If traditionalism is suppose to be a theme now in the Naruto franchise; how do you explain Salad? Salad's dream is not to become a housewife, but instead to take up the mantle of hokage; a village leader that has been held by men 6/7 of the time. Compare this to her mother who's dream was to get a boyfriend, then get married, and have a loving relationship with her hot husband. Which of these two dreams are more tradition for women to have? I don't know if you been keeping up with Boruto but if he fulfills his dream then Salad will be his boss, and it clear that they are suppose to get together. Is it very traditional for a wife to be her husband's boss?
Sorry I'm getting back to this so much later....
So, I think we shouldn't separate Kishimoto from the environment he created the manga in, that's what I mean by traditionalism. He's in Japan where it's very much pushed for women to stay home - those kinds of traditional values. This story reinforces that idea. Women are okay to go to school, even have some type of career. But when you have a child, you are expected to go. And there have been quite a few articles in the past about women who want to return to work after a child as being called a 'devil wife.'
So yeah...and you want to see these traditional Japanese values put into effect in Naruto? Sakura and Hinata...accomplished shinobi who have basically retired at age 20 or so to have a baby. They will never return to being shinobi again. The other married women are not even taken into consideration. And the alternative is Tsunade, who has no children, has broken romances and is a drinker.
So if you are a girl/teen/young woman reading this manga, there is not a single female character who comes out as accomplishing their individual goals as it relates to themselves, and not to a man or his goals. And some of them are even punished in their future lives, like Sakura.
I think Kishimoto may have been younger and more idealistic when he started this manga 20+ years ago. But he has mellowed into a middle aged man who clearly had no problem subtracting from these roles to make these women more softer, friendlier and family oriented and in keeping with a GIANT Japanese concern right now which is the graying of Japan and the declining birthrate. It's real and serious. I can't imagine Kishimoto not thinking about it when he was pairing up characters for the end. (It would have been an easy choice to pick the fan favorite Hinata who's only goal is to be married and have a family with the hero.)
And outside of Kishimoto in the context of his environment, we all know now that he is completely susceptible to pressure...by the fact the he dumped a strong Sakura and her unfailing love for Naruto, for the sympathetic, pretty Hinata.
Honestly, in the end I think he was sick of the manga, because none of the characters are done right by. But it's particularly bad for the female characters.
Last point, as for Sarada, you have no way of knowing whether she's going to be Hokage. In fact, precedent now tells us that just as most of the characters in Naruto's manga did not get their goals met, we can expect the same thing from Boruto. Whatever goals are laid out in the beginning of Boruto, if the fans don't approve, then the ending will be changed to suit their demands.
And as for Sarada and saying she wants to be hokage, I hate to say this, but I think it's a ruse. A plot device. Something to make fans like her and think she's going to break the mold. But there is no guarantee whatsoever that she's going to be Hokage. And I expect that at the end of Boruto (if it ever makes it that for) Bolt will come back and have a change of heart and want to walk in his father's footsteps, and Salad will step aside and let him.
Just once I'd like to see Kishimoto do right by a female character. The only one I can think of that really got what she wanted and stayed true to her original character is Temari.
In terms of Sarada, it would've been better if Masashi just say that she is adopted by Sakura with "reasons". Obviously design-wise, Sarada IS Sasuke and Karin's, ever since her first appearance. They're no denial about it because of facial structure and her eyes. Anyone can put two and two together. However because they have to follow the so-called fandom and higher-ups, it had to be Sasuke and Sakura's despite the stupidity and common sense of the idea.
The fact that Sakura is at home, dusting the uchiha knick knacks that sasuke doesn't care about, taking care of the kid that he doesn't know about, and that there is an entire arc about her possibly being adopted — that's never satisfactorily answered btw!! (just talk about love and feelings) — is such a final dig at Sakura's character. Salad looking Karin and Sasuke's daughter...it's like the mean gift that keeps on giving.