#love and support to Boruto

[artsycooky13]

top 3 fave bbys in the burrito show (bonus SUPER LONG tags on how i feel bout the characters)

[rokudaimeplease]

“But I had a friend who straightened me out. He pointed me towards optimism and the right path. (...) If Naruto is who you're following... You won't make the same mistakes I did. You'll make a great Hokage. I'm all for it. Don't ever give up, okay?”

[hraishin]

Boruto's biggest sin as an anime/manga was not showing us the talk between Orochimaru and Naruto when Orochimaru asked him to take Mitsuki as a Konoha shinobi . that shit must've been hilarious

[sthaboutlove]

I need y'all to stop with these stupid parallels between Sasuke and Kushina. Some of you are dumb enough to take kushina's line about finding someone like her literally and make non-existent parallels between her and sasuke. They are not alike, either in appearance or storyline. The only person who looks like Kushina is, surprise surprise, her own son. The only parallels Kishimoto deliberately drew are those between Kushina and Naruto.

And I don't think I need to explain this, but since Naruto is basically a second kushina, he needs someone like minato - calm, collected, sensible - someone who balances him out.

If you want a het ship to parallel SNS with, then take Borusara. Sarada has the looks of Sasuke but parallels Naruto in plot and relationship with Boruto, while Boruto looks like Naruto but parallels Sasuke. Borusara is the only ship that was made to parallel sns, but you all prefer to compare Naruto's mother to Sasuke and make delusional analyses.

Boruto is a nukenin who is hated by the whole village, and Sarada is the one who still loves and supports him. Boruto wants to be by Sarada's side when she becomes hokage and protect her. Doesn't this remind you of someone else?

[ssailormoonn]

❛ Loss and Greif ❜

Uchiha Sasuke X Fem!Reader - Headcanons

WC; 600+ | !MDNI! | TW/CW; no big triggers but angsty ofc

⋆·˚ ༘ *𝑅𝐸𝒬𝒰𝐸𝒮𝒯; Sasuke relationship hcs about you each help each other deal w/ grief or loss or depression ? *I was feeling angsty heheh* - @lovelyandproblematic

m.list | naruto/boruto m.list | uchiha m.list

How Sasuke helps you deal with grief or loss ::

Though Sasuke is not much of a talker, he knows what it means to be there and might become silent support. He would just be there, beside you, providing support without speaking. Just his presence would be a comfort in letting you know you are not alone in your grief.

He would become more protective of you, making sure you were comfortable. That could mean staying home with you or going with you to places more often where you go.

Sasuke isn't much of a talker himself, but if you felt like talking about your feelings, he would listen patiently. Even though he sometimes doesn't know what to say, he at least would be sympathetic and nonsilent.

Sasuke would most likely show it through actions. Perhaps he might pick up some of the duties or chores that you are having a hard time doing so that you may have more time to grieve and less worry. He dislikes it when he sees you stressed, thus he doesn't want to see you stressed out.

He would tell you that he believes you have the ability to get over the loss that you are in by sharing the experiences that you both share, or in some cases subtly telling you to keep going. It would remind you about your strength and perseverance.

Sasuke would, of course hold you right close to him, not in the open (obviously he is a man of tradition and privacy) he knows his presence is a comfort to you and he will use this help you get by whatever sadness you hold inside.

How you help Sasuke deal with grief or loss ::

You would have to understand that Sasuke might not be ready to talk about his grief immediately. Giving him space while still being present and available for him is crucial. As much as he wouldn't want to admit it, he doesn't want to be alone, he needs your presence to feel that you are still with him.

Giving him some gentle encouragement. Encouraging Sasuke to express his feelings, even if it's through non-verbal means like training together or simply sitting in silence, can help him process his emotions as long as your with him. He understand so much more because he has you to think about, he loves you after all.

Giving him patience and reassurance, letting Sasuke know that it's okay to feel vulnerable. Reassuring him that they are there for him, no matter what, can help him feel less isolated. Maybe resting on your shared bed or couch, having his body laze on top of yours as you run your fingers through his hair will help sooth him.

That follows into small acts of kindness, like cooking his favorite meal, leaving him thoughtful notes, or simply holding his hand, can make a big difference. These actions show that you care and are thinking about him, even when words aren't enough.

Do not copy, steal, modify, etc.Relogs and like are appreciated.

m.list | naruto/boruto m.list | uchiha m.list

taglist :: @enouche @lovelyandproblematic

@sugu-love @why-are-you-still-awake

[pr1ncessasuke]

Dissecting Naruto’s Ending in Good Faith

Let's consider the possibility that Kishimoto's ending was deliberate—that things ended how they should've, and some plots weren't mistakes (looking at you, Kaguya).

Okay, hear me out. By assuming this, we can explore the series with a good-faith reading. Recently, I’ve been reflecting on the series as an adult, and it’s shaken up many of my beliefs and perceptions—it's somewhat distressing, so I’ve been processing all this in therapy too, and coming to key conclusions. I think It's crucial to understand the motivations behind Kishimoto's choices, not just within the Narutoverse but also within the Kishiverse. Why did he make the decisions he did?

Why did he suddenly introduce reincarnations and fate? Aliens? Why the couples that seemingly came out of nowhere? Why doesn't Naruto quite change the system, or help the Hyugas? The final arc, overall, just seemed quite jarring, with some plots (like fate) seemingly subverting the message of the series.

I wonder, then, if Kishimoto's ending shows more of a realistic world rather than an idealized one. Reality often unfolds messily and sadly, devoid of perfect resolutions. Whether intentional or not, Kishimoto's storytelling may reflect his acknowledgment of the imperfect nature of existence. His reality bleeds into his creation, and he's subject to the same harsh realities his characters face.

Fate, Justice, and Change

In this unideal depiction, Naruto and Sasuke's actions are tied to fate rather than free will, Sasuke doesn't achieve his revolution, Naruto doesn't dismantle the shinobi system, and both end up in marriages that seem sudden and unsatisfactory.

If Kishimoto indeed intended this, why? Well, change often takes time, and sometimes change doesn’t even happen at all. People can become tired of fighting for a cause in certain ways, and settle for smaller victories. Relationships may not always align with desires, leading to compromises for convenience.

It's intriguing that Kishimoto explores themes of defying fate while ultimately making Naruto destined to save the world anyway. By making even the protagonists constrained by destiny, Kishimoto echoes historical cycles of rise and fall. Perhaps there's something inevitable about human love and hatred. We can begin to see Kishimoto's philosophical musings on how the universe came to be—the First Cause theory, that there's a divine Creator behind the universe. Or, perhaps, no matter the circumstances or our destinies, we must try to make our own decisions.

And, Sasuke's lack of revolution may not be a complete surrender. He doesn't fully support the system, remaining detached from the bureaucratic and familial norms by traveling. He pursues justice by roaming the world as a vagabond, championing justice as a vigilante. Sasuke has never been one to adhere strictly to Konoha's rules; he eschews the headband and prioritizes loyalty to his morals and loved ones. His rebellion does not manifest as he initially envisioned because his youthful idealism inevitably wanes. But this doesn’t take away from his fight, because Kishimoto portrays him as insightful and intelligent, showing that Sasuke can recognize the pragmatic benefits of partial conformity. He forever remains committed to his pursuit of justice by traveling and aiding others. Thus, his true surrender lies in acknowledging that he can be loved without compromising his strength, refuting the notion of love as a weakness.

As for Naruto, he isn't ignorant—he does comprehend the situation fully, sharing a deep understanding with Sasuke that transcends words (“I know your heart, and you mine” telepathic conversations). While it doesn't seem like much has changed, the events in Boruto unfold merely two decades after Naruto's era, a short span in historical terms. Significant societal transformations typically require centuries, not mere decades. Nevertheless, Naruto succeeds in establishing an era of peace, which Kishimoto shows through the relatively low stakes in Boruto. And when there are threats, they often manifest on a cosmic scale involving gods and extraterrestrial beings. While Naruto and Sasuke have brokered peace among nations, they acknowledge the inevitability of conflicts and warfare. Naruto's focus shifts towards fortifying the system itself, striving for safety within the constraints of reality.

Unexpected and Reluctant Couples

To thoroughly analyze the series, we must also examine the role of romance, as Kishimoto's introduction of romantic pairings significantly impacts plot themes, character development, and motivations. Whether we embrace it or not, these pairings alter the essence of characters in ways previously unseen.

In the canon material (manga and anime main story only), Sasuke and Naruto exhibit no romantic interest in Sakura and Hinata throughout the series. In fact, neither actively pursues romance in general. Sasuke states as such to Kakashi, and Naruto tells Jiraiya he’s not interested in girls. While Naruto initially does have feelings for Sakura, he eventually relinquishes them. Both protagonists prioritize their ideological missions above all else, with exceptions made for their friendship with each other. Sasuke, for instance, abandons his vendetta against Itachi when he sacrifices himself for Naruto in the Land of Waves, while Naruto is willing to forsake his dream of becoming Hokage to die to save Sasuke from loneliness and hatred.

