43 replies to this topic

[SuperChief]

It was always NaruSaku.

 

Then Kishimoto capitulated because SS + NH would please more fans than NS + SK.

 

Simple mathematics. 

 

I doubt Kishimoto wanted to do it. I certainly can't imagine him selling out for the money. But I can imagine him knowing when corporate and artistic interests meet that corporate would always win.

 

Regardless of the circumstances, he's a gutless coward for changing the endgame pairing that late into the game. Maybe he continued to poise the manga as NS as his way of silent protest despite knowing NH was already decided by the time Road to Ninja was done, and maybe that was what he got out of negotiating so he could do things the way he wanted to at least in a non-canon film, but in the end, it doesn't matter. It doesn't change anything.

 

He essentially promoted abusive and obsessive relationships over one based on mutual respect, admiration and love, and he did it by breaking his characters.

 

Maybe he glossed over NS because he didn't have the heart to have Sakura reject Naruto, and I suppose we can be grateful for that because that's something I most definitely don't want to see, but kitten this ending all the same.

Edited by SuperChief, 10 November 2014 - 06:10 PM.

[Konohakitten]

I thought about this long and hard, and while all the pairings were a mess I'm going to have to say that SS was always the main pairing. My reasoning for this is that I honestly believe that Sasuke was always the main character of Naruto. Very early on in the series, during the Zabuza arc, I told my husband that this anime should be named Sasuke, because he was the strong one, he was the one that this anime was all about, and unfortunately my comment turned out to be true. Naruto is the one manga that has so little of the actual hero in it. I remember there were times when it seemed like forever since I had seen Naruto, especially during his training with Bee and the beginning of the war.

 

Now the way I see it is if Sasuke is the main character, then it would make sense that his pairing would be the focus,despite the fact that it was handled horribly,and that it's toxic. I mean its clear that he was never interested in Sakura, and when he did say how he felt it was reveled that he saw all of team 7 as family. However since Sasuke was indeed Kishi's favorite character I can see how it made sense to him to literally hand Sasuke Sakura as the gold trophy and then he gave Naruto the silver trophy. After all the hero deserves the heroine, and while we felt like that with NS, Kishi never felt that way about his own hero.

 

You look at the manga now and if it wasn't named Sasuke then it should have been called Uchiha. Their involvement, their infinite power ups, their amazing character Itachi, and then of course the one that it was all about Sasuke. It's clear that it was all about the Uchiha's, and it's because of that that Kishi felt Sasuke's feelings towards Sakura weren't important. All that mattered was that Sakura loved him. Just like Hinata's love is all that mattered when it came to Naruto. I always wondered why Hinata was added to the manga especially when she just disappeared after the time skip. Back then I had no doubt in my mind that NS would be canon, and Hinata just kinda seemed out of place. However looking back it's clear that she was added there as a back up plan for Naruto. I may not like Hinata, but even I think what happened to her in the end was a shame.

 

So with that said SS to me was always the main pairing. It fits perfectly with the rest of Sasuke's story. He was the one that never earned anything that he got. All his power ups were literally handed to him, and having Sakura in the end just wraps it up. Naruto on the other hand worked harder then anyone, things weren't always a walk in the park for him, but that didn't stop him. However when it comes to love he does indeed give up and settles. I don't think I'll ever understand how Kishi could destroy what his hero apparently stood for.

[neoshadow]

First things I'm firmly in the camp that believes the ending we got was not the ending that was planned but since only one of those endings is actually canon I'm going with SS.

 

It's horribly developed, its message is ugly and its resolution pretty much destroys the integrity of 2 of the series main characters but it was prominent, it plays a huge part in Sakura's character and so much of the series dealt with Sasuke's darkness its not hard to imagine that after Naruto helped him overcome his darkness that he could start to be more reciprocating of Sakura's feelings. I said when 699 came out that I could enjoy a SS relationship that dealt with Sasuke trying to regain Sakura's trust and to reforge a bond with her that could once again blossom into love. Had the war ended earlier or the manga gone on a bit longer then that relationship could work but that's not what happened and instead its a rushed pairing with a sad epilogue that resorts Sasuke to magically falling in love and reverts Sakura to a character with no development over 15 years but I would still call it the main pairing.

