#third great ninja war

[shironezuninja]

Hey, Alabama. If you like labeling things as “children” so much, why don’t you take in some pregnant Palestinian women from danger? Cuz I know where to dump those defective frozen embryos~~🎶🎵😜😈

[good-advice-ganondorf]

Majora's Mask and what it means to be grown up

(aka my collected analysis of the Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask)

I will say that generally I don't think Termina is purgatory, or a dream, or anything like that. To me, Termina is kind of like a Silent Hill type parallel world, where you face your deepest traumas.

First, the parallels between Majora's Mask, and the child section of Ocarina of Time.

The first dungeon for both games is in a vast wooded area, there are woodland races inhabiting both areas, the Kokiri for Ocarina of Time, and the Deku for Majora's mask. The second dungeon is in a great mountain, inhabited by the Gorons. The third dungeon is in a vast body of water, inhabited by the Zora.

Then, things split. After Jabu Jabu, Link becomes an adult. After Great Bay, there's Ikana Canyon. A land of nothing but Death.

Who caused the death of Ikana? Who else but the king, Igo Du Ikana. Ikana was plunged into disrepair, after Igos started a war with a clan of Ninjas, to receive a powerful artifact, in a great and mysterious temple. Sound familiar? It should, this is exactly what Ganondorf did, after Link was sealed away for seven years. But Ganondorf was successful.

But Ikana isn't completely occupied by the dead, no. Pamela remains, with her father, turned into an undead monster. Much like Sheik, the last Sheikah, who is revealed to be Zelda. And her father? He's never seen, but I'd imagine it would be easy enough for Ganondorf to become king, if the other one was no longer around. From a man, to a corpse.

So, if Ganondorf is a parallel to Igos, and Zelda is a parallel to Pamela, what about Link? He's a little different. I believe that, along with Kafei and Tingle, all three of the transformation masks are a representation of Link, and his feelings towards being forced to grow up.

Tingle is, as we know, a 35 year old man who thinks he's a fairy boy. Similar to how link was a 10 year old boy, who thought he was a fairy boy. I believe Tingle is a reflection of what Link could have been if he never left Kokiri Forest. An adult hylian man, thinking he's a Kokiri.

On the contrary, Kafei is distraught at the idea of becoming a child again. He's weaker, he can't marry his fiancee, and everyone treats him like well, a child, despite his maturity. I believe this is how Link feels after becoming a child again. He used to be a strong adult, and even if he's not as mature as Kafei, he still went through a lot, and knows a lot more about life now. Kafei even reuses Link's model and animations.

There's a reoccurring theme in Ocarina of Time where Link just doesn't belong anywhere he goes. He's an outsider to the other races, because he's a hylian, but he's also an outsider to the hylians, because he was raised as a Kokiri. I think the transformation masks reflect that.

The Deku Butler's Son is what he could have been as a Kokiri. He could have been a happy little boy, living with his father, and his community. But Link and the Deku butler's son both left home to explore, and as far as both the Kokiri and the Deku are concerned, neither came back.

Darmani is what he could have been as a Goron. A powerful hero to the Gorons, celebrated by them for clearing Dodongo's Cavern. A close link between the goron elder, Darunia, and their sons. Both him and Link remain after death, lamenting on their histories as heros.

Mikau is what he could have been as a Zora. Maybe not a cool as hell guitarist, but a husband to Ruto, and Prince of the Zora Who would stop at nothing to keep her happy and safe, like infiltrating a fortress, or climbing inside of a whale.

Even the Fierce Deity is just Link, but back as an adult. As if so much changed so rapidly, he felt like he transformed into something less like himself, and more like a powerful god. He could have continued being strong, and powerful, the defeater of Ganon, but he had to become a child again. He has to stay as a small, and unknown child.

The ages of the masks even match the human life cycle. According to the debug menu (and if you subscribe to the theory that Link and DBS's ages were swapped), DBS is 5, Link is 12, Darmani is 30, Mikau is 78, and, Fierce Deity is 17, likely due to his model being recycled from adult Link's. Link starts the game in the body of a 5 year old, then a 12 year old, then a 30 year old, then a 72 year old, and finally, a God.

We don't exactly know how Link feels. But I can't imagine it would be easy to go from a child, with no concept of death, to be thrust into a position where he's forced to fight and kill an adult man so much stronger than he is. And then everything was just reversed. Like that. As if it never happened. And only Link remembers the impending doom he faced. All he can do is remember Ganondorf's reign. Almost like he's reliving the same few days, again, and again, and again.

[please-read-the-manga]

Head's up: this post is me looking way too deeply into this random card game they introduced in Boruto (it's been forever since I've caught up with it and I'm starting from the beginning, RIP my sanity) and in general there's a bit of serious and a lot of silly going on in the analysis here... I find this concept so strange lmao so this is a little forewarning that's all.

Sorry, just been busy thinking about how dystopian it is that by the Boruto timeline there is a popular ninja trading card game all the kids are obsessed with that treats shinobi (many of whom were abused, traumatized child soldiers who have experienced incomprehensible trauma) as fun little collectibles.

For our world that's one thing (referring to the merchandizing we see of the manga/show itself); Naruto is obviously a story, it's a highly marketable IP, etc... but the implications of this being acceptable and even celebrated in their world is just so wild to me.

Also, it raises so many questions.

Do ninja get paid for the use of their likeness? How are they compensated?

Like did Hinata pose for this 'unique' card that obviously falls outside of the norm for collectability purposes? Or are the likenesses/names of the shinobi in the 'Extreme Ninja Scrolls' (ENS) TCG being used without permission? Who profits from this? The Daimyo? Jiraiya and Minato are also shown having cards... so who approved those since they're both deceased? Is there a Namikaze estate (for example) that had to legally allow Minato's image to be profited off of?

They even have cards of the OGs as 12-year-old genin. So is the Konoha government approving these since everyone pictured here was as an employee of the state and these appear to be regulation photos?

And you know what? We KNOW they didn't have this shit in the OG era because, back in the day, the whole team was impressed as hell at Kabuto's legendary ninja info cards! Who could forget these bad boys?

Now I guess we have to ask, though, is this not a massive security risk?

To have your nation's shinobi and their backgrounds, techniques, etc. shared so freely on cards you can pick up at any ninja 7/Eleven?

Anyone can purchase one of these card packs. We know it's not exclusive to Konoha too - while most of the cards have the Leaf Village symbol stamped in the corner, Orochimaru's represents the Sound Village.

Actually, hol' up. Orochimaru's inclusion is WILD.

"The legendary three ninja" (ie. a nod to him being one of the Legendary Sannin), but this man killed hundreds of thousands (we don't even know the totals) in untold unethical science experiments. He enslaved and tortured children, ruined countless lives and imprisoned them in hideouts that seemingly existed everywhere, and he packed up the Third Hokage (ngl that was a hero move).

And you're going to tell me that guy gets his own 'super rare' trading card? There are survivors of Orochimaru's cruelty still walking around in this timeline and they have to look at his face plastered and advertised everywhere as a rare card pull in a children's game?

So, if we can safely assume that (with Orochimaru's inclusion) internationally wanted criminals are not off the table for this game, does that mean the Akatsuki have their own cards as well? Like little kids are really out there trying to see which terrorist they can add to their collection? By Boruto-era, the truth of the Uchiha Clan Massacre is still swept under the rug by state leaders like Kakashi and Naruto (+the Elders), so Itachi's card could be in circulation under his Akatsuki identity. How does this shift/color the views of generations of children who come across all these cards potentially bearing the 'Uchiha' last name, especially since they're only ever taught a white-washed, sanitized, state-approved history?

This is pure speculation, but I wonder who gets left out of this game too. Is there an Obito card? A Madara one? They were the enemy faces of the 'last' great war, but one was also a founder of the Leaf Village (and it's implied all the Hokage all have cards - so historical figures are fair game), the other was a student of Minato's (which could, theoretically be included on the background summary of the card, we don't really know what's included there).

The kids in Boruto joke about Shino's card being viewed as a 'trash' pull (and tbf to the manga I did laugh when I saw the comic they made of that concept)... but really, how disrespectful is that? Imagine devoting your life to practicing shinobi techniques so you can serve/protect the state (as many of them tell themselves) only for little kids to joke about how undervalued and lame your card is? Imagine seeing the card of a beloved comrade you lost in a desperate battle, now being sold for pennies online as 'useless' since no one cares or remembers their name like you do.

Also, Sasuke apparently has a card and I can't for the life of me see him granting approval for his likeness to be used so callously, which lends further credence to my idea that these are either utilized by the state without the permission of their soldiers to add more prestige to the shinobi lifestyle (and potentially net more revenue for the state from children who will grow up to revere these figures/hope to cultivate new ones that will aid their financial interests/goals) or serve as a complete corporate cash-grab designed by some trashy company not even involved in the real business of shinobi but smelling a profit-to-be-made.

Yeah, idk, I really, really dislike Boruto as a concept and story... but I cannot deny it is giving me so much to think about lol.

How would it feel to suffer both physically and emotionally your entire life as you serve as a weapon of the state, just for kids to now argue over your card's value (or lack thereof)? How would it feel to see a shinobi who slew your partner or child in battle during one of the ninja wars (Minato, Jiraiya, Kakashi - they've all got blood from different villages on their hands) now lauded as these ultimate, pure heroes that kids everywhere can and should idolize?

Imagine Madara being handed a holographic card of Izuna and learning that it is valued low for whatever arbitrary reason? Or Kurenai seeing kids trade Asuma's card away for a better one? Does the game gloss over figures like Fugaku, a victim of state-sanctioned genocide, or Rin, a child soldier who died a child? Like these are real people (in-universe), with real and painful stories.

Side note: That's why I think the Zabuza arc is so critical to Naruto because it disrupts the initial 'fun' of this world (one that from the outside boasts cool magic powers and talking animals) and reminds the reader that these are children who are taught and expected to kill or be killed.

The shinobi included in this game have been indoctrinated to build their prestige off of being 'good' little contract killers, violent war-machines, and empty vessels that can line the pockets of feudal investors... and now they're being commodified again and sold to children as aspirational figures.

