I'm loving this thread — it's a subject I've thought about often since the release of the new series. Sakura is blatantly being cast in a negative light. Even though she's in a tough situation that is only deserving of sympathy, her daughter takes an accusatory tone, throwing some really cruel comments at her, pushing Sakura over an emotional edge. And even in lashing out it only sinks Sakura's situation lower.
The people who are supposed to love her are not showing much love or support for her. Sasuke, her spouse, left her more than a decade ago with an infant that may or may not be hers. Her 12-13yo child, instead of supporting her or being kind about the obvious fact that Sakura's a single parent in a loveless non-relationship and the only mom she'll ever have, is flat-out mean to her. Not supportive, or even broaching the subject in a delicate way.
But still, Sakura comes out of this in a really negative way. When, for all the facts that are presented so far, she is trying to make the best of a bad situation, and should be a sympathetic character.
If it were Hinata, holding down the fort while Naruto was away, and having to deal with a sassy kid throwing her situation in her face, the fandom would be falling all over itself for her.
But because it's Sakura, and because the tone of everyone around her is that it is somehow her fault and her responsibility to fix, then the fandom follows suit.
I can't help but be reminded of the problems with the "abused-wife syndrome," the term for the woman who stays in a bad situation without leaving. People analyze and obsess about why the woman stays, what's in it for her, and why doesn't she change and just leave.
But no one ever calls it the "abusing-husband syndrome," placing the blame where it truly lies.
Somehow, the fault is assigned to the woman, and so is the responsibility to change. It is just accepted that the abuser will never change. And that the woman must endure. It's in the very language we use to define those situations.
In the new series, Sakura is set up completely as the 'abused-wife syndrome.' Her situation is really bad, but instead of focusing on Sasuke, the one who left her holding the bag, people are actively blaming Sakura for her role in getting there, and not pulling herself out. Even Sarada is blaming her. And the chapter is written from her POV. There is simply no escaping it now. It's been validated.
Kishimoto has made Sakura the scapegoat again. And the readers have followed him in that view.
Kishimoto is sexist, there should be no doubt in anyone's mind. And once we see the domestic bliss that Hinata is sure to be living in, as a reward for her cinderella-like existence in the story, the contrast to Sakura's situation and the negative slant we are supposed to see her in, should be completely clear.