 

NH needs a movie just to explain how it happened so for that reason alone I think it can be ruled out.

[AnimeGirl_123]

Out of them I think NaruHina.  Because I have a feeling the movie will explain how Naruto fell in love with Hinata and it doesn't have anything to do with SasuSaku considering it took two years for him to answer her.  Naruto didn't jump right on Hinata because he couldn't get Sakura.  The two seem separate to me. NaruHina isn't that popular in Japan, so why make it canon? Cause Kishi apparently wanted it to be. SasuSaku is just a sell out because it's the most popular hetero pairing in Japan. Ugh.

 

By the way, Hinata is one of the first characters Kishi created and Naruto is in the background of her original sketch. 

Edited by AnimeGirl_123, 12 November 2014 - 04:36 AM.

[FaceLess]

As much as i dislike both NH and SS, Kishi always focused on SS and Sakura's feelings, NH was hardly ever addressed, and when it was (once every 100 chapters or so) Hinata's side is only addressed, Naruto's feelings was never mentioned, that's the biggest reason why I hate the pairing, him being the MC his romance is written poorly, ffs even SS had a resolve in 699 when Sasuke had a 180, NH has to relay on the movie, I literally can't understand Kishi.....

[tricksie]

 

I guess my opinion is that these pairings were thrown together for the next generation. It's basically a non-ending. Kishimoto's priorities became something different, and the consistency of the story suffered for it.

 

If I had to pick which pairing was more important to the story...I'd have to pick SS, simply because it actually motivated plot in some form, unlike NH. Sakura had both Naruto and Sasuke in mind when she chose to get serious about being a ninja, and saving Sasuke was the the main motivation/obstacle for the main character.

 

One thing I noticed about the ending was that Sasuke was the only main character to benefit from the resulting pairings. Sasuke was technically no longer a villain. He was still loved by Naruto and Sakura, regardless of his actions. He was...at peace (I think?).

 

Naruto - the main character, the hero - ended up with a minor character. That is a step down, regardless of how nice Hinata is. She is a minor character...and not the character the hero was shown to be in love with for the entirety of the manga. Naruto gave up on something he wanted. He settled. Naruto's character lost something.

 

Sakura...well, most people understand how disappointing she became as a character. She regressed to a fangirl equal to her part 1 self. She put herself down in front of Sasuke, being reduced to a blushing, nervous girl in his presence. That's EARLY part 1 Sakura. She lost all development from the Forest of Death onwards just from 699 alone. She tanked as a character.

 

I agree with the idea that in the end Kishimoto's priorities became something different than just resolving the characters and the storylines. The story became a vehicle to promote the movie. Nothing was resolved, no one got what they wanted.

 

SasuSaku. It was the only way NH could've happened And had more relevance within Team 7.
As much as it makes me sick to say it you could see the series as Naruto bringing his two teammates together while being caught in a love triangle with them. NaruHina happened because Naruto couldn't get the girl--Hinata was a character that had less relevance than Shikamaru and hardly interacted with Naruto. She only became his love interest at the very end.
 

 

After thinking more on this, and after reading everyone's great comments, I tend to agree. SasuSaku came first, then NaruHina happened because Naruto couldn't get the girl he wanted.

 

But ultimately, like many posters said, there was no winner here. No one came out on top. Sasuke never wanted Sakura, and Naruto never wanted Hinata. It was a joyless ending.

[Rabbit]

Kishi X Money

[Lady_duckish]

I cant for the life of me see NH or SS as the main pairings. Kishi wrote Sasuke out of character in his final moments (that forehead thing wasn't even necessary for this flop conclusion)  and an epilogue ( FREAKING EPILOGUE) shows Naruto has has two children by Hinata but kishi has been practically holding our hands leading us up to believe Sakura and Naruto would be the final pairing. 

 

The pairing in a series is the one with the most development. Its the one the author spends the most time bringing attention to. As far as romance, that's Naruto and Sakura. 