Something, something... late-stage capitalism Konoha and the further commodification of child soldiers/truly using and viewing shinobi as monetized tools in not just the previously understood sense of arbiters of state violence, but as literal objects of entertainment for children in a way that promotes the status quo of glorifying war-mongering and violent espionage all to support the business interests of corrupt feudal lords?

I have nothing to add here, this panel was just from the same chapters and the absurdity of it made me laugh so I wanted to include it lol. WTF is this?

[veiledfox]

On one hand: super excited for this and really hopeful for some things

On the other: dreading that DRK might not get similar treatment as the other tanks did in Endwalker.

} FFXIV's Job Action PLL is this thursday at 4 am PDT (5am for me)

[awinterrosesstuff]

I have a soft spot for Ino. I've always liked her confidence, her cheerful side, her intelligence and her techniques. The Yamanaka techniques are quite interesting and versatile. And that's literally why I think giving her medical ninjutsu wasn't really needed for her character. I don't hate it, but still. There's no real explanation in the manga. She just uses it for the first time trying to heal Asuma (probably to make his death more tragic) and then later to heal Naruto. And I think that's it ? Ino seems to care deeply for Shizune like they were close and you could argue it's her who taught her the techniques she knows. For an alternative, I think it would have made more sense if Ino learnt about poisons (from Shizune for example). It was teased in her flashback with Sakura, but anyway.

I think Kishimoto did a good job showing how Ino's techniques can be used in various ways. And even better, she does it successfully.

She can take control of people's (& animal) mind.

In the first instance, she takes control of Sakura's mind to get the answers of the written exam and later gives them to Choji and Shikamaru.

In the second one, she uses her technique to spy on the Akatsuki and find Hidan & Kakuzu.

In the third one, she takes control of Obito from distance with the help of Hinata's byakugan and saves the alliance by taking control of Jubi by extension.

So there are many things to note there. She can use that technique for different things (getting info & stopping the enemy) and it's very useful in combat but also in spying/infiltration. She works as a support ninja, but still is the key in those different situations.

Inoichi also uses the Yamanaka's techniques to see other's memories. I don't think Ino ever does it in the Naruto's manga. But I'm pretty sure she could do it too.

She's also a sensor and very important to the Inoshikacho ultimate technique.

So my girl can sense her enemies' signature chakra and "directs" Shikamaru who directs Choji. Oh well, that's a weird way to present it. I know, in Boruto, Ino's sensory skills are more explored. But there's already a great example. Plus, Ino, Shikamaru and Choji are all complementary, you need ALL of them.

Also, she can also take control of someone's mind and communicate with them at the same time.

I will not post the whole interaction. But Ino there is in Choji's mind, directs Choji's movements (showing at the same time her hand to hand combat kills) and also talks to him. I suppose she can do it only when the person isn't resistant, but that's still pretty impressive in my opinion and it goes perfectly with my next point.

Ino can connect many (the whole army apparently) together thanks to her telepathy skills.

And she does it again later :

I love how they are like "Can you do it ?" and she answer with a "Of course" and does it without much problem. The show don't tell is perfect here. Kishimoto tells you she's confident she can do it, then shows you exactly she's able to do it. Especially when you consider how hard it seemed when Inoichi was communicating infos about Naruto to the army with some "tools".

So let's sum up... Ino can take control of people's mind and body and powerful people at that (like Obito or Kinkaku). She uses that succesfully many times for different purposes and I didn't even show all the examples. She's a good sensor and very complementary to Shikamaru & Choji's techniques. And she can communicate someone's thoughts to many people without much problem. And when she takes control of someone's mind, she can also sometimes talk with them. (Can you even imagine the other possibilities to explore ?)

See, Ino was already powerful and versatile without the medical ninjutsu. She doesn't really need it for her character to work and be interesting and successful in what she does. It doesn't even appear in the war arc and you don't miss it.

Ino is a good example about how you write a character techniques and development. You see an evolution in her techniques. You don't need to read the databooks to understand what she's doing and how she's doing it. You just have to read the manga for it. She's not ridiculous and dead weight. She's skilled and talented. We were told at the beginning of the manga by Asuma, she was the girl with the hightest potential. And honestly, is it difficult to believe ?

[primnroses]

I have been reading some of your (amazing) stuffs regarding to Sakura's power and honestly, the only reason why she was so neglected as a ninja is simply because she would have been overpowered to a point of being impossible to bench her in the way the original story did.

We talk a lot about her wasted potential, with a special focus on genjutsu and elements but the simply fact that she is a poison expert and has super human strength and Katsuyu would have made her stands out in battles. Poisons and super human strength are some of the most K.O skills not only in narutoverse but in other medias. Unfortunately, this story is not ready to see a girl in equal ground with men, specially when she was constantly sacrificed for their development. =( I think some of the angriest part of all this is how misogyny works even for female characters, I mean, Sakura is blamed for being neglected and sacrificed in favor of males, however if she was a guy, having the amount of potential she has, people would criticize the writing instead. I also dislike how a lot ppl on her own fandom dismiss her so much, trying to justify her being sidelined with her being a medic when she's also a FIGHTER and she trained to be both a medic and a fighter at the same time! It's funny how they use the medic card while worshipping her fight against Sasori, where she stands out precisely for being great as a medic and as a fighter lol I will always be frustrated with the wasted potential of this character.

I personally don't think she was wasted potential because that's a term used to describe her abilities or lack thereof, she just needed more fights.

But I agree about your point regarding being sidelined to favor male characters. That's a problem from the manga and it's also a result of Kishimoto revealing that he wanted to explore Sakura more but was never allowed to.

Other than that, her abilities were and are amazing, the problem is that she didn't have as many opportunities to show them off (I personally think Kabuto should've been her opponent because of the nature of their abilities) to full extent.

As a member of the fandom, I never use the "medical ninja should never fight" rule as an excuse to justify some scenes because it doesn't make sense. There are times where she fully completes her role as a medic, like moving from the Third Division to the Medical Division, but also taking advantage if her taijutsu by taking down White Zetsu.

She has always been able to balance both.

Whether she had the seal or not in order to ignore the 3 medical ninja rules, Sakura was still the only medical ninja able to fight. Later on she achieved the Byakugou, but she still took on opponents despite her medical ninja status, and not just any medical ninja, one of her calibre.

I'm not gonna say I'm 100% satisfied either because I think her own disposition as a master of chakra control since the earlier chapters could've created a Sakura able to control the 5 elements, or the whole genjutsu-type being semi explored, but that's also something that could or should be shown in spin-off material.

However, the story was always gonna be about Sasuke and Naruto, their Yin and Yang dynamic and their equal growth. There's no room for Sakura there obviously, but does that negate she's still 3rd strongest? No. It so happens her teammates are reincarnations of demigods.

Isn't it a bit funny to say that now that neither Sasuke or Naruto have Kurama or Rinnegan? Sakura is now stronger if we remember her war self was equal to KCM and double EMS, now the only thing left is one EMS and Sakura being in her prime.

But Boruto era isn't really relevant in this conversation.

We already know Sakura is a great kunoichi, she's a great fighter and she has very little competition, but we have never seen her in full strength, she has never gone all out, full arsenal against anyone.

No seal activated, no full taijutsu and no Katsuyu against anyone in battle. She's not wasted potential, it's just that prime Sakura has never been allowed to show off.

If Kishimoto had been able to write her the way he wanted to, and the current era or Blank Period cared enough to show the og generation wirh full strength, maybe these debates would end.

[ironstakes]

You Can’t Take it Back Chapter 18 segment WIP

They got to the bridge, Etho going first this time, then Kakashi with True bringing up the rear. He immediately protested.

But Etho had his reasons. “I was thinking- I want us on either side of you, Strach, so that if the bridge gets, uh, explodificated, True or I can repair it. On either side, you know? This way, say one of us falls in or something while there’s a ghast shooting at us, you have a way out.”

“So all Strach has to do is not fall in lava,” True summarized.

Etho’s eye crinkled and curved. “Pretty much.”

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Kakashi asked, not too keen on the idea of being in the worst position to protect his siblings. 

“Hey, I’m the old and wise one, right? Doesn't that mean you have to listen to me anyway?” Etho asked. 

“Sure grandpa,” True agreed. 

“Hey!”

“What’s up? Drop your glasses into the lava? Your dentures, maybe?” 

“Gasp! The disrespect. Back in my day, we used to respect our elders.”

“Your day was a long time ago. Are you sure you're remembering that correctly?”

“This lady, my god. Strach, save me, she’s bullying me! The audacity!”

Kakashi startled badly at abruptly being pulled into the sibling back-and-forth. It seemed like a well practiced exchange.

“Uh… don’t bully Etho?” he said lamely, internally curling with embarrassment.

True snorted. Taking his lackluster response in stride, she said mock-seriously, “Well, if Strach says I can’t…”

“Yeah, he sure does!” Etho agreed cheerfully. 

Kakashi didn’t like that they had been standing by the bridge for so long and cut in, “Strach also says we should get out of here.”

“Then let’s go,” True agreed easily. 

“Okie dokie,” Etho sing-songed, taking the lead. 

The return trek across the bridge was much more lively. True updated him on the Keralis prank and Etho shared a few corners he was going to cut from his shops and services with the primary purpose of annoying people. Kakashi, who rather liked annoying people, listened as Etho explained the way he set up his unsuspecting customer’s expectations, only to then turn those expectations on their heads in clever ways.

He took careful note, planning to apply some of these tactics to his own endeavors. Word play and homonyms, optical illusions, poetry, the psychology of numbers… there was a lot of thought and subtlety put into his idea. Etho was clearly a very intelligent man, but with the way he presented himself, he didn’t feel intimidating or even arrogant. Rather, he was very casual and  conversational. 

Kakashi could see why people liked him, but still couldn’t understand where his apparent popularity came from. 

