No offense or anything, but I personally think this series is going to be kinda bad only for the fact that there are too many variables that go into any fight and its outcome. Yes, there are always going to be things that could've happened but how can you ever say for sure what should've happened when what happened already happened? It just seems like a bit of a waste to me but I'll entertain the thread. Not going to down you for creating the thread because it's not a bad idea, it's just too complicated.
Who knows, it may prove to be. But it's all for the sake of fun and conversation, so I don't mind taking the risk. In addition, those variables can be used as part of the discussion, even to counter my argument. I know a lot is loose because fights are more dynamic than what most mention. However, in a manga/anime, I believe they're simple enough to be critiqued
OT: In my opinion, plot no jutsu is just an excuse for butthurt fans who are upset about an outcome. Yes, perhaps Lee was raping Gaara in that fight. No one can watch or read the fight over and say he didn't. But doesn't it take more than just strength and speed to win a fight? Gaara used his mentality. Encasing himself in sand armor and using his gourd made of sand to break some of the impact is genius and shows why Gaara's defense was so highly regarded. Lee or no one else accounted for the possibility that, that gourd was made of sand. Everyone focused on the fact that the sand they saw come out of the gourd couldn't keep up and that was where everyone messed up. Had Gaara been able to stand up immediately and then using Sand Coffin, that's definite plot and terrible writing, but the outcome really isn't a problem at all for me.
Hence why I brought up the fact that this is like the worst match-up possible- he would've beat anyone else (another discussion, another time). But nonetheless, you are right, speed and strength aren't everything. However, Gaara's gimmicks were flowing with plot-chakra. Explain to me these things:
-How is it that a base Lee punch can damage a large portion of the armor, while repeated 4th gate punches and eventually a 5th gate punch cannot even brake a piece off? Bad writing there... Proportionally, his armor should've been shattered to pieces in a few seconds, and then him himself.
-I'll just copy and paste what I said earlier for this: "Lastly, even if he did survive all that without a scratch to his body, having a little bit of sand under him shouldn't save him from anything- at least not logically. We already know his sand couldn't keep up, so it literally could just become sand- it doesn't have time to catch him, cushion him, or in any way be manipulated. It's solely just a few pounds of sand laying behind him without time to do anything useful. Yet, of course, Gaara's plot-shield wasn't pierced."
You try getting slammed into concrete at super-sonic speeds, with 5 buckets of sand under you. I don't see that making any difference.
Definitely? I wouldn't be so sure considering apparently there was a guy Lee was itching to beat who was also considered a bad match-up for him in Neji.
In the flashbacks, we see that Lee only fought (including vs Neji) a) without ANY gates b) with weights on. In such a state, someone as skilled as Neji could certainly win. Let's not forget though that Neji was astonished by Rock Lee and that Lee said himself he was saving his secret techniques for Neji.
Lee too was saved by plot. Fortunately, he's even alive. And what sort of redemption would you have wanted him to get?
I agree. If you ignore all the plot protection that Gaara received, then yes, Rock Lee should died at the end in his post-gate state. Although, that would've happened if it were not for Gai, so I wouldn't call that plot anyhow.
Read this post's 1st paragraph.
