Bail o' Lies

Make sense bout I don't see much Boruto universe skins.

Simple. Who would pay for that? The companies know Boruto isn't that popular. Both the Japanese companies that own the rights to Naruto-Boruto and the gaming companies buying the rights to make skins for their game. The gaming companies, when ideology isn't blinding them, do research to see what will make them the most money. They know Naruto is still fondly regard, but notice any cameo is his part two version not the Last or Hokage Naruto. Any research would show Boruto isn't worth that much compared to Naruto. Look at any data Boruto seems to have anywhere from a 75-95% drop from Naruto in earning and sales. He just not that valuable. So they only time you will see a (non Naruto-Boruto) game having him as a skin is, when they need new skins for the sake of needing new skins.

I have a question.. never watched/read and of the Boruto stuff. Did Ikimoto/Kishi or whoever brainstorms these plots. Has Hinata ever been "relevant" on a consistent basis in the post-Naruto era as the female lead? 

What? Are you asking about the term or something else? Because reading it should make clear an important part of it is, it isn't planned. Its an accidental.

Kishimoto has taken a back seat since he gave control over to Ikemoto. As for him, thinking things through is not something Ikemoto does. If you were to read Boruto manga you will realize he is very predictable and easy to read. The only surprises are curve balls to shake up the monotony that often backfire. 

I don't watch the anime anymore so for that its hearsay to a degree.

At large after the ending Hinata was given more prominence because she was the heroine now and the mother of the next hero. So she had to do more. But this backfired along with the backlash to the ending because she doesn't have much of a personality, personal interest besides Naruto, charisma, or storylines that make her interesting. So she was largely shove back into the background as much as they could. As she was not liked by the Japanese fans, that weren't her supporters, and they see her as the reason Naruto was ruined.

The anime made her an almighty mom to try to counter the notion she a passives wife that has lets her husband neglect their children while they became spoiled rotten unlikable brats. It didn't work, and it doesn't surprise me if she had a lot of scenes in the anime even after I stopped watching. But how unlikable her kids are reflects on her because she is clearly the one who is raising them. So she doesn't get the positive only appears when its important that she used to have. As how her kids behave is part of the story. So she is always somewhat in the back of readers' minds whenever Boruto starts having a hissy fit. That this is Hinata's fault they have to suffer through this brat's behavior. 

In the manga, she rarely appears but that is the same for most Naruto characters or even next gen characters that aren't Ikemoto's own creations. Not helped that she was sealed away at the end of part 1 along with her husband. She was largely stuck as the wife of Naruto and the mother of his kids as she seems to have retired unlike the rest of the cast. Kawaki doesn't treat her like a parental-figure like he does Naruto. Her biggest moment was slapping Kawaki because he wants to kill her son and then she was sealed away with no resistance; undermining her big moment.

She is no longer the secretly powerful most beautiful ninja that only appears when its important and is the only one who truly loves and understands Naruto; in her fans' minds at least. She is now a housewife doing nothing while her family is a mess.

Sakura benefited from the reduced role because that means most people impression of her as an adult is not her crying, doing nothing, but hitting Naruto they had she was when she was a heroine. Instead, while yes, most people do not like her with Sasuke, outside her shippers. She now largely appears to either heal someone, or its related to her daughter. Her daughter is a very well received and well like character so this reflects positively on her, as she was the one who raise her on her own. Her big moment was her speech to her daughter in chapter 34. Besides issues among other things the art that undermined it so it can't truly be called great. Most people seem to agree it is the best scene in Boruto.

The Hinata Paradox Syndrome: This occurs when a creator dislikes or feels apathetic toward a character, to the point they lose all interest in writing them. Consequently, the character is only brought into the story for strictly necessary scenes that require them and are quickly written out once their task is done. However, because they only appear to perform crucial actions, this creates a false impression in some readers' minds that the character must be highly important.

I created a term. This is what led to Hinata being made the Heroine at the end of Naruto. As well as why Sakura is so well received in Boruto.

