Bolded 1: You are saying that Tsunade will fight instead of Sakura because she must gain recognition from her predecessors and that is more important than Sakura gaining recognition from Tsunade.
That is one most significant elements to Tsunade's participation in the fight, yes. She has not heard nor seen her relatives for decades, it's likewise for them. As the viewer read in chapter #635, all of the Kages have questions about the situation unfolding at the present battlefield. It isn't mutually exclusive to the deceased Hokages sudden emergence onto the battlefield. There will be inquiries made that will need to be attended to pertaining to that as well as a myriad of other concerns like how they were resurrected, what Orochimaru's actual intentions are, what fate of the Edo Hokages will be once the battle has been won, ect.
And I already explained the interpersonal significance that these interactions have.
I disagree with this. When has Tsunade become a more important character than Sakura?
It's not a matter of who is more significant. Kishi discriminately chooses what he wishes to dedicate time and effort to build upon their personal conflicts or character. The battles raging amidst this carnage are focusing on the Kages, Naruto, and Sasuke. Kishi is dedicating these chapters to the Hokages salvaging the Alliance from death after they were almost obliterated at the hands of the Jubi. It's essentially a battle which only the most powerful characters are maintaining a part in.
The current Kages will likely intervene as well. Either to assist against Tobi or Madara it's unknown, but regardless of what Kishi's prospects for the future are, they will no doubt be instrumental in Akatsuki's final defeat.
Sakura showing that she has surpassed her master is more important than Tsunade gaining recognition from Hashirama.
She has already revealed to be a competent kunoichi on par with the techniques that she and Tsunade have both used (for better or worse). There isn't much more that needs to be provided to Sakura. She has no relevance to the current battle with the exclusion of her affiliations with Naruto and Sasuke. But everyone is in some way connected to them. Sai is also a member of Team 7 and the rookies are part of the same generational age group. They matured alongside Naruto and Sasuke, yet do you see them participating? No, that isn't what Kishi's intentions are.
It would be imprudent to believe that Kishi will not reopen the tension that existed with the Hokages misgivings about Tsunade. One of the intrinsic components of the manga is characters being able to reconcile their own pasts and proving their worth as the successors to the world created by those who came before them. Naruto and Gaara both experienced this with their parents. It's highly probable that Kishi will have the Edo Hokages interact with Tsunade as a final act of penance and assurances that the future is secure. Through the Edo Tensei, Kishi has taken it upon himself to resurrect the Hokages not just as a plot device, but to solidify the accession of the world's journey for long lasting peace and stability to the present generation.
That's a goal with a much greater and more comprehensive impact both emotionally and symbolically than Tsunade simply acknowledging Sakura's growth. There is an example of this with Jiraiya's death and Naruto succeeding him. The toad sages' conviction that Jiraiya's will had been inherited by Naruto wasn't centred around possessing greater combat abilities, but how he will achieve peace in the world. His ideology was the fundamental characteristic that Naruto acquired. It relates back to one of the manga's underlying elements about how the people of the world will finally come to understand one another.
Sakura has the need to become a greater medical practitioner than Tsunade. Her physical strength is already "greater" than Tsunade's. There isn't much else concerning the Sannin that needs to be addressed for her. Her other role is part of Team 7. Something which Kishi built upon not too long ago.
First of all, Sakura is a member of team 7.
Sai is also a member of Team 7, but he isn't being provided with exclusive perks or benefits to fight in a conflict he has no personally established link to.
Sakura's importance as a team 7 member exceeds the importance of Tsunade.Kishi has tried to show in chapter 632 that Sakura can stand on the same grounds with Naruto and Sasuke as a member of team 7. (The manga panels itself might not have enough proof to show this but It's obvious that this was Kishi's intention, especially, when you compare with the treatment Sai has received.)
Kishi's storytelling methods involve continually swapping out characters depending on how a situation has developed. This battle that has been been ongoing for nearly 100 chapters was instigated by Naruto and Killer Bee encountering Tobi and the Jinchuurikis. But then it transformed into a struggle between bijuu and two jonin. With the revival of the Jubi and the arrival of the reinforcements, the arrangement of characters has shifted once again. Guy and Kakashi are no longer active participants in the fight. The focus has been turned to the past Hokages' efforts at helping the current generation to defeat these two entities from the past.
