Naruto

Itachi had to be made innocent so Danzo could be the cause of every evil ever.

That is so true.

Danzo was legit a highlight of Part 2 to me and something I could point to as something good. He was ruined but he was good at one point.

The other day we were talking elsewhere about anime in general and the like. I w as wondering where Fairy Tail will be in 10 years. Forgotten? I can't say how I'll feel in a decade but I still love and re-watch FT.

Compare with Naruto and Bleach. Bleach I doubt I'll ever watch again. Maybe a specifc cool moment or something but will I go through the whole anime? V ery, ve ry doubtful. I think Bleach is fading into memory for most people.

With Naruto, I can still re-watch Part 1 and I like it. It isn't as OMG AMAZING as when I watched it in 2007 but it's still good. If anybody here watches the dub, I really wonder if the writing just went off a cliff in Part 2 o r it's all about localiza tion. But the dub in Part 1 feels so much more natural. People actually talk like real human beings. And I dunno if that's the dub or the difference in writing between Pre and Post Timeskip.

But like, Naruto will probably maintain relevance for a long time to come so far as I know.

None of them will be remembered well, just as shonen that went to crap & disappointed everyone for whatever reason.

Naruto will simply be remembered as having its corpse dissected to produce a long-running mediocre sequel/spin-off

That is what everyone says. Part one is where the best writing was at. I mean I would have loved if they went on more mission to organically flesh their relationship so it doesn't seem like they just automatically made it be that Naruto and Sasuke began seeing each other as friends and not just rivals.

Part one was really more down to earth and where more characters other than Sasuke and Naruto shined.

I do agree with this sentiment.

And as said before with Sakura, I think it would have been better if Hinata was just made the main female character and she could have been a side character that was on Team 8. Sakura probably would have been better trained there because she wouldn't focus on Sasuke a lot and learn to mature faster. Also I think Hinata could have been a good apprentice under Tsunade as well.

Also Ten Ten really needs some backstory to her rather than the Token Girl of Team Gai. I mean one fanstory had her being like Toph. Secretly living a wealthy like while being a ninja.

Hell, I want to know why Kishimoto didn't do this?

I'm guessing it's his reluctance to write both women and romance, which lead to him not even developing Naruto and Hinata's relationship during the manga's run. Most of Hinata's advancement came through the anime if I recall because he asked them to do it, but I realize I read that a long time ago and that may not be all that accurate.

Hinata isn't really much of character. She basically exists so Naruto dosen't end up single and plays a side role in Neiji story-line. Aside from that she's basically one step removed from being another Ten Ten.

And she didn't have to. In a competent writer's hands, she could have had her own story arc that focused on proving herself to her family and changing the traditions for her cousin's sake. I mean Hinata could have been more of a character if Kishimoto cared about the other side ones.

Shit, in a competent writer hands even Sakura could've been a good character.

Yes.

They both had the potential for some arcs (Hinata had a bit of something: growing out of her shyness and gaining confidence in herself) and it was simply a matter of being willing to work on them.

He didn't. Then he had the nerve to say he dislikes Sakura and that she's not a good heroine...when that's entirely on him.

Worst things is, he almost put Sakura on the right track after the time skip, but then backtracked on that very fast.

Yeah. That too.

I mean, I don't know how it was in Japan, but I recall in the west that when she finally started doing stuff, the reaction was basically it's about damned time! Now keep doing that!

I can only assume that in the home country, it was more too little, too late, which made him want to write her even less, which only enforced the dislike that was already there on both sides of the fandom.

Not that it makes it right.

I can’t help but be fascinated in a post-peace ninja world that follows similar changes to the real world. Major changes everywhere whether people want to or not. Which is why I’m disappointed that while their are changes, it doesn’t go far enough.

Like the increased commercialization that has infected everything. Ninja movies & ninja trading cards, it’s like rendering the concept of ninja & the very people into that of a commodity. Instead of being respected & revered warriors & in some cases cultural heroes they are becoming a joke just to pander to children & get their money.