Nothing is going to happen as long as Boruto is ongoing. That four episode mini-series that has taken four years to make is not to compete with Boruto, but to check the profitability of the IP and maybe prep themselves when they do to Boruto what they did with Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War. Like everything else they have released since the end of Naruto. After that, it depends entirely on both the various companies that used to profit from Naruto, desire to continue to profit from Naruto and seeing it as profitable. Most likely they will do a sequel with Boruto's and Sarada's son Saruto or a prequel with Minato. Less likely but might actually succeed, realize nH/SS was a mistake go back to NS, but that would require them to admit fault. There is the live action stuff but that keeps getting delayed as well.

China seem to be making a lot of popular games recently. Where Winds Meet seems to be a well received mmo.

Apparently, it been so long since there has been a standard male romance in the West. That when the video game Dispatch had one, people assumed it was influence by Japanese harem stories.

Summary Time: Chapter 28. New Powers...where we will see the unearned powers that Ikemoto will try to convince the readers are cool. Likely he will fail.

Cover page is the Clone caressing Bolt's sword...obvious innuendo.

Chapter starts off showing Blond Sai has nearly mastered the jutsu CJ taught him in under a day...remember when the Naruto franchise used to go on about hard work? Well, clearly Ikemoto doesn't. Bolt compliments him and he is rebuffed by Blond Sai that he isn't his teammate...well he wasn't on your genin team translator probably should have used "comrade." Bolt acts the protective older brother due to Blond Sai's feelings towards the daughter. He makes a joke about shaving off Blond Sai awful mop haircut...Ikemoto it is your fault for making that character have that haircut due to your giving the characters "realistic haircuts." He is suppose to have hair like Sai. Is he trying to make the anime, if it comes back, actually have the characters have his haircuts? Because they were ignoring them before and just making look like Kishimoto's style.

Cups goes into the interrogation room for his questioning...wait, I thought we flashed forward a week to the battle; did the story backtrack and decided to cover what they could have skip?! Sai contacts the sensory division and ask for their records for any communication Konohamaru had...god I hate the telepathic hotline stuff. The story feels like it both skipped the week for Bolt's sword to be repaired and yet it didn't for the interrogation and Blond Sai's training. This might actually be the worse structured chapter in the entire manga so far. As I am actually confused on what is happening and when events are happening. Dear God. Ikemoto can't even handle something as simple as a time skip/jump ahead. 

When Ikemoto did the time skip to the battle at the end of the last chapter. That means the interrogations should have been over, and Sai should've address his suspicions after the battle. Or was Konohamaru really interrogated for 7 straight days? But even then he asked for transmissions Konohamaru received a "few minutes ago" which would have been a week ago. 

Bolt gets his upgraded sword from the Clone who explains how it was improved...wait it can now activate the mana sword by just him gripping it? How? OK I do want that explained. Other than the sword is absorbing some of his chakra to do this they don't. Unless the Hagoromo is just pour chakra into the blade there should be more to it. Also, she was somehow able to add a safety feature where only she, Bolt and Sasuke can use the sword anyone else and it will drain more chakra than necessary...How? And How was she able to registered Sasuke's signature? Stupid Scientific Ninja Tool Bull-Shit.

Shikamaru talks with his son about the upcoming attack and they are working with Bolt...it is more of the same "we got to work with Bolt"/"but we hate him due to the perspective flip" that I feel everyone should be sick of at this point. Like if a conversation is had between to people in the village assume this is brought up and I generally won't cover because I am sick of reading those conversation, as they don't go anywhere.

Blond Sai talks with CJ about his prediction powers and CJ explains why he can't give people more details. The more people know that future the more it can change outside his control and he is working with narrow margins due to how overpowered Ikemoto makes his villains. A page where Hime is trapped in a tree and the daughter is dead.

Shikamaru gives an announcement to the cast through Blond Sai. Thank god none of the Kishimoto characters shall be used or be useful. Even though this battle is taking place in the village.

Tree-bug enters the village and the battle starts.

Had a stray thought relevant to this topic so wanted to write this down. So Therece clearly has views of the main cast that differ from the manga and even the Last interpretation of them. Which honestly is a reflection on her character.

