163 replies to this topic

[Don-kun]

The story itself was pretty heartwarming with what Lee was trying to do for Naruto; he's such a good friend, especially with them showing up afterwards to hang out at his apartment.

No real pairing fan service in the actual one shot other than Hinata thinking Naruto's name -- it was mostly major Hinata fan service in the bah scene (poor Sakura - don't worry, you have plenty of good qualities - though even I have to admit not liking Hinata myself that Hinata looked really pretty this chapter).

Thanks for flipping this image - I only have access to my iPhone right now and it kept flipping the image on me >:<
The mirror cover is interesting to say the least - lol @ how supremely uncomfortable Naruto looks with Hinata hanging off of him; Sakura does look pretty content with Sasuke doing the same though - still, it just kind of is what it is you know?

Btw, does anyone know what it says on Sai's sign that's making Sakura look so angry? All I know how to read is 'so ko so ko' and the kanji i don't recognize...

Sai's scroll says 'sokosoko zannen'.

Since 'sokosoko' means 'fairly, reasonably' and 'zannen' means 'regret, pity, disappointment', I assume it must be something like 'Such a pity'?

[harry4e]

Anyways, here's the flipped version of the upper side portion of the color page:

The one shot was OK, but it was good to see Lee's Fire of Youth burning so brightly.

OK is it me or goes Hinata only have three fingers and a thumb in that pic, I originally thought she was showing us the middle finger, but the lack of an index finger makes me wonder.

[kirabook]

The one shot was OK, but it was good to see Lee's Fire of Youth burning so brightly.

OK is it me or goes Hinata only have three fingers and a thumb in that pic, I originally thought she was showing us the middle finger, but the lack of an index finger makes me wonder.

Her index finger is there. The perspective makes it look like it's bent like a thumb. You can't see her thumb other than the tip really.

[FoolishYoungling]

Can someone explain Road to Sakura to me? Is it going to be in just the anime, and if so, in what place and time will it be set? Oh, and when is it coming out?

Edited by FoolishYoungling , 18 July 2012 - 07:16 PM.

[Phantom_999]

I liked it but I still don't like how they accused Naruto of being an underwear even if it's just for laughs and Sakura would naturally react that way. I find it just adds fuel the anti NS fire. Now unless it was Ino and Not Sakura that hit which no one knows but still. Overall I find it very nice and a relaxing read compared the the intense action in the main story.

Edited by Phantom_999, 18 July 2012 - 07:20 PM.

[redragon88]

I just realized that in the double spread the background with the normal characters has a background of Narutomaki, which is the topping of ramen from which Kishimoto got Naruto's name. But when you see the AU characters the background is some sort of noodle, that might be Menma, which is apparently the name given to Naruto in the genjutsu.

You know, it wasn't until know that I noticed that the cover page (with Minato, Kushina, etc.) actually had a mixture of blue and pink letters. But I'm sure that's just probably a reference to how part of the movie will inevitably cover how Sakura deals with AU Sasuke. I think it's all just one big red herring.

[AzureWaters]

The double color spread does look to make a parallel to how weird Naruto and Sakura feel around their respective AU love interests, but with Sakura it really is very ambiguous as to how much uncomfortable she might be. The way she's holding her hands make her look nervous at the very least. Her face looks like a mix of nervousness and flattery, I guess that would be reasonable for Sakura even if she didn't want AU Sasuke to keep flirting with her.

But it doesn't help that in the cover page (the one with Minata, Kushina, etc.) Sakura actually looks happy while she's looking at Sasuke. Sorry if I sound negative, but I just want to state the way I'm seeing it.

I think that scene with Sakura being jealous of how "ample" Hinata is might be foreshadowing for the movie. Judging by the fact that AU Hinata will get jealous about Sakura and that there will be a bath scene in the movie as well, it could be that AU Hinata might make some indirect comment of how come Naruto likes the small chested Sakura when he already has a big chested girl like her. That might send Sakura off the deep end.

