But what I would like to point out is that people who have been negative towards Sakura so far were not necessarily, not looking at what Kishimoto has actually put in place. As you said, he is responsible for writing what he has set up. The point is people do not have the same view in regards to WHAT he set up. Therefore, for some people he is inconsistent, and to some people he isn't.
In my opinion, the few people's comments regarding KIshi's consistency in regards to Sakura's characterization was not entirely unjustified. Sakura herself has stated many times that "she will protect her teammates" and "bring her team back together." Is it wrong for people to assume that she will take a more involved role in team 7 after part 2, and that is the main driving force for her character? For me as one of the reader, this was Sakura's main character point in part 2 as much as Naruto's "never give up" attitude and "wanting recognition".
However, in the middle of part 2, she became more of an observer. In the five Kage Summit arc, she has concluded that, "There is nothing I can do but have faith in them." Is it wrong to assume that this statement of hers were contradicting her original characterization in the beginning of part two? As her fan, I was disappointed because it looked like the driving point of her character went down the drain. To me, if Naruto decided that he was too lazy to become the Hokage then I would be equally disappointed because he contradicted the "never give up" attitude that was the main character point. Is pointing this out not critique enough?
I understand that now the stage has been set with "Ashura vs Indra (Light vs. Darkness)" and that the fight between Naruto and Sasuke is supposed to be for the two of them. The problem I have with this is that this stage has been set recently after few hundreds of chapters later from the start of part 2. And as you can see above, I had a different perception of how Kishi set up Sakura's character. So, to me I felt like I was forced to change my view of Sakura with no warning beforehand. (Also, after the VoTE, Sakura said that she was going to train and bring back Sasuke, "together". Which I perceived it as the final development of her characterization in part 1, and a set up of her character in part 2.)
You bring up very good points, and I don't disagree with you. Consistency and continuity of a story and characterizations do depend on how a reader perceives them. And for the record, I am truly not trying to say that my perceptions are correct and those of others are incorrect.
I am merely trying to point out that oftentimes disappointment with a story and its author comes from a reader's expectations that are formed on perceptions that have not evolved or that were incorrect from the start, or that a reader has not tested through the exercise of objective critique. I'll try to explain what I mean.
First, I'll attempt to summarize your comments.
Sakura's characterization is a disappointing because:
1. Sakura stated many times that (a) "she will protect her teammates" and (b) "bring her team back together."
2. At the first Team 7 reunion, Sakura concluded that, "There is nothing I can do but have faith in them." Such a statement and attitude was a contradiction to her characterization and previous statements to that point, and the purpose of her character "went down the drain."
3. After the VotE, Sakura said she was going to train and that she and Naruto would bring back Sasuke, "together."
4. Only recently, through the Sage, was it made clear that the conflict ultimately exists between the two boys due to reincarnation, etc., and Sakura is excluded from the resolution.
5. Readers now feel forced to change their view of Sakura with no warning beforehand.
#1, #2, and #3 are similar so I'm going to combine my response to them. First of all, yes, Sakura did say all those things and those thoughts were a clear part of her motivation. But Kishimoto has shown us that Sakura has not remained static. With each experience he shows us that she is learning, growing, and evolving. That means her thoughts, feelings, motivations, and choices are evolving too.
Perhaps at one point "protect her teammates" meant only Naruto and Sasuke, but is it reasonable to assume that Kishimoto has intended for her loyalty and dedication to remain restricted to that definition? Especially when Naruto's hasn't? And Sasuke's obviously hasn't? All three characters have broadened their understanding and commitment to their goals for the world around them, far beyond their genin days when their immediate team was everything.
Is it not possible that the Sakura who took down Pain's summon by herself, who organized the hospital and triage, and healed the wounded -- while her teammate, Naruto, was on the front line battling Pain -- had, along with Naruto, expanded her "team" commitment to all of Konoha who were fighting and suffering with them?
Has Sakura not been the one to mentally commit herself -- and everyone else -- to supporting Naruto's fight and to help him carry the burden of responsibility during the current war? Has Sakura not been the one to rally the soldiers with an impassioned speech on Naruto's behalf -- while she was healing him, no less? Was that not an act of "bringing her team back together"?
