Funny thing, since the terrible events of the ending, I have found that my opinion on Karin and SK in general has changed somewhat. I used to not really care about Karin, and I wasn't a fan of SK at all.
But after the manga ending and after reading Chatte's thread reminding me of Karin's role in healing Sasuke in the end, my view on Karin and SK started to soften.
At the end of the war arc, Karin alone saved Sasuke's life, just when Sakura was saving Naruto's. I never thought she'd play a role again outside of Team Taka, but she proved still loyal to Sasuke and was the only one who was concerned for him, sensing his imminent death and crying over him. Then going all out to save his life. Karin evolved from just being a comedic plot device to the one person with the skills to save his life and with the willingess to do it. She evolved from the selfish, bratty Karin of old to someone who genuinely cared for Sasuke and devoted herself completely to saving him.
As for SK, the parallel is clear. And after reading Chatte's theory and seeing the images of Sakura and Karins' efforts, the parallel is hard to deny. Karin was brought back in a tangible way that, I admit, I never expected. Basically, where I had always thought it was just another crack pairing, suddenly it became a real possibility in the plot, and one that actually made sense. Karin's stepping in for Sasuke was completely in character, and the thought of them winding up together didn't feel forced or ridiculous.
And in light of the real ending of the manga, the OOC-ness that is NH and SS, I really see the value of what SK could have meant to the plot. Karin was the only person in the whole manga I thought Part 2 Sasuke would fit well with. (I'll admit some argument can be made for Part 1 Sasuke to return to Sakura, but that person from part 1 has long been dead and buried.) I thought either Sasuke would wind up a lone traveler, like Jiraiya, or he'd be with Karin. A resolution that would unite Uchiha and Uzumakis once and for all.
Anyway, one of the surprising things to come from the end of the manga is the fact that my view on Karin and SK have changed. Anyone else feel like this? Have a dislike that has slipped into an acceptance? Or maybe even a regret that they couldn't have gotten together, when you never shipped SK in the past?
What I really like about NS and SK both is that the pairings lifestyles fit. They can live together and be happy because they are constantly together, and walk the same road. SS for instance, Sasuke wants to travel the world, and Sakura doesn't - that's how it's portrayed in the epilogue. We might not know about NH and SS daily life, but we only got one sneak peek of SS and nothing of NH. One page and Kishi chose to show Sasuke out somewhere, and Sakura doing her chores. That was also my last goodbye to her, my favourite character cleaning her house - I wish it'd been more meaningful than that. 
Persona 5 hype 