So before continuing that line of thought lets first go into the different views the manga, the anime through the last, and Therece have of the main cast relationships.

Naruto:

Manga: He was in love with Sakura. It probably like MK, JT, and OR started out in the academy, likely due to some action Sakura took like helping him once when no one else would, and blossomed throughout the years. While he loves Sakura deeply he wants her happiness more than he wants her. So at the end, when it was clear Sakura would not let go of her feelings for Sasuke and Sasuke was willing to be with her; he backs down for his two friends happiness. So he married Hinata to honor Neji's sacrifice.

The Last: He never had any feelings for Sakura or anyone else for that matter as he is incapable of understanding or experiencing love. He only pretended to love Sakura because he understood Sasuke had feelings for her, somehow, so decided to be a third wheel to screw with their relationship. The worst scumbag. Only gets with Hinata because everyone tells him to.

Therece: His feelings don't matter, though he doesn't love Sakura because he isn't worthy of loving her. Men like him exist to do Therece I mean Sakura's bidding. Which is bringing her boytoy Sasuke back to her and if he dies trying to do so? Who cares.

Sasuke:

Manga: He doesn't have feelings for Sakura but feels guilty for constantly rejecting her when she has been so devoted to him. So ends up with her as part of his atonement. Did he ever fall in love with her? Well...he loves his daughter, Sarada.

The Last: Surprisingly. Actually did love Sakura all along and may have gotten together with her sooner if Naruto wasn't acting like a third wheel anytime they could have bonded.

Therece: His feelings don't matter. He is pretty much a sextoy. He must love Sakura because she loves him.

Sakura:

Manga: Her crush turned into love due to the forehead comment. She never learned the truth so she never stopped loving Sasuke. She has feelings for Naruto, but they could never make that final push into a love that surpasses her feelings for Sasuke as long as the truth about the forehead comment remained hidden.

The Last: At some point, she realized that Sasuke did always love her. It was just Naruto acting like a third wheel that prevented them from getting together sooner and could have prevented some of the damage Sasuke leaving the village caused. Instead of hating Naruto for it, she rises above it, and decides to help Hinata get together with him. In hopes, that her eternal love might actually reach the heart of that emotionless scumbag.

Therece: Sakura is entitled to Sasuke because his sexy dreamy bad boy she can fix. His feelings on the matter are unimportant, he must love her. She is willing to use, abuse, and finally discard Naruto once she gets wants because she doesn't care for him in the slightest. She only willing to amuse herself with the notion of ending up with him if Sasuke isn't around.

Right, incase no one has ever talk to someone about the Naruto franchise in their entire life. The last interpretation of Sakura is generally one that people that utterly hate her have of her. For example that V-Tuber Ouro Kronii, sees Sakura as an utterly vile kitten for using and abusing Naruto when he is so devoted toward her, pathetic for her obsession towards Sasuke despite him making it as clear as day he doesn't have feelings for her, and useless because all she does is cry while refusing to fight. Most of it is misunderstanding or exaggeration of her flaws. Therece on the other hand thinks this interpretation makes Sakura the perfect woman. Now does that not reflect on Therece's character?  

Yet they had no problems when the last did this to Naruto for Sakura. 

In Japan, that pretty much destroyed Naruto's reputation and made him a scumbag in their eyes. To the point, I do think that it did eventually went from being completely canon to semi-canon.

In the West, as long as Naruto only loves Hinata they do not care how bad it makes him look, because the worst is apparently not loving only Hinata and him caring about anything else.

At one point they will because Naruto became a brand. It transcended beyond just being a manga. It's a brand and they will use that.

The question now is when? And also will they learn their lesson? There would be no point in making something new if they just do the same thing.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.

Whenever Boruto is over/Ikemoto's contract is up/when they need a IP that can make them money.

Again, SJ isn't lacking in IP at the moment that are making them money. Likely, why Part one was ended, was that Boruto's peers were all ending at the point and it was making them look at it. To realize, Ikemoto was wasting time and his story was in a rut that could have part one last for 15 years on its own. Which would be nice if it was profitable, though everyone knows, that wasn't the case. So if we wait for the current batch to end, as Ikemoto is failling back into bad habits, they will look at part two again see waste and order it to finish. Which can be about 5 years. Granted shounen manga aren't going on for as long as during Naruto's time. Kill Blue that just ended finished before the first episode of its anime aired.