To say Sakura's characterization is a disappointment because she is no longer restricted to her former Team 7 concerns and motivations is to deny her growth. It is to want her character to remain consistent with old statements and expectations, rather than acknowledge that she is being consistent to her core personality and the demands of her role as a leader of the new generation.
Looking at it from Kishimoto's point of view, would leaving Sakura behind in terms of maturity and comprehension of her circumstances have been consistent with her character -- when he has been showing us all along that Sakura is very intelligent and that she thinks about her shortcomings, her responsibilities, and her role in the bigger picture?
For all three of them, Team 7's world is now much bigger than Team 7. Even if it wasn't, Sasuke has consistently resisted being a part of it. He wants nothing to do with Naruto and Sakura's way of life. How could Sakura possibly "protect her teammates" and "bring her team back together" when Sasuke wants none of it?
In fact she tried that, even when Naruto said he still wanted to save Sasuke for himself. Sakura tried to protect Naruto from Sasuke and Sasuke from himself by setting out to kill Sasuke, and it was a miserable failure. But through Naruto's steadfast commitment and willingness to face whatever was necessary to help Sasuke find peace, Sakura realized that her attitude and approach had been wrong. She realized that she couldn't "protect her teammates" directly, and that the best hope to "bring her team back together" was to have faith that they would ultimately settle their differences.
From that point on, Sakura has thrown herself in with Naruto wholeheartedly. She found out the hard way that trying to engineer things on her own -- things that Naruto didn't want and went against his nindo -- only fractured her old team further. Now she and Naruto are united. Kishimoto has consistently shown us this through Sakura's words and actions.
As for #4, although at this point it does seem that Naruto and Sasuke will battle Madara together as two the halves of the Sage's legacy, excluding Sakura, that does not mean that Sakura won't be instrumental in what is likely to be the final battle -- the one between Naruto and Sasuke.
Again, looking at it from Kishimoto's perspective and what he's set up, we have known for AGES that Naruto and Sasuke represented the sons of the Sage. The reincarnation thing just cemented the hows and whys of it. Is it inconsistent that Sakura is not part of a centuries-old rivalry between two brothers? Especially when the conflict existed long before Team 7, and has nothing to do with Sakura's personal goals?
A considered critique would take into account that there are two sets of issues at play, and that Sakura is intimately involved in one but not the other. While she may have no direct part in the "brothers" joining forces to bring peace to the world, we must wait to see what role Sakura plays in the final resolution between Naruto and Sasuke as friends and members of Team 7.
As for #5, I think perhaps that is the biggest issue. Readers may feel that they have been "forced to change their view of Sakura with no warning beforehand," but is that because there was truly no warning? Or because readers had formed specific expectations of what Sakura's role was going to be, and for whatever reason were unable to incorporate the evolution of Sakura's character along the way or realize that evolution would mean changes in the way her role played out?
To make a long reply longer that it needs to be....
My point is that a considered critique should be willing to look at Kishimoto's characterizations objectively, and from his perspective as much as possible. Kishimoto considers Sakura to be the heroine. Has he written her as a heroine? Have her heroic actions been consistent with her characterization and the expressed purpose of her role even if they were transformed by experiences along the way?
What prompted my original post was a reaction to general sentiments such as "Sakura is diminished because she's not going to get to do this or that" and "Kishimoto has screwed up because Sakura isn't a big enough part of the action" and the like.
Kishimoto never said or made it obvious exactly how Sakura's role would play out. To be totally disappointed and believe he has failed because Sakura isn't doing what they expected is more about their expectations than his choices.
It's is the reader's responsibility to figure out if their expectations really went off the rails. After all, Kishimoto has been uneven and more than a bit dodgy with his characterization of Sasuke, so maybe he's just a hack. But the difference -- in my opinion, at least -- is that both Naruto and Sakura's characterizations pass the acid test of objective critique while Sasuke's characterization really doesn't.
This is just my two cents. And I am in no way trying to force it to you or attack you at all 
Plus I enjoy talking about this kind of thing for a change.
