The last theory on The Last: Naruto the movie brings just few of the questions I have asked myself.
Yes, I know it, from here on the statements according to which I really need to check a mental health institution.
And all that other propaganda started on Tumblr from the followers of a certain shepherd.
But we’re not here to talk about that anyway – will seem more and more viable, right?
Meh, I don’t really care about what other people have to say. It’s a theory, take it as such and let’s move on.
Before I start…
Therefore, I am here to talk about the theory I have been telling you about for a certain time now.
I want to apologize for leaving you guys wait so much. To those of you who don’t know what I am gonna be talking about, and for those of you who do have an idea. Those of you who have helped me on this crazy path. This crazy road. Those of you who stood besides me when people started calling me crazy and whatever names. Those who watched me even in my lowest point and still stood besides, thank you!
Many of the things I am going to be writing here wouldn’t have probably been written if not for your help! So thank you!
To that troll who tried “selling” everything that’s going to be written here as “solid proof from a secret source I have”… Try again.
Stuff like these aren’t gonna work with us. There are certain details that give you away, just so you know. Anyway, moving past that as well… the theory!
Premise of the Last theory on The Last: Naruto the movie
Like I said in the very beginning on H&E when I asked some of the guys there if they would be interested in helping me gather some info for the theory, I don’t want to raise anyone’s hopes up.
This is just a theory, like always! Might happen to be true like it happened before with almost all my theories. Truth be told, I don’t know if I have some unfulfilled ones. At least regarding Sakura. Besides the latest with Sakura and Kaguya. I have a thought about that one too, but anyway.
Might not happen and all this will stay at the stage that it is now, that being theoretical. So hope we’re clear on this one.
You see, I did congratulate the NaruHinas and SasuSakus. Despite how illogical it seemed to me and may other fans around the world. I don’t mind doing that. We all know that, there’s like 5% of the people who do like the ending. The vocal majority I’d say. The same people that say that we, the rest, are crazy. Crazy for believing there’s something fishy with this ending. However, moving on, I’m afraid I might have been quick in congratulating them.
Despite that, however, I am not taking my words back. If in the end it’s proven that chapter 700 was the real and, then so be it. If NaruHina and SasuSaku are canon and married, well, that’s that.
Even so, I still have a little doubt that this is actually, a hundred percent, the true ending. Given that it logically contradicts every literary law. And the laws the manga was laid on and established for itself. Thus, given this contradiction, I am inclined to believe differently. And I am explaining what I mean by that with this theory.
Inconsistency with The Last: breaking literary device no. 1 – mirroring
As I told you on my Tumblr and on H&E although going back and forth, everything about this ending is weird. Everything up to the half of chapter 699 is very weird. It defies logic and the very laws Kishi established the construction of this manga on.
It can’t be that even non-NaruSaku fans see this. Even NaruHina and SasuSaku fans themselves, I have few in my inbox telling me how they cannot believe their pair became canon like that. That even them don’t support it and don’t ship it anymore. I am not lying you. And those of you know themselves.
Hell, even NaruSasu fans said that the most logical pairing if not NaruSasu given its heavy development in the manga, would be NaruSaku along SasuKarin. Why?
Because of the very literary device it’s built on: the mirrored construction. SasuKarin is the counterpart pairing to NaruSaku, the dark pairing, the yang of it. The visual representation of them proves it.
So that’s why, given certain details I have observed along with others, I theorize the following: that Chapter 700 isn’t the canon ending of Kishimoto’s 15 years of work.
In fact, the true ending is The Last: Naruto the movie. That’s why they keep sending us insistingly to see the movie. All this is a genjutsu, as in the all known Infinite Tsukuyomi. Chapter 700 is only the pre-movie chapter like the special Road to Ninja chapter was for Road to Ninja.
In reality, NaruHina and SasuSaku aren’t canon but they will receive a closure in The Last movie. However, that movie will be about the blooming love between Naruto and Sakura, while Naruto and Hinata get their last moment. The moment that will bring them closure before either of them moving on with their lives and love, so to speak.