Look at Shino, originally the Aburame clan’s big technique’s made them feared by everyone. Not Bort’s generation regards him as a target of mockery simply because his card is of common rarity. Do you know how disrespectful that is, to be mocked by children just for a dumbass game. I feel like ninja trading cards should be a controversial subject, sure they are profitable but at what cost?

And that’s not getting into the fact that cards include people like Orochimaru & offer a very idealized way of what ninja look like to children.

Most ninjas get non ninja jobs due to the change . Which is making people dumb enough to devalue the useful skills training for being a ninja can give one.

That’s a really good one.

Ninjas function basically as mercenaries & soldiers for their respective state. While they do do different types of jobs for quickly money, they prefer combat, espionage, & sabotages jobs the most. They are masters of the business of war.

And at what time is business highest, when everyone fucking hates each other. In a time where all the 5 great nations no longer hate each other you could find yourself outta the job because there’s just no more of the missions that made a ninja a ninja.

Like epic terrorist threats & Akatsuki level missing-nin are a rarity, so if you a ninja you are stuck doing basic shit like retrieving pets or body-guarding some rich idiot. An era of peace can be fucking boring for a warrior & ninjas are warriors.

Yeah, the stuff with Shino's family is a shame.

Going from feared by everyone to considered scrub tier by kids isn't a very good fate.

...I say, cover them in bugs, then ask them if they think his family is scrub tier. Let the little turds learn the truth first hand.

Shinos done a fine job teaching though. He'z taught them skills their parents had to spend years learning despite how basic it is.

Besides now he's a nerd who loves cute dolls and that's great.

I mean it wouldn’t be that hard now, he is their teacher.

Shino’s problem is that he spends too much time trying to be nice & liked by his students instead of just being respected by him.

He could get so much shit done just by using his bugs to keep order.

Edited by slimcoder on May 25th 2019 at 3:56:44 AM

Someone inserted Ramen Guy over Hinata (and Naruto) vs Pain.

So it was an Inojin episode on Toonami last Saturday, and while overall I got the point of what they were going for with him, and think it's actually something that would make sense for a character like him, I didn't like the way the point was supposed to be illustrated.

Like, he enters a children's drawing contest and lost to Himawari because she put her emotions into the drawings while he didn't? Because that's totally something the judges (one of which was apparently Naruto, so yay for nepotism) could tell? Stuff like that just doesn't click for me.

Edited by LSBK on Jun 5th 2019 at 5:26:47 AM

Heh yeah that episode was heavy-handed. Didn't help that Himewari was the only example of "good art" we see & the importance of Inojin's original drawing makes it seem like art is only good when your thinking of your parents.

Also in recent news, the Bort manga is getting some kind of an announcement on the 10th & they've announced 2 new novels........ For Sasuke due in August & Naruto due in October.

....... Man the people running these spin-offs are an uncreative & unambitious bunch. :/

Edited by slimcoder on Jun 3rd 2019 at 5:02:56 AM

Art is subjective. Like subjective the way Shokugeki no Soma tries to do it but unlike Food Wars makes sense.

The novels are interesting. Its where we got Hinatas dad wanting them to move out and back home because Naruto is at work longer than ever and sees them less than he ever has before.

Also he wants his grankids to smother them in wuvZ

Edited by OmegaRadiance on Jun 3rd 2019 at 5:24:57 AM

Is that 1st thing really supposed to be interesting? Does Naruto & Hinata actually have legitimate martial strife, does she actually argue with him, does she not act like a kind soft-spoken wife? If not then ehhhhh.

Also I recall Itachi & I think Sasuke already got multiple novels as apart of that Shinden series so that's a major strike right there.

Second one is funny I'll give ya that.

Edited by slimcoder on Jun 3rd 2019 at 5:35:07 AM