun to be around. He will be missed, sadly we didn't find out sooner but its nice to see so many of the older players remember him in such a nice light.

[Rhapsody]

I don't know how to put my feelings into words, but here is a story that has always helped me deal with loss.

 

I'm really going to miss you, Arashi.

[Cellar Door]

That was a nice, little short story, Rachel.

I showed this to Tony already, when he was working on Arashi's wiki page and I was helping him piece together where his elements came from. When I found this it made me a little bit sad, but it seemed remarkably prescient of him to have something like that on his character. I would like to hope that it was a coincidence and he hadn't added it in response to the knowledge that he was ill.
 

Quote

Book of Memories (Nara Arashi)
Type: Book
Level: N/A
Special: Allows user to store all their learned jutsu and skills. Anyone who reads the book may learn the jutsu or techniques on the person when they died. When in training, if one uses the book to read a previously written jutsu, reduce number of posts by two. Any jutsu written the book can be used by a person with the skill scribe as if they had a scroll of the technique, but only at 1/4 its original power (regardless of skills)
Description: A Book to hold dear, of ones memories, desires, and thoughts, held by the one who experienced them or by one to whom the book was later given.

 

It's sad, but also makes me glad that we found out definitively what happened to him.