So, how does Kishimoto portray their eventual marriages? Sakura pursues Sasuke persistently, repeatedly confessing her feelings until he ultimately relents and agrees to a family life with her. Meanwhile, Naruto displays no romantic interest in Hinata, even disregarding her confession during the battle with Pain. When he eventually marries her and starts a family, it feels contrived and dispassionate, a jarring image contrasting the boisterous Naruto we know. These relationships seem to emerge out of duty and resignation rather than genuine affection. Both Sasuke and Naruto appear worn down by their wives' persistence, leading them to reluctantly accept their marriages.

These couples have sparked considerable debate within the fandom, and rightly so, because they are not healthy or truly romantic relationships; rather, the depiction reflects the harsh realities of many real-life relationships. Kishimoto portrays Naruto and Sasuke's marriages with little prior development; perhaps a deliberate narrative choice rather than an oversight, highlighting their dissatisfaction through their roles as absentee fathers.

And in terms of specifics, Naruto's marriage seems to revolve more around Hinata than anything else. Consider this: why is Naruto portrayed as uncharacteristically serious and subdued when interacting with Hinata? Even during the pivotal moment when he finally confesses his love to her, his demeanor remains stoic and solemn. Where is the goofy and expressive Naruto we know and love? Additionally, why does Kishimoto include comments from other characters urging Naruto to "treat her well"? Because Naruto's marriage is not primarily about him; Hinata simply happened to be there, and it’s his duty to follow up on that.

And for Sasuke, why do we see panels like the family dinner in Boruto where Sasuke appears utterly miserable? Why is Sasuke never around? Why didn’t Kishimoto even give them a kiss scene? Why does Sasuke mostly display emotions when he's engaged in combat or interacting with Naruto? It's because Sasuke finds purpose and vitality in fighting for his beliefs, and Naruto is the only character depicted by Kishimoto who truly understands Sasuke's innermost thoughts and feelings. Sakura doesn't get Sasuke's essence. Isn't a marriage supposed to be built on true understanding, and progression?

One way we can see it is, Kishimoto, as an artist, is deliberate with his drawings, and these details are not mistakes. Canonically, both Sasuke and Naruto are depicted as tired or subdued in their relationships. Despite Kishimoto drawing them blushing in various situations before, neither of them ever exhibits such reactions when interacting with their wives. This deliberate choice by Kishimoto, despite them being his beloved main characters, shows that Sasuke and Naruto are not in love with Sakura and Hinata.

Love and (lack of) Romance

Sasuke and Naruto are not portrayed as romantic individuals; rather, they are depicted as traumatized fighters and idealists driven by a desire to change the world.

Kishimoto remains true to this characterization throughout the series, extending into Boruto. While Naruto is largely a series about love, it's not focused on romantic love. Instead, it delves into the concept of transcendent love and optimism amidst adversity, encompassing love found in seeking revenge, striving to change the world, and fostering bonds of friendship and loyalty. The relationship between Naruto and Sasuke is the one Kishimoto gives the most development to in the series, and embodies nuances of love, rivalry, loyalty, and compromise. This love isn’t necessarily romantic, but it can also be anything because it is transcendent love. This part is up to you to decide and I believe doesn’t take away from their story either way.

Another question that arises is, does Kishimoto really just suck at writing romance? Well, not really. He’s demonstrated his ability to craft compelling romances, such as those between Minato and Kushina, and Asuma and Kurenai. However, he chose not to apply this to Naruto and Hinata or Sasuke and Sakura. Although, he does show that Sasuke cares for Karin at one point, even awakening a new power for her, but takes it back as their relationship ultimately falls victim to Sasuke's madness at the time (although I believe this relationship, along with Naruto x Sasuke, can tentatively be argued for, but I digress for now).

These decisions reflect 1) the fact that Naruto and Sasuke's characters are not about romantic love; their goals and convictions for justice are prioritized above all else 2) Hinata and Sakura are not The Ones for them. Thus, their seemingly unhappy relationships serve as a reflection of their de-prioritization of romantic love in favor of their greater missions.

Further, realistically, people don't always end up with their ideal partners. Many people settle in relationships because they desire families or because they are pursued by others, rather than actively seeking out their soulmates. Kishimoto chooses to depict Naruto and Sasuke with a lack of emotional expression with their respective spouses. Even in the presence of their own children, Naruto and Sasuke are not depicted with joyful expressions, suggesting a lack of fulfillment in their familial roles.

The Whitepill

Ultimately, the way things turned out seems disheartening at first because shows are meant to inspire and provide an escape from reality. Throughout the series, Kishimoto led us to believe in the possibility of an ideal ending, where change is attainable and love conquers all.

But, Kishimoto's decision to depict Naruto and Sasuke's inability to achieve 100% of what we desire is, in fact, profound. The truth is, we can't always get exactly what we want, but we can make small compromises and strive for justice in whatever ways we can. This struggle is something humanity has faced throughout its history. Our world is far from ideal. But, we are still able to achieve bits of justice in ways we can; we get just enough to keep us going, to leave us with the thirst for more.

Perhaps Kishimoto portrays Sasuke's surrender not because he believes Naruto is unequivocally right, but because Sasuke wants to choose love, and is inherently kind and idealistic. He cares deeply about his friend and desires to see positive change in the world. Sasuke's journey leads him to become a protector of not just Konoha, but all villages, reflecting his compassion for people everywhere.

Similarly, Kishimoto may depict Naruto continuing on as part of the existing system not because Naruto is complacent, but because he's someone who seeks to work within established frameworks rather than tearing them down completely. This approach doesn't diminish Naruto's convictions or his commitment to change; rather, it reflects his pragmatic approach to achieving his goals while minimizing disruption.

Naruto and Sasuke's best efforts serve as inspiration for us to take up the mantle and continue the fight.

Ideal World and Optimism

Despite this, Naruto’s ending does not really make sense in an ideal world. In an ideal world, there would be a more perfect compromise, we wouldn't be bound by our fate, and the oppressive shinobi system would be dismantled. Naruto and Sasuke would have more time to heal and explore the world alone, and eventually find fulfillment in their love lives; Sasuke would find someone who truly understands him, while Naruto would enjoy a relationship where he can be his true, expressive self. Sakura would be able to move past her childhood infatuation and grow personally, while Hinata would gain confidence and develop her own identity.

Therefore, reading from a purely Narutoverse standpoint, the issues I mentioned do, in fact, undermine the themes and relationships built over the course of the narrative. Maybe Kishimoto fumbled after all, and Boruto sucks, and is simply a cash grab. Or, he intentionally wanted to troll us—suddenly breaking all conventional storytelling rules is suspicious, right?

Perhaps what really happened is a mix of all these things. While there are many external influences that led to this bleak ending, Kishimoto's intentions surely play a vital role.

Regardless, Kishimoto's big mistake is being too subtle and abrupt in introducing the new concepts at the end. However, in doing so, he has successfully sparked ongoing disagreement and discourse that persists even a decade after the series concluded.

In this sense, he has effectively brought attention to the messages: make love, not war; seek change, not complacency; and find The One, don’t settle. And even if I’m wrong in everything and this whole essay is just a copium, it's a lot better to believe in my ideals than to accept defeat. Because, Naruto taught me one invaluable lesson—no matter the odds, never give up.

[al-hekima-madara-blog]

It's all about love, folks! (Minato Manga)

My reaction of the Naruto Gaiden - Whirlwind in the Vortex.

When was the last time we've got a story written and drawn by Masashi Kishimoto? Naruto Gaiden in... 2015!! Needless to say that I was highly anticipating this one shot, not that I'm a big fan of Minato (rather neutral) but I'm wondering if Kishimoto still got the guts... ~wink wink if you know, you know😉~ in 2023.

And I was happily surprised! First of all, he trolls us a little bit, this Minato Namikaze's story is in reality a Kushina Uzumaki's story. Naruto's favourite jutsu, the rasengan is strongly connected to his parent's life. Secondly Kishimoto, notoriously-known-for-not-dealing-well-with-female-characters, wrote a proper shojo, in the noble sense of the term. And you know what? It's very good! It's a true love story between Minato and Kushina and this since their young age. The drawing is just beautiful, the writing emotional and poised, Kishimoto's style is intact, The Naruto universe is still there. Why did he let us rotten with the ugly Boruto instead? I don't know but I divert...😭

For my Founders enthusiasts, we can now confirm what we already knew bc we actually read the manga Naruto and Minato one shot rather than fanfiction: Mito and Hashirama was not a loveless arrange marriage as it is spread by a baseless urban legend. Hashirama loved Mito and Mito loved Hashirama. Their romance is not only canon but essential to the storyline. Jinchuuriki needs to be loved and support in order to keep control of the Bijuu, Gaara is a perfect example. Without her husband's love, Mito wouldn't have had the strength to keep the Kyuubi inside her. Kushina&Minato are mirroring Mito&Hashirama. Both Uzumaki, both jinchuriki, both in a deep love bond with an exceptionally powerful shinobi, and future hokage.

Naruto was able to keep the demon inside him for so long, first because he only possess half of the true kyubi's form, then thanks to the love of his parents (Minato and Kushina appeared 2 times to protect his seal), later by the fatherly love of Iruka-sensei, then the team 7 Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke and of course all his friends in Konoha and beyond.

