Naruto, hmmm.
31 Mar 2006 07:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kaigouCaught up again on Naruto on manga (haven't been downloading since, oh, 165, I think, and haven't watched since Naruto and Iruka were dealing with what's-his-face's jilted girlfriend). Having seen ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
askerian's issues with Sai/Sasuke sharingan questions, and now having read up through 301 (or whatever this week's was, cripes that many!?), I don't think Kishimoto is playing with a new sharingan user--I think the pictures are what they are, that is, they show Sai defeating person in turn and claiming loot of a sort--but instead using Sai as a contrast and not as a mary-sue wannabe Sasuke.
I mean, Sasuke went out of his way to brush off both Sakura and Naruto; Sai appeared to attempt to make friends, ingratiating himself, if awkwardly and inappropriately. If it'd been the first time around, never any Sasuke, I think Naruto and Sakura would've reacted very differently. But they've loved and been left and neither have really recovered, and they're braced for someone doing it again. Which, of course, Sai does.
The reason I think Sai is a contrast is because of the order of events: we see Sasuke, fussing about the delay in learning a new jutsu. In the background, right on the tails of that, Kabuto gets a whole sheaf of information to write a bingo book on Konoha's ANBU. Sasuke came to Orochimaru with no information and no value other than himself, acting solely for his own gain. Sai comes with no interest in his own gain--he's under orders, it seems--and at the same time, brings devastating information about Konoha. Sasuke may be seen as the traitor, but Sai really is, even if Sasuke went to the dark side for his own gain while Sai appears to have little care for, or interest in, what he'll get out of things. Hell, he seems to be almost naive to a certain extent, and out to just be contrary, ruffling feathers wherever he can because he could care less.
Gotta wonder what Kishimoto hears/reads in fanmail, at cons, at work, what kind of feedback he gets: is there a huge movement in the Naruto fandom to see Sasuke as some kind of traitor, after the past fifteen or so chapters? Pre-timeskip, I know Sasuke was voted the #1 character, but post-timeskip, Sakura and Naruto have both been revealed to come into their own, more or less. I wonder how Sasuke's betrayal damaged his reputation as a character, once fans had a chance to see Naruto as something more than just the happy-go-lucky goof. He is a bit older (taller, too!), more assured, and although he has moments of cheerfulness, it's easier to see that underneath it is a quieter, more concentrated person. Sakura pinging on that, too, I think is Kishimoto's way of saying that Naruto is finally growing into his role as a hero. So perhaps Sasuke's redemption stands or falls on these two...
Eh, and there was one other thing. What was it? Uh. *thinks* Oh, right. When I went to Acen last year, there was a panel called "Why Your Anime Sucks" in which three guys snarked on every known anime (with the possible exception of Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, oddly). Their complaint about Naruto? "The moral is supposed to be, if you work hard and keep at it, and apply yourself, you'll come out on top. This is BS! If that were true, ROCK LEE would be the hero of the story. Instead, we get Naruto, and the real moral there is: if you can't do it, just call on your inner demon and have him do it!"
I wonder if Kishimoto was listening.
Because with the ANBU's advice, now it's truly clear what's at stake: Naruto was a failure, learned to rely on the inner demon, and now he's got to learn to rely on himself. At some point he has to do the same as Rock Lee: realize the limits, work within those, and still kick ass. So I'm hopeful that Kishimoto is moving towards Naruto's redemption, as well, to reach a point other than risking being taken over completely by Kyuubi. Maybe that's why he showed us the extent of the damage/risk, pushing the storyline into borderline melodrama, with Naruto going apeshit on Orochimaru's ass--something that, at the time, I found to be a bit more than I'd expected. But we needed that, to see how great a risk it is for Naruto, so that his struggle from here on out echoes the first 280-something chapters, but in reverse: to walk away from the Kyuubi, instead of embracing it.
Hmmm. Okay, folks, discuss!
askerian's issues with Sai/Sasuke sharingan questions, and now having read up through 301 (or whatever this week's was, cripes that many!?), I don't think Kishimoto is playing with a new sharingan user--I think the pictures are what they are, that is, they show Sai defeating person in turn and claiming loot of a sort--but instead using Sai as a contrast and not as a mary-sue wannabe Sasuke.I mean, Sasuke went out of his way to brush off both Sakura and Naruto; Sai appeared to attempt to make friends, ingratiating himself, if awkwardly and inappropriately. If it'd been the first time around, never any Sasuke, I think Naruto and Sakura would've reacted very differently. But they've loved and been left and neither have really recovered, and they're braced for someone doing it again. Which, of course, Sai does.
