No real character development on Sakura's side? Sorry, you must have missed the last 400 chapters for that.
There has been character "development." In the same sense that Sasuke's increasing psychology represents character development. Her character was nothing but downhill following the Kazekage arc.
The only redeeming portrayals of her come from the anime filler arcs.
The spark is not there? To be honest, I'd call them both sexually frustrated and that from they're side it's not just a spark, it's a whole bunch of fireworks! She asks him if she looks more woman, he tries to act cool in front of her.
That was practically the first damned panel in Shippuuden. If I made the assumption that every girl who asked me if they looked more adult wanted in my pants, I'd probably end up charged with sexual harassment on a weekly basis.
Girls always want kudos from guys. Doesn't mean they desire any more than that. ... For that matter - they may only want certain types of complements from you - further complements are likely to be unwelcome.
See, everyone dismisses Sakura confession because of Sasuke,
You picked the tiniest amount of my post to pay attention to.
though in that part only the Sasuke part was dismissed, not Naruto's one. Not to mention, I have repeated myself over hundred times, the symbolism behind Naruto's perception of her confession, the 12 years old Sakura, the picture breaking, etc. Are just parts showing that Naruto was thinking at 12 years old Sakura that was in love with Sasuke, not 15/16 years old Sakura from the present.
You're not really doing yourself many favors, here.
That's not symbolism. It's purely the memories he has - the powerful ones that tell the story.
And he wasn't at all off the mark.
She wanted to stop him to chase Sasuke as Akatsuki was chasing him.
This is not at all disputed. It's the manner in which she attempted to do this that soiled her character.
Now I'd like people to explain me, why they consider Hinata's actions towards him amendable although it was about to destroy an entire village and get Naruto killed, yet Sakura, that all that she wanted was for him to be same is blamed?
I'll be forward. It's difficult to tell what you are trying to say, at times, because of the lack of quality control on your posts. I can, honestly, barely make sense of the last sentence.
Hinata was willing to put her life on the line to keep Naruto from being abducted and killed by Pain. She followed through with that resolve, and did not attempt to manipulate Naruto (though she does admit to being selfish: she was certain she would die and confessed her love for him in spite of the fact that he could never act on her confession).
Sakura lies to Naruto, attempts to use his feelings for her to manipulate his behavior, and then doesn't have the resolve to go through with her own promise.
I have no doubt that she thought she was doing the right thing - but that speaks to the state of her character, and how misguided it has become.
If Sakura had actually been honest in her confession, you might be on to something.
That was your message and what you got from the whole situation. Don't put your shows in everyone's feet. Not all of us read the manga you do.
I am the defacto relationship counselor for my friends. I'm honest with them, and when I see a relationship that isn't working or simply won't work - I let them know. In the relationships I can directly observe - I'm never wrong.
The same goes for relationships I see as positive and can directly observe. Never have I been wrong.
I may not have the same way of looking at things as other people do - but if I did, I would not have the exceptional accuracy that I do.
Of course, this is all anecdotal. So I don't expect it to be treated as gospel truth.
It was actually pretty clear in the beginning, with the part concerning Naruto. I mean, for ****s Sake, Kishi drew her blushing... you know, that actual state of being you're having when you are around someone you like/love.
Hun, I make girls laugh, giggle, and blush all the time. Know what they say to me: "You could have any girl you wanted, and she'd be lucky."
... Do you know what that means? "I'm smart enough to know you'll treat me well, and may even think you're kinda cute, so you'll make an awesome friend to talk to about my boyfriend. Maybe I can even use you to make him jealous when we have troubles. (always fun when they pull that one)"
Actually, I could provide you with a long wall-text to provide you how their relationship won't be ill-fated.
Hell, Naruto himself stated that he's good around Sakura, yet because the fandom hates her, they put a veil and refuse to see that.
Simply not possible when sasuke practically makes her climax on sight.
There was a girl I used to work with - her and I made an excellent team. There was a pool going around for when we'd officially hook up. Never happened. Why? She was stuck on her ex who had blatantly cheated on her and used her for financial and emotional support. Everyone where I worked would have told you that it was "only a matter of time" and "those two would be perfect for each other." But the reality was that she still woke up every morning and checked to see if he'd sent her a text.