That was my first impression and it's globally positive. I'll probably talk more about this Minato's story, we got many information about the Uzumaki clan...but later in a podcast, so stay tuned!

[cougartist]

Sarada Uchiha hentai from Boruto

Do you look the hentai version ? Go to Patreon.com/Coug and support me please.

Thank ! Love !!

[cloudysky-930]

So, I replied to this in a brief comment already

"Bullshit. The reason people shit on Sakura 24/7 is because of some shit she said when she was 12. People will hate on Sakura for being weak and then like rock Lee even when she trained just like he did to become better. Naruto tried to "reason with him" but would've done the same thing. And don't forget, sasuke tried to kill Sakura several times. If she didn't really love him, I don't fucking blame her. All he did was treat her like shit, with a handful of soft moments that she probably doesn't even remember. And then he left his family for nine years in boruto and tried to kill his own daughter 💀 father of the fucking year"

But I thought it would be important to actually post some evidence in order to support my claims so I'll start from the beginning

________________________

"Bullshit. The reason people shit on Sakura 24/7 is because of some shit she said when she was 12."

Incorrect! I can give you some reasons why I dislike her in shippuden.

Says shes going to save her teammates finally, but when the time comes just hides in the forest and does nothing.

Sai is the one that stops Sasuke from harming Naruto, not Sakura, for some reason. Isn't Sakura the one thats whole goal is to finally be useful? What happened to that?

She could've stopped EVERYTHING, but no! She hesitated and made the war SO MUCH WORSE. She couldn't even do this simple task!

She's stupid af for running at 4 tailed Naruto. Like what was she thinking? What would she even be able to DO.

Ran at madara with absolutely no plan, which was a stupid idea. She did this so she could impress "her precious sasuke-kun!"

The constant pining after sasuke for no reason other than his looks

She doesn't even try to understand his actions throughout shippuden

See! He doesn't even care when she gets hurt! And why would he? Not to mention, she didn't even acknowledge Naruto helping her at that moment.

I'll just copy and paste what I said in a pervious post

"Friends who care about their friends don't lie and tell them that they love them. What if it actually worked? If Sakuras plan worked and Naruto believed her, what did she plan on doing after that? Did she still plan to go after Sasuke, and let's say she actually managed to kill him somehow. Wouldn't that just break Narutos' heart even more? For being so smart as some people claim, she's really stupid."

Leaving her teammates who were trying to help her with her stupid plan unconscious and in the open where people can easily harm them.

Last but not least, We are only told that Sakura surpassed the tsunade, not shown it. For example, as shown in the manga and anime during the 4th Shinobi war, Sakura couldn't heal shikamaru, but Tsunade did it with one tap. If Sakura surpassed tsunade, wouldn't she heal Shikamaru faster than a tap?

Also in this frame above, she's dissing her TEACHER who made her go from a complete ZERO to above average in strength. Like Tsunade was doing CHARITY WORK by helping SAKURA, and she dares to put her teacher down???

There are more examples , but because of the image limit per post on Tumblr, this is it for this section.

______________________

"People will hate on Sakura for being weak and then like rock Lee even when she trained just like he did to become better."

Well, for one, Sakura was born naturally gifted with chakra control while Lee was born with no talent at all.

And two, Sakura has A LOT more screen time compared to Lee but does less in that screen time compared to him. Like, 4/5 times, Sakura is going to be useless when we see her, but for the small instances, we see Lee. He's actually being helpful.

______________________

"Naruto tried to "reason with him" but would've done the same thing."

Newsflash! Killing someone is very different than offering to die WITH them. So no, he wouldn't have done the same thing.

______________________

"And don't forget, sasuke tried to kill Sakura several times."

Every time sasuke tried to kill Sakura was after she tried to harm him or had plans to harm him first! So, Sasuke was more of a victim in these scenarios than Sakura.

______________________

"If she didn't really love him, I don't fucking blame her. All he did was treat her like shit, with a handful of soft moments that she probably doesn't even remember. And then he left his family for nine years in boruto and tried to kill his own daughter 💀 father of the fucking year"

Wrong again. All he did was treat her like shit? Are we watching or reading the same show/manga? Because he has been nothing but kind to her, and she didn't even deserve it. She's done nothing but hit on him for no real reason and tried to bring him back for her selfish reasons. Those "handful of soft moments" you claim that he gave to her weren't even deserved, considering she never cared for him as a person but about his looks.

Yes, he left for over 9 years, but why's that a mistreatment of Sakura on his part? Considering she was dying to get with him in the first place.

"Father of the fucking year" why should he want to be near a women he never truly loved and near a child he obviously only needed to have for plots sake.

Why don't you mention how shitty of a mother Sakura is? She uses physical intimidation to make sarada stop asking questions, which is a form of abuse! And those questions weren't even offensive. Her relationship with sasuke IS weird, and she should've answered her daughters questions accordingly.

She even chased after Sasuke for this life so no! She's NOT a victim this is EXACTLY what she wanted!

___________________

I would tag you, but considering how much you've been commenting on my posts, I'm sure you're going to come across this anyway.

Now we obviously share different opinions, and that's okay. But commenting on my posts isn't going to change my opinion because why would it? I have the evidence right here, and measly comments aren't going to make it go away.

[chillbusinessax]

The Role of Sarada Uchiha in “Boruto: Two Blue Vortex”

The importance of Sarada Uchiha in the series has undergone significant changes throughout the series, and it is important to highlight three key stages in the development of her character.

These three stages have been outlined by the two main writers of the series, Kishimoto and Kodachi.

1st Stage: Kishimoto's Introduction

Let's remember that Sarada and Boruto were the first two characters of the new generation whose foundations and relationship were established by Kishimoto. He presents both characters as a duality that marks the beginning of the series. Through their childhood fights and encounters, a complex friendship is shown that reveals the true character and desires of both characters, who carry important legacies on their shoulders and have big dreams in their hearts. This stage covers from...

The last chapter of Naruto Ch. 700; Boruto: The Movie; Boruto: The Movie (Novel); Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring; the 5 novels of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations; Sasuke Shinden: Shitei no Hoshi; Naruto Shinden: Oyako no Hi

2nd Stage: Kodachi's Era

Kodachi takes control of the manga and begins its serialization based on the foundations established by Kishimoto, respecting his canon and, at the same time, incorporating his own script into the story. We continue to see Sarada's important interactions with Boruto, as well as her own development. Her climax comes during the fight against Boro, but suddenly her role is relegated to simply being Boruto's team mate until she disappears from the manga, becoming a recurring character. Sarada's last appearance under Kodachi's direction is in Chapter 44 of the manga.

3rd Stage; 2nd Era of Kishimoto:

Starting from Chapter 52, Kishimoto takes over the complete writing of the manga, closing Kodachi's storylines and introducing characters that would change the direction of the story. It is from Chapter 69 where Kishimoto reintroduces Sarada and gradually restores her importance as one of the pillars of the plot, thus regaining her initial relevance in the development of the story.

It is important to highlight that Sarada is reintroduced into the narrative with a clear desire: to be an important support for Boruto, someone he can trust and rely on. Sarada doesn't want her best friend to bear all the burden on his shoulders and longs to be capable of protecting him. From a young age, they have always been there for each other unconditionally. Kishimoto presents us again with the duality between both characters, and it is in Chapter 79 where everything finally makes sense. Sarada is destined to save the protagonist, breaking Momoshiki's prophecy and giving Boruto a second chance, putting herself in a vulnerable position within the village. Sarada, the daughter of the traitor (she is the one who begs Sasuke to save Boruto), is seen as a rebel who supports the enemy. Combined with the history of her clan, Sarada is excluded and degraded to a Genin.

By now, you may be wondering: Does Sarada's character depend on Boruto? Well, the answer was mentioned before: Kishimoto set up Sarada and Boruto as a duality, two characters that feed off each other and whose individual storylines have points of connection, basically an analogy of Yin & Yang. The franchise makes many references to Japanese folklore tales and Shinto and Buddhist mythology of Japan, so it shouldn't surprise fans.

"Boruto & Sarada Their eyes tell a story that the most powerful jutsu even couldn't erase… A love story"

Its Sarada's POV that opens the story of "Boruto: Two Blue Vortex." Sarada is immune to omnipotence because that's what Kishimoto needs for the writing. Sarada is the only living witness (besides Eida and the own Boruto) to the entire life story of Boruto. They grew up together and have formed a very complex but important bond of love. Boruto reappears to protect Sarada from Code without her asking him to, he came and stood in front to take care of her because both would give their lives to protect each other. And take note that this will be a critical point in the plot and something that has been building since the beginning of the series.

On the other hand, Eida and Daemon begin to suspect Sarada and Sumire due to Sarada's insistence on uncovering how to reverse the jutsu and understanding Eida's powers. We know how dangerous Daemon can be if he considers them a threat to his sister, or if Eida personally asks Daemon to kill them.