The reason I think Sai is a contrast is because of the order of events: we see Sasuke, fussing about the delay in learning a new jutsu. In the background, right on the tails of that, Kabuto gets a whole sheaf of information to write a bingo book on Konoha's ANBU. Sasuke came to Orochimaru with no information and no value other than himself, acting solely for his own gain. Sai comes with no interest in his own gain--he's under orders, it seems--and at the same time, brings devastating information about Konoha. Sasuke may be seen as the traitor, but Sai really is, even if Sasuke went to the dark side for his own gain while Sai appears to have little care for, or interest in, what he'll get out of things. Hell, he seems to be almost naive to a certain extent, and out to just be contrary, ruffling feathers wherever he can because he could care less.
Gotta wonder what Kishimoto hears/reads in fanmail, at cons, at work, what kind of feedback he gets: is there a huge movement in the Naruto fandom to see Sasuke as some kind of traitor, after the past fifteen or so chapters? Pre-timeskip, I know Sasuke was voted the #1 character, but post-timeskip, Sakura and Naruto have both been revealed to come into their own, more or less. I wonder how Sasuke's betrayal damaged his reputation as a character, once fans had a chance to see Naruto as something more than just the happy-go-lucky goof. He is a bit older (taller, too!), more assured, and although he has moments of cheerfulness, it's easier to see that underneath it is a quieter, more concentrated person. Sakura pinging on that, too, I think is Kishimoto's way of saying that Naruto is finally growing into his role as a hero. So perhaps Sasuke's redemption stands or falls on these two...
Eh, and there was one other thing. What was it? Uh. *thinks* Oh, right. When I went to Acen last year, there was a panel called "Why Your Anime Sucks" in which three guys snarked on every known anime (with the possible exception of Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, oddly). Their complaint about Naruto? "The moral is supposed to be, if you work hard and keep at it, and apply yourself, you'll come out on top. This is BS! If that were true, ROCK LEE would be the hero of the story. Instead, we get Naruto, and the real moral there is: if you can't do it, just call on your inner demon and have him do it!"
I wonder if Kishimoto was listening.
Because with the ANBU's advice, now it's truly clear what's at stake: Naruto was a failure, learned to rely on the inner demon, and now he's got to learn to rely on himself. At some point he has to do the same as Rock Lee: realize the limits, work within those, and still kick ass. So I'm hopeful that Kishimoto is moving towards Naruto's redemption, as well, to reach a point other than risking being taken over completely by Kyuubi. Maybe that's why he showed us the extent of the damage/risk, pushing the storyline into borderline melodrama, with Naruto going apeshit on Orochimaru's ass--something that, at the time, I found to be a bit more than I'd expected. But we needed that, to see how great a risk it is for Naruto, so that his struggle from here on out echoes the first 280-something chapters, but in reverse: to walk away from the Kyuubi, instead of embracing it.
Hmmm. Okay, folks, discuss!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 1 Apr 2006 08:08 am (UTC)but instead using Sai as a contrast and not as a mary-sue wannabe Sasuke.
Never saw as Sai being a Sasuke wannabe. Kishimoto always introduced characters that had purpose and would often motivate change in the characters or add to the plot. I predict Sai would inflict change in Sasuke and he himself would gain a sense of self (as opposed to being a puppet) through his interactions with Naruto and co. He's in this now, no way he's gonna come out of it unchanged. Or Kishimoto might pull something else, who knows.
Sai appears to have little care for, or interest in, what he'll get out of things
Yeah, I think at the moment he's just following orders. We need a flashback from him, his moment..and then maybe that puppet exterior will start to ebb away. It doesn't feel like it's time to deal with him yet. He needs to do more Sasuke harrassing. :D
is there a huge movement in the Naruto fandom to see Sasuke as some kind of traitor
Sasuke leaving Konoha was, of course inevitable, and necessary. I don't think the notion of betraying Konoha occured to him...well not much. His mind was more occupied by his hunger for vengeance, I think. So it's like, "leave, get power now, fuck the consequences, power more important..power, power, power." XD
brings devastating information about Konoha
Dood! I saw that and was like, "ooooh taking out the guardians first, eh?" So they get rid of the Anbu..and then there's Sai's kind of Anbu left (root anbu was it? forgot). And then Sai's superior will try to take over from the inside, while Orochimaru from the outside, right? maybe?
So perhaps Sasuke's redemption stands or falls on these two...
Ten bucks says Sakura punches Sasuke before Naruto does. :D or what, will her knees still grow weak at the sight of Sasuke? Despite her "maturity" :D
to walk away from the Kyuubi, instead of embracing it.
Y..yeah, I don't know. I say he'll walk away from Kyuubi and kick ass without its help eventually..but then there's also, Kyuubi being a part of him and he could tame it or you know, not go apeshit when tapping into its power. So he could be the eventual hokage, with a demon in him..but he's not a monster. He's a hero, just as the fourth had claimed. Gaara right now is without his monster right? So he doesn't have his moster, he's kazekage and now loved and accepted by his ppl. Isn't that sort of what Naruto wants..will he have the same fate? Geh, need to read Naruto now. -_- *throws foxes at you*