I got to disagree with Hinata's part in your post, Paptala. For Pain Arc, it was all about the village association to Naruto, so we got to have how Naruto changes to many of them, with the village as a whole, Kakashi, Shikamaru, Hinata, Tsunade, Konohamaru, adults like Shikamaru's dad, and of course Sakura.
As for 614/615, while we didn't get much of buildup, hence rushed, we did have her talking about once and for all, standing same ground aka hand holding, so that must be dealt with. Luckily, we did. Now then, what is it that she wants from him? Easy: nothing. Sakura still have few more to deal with Naruto and this is one of them. The most Hinata can get is grouped up with others as in supporting.
Not quite sure what you're disagreeing with - the possibility of Hinata getting more moments in the future regarding her feelings for Naruto? If so, I'm not saying its likely at all. But I've thought that Hinata's feelings were done and closed twice now, only to be proven wrong both times. Heck, look at Karin - she said she was done with Sasuke (which many took to mean as SK being done with) only for her and her feelings for Sasuke to come back later. I'm not ruling anything out anymore, even if I don't think its all that probable.
Yep. I think we're going to see at lest few more NH/SS moments, especially when we don't expect to see them at all! Kishi loves this kind of trolling. It's always HN/SS followed by NS followed by NH/SS and so on..... the tension will grow as we move to the end of the series.
I'm pretty sure that we're going to have a NS moment soon, but I don't think it will be something super big. A lot of things still need to be explained/dealt-with until Kishi reveals the final pairing.
If anything, I think we'll see the girls' dealing with their feelings, rather than interactions between them (though there's likely going to be at least one significant interaction b/t Sasuke and Sakura resolving their bond at the very end no matter what note it ends on).
I don't know, I think this is the second to last arc personally (and also that we're close to this arc's end), so Kishi could definitely make some big moves with NaruSaku.
Yep, completely agree. Kishi has a pattern going. NH and SS aren't done yet not because of the feelings of the characters are resolved, but because Kishi still has a need to drive up reader suspense. The pairing strife will continue until the very end for suspense purposes, and I'm fully expecting an all-is-lost moment for NS before Kishi resolves it.
These are pretty much my thoughts as well, though I honestly hope that Kishi doesn't drag out the resolutions until the very end. I'd hope to get some resolution at least before, such as getting Hinata's feelings for Naruto out of the way before the original Team 7 love triangle is tackled/resolved in the final arc.
SS definitely needs to get resolved, but what more is there for NH?
Chapter 615 was literally the climax of Hinata's desire when it comes to Naruto. She was of help to him and holded his hand. She can't go any higher than that. It's not about pretending to be confident, it's that literally there's no more foreshadowing regarding her importances.
In the beginning it was all about Hinata wanting to confess, after she confessed it was about Naruto addressing her actions, after he addressed them it was about Hinata wanting to be there for Naruto, after she was there in 615 there was no more build up implied. It ended right there.
Now the only thing Hinata wants is to be by his side, which as we say with Shikamaru saying it too, was not meant to be taken romantically. Hinata wants to support Naruto, just like everyone else, and she liking him is her own problem.
I'm kind of this mind set as well, but as I said above, I've already thought twice now that Hinata's feelings had received closure and were done only to be proven wrong. Logically, I don't think there's anything more to do with her feelings other than show her being happy that Naruto is happy with Sakura at the end, but I have been wrong before so I'm keeping a more open/wary mindset when it comes to Hinata and the pairing subplot in general.
i just watched Konoha Gakuen Den (ova based on naruto shippuden ed 2) and saw this. Is this funny to you guys?
why sakura cut her hair in that edi didnt find it funny maybe im too defensive of her.
and i always thought this is fanart, but lol studio pierrot, shouldnt expect any more of them and their bias.
hinata and naruto on a date
I didn't find the gum in Sakura's hair to be funny, but I wasn't bothered by it either. I didn't get the vibe that they were trying to cast Sakura in a bad light or anything - they were just trying to give funny and silly moments to pretty much all of the characters (look at Kabuto and Orochimaru, for instance).
As for the rest, I actually found that particular special to be much more favorable to NS than NH.
The dialogue and scenes leading to the moment you posted above is all but shouting that Sakura has fallen for Naruto:
Sakura: "Well, I guess Naruto has his good points too."
Ino: "So you fell for him?"
Sakura: "No way! Why would I fall for a coarse, clueless guy like that?!" (said in classic tsundere fashion, juxtaposed with an image of Naruto cluelessly holding a sweater Sakura made (not just gave, but made) for him, Sakura turned away from him blushing,
and then another image of Naruto and Sakura standing in rain, their eyes hooded, and Sakura asking why he always has to be so reckless)
[The NH "date" scene]
Sakura (to Hinata): "I don't know what you see in him"
Ino: "Whoa! You're jealous!"
Sakura's facial expressions (and the dialogue before) fully support Ino's statement that Sakura is jealous:
And to add to that, Naruto is not phased at all - no blush, no awkwardness, nothing to suggest he sees her as anything more than a completely platonic friend or little sister.
Maybe some people don't like how Sakura is characterized/presented, but there's no question that Sakura is pretty blatantly implied to have romantic feelings for Naruto, and that Naruto has no such feelings for Hinata.