OMFREAKIN'GOSH. I know that I haven't posted in next to forever, but I just had a Bleach epiphany.

Well, a weak and defensive statement that sounds rather childish and naive (an excuse instead of an apology).
There is a difference between being "inspired by work you admire" and using someone else's work and ideas for your own purposes.

Usually, I'd give the kid the benefit of the doubt, but the evidence against him makes the plagiarism just too obvious (did he honestly think that people wouldn't notice?)

I must admit, I like how calmly and humorously Tite Kubo is handling the news. Personally, I'd be wailing (and suing) that punk kid for having the gall to steal my work. You've got to respect Kubo for his maturity in the situation.

Okay, there is officially no more contest.

"Old flame" turned Psychopath maniac who tries to shank you with a knife (Yipe!)
VS.
Guy who saves you from said Psychopath in "princess carrying style" (So princely and heartful! My inner fangirl is very happy right now).

Hm, I think guy who saves you wins hands down. ;3

It's not going to be easy, but I'm glad that both Sakura and Naruto are taking a bit of a reality check.
After all that Sasuke has gone through, it would be nearly impossible that he would be unchanged, remaining the little twelve year-old in their memories who knocked them out and left them in the dust.
Obviously, this is not going to be a hunky-dory trip back to Konoha with rainbows and a smiling Sasuke (though at this point, the thought of Sasuke actually happy kinda scares me)

Despite the pain it will cause (it was hard to see Sakura break down like that and throw herself at Sasuke), I think this battle is a great opportunity for some solid character development for (and between) our two favorite characters.

In light of recent developments in Naruto...

...has Sakura, as a female protagonists, had any true character development (learned from her mistakes and become a better person)?

Or has she remained unchanged, a little girl still pursuing her 'first love?'

Why or why not?

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm a few days late to post, but really, I'm was surprised beyond belief.

Never thought that a spoiler that sounded like a complete SasuSaku-produced fake would turn out to be true.
Remember a translation posted by Enermil?

"Here is some translation of the spoiler from nja...

...Karin hails from the same village of Konoha. Back when they had to collect the scrolls of Heaven and Earth, Karin lost her comrades and was attacked by a bear, but she was saved.
Boy Sasuke: Is that a Scroll of Earth? Well, bye~ (smiling face)
Current Sasuke: (face dies away) Well, bye~
Karin: I just wanted to see his face one more time...
Just when he wants to finish Karin off, Sakura appears
Sasuke: 'Sakura...? How did you find me?'
Sakura: (This is the current Sasuke-kun. He changed so much...)
'I'm going to accompany you Sasuke-kun, so I'm running from konoha as well!!'"

Dang. Who'd a thunk?
Apparently, despite all of those chapters and volumes of development...
Sakura is still the little fangirl who wanted to run away with her crush when he left the village. =__=
How terribly and ironically sad.

What? How did I end up replying to this shout-out two months late!?!
I'm soooo sorry PB. You must have been sitting in front of your computer just WAITING for me to answer this entire time (well, you have a life so you probably wouldn't have done something pointless like that...but just let me pretend that you did and make myself feel like I was missed).

Like krissy said, sleep is what you need! Here is an (extended) version of what I do: (I used to have horrible insomnia and night-owl sleeping patterns, as you could tell because I was sending messages to you at 8p.m. YOUR TIME).

-Try to avoid watching any T.V. or looking at computer screens two hours before you go to sleep (somehow, doing these things makes your brain "wake up" more and can keep you up, on average, two hours later than you intended).

-Take a really nice, long, warm, skin-wrinkling bath and/or shower (I don't like baths personally, but some people do).

-Wrap your hair and yourself in a towel and just sit there in bed for a while with a book and/or decent reading material (but not too good, so that you don't want to keep reading), while putting on your favorite lotion, smelling something nice, or drinking tea (but try to avoid falling asleep that way...because I have done that before, and it's not the best thing to wake up on a soggy pillow).

-Get into your P.J.s or whatever (maybe dry your hair like I do) and make sure at least MOST of your tasks are done that might bother you when you're trying to get to sleep.

-After you feel like everything you need to do is done, start turning off your lights methodically, preferably with warm socks on so the cold floor doesn't wake you up again.

-Breath deeply (A breathing exercise I learned from a book: Count in your head while inhaling...1,2,3,4 and then exhale for the same amount of time...1,2,3,4. Concentrate on air coming in and out and try to make it where your stomach expands as you breathe instead of just your ribcage, like a singer does to get a really clear note).

-Think simple, but not philosophical, thoughts (and don't you DARE think about anything important).

-Now clear your mind of all things that have happened that day.

-Think "black" or just concentrate hard on your breathing. Allow your conscience to slip away (To remove any doubts: No, counting sheep has been scientifically proven to be an ineffective way to get to sleep. It just eventually bores people into light slumber).