They then prodded Kakashi to share stories, so he began using the sanitized summaries of some of his missions. Just a few snippets, here or there, nothing too incriminating. He’d spent his youth fighting a war, and when that was over he’d helped with the fallout, and after that he’d joined ANBU and later ROOT. He didn’t exactly have a lot of missions he could talk about, and he’d said as much.

“Didn’t know the war had ended,” Etho said, contemplative. 

“And I’m fairly certain this war was a different war that ended,” True mused.

“It was. The Third Great Shinobi War,” Kakashi explained reflexively, a little startled. 

“Oh, another one?” Etho asked, seeming disappointed. “Sounds exhausting. The first one was bad enough. Er, second. But at least it was shorter than we thought it was.”

“You really didn’t know the second war was over?” Kakashi pressed, mind spinning.

Behind him, True sighed. “No. Not really. We left during the second war and sort of stayed out of the whole ninja stuff after that. Had bigger things to worry about.”

Etho laughed a little. “Remember how Hatake was convinced Tango was a spy?”

True outright chortled. “I know! I mean, seriously? Tango? Come on man. I was more likely to have been some kind of spy than Tango.”

“So Strach,” Etho said, “for context, Sakumo was really into the idea that Tango was evil or something and tried for ages to make us stop spending time with each other. It didn’t work, obviously.”

Kakashi’s mind was working overtime. Was this why Grian was so hostile? Did all the Inja think the second war was still going on? That lie was impossible to maintain though! People went in and out of Inja no Machi, that's how he ended up here, so surely they would have known about the second war ending. It’d been years since it’d ended, Kakashi hadn’t even been born yet!

And Sakumo thought Tango had been a spy? His-their- his father was far from a foolish man. What had happened for him to think that of Tango?

“Obviously,” Kakashi parroted. “His efforts must have had the opposite effect, seeing as you two got together.”

“Together forever,” Etho agreed. “Or at least until the heat death of this universe.”

“Pretty sure Doc is ready to tie you to a chair,” True said abruptly and rather randomly.

“Ehhh, nah,” Etho seemingly decided on the spot, “I’ll hang out with him, but basing? Gotta think about that.”

Very lost, Kakashi decidedly chose to not think about what was being implied. 

[bunniefaery]

I saw this article calling Sasuke a Villain and how the live-action shouldn't include his "villain" arc, because it "felt tedious and too convoluted to the bigger narrative" and instead they should make him a pivot for the fight against the Otsutsuki...

Did this person watch the anime or read the manga?

Article from CBR, Title: The Naruto Live-Action Movie Doesn't Need To Adapt This Villain Arc

1. Protect Konoha from what? The Uchiha wanted to end the decades long discrimination and oppression they were facing at the hands of the higher ups... (Not to mention that when Kurama attacked the village (under genjutsu, when Naruto was born), and during the konoha crush, no other villages went to attack the Leaf after the events), not even after the Pein arc...

2. Most people would hate growing up alone, and why was that sentence in bold?

3. Sasuke didn't find out about the true reason Itachi did what he did, until after Itachi died, as well as the real reason behind said Coup... as far as I am aware. And why wouldn't he want revenge against Konoha (specifically the 3 people who are left that caused all of his trauma and the uchiha genocide, it'd be 4 but the Sandaime Hokage was already dead by this point in the story)

4. What "wars" against Madara and Obito? There was only 1 War against them, the 4th great ninja war, that lasted 2 days a.k.a. approximately ~212 episodes, including filler (volumes 55 through 59 in the Manga, according to google)

"Naruto and Sasuke were reincarnations of her sons (Ashura and Indra, respectively)"

Okay, so the author didn't watch nor read Naruto...

Indra and Ashura Otsutsuki are not Kaguya's sons... they are her grandsons 👁️👄👁️ Homura and Hagoromo Otsutsuki are her sons... and Hagoromo is Ashura and Indra's father…

I feel like the author doesn't know much about Kaguya either, if they did they'd know her story.

"The advantage of Sasuke being a rebel without defecting from Konoha is that Naruto would have the help needed to fight the big villains of the franchise: the Ōtsutsuki."

When the time came, was Sasuke not helping Naruto with that? 🧐 And why shouldn't he have defected from Konoha? What good could they do for him?

Why does Sasuke need to be convinced to return home, when his home was taken from him by this "home" the author speaks of, that "home" being Konoha? Why should he return to the place that treated his people so poorly that they felt they no other choice but to do a coup against the people in charge of Konoha only to be wiped out for daring to stand up for themselves after years of oppression...?

Konoha, specifically Danzo, the third hokage, and 2 hogake advisors, Homura and Koharu (3 of which where Tobirama Senju's students and all 4 of which were on his personal team, and we all know what Tobi thought of the Uchiha) forced Itachi to wipeout his whole clan, excluding Sasuke, and then blamed him for it. They swept what they did under a filthy rug, that already had many skeletons piling up, and acted like he was the most evil person... He was a child and he was forced to do that and to become a fugitive by the old people in charge, who had no business being in charge of Konoha since there should've been a 5th Hokage by then... (regardless if Itachi regretted it or not, which he never really does)

I won't say it...😇

"Sasuke could learn more about how Indra developed a dark side, which passed down to the Uchiha, while Ashura's light gave way to the Senju and Uzumaki (Naruto's family) clans"

1. While I do agree that Naruto should've learnt more of the Uzumaki (and the Namikaze), besides finding out they excelled in Sealing Jutsus, had very long lives and were a bit savage (it wasn't in-depth at all, and there is no one to teach him, since the Uzumaki are also victims of genocide (in which Konoha did not help protect them) and well, I don't know what happened to Minato's people)

2. And that Sasuke should've learnt more of his people (but how was he going to, when he was the only one left at age 7/8?)

3. Indra's dark side... it wasn't passed down, nor did it emerge until his father gave his little brother the title of successor and expected him to follow without questions, having his birthright taken away because he was more introverted than his little brother whom their father called "the flunky useless dropout younger brother" (according to a panel I saw). And implied, at least to me, that ninjustu was created for wars and all things evil (Indra created ninjustu when he was just a child). ah yes his dark side the Uchiha inherited, that darkness of wanting to be treated like people and with respect in the village they helped make.

4. Kushina calls the Uzumaki, among other things, a bit savage. Batsuma Senju punched Hashirama, a child at the time, for being angry/sad that his little brother died, saying he was disrespecting his brother (and him) by basically questioning the system. Tobirama is a Senju, who was not shy about his hatred and prejudice against the Uchiha Clan (he is after all the founder of the bigoted psuedo science that was the "Curse of Hatred" the Uchiha are supposedly afflicted by, a clan that according to him is cursed and called Sasuke "a brat possessed by Uchiha evil") and that's on Ashura's "light" that gave way for his descendants, the Uzumaki and the Senju, "a clan of love~"🥰

Right, because he wasn't a pivot to the story, nor did his and naruto's story have any "heart and impact"... Right...

At some point, I wonder if some of this article is just satire 😅

[powerful-niya]

The Tell-Tale Heart

❀Fest No Jutsu 2023❀

Naruhina Oneshot Available on: AO3 | Wattpad | Fanfiction.net |

Prompt claimed fulfilled for @wickermayne 🥰

❀Naruhina RomCom❀

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Summary: The Fourth Great Ninja War ends and Konoha is at peace; Hinata Hyuga contemplates Naruto Uzumaki's unexpected desire to spend more time with her.

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《

Tags: Blank Period • Canon • Canon Divergence • Declarations Of Love • Drama & Romance • Fake Relationship Trope • Fluff • Happy • Happy Ending • Humor • Light Angst • Love Confessions • Mutual Pining • Naruto Universe - Freeform • No Smut • Post War • POV Third Person • Romance • Teen Rated  •Tooth Rotting Fluff •

Word Count - For Entire One-Shot: 8.4k.

Word Count - Tumblr Post: 3.3k.

❀Preview:

Today in Konohagakure, the temperature was moderately warm.

The shining sun rose high in the cloudless, blue heavens, beaming with happiness where it took center stage above.

The residents of Konohagakure, enjoyed every moment of the new day, a day of peace and fun, as the sun smiled down on them with warm but pleasant beams.

The summer breeze flowed through the busy streets of the village, sweeping green leaves within its gentle wake where they carried on powerfully, just as the ninjas, Konoha's defenders, have done each and every day.

A year had passed since the conclusion of the Fourth Great Ninja War, allowing Konoha as a whole to at last settle down.

The streets were alive with laughter and chatter, with kids flying kites and pretending to be the ninjas they idolize, racing full speed through the crowds with their arms thrust behind them as if soaring.

Smiling villagers of all sizes and ages filled the streets, setting up their businesses and outlets to cheerfully trade their produce and wares with one another.

All around, structures and residences stood tall, having all been rebuilt from the devastation that numerous battles, particularly the Pain onslaught, had wreaked upon them.

Konoha was now endowed with brand-new structures, fresh possibilities, and new beginnings.

Ninjas, villagers, and children alike were all beaming and renewed—all appreciative of the timeless peace they had gained by never giving up, by consistently standing up for what is right, and by moving onward no matter what.

Konohagakure was now at peace.

Aside from Hinata Hyūga.

In the midst of the happiness that beamed all around her, the young kunoichi found herself having quite an episode: fingers twiddling together, her breathing escalated, cheeks red, and her mind in scrambles.

Hinata traversed the streets of Konoha dressed in her typical ninja garb, accompanied by her longtime team members and companions, Kiba and Shino.

Kiba, her loud, ferocious friend, shot her a glance with his slitted eyes, lifting an eyebrow as he sensed his shy friend's worried state.

After all, it was Hinata's idea to get together so the three of them could go for a walk through the village, get some fresh air, and just spend some time in each other's company.

However, Kiba and Shino have observed Hinata to be extremely fidgety and quiet the entire time, appearing to be preoccupied with a problem that both ninjas were overly conscious about.

Hinata was unable to stop talking about it after all.

Kiba groaned and shook his head, causing his brown curly hair to tussle about, brushing against the nape of his neck due to its increasing length.

To lighten the mood, the cheerful canine ninja gave Hinata a gentle shove with his elbow—just with the side of his folded arms.

