Why are we even comparing NaruSaku's development to NaruHina's right now ?
I don't understand it either. I don't understand why Hinata is considered relevant or a threat -- ever, much less still -- but it goes on and on and on. Naruto loves Sakura and has been steadfast in his feelings for her. What power does Hinata have over that? None. So why be tortured by paranoia and comparisons with a non-ship?
It's true I'm disappointed, because I wanted Sakura to react, Naruto to see and know what she's done, Obito to talk to Naruto and maybe to Sakura... to me it has been rushed.
When Gaara and Sakura became Naruto's recovery team, I posted a comment that Gaara had also been the character who saw first hand how desperate and determined Naruto had been to save Sakura's life. When Naruto literally beat Gaara into submission and collapsed, Sakura was released from the sand and it was Sasuke who scooped her up and carried her away. Sasuke. *gags* Give me a break.
With this latest chapter, someone else (sorry I can't remember who) mentioned how we never saw Sakura's reaction in that scene. We never got an in-person resolution between Naruto and Sakura. She didn't get any conscious time to see Naruto's effort and love for her. Then later, she tries to thank Sasuke for saving her, and he told her it wasn't him but Naruto who had beaten Gaara and saved her life.
That was a long time ago in the manga -- and in reader years -- but it was the same kind of aggravating disappointment. Naruto so totally deserved something significant for his actions, but neither Sakura nor readers got the satisfaction of seeing it happen.
My point is, as NS has progressed and with the knowledge that the manga is coming to a close, people are getting super anxious for confirmation of NS. And not just confirmation that they're THE pairing of the story, but confirmation of privately held hopes and dreams and expectations. Readers want Kishimoto to prove them right, and they want him to do it in a way that *they* feel is satisfactory.
But that's really not how it works. Kishimoto is not thinking about our individual expectations or vision for how NS will be resolved. He has his own expectations. He is the vision for these characters.
We can complain all we want. I do it too. (I seriously vented about Sasuke and his sudden elevation to equal hero just last chapter.) But in the end it only matters what Kishimoto is going to do, and although we may all feel we would choose / imagine / write something so much better than Kishimoto, the fact is he's running the story. Kishimoto has brought the story to this point, and we can either finish the ride and see what he does, or we're free to jump off any time.
Does anyone understand my concerns? Can any of you guys think of another way Sakura could realize her feelings and actually have it make sense?
I do understand what you're questioning. My answer would be that the resolution of Sakura's feelings may very well be more of a non-event than some people expect. I mean, a lot of folks got their expectations totally wound up for some big moment between Naruto and Sakura upon his recent return to consciousness, and it didn't happen. It could be similar for Sakura's feelings.
For what it's worth, I suspect that Kishimoto may feel he's already provided enough hints and foreshadowing of Sakura's love for Naruto that it won't require some big melodramatic scene that addresses their issues of the past. He's been moving Sakura toward Naruto and away from Sasuke for a very long time now, and lately has been moving Sasuke toward Karin. The writing is already on the wall. The question is, how much more does Kishimoto think he needs to do to bring them together?
People downplay #631 -- and not just anti fans, but even some here -- but the fact that Naruto answered in a positive way to the question of Sakura being his girlfriend, and Sakura did not deny it or look sad or stressed that Naruto misunderstood, was a big clue that they've made a tentative step forward in their relationship.
It could be that we don't get a schmoopy resolution. It could be that, at the end, Sakura simply accepts a date with Naruto because it's his birthday. We may get more. The point is... we don't know.
Wondering, imagining, speculating, daydreaming about how NS will get resolved is fun, normal, and fine -- as long as those imaginings don't become expectations -- or worse, demands that end up ruining the story experience.
Just my opinion.
