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QUOTE (Jenskott @ Dec 1 2009, 04:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Like always, Catsi, your post is very insightful and thought-provoking.
Nevertheless, I would like commenting on some paragraphs:
This is very true, and it reminds me of one widespread and very hypocrital attitude of the fandom: if Naruto asks her out and she rejects him, she's a heartless harlot and Naruto a poor sucker who should look for greener pastures instead of putting up with it; but if she asks Sasuke out and he rejects her, he's a poor boy shouldn't have to put up with her unwanted affections and she's an annoying pest who can't have a hint.
Why that double standard? It's foolish, insulting, and it reinforces my belief of the true reason of her bashers hate her is she has breasts. (I'm not telling that all Sakura haters hate her because she's a woman or that is the sole, real reason of the hatred she suffers from. But often I notice she is being judged under a double standard. And when I hear some "arguments" I seriously wonder if the basher would be dissing her like that if she wasn't a woman or if she was big-breasted like Hinata).
I disagree to an extent. I think the trouble isn't he didn't understand Sakura but he didn't know how wooing her properly.
And that's something the "Whoever slighted Naruto when he was young and innocent must die! But let's pretend my favorite characters didn't do the same thing so I can keep liking them or shipping them with Naruto!" camp doesn't -want- understand.
Again, we find a double standard: Naruto can get away with silly, inmature behaviour because he was twelve-years old, but Sakura can't get away with it in spite of she also was an inmature brat. And at least she was more tactful than Naruto.
One example? I have found people shouting they hated her when she was twelve because she was always complaining. She wasn't always complaining. Not even constantly. And Naruto and Sasuke complained so much or more than her (specially Naruto. Actually they used to complain at the same time as Sasuke grumbled).
Still Sakura gets bashed to Hell whereas Naruto and Sasuke are forgiven or even defended for the same behavior. Why?
And of course, she is bashed by being a crybaby. Not matter she only cries in times of great emotional distress. Not matter Naruto, Shikamaru, Konohamaru, Sasuke, Itachi, Gaara, Kakashi... also cry a lot. But they aren't bashed by crying. Why?
Nevertheless, I would like commenting on some paragraphs:
This is very true, and it reminds me of one widespread and very hypocrital attitude of the fandom: if Naruto asks her out and she rejects him, she's a heartless harlot and Naruto a poor sucker who should look for greener pastures instead of putting up with it; but if she asks Sasuke out and he rejects her, he's a poor boy shouldn't have to put up with her unwanted affections and she's an annoying pest who can't have a hint.
Why that double standard? It's foolish, insulting, and it reinforces my belief of the true reason of her bashers hate her is she has breasts. (I'm not telling that all Sakura haters hate her because she's a woman or that is the sole, real reason of the hatred she suffers from. But often I notice she is being judged under a double standard. And when I hear some "arguments" I seriously wonder if the basher would be dissing her like that if she wasn't a woman or if she was big-breasted like Hinata).
I disagree to an extent. I think the trouble isn't he didn't understand Sakura but he didn't know how wooing her properly.
And that's something the "Whoever slighted Naruto when he was young and innocent must die! But let's pretend my favorite characters didn't do the same thing so I can keep liking them or shipping them with Naruto!" camp doesn't -want- understand.
Again, we find a double standard: Naruto can get away with silly, inmature behaviour because he was twelve-years old, but Sakura can't get away with it in spite of she also was an inmature brat. And at least she was more tactful than Naruto.
One example? I have found people shouting they hated her when she was twelve because she was always complaining. She wasn't always complaining. Not even constantly. And Naruto and Sasuke complained so much or more than her (specially Naruto. Actually they used to complain at the same time as Sasuke grumbled).
Still Sakura gets bashed to Hell whereas Naruto and Sasuke are forgiven or even defended for the same behavior. Why?
And of course, she is bashed by being a crybaby. Not matter she only cries in times of great emotional distress. Not matter Naruto, Shikamaru, Konohamaru, Sasuke, Itachi, Gaara, Kakashi... also cry a lot. But they aren't bashed by crying. Why?
I do agree with Catsi, Jenskott. But I also think it may be just because perhaps early on, some of the things Sakura did toward Naruto were because she wanted to win favor with Sasuke, and because she assumed she was smart enough to know the "real" Naruto, when she knew nothing about him, and just thought what everyone else thought; that he simply was annoying and in the way. Sure, Naruto was immature in some cases, but he understood people better than people understood him, simply because of the pain he burdened from everyone seeing him as a monster and not as a person, and his trying to look at the bright side of people, rather than immediately judge them like he was.
As for the Sakura getting bashed bit, I assume it's people wanting her to be the same old Sakura, rather than actually evolving as a character. And we've seen her evolution come from realizing her own faults and weaknesses, and getting to really know Naruto and Sasuke for who they truly are, as well as getting to know the real her and what she wanted. And we've seen that come along full circle as the series has progressed, even if it's led to pain for Sakura.
I know really early on in Naruto, I wasn't much for Sakura at times because of her hypocritical attitude. Scolding Naruto when he did something, and when Sasuke did something very similar, she'd be cheering him on just because of her infatuation for him. But then again, she showed she wasn't always that way by showing actuall concern for Naruto, in spite of usually giving him a cold reception.
But in the long run, I think that's how Sakura's character was meant to grow. To assume Naruto would always be wrong and Sasuke'd always be right because she'd know the "real" them, as well as her thinking she was better than Naruto too. But then her expectations really being surprised when she sees the true Naruto show up now and then, which may be one of the reasons for her growing admiration, in spite of possible denial and her seeming to not change toward him whatsoever early on.
Bryon