He laughed as he caught the surprised squeak that flooded out of her lips, her body jolting as a result of being shoved out of her troublesome thoughts.

"Come on, Hinata-chan, stop overreacting already. It's not that bad." Kiba remarked with a gruff tone and an amused grin, his lips stretched wide to show off his razor-sharp canines.

Due to his delighted smile, the red triangles on his cheeks raised just a touch, his features quite robust and well-defined given his maturing age.

His voice, which had become deeper over the years, was emitted in a halfhearted manner, with little worry detected within, which did absolutely nothing to calm Hinata's anxiety.

Hinata's predicament was only made worse because of it.

Her pale cheeks grew even redder, and she found herself hiding behind the curtains of her long, midnight-blue hair, unable to meet Kiba's gaze.

"No, th-this is..."

"It's just Naruto, Hinata-chan. What does it matter whether the knucklehead wants to spend time with you? Big deal."

Kiba muttered impassively once again, simply shrugging his shoulders as if everything was normal—and especially normal for Hinata.

She shook her head. There was nothing normal about her situation.

Hinata took a glimpse at her brown-haired pal through the strands of her dark hair, only to be struck by the nonchalant expression found on his tanned face.

Kiba didn't seem bothered by her predicament or even able to understand why she was feeling the way she was, for the matter. It was certainly a sight she just couldn't comprehend.

It was quite obvious why she was so worked up.

Hinata bit her lip briefly, to deal with her nerves.

"B-But every day?" Hinata exclaimed, apprehensive.

"A-Am I the only one who finds it strange that Naruto-kun is suddenly spending so much time with me? It's s-so odd."

Hinata's meek voice broke through the gaps of her delicate lips, bursting into the village's midday hum. Such comments of hers would have been drowned out by the din of the crowd, but Kiba's keen hearing picked up on her words flawlessly.

He heard her loud and clear.

Kiba shrugged.

He genuinely did not perceive anything wrong with her current "situation."

Kiba thought Hinata was acting rather ridiculously, in fact. Every time Naruto was brought up in their many conversations, she would just revert to her usual flustered self.

The mere mention of the goofy blonde ninja always causes her to flush red all over and sends her into a stuttering frenzy. Even in her primary years, she would faint just by being in the blonde's presence.

Hinata has always been a flustered mess around Naruto, but even now, after having Hinata as a teammate for so long, Kiba has never been able to understand the immense anxiousness she would feel because of the blonde.

Apart from the fact that Naruto was now regarded as a war hero as a result of his heroic deeds during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Kiba still saw him merely as a hyperactive, dense, brainless knucklehead.

He just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that anyone would feel immense anxiety around someone like him.

It was all quite ridiculous.

Kiba found nothing odd or different about Hinata's frenzied behavior nor about Naruto's desire to spend more time with Hinata. After all, they were all growing closer to one another—every single one of their friends—now more than ever.

Nothing's strange there.

Shino, on the other hand, saw a different picture.

He let out a hum of curiosity, bringing to light his presence as he walked alongside Hinata.

His eyes were shielded from the sun by black shades, so others couldn't see his facial expressions as well.

One hand of his was buried in the pocket of his long jacket, while the other lifted to stroke his chin.

"Now that you mention it. That is strange."

Shino's voice emerged from his mouth, somber and monotone, phasing with the pleasant breeze around them. He too joined the conversation between Kiba and Hinata, voicing his concerns about the current situation at hand.

Hinata's dilemma.

All in all, it shouldn't really be a dilemma.

Hinata was aware of this.

Her predicament shouldn't be one that keeps her up at night, sends her in a tizzy, and leads her to become a hot, stuttering mess whenever she thinks about it.

Naruto.

Naruto was her dilemma.

Since the war has ended and all of Konoha has spent its time relishing the peace, Naruto has been exhibiting a variety of behavioral shifts—shifts that were pretty different and quite apparent—particularly because they diverged from the customary behavior tactics he has always demonstrated.

Such changes were all very unusual to Hinata, changes that she was unable to interpret or understand.

To put it simply, Naruto's been acting quite strangely toward her.

How strange you might ask?

For starters, Hinata thought it was somewhat odd of Naruto to unexpectedly develop the longing to devote every waking moment with her.

It seemed weird to her that he wanted to see her every day at the same time at Ichiraku Ramen in order to spend time with her.

Hinata bit her lip a bit harder.

She could hear him now.

"Let's eat out again, tomorrow, Hinata-chan. At Ichiraku, same time, same place. I had such a great time with you, dattebayo!"

Hinata could still clearly remember what he said to her almost a day ago when they shared a meal together at the Ichiraku Ramen Shop.

Even then, he showed signs of immense eagerness for her that she had never seen him show before.

Hinata recalled how he constantly barraged her with many subjects of discussion, even as he spoke to her while stuffing ramen noodles into his mouth.

He told her several of his own tales, including mission experiences that actually made her laugh quite a lot. More than she's ever done in her entire life.

It was all so... strange.

Don't misunderstand Hinata; Naruto's excitement was refreshing, albeit a little overwhelming.

Indeed, Hinata has always wished to spend time with Naruto, and she can't stop herself from enjoying those moments when she gets to sit beside him, shoulder to shoulder, and share a meal and a conversation with him, especially after the war is all said and done.

Sharing such moments with him has always been her dream.

Hinata relished the moments when Naruto lavished her with lots of attention, gazing into her eyes with a true sense of joy and care, and wanting nothing more than to spend as much time with her as he could.

And maybe, she's just overthinking.

Maybe, she's just blowing the entire situation out of proportion.

Maybe she was getting ahead of herself, but she was unable to ignore Naruto's peculiar behavior toward her, including the very difference in the way he spoke to her. It consumed her mind and bugged her so much.

Hinata has made a constant effort to understand why Naruto's behavior has drastically changed in the way it did toward her and why he suddenly developed the urge to hang out with her so excessively.

This was a really big deal to her.

Hinata couldn't help but mull it all over.

In the immediate aftermath of the war, Naruto changed from scarcely recognizing her to having just fleeting conversations with her to obnoxiously craving her company all the time.

It's such a drastic change.

This cannot be a coincidence, she thought.

Hinata occasionally found herself questioning whether Naruto's motives were sincere; she wondered if perhaps he was merely allowing himself to be close to her out of pity.

Pity for her losing Neji.

Yes, the war was officially over, but even so, there were still a lot of wounds that needed to be healed, and Neji's death surely left a lot of them. A lot of wounds.

Hinata occasionally finds herself becoming very sad at the mere recollection of Neji being dead, no longer living in Konoha, but instead buried with the other valiant ninjas who fought in the war.

She would frequently experience severe depression as she recalled the events leading up to his death and once more realized that he had indeed left this world and never to return again.

Hinata often thought of such depressing memories and felt their suppressive effect on her throughout her day-to-day life, and thus, she often thought that is why Naruto wished to spend so much time with her.

Because of pity. Because of guilt.

However, she always dismissed the idea, labeling herself as ridiculous for having such negative thoughts about her dear Naruto-kun.

As a result, Hinata discovers herself becoming quite enthusiastic about the alternative reason she came up with for Naruto's behavioral changes toward her.

And that was a result of authenticity.

Maybe, just maybe, Naruto has come to want to be close to her from a genuine standpoint.

Maybe he secretly yearns to be close to her, yearns to learn more about her, or, better yet, just genuinely enjoys her company.

Maybe, Naruto has come to yearn for something more.

But just as Hinata thought of such a thing, just as she allowed her fantasies to intertwine with her thoughts, she was quick to shake them off.

Hinata squealed, covering her eyes with her hands due to her lewd thoughts.

'No, no, that can't possibly be it!" Shaking off the idea, Hinata exclaimed in a frenzy fit in her mind. It was absurd for her to think that the frequent outings she would have with Naruto were anything romantic.

Yes, Naruto yearns to see her virtually every single day.

Yes, he genuinely offers to pay for her meal at each and every get-together.

Yes, he regularly gives her his jacket whenever she grows cold, without her having to utter a single word.

But...

Those were merely the acts of a friend, Hinata thought, a friend that truly cares.

'There's nothing romantic about that.' Hinata dismissed once more, hysterically shaking her tomato-red face as she hurried on carelessly, her open-toed shoes kicking up dirt every step of the way.

However, she was interrupted from her thoughts when she once more heard the voice of her enigmatic friend, Shino, speak after a little period of silence between the three of them.

"Hm, it almost seems like the two of you are dating. Maybe that's what Naruto wants."

It was only hearing those words from Shino that led Hinata to completely lose it.

She began to feel lightheaded. Terribly lightheaded.

'Me? D-Date Naruto-kun?!?' Hinata practically screeched in her head. She was going to faint, she just knew it.

It was only a matter of time now.

She whipped around to face Shino, in an effort to quickly dismiss such a ridiculous notion from his head. She couldn't bear it.

Hinata sweat dropped, her cheeks flushed red, "No, no, Naruto-kun and I aren't d-dating. Dating o-or romance, for that matter, isn't possibly the reason for all of this. There has to be a-another explanation..."

"Hm." Shino rubbed his chin once more, "It's quite obvious what's going on here, Hinata-chan. Naruto's sudden and enthusiastic yearning to spend more time with you when the war is over. All of it seems to be pointing towards the possibility that his eyes may have opened after all this time." Shino hummed.

"The evidence is right in front of you." Shino expressed with a nod, as he tried to piece together the situation and come up with a solution.

Kiba, in contrast, just shrugged. He merely found the two humorous, trying to solve an issue that was so clear.

He shook his head, "Hinata-chan, come on. You gotta stop overthinking."

He brushed his shoulder against hers yet again, doing so with a groan, "Good kami, all of this Naruto stuff is getting you ridiculous, Hinata-chan. Come on, think about it. Isn't this what you always wanted?" He asked, blurting out what he knew had to be said.

With wrinkled brows, he gazed down at the midnight blue-haired woman beside him, watching as her lavender eyes widened at his remark.

He tilted his head, his expression somewhat solemn, "Isn't this time spent with Naruto, or rather, him wanting to spend time with you, something you always wished for?"