I think Ikemoto is in a 60 chapter contract as that's around the time Kodaichi was "let go" as his contract is up. 120 of Boruto in total chapters is 40 of part two which is 15 chapters/months from now. If they changed it to 60 chapters for part two 35 Chapters/Months from now.

Boruto is pretty much designed to go on forever due to its abysmal pace. From the start of part two Bolt has had three goals: defeat Punk, defeat the Tree people, Defeat Nail to release his parents. Now those could all be resolved in a single fight or he can make it go on forever.

It really is just how long until the company gets sick of the situation and just ends it.

As for will they change it? If they do continue it, they have no choice. Boruto is seen as such a black mark even by Pro-ending fans that keeping it canon only hurts the IP. Kishimoto was always a reluctant supporter of nH/SS, he only had them because he was told they would be profitable...which they clearly haven't.

One can tell most people are done with discussion when no has bother yet with this... low hanging fruit of a post. I'm not using the quote button because their are tabs and I'm not going to bother editing to try to make it look nice. 

And what's that point of him becoming Hokage? What did he accomplish? Why was it important to the story and its world Naruto became Hokage other marking off a box under character goals? Also, you are quite happy that Sakura's only goal was to get into Sasuke's pants and pop out babies. The Double Standards.

"A couple doesn't change anything about the manga. When Kishimoto wants to make a retcon or a bad decision, no editor can stop him. The thing is, all the NaruSaku arguments, especially the one blaming editors and popularity, don't make sense to begin with.

...You were really hung up on Kaguya while typing this post. Why is that? Are you internally questioning why she exist or not and trying to convince yourself of something? Here, let me help you along. Madara was Sasuke if Naruto gave up on him. Obito was Naruto if Sasuke killed Sakura. Kaguya was the Hyuuga clan's evil ancestor. There was no villain in the final arc tied to Sakura because she was removed as the heroine...also Kishimoto has always had issue keeping her involved in the plot.

There would be more to fix than just the pairing. Though compare and contrast those 15 years to the last 11, it will help. Yes, when NS was the intended pairing they made merch for it and when it stopped being the pairing they stopped making merch. We are getting close to "fire is hot" territory. Unless you have figures of during and post Naruto for merchandise sales it is just speculating. 

I still bet they'll revisit the series again. For nostalgia-sake and some extra $$$.

 

If they did a really good mini series for an anniversary, old school fans would love it! I'm still betting that they'll cash in on the nostalgia at some point. 

Its surprising they haven't already. Though that could be because Boruto still ongoing and don't want to interfere till that's done, the movie is in production hell, and there was the mini series that was suppose to come out that could test the waters that still hasn't been released; which implies issues.

Its like I said years ago. The reason they wanted Boruto is because Naruto was a huge international money maker they didn't feel they could easily replace. Only for the new generation of shounen to do so before Ikemoto's lazy ass could bother to start the sequel, and make more money internationally due to the rise of streaming. Now granted, almost all the manga that surpassed it have ended and there was a drought. Not that Boruto could take advantage of it due to the fact it anime was put on hiatus by that point. Akane Banashi was very close to becoming one of the top three of Shounen Jump. Till Kagurabachi and Ichi the Witch stormed their way into those spots. Which again will delay any need to address the Naruto-Boruto issue as a money maker and how to make it one again...like till after Ikemoto's contract runs out.

I mean from the interviews it does seem he regrets it. That's why many fans in Japan think he sold out or was pressured to do what he did (because he acted like people told him they liked hinata and he changed the pairing due to that pressure). There's also the disagreement from his wife about it too. Seishi and him have pairings similar to ns in most of their manga. I really do believe that him stepping back from boruto is partly because of that. The minato one shot is just more evidence that he's not a fan of the ending. Masashi provided the story for road to ninja and even now he keeps saying hell write more about sakura its not really a stretch to see that a lot of the story just nose dived in a pretty odd way. I don't believe it would've happened this way regardless of the pairing since other manga don't go the way Naruto did

Samurai 8 though short live is another proof he didn't not like the ending. If you made the best romance evar in the story that only geniuses could truly understand or what ever nH/SS say about it now a days. You wouldn't spend 10 chapters of your next story going, "I am not changing the love interest," over and over again.