Now, why do I say this? Well, I have tons of reasons to believe so. I will start first with explaining why I don’t think Chapter 700 is canon and based on certain details why do I believe it’s a genjutsu. It all boils down to the previous movie, Road to Ninja.
Similarities between promotion of The Last: Naruto the movie & Road to Ninja
Let’s take it on steps… Remember that on November 4, when the Databook 4 was released the chapter preceding Road to Ninja was as well sold? Remember the initial poster that announced the said event?
At that time, everyone asked themselves why, along with Volume 71 and the release of Databook 4, the publishers decided to have attached the Road to Ninja chapter?
You know what I mostly base my theory on? I feel like I need to tell you before continuing… It’s basically on certain connections I’ve made thanks to the literary devices Kishi uses. Along with the fact that all this, Chapter 700, Road to Ninja, The Last: Naruto the movie seems to me as strategic placing. In Chapter 700, aka design feint. I will explain this a bit later. And strategic planning as well.
As we know, apparently Kishi has been working on this movie, The Last: Naruto the movie for 2 years now and apparently, according to the director of Naruto Shippuden anime, Kishi had the ending planned for 8 years ago, there are only slight changes made in this last chapter…
The Last theory on The Last: Naruto the movie’s most important question: why?
This seems itself very suspicious to me. If NaruHina and SasuSaku were the “real” end, why show so much NaruSaku development? Why mirror it so much with SasuKarin? Why show the two being the Yin and Yang of the manga? And that’s not talking about NaruSasu. In terms of development they top us all, let’s be real here. No matter who enjoys it or not or in what way. But still, why show so many moments like these, if NaruSaku and SasuKarin weren’t meant to be canon?
If NaruSaku and SasuKarin weren’t meant for canon, why Kishi would bring these two pairs when Naruto and Sasuke, the guys who have strongest bond of this manga, their death signifying the theft of the light of hope, in a chapter entitled curiously enough The Real End, the pairings that were shown through a simple literary device named mirroring, were NaruSaku and Sasukarin? So then why the ones that are by Naruto and Sasuke’s side respectively, with all their being, fighting until their last breath, were Sakura and Karin?
Why show Sakura and Karin going all out in for Naruto and Sasuke?
Why show Sakura going all her way out, risking death by chakra depletion, all to keep Naruto alive if they weren’t meant to be together?
The same which can be said about Karin as well, given all the risks she subdues herself to in order to get to Sasuke and save his life, even though it was supposedly too late?
The theme of becoming truly strong when having someone special to protect
Like Naruto, and her mirroring-counterpart in Chapter 663 Sakura, Karin displays for Sasuke’s life and safety a power beyond the human condition, because as we’ve learned back in Part 1 “When you have a certain someone who is special to you, when you have something special you want to protect, only then you can become truly strong!“
Not only this is mirroring between two of the most important bonds in this manga, but it’s also mirroring with the third one. And maybe the most important one to this manga – NaruSasu. It forms thus another one of the triads ever present in this manga, given that it’s a common concept Kishi uses that I have already been talking before.
Kishimoto mirrors Sakura’s actions in Chapter 663 entitled “Absolutely” and her case of risking her live for Naruto because of chakra depletion with those of Naruto’s back in Part 1. Chapter 134 named Naruto’s Ninja Handbook, shows Naruto’s ninja way as a character taking shape. It’s known as one of his strongest qualities, where he, like Sakura in 663, risks his life in order to save hers, ironically.
How? Same fashion. By chakra depletion. Naruto uses his last bit chakra to summon Gamabunta in order to protect Sakura. It’s the same way Sakura uses her last bit of chakra to keep Naruto alive. At all costs! This points once again towards the strong love between those two and how they are fated one for another. Not only because it’s romantic and written in the stars. It’s because they have risked their all, selflessly, in order to keep the other one not only happy overall and living a good happy life, but literally alive.