Hinata's eyes widened even more. Even her heart skipped a beat.

It was. It's all Hinata has ever wanted.

She's spent her entire life walking behind Naruto, always staring at his back, longing for him to turn and notice her.

She had yearned for him to realize her presence, to recognize all the times she had followed him, supported him, been influenced to become stronger by him, and even risked her life for him.

She yearned to be by his side, showering him with her affection and reverence.

She wished so badly he would one day look at her the very same way she looked at him.

That is all she has ever wished for—Naruto to notice her.

And now...

Hinata's breath caught in her throat as Kiba's words flashed through her mind, finally waking her up and causing her to realize what a blessing this entire situation was for her.

The sudden acts of Naruto wanting to spend time with her; and the genuine smiles he showers her with.

The big, warm hugs he gives her the moment she arrives at Ichiraku Ramen.

The jokes, the laughter, the smiles.

Everything.

Hinata finally considered every bit of her situation, and she used the opportunity to take a step outside of herself, away from the troubling emotions that were stifling her, and instead take in the situation as a whole.

Her breath hitched.

Indeed, she has always wanted this.

Always.

And now, with her eyes opened, she has realized how silly she has been.

She has done nothing but speculate about Naruto's motives, questioning herself as a whole for liking his behavioral shifts.

She was so worried and anxious about the whole thing, as well as flustered and embarrassed by being so close to Naruto so suddenly, that she entirely failed to notice the positive elements of her predicament.

But now...

A smile arose on Hinata's face and in that moment, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders. She suddenly felt the worries she's been dealing with for a couple of weeks now set sail and fly away.

She finally sensed herself becoming free from her worries; free from it all. All thanks to her friends; Kiba and Shino.

She really needed this chat.

Because now, Hinata could finally see the situation from a different perspective, a more positive approach to her situation, and now she finds herself a little bit more...

appreciative.

She bawled her fists tight by her chest, biting her lip briefly, "Y-Yes, this is what I have wanted." She whispered, finally voicing out her own wants for a change, voicing that she indeed has always wanted Naruto to notice her, just in the way he has recently.

Kiba and Shino exchanged a joyful grin, both ninjas flawlessly catching their bashful friend's answer even in the midst of the raucous outside noises around them.

It was undoubtedly like music to their ears, and they were both comforted by the fact that their friend's sentiments of embarrassment and worry were no longer clouding her judgment—no longer keeping her troubled.

The two men were pleased to find that their efforts had been successful and that their words of caution and contemplation had not been merely ignored or overlooked.

Kiba and Shino were certainly pleased to see Hinata finally diverted from her mental woes and the clamor of her irrational thoughts, which had previously blinded and hampered her. And ultimately, keeping her from finding happiness with the one man that almost everyone in the village knows can greatly comfort and increase Hinata's level of contentment.

Peace was now assured.

Kiba exclaimed joyfully, "See, there you go! So I say, quit your overreacting and relax! Enjoy the peace already!"

He shoved her shoulder again which actually caused Hinata to giggle, her body swaying a bit.

"Kami, if you're so worried about Naruto spending time with you, why don't you just ask him? Who knows, Shino might be right, your precious Naruto-kun might have finally woken up." Kiba teased with a laugh.

Hinata instantly gasped, her head space once again flooded by overwhelming thoughts, her body riddled with feelings of flusteredness.

Throughout Kiba's entire speech, one particular detail caught her attention the most.

My precious Naruto-kun.

Hinata's blush rushed back to engulf her whole tenfold, "H-Hey don't call him that!" The flustered kunoichi exclaimed in embarrassment before reaching over to slap Kiba's folded arm.

But her gesture of getting him back due to his teasing only pushed the brown-haired male to laugh and tease her even more.

"Oh, Naruto-kun! My precious Naruto-kun!"

"St-Stop it, Kiba-kun!"

"No! You make it so easy, Hinata-chan!"

Hinata grumbled, her heart racing in her chest as she was teased by Kiba but soon comforted by Shino.

After all was said and done, however, and after a much-needed conversation with her good friends, she found herself looking forward to the dinner get-together with Naruto.

Now, more than ever.

[stu-dyingstudent]

third war continued/Sakura sent to war prematurely fic recs

Okay, I'll be completely honest, this is one of my ultimate favourite tropes when it comes to Sakura-centric fanfiction! Unfortunately, there really isn't too many of these out there and most are not completed, so if you know of any more then please send them my way. I'm begging.

Started: 2024.07.23

Last Updated: 2024.12.14

note: feel free to check out my master list which has a bunch of Sakura Haruno fic recs (all organized)!

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Your Move, Instigator (draw your weapon and hold your tongue) - Laysan_albatross || ao3|| third war extended AU || complete

“We are still under wartime policy,” the recruiter had told her parents. He had an envelope in his hand. He sounded sorry. “She has two parents who are successful ninjas. We would be remiss to overlook her potential based upon that alone.” The Third Shinobi War never ended. Konoha needs more soldiers, grabbing anyone who can fight, especially those who can't say no.

You guys, I love this one to death. It's definitely a darker take on the Naruto universe, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The civilian born shinobi are deemed as more expendable and thus thrown into war while the clan born remain sheltered. I found it quite interesting that the Uchiha were also lobbed into this group, but it was more done as punishment instead. Very raw and properly gets across the devastation that this brings.

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still waters by Vulpecula_et_Anser || ao3 || gen || M || Sakura sent to war early AU || one-shot complete

Sakura is twelve when she queues up in front a desk with a bunch of other equally-terrified looking shinobi. The ages range from younger than her to old enough to be her grandpa. The man sitting at the desk is stony-faced as he doles out assignments. Sakura obediently shuffles forward when it is her turn, and recites her shinobi identification number in a shaky voice when asked. When the provost marshal looks at her, looks down at his paper, looks back at her, and grimaces, Sakura knows it’s not going to be good. OR How Sakura survives the war, told in bits and pieces.

Canon-fodder! Sakura makes her shinobi debut on the front lines, forcing her to get creative in her means to survive. It's gritty, raw, and the clever use of seals is great! In most of the other works of this type, Sakura is placed on a team of sorts or has some "support" (kinda), but here she is all alone. She is forced to fight for her life, to keep going despite how she feels because ultimately, Sakura does not want to die. She does meet some people later on though and it was great to see. Y'all know this type of story is my personal guilty pleasure (also one of the best I've read thus far)...

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Find Your Place (whatever it takes) - Dovey || ao3 || third war extended AU || incomplete

The war lasts longer than in canon, and has only just ended. While most of the 'Konoha 12' are clan heirs and thus protected from having to go to war prematurely, Sakura is from a civilian family, with naturally advanced chakra control, and thus is thrown immediately onto the frontlines. Now she's on a genin team in peacetime, and she's struggling to figure out how to live when she's not constantly at risk of dying. Team seven bonds in new weird ways, The Uchiha are actually all dead except for Sasuke (including war-hero itachi) who's got a chip on his shoulder the size of Konoha, Naruto isn't the kyuubi container and he finds Sakura kinda scary. Sakura would just like to have a hobby.

Find Your Place (whatever it takes) is the og fic of this category as far as I am aware. The main difference to consider is that it primarily focuses on the aftereffects of the war and the impact that it had on Sakura as a person.

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team. - waterpllar || ao3 || gen || third war extended AU || complete

She’s under Neji's command, which apparently means she’s under the Hyuuga’s command. The Hyuuga’s role is on the frontlines, but Neji must be special for a kid from the branch family, because they mostly send him and Sakura out after the big battles are done, to pick off the wounded, and burn bodies. Sakura kind of wishes she had someone to keep her from the big fights, too. Her job is with Neji, taking back kekkei genkai and retrieving important people’s bodies, but she has other assignments, too. She’s given a dull kunai and told to go through the battlefield, dodging blows and jutsus from friend and foe, slashing at whatever isn’t wearing a Konoha headband.(the third shinobi war doesn't end, dragging on for years. konoha is running out of troops, and unimportant children in the academy with even a modicum of talent are snatched up to the warfront. sakura, unfortunately, is one of them. so is neji.)

Such a strong beginning, although, I gotta say that the ending was rather disappointing imo. There was so much potential, but the author admitted to not wanting to continue the story so it was cut short. Hopefully more works of this nature will come to light!

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Induction - Anonymous || ao3 || M || gen || third war extended AU || incomplete

in·duc·tion /inˈdəkSH(ə)n/ noun: induction 1. the action or process of inducting someone to a position or organization. enlistment into military service.   or; The Third War does not end soon enough. Children pay the price.

Definitely not my favorite take on this trope, but it fits the bill, so it's here! Anyway, tbh I never actually made it far enough reading to get to the actual war part, so I don't have too much to say.

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Ground Zero - TheIzzatron || ao3 || gen || T || third war extended AU || incomplete

Desperate times call for desperate measures. If this means forcing weapons into the hands of children, then so be it.

AHHHHH I'm praying for the day we get another chapter of Ground Zero!! I really appreciate how we actually get a training arc where we get a base of the characters and how this system works before they properly get dispatched. The characters and their emotions are so well done that you truly feel how unfair the situation is. They aren't heartless, they are children. Highly recommend.

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Control - Dragonist || ao3 || gen || no rating || Sakura sent to war early AU || incomplete

Kumo kidnaps a child of Konoha. Sakura graduates from the academy only a year after starting it. There's a war going on, and she's obedient enough to stay quiet and follow orders. Then the war ends, and it's unclear who is really giving them. (a mystery from a child's perspective)

I haven't read Control yet, but I really need to get around to it!

Ok I just noticed I forgot to add the link to this one, but that has been fixed!!

Edit: it seems the author deleted it 😭

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The War ate me and spat me back out - Faircrown || ao3 || gen || E || third war extended AU || one-shot complete

She was a child for a whole six years of her life before being forced to graduate early on and thrown into the war.

Sakura graduates early and is sent to war. On all of her placements she has been one of the only survivors to come out.

