You:
Disagree--- Naruto's inability to balance fatherhood and work is based on his past. He doesn't know what work/life balance is. Did you see the scene where he looked up at his dad's pic and asked him what he should do? He doesn't know how to handle conflict with a maturing, rebellious son. His past has a lot to do with that. And Sasuke is right that to understand Naruto and truly understand who he is as a man, Boruto absolutely needs to understand the man he once was. And Naruto does have a meaningful bond with his kids. It's clear, based on the family pics, that they were close prior to him becoming hokage. He just doesn't know how to balance things.
Rebuttal:
This is a problem with the movie, we have no idea how long Naruto has been Hokage so have his kids just been enduring this for years? He hasn't figured out how to balance this after YEARS of being hokage. The kids are older than they were in 700 so we know it's been a couple years. Has he tried to reach out before the chunin exams? What if Boruto never joined would he have tried to reach out then? And like I said understanding is fine, but it doesn't excuse anything. For example: Boruto learns about Naruto's past and understands him and next year comes around and he drops another birthday cake does Boruto understanding him make it ok? No. That's my point. Understanding the past Naruto is fine, but his kids have to live and deal with the current Naruto. I understand that you beat your wife because your parents beat u as a kid, but that doesn't excuse it. And it doesn't make her anger unreasonable.
You:
....I disagree that he had no character arc.....he went from being completely neglectful, to Shikamaru updating him on Boruto and him reaching out via email to visiting him at home to give him a pep talk to him bc he realized "it's important...very important" to do so to actually being home with the family for the first time in the movie.....I think the last scene in the movie signals he now makes an effort to be home more often....and he did apologize to Boruto for how things were in the other dimension.....not sure why they'd waste movie time showing an apology to Himawari, but yea....I guess I wouldn't mind if they included it.....what's new with this series though?! You know no one ever really apologizes for anything or suffer any real consequences of their actions.
Rebuttal:
I think our problem here is we have a different expectations of Naruto. I wanted something much more drastic than what we got. This is the central conflict of the story, the movie should of made it explicit that Naruto changed by the end because like I said who knows how long this will last? After he tells Boruto about his past then what? And If his daughter doesn't wan't to know about his past how will he connect with her? I wanted a conclusion that made me feel like Naruto would never neglect his family ever again, and that he could connect with them in meaningful ways, I didn't get that feeling.
You:
Disagree....Boruto matured and came to understand the huge burden his father carries.....he though all Naruto did was sit behind a desk and act bossy....now he realized the hokage is the one who puts his life on the line for the village....how could he stay mad at him and not come to respect and appreciate him after witnessing the sacrifice Naruto made? Also--again--I interpet the last scene as Naruto making an effort to be home more often....that end scene was the first time we saw the entire family just chillin together.
Rebuttal:
Yes, but like I said before, none of that matters. Who cares how hard the hokage has to work? Or that he's willing to sacrifice himself for the village. Boruto can still be mad at him, and it's perfectly justified. Full disclosure, I have a dad who wasn't there for me and I understand his past and why he is the way he is, but that doesn't excuse anything. He's told me to my face that he loves me so much he would take bullets for me, but that doesn't excuse the fact that he wasn't there. You act like Boruto can't respect and appreciate his father while still being angry at him, these things are not mutually exclusive. Him coming to understand, appreciate, and respect his father completes his character arc. But that doesn't mean the anger goes away. So when Naruto drops another birthday cake what happens? Does Boruto just brush it off and tell his sister to suck it up because their dad is a busy guy?