The wording/puns is common in Shounen manga, like when the straw hats do a combo. I think the Japanese can easily understand it.

Lighting Katana. Raikiri is just 'lighting blade.' Rai-Katana 

Cheery Blossom Shell Smash. Sakura's name with Shell Smash. Sakura Sheru Sumasshu

Sharingan Staff. Is probably the worst/generic/least creative name out of them. Seriously, what did the sharingan have do with a kick? Sharingan Bo 

U-Zu-Mikey-Angelo Barrage. Somewhat creative changing Uzumaki to Uzu-Mikey. Naruto-Mikey Rendan.

The Sakura and Naruto combo names were at least somewhat creative. Kakashi was basic/too simple. Sasuke didn't make sense use the chidori or his fire jutsu instead of just naming it after his eyes if he not even going to really use their abilites.

The foot mutants weren't that interesting. They were just generic monsters. It would have been better if they were at least some animal hybrids for consistency. The fox girl is probably going to turn good due to a speech in the last issue.

Sakura was always popular in Japan save for certain lulls because she wasn't doing anything. Western/US fans hated her and were convinced everyone one else must hate her. I think the big example they like to use was one of the last character polls while the manga was running and Sakura was #11 with Sai which they convinced themselves that means Sakura isn't even popular in Japan. When it was more, 'she was liked, they just liked another character more than her, often Naruto/Sasuke/Kakashi, but she was never hated.' While comparison Hinata fans often love her the most or love only her, so they always voted for her, she had a small but dedicated fanbase in Japan. Which is often why Hinata would rank high in polls while certain conditions are required for Sakura to though when those happens, she beats Hinata easily. This poll which is female characters so no Naruto/Sasuke/Kakashi, or that poll two years ago for 'which character would you like a one shot of' she got third behind Minato and Itachi. There were others over the years but I've forgotten the details of those.

Sakura in Japan. An interesting take on her archetype for the time. A tsundere that wasn't in love with the main character from the start and he had to win her affection; making the romance more interesting and worth investing into compared to most shounen romances. A heroine that had to join in the fight and be involved in combat during a time when shounen really didn't have their female characters fight. Even when that changed, she was still unique because she had a lot of uncertainty and doubt but still had the resolved to improve herself to help out the people she cared about. Something resonated with female readers and is hard to replicate even for modern shounen heroine.

Sakura in US. Filthy useless ugly slutty abusive friend-zoning whore who should die a thousand death!!! 

Hinata in Japan. One of the most generic examples of her archetype ever made. Generally forgettable and uninvolved in the story till the very end and doesn't have much character. Though is great for fantasizing your perfect dream girl because you can make her anything because there aren't that many details that will contradict your fantasies.

Hinata in the US. Most perfect woman to have ever existed. The story should-no, is about her. It about her getting everything she wants. She deserves it. She is entitled to it. For being so perfect despite being the most abused and oppressed character to have ever been written. No one have ever suffered more than her and she never deserved it.

With those lines of thoughts in mind. Is it a surprise there is confusion between the Japan/Kishimoto and the American fanbase?

Sakura lowest point of her popularity was the ending because she backtracked to square zero of her character arc. It improved since because of the fact they refuse to use her in the sequel means she isn't tainted by the issues it has, because she is not involved, and her daughter is well behaved and well received compared to Hinata's spoiled brats.

https://www.reddit.c..._a_poll_on_the/
Not sure if this was shared before but seems there's a gender divide for hinata and orihime

 

Men's Choice:

 

#1. Jolyne Cujoh (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

 

#2. Sakura Haruno (Naruto)

 

#3. Maki Zenin (Jujutsu Kaisen)

 

#4. Rukia Kuchiki (Bleach)