From chapters #631 to 634, the battle had become a full frontal assault spearheaded by Team 7, the neo Sannin, with the rookies and assorted fodder following close behind. That was the time for Sakura's power to be displayed. Since then, new developments have emerged which have resulted in the current situation. The Alliance is presently on stand-by. They are awaiting for a moment to strike when the enemy is most vulnerable. Sakura is apparently part of that group.
Nothing more is required currently because Kishi is dedicating this time to the Hokages.
There is a bigger chance of Sakura fighting Naruto+Sasuke, if Kishi will be consistent with the "Sakura can fight alongside with Naruto and Sasuke as a member of team 7" route.
If he wanted her to rejoin the fight, then she would have already leapt from her position and made her way back to their side. Kishi obviously placed her back with the Alliance for a reason. At the moment she is functioning as group healer. Since establishing that the Alliance will use what power they hold to try and alter the outcome of the war, it's becoming more and more apparent that when they do strike, Sakura will as well. She wasn't precluded from the claim that they would all be individually unsuccessful with attacking either Madara or Tobi.
Given what Sakura has used thus far, there is nothing to contradict Shikamaru's statement. She's part of the collective whilst the strongest try their hand at fighting Akatsuki before the Jubi inevitably morphs into the final stage of its evolutionary cycle.
Secondly, one of the themes of this manga is "the new generation surpassing the old".
That statement is referring mostly to the ideology of the newer generations becoming more compassionate and understanding than how the older generations waged war amongst each other with malice and violence.
It also refers to becoming more powerful than previous generations, but that only includes a select number of characters, not everyone. Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, most of the rookies, and several others like Gaara will unquestionably surpass their predecessors (mostly). But several exceptions will probably remain like Hashirama, Madara, and Rikudou Sennin.
Technically, Tsunade is a newer generation compared to the Edo's but that is only a story of comparison.
Kishi has been reintroducing older generational characters throughout the entire war for various reasons. Some he resurrected for plot reasons, others for personal character conflicts, and others just to fill space. The Hokages would fall under two of these categories. They are a plot device to halt the Alliance's demise, but they also have their own grievances to amend with a few particular characters. Tsunade being one of those individuals obviously.
You're forgetting that Madara berated the Kages for acting incompetently. He was comparing them to Hashirama throughout their entire battle. Hashirama has since been resurrected and Kishi is not one to discredit any promises made forever. He has a purpose for the Kages' resurgence. It may be to have them fight alongside Hashirama. In the process, winning his recognition as worthwhile successors to the Kage name.
Throughout the manga it is shown that Tsunade represents the older generation.
Tsunade is also a part of Naruto's quest for achieving peace and stability. In fact, she is one of his most vocal proponents. I already mentioned that part of the manga's theme is characters seeing the error of their ways and choosing to abide by a more righteous path. This was the main point of chapter #563.
and this...
So it's not just the the current generation, but those still alive willing to reflect upon their actions and methods and finding another way in life. That's a plot point with much greater significance than strength even. And that promise the Kages made, I don't believe that Kishi has forgotten it.
Especially when it has been foreshadowed time and again that Sakura will surpass Tsunade (Kakashi, Chiyo),
That doesn't mean he will cast aside one of the most important plot conflicts just to ensure Sakura becoming more powerful than Tsunade. She will surpass her teacher, but only when Kishi chooses to have her do so.
it's obvious that Tsunade is categorized in the older generation that has to give recognition and acknowledgement to the younger generation(=Sakura, Naruto).
The manga pages provided above reveal that overcoming the past isn't exclusive to just Naruto's generation. I already explained this in another post though.
Bolded 2: You cannot discredit people's predictions just because a certain fact wasn't established in the manga.
I'm not, but at the same time I'm not going to proclaim it to be an objective development for Sakura's character just because I want to see her possess more relevance in the story.
Sasuke fighting alongside Naruto in this war was never established.