-Make sure your sleep patterns stay reasonably consistent so that you're body clock stays on schedule, so that the process of sleeping and waking up will become easier.

-And listen to gena's really long bullet-point rant on how to get to sleep (I'm looking at how terribly long this is...and realizing how often I don't listen to my own advice...)

On a less motherly and overbearing note (I have good intentions, and I know how sleeplessness feels), is your vacation over?
If so...
If not, would it be terribly selfish if I suggested that you maybe...write a little? If I maybe...requested for some more "Only Human?" As sort of a celebration for my long delayed return?

I know, I'm sounding like Lee (but at least Lee is a nice person who is worthy of imitation).

Hope everything is going well! Be sure and keep us posted!

Agreed. As other members have commented before, it has become highly questionable whether Naruto really the main character or not, according to his involvement (or lack thereof) in the plot (well, at least his name is still in the series title).

I think Kishi has fallen prone to something many writers and artists suffer from, an obsession over the development of a tragic villain (some authors and mangaka obsess over their antagonists and Kishi seems to be no exception. Just look at Itachi's drawn out sob story).

Okay, maybe I shouldn't have caught up to this chapter after lagging 10+ chapters behind...

- Seems like the Danzo vs. Sasuke battle was the latest addition to the "Sasuke Pwns" saga (which has WAY too many sequels)

- Sakura is trying to replace Naruto in his "Pwn Vengeance-Seeking Friend" plan, and that's obviously not going to work (because in Kishi's
masculine world, no one can replace Naruto when he's kicking arse. Just think back to Tsunade trying to take down Pain in Naruto's place)

- Kiba's I.Q. goes up a few points so that he can be the "smart one" on the team (Sai is sputtering gibberish, Lee is...well...Lee, and Sakura obviously wants to get herself killed)

- The Sharigan has gotten to the point that it can be powered up exponentially. Time, space, and reality are no longer an issue for the all-powerful "Uchiha and Friends"

Can I be honest and say that I'm getting sick of this nonsense? Where are the Kakashi and Sakura-centric story arcs that Kishi promised us? Or did he just stick them into the blender to shred with the rest of the story line?

On the bright side, Sasuke is no longer a borderline psychopath. He is one (And a stupid one at that. Oops! Killed my vampiric healing source! That might bite back in the future)

Wow. It has been a while, hasn't it? (I hope you guys remember meee...)

My life has been pretty chock full of insanity, with my car's breaks going out (looking for a new one), traveling all over the crazy place, trying to find inspiration in the most likely places, having my favorite teacher in the history of ever leave for Michigan (oh noes), and working to produce something that will guide me through the next years.

Understandably, in the light of such circumstances, certain things have become more important to me, while I plan to leave other things behind. After two years of looking, I have finally found my niche (a group of friends just as crazy as me), a goal I can work off of (future life as a missionary and English teacher to China, here I come!!!), and a support I can lean on (God above all, and my beloved friends and family).

With the framework in place, I'm going to start building my life. For too long I've been avoiding what is real and important, burying myself in manga and fantasy to avoid my failures and fears in unhealthy and desperate ways (I think this sort of escapism is something I will always struggle with, just like an alcoholic always has to be wary around spirits).

I've been content to imagine my ideal future, rather than making it a reality.

Of course, that doesn't mean I'll never come back to this sort of stuff. I'll come and post, maybe even write a bit of fanfiction every once in awhile. It just can't be the center of my life any longer.

I have everything I need in God, so I don't have to be dependent on my past addictions. I don't HAVE to know the end of every story that I read, because He already has my story planned out. It's going to be hard to move on, but I am going to put everything I have into my new goals, my new path, and my faith in God.

As for the people on the forum who do remember me, I ask you not necessarily to understand, but to support me. Although my obsession with manga and anime was unhealthy (I was literally wasting away. It scared my mom, my friends and hurt the people around me. I let it distract me from my relationship with God and my faith in Jesus Christ), it was an important piece of my life at the time, and I can't just dismiss it.

I want to thank you all for being a part of this phase in my life, even though I may never have the same attachments to you or know you like I now know my friends.

I'm telling you all this now because of my prayer for all of you to find a purpose, a fulfillment in your own lives. I believe that sort of true satisfaction and joy comes only from Jesus, although you are free to think otherwise. Many, like me, have probably already found it, and I am happy for you.

This will be my last blog entry, though not necessarily my last post on this forum. I wish you all the best.

Until we meet again.

~Gena kumo

Sry, I know I'm a bit behind on posting and such, but I just gotta say it...

When did SAI (of all people) become a reliable source for emotional situations? O_o
Um, never, unless his weird books revealed some sort of "supernatural insight" that outweighed his social ineptness.

Okay ,okay, so I understand that Kishi might be trying to tell us something through Sai, but I still think that the way he assessed the current Sakura-Sasuke situation might not be one-hundred percent accurate. I'd rather hear it from Sakura herself.