[Tiller]

SasuSaku. It was the only way NH could've happened And had more relevance within Team 7.
As much as it makes me sick to say it you could see the series as Naruto bringing his two teammates together while being caught in a love triangle with them. NaruHina happened because Naruto couldn't get the girl--Hinata was a character that had less relevance than Shikamaru and hardly interacted with Naruto. She only became his love interest at the very end.
This is the only thing that makes me happy: Sakura-haters had wanted Naruto to reject Sakura because he loved Hinata (LOL); instead it was the other way around. Sakura forgot Naruto because she still had her sick love for Sasuke. With at least this I hope the Sakura-haters will forever burn with their hatred..never having gotten their revenge of seeing Sakura scorned.
Still...it all sucks ass for Naruto. :(

Sad but true. And honestly Kishi writing her like that makes me hate canon Sakura for what Kishi turned her into.

 

Now the real Sakura our Sakura, the Sakura you see in those early part 2 stories is something to behold.

 

How it ended though pssh THAT Sakura can fly a kite in a lightening storm for all I care.

[Tiller]

Kishi X Money

That as wel lol. It's the main one.

[Aizen-Sama]

Like I said--it was SS. But Trollmoto and SP are trying to cover that up with an entire Hinata movie and comments about Sakura "stepping out" of NH's way. They don't want Naruto to look like he settled (which he did).

[shisui]

Sasuke and Sakura were main characters while Hinata is a secondary character. There are theories Hinata existed before Sasuke and Sakura, but even if she did, Sasuke and Sakura had tons of interaction in part 1. Sasuke's redemption was what moved the main characters in the end and that redemption included SasuSaku. In the last chapter, most of it feels like scenery but the things that Kishi choses to reveal last are SasuSaku and Naruto as Hokage (including the mountain statue). If I had to guess, Hinata was always going to be paired with Naruto, but Sasuke and Sakura are the main romance of the story.

Edited by shisui, 23 November 2014 - 04:02 AM.

[Aizen-Sama]

I just find it odd how Kishimoto made Naruto have a crush on Sakura if he always planned to pair him with Hinata.
That's some screwed up kitten there.

[rocci]

I just find it odd how Kishimoto made Naruto have a crush on Sakura if he always planned to pair him with Hinata.
That's some screwed up kitten there.

He doesn't plan it.

[A_Soggy_Cactus]

He doesn't plan it.

 

But he did, though. And that's why it's so kittened up. I always found it funny how so many people called Kishi insane and in my mind I thought, "Okay guys, he may be a bad writer, but let's not get carried away." But after his most recent interview on the subject, no, he is absolutely insane.

[rocci]

He did make it, but doesn't plan it. Nh & ss happen because of popularity.

[Aizen-Sama]

He didn't plan any of the pairings and that's what makes him a sh*tty writer.

[ThroughWithLove]

According to an interview, he had planned NaruSaku, but then changed his mind when he "realized" that Sakura falling out of love with Sasuke would make her a terrible woman. So yeah, it's not about money or even him being a sh*tty writer (though he is). The man is simply insane. If this is how he understands women, I feel sorry for his wife.

[AnimeGirl_123]

According to an interview, he had planned NaruSaku, but then changed his mind when he "realized" that Sakura falling out of love with Sasuke would make her a terrible woman. So yeah, it's not about money or even him being a sh*tty writer (though he is). The man is simply insane. If this is how he understands women, I feel sorry for his wife.

He decided on NH according to the interview. He only thought about NS but never did it because he thought Sakura moving on would be terrible (lol). Dumb reason.

Also, I think Kishi's main pairing would be the one to get an entire Kishi-approved 2 hour movie to itself.  That pairing is NaruHina.  Since there is apparently no SasuSaku in The Last, safe to assume NaruHina happened first.  Naruto is the main character and NaruHina is the main pairing. Simple as that.  Had NaruSaku happened (and it should have), we would have been the main pairing.

Edited by AnimeGirl_123, 29 November 2014 - 08:42 AM.

[Hanabi]

Sasuke and Sakura are the main romance of the story.

my sides

 

getting thrown into lava + getting beat up over cruel remarks over and over again -> true lub 

 

moving on? (to somebody else or follow tsunade's route)

 

that's for terrible women only.