We must not forget that Sarada is an Uchiha. This conditions and enriches her character, making her a user of one of the most powerful and legendary dojutsus in the series: the Mangekyou Sharingan. Although the Mangekyou does not reach the level of shinjutsu or karma, it is a dojutsu of divine lineage that can bring about significant plot twists. It can grant space-time abilities, high-level genjutsus such as Kotoamatsukami and Tsukuyomi, the divine weapons of Susanoo, and even partially alter reality. It may not reach the level of karma or shinjutsu, but she has a very dangerous weapon in her hands that will eventually be decisive in the narrative.

We must not forget Sarada's psychoemotional context; she is intelligent, cunning, determined, is a leader and highly educated, she wants to be the Hokage, she wants to protect the people she loves & Konoha, but she is still an Uchiha. Her bloodline carries a great weight in her emotions, making her irritable and reactive. She is deeply affected by everything that has happened in the past three years: Sasuke is being hunted, so her family is separated again, Boruto is unjustly condemned as a criminal and deserter because of Omnipotence, the seventh, her role model, is presumed “dead”, and she has been ostracized. She lives in a world blinded by a false reality, the perfect cocktail to build a story of drama, power, and love, befitting the heir of the Uchiha Clan.

[halfamask]

Ok idc if I get hate for this but I HATE Sakura haters. “Oh she’s so useless oh she doesn’t do anything she lets naruto and sasuke do everything” I-

Sakura is the only main character we see who’s not overpowered in some way or part of a shinobi bloodline. We know how important those are in terms of powers, allies, mentors, etc. sasuke unlocks the sharingan and gets powerful. Naruto has the nine tails and also incredible heritage. Her best friend ino is from a major clan with special mind jutsu. Everyone else- shikamaru, choji, kiba, hinata and even neji, shino, even gaara + sibs, most of the main characters have some sort of familial/clan support and power. The only other one we see who doesn’t is rock lee but what does he get? The unwavering dedication of guy sensei. I love Kakashi but damn he did Sakura dirty with training when he focused on naruto and sasuke.

So she comes from no shinobi background, masters chakra control before naruto and sasuke to climb the tree, is one of the only if not the only person to solve the written part of the chunin exam without cheating just because she’s so smart, and people have the audacity to shame her? Oh she’s scared in fights YEAH OF COURSE SHE IS? Naruto and sasuke aren’t scared of zabuza and haku and orochimaru but she’s not a 12 year old boy with unlimited power and even more audacity?? She’s a girl who has no special abilities and learned a week ago to climb a tree.

She was done really dirty in shippuden too bc she finally got tsunade to be her master after being ignored by kakashi, mastered healing and was the only one of her disciples to actually master the thousand healings and she’s still relegated to being useless bc she’s not as good as naruto and sasuke. The first arc of getting gaara back shows what she could’ve been as a character: a selflessly brave shinobi who’s intelligent enough to think of new solutions like forming the antidote to sasori’s poison and letting chiyo control her to fight sasori. She’s the one who formulates the antidote to save gaara. Yes she’s manipulative at times and uses Naruto’s crush on her to try to get him to come back to the village but yk what? She’s a fucking shinobi. That’s what she does. She manipulates and fights and uses all her resources to complete her goals.

I’m tired of seeing her called useless bc she doesn’t stack up to classmates with clan support, is weaker than the two overpowered main characters in the show, and has appropriate fear responses to things.

Edit to add this includes boruto era Sakura hate. Ppl hate bc she wears the uchiha insignia UH YEAH she married into the clan and also do you remember what happened to the last kid who was the only person who wore the uchiha insignia hint his pain of being alone got to him and he ran off to orochimaru. Oh but hinata/temari/ino don’t wear their husbands’ clan insignia YEAH BECAUSE they’re already part of powerful clans they can’t switch up on loyalty like that Sakura has no clan so she can. Oh lol Sakura’s the only one who could have an uchiha kid who needed glasses yeah ykw she’s the one who can make her vision perfect with healing I’m betting this comes from sarada’s dad who destroyed and switched up on his eyes like 1836283 times. Also she’s a brilliant doctor and tsunade’s best legacy it’s not her fault that sasuke is an absent husband and father when she’s done nothing but be a present, active wife and mother who doesn’t hold back on her love for her family

[orochiposting]

OroNao + IzumAra ⋆˙⟡♡ | Double Date♡ྀི

art by my friend @ izumisabaku on insta !! <3

Returning from a dinner date, the two women stumble slightly in their strides while their husbands support them on either side. Naomi was eager to enjoy a nice meal with Izumi, who she used to train and travel with when the younger woman was still a child and Naomi was in her early twenties. She may have been too excited to spend time with the girl she viewed as her own daughter, drinking recklessly and a bit more than her high tolerance allowed. The Senju, rarely got drunk enough for it to show, but she didn't think too much about it that night. Having a genuine good time catching up with Izumi, and even getting to know her partner, the Kazekage Gaara, even with the slight tension in the air from including a newly 'reformed' Orochimaru. But by the end of the night, they all had such a good time and even if the boys aren't too fond of one another, they can't deny seeing their wives so happy.

〰・♡・〰

Boruto Era Naomi + Everyone Else Naomi is the white haired oc on the left, and belongs to me & Izumi is the purple haired oc on the right, belonging to my friend @ izumisabaku on insta who drew this <3

this adorable piece was drawn by my friend @ izumisabaku on instagram after we got to discussing how our characters could interact and influence one another's storylines and it is just so so cute !! i love seeing naomi and her husband interacting with others especially such a cute couple like Izumi x Gaara (izumara)

[watermelonsloth]

I was digging through old texts and found propaganda I wrote for team taka being a polycule

This is my formal apology for not mentioning them in my “what I ship” post.

1. Sasuke was a sort of “awakening” for all of them. He was the first person to show Karin kindness, he was the first person to inspire Suigetsu into loyalty, and he was the first person to make Juugo feel safe/secure enough to freely interact with people

2. Sasuke chose each of them specifically, a sign that he respects all of them

3. Sasuke was willing to die for team taka and refused to leave any one of them behind against Killer Bee

4. Suigetsu risked his life to give team taka a chance at escape against Killer Bee

5. When Sasuke saw he accidentally hit Karin with Amaterasu, it was upsetting enough that he unlocked one of his mangekyou sharingan abilities

6. Suigetsu went through the trouble of freeing Juugo and finding Sasuke during the war

7. Team taka offers support to Sasuke without actively trying to force their beliefs into him or “fix” him like so many others do

8. Juugo helps out Suigetsu and Karin even when he doesn’t have to

9. Karin lets down her walls in front of team taka and no one else

10. After Shippuden, Karin, Suigetsu, and Juugo all decide to stick together

11. In the Boruto anime, there’s an entire arc of Karin and Suigetsu trying to help Juugo

12. Sasuke doesn’t drop them after completing his goal of killing Itachi despite only using them initially

13. All of them have an interesting dynamic with each other

14. All of them have similar traumas and have shown that they understand each other

15. They all knew Sasuke well enough to see how he was acting during the five kage summit and not only knew that something was up but were actively concerned (though my memory’s a little fuzzy here about Suigetsu and Juugo, I know for fact Karin falls under this)

16. They all knew Sasuke well enough to know he was back to normal when they met up with him during the war arc

17. All of team taka know how to and are capable of restraining and calming down Juugo

18. All of team taka can see through Karin’s act

19. All of team taka know how to reel in Suigetsu

20. Team taka knew that Sasuke was using them and still chose to follow him

21. Sasuke gave team taka seals that would inform them if he had been reversed summoned

22. Suigetsu thought Karin and Sasuke were close enough to have had a child

23. Both Karin and Juugo have nearly pushed themselves to chakra exhaustion induced death to save other members of team taka

24. Both Karin AND Suigetsu find Sasuke attractive

25. Suigetsu and Juugo were sparing partners while with Orochimaru

26. Suigetsu was right there to help Karin against Guruguru Zetsu

27. Both Suigetsu and Juugo have shown a fondness for animals

28. They were close enough that Sasuke abandoning/hurting team taka was used by Kishimoto to demonstrate him falling into darkness

29. Sasuke puts his life in taka's hands on multiple occasions (most notably after his fight with Deidara, during the fight against Killer Bee, and during the Five Kage Summit)

30. The entire team taka vs Killer Bee fight

31. Suigetsu is so invested in Sasuke and Karin’s love life that Juugo felt the need to ask him about it

32. Sasuke trusted team taka enough to ask them for help in completing his goal to kill Itachi, something he didn’t even trust team seven with

33. Karin is physically affectionate with Sasuke (something he was shown to be neutral towards up until her personality switch in the war arc) but stops whenever he tells her to

34. Sasuke took a detour in his goal to help Suigetsu get the executioner’s blade

35. Juugo and Karin worry about Sasuke during the war

36. Both Sasuke and Karin are from dying clans

37. Karin goes to Juugo for help to get the Konoha ninja off their trail

38. Juugo, Suigetsu, and Karin all have the shared trauma of being used as experiments by Orochimaru

39. Juugo has sworn himself to protect Sasuke

40. Karin unlocks the chain jutsu in her panic to save Sasuke

[saradesuchiha]

i don't block anyone for a reason, and this was the reason why i have done to u. spreading false information that quirrrky and i were harassing fellow stans is disappointing and disgusting.