Since this chapter focused on how Naruto sometimes felt lonely eating alone in his house, wouldn't it be heartwarming if when the movie nearly ends as Naruto and get back to the real world Naruto bids goodbye to Sakura as he goes to his home alone but at the last minute Sakura stops him and tell him to join her for dinner with her family. It would show how Sakura now understands Naruto better and how she wishes for him to be happy. It's a very nice contrast to how this special chapter ended with Sakura slapping Naruto and saying she doesn't trust him. I personally think that would be the perfect end for the movie.

I'll be honest, as many people, I also didn't like the lack of Sakura in the chapter but I hope that Road to Sakura will compensate for that. Let's hope that it's thanks to Naruto's efforts that she regains her memories and the trigger for it better not be some memory of Sasuke, I'll be angry if that happens.

P.S. Does nobody know what Sai wrote in that paper in the double spread that made Sakura so mad? I'd really like to know.

"Such a pity."

Sakura looks pretty comfortable around Sasuke. She likes it, it seems.

Edited by AzureWaters, 18 July 2012 - 07:23 PM.

[redragon88]

"Such a pity."

Sakura looks pretty comfortable around Sasuke. She likes it, it seems.

I still don't get it. Is Sai saying that Sakura is a pitiful woman?

[kirabook]

Sakura doesn't look comfortable at all to me. I mean, she doesn't look like she absolutely detests is or wants to run away like Naruto does, but who holds their hands like that or has that expression on their face if they're comfortable and happy? She looks worried, and it looks like she's about to rip her fingers off. *not literally, but that isn't even a comfortable pose*

Sakura reacted that way because I believe that was her bra. Shino said "Small underwear", and well, Sakura is small compared to someone like Hinata, so yeah. XD


Anyway....:


Lee: **Since there wasn't much of him, Tobi got a clear picture of how Lee is, especially since Naruto was happy he got everyone together for him**
Shino: **Somehow from that bug situation, Tobi got the impression that Shino must not like bugs?**
Kiba: **Uh.... maybe Tobi just saw Kiba as an animal and cats and dogs are all the same to him??**
Chouji: **Well... i guess everyone wishes he weren't so fat because he got rid of all the water?
Shikamaru: **I don't even know. I'll take a guess like the others and assume that Naruto thought it didn't make any sense for Chouji to get even bigger**
Sasuke: **Obviously Naruto wishes Sasuke weren't such a fool and was there hanging out with everyone**
Neji: "You weren't by chance planning anything to do something unpleasant were you? Like peeping!!" = Neji must be a perv
Hinata: **Naruto happening to hear the girls talking about Hinata's boobs, and being the deep down perv he is, he remembers that he likes peeking on girls I guess XD so goes to do so. To Tobi, that means Naruto might just like Hinata and wants her boobs out in the open.**
Ino: **Ino is already dressed and is yelling at Lee for peeping, therefore she must be reserved**
Naruto: "They should have stayed for dinner" = Naruto is lonely and parents stay for dinner of course!

Well, not sure why people like Ten Ten and Tsunade or Kakashi changed in this unless Tobi was looking at them too. But he couldn't have gotten then THAT wrong could he? Who knows. XD

I still don't get it. Is Sai saying that Sakura is a pitiful woman?

I've heard the expression, "Boy is she pitiful" or "How pitiful you are". Similar to, "What an unfortunate face you have." or "How unfortunate" when referring to a person. It's an insult, as usual I think. Like he calls her a hag and whatnot.

Edited by kirabook, 18 July 2012 - 07:30 PM.

[ciardha]

It was a funny and heartwarming history. I would like we had more chapters like this.

Nonetheless, there were some parts I did not like or care for. Such like Sakura being jealous from Hinata's frontside. I get it is meant to be a comedic moment, but I find that cliche very overplayed and a tad annoying.

