xxRomanceGirlxx

I'm over the Naruto ending for the most part, but I still can't like any of the NH and SS kids. NH/SS family fanart, promotional works, fanfics or anything related to them is the worst repellant I can think of. I still cringe. All I see when I look at Himewari or Bolt or Sarada are the kids that should never have been born.

The fact that Kishimoto "reasons" Hinata was "meant to be with Naruto" because she always acknowledged him defies one of the key points about what Naruto's journey was about. Naruto got nothing easy, and that was exactly the point. He worked to prove himself in every way he possibly could. He was hated and meant to work for everything so he could truly prove he could be acknowledged. Hinata was simply meant as the proof he could be acknowledged while all the other villagers were something earned on his own. NaruHina was never meant to fit in this equation. NaruSaku was an obvious answer to the storyline and a representation of everything Naruto set out to achieve.

Kishimoto destroyed everything Naruto was supposed to be about. It still leaves a bad taste in my mouth that I have more respect for Naruto's character and the storyline than their own creator.

Yep. 'Nuff said.

@James S. Cassidy:

I think between a nice guy and "Nice" Guy there's a very thin line, but a line nonetheless. It's normal to be frustrated and upset when a girl you like doesn't like you and seems to go for everyone else, especially when you're the one "ALWAYS THERE", but you can't forget your love interest is also a person, not just the object of your desire. You shouldn't keep EXPECTING reciprocation or manipulate all their defenses to get them to that point. They have just as much as right to not like you as you have to like them. The RIGHT nice guy (or nice girl for that matter) is to respect your crush's feelings, even if it's not for you and you love them without expecting anything or manipulation. It shouldn't be the same as weak or a willing doormat - that's just unhealthy. You should be able to stand up for both yourself and them.

The worst "Nice" guy character I've ever seen in fiction was in this book series I read. He was a side character who had a one-book romance with the heroine after her falling out with the hero, but then in the next book she realized she still loved the hero and politely told them she just wanted to be friends. Next thing you know, the next book this "nice guy" - the same guy who tried too hard to defend her he wouldn't even let her speak up for herself - went  bats**t crazy and tried to kill her father and her own kids as punishment for breaking up with him. Yeah, I'm not joking. This was the same guy who "claimed" to love her.

Kishimoto's characters aren't nearly as bad as that example, but no one who had romantic interest in anyone followed the "nice girl/nice guy" philosophy. They all became selfish, twisted characters who view people as prizes instead of people and constantly expected something that never should've been expected. That is not love, that's obsession. Karin might've surpassed this, but with how little it makes sense given the rest of the series it might as well not exist. Kishimoto doesn't know how to write romance. I hope for any of his future readers' sake he never makes another character involved with romance. He taints the character and he taints the series.

Got the gist of the Gaiden (I refuse to read any of this garbage). I can't say I'm surprised at anything that happened. Once again Kishimoto's crappy plotlines shines again. This whole mini-arc was pointless. Pointless drama about Sarada's real mom and did nothing but stomp over shells of the characters (except for Karin, which was the most amazing thing out of this).

There were pointless scenes strongly indicating Karin as the mother but it's all false because reasons. SS love is supposed to be accepted through words and Sasuke's "We had you" line because banana. I guess I live in a wacky universe where real marriages are deeper than a absentee party and a child between you. Whoops, my mistake. Better check myself into a mental institution.

Literally the only consistent thing I can even slightly appreciate is Sasuke. He's the only character that's the same. He leaves with no f***s given, doesn't even show Sakura any deep affection except in they apparently had a child and calls her "wife". SS is supposed to be canon, yet their execution is more laughable than NH. Literally nothing really changed in their relationship. Their execution is so bad, for all I know Sasuke could've just donated sperm, impregnated her with his Sharingan, married Sakura out of pity or Karin might really be the real mother and they just covered it up because Sakura's "better" for Sasuke. Lmao, this is the first couple I've ever seen that's canon has these loveless possibilities and they're all still plausible.

This is just a joke. Truly a joke. Why is this gaiden even called "Naruto"? It should be called "Sasuke Gaiden", like the original series should've been named "Sasuke". He gets everything, gets AWAY with everything, 99.999% of the plot revolves around him, and all Naruto got was a empty Hokage position and a wife he was guilt-tripped into marrying. All Naruto ever was was a tool to Sasuke's journey. Nothing more, nothing less, and that's the sad truth.