as we ALWAYS put who are the moderators of the event. it's been quirrrky and i since 2021. i don't know where u get that information of the said acct was a host too. i just assumed u did ur research bc u have never spoke abt the event again and never apologized to us for spreading false information

as a matter of fact, i reached out to both parties involved in the said issue. i went in-between to hear both sides and what happened. even went lengths of asking native speakers to help me translate the statement to help me further understand. i was in conversation w them until everything was settled.

jsyk i am a naruhina stan, kunoichi stan and a sarada stan. hence my other handle, saradesuchiha. i do not support any character and/or ship bashing. i do not tolerate any harassment towards anyone. i always tell everyone to be respectful and treat ppl w kindness bc u don't know how much one person is going through

i'm very open abt creating a safe space for anyone to enjoy naruhina. we have naruhinamain dedicated to celebrate the love of naruto and hinata. to extend, we have a discord server we fans are allowed to discuss and share their common interests.

this is my third year hosting naruhina month. just to anyone's knowledge, naruhina month is not hosted in december bc of it's connection w the release of movie, the last.

someone reached out to quirrrky late september of 2021 concerning if there would be naruhina this year. she took accountability on hosting on tumblr and i reached out to her extending it to twitter. we were pressed for time and in need atleast few months to be considerate of participants that is why it was pushed back til december.

the following year, we have plans to host different events for naruhina. it was nearing late october and yet no one has plans to host the event yet again. someone came forward to us asking if we will be hosting again, and quirrrky and i decided to push our plans ahead, hence, the first ever naruhina fair in 2022.

this year, we both have ideas for activities to encourage nh stans to express their love and creativity, as well as having fun making it. unfortunately, both quirrrky and i were really busy and focused on our time on our personal lives. we put the plans on hold and i complete understand what she's going through.

i opened the discussion in the naruhina discord if anyone would like to host this year. there are ppl who took interest but expressed that they couldn't commit to it. i was abt to close the discussion until ate born and chloe came forward to help me organize this year's event.

now someone on tumblr going as anon spreading rumors abt me being a fake nh fan. didn't know u have to box urself to stan only one ship/character to be a real stan. i have other interests too.

as a matter of fact, before i became actively participating in fandom. i met alot of hinata and sakura stans who were very nice to me and encouraged me to draw. i love being around ppl who are open-minded and supporting both women.

jsyk i left the fandom multiple times, being cyberbullied, ppl.mocking and discouraging my art and came bouncing back for ppl who encouraged me to do what i love.

ever since 2022, i limited my interaction w the fandom bc i was getting stressed how it's getting always heated w fanwars. i signed up to express my love and creativity for naruhina and have fun.

and just for anyone's knowledge, i do have a personal private acct but i have muted and blocked naruto and boruto from there so i can have peace of mind separate accts for fandom and real life current events. i rarely talked abt anime in there. it's mostly taylor swift and my shitty day to day life. u can ask few of my friends who are following me there.

it's getting long and i'm tired. i have to face reality that i cannot please anyone. my intentions of hosting events is for creators and fans to have a dedicated time to fully enjoy and support naruhina. this will be the last time i'm hosting naruhina month. i'm not forcing everyone to join in. this event is for naruhina stans. feel free to support it.

i'm always grateful for the love and support. thank u

🌤️

[leportraitducadavre]

Wiat stop omggg i’ve been reading these posts about the anti-Hinata Hyuga stuff and how she is infact privileged and ngl it lowkey hurt but also omfg???? I never realized how bad the Hyuga situation was or how Hinata is unable to pick a side, I just assumed she’d obviously dissolve the slavery practices because I see her as a good person(and i read too much fanfiction)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA now i definitely need Hiashi to die in the war and for Neji to become leader(yeah no Hinata can’t lead to save her life) because it would be such a good step to take down the old system by replacing it with a Neji as a symbol of change. Media is making me go crazy again but that’s probably my room mold 😭😭😭😭

Also the Naruhina fan in me kinda wishes that Naruto learned sealing from Pervy sage because like imagine if they worked together to make a new Hyuga seal to actually protect the byakugan and then it gets worn as a clan marking, like the red fangs from the inuzuka and oh my god im so sorreybfor rambling all over this asks i just really really want more Hyuga content and for ny faves to be happy, also you are really well omg id love to have ur attention span for politics because i can barely understand my highschool civics like ibshoudl probably stop now-have a nice day!!!!!✨

Hello there,

It's okay to like a problematic character and it's okay to like a ship, the problem starts when people justify such problematic characteristics to make them "acceptable", like justifying Neji's treatment at the hands of the Main Family because he was "mean" to Hinata, despite him warning her about fighting him and asking her to forfeit multiple times.

I never realized how bad the Hyuga situation was or how Hinata is unable to pick a side

I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but Hinata chose a side. Ignoring the matter or not giving it the relevance that it has even after her cousin's speech during their match or his match vs. Naruto, is to actively support the system in place; she might truly believe that is for the "greater good," as so his Konoha's mantra, but it doesn't change the fact that she agrees with the practice.

I just assumed she’d obviously dissolve the slavery practices because I see her as a good person(and i read too much fanfiction)

I don't see her as a good person for the reasons mentioned above, no good person sees her uncle being tortured and her cousin being enslaved and believes to be the bigger victim in their dynamic. Furthermore, she did pretty much nothing for anyone who wasn't Naruto; being shy and quiet is not the same as being a good person; she never mentioned being kind-spirited and thus, unable to be a shinobi (like Chöji, which was a full small arc of his character when fighting the Sound Four), but rather, weak.

now i definitely need Hiashi to die in the war and for Neji to become leader

I understand your wish for Hiashi to die, but Neji succumbing to his fate put an end to the "Hyuga's conundrum" as that's an issue that involves Konoha in itself and not addressing it in Boruto would've been a major problem; furthermore, the problem wasn't just about stopping the Main Family from creating slaves but also them giving reparations to those they enslaved, like Neji. His death was also used to give Hinata a "moment" with Naruto.

(yeah no Hinata can’t lead to save her life)

She can't, not just because she's weak (Shikamaru doesn't shine because he's particularly strong, he isn't), but also because she often puts her wishes above the safety of those under her command (Koü Hyüga) and can't come up with a basic strategy to fight her opponents. She perhaps modeled her attack pattern following Naruto's (who mostly attacks before coming up with a strategy, as he often relies on overwhelming his enemies), as she often states to look up to him and has spied on him multiple times, but he's far more strong and has much more chakra (plus healing chakra) than her.

Also the Naruhina fan in me kinda wishes that Naruto learned sealing from Pervy sage

I'm not sure Jiraiya knew much about sealing techniques (we only see him erasing Orochimaru's seal), Minato learned from Kushina and not him. Tsunade is likely far more versed on the matter and she never even attempted to take Neji's seal off, so that's where the village stands on the matter.

have a nice day!!!!!✨

Thank you. You too.

[panharmonium]

Hi! I love your Naruto thoughts and meta posts with all my heart and I want to ask your thoughts on something that has been on my mind literally since I was 13: what do you think about the relationship between Sasuke and Sakura? I went from being a hardcore shipper when I was a teenager, to being against any romantic relationship in Naruto after finishing the anime when I was in my early twenties. Nowadays I'm very into platonic love and depictions of friendship and I think the anime's obsession with forcing the "romantic interest" curse upon the main female character robbed us of... so much. There are a few wonderful moments in the anime where Sasuke and Sakura acknowledge each other, but because she's always "the girl with the crush", her actions are so often interpret as irrational or selfish by the fandom.

Hi @riemmetric!  It's great to talk to you again! Sorry it's taken me so long to answer this; RL has been making demands of me lately and it took me way longer to finish writing this up than I wanted it to (then again, I knew from the minute I read your original ask that my reply was going to get long, so I suppose I should have predicted a delay XD)

It's funny, my sister once asked me to choose between Sasuke or Sakura for an “unpopular opinion” meme, and I ended up doing Sasuke solely because I think the negative fandom opinions about Sakura are so unhinged and divorced from the actual text that I wouldn’t even know where to start.  People are entitled to dislike whatever characters they want, obviously, but there are some fandom takes that are, for me, so obviously rooted in bad faith viewings/readings that there’s no urge in me to discuss them.  That said, since you asked, I’m happy to go into my own thoughts on this a bit, with the disclaimer for other potential readers that I only write about fandom things for my own personal enjoyment, not as a contribution to The Discourse. If you don’t like Sakura, great!  I have no interest in changing your mind. Please consider this a sincere invitation to scroll on by and go enjoy whatever parts of the fandom appeal to you.

In general terms: I love Sasuke and Sakura’s relationship as much as I love all of the relationships in Team 7.  If we’re talking about them specifically as a romantic couple, then I probably fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, because I do like them together in a post-canon (to be clear: non-Boruto) setting, after time has passed and they’ve continued to develop individually and reconnect with each other, but I also wouldn’t exactly call myself an intense “shipper,” in the sense that I have no interest in pulling things out from the text and incorrectly citing them as evidence that Sasuke has hidden romantic feelings for her during the canon period. He cares about her in the canon period, just like he cares about Naruto and Kakashi.  That’s not up for interpretation; it’s the text.  But Sasuke during the canon time period does not demonstrate specifically romantic interest in anyone.  

