Board Thread:Naruto Discussions/@comment-12509038-20141124214040/@comment-8284722-20150124045224

@Kirin All right here goes. For starters, Sakura and Hinata. For Sakura, you're actually rather spot-on, but there are some things I disagree with. Sakura's introduction, with her crazy Sasuke addiction, proved to be perhaps the greatest annoyance of the whole series. So when Kishi started to develop her as a, and I quote from Kakashi, "kind, sweet, gentle girl", everyone became much more satisfied. In the end, though, Ch. 693 came as a bombshell when she entered her "battered housewife" phase all over again for half of the chapter. That disgusted me. Even worse was the fact that Sakura really didn't give Naruto any credit for handing her a man on a silver platter (so much for being a knight in shining armor). Ultimately, my biggest problem was the fact that it just looked like Sasuke actually got a prize for losing a battle and trying to become Hitler. It makes Nagato's and Obito's conclusions dull in comparison. As for Hinata, you have a point with the fact she was a supporting character. But even then, Kishi could've done her so differently. She could've, for example, shot for being the heir to the Hyuga again, which would actually be better since her kind demeanor would help change the clan. Naruto, meanwhile, could've merely been her inspiration to keep pushing on. Otherwise, it doesn't look like it has a point. And I highly doubt her introduction to the rest of Team 8 was anything different from Sakura's intro to Team 7 (minus the exact person in mind and what they hated). Even worse, there were several times where supporting characters actually got a decent amount of development time, sometimes enough to rival main characters. The first big example of this was Rock Lee during the Chunin Exams; he literally made that arc, proving himself as a splendid ninja in many ways. Another example is Shikamaru in Hidan and Kakuzu: prior to this, Shikamaru was just a lazy bum, but after Asuma died, he became a serious and wise person worthy of all the "rewards" he got. For me, if I were to choose a scene that concluded Hinata's development, it has to be the confession in Invasion of Pain. Most NHers think that was the beginning of her development, and from that point on NH would just get stronger and stronger. That didn't happen, though, and the confession was only briefly alluded to again in that chapter where the Naruto clones are killing all those White Zetsus, and then during that creepy scarf genjutsu in The Last. So for me, the confession is the solidification of her development. It shows that she has gained confidence in herself and is capable of fighting obstacles and being worthy to Hiashi. And that's why it's my favorite Hinata moment. But sadly, the rest of the world figured she wasn't done yet, giving her the handhold, thousands of "Neji's dead & I love Naruto" rants, and a whole friggin' movie (it even gives us the Beatles song that fits best with Hinata - "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"). In the end, it just makes Kishi - a married man - look even worse when it comes to love. Hell, you yourself told me NS makes more sense on my talk page.

As for the prophecy thing, I'll go along with what I told other users before. By changing fate, Naruto meant BAD fate. Were those two fates BAD? Absolutely not. If he were to change his fate about being the Child of Prophecy or being a reincarnation, he would end up just like Nagato and Hashirama respectively. Hell, he had just as much chance as becoming like Hashirama as any of their predecessors did.

I agree that Sasuke's cameo relegation is better if you're trying to tell a love story. But with all the redesign hype, with all the happiness that he had survived his final battle with Naruto, it just didn't feel right for him or any of the other characters. As for the interview - well, it was an interview...

@Jiton Haven't fully read your thing, but from a little snid-bit I did see, about things being more human - THANK YOU! I also liked your thing about Sasuke starting the Fourth Shinobi World War (albeit not that he gets captured), although he technically did by barging in on the Five Kage Summit and getting Danzo to try and mutilate him until vice versa happened.

EDIT: Sure, the action kinda deteriorated in strategy. But to be honest, it's extremely tedious when the characters start rambling off their strategies. It may explain some things, but it's also cheesy and unrealistic, eventually proving annoying. Also, while the fights may have been less focused on the fights, at the same time this allowed for a greater use of characterization, which is far more important than any bit of violence. Maybe that's why Naruto vs. Pain is revered as the greatest anime battle of the 21st century thus far - it combined the strategy with the characterization and 'splosions to create the magnum opus of Naruto.

For the plot, I already said I prefer humanity, but that could actually be incorporated very easily into the Narutoverse. Got nothing much else to say.

For the prophecy, he was told by the toads multiple times that he was possibly the Child of Prophecy. You're also right about the pairings, although I think it should be mutual development rather than just one character, which is why NH and SS really didn't feel right at all.

Now finally Sasuke. Did you just say you don't like the Itachi and Sasuke dynamic?... Get off this wiki and never come back. JK, JK, LOL. I'm sorry, but Itachi is often regarded as the most intriguing character of Naruto for that very reason. And it's why he was voted the #1 character in our Community Choice Awards. You have a bit of a point, though, with Sasuke and his hatred. But I do actually love the character of Obito Uchiha, though I might've adjusted Madara a bit, and the Otsutsuki just needed to have thier holes filled.