Yeah, I agree. Especially as a female I get annoyed by that cliche. Sorry dude, but we ladies don't share your obsession with big breasts- DD/E cup is something we have no desire to have. Even D cup is too big. C cup is the average in the west and what the majority of women in the west see as the ideal. In Japan the average is B cup. Girls and women just don't have the interest in large breasts for several reasons we are quite aware of- larger than C, natural breasts noticibly sag even in the teen years when you have your bra off, makes your back ache in between your shoulder blades when wearing a bra, they are so big they get in the way when you are reaching for something or doing stretching exercises, and when you have to bend way over to get something from a low shelf or exercise- like toe touches, they press against your neck so you feel like you are half choking, plus the uncomfortable pull of gravity on the muscles on the underside of your breasts, then the fact creepy dudes leer at you, and people automatically deduct IQ points when they look at you just because you have large breasts- even just D cup women like me deal with all that mess. B-C cup is seen as the most attractive amongst women. But we don't go on about it like guys seem to do about their size- oh and guys, let me put to rest another myth- women don't give a hoot about the size of your thing.

[Fenris]

What the kitten is this.

[Verilance]

me I loved the chapter, in fact I loved both chapters, just goes to show that all the "Kishimoto is a bad writer" crowd just really don't get it,

great comedy in one chapter...great excitement in the other

[naruto-z]

Yeah, I agree. Especially as a female I get annoyed by that cliche. Sorry dude, but we ladies don't share your obsession with big breasts- DD/E cup is something we have no desire to have. Even D cup is too big. C cup is the average in the west and what the majority of women in the west see as the ideal. In Japan the average is B cup. Girls and women just don't have the interest in large breasts for several reasons we are quite aware of- larger than C, natural breasts noticibly sag even in the teen years when you have your bra off, makes your back ache in between your shoulder blades when wearing a bra, they are so big they get in the way when you are reaching for something or doing stretching exercises, and when you have to bend way over to get something from a low shelf or exercise- like toe touches, they press against your neck so you feel like you are half choking, plus the uncomfortable pull of gravity on the muscles on the underside of your breasts, then the fact creepy dudes leer at you, and people automatically deduct IQ points when they look at you just because you have large breasts- even just D cup women like me deal with all that mess. B-C cup is seen as the most attractive amongst women. But we don't go on about it like guys seem to do about their size- oh and guys, let me put to rest another myth- women don't give a hoot about the size of your thing.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

[Paptala]

The double color spread does look to make a parallel to how weird Naruto and Sakura feel around their respective AU love interests, but with Sakura it really is very ambiguous as to how much uncomfortable she might be. The way she's holding her hands make her look nervous at the very least. Her face looks like a mix of nervousness and flattery, I guess that would be reasonable for Sakura even if she didn't want AU Sasuke to keep flirting with her.

But it doesn't help that in the cover page (the one with Minata, Kushina, etc.) Sakura actually looks happy while she's looking at Sasuke. Sorry if I sound negative, but I just want to state the way I'm seeing it.

No you don't sound negative at all, you sound realistic, which is a good thing you are correct that there's not really any room for interpretation with the other cover -- Sakura is definitely genuinely pleased to see Sasuke, blush and smile on her face and all.

Though given that we know Sakura still retains a least some romantic feelings for Sasuke still, and the fact that she wants to see Team 7 reunited and happy again regardless of the nature of her feelings for him makes her expression understandable.

I agree with what you stated in later posts as well -- this definitely smacks of red herring to me; like Kishimoto is giving the fan service that he won't be giving in the manga; tossing the other pairings a bone becaus he's not going to make them canon in the actual canon storyline. I could be totally wrong and Kishi may be giving away the end game already, but I doubt it.

I think that scene with Sakura being jealous of how "ample" Hinata is might be foreshadowing for the movie. Judging by the fact that AU Hinata will get jealous about Sakura and that there will be a bath scene in the movie as well, it could be that AU Hinata might make some indirect comment of how come Naruto likes the small chested Sakura when he already has a big chested girl like her. That might send Sakura off the deep end.

Perhaps -- Sakura really has nothing to worry about though; she's got the prettier face - after all, how many compliments on her looks has Hinata gotten in canon? Sakura's gotten at least three, from Naruto, Jiraiya, and Inari.

