Hullo everybody, its been a very, very long time. Good to see people are still here!
I've been feeling nostalgic recently and I've jumped back into reading about NS. Just some thoughts:
1. I cant help but feel like Sakura's increased popularity was partially because people have become more sympathetic. Her daughter has issues. She's in limbo, both a single mother, but not technically single (so it isnt like shes free to find someone in her life). Naruto lied to her about liking her. She came from nothing and ended up with nothing. Maybe that kind of life resonates with the now older fandom?
Meanwhile, Hinata seems like she's currently living a privileged life with everything. People don't feel bad for her anymore, she's no longer the poor girl in the background. The stuff that made her seem interesting isnt there anymore.
2. There's always been an undercurrent of misogyny, but its more apparent after the ending. Kishmoto saying how a woman who changes who she likes is terrible. Wait, what?
Hello person who hasn't been on since before I joined this site. Did you enjoy the one-shot?
1. Her daughter may have some daddy issues, but she is still the most likeable of the new main cast. Mitsuki, Orochimaru's son is just Sai with worshiping Boruto being his entire character; he is the second most positively received. Kawaki is Sasuke but the author's avatar this time. And, Boruto is a spoiled Naruto with behavior you can see a lot in fanfic that try to 'fix' Naruto and make him better; IE he whines and has hissy fits non-stop while thinking he better and more morally right than anyone else. Comparatively, Sarada is Sakura 2.0 with all her flaws removed (not saying that is a good thing,) her daddy issue are understandable as well as being delt with quickly unlike Boruto's which just drag on, and she has a goal of being Hokage. Compared to her teammates' wants: to be her top enforcer because Boruto thinks Sasuke is cool, Mitsiki's just continuing to worship Boruto, and Kawaki's...something something kill Boruto which if he wasn't so stupid I be very supportive of.
It also helps that she is the best parent of the main cast, besides Orochimaru: Sasuke literally avoided his family for 12 years, Naruto neglected his to focus on his job, and Hinata passively allowed her family situation to get worse.
Granted Hinata having everything she ever wanted given to her and still does nothing probably hasn't helped her. When her defenders normally relied on pity because she was clearly the most oppressed character ever.
2. I always took that statement to be something his editors and assistance said in arguments to convince him to go with nH/SS. "Kishimoto-sensei, Sakura can't abandon her love for Sasuke or the fans will see her as a terrible woman." Not helped that is also the clear line of thought that exist in the Last. It is what Sakura's speech to Naruto boils down to. He said it in an interview because that's what he was convinced his fans believed, and what the Last was based on. Of course that backfired, especially in Japan. Of course, it not who said it first but is heard saying it that gets the blame, and he really should have never said it in the first place.
Edited by Bail o' Lies, 02 November 2023 - 10:11 AM.