Sasuke's return to Konoha and Team 7 has been one of the driving motivations for both Naruto and Sakura throughout most of the manga. Standing beside them in battle was never specifically foretold, but it did have an actual basis with which to come true.
The parallel to Rin holds validity as well, but thus far only Naruto has been compared to Kakashi's old team.
Sakura being a parallel to Kushina was never established (hence NH and NS arguing Sakura/Hinata parallels).
With the strong allusions made to Sakura's archetype and her importance in Naruto's personal life, not to mention the similar facial features to Kushina, it was practically assured that she was accurate individual compared to.
Yet people in this website predicted Minato's comment on Sakura showing that she is indeed Kushina's parallel. They basically predicted this by 1.) Kushina told Naruto to find a girl like her, and 2.) Sakura's tsundere personality, Sakura first looking down on Naruto, Naruto liking Sakura's most insecure feature, Sakura slowly warming up to Naruto made her resemble Kushina to some people's eyes.
Sakura using a kuchiyose no jutsu in this war was never established before because it was never shown before that she can use it. Yet people were able to predict it happening because she parallels Tsunade and is likely to use the same jutsu.
This is beginning to sound like an association fallacy. Just because these two circumstances hold similar qualities doesn't mean that they will both become canonized. Sasuke was likened to Kakashi during P1, yet he has no established role in the Rin/Obito/Kakashi parallel. Just because the story has chosen to verify one theory, it will not mean that the other one will come true as well.
However, I do personally believe that there is a strong basis for the Sakura/Rin parallel and that it may eventually be presented canonically.
Sakura was depicted with a slug back in P1 when she and Team 7 were compared to the Sannin. There was a firm establishment for that concept as well.
All these things happening were never established in the manga before but people were able to predict it because of hints.Parallels are just one of those hints. And now people are predicting that Sakura is going to play a role regarding Obito because of hints 1.) Rin is a very important figure to the main antagonist and his motivations, and 2.) Sakura is the "Rin" of the current generation(Sakura parallels Rin).
And I'm not discrediting their theories. It holds great worth to them and there is a possibility for Kishi confirming their suspicions in the manga. Whether Sakura is Team 7's equivalent to Rin is not the topic though, it's how you believe that Sakura needing to surpass her master somehow takes precedence over Tsunade's assurances to Naruto, Kishi's intentions for Sakura by situating her with the Alliance forces again, and the inevitable face-to-face interactions between Tsunade and her Hokage predecessors.
I'm not saying that it's definitely going to happen. What I want to say is that you cannot say that it's not going to happen just because it wasn't established, and especially when there are hints to favor the prediction.
In spite of the theories and aspirations for Sakura to play a significant role as a parallel to Rin to somehow interconnect her character with the Tobi subplot, nothing resembling that concept has been firmly established yet. Her current standing in this conflict isn't that much different from the rookies' or the common soldier.
Where did you infer that I suggested that the Rin parallel was impossible to create? The context of my responce was that Kishi had yet to directly establish that parallel like he has with Naruto and Tobi. Nothing like what you are incriminating me with is visible in those sentences because that wasn't part of my intentions.
Bolded 3: Kishi taking the direction of Sakura relaying information was from the recent two chapters.
A direction that includes the Alliance having the same goals of monitoring the situation. It's not written in stone yet, but there is a fairly clear idea of what the destination for these characters is. Shikamaru instructed them all to maintain a constant focus on the battles, not just Sakura. She's at the forefront of this observation post, but reconnaissance duties aren't hers alone.
Yes, this is what she has been doing. But you cannot say that she will do this forever just because she's doing this for two or three chapters.
I never stated that this was her permanent position. Please do not mischaracterise my posts. My argument was that she had chosen to pursue her medical duties for the time being, nothing else.
You cannot determine Kishi's direction with two or three chapters.
Neither can you, but what is undeniable are his storytelling methods and the current focus on past legends and the most powerful shinobi having a climactic battle against Akatsuki alone.
Edited by Atheck, 04 August 2013 - 08:15 PM.
This topic is locked
I know where this is going..