Since this chapter focused on how Naruto sometimes felt lonely eating alone in his house, wouldn't it be heartwarming if when the movie nearly ends as Naruto and get back to the real world Naruto bids goodbye to Sakura as he goes to his home alone but at the last minute Sakura stops him and tell him to join her for dinner with her family. It would show how Sakura now understands Naruto better and how she wishes for him to be happy. It's a very nice contrast to how this special chapter ended with Sakura slapping Naruto and saying she doesn't trust him. I personally think that would be the perfect end for the movie.

AMGYESDOWANTALLTHEFEELSIMAGININGTHIS T^T this fits so perfectly it's not even funny - Sakura is the only one with knowledge of what happened in the genjutsu after all - who else is supposed to provide the comfort for him after losing his parents again? I need to see Naruto bonding with Sakura and her family so badly T^T

I'll be honest, as many people, I also didn't like the lack of Sakura in the chapter but I hope that Road to Sakura will compensate for that. Let's hope that it's thanks to Naruto's efforts that she regains her memories and the trigger for it better not be some memory of Sasuke, I'll be angry if that happens.

I am fully expecting some Sakura > Sasuke stuff in RtS, but the Naruto > Sakura and Sakura > Naruto bond to take much more precedence. Still, I am really hoping for the episode to do Sakura's character justice, more than just focusing on her romantic feelings.

Does anyone know if Kishimoto was likewise involved in the RtS episode as he was with the actual movie (like checking the story board himself and demandingt things be a certain way)?

[Fenris]

On the bright side, Naruto doesn't look comfortable in Hinata's embrace at all.

[merryGOflava]

On the bright side, Naruto doesn't look comfortable in Hinata's embrace at all.

he better be uncomfortable....right now he's the only stable person in this narusaku relationship.....

if he switches girls he likes even for a second....i don't know what i'll think...

[Fenris]

he better be uncomfortable....right now he's the only stable person in this narusaku relationship.....

if he switches girls he likes even for a second....i don't know what i'll think...

Ugh, why do I feel like that this is just Kishi's way of turning the whole thing around from NS to NH and SS. Like urging his fans that this is how it's gonna be

[redragon88]

I agree with what you stated in later posts as well -- this definitely smacks of red herring to me; like Kishimoto is giving the fan service that he won't be giving in the manga; tossing the other pairings a bone becaus he's not going to make them canon in the actual canon storyline. I could be totally wrong and Kishi may be giving away the end game already, but I doubt it.

I still stand my ground on the whole Sakura liking AU Sasuke being just one big red herring. It would be a pretty empty character development for Sakura if this movie just culminated with Kishi once again confirming for the 5th time that Sakura still likes Sasuke.

I want to believe all of this is to create a sense of misdirection so that when Sakura rejects AU Sasuke and chooses to stand by Naruto's side in the movie it becomes a nice turn of events.

There's also the fact the Hinata becomes jealous of Sakura so she obviously notices how close they are.

[Sakamaki Izayoi]

Ugh, why do I feel like that this is just Kishi's way of turning the whole thing around from NS to NH and SS. Like urging his fans that this is how it's gonna be

Yeah and i dont get it, naruto is not confortable with this hinata and in the same page sakura is close to sai and naruto still close to hinata :/
i dont get it.

[merryGOflava]

Ugh, why do I feel like that this is just Kishi's way of turning the whole thing around from NS to NH and SS. Like urging his fans that this is how it's gonna be

....i have no idea why you feel that way.....turning the tables from a movie is a little lazy IMO.

besides naruto and sakura are the only ones in the genjutsu.

they have to learn that this is not reality.

i don't see how this favors NH and SS at all

they will have like a few fan service for themselves and the rest will be sakura and naruto understanding that the real home is better :3 which probably means NS

....honestly....not that I'm pointing this at you...but i wish people weren't so scared or upset about possibly NH or SS moments....i wish people were more positive for NS.......

cause its brining me down.....