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your war heroes (are my war criminals) - silentpoints || ao3 || gen || E || third war extended AU || incomplete

A girl who was supposed to die young survives to see adulthood, and thus the Third Shinobi World War rages onwards with the odds stacked against Konoha.  Sakura, on the other hand, is one of the many children placed in the Academy's new "Accelerated Program" under the reign of the Yondaime Hokage, who is a man that cannot possibly be human—and she grows up to be really fucking angry, waging her own war against Namikaze Minato.

The fic isn't quite long enough for the story to have properly gotten going. Therefore, I don't really have any comments.

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The spines of trees we take for dead - FacelesssMoon || ao3 || gen || T || Sakura sent to war early AU || one-shot complete

Haruno Sakura is not special. A war goes on. She does not feel special. They tell her she is. She likes to lie.

Sakura it sent to war at a young age with the justification that she is "special." It is there she meets Minato and Kakashi and chooses to stick by their sides. Pretty short if you want something quick.

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Under All Anger is Fear - SheepiBoPeepi || ao3 || T || gen || Sakura sent to war early AU || ongoing

Sakura has always known that she's broken, unlike all the other kids. Emotions? They don't come naturally. Blood, pain, and loss don’t shake her. But the war breaks her in ways she didn't think possible.

Assigned to Team Four with Neji and Sai, Sakura faces more than just the external battles of the world. Sakura’s journey is a haunting exploration of what it means to be human — even if she isn’t sure she is one.

This is a story of survival, struggle, and self-discovery, where the hardest battles are fought within.

Basically, Sakura is kinda a weirdo to the point her parents feel it's the best decision to send her to the academy lmao. Anyway, she ends up being conscripted into the war where she later forms a team with Neji and Sai. It's actually really heartfelt to see how the three of them grow to cherish and rely on each other. The dynamic is truly great because they do not get along at first. With Neji as their captain he's stuck trying to deal with the bickering Sai and Sakura. It really makes them feel their age. It's also interesting to see how their growing reputations within the camp affects each of the characters. Definitely try this one out!

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Please send me more like these!!!!

[jinnaizaemon]

Nintama Rantarou: Ninjutsu Gakuen Zenin Shutsudou! no Dan commentary

I've been wanting to write about this movie for a while because it was my entry point into the franchise, and since I've been neck deep into the script recently after translating it, I thought now is a good time. However, I wasn't sure how to articulate my post, and what direction to give it... So in the end, it looks like a collection of my own thoughts, mixed with some trivia, notes about the script and how I translated some things, in my best attempt at following the movie chronologically. I hope it doesn't come off as too messy and that it is at least a little bit of an interesting read to you. Let's begin under the read more! Beware of spoilers, and forgive my broken English.

(by all means, have a snack while reading)

A little background first of all: The first Nintama Rantarou movie came out in 1996. This one, Ninjutsu Gakuen Zenin Shutsudou! no Dan, came out 15 years later, in March 2011. And 13 years later, in December 2024, we will get the third movie in the franchise... the gaps are too long, I don't want to wait a decade between each movie >< More precisely, this movie came out in theaters on March 12 2011, that is to say one day after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of March 11 2011 ; it resulted in promotional events related to the movie being cancelled, and in general theaters in Japan shortening screenings or closing entirely. As a consequence of this, the movie is a box-office failure, despite having extremely positive reviews.

The movie itself adapts the contents of volume 37 and 42 of the manga, which had already been animated in the 16th season of the anime series, making the movie a remake of sort, with movie-only original scenes, and an adaptation of the plot so that it includes every member of Ninjutsu Academy.

Personally, I only watched this movie recently at the recommendation of friends, and while I've felt a bit overwhelmed by the HUGE cast of characters, I've been charmed by the colorful palette, cheerful characters and positive, optimistic tone contrasting with the setting of the story - the Warring States period in Japan not being an obvious background for a fun children cartoon... It's a strange mix Nintama always does brilliantly and it's shown at its best in this movie I think, daring to show actual battlefields (as opposed to the usual dust clouds of the TV anime version) and wounded soldiers as explicitely as an anime for children can allow, while giving the spotlight to the Health Committee, most importantly to Rantarou as he finds his role and what he's best at in battle. The movie isn't about Tasogaredoki VS Oomagatoki, it actually opposes war and healing at many scales ; Tasogare Jinbei and Oomagatoki Magatoki's abusing villagers VS Ninjutsu Academy protecting them and giving them their freedom and independence, the great ninja Zatto covered in wounds and his mirror opposite clumsy Isaku the healer, and finally Rantarou who offers to heal (free of charge!) soldiers and let them go when the expectation at the time was that surrendering meant death. It's like, in an era poisoned by war and death, Ninjutsu Academy is a little pocket of optimism where children grow to make the future a little bit kinder, here shown most explicitely in the Health Committee and Isaku's good influence but not only ; and I found that surprisingly sweet. I also have an interest in historical settings and anime so... yeah, that movie left a good impression on me!

Anyways, now to follow the movie chronologically! Iza~

Opening scene

The movie opens with a flashback scene involving Zatto and Isaku, introducing the big themes of the movie I mentioned before. According to Amako Soubee, the original author of the manga Nintama Rantarou is adapted from, cloth was expensive at the time, hence the recurring use of flags, clothings, underwears, etc recycled as bandages.

Isaku is dressed as yamabushi, practicioners of shugendo, known for retreating to the mountains for ascetic practices, rituals, etc. In the context of nintama, the outfit permits to hide Isaku's affiliation, making him an enemy of no one, and signify a knowledge of herbs and medicine giving him credibility to care for the wounded.

if i had a nickel everytime i wrote on tumblr about yamabushi because of anime I'd have two nickels etc etc...

Ninjutsu Academy

The TV anime seems to go back and forth with this, sometimes showing background students in classrooms, sometimes showing very small classrooms (like how 1st year i-class and ro-class each have 4 known students, and they are sometimes the only ones in their classroom while sometimes there are more desks occupied by nameless mob characters), but the movie features a BUNCH of unknown, nameless students appearing in the back. It's probably an effort to give the school a feeling of greatness to fit the grand scale of the story, but it's a bit weird to see unfamiliar students especially in older years haha.

The 名物 meibutsu, or local specialty of Sonoda Village. It's a flower tha is never named, and despite showing up multiple times throughout the movie no big attention is brought to it, apart from it being mentioned that while it can be used as a painkiller, a wrong dose is poisonous. It finally gets a significant role at the very end, though, when it's used by Tasogaredoki to halt the Dokutake army. I think I could write a lot about the symbolism of this flower and how it relates to Isaku but it may border on crazy fan rambling so it'll be for another time. (maybe)

(They appear in numerous scenes taking place in Sonoda Village!)

Komatsuda was probably too busy thinking of his big brother, owner of a fan shop, to notice the pattern on the floor spelling へっぽこ heppoko, "useless", "incompetent".

When the ha-class is discussing the mixed-up homework, Chouji is shown growing asagao, Japanese morning glories. Because these flowers grow fast and easily, they are often used as teaching material in lower grades of elementary school where students have to care for them and report on their growth as homework.

In the same scene, while all of ha-class is laughing, only Shouzaemon and Kingo stay serious, Shouzaemon being well, Shouzaemon and Kingo being Kisanta's roommate.

Before the Headmaster enters, there's a sheet of paper on the floor with every student's name and the homework they received. If they got the right homework, it's marked with a O. Flipping and zooming on this frame reveals whose students got the wrong homework, and what the assignment they got was. Sadly, since the text is blurry I couldn't decipher everything, and putting the whole list will make this post even longer than it already is. But I can tell you that apart from Kisanta, Monjirou, Chouji, and the Rescue Team... Heita, Kyuusaku, Shirobei, Sakubei, Kazuma, Takamaru, Heisuke and Hachizaemon got the wrong homework too.

...Takamaru's summer homework was "crossdressing".

Kisanta Rescue Team's introduction scene has a LOT of interesting details, so I already dedicated a post for it.

Talk with Tegata Kessai

Tegata Kessai explains how he wants to get a 庇いの制札 kabai no seisatsu from Tasogaredoki's lord, which I translated as a "protection decree" for ease of reading, but it's actually a little bit different. In the words of Doi-sensei: "Don't burn, steal, and kill. Basically, a document prohibiting the army from committing violence." kabai means protecting or sheltering, while seisatsu refers to an edict publicly displayed on a wooden board in a specific place to make the public aware of a law in place in the area, a recent proclamation of the local lord or of the shogun, etc.

Danzou misunderstands kabai no seisatsu as kaba no keisatsu, literally "a hippo policeman" - I don't know if the average Muromachi child would be knowledgeable of animals in Sub-saharan Africa, though!

I think the people behind him are Maasai people, but I'm not very knowledgeable so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

In this post, under the read more, I wrote about the meaning of the words "Tasogaredoki" and "Oomagatoki".

Kousaka makes his only appearance ever in civil clothes in the next scene. I have to point it out. It's important., okay. By the way, badminton only became a thing in the 19th century. But feudal Japan already had a similar game called hanetsuki, which started as a game reserved for nobles, but grew in popularity during Muromachi and became a New Year tradition by Edo. He's not being anachronistic... just a little bit avant-garde.

Opening theme and to Sonoda Village

The noodles they are eating is a dish called kuzukiri, a popular, refreshing summer dessert from Kyoto, so it's a local snack for nintama. It's made by mixing kudzu starch with water, and once thickened, cut in the shape of noodles with the tool seen above. It's then served with black sugar syrup traditionally, and with a variety of others toppings in modern times.

Given Sanjirou, Isuke and Heidayuu's reactions, looks like there wasn't enough for everyone.

What I translated as "hand", as in a manual worker, is 夫丸 bumaru in the original script, and is a word specific to Muromachi-Edo. The bu part means male and maru is a suffix for names used at the time for children (like Kirimaru!) or lower-class workers. Shinbei explains that they are "the people carrying supplies to the battlefield", which is true, but it seems that the word refers to lower classes laborers in a more general way.

