Its been a while since I checked-in last time. Hope you all are doing great.
SS popularity has always been a myth. Now that there are specific products dedicated to this pairing, we can finally debunk the myths of the pairing popularity.
Not surprisingly, they are very small. We have facts and figures, so, its easy to debate and make arguments.
Fundamentally, Kishi didn't need to switch direction of his story telling. Even if he did, or someone else ask him to do, he need to do it properly.
Folks who work with data would know that your source of truth shouldn't be based on quantitative data only (in this case popularity poll, or God forbid, YouTube watch count). Consumer studies always include qualitative as well as quantitative to make decision that will amplify the sales of the products. What happened with Naruto franchise is a good case study of how cognitive bias in decision making could easily brought down multi-billion dollar franchise. Not only that, but also future projects related to the key folks in the franchise (look at what happened to Samurai 8).
Today, Naruto franchise is beyond salvation, that much is clear. The producer need to accept the fact that ~95% of their sales are now gone, thanks to their bias to go down with NH/SS route. They'll sell products, sure, but it wont be at the magnitude they used to have.
What Kishi should've done: focus on making a good story, ignore the noises coming from the fandom. Especially the loud ones (looking at you NH/SS).
Even if that myth was true, no company would be happy with the excuse for low sales being, "they don't like Boruto, so they didn't buy a side manga made for them." Especially, since Boruto happened by making the end pairings nH/SS.
Sakura lost her position due to fan-polling being used as a weapon against her, now 8 or so years later she is the third most popular character around the world. So she likely has both the data we can and cannot see behind her.
I think part of the reason they are focusing on Boruto right now beyond the years of low sales is; like how its happened in hopes of it keeping Naruto sales going when there at the time nothing to replace it. Now, most of the manga that did replace it are largely ending this year with nothing coming up seeming to be able to replace them. But instead of hoping it can hold up their figures while they wait for the new generation of shounen manga to make them money. They are finally looking at Boruto as its lost the manga that used to subsidize it. So now they pondering should they keep it around or just end it.
I recently watched the Alternate fanmade anime version of TL and when Sakura and Naruto got caught in the genjutsu, it refreshed my memories about the retcon flashback. Now it make totally sense that SP went the retcon route (originally I thought was to deceived the audience/readers/viewers for many years). It's all because of a fri**en Genjutsu that ruined our hero into being the number one SJ most scumbag protagonist in history. Even when nearly a decade has passed since chapter 700, it it really gets my blood boiling how SJ was brought to ruin and the aftermath of him being and old drunk and a terrible father.
Guys thanks for the info and saving me the pain to watch the film.
In theory, the genjutsu wasn't re-writing memories just showing Naruto and Hinata events that did happen. Showing Naruto that Hinata was always by his side, always loved him, and that they are bound by the red scarf of fate. Granted still a retcon by the anime staff
If you want an in-universe reason for why it happened. Ironically, Boruto last chapter gives a possible reason; an Otsutsuki likely used the shinjutsu 'Omnipotence' to rewrite the world so Naruto marries Hinata. So Boruto can be born. So femmy can possess his body. Of course, even with their minds re-written once Naruto and Hinata actually got together their lack of any chemistry made their marriage what it became.
I was that kid
when I was a teen, my catch phrase was basically "I hate my life/I hate you mom/dad/I wish I were dead." But my parents still didn't avoid me even though they probably worked more than Naruto and one of them was periodically over seas for months at a time. both of them still made time for their kids, If they COULD be at an event/birthday/holiday they were and I wasn't angry at them for working--I was angry at everything.
It was a pretty poor choice on their part to make Burrito that combative with Naruto but the whole thing is ultimately a clusterkitten of how not to write family dynamics. (Unless you're purposely writing families in crisis)
I think it would have been more effective for the entire k11 to plead their case to Naruto personally rather than using Sakura as a sacrificial lamb. At least then he's somewhat forced to explain himself and be countered with multiple points of view. but, NARUTO CANNOT BE QUESTIONED ABOUT SASUKE~ (Nor can Sakura.) He's the team 7 taboo.
I'm pretty sure it was the Last, but its possible they also added filler to it.
Sorry for reminding you of your childhood.
Anyways Naruto seemed to be Hokage for only a short amount of time. He could have honestly been Hokage less than a year as everything always treats him becoming hokage as a recent thing. 700 he just became Hokage, about to have his first 5 kage meeting, and Boruto was already acting out.
My impression has always been that Boruto was so unused to the idea that his father was not there 100% of the time, that he instantly acted out. Naruto understands why Boruto is acting out, but he busy trying to deal with an important job he always wanted but wasn't trained for, and with Boruto being so hostile it was easier to focus on that. Of course, that was fixed after the chunin exam, while Boruto is still a spoiled brat who refuses to bond with his father due to still not being at home 100%.
As for the Sasuke issue again. The group did that and got shot down by Naruto. She was the only one who had a chance he wouldn't just brush off due to his promise of a life time to her and his feelings for her. Him learning that even she had given up on Sasuke and was planning on killing him, was a major cause of his panic attack. Then he just double down afterwards.
Edited by Bail o' Lies, 05 June 2023 - 10:29 PM.