[A note before people who might ship Sasuke with Someone Else emerge to rail against this statement - please just scroll past and continue enjoying fandom in whatever way is most fun for you. It is cool to ship whatever fanon thing you want; I think that’s great!  But earnestly citing any loving or emotional thing Sasuke does re: various characters in this story (yes, Sakura included) as indicative of specifically romantic love isn’t supported by the text. I know there are always going to be enormous subsets of any fandom who insist that it is, and I'm certainly not going to barge into anyone else's space to complain about that (because other people having fun together is harmless and none of my business), but I'm not obligated to indulge it on my own blog, either.]

Anyway, that said - the reason why I love Sakura and Sasuke’s relationship (from here on out I’ll use “relationship” in a general, non-romantic sense) is precisely because Sakura isn’t just “the girl with the crush.” Sakura has an arc when it comes to Sasuke, and its trajectory moves in the exact opposite direction of “irrational” or “selfish.”  She specifically goes from “the girl with the crush” to “the girl who steels herself and tries to put her personal feelings for Sasuke aside for the greater good” to “the girl who knows she can’t put her feelings aside, but who also knows full well that Sasuke doesn’t reciprocate them, and who still wants to save him regardless, because he matters to her as a person and a friend.”

[I'm putting the rest of this under a cut to save everyone's dash, and also to emphasize once again that this is a personal post on my personal blog which I wrote in response to a question from a personal acquaintance, the full content of which no one is obligated to read. I am not sending this post to random strangers and forcing them to look at it. I'm not even putting it in the character tags. I'm typing it up on my own blog and putting it under a cut. If you already know that you don't like Sakura, but you still click the link/read the post and then feel an urge to comment and complain, I am going to copy-paste this disclaimer and remind you that I specifically recommended that you scroll past and go have fun with fandom in your own way. Thanks in advance for responsibly curating your own fandom experience!]

So, from the top:

1. the girl with the crush

Sakura is, obviously, completely obsessed with Sasuke at the beginning of Part 1.  She’s also deeply clueless about him and his history (bizarre though it is, the story seems to indicate that she initially doesn’t know what happened with his family, the same way young!Obito is initially clueless about Kakashi’s father).  But what I like about Sakura and Sasuke’s Part 1 relationship is how this changes over time.

The critical scene that kicks this off happens right at the beginning of the manga, when she and Sasuke are talking by that bench - she complains about Naruto and blames his behavior on him being all alone/having no family to scold him; and even says she’s jealous that he doesn’t have parents to nag him all the time.  This obviously triggers an outburst from Sasuke, who tells her she has no idea what loneliness means and that she “makes him sick”/she’s “annoying” (importantly, the exact same thing Sakura said to Naruto in anger earlier that day), which in turn prompts Sakura to reassess herself and wonder whether she’s been making Naruto feel this terrible all the time, too:

From that point on, it’s a process of her putting little pieces together.  She still has a MAJOR crush, and she still acts like a twelve year-old, but as we approach the end of Part I, Sakura actually has a more accurate grasp on Sasuke’s current state of mind than Naruto does.  Naruto is initially excited to fight Sasuke on top of the hospital, because he feels like Sasuke’s finally acknowledging him, whereas Sakura is the one who immediately recognizes that something is wrong about this situation.  She is also the one who, after this fight, is concerned that Sasuke is really unwell and might do something drastic like run off in pursuit of the power Orochimaru promised him, but when she communicates this to Naruto, he assures her that this would NEVER happen:

(Sakura isn't convinced, though, because she goes to monitor the exit out of the village anyway.)

I’m not criticizing Naruto for his response here.  I ADORE hearing him say that Sasuke is too strong to need Orochimaru, with such perfect confidence - I love seeing how much respect and admiration he has for Sasuke underneath all their fighting, because that’s the whole reason he’s always baiting Sasuke and yelling at him and claiming “you're not so great!” He looks up to Sasuke; he wants to be like Sasuke; he thinks Sasuke is awesome! (It’s that Obito @ Kakashi behavior, you know?) But the fact remains that he is clueless about what’s actually going on with Sasuke in Part 1, and he remains clueless(ly optimistic) for a long time.  

(Eg, when he catches up to Sasuke during the retrieval arc and Sasuke climbs out of that cursed seal coffin, Naruto waves at him and calls "Come on, let's go!" as if Sasuke has been successfully rescued and is now going to come running home.  Even in Part II, when Naruto hears that Sasuke killed Orochimaru, he beams and immediately says, “So he must be on his way back to the Leaf Village!”  And everyone else in the room is like, “....,” because they know better.  Naruto doesn’t yet fully understand [or doesn't want to accept] the extent to which Sasuke has willingly chosen this path, and it’s not until after Jiraiya’s death/the Pain attack/the Five Kage Summit that Naruto really starts to understand Sasuke more clearly, which is something he himself admits.)

Sakura, in Part 1, has access to more information about Sasuke - she’s there for his first dissociative monologue during the bells test, she’s there for the curse mark’s placement, she’s there for his first violent transformation in the Forest of Death - she is, in fact, the unwitting catalyst for it (“Sakura…who did this to you?”), and her compassion is the reason Sasuke is later able to overcome the curse mark’s influence - so she has a more accurate/complete picture of “how he’s doing,” for lack of a better phrase, whereas Naruto, who doesn’t know about the curse mark in the first place, is still in the dark.  This means that Sakura is able to accurately discern that Sasuke is struggling more than Naruto realizes, and specifically to predict that he’s going to run away.  

(This dynamic is then interestingly flipped in the back half of Part II, since at any point after the Five Kage Summit, Sakura doesn’t have access to extremely relevant [if currently questionable and unproven] details that would in any other circumstance inform her behavior).

Of course, just because she has more info in Part 1 doesn’t mean she has some kind of miraculous insight into Sasuke’s every thought and feeling.  There are parts of her attempt to convince Sasuke to stay in the village that are as clueless as any of Naruto’s assumptions, and they showcase the kind of magical thinking common to childhood - like when she says that if he stayed with her, she could give him happiness, she’d do anything for him, even help him get his revenge - this idea that she herself can do something to make him feel better, that she can love him powerfully enough to defeat his pain - obviously none of that is rooted in realism.

Is this part of her approach irrational and immature and inadvertently self-centered?  Of course it is!  But it’s no more irrational and immature and inadvertently self-centered than Naruto’s stated plan to drag Sasuke back to the village even if he has to “break every bone in [his] body!” 

Hating on Sakura for her Part 1 attempt to convince Sasuke to stay in the village while simultaneously lauding Naruto for his feels like a bad faith misread of what is, to me, pretty clear narrative intention.  The story doesn’t at any point intend for us to see her begging him to stay as a selfish or conniving attempt to get something she wants.  She’s begging him to stay for the same underlying reason that Naruto is: she cares about him.  She thinks he’s making a mistake that will only cause him more pain in the end (she’s right) and she wants to make it so he feels less pain right now (she can��t.  But she doesn’t understand that/isn’t able to admit that, and she’s willing to try ANYTHING that might help).  

It’s critical that this farewell scene is set in front of that same bench from their first important confrontation - she references that day and how angry he got at her, and this time she tells him that she understands his reaction.  She’s learned things and she recognizes how insensitive she was being back then (“I know what happened to your clan, Sasuke”), even though she still can’t fully grasp all the complexities of the situation. She tells him that him blowing up at her back then helped her understand what loneliness actually meant (as opposed to her previous shallow understanding of it), and she challenges him about his choice right now: "So that's it, you're choosing the lonely path?" And when she tells him that she'll be very lonely if he leaves, we're immediately shown a panel of Sasuke thinking of both his friends, with the very clear implication that if he goes through with this, he will be lonely without them, too - that he's still struggling with the idea of leaving them, no matter how hard he tries to pretend:

Sakura at this point knows that Sasuke isn’t interested in her the way she is in him, but she still wants to give him happiness, however fantastical and immature her ideas sound to us (and, I’m sure, to him).  “I’ll do anything, even help you get your revenge/we'll have fun every day, and...and you'll be happy! I'll make sure of it!” - of course, it’s completely childish.  It’s irrational.  It’s ridiculous to think that any of this would ever be effective, but no more ridiculous than Naruto’s belief that he can simply break every bone in Sasuke’s body and keep him in the Leaf by force.

Both Naruto and Sakura are children who have a deeply oversimplified understanding of Sasuke’s situation.  They both still think they can fix him themselves.  They both think they can save him themselves.  They both think they can convince (or force) him to do what they want, what they think is in his best interests.  Both of them don’t yet understand that he has to want to come back, if it’s ever going to mean anything.  Their attempts to keep him in the village are immature and unrealistic, yes.  What they aren’t, however, is selfish, because neither Sakura nor Naruto are doing any of this with the intention of advancing their own interests.  They’re only thinking about Sasuke - how to keep Sasuke safe, how to make Sasuke happy - even when neither of them are taking an approach that will actually work.