When Kirimaru explains how he traded his lunchbox for a bunch of things until he got the Oomagatoki hands' uniform, Rantarou tells him it's just like Warashibe chouja, or the Straw Millionaire story. It's a folktale that became popular during the Muromachi period, about a poor man who starts by trading a piece of straw, and after a series of trades, meets with a rich man who offers him his daughter in marriage, making the poor man a millionaire.

Rantarou misreads the tag as "Size rerere" because the roman letter L looks like the katakana character レ, which is read re. So レレレ is read rerere.

When Kirimaru first tries to carry Shinbei on his shoulders, they both talk in a very theatrical, over the top way, and wear red make-up. You can also hear a nohkan flute, hyoushigi wood clappers and tsuzumi drum in the background. This is all typical of Kabuki theater.

Just a cute detail, but Rikichi was carrying Shouzaemon on his back in this scene.

Okay.. that's a very poor attempt at adapting Rikichi's joke, I hope we find something better by the time we release it publicly hahaha. In the original script he says 斯く斯く然々kakukaku shikajika, which simply means "this and that", "such and such"... while holding a puppet of the bishop shogi piece, called kakugyou or kaku for short, and a puppet of a deer, or shika in japanese. So the joke is that as he says kakukaku shikajika, he shows a kaku and a shika... hm...

Lord Oomagatoki, in hiding, wears a raccoon dog mask to conceal his face. Raccoon dogs with the ability to shapeshift to conceal their true identity and play tricks on others are a common motif in japanese folktales and they are known as bakedanuki. They are usually portrayed as goofy and fun characters, with um, large testicles reminiscent of Oomagatoki's chin under the mask lol.

Zatto turns his head to listen to lord Tasogare from his right side, since he's deaf in his left ear.

Sonoda Village

Everyone is here! This is the part where you point in excitement at your fave getting two seconds of screentime.

Chouji is shown with the 震天雷 shintenrai, or thunder crash bomb, which will play a big role later in the story.

There are a few words used related to Ninjutsu Academy's whole defense tactic that are a bit specific, either to warfare or to the period, which I swapped for ease of reading. For example, 逆茂木 sakamogi is "abatis", as in a fortification made from stacking wood. I left it as simply "barrier" for ease of reading.

The rabbit design of the telescope is explained in the manga and TV anime, but not in the movie. According to Shousei-san, it's a common motif on telescopes, but when I tried to find pictures of real telescopes with a similar design I only found Nintama Rantarou related webpages. So. Okay stay with me this is a little look into how tricky nintama can be to translate sometimes hahaha... The design is a pun based on the 12 animals of the zodiac, ordered like this: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. If you count ten animals starting from the rabbit, you end up with rat. Rat in japanese is nezumi, or "ne" for short. "tenth is rat" is 10番目がね juubanme ga ne, which you can also read as 十目がね toome ga ne, which is itself an homonym of 遠眼鏡 toomegane, "telescope". ...Phew!!!

When the Explosives Committee destroys the bridges leading to the village, Takamaru and Saburouji, being newer additions to the committee, have to cover their ears while Doi and Heisuke are okay.

While most soldiers in the Tasogaredoki army simply wear the skull kamon (emblem) of their lord, higher ranking members wear kabuto helmets with... interesting designs, like a crab, squid, or a banana design. In the Muromachi period, when the tanegashima matchlocks were introduced, armors had to be redesigned to become thicker and bulletproof ; as their design evolved, so did the datemono, or crests on helmets. Initially U shaped, these crests got a number of designs, usually one's kamon or fortuitous animals like rabbits, dragonflies, etc. Yes, samurai walked around with cute rabbit ears. The country of moe, truly.

Here, Isuke and Shouzaemon call Hieta Happousai 冷えた 発泡酒 Hieta Happoushu, hieta meaning cold and happoushu refering to an alcoholic drink similar to beer. Unless I find something better, it's Hieta Happousoda in the translation.

Look at how cute Hikoshirou dozing off is. Yes, that's all.

This scene puts a lot of focus on the two tins containing the leaves from Sonoda's local flower ; it can be used both as a painkiller or a poison depending on the dose. When Zatto enters the room, Fushikizou throws a bunch of stuff at him, including one of the tins. Just after, Fushikizou notices that Zatto took one of the tin with him... but doesn't seem to have told anyone about it. I guess that makes the first time Zatto and Fushikizou work together!

Tasogaredoki's assault

The tactic used by Ninjutsu Academy... well... Torawaka to defend the village against Tasogaredoki is very reminiscent of the battle of Waterloo, where Wellington's army was posted on a slope made muddy by bad weather, slowing down French troops.

The shintenrai, or thunder crash bomb, is just as Senzou explains in the movie: "Ordinary cannonballs don't explode on impact. But this thunder crash bomb has a timed fuse, and its shell itself explodes." It comes from China, and is one of the first bombs developed in history.

I love this scene so much... well, I already explained the reasons why above. But even though he's the titular character, Rantarou rarely gets the chance to shine like this, doesn't he? After this line, you can hear hyoushigi again, as Kirimaru and Shinbei cheer for Rantarou. This evokes Japanese theater again ; what they are doing is called kakegoe, shouts from the audience to encourage performers. When a kabuki play reaches its climax, when an actor does something really impressive, he will often strikes a pose and the story will stop for a moment just for the audience to shout such kakegoe.

I don't know if it's intentional, but there's a scene earlier in the movie where Tasogare Jinbei repeats multiple times "Nine for me, one for Magatoki-dono", referring to their respective share at dinner but obviously to the taxes taken from Sonoda Village, too. Yuki wasn't here to witness it, I think, but I find it ironic that she specifically goes "One for my lord" here as he hasn't realized yet his scheme has been found out.

Tasogaredoki ninja corps used the leaves taken from the Health Committee earlier to stop Dokutake.

Credits

It's more explicit in the manga but Monjirou is bonking his head because he's frustrated he didn't get to fight haha.

And Kisanta isn't the only one who completed his summer homework in the end, Isaku did too!!

Finishing with one last pic because Doi crying for Kisanta is just way too cute.

And now I think I'm done! There were so many things I wanted to mention, I know that the moment I press publish I'll realize I forgot something important... oh well!! That means I can write another post later. If you've read this far, thank you! I hope it wasn't too boring ^^ Now I can't wait until the next movie...!!! Tenki...!!

[black-flames-and-cherry-flowers]

Visions Of Her (Kakasaku)

While all the ninjas in the five great shinobi nations were mobilized to the war against Madara and Obito, most of the renegades and the traitor shinobis took that time to create all the chaos they desired without any interference, because of that after the end of the war Konoha, outside keeping rebuilding the village after Pain's attack, still had plenty of work for their remaining healthy ninjas. 

The description of their mission was easy, some of these rogue ninjas found a notebook that once belonged to Akasuna no Sasori, with several formulas of some of his poisons, and they were using them to threaten and kill those from the small villages that didn’t comply with their demands. Their job was easy: Stop the ninjas, heal anyone affected by the poison, burn the notebook and return to home. The first task was the easiest one, they were a pathetic bunch that found in that book the perfect way to intimidate others but their dexterity in combat was non-existent. The second one was also easy, at least for Kakashi since all of the hard work was done by Sakura, in his defense he could say she made it look easier, determining the ingredients and their antidote without breaking a sweat, and getting ready to prepare and administer it within minutes of her diagnosis. Since she was busy with that, Kakashi did use his time to help the elders of the village with some of their tasks, the youth was the one targeted by the rogues, and some jobs were too taxing for them at their venerable age. 

It was the third one that turned the most difficult one for reasons they didn’t expect at all, after trailing a couple of the surviving rogues and finding their base, Kakashi and Sakura found they this bunch of cowardly psychos didn’t conform with attacking innocent people, but first they were trying every poison in the notebook in small kids or even babies, the sight was vision of hell, they had to make a serious effort to not vomit in the spot, most of them weren’t alive, but they were able to locate a couple of them still alive but seriously sick, Sakura managed to heal them holding back her tears, in another occasion Kakashi would shake his head at the obvious display of emotion from her, but even the hardest shinobi would be unprepared to confront something like that, beyond what most of the world would describe as evil and despicable.  

Unfortunately most of the kids were too young to leave any trace of where they were from, neither Kakashi nor Sakura found any clue or written tag with their names, addresses or relative names. Which meant that not only they were unable to return the bodies to their parents, but neither the surviving kids, and they would have to drop them in the closest orphanage in hopes they could find their way back to their families. Sakura was particularly heartbroken with the outcome of their mission. 

Even when she was young and he was still her teacher, Sakura always displayed a soft spot for younger children, treating them with utmost care and patience that wasn’t displayed to anyone else. Because of that, the vision of her holding a baby against her chest shouldn’t have taken his breath away. At first he tried to rationalize it, they were the only adults in the middle of a terrific situation, seeing her taking care of the baby, trying to soothe and comfort it, it was perfectly normal to be drawn to her figure and her display of love, the same way she was trying to spare the oldest kid from the horror surrounding them, in the middle of such violent and death filled environment she was like a light in the middle of the darkness. It was natural, more taking into account that he wasn’t sure of how to react and behave around the baby and child, he could only admire her for how she was handling everything, and allow her to make the decisions. 

Except once they returned home, with the mission behind them, his mind kept conjuring the picture of her with the baby in her arms. How she cooed at the baby with affection, how she raised it to her heart while she softly sang a lullaby to make them fall asleep, safe in her arms. The warmth of her protective form, Sakura was so similar to mother nature, capable of nurturing back to health the most delicate creature with a touch of her fingertips and at the same time capable of delivering a gruesome death to those she wished to destroy with a touch of those hands of hers. The vision shone a new light on Sakura. 

