Deej

I am actually enjoying the filler arc. After the nightmare of The Last and ending, it is good to see the characters acting like themselves.

Hinata isn't whining about Naruto and seems more interested in passing and her relationship with Neji. This is the Hinata I like.
Neji is alive and is getting a lot of screentime. The last time we will see him.
Sakura is being her usual intelligent self. I like the fact she took the leadership role of her group.
Lee and Tenten are providing comic relief.
Ino is shining once again.
Shino is being Shino and tumblr is already shipping Shino x Fuu based on this episode. Sadly we already know nothing can happen.
Shikamaru looks like a genius again and they are nailing the ShikaTema interaction in this arc. This is how you develop a couple.

It doesn't change a thing, but it feels like the old Naruto when it was at its best.

NOt now, but think about it. Part 3 will share a future like DBGT. Plus right now, some NH ans SS fans aren't even satisfy on why their pairing is canon. I mean Kishi saying NH is canon basically outof pity at one point or deny any Naruto affection for girls until the movie, showing that Naruto basically never loved HInata in any way and got with her within 24 hours.
 
Damage is done too much already. The scenario for an alternate ending is possible in the future, when Naruto popularity die down and we forgot part 3 even exist. If Kishi was forced and got a fragment of pride left, he should do the ending he planned. I just can't believe he did that on purpose on his own, that would be stupid. THe way he answer those interview, it's like he wants every fan to hate the future projects. I mean the Last might have made money, but it got bad reception and Naruto is now the most hated character, that can be good for the future.
 
An alternate ending latter could fix the damage not only in the romance subplot, but to tied-up other loose end.
 
Maybe in 10 years, a project like DBZ Kai could happen ( remake an anime without filler, now that the manga is done) with an alternate ending that could last more than 2 chapters.

The future of Naruto will rest entirely on the kids. There is not going to be any alternate ending with different couples. It is not about Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura anymore. It is about how much SP can squeeze and milk out of Bolt, Sarada, Shikadai, Himawari, Inojin, ect. Why bother with the old and now done pairing wars when they will probably just create new ones with the kids?

You know what I was wondering? 
TenTen got a desing on her own with two outfits but did not appear one single time in the movie at all ... 

Same thing with Temari. She got new clothes, a different hairstyle, and even her face was drawn more attractively. All for 5 seconds of screentime and no lines. Ino got about 20 seconds. Who cares about all these new designs if they are never used? They kept hyping them and none really mattered outside of Naruto and Hinata. It is almost like there was another movie planned before SP decided it would be all about NaruHina and Hinata.

I don't mind obvious pairings in canon. But fandom clearly loves the chase and tease. Once a couple gets together, a lot of their appeal is lost. When a fan loses interest after their pairing hooks up, it is called shipper death bed.

Just a minor example in Naruto. Asuma x Kurenai fanfics are actually pretty rare despite them being one of the few canon couples in Naruto. You are much more likely to find her paired with Itachi and Kakashi. Even Naruto, Shikamaru, Anko, Hinata, and Kiba.

I believe people are overanalyzing Sakura not being a part of the attack. On both sides. I don't think she was left out because Kishi hates her or because she is put on a pedestal compared to Naruto's friends. There are 9 tails. With Neji dead, that perfectly lines up with Shika, Ino, Choji, Hinata, Shino, Kiba, Sai, Lee, and Tenten. Sakura was busy with something else, so Naruto would of known not to call her. Sakura's face was still shown with all the others, including Naruto and Sasuke. So symbolically she was there as opposed to say a Gaara, Killer Bee, or Temari.

Would it have been cool to see Sakura in a kyuubi cloak and using the rasengan to help Naruto? Hell yeah, but I'm over it.

One other thing, I'd like to address the notion that Sakura is just on the same level as the rest of K11.  Honestly, that's pretty absurd.  At the very least, even if we never get to see her release her seal and see what that allows her to do, we know that at this point Sakura is able to summon Katsuyu who can protect her (and several thousand other people) from jutsu as strong as Shinra Tensei.  That alone places her at an advantage against most of the K11 (other than Naruto and perhaps Shikamaru the tactical genius), of course in the West we like to dismiss this as, we only consider offensive strategies as real strategies, but let's not forget that the ultimate goal of any battle is surviving/not being injured for long enough to send a defining blow.  She's not near Naruto or Sasuke's level (and I wouldn't want her to be), and she's not miles above all members of K11, but at this point she has the edge.

I accept that she is not on the level of Sasuke and Naruto. I can accept Shikamaru if he is the new Tobirama. But it gets annoying when fans post numerous threads how Ino is way above Sakura because of her accomplishments during the war. Never mind the people who place Hinata above her.

Hanabi appeared in one panel in a flashback during the Hinata vs. Neji fight. Then she appeared in a couple of panels sitting beside her father during the Naruto vs. Neji fight.

So much fanfiction written about a character who has appeared in about three panels and has never been shown since the Naruto vs. Neji fight.

Man, that spoiler scared the heck out of me. Neji was hard enough, but Shikamaru?!

I think the whole thing with Shikamaru is a setup for Sakura to shine. Clearly he is still alive and not going to die. When Kishi is going to kill a character, you know it. Yes, Karin or Tsunade could do it, but this should be Sakura's moment to save a popular character.