Naruto and Sakura are children.  They’re afraid of losing somebody they care about.  Their attempts to prevent that from happening are desperate and messy and ultimately ineffective, but they are also genuinely felt and rooted in a true desire to rescue Sasuke from his pain, which - and this is the single most important thing that should impact our viewing of Part 1 - is something that Sasuke RECOGNIZES.  He doesn’t spend that agonizingly long moment bowed over Naruto’s defeated body so we can pretend he doesn’t understand that Naruto was just trying to help him.  He doesn’t take the time to murmur, “Sakura…thank you,” before laying her out carefully on a bench, just so we can discount it and pretend that he doesn’t recognize and appreciate her genuine intention to make things better for him, however clumsy that attempt might have been.

2. the greater good

If Stage 1 Sakura is "the girl with the crush," then Stage 2 Sakura is a progression to “the girl who decides to put her feelings for Sasuke aside in order to protect innocent people, including (but certainly not limited to) Naruto.”  She’s driven to this decision by interactions with Shikamaru, who all too recently had to grow up fast himself (“We're not kids anymore...we can't allow a war to break out between the Hidden Leaf and the Hidden Cloud because of Sasuke") and Sai, who risks his new friendship with Sakura and Team 7 in order to speak some hard truths and deliver one of my favorite lines in the whole story: “I don’t know what promise Naruto made to you, but it’s really no different than what was done to me.  It’s like a curse mark.”

(INCREDIBLE.  How can anybody be complaining about a season where Sai gets to say something that goes THIS HARD and Sakura LISTENS and takes DRAMATIC ACTION that actually propels the story forward in a meaningful way - )

[Okay, yeah, brief personal opinion interlude - it is just bonkers wild to me that there are people who complain about Sakura in the Five Kage Summit arc. That entire season is the greatest character arc she ever has.  Literally she has never been more interesting and dynamic than in Season 10; it’s the first time she ever gets to be as deep and fascinating as the boys; what is everybody so worked up about?  Oh, “she lied to Naruto that one time” - Sasuke joined infant-kidnapping baby-murdering human experimentation machine Orochimaru when he was twelve years old in order to (dare I say it????) selfishly pursue his personal goals and yet, somehow, we are still able to root for him.  He abandoned his friends/allies to imprisonment and death (Suigetsu and Jūgo) or outright stabbed them in the chest himself (Karin) in order to (SELFISHLY) get what he wanted, and yet, somehow, we are still able to love him, understand him, and be on his side.  Naruto is canonically not upset with Sakura about her lie after receiving context for the situation and I think we can probably take our cues from him without feeling the need to bring her up on war crimes; please calm down]

[Sorry, I just really love most of Season 10 and think it’s one of the best examples of how good this story can be when every single character gets to do something that matters (as opposed to things being all Naruto, all the time) so I get a little bit worked up over people complaining about some of the best writing Sakura ever gets.  I don’t understand what certain elements of fandom want from her. People complain about her being “useless” and not doing anything that contributes to the story, but then they complain just as much when she does finally get to act decisively and have just as complex/dynamic an inner world as the boys.  She’s “weak” for being unreasonably in love with Sasuke, but when she tries to be “strong” and put her love for him aside and eliminate him in order to protect Naruto and the rest of the world, she’s evil, because she should have been more understanding of his situation (despite the fact that she doesn’t KNOW anything about his situation).  But then when she can’t go through with killing him after all because she cares about him too much despite the things he’s done, she’s not "compassionate" or "kind" or "a good friend," she’s “weak” again. Nothing Sakura does in S10 is more wrongheaded or rash than any of the batshit, buckwild things Naruto and Sasuke have done in the past (and will continue to do in the future), but when Naruto and Sasuke have big feelings or take bold action, it makes them interesting characters, whereas Sakura can’t breathe in anyone’s direction without being minutely scrutinized for moral impurities.]  

Anyway. Back to a more measured response.  

Every single piece of development Sakura has with regard to Sasuke in this season satisfies me so much.  Her initial shock and disbelief at hearing that Sasuke had joined the Akatsuki?  Good, appropriate.  The fact that she starts to acknowledge the reality of what Sasuke’s done sooner than Naruto does?  Also extremely appropriate, very in-character for both of them.  Her taking Sai’s words to heart and deciding that the promise she asked Naruto to make when they were children is causing him to suffer and she has to relieve him of that burden?  Juicy!  AND thematically significant (promises!!!!  the burden that a promise places on a person, especially when it can't be kept - we've seen that before in this story and we'll see it again).  Her anguished pivot from wanting to protect Sasuke to realizing that she has a responsibility to protect the countless innocents who will die because of the war he’s trying to start?  HELLO THIS IS INCREDIBLE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.  Her knocking out the classmates who agreed to help her so they don’t have to share in her burden (and so the only person Naruto will hate when it’s over is her)?  BRUH.  Her being so committed and focused on her goal of saving innocents and protecting Naruto (not just from being harmed by Sasuke/the Akatsuki, but by the possibility that Naruto will someday have to hurt Sasuke himself) that she tries to take everything on by herself and walks into a confrontation that she absolutely cannot win??  INCREDIBLE.  (Literally the first time I watched this, I said, “Finally!!!  It’s Sakura’s turn to go off the rails!”  I laughed with my sister about how Kakashi isn’t even mad, because Naruto and Sasuke have been pulling stunts like this for years and Sakura was way overdue for her own meltdown.)  And then, after Kakashi intervenes in the fight - Sakura barreling back into the battle when she realizes he’s going to take on the burden of killing Sasuke himself in order to spare her and Naruto the horror - “I can’t let Kakashi-sensei bear this burden!”  I love her for that.  

And then, of course, in the end - her not being able to do hurt Sasuke after all.  Despite committing herself to the act, despite forcing herself to put her feelings for him aside, despite resolving to stop him from starting a war and killing innocent people, she can’t harm him.  She cares about him too much.  This, too, is thematically significant - think about Itachi’s “you don’t have enough hatred” - she doesn’t have enough hatred to kill someone she cares about, even if it seems like he deserves it, even if would be the right thing to do to protect others.  She can’t do it, and Sasuke almost kills her for her compassion.  

I love the dynamic this sets up between her and Sasuke, for a few reasons:

1) Personally, I think Sasuke respects Sakura much more for trying to kill him than he would have if she’d just tried to talk him out of his behavior or beg him to come home (a la their original confrontation in Part 1).  This is the first significant interaction he’s had with Sakura in years, and the fact that she does something SO contrary to his memory of her is an important demonstration of the fact that she’s not the same girl she used to be.  Sasuke spends a lot of time after his defection declaring to his old team “I’ve changed; I’m not that person anymore,” but this is one of the moments where he’s forced to acknowledge that his teammates have changed, too.  Time didn’t just stop for them when he left.  While he was turning into someone new, so were they.  They grew up without him, and his old memories of them can’t encompass the whole picture of who they are now.  

(This is a little tangential, but in general, I love the spectrum of reactions that Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi have in this sequence, and the way that all of them are ultimately messages Sasuke needs to hear.  Sasuke - who we know textually regrets what he did here, who apologizes to Sakura for it later - for “everything,” in fact - needs Naruto’s aggressively optimistic open-arms policy, yes, needs that potential, that unconditional possibility of return.  He also needs Sakura’s refusal to let him hurt her friends and start a war that will kill thousands of people, needs her surprisingly ruthless attempt to take him down; needs just as much her failure to do so, because it shows him that she still loves him too much to kill him even as she condemns him.  And he needs Kakashi’s grim line in the sand, needs someone who very possibly won't hesitate like Sakura (despite the horrifying personal cost), someone who will try to reach him but also won't let him escape and become the next generation’s Orochimaru, who won't let him cause untold suffering to untold numbers of people just because a teacher loved him too much to stop him when he had the chance. 

(And then even Kakashi chooses not to deliver a killing blow when he has the opportunity -)

(I know that in fandom people are more likely to be all, “oh, Naruto Good, everybody else Bad,” but I don’t think the narrative frames Sakura or Kakashi as “worse” than Naruto in any way.  The story goes out of its way to make it clear how desperately they don’t want to hurt Sasuke and how much they care about him.  And [this is just my interpretation, so obviously I won’t claim it as fact], I personally think that Sasuke - Sasuke, who, looking back, can see how lost he was then and how tortured he would have been if he’d gone through with many of his plans - would be grateful to Sakura and Kakashi for making an attempt to stop him when he couldn’t stop himself.)

2) On the other side of this, the fact that Sakura wasn’t able to deliver the killing blow means a lot. Sasuke was incapacitated under that bridge; he was completely at her mercy - but she stopped with the kunai an inch from his back.  She couldn’t kill him, even though she knew that he was completely willing to kill her (because he'd attempted to Chidori-assassinate her from behind just a few minutes ago).  That’s huge!  Sasuke is too out of his head right now to process this or understand it, but later, it's going to matter.  She stayed her hand.  She spared his life.  She loved him too much to hurt him, even when he’d given her every reason to take him down.  She hesitated, and he almost killed her for it, but her inability to strike him ultimately gave him yet another chance to come home, another chance to get better, another chance to have a life outside of his pain.  Despite everything, some part of her still hadn’t really given up on him, and that knowledge will matter later, when he’s finally able to acknowledge it.  