 

#5. Orihime Inoue (Bleach)

 

#6. Nami (One Piece)

 

#7. Kagura (Gintama)

 

#8. Hinata Hyuga (Naruto)

 

#9. Misa Amane (Death Note)

 

#10. Nico Robin (One Piece)

 

Women's Choice:

 

#1. Sakura Haruno (Naruto)

 

#2. Maki Zenin (Jujutsu Kaisen)

 

#3. Kagura (Gintama)

 

#4. Nico Robin (One Piece)

 

#5. Shinobu Kocho (Demon Slayer)

 

#6. Rukia Kuchiki (Bleach)

 

#7. Jolyne Cujoh (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

 

#8. Nami (One Piece)

 

#9. Misa Amane (Death Note)

 

#10. Nobara Kugisaki (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Well the comments are surprised, "that Sakura is actually popular in Japan," is true.

Right, I'm going to use Star Wars and MHA to go into why its generally a bad idea to subvert an ending.

Spielberg was once interviewed and ask about Kathleen Kennedy working under him. His answer was, she was terrible at her job and would interrupt discussions of the brainstorming a movie's story with her own ideas when she was suppose to be taking notes. The one he really remembers was, "What if he didn't get the girl, but instead got the dog?" Which would clearly subvert the ending of the movie. Now why that stood out, why that is a bad idea, and why he never did a movie with that ending are all the same answer. Because while it would seem clever, it would not lead to a satisfying ending to the movie. Story have a flow to them and the audience has expectation of what will happen at the end. Fulfill them and they will enjoy that story and might read it again to experience that enjoyment again. Subverting the story while one could make an interesting story; it could also leave the audience dissatisfied therefor would not watch it again.

Now, here is Disney Star Wars for examples.

Original Trilogy:

And what if Luke didn't restore the Jedi order, but instead ended up as an loser on a island given up on everything.

And what if Han didn't remain a general and reform the military, but instead went back to becoming a smuggler.

And what if Leia didn't become Supreme Chancellor to restore democracy to the galaxy, but instead remained a general in a galactic government that disbanded their armed forces.

And what if Leia and Han didn't remain together but instead divorce with Han going back to smuggling with Chewbacca.

And what if Lando didn't become a wealthy philanthropist, but instead became a hobo on a desert planet.

Sequel Trilogy.

And what if Rey and Ben didn't get together but instead she got his uncle's farm. 

And what if Finn never confessed his feelings for Rey but instead remain her eternal simpering lackey.

Their Tv Shows:

And what if The Mandalorian didn't become the Mandalore, but instead ended on a farm with Baby Yoda.

And what if Baby Yoda didn't become a Jedi but instead just ended up on a farm with The Mandalorian.

And what if Sabine and Erza didn't get together but instead Sabine became a lesbian set up to get together with Ahsoka.

MHA the story start off with the implication that Midoriya is telling the story of how he became the number 1 hero to his successor, who he will pass OFA to. Instead, he lost the quirk, ended up as a teacher for a decade was then given a tech suit, and ended the story with we are all the number one hero. This left fans dissatisfied. 

The story of Naruto was he would become Hokage, earn the villagers' respect, become friends with Sasuke while also surpassing him, reform the ninja system, and end up with Sakura. Even if he looked like he succeed with some of that at the end, it still feels like he failed in the spirit. Leaving most readers dissatisfied with the ending. nH and SS fans said they didn't not care about the story and only cared about their pairings happening. Well, once their pairings happened they then complained about how their pairings aren't how they wanted it. The thing is the story wasn't built for their parings and so making them the pairings would always be unsatisfying as either they are unrealistically perfect or realistically imperfect but ultimately shallow because they weren't developed in story but in the fantasies of the supporters.

Its better for a story to stick to a simple one and tell it well then make a complex story full of subversion that falls flat.

Oh by that way. Apparently, there was an interview with Kishimoto and Ikemoto for a French magazine. It apparently confirmed what I already thought. The story and art are all Ikemoto and Kishimoto "supervises." Which I suspect is gives advice if Ikemoto ask but beyond that leave him to his own devices.