Long gone was the pretty but scrawny girl that squeaked after Sasuke, so easy to impress despite her intellect, their own little light whose innocence they fought so hard to maintain, even if that relegated her to the role of the maiden in distress. Long gone was the blossoming teenager, full of fierce determination that drowned her sadness under hours of training and her dedication to help the rest with the hope that their hearts didn’t have to know the ache of the losses that lived on hers. Gone the girl whose hard job saved countless lives in a war, the chakra prodigy that mastered the Byakugou Seal in the middle of a battle, the unselfishness in her nature that allowed her to bring back Sasuke from other dimension, the girl that punched a goddess in her head because it dared to overlook her for her normality not knowing how far Sakura knew her effort carried her. Gone too, was the hopeless girl in love, while her love didn’t died it only transformed itself into another form, from romantic to familiar, she was still very willing of breaking a couple of teeth to reaffirm the idea that no matter that she didn’t love Sasuke like that anymore, she wouldn’t tolerate any disrespect towards him after the part played by Konoha in what happened to his family, but she was also ready to do the same for every member of team seven. 

Present Sakura is a young woman, a beauty like no other with a nice body filled with curves on their right places, definitely smarter than her younger self but while her role as the maiden in distress is forgotten, she knows when to let them protect her back if needed, but is careful to not be pushed again to the background helpless and worried for them. Her infamous temper persists, but it's better disguised now, and the poor soul that encounters it doesn't realize how she walked them into a trap before it's too late.The mirth in her laugh, the twinkle in her eyes and the depth of her care also survived the trials of time.

Night after night, the memory transforms into something else, the baby switches it’s brown hair for silver or pink colored tresses, the dark hideout filled with the stench of death, now his bedroom or living room in the glow of the golden hour against her form, her red dress and black combat shorts, transformed into a red sleeping robe, the baby against her body that shakes in fury after saving it, now peacefully sucking at her breast while she is filled with joy. Now the baby isn't a nameless kidnaped one but their baby, safe and sound between the walls of their home, resting against her form. 

This vision of her, that jumps from his nights to his daydreams, suddenly has Kakashi hyper aware of her, of her relaxed posture next to him in the team dinners, the way she bites her lips when she is trying to decide what to eat or when she is nervous, how petite she looks next to his body, the conspiratorial look she shares with him at Naruto's obliviousness of Hinata’s feelings. How she is still fourteen years younger than him and probably doesn’t want him in the same way. But he doesn’t find any shame or guilt inside him, when he thinks of lazy mornings and the sun kissing her body in his arms, or when he wonders about her reaction to his bare face, the feel of her lips against his on a heated kiss, the touch of her flushed skin under his, the sound of his name on her voice riddled with pleasure, or how lust could glaze her eyes, or the sensation of milk filling her breasts making them even bigger. It’s all in his head and even if by a miracle the same thoughts filled her head and any action would be taken, she is old enough to be with whoever she desires to be, their union uncommon but not forbidden. There is no feeling of shame on him, but neither is hope for what he knows are only fantasies.

Kakashi is appointed as Hokage, and the job at first is a distraction from his own wishes and desires, to busy to focus his mind in anything else, too tired to remember his dreams each night, but once he settles in his new routine and the towers of papers demanding his attention feel less threatening to the point he can make excuses to arrive late at work again, the vision of her returns to him in full force, and the longing for her company, the sound of her laugh, the feel of her smaller hand closing against his bigger one, the smell of her hair on his pillows every morning and night, the heat of her body in an intimate embrace. Kakashi longs for many things that he doesn’t know how they feel but wishes he did. 

It’s only when finally Naruto leaves them at Ichiraku, after having his own enlightenment about his feelings for Hinata, nobody else with them, her head resting on his shoulder an amused smile on her lips, and she moves her hand to grab his, that lets go of the breath he didn’t know he was holding, and for the first time he believes that the vision can turn into a reality while he squeezes her hand back. 

[badgalsasuke]

Kishimoto Interview Eiga.com (Dec 6th, 2014)

SOURCE

Interview and picture by Naoki Kuromame

Masashi Kishimoto, author of Naruto, gives an overview of the series.

Even now that he is no longer under pressure to meet deadlines, he still sometimes wakes up suddenly and panics. "There are times when I wake up, look at the clock and think, 'Oh no!' But I tell myself, 'It's okay, I've already finished, so I can go back to sleep' (laughs wryly)." These are the words of manga artist Kishimoto Masashi. He is the creator of the well-known and hugely popular manga "NARUTO," and is a much talked about figure who recently finished serialization after 15 years.

"I used to get into the habit of waking up after about four hours, and only recently have I been able to sleep for about eight hours straight. During the serialization, I would always set an alarm and calculate my sleep schedule backwards from the deadline to go to bed and get up," he said, giving a sense of the weight of 15 years of weekly serialization.

When asked how long 15 years is, he answered without hesitation, "It's just been so long." "It was long, and it was painful. I know I'd say, 'it seemed long but it went by in a flash,' but the truth is that it's just been so long."

The story depicts the growth of the main character, the ninja Naruto, and his friends as they face wars with other countries and historical ties, sometimes struggling with conflict, and has reached 71 volumes to date. Upon rereading, one is amazed by the meticulously crafted, layered world. As Naruto and his friends grow, the world expands increasingly, but there is no sense of inconsistency or forced elements.

"From the beginning of serialization, we had solidified the worldview of the Ninja World to a certain extent. For example, Naruto exists, there are other countries and villages besides the Hidden Leaf Village in the Land of Fire, there are five great village leaders known as the Five Kage, the Fourth Hokage is Naruto's father, and he has already died, and now the Third Hokage rules the village in his place. We decided these things from the beginning, and made it easier to expand the story to a certain extent."

The story comes to an end after the Fourth Shinobi World War, the battle with Madara who seeks to overturn the world itself, and the final battle with Kaguya, the strongest enemy who could be said to be the root of ninja history, but it was around the middle to latter half of the story, in the episode known as "Pain Arc," that Kishimoto himself began to solidify the specific ending.

"The only thing I had decided from the beginning was that the story would end with Naruto and Sasuke fighting. But how would that happen? I started to think about this from the end of the 'Pain Arc'. The important thing was what position Sasuke would take to fight Naruto. Would they face off as complete enemies? Or would they clash fists as best friends? I carefully considered how to approach that. In that sense, the final 'Fourth Great Ninja War Arc' was started to clearly show Sasuke's position, but I ended up getting too caught up in depicting other characters, and it just kept getting longer and longer (laughs)."

Along with the outcome of the battles, what fans were most concerned about was how the relationships between Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura would ultimately turn out. Specifically, the outcome of their love lives. In this regard, Kishimoto left no ambiguity behind, but instead gave a clear answer and ended the series. In the final episode, which is episode 700, it depicts events several years after the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War. There, Naruto ends up marrying Hinata. It seems that Sakura, who Naruto initially had feelings for, ends up with Sasuke. Kishimoto reveals this "behind-the-scenes" detail with a mischievous smile.

"We decided quite early on that Naruto would end up with Hinata. That's why, to mislead people into thinking Naruto and Sakura would end up together, we deliberately created scenes in which the actions of Sakura mirrored those of Naruto's mother, Kushina."

Incidentally, the animated film "THE LAST NARUTO THE MOVIE," which will be released shortly after the end of the serialization, depicts the world two years after the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War. -in other words, it depicts what happened in the "interval" between chapter 699, which was published in "Weekly Shonen Jump" (published by Shueisha), and the final chapter 700, which depicts the future, some ten years later.

The movie version focuses on Hinata's presence while depicting what happens "beyond" the original work. Kishimoto, who was in charge of character design and story supervision, has declared that "This movie is basically a romance!", and here too he offers his own "answer" to fans who have finished reading the final 700th chapter, which has sparked quite a bit of "controversy."

"It depicts how the relationship between Naruto and Hinata reaches the final chapter of the original work, but there is one scene between Sakura and Naruto that I thought was important and mentioned many times during meetings. In a sense, this movie is also the story of the parting of Sakura and Naruto, who had been saying he loved Sakura since the beginning. I think this will neatly resolve any questions or confusion that readers who have read the final chapter may have had, and they will feel relieved!"

"Speaking of which, I think it's been a while since my children were in kindergarten. The other day, we played catch for the first time in ages."

Kishimoto said with a happy smile. What he wanted to tell his growing child as a father was that he had been weaving precious thoughts through Naruto and his friends for the past 15 years.

[yahoo201027]

November 27: Happy Birthday to one of the members of Team Guy alongside Tenten & Neji, a master of Taijutsu despite no skill in either Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, part of the Third Division during the Fourth Great Ninja War, and the father of Metal Lee, the Naruto character of Rock Lee.

[angelicbabydust]

I got Itachi’s novels Daylight & Midnight and I’m almost done with the first but I never really saw enough content pointing a direct finger at Fugaku for creating the radicalized anti-war shinobi that Itachi became. When he was four the third great ninja war came to an ending and Itachi is taken to that battlefield and it’s described as thousands of dead bodies, rotting - contorted faces screaming in anguish, smoke, dust, dirt, the cries of those still dying, essentially Itachi says his father showed him hell and to top it off his father tells itachi that this is how life is and it is inescapable. Since then itachi made the decision he would become so strong and so powerful that no one would manage to wage war again because they would need to get through Itachi to do so. Then the discord between Konoha and Uchiha rise as he ages and to him - all he can associate these seeds of distrust and malcontent with are signs of a brewing war (hell) which is unacceptable to Itachi in any situation.

Itachi knows he’s strong through the book, he seems to appreciate people who are also strong, like Shisui or people who are honest and may not be very powerful but they have an inner strength (Izumi) his character screams as someone traumatized. To boot as we see the introduction of Sasuke, I can’t help but notice that Itachi explains his love for Sasuke being different than his love for his mother and father, which to me indicates he was experiencing a paternal sense of love and he also feels a parental obligation and devotion to Sasuke. In the novel when he first sees Sasuke and says his name out loud he’s filled with “a special indescribable emotion and the feeling he must protect that life”. It’s really beautiful but also just sad- he was forever altered from his first introduction to warfare and with that he lost his entire childhood and didn’t ever get to see Sasuke as simply his little brother to play with and love. It was always wrapped around the larger idea that Sasuke could never witness that hell and Itachi himself held the duty over that.

Perhaps had he not been exposed to such a bloody and evil hellscape he could have developed without such an intense set of morals he was unable to work through in the end and it stole everything from him.