The point of all this is to say that I really have no complaints about Sakura and Sasuke’s dynamic in their S10 confrontation.  This season is the point where Sakura fully grows past her “girl with a crush” stage and into her “shinobi must make very harsh decisions” adulthood, but it never means that she doesn’t care about the person she’s trying to take down.  Her ultimate inability to deliver the killing blow remains a dangling lifeline for her relationship with Sasuke, an open door that Sasuke is able to walk through at the end of the story (literally, in fact, when Sakura opens that portal for him and saves him from Kaguya’s desert prison, and figuratively, too, when Sasuke apologizes to her).

3. she only wants to save you

The last stage in their relationship is what Sakura settles into during the war arc.  She started off Part 1 being just a girl with a crush, then tried to harden her heart and put her feelings for Sasuke aside in service of the greater good, but she was unable to actually follow through and kill him, and because of that, what she’s come to accept by the war arc is actually two things: that 1) Sasuke truly is willing to let her die if it furthers his goals, and 2) she wants to save him anyway.  

She has no intention of pursuing Sasuke romantically.  She knows full well that Sasuke isn’t interested in her.  She even knows that Sasuke isn’t really on their side (there’s a great scene where Sai questions Sakura about Sasuke’s return, and she reassures him that everything is fine, and Sai sadly thinks to himself “even I can tell your smile is fake”).  She’s well-aware that Sasuke didn’t try to help her when Madara stabbed her.  She’s well-aware that he left her to die in the lava pit.  She’s also well-aware that none of this is enough to make her stop loving him.  He doesn’t have to care about her - she still cares about him.  She still wants to help him.  She still wants to save him.

This is not hidden, hard-to-parse character development.  It’s explicitly articulated on the page:

Sakura’s not trying or wanting to make you hers!  She only wants to save you.

I’m not sure if people look at this last confrontation and unquestioningly take Sasuke at his word (as if we haven’t just read 71 volumes/watched 700 episodes showing us how how painfully distorted his thinking is), or if they stop reading/watching before the end of the scene, or if they don’t understand that Sasuke saying something doesn’t make that statement an accurate representation of reality.  The entire point of this scene is to show us how deeply mistaken Sasuke is about Sakura (and, by extension, the rest of Team 7).  He’s locked into a false pattern of thinking.  His single-minded focus on revenge and destruction has blinded him to the unconditional love his friends feel for him; he’s become so accustomed to using others and being used that he can’t understand or accept that someone would care about him without needing a reason, without needing him to love them back, without needing to receive something from him in exchange.

Sakura’s not trying or wanting to make you hers!  She only wants to save you.

Sasuke matters to Sakura as more than a love interest.  He always has.  She does love him romantically, yes, but she doesn’t only love him romantically, and her desire to help him is not and has never been contingent on him returning her feelings, romantically or otherwise.  Sasuke isn’t able to acknowledge that in this scene, but that doesn’t mean we’re supposed to just sit back and agree with his warped perspective.  Kakashi is the one who’s explicitly positioned as the voice of the narrative here.  We, as the audience, are supposed to recognize that Kakashi is the one telling us the truth.

[tangential thing 1: You don’t have to love Sakura's last plea to Sasuke here. It’s not my favorite, either - the best part, other than Kakashi’s speech at the end, is the moment after Kakashi collapses when Sakura’s expression changes from pained uncertainty to pure rage, when she grits her teeth together - when I first saw that, I almost leapt out of my seat like “Oh my god.  She’s finally going to let him have it.  It’s finally happening - ”  I wanted that so badly, and I still think it would have been a more effective writing choice for Sakura’s last words to lean more into her anger at the suffering Sasuke is causing all of them (himself included!) and less into yet another of Kishimoto’s “let me have Sakura articulate what a shame it is that she can’t do as much as Naruto despite the fact that I literally just went through a major reveal sequence in the war to show that she’s caught up to the boys; I can’t make up my mind about whether I want her to progress or not” - it’s extremely frustrating (and it's something he does at the very end of the S10 Team 7 reunion, too, which is the ONLY moment of S10 that falls flat for me).  But at the same time, even if there are ways this sequence could be more satisfying, it doesn’t change the fact that her plea to him is not remotely motivated by a desire to be with him romantically and not anything to condemn her for.]

[tangential thing 2: I do like how she remembers that moment when Sasuke says “Thank you.”  That panel precedes her saying “If there’s even a tiny corner of your heart that thinks about me…” (which I’m sure is one of the things that people like to criticize about this scene, aka “oh she’s sooooo self-centered” etc), but that particular line of dialogue is preceded by that particular flashback panel for a reason: Sakura knows that Sasuke DOES think about her.  He thinks about all of them.  Sakura remembers that “thank you,” and it reminds her that despite everything Sasuke has done and said since, despite all evidence to the contrary, she knows in her bones that his expression of gratitude back then was genuine.  He cared about her once.  He cared about all of them.  She’s trying to reach the part of him that still does, if it exists.]

[tangential thing 3: The fact that Kakashi says “she suffers from loving you,” and it triggers Sasuke to remember his own family - thinking about how much he suffered (and still suffers) from loving them - “Perhaps…those are the ties to a failed past” - the idea that it’s not worth it to have bonds if it means you suffer this much…that it’s too difficult, it’s too painful, and if Sakura and the rest of Team 7 were smarter they would just give it up (all Sasuke knows how to do now is sever potential bonds before they can hurt him; so why aren’t Sakura and the rest of his teammates doing that, why can’t they let it go, why are they making this so hard - ) << yeah, he clearly doesn't care about her/them at all.]

4. the shadow of my family

This has all been a really long way to answer the original question, but the short response to “What do you think about the relationship between Sasuke and Sakura?” is “I really care about it,” just like I really care about the relationship between Sasuke and Naruto, just like I really care about the relationship between Sasuke and Kakashi. And I don’t think the story ever asks me to choose between them.

I’m not sure whether it’s the impact of Boruto-era “canon” that gets in the way of other people approaching things this way (I don’t consider sequel material when I evaluate the original story), or if it’s Kishimoto’s frequent disinterest in/disrespect towards female characters, which yes, does sometimes make it harder, or if it's a shipping thing (bane of my existence), or some combination of factors, but for me, taking one member of Team 7 out of the equation hobbles the rest of the story.  I can’t read/watch Naruto while hating one of the protagonists and loving the other three.  It doesn’t work like that for me.  The story wasn’t written that way, and there’s nothing in the text that would cause me to receive it that way.

That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with disliking one of the main foursome (or any character, for that matter) - obviously we're all going to have different preferences, and everyone is free to enjoy or reject whatever parts of a story they want, or to like or dislike whatever characters they want. I know that some people have more fun disregarding canon and doing their own thing, which is fine.  My own personal zone of enjoyment comes from receiving the story as closely to how I think it was intended to be read as I can, and personally, when I look at this particular story, what I see is that all the members of Team 7 clearly demonstrate their love for Sasuke in ways that he himself later recognizes and acknowledges. All of them are driven by their desire to save him and their unwillingness to hurt him. All of them make repeated choices to chase after him when he runs away, to trust him when he hasn't exactly earned it, to give him another chance when he doesn't appear to deserve it. ALL of them, not just Naruto, do these things multiple times throughout the story, and Sasuke owes his life (and thus his eventual recovery) to ALL of them, many times over. Kakashi disobeys Hokage-elect Danzō and breaks the law to negotiate for Sasuke's life with a foreign head of state. Sakura and Kakashi both have opportunities to kill Sasuke in the Land of Iron, and they choose to spare him instead. Kakashi stops Sasuke from killing his only friends at two different points in the story, which would have been a mistake Sasuke couldn't have recovered from. Sasuke would have died in Kaguya's desert dimension if Sakura hadn't saved him (Sakura, who knew that Sasuke wasn't even truly on her side yet, who knew he'd abandoned her for dead multiple times already that day). Kaguya's bone bullet would have killed Sasuke too, if Kakashi, with his intention to die in Sasuke's place, hadn't leapt in front of it (Kakashi, who also knew that Sasuke wasn't fully on their side yet, who also knew that Sasuke had abandoned him for dead earlier that day). Sasuke and Naruto would have BOTH died in the Final Valley if Sakura and a severely injured Kakashi hadn't chased after them to heal their injuries.

Remove any one member of Team 7, and Sasuke never makes it home. Without the combined efforts of all three of his teammates, he doesn't survive.  That’s the way it should be, thematically, for a story whose first and most foundational premise was the importance of teamwork, and since Sakura was just as essential to that framework as everyone else, I’m just as invested in her relationship with Sasuke as I am in his relationship with everyone else.  You can’t remove one leg from a four-legged stool without damaging the integrity of the entire structure, and for me, discounting any single member of Team 7 irreparably damages the integrity of the entire story. 

TL;DR: I love all of the Team 7 relationships, including Sakura and Sasuke's, because despite what some segments of fandom seem to believe, the text of the story never gives me any reason not to.