He ran into her at work one day (while I was off - probably for the best, anyway) and played the whole thing off. Seeing that she was still open to being used - he got back into texting her, and she was eating it up.
I have been deployed overseas; but I already know how that's likely gone. He runs an average cycle of about 12-15 months, so I should be getting back right about the time he dejects her.
Now, if she were to change that ideal she holds to someone she works well with and who will respect her - then, certainly, there's no reason to believe that won't work out fairly well (provided the two are realistic enough to be able to resolve issues ... some people get too idealistic and try to ignore issues that need addressing)... if the guy she's fixated on wants that kind of relationship with her.
Once again, your interpretation about the things there. Is not Kishi's fault that readers don't have an open mind that can see through deception.
The majority of human beings are ingrained with innate social senses that have been honed from birth. There are very few things that a popularity poll should ever be considered relevant to... but one of them is interpretations of social behavior.
If Kishimoto was trying to portray an upstanding character in that set of scenes, he failed, miserably.
And you realize how your statement falls about the reasoning with Naruto? How many people were necessary in order for him to understand Sasuke was not that Sasuke? Speaking about lying herself? Who was the one hyperventilating because he couldn't take the truth about Sasuke? Sakura or Naruto?
If it wouldn't have been for Sakura's actions to push him, Naruto wouldn't have accepted that Sasuke has sunk so deep into darkness.
I don't think you really made much of a point, there. Though it's difficult to say, honestly. There's a reason I break-down a post I am replying to.
I'm not going to argue that Sakura didn't play an instrumental role in the plot development. That said, the manner in which she went about it was not, at all, within the definitions of a Heroine.
I'm not sure what point about Naruto was supposed to fall - so I guess I'll let you have that point if you want to take it. I kind of lost track of what we're talking about.
Even Kakashi comments "You see it for yourself now Naruto" or something like this, after he saves Sakura.
And we saw Naruto's character develop as he finally found an answer to the issue of Sasuke.
What's Sakura's, again?
No, she didn't manipulate him. If you are telling me that if Naruto would've returned home with her, Sakura would've just said something like "Oh, I can't return with you to the village now, you know? I have to go kill Sasuke"...
You and I have a completely different concept of what it means to be manipulative. Though this doesn't come as a surprise.
The whole confession was unnecessary if she was merely trying to tell Naruto: "Hey, Sasuke is pretty whacked in the head, right now, and we need to do something about it." Merely telling him about the Kage Summit could have done that. As you so eloquently described, earlier.
The confession was pure manipulation and done because she believed he was chasing after Sasuke because of her (that she held such sway over his actions). She felt that by telling him that she loved him, now; she could convince him to give up on Sasuke and return home where he would be more easily protected from the Akatsuki.
Come one, people, you're smarter than this, or at least this is how I like to think.
I was selected, due to my latent potential, to participate in classes designed to train people how to analyze and interpret a many number of things as part of critical problem solving scenarios. While my peers were struggling with the idea of the earth being round, I was busy working out the material demands of moon colonization.
Too bad your hatred veil can't be taken off.
We get it, you like Sakura and will come up with a wide range of different explanations for her behavior that point away from a self-absorbed character.
I do not believe that Sakura is a bad character, or that she is supposed to be generally self-absorbed. That said - the scene we are discussing quite clearly shows a failing of her character's integrity (if not a complete failing on the part of Kishimoto).
Actually, if it wasn't for Sakura's resolve, Naruto wouldn't have gotten the resolve he got.
She was all kinds of gungho "I'm going to do this" right up to the point where Sasuke appeared. That's not what one would call resolve. That's called deluding one's self.
Surprisingly enough, both Sakura and Naruto had the same resolve in the end, if necessary, kill him.
Sakura never found resolve. She lost it when Sasuke appeared and still has not come to a satisfying decision about what to do (as displayed later during the World War arc during her conversation with a patient).