The girlfriend detail and its relevance to the romantic subplot
However, the said chapter it’s the same chapter in which Sakura is alluded as being Naruto’s this (girlfriend) by Gamachiki, while showing his little finger. Same depiction of Konohamaru’s gesture back in Chapter 34.
And while in chapter 34 Sakura makes sure to assure herself that the statement according to which she is Naruto’s girlfriend is wrong, years later, when the same thing happens in 631, things are different. Sakura not only gets flustered not addressing the issue herself, not responding to it, but she neither denies the implication of being Naruto’s girlfriend.
And ironically, that sequence of actions where Sakura risks her life for Naruto follows after Chapter 631 where the most controversial parallel gets confirmed. We all know which one: Sakura is confirmed to be the one like Kushina. Therefore, it’s implied by the story Sakura should be the one Naruto must find like his mother, not Hinata, the weird one.
No, I am in no way undermining Hinata, I am just showing the parallels here, just so we’re clear.
The Last theory on The Last: Naruto the movie & the fated love: red thread of fate
Therefore, why make NaruHina and SasuSaku canon, after you’ve built an entire manga showing that the fated love of this story, the same way it was with Minato and Kushina, should be NaruSaku? Along with its mirrored counterpart, SasuKarin. Which, by the way, also parallels MinaKushi. You can say that maybe in a more weird and darker way. If you want to call it like that. Karin is after all the other girl confirmed to be as Kushina Uzumaki.
That’s why, as I said, Chapter 700 to me seemed very suspicious from the very beginning when I started seeing the spoilers.
At first, I thought that maybe this is really it, but then, as I said in the beginning, I remembered the fact that Kishimoto sold along with Databook 4, the chapter preceding Road to Ninja, and that’s when I connected everything.
Road to Ninja and the possible connection to the Last theory on The Last: Naruto the movie
As we all know, in one of his interviews Kishimoto said he showed things in Road to Ninja that he could not otherwise do in canon manga. At first, people thought that he was only talking about Sakura’s parents. Maybe some moments between Naruto and his parents. After Chapter 700 came out, people thought that what he meant by that is that the only way Kishimoto could show NaruSaku would be through Road to Ninja.
Otherwise he was pushed to change his intentions and so many other suspicions. Most of us thought about the pairings and other moments. But what if Kishimoto actually meant the Infinite Tsukuyomi? Basically, in Road to Ninja we have a glimpse of how exactly the Infinite Tsukuyomi works. We gets to understand its mechanics.
What if this is what Kishi was talking about? Besides the other details such as Naruto and his parents, Sakura’s parents and so on? We all suspected that he won’t introduce in canon manga Infinite Tsukuyomi in effect, thus we thought we only had it in Road to Ninja. However what if he did introduce Infinite Tsukuyomi in canon manga in effect and thus, that being Chapter 700?
After all, The Last: Naruto the movie is said to be chapter 699.5 of the manga. If we take a good look, from the half of Chapter 699 (aka page 15 to 16) the characters started all acting very out of character. And this is where I call your attention to Road to Ninja and this detail of OOC-ness at the half end of 699.
Premise of Road to Ninja
Remember Road to Ninja’s very basic concept? The basic imagery of it? It’s basic detail design? Well, let me remind you:
Get the point? Everyone was upside down! As in, everyone was acting out of character. What’s the primary detail we have observed in characters in Chapter 700? Yeap, they all act OOC!
Therefore, this strongly indicates given the behavior of all the characters in the chapters from the half of 699 until 700, they are in a genjutsu. Kishimoto’s chapter 700 is a symbolism and some sort of precedent to The Last: Naruto the movie which is the real ending of the manga. Why else are we advised to see the movie if we want to understand that chapter?
So if The Last: Naruto the movie is supposed to be chapter 699.5 like it’s suggested to us here:
Given the contents of Chapter 700, I fairly believe that this scenario is all part of an Infinite Tsukuyomi and the answer lies in Road to Ninja. Why in Road to Ninja? Because Road to Ninja was sold along Databook 4, which in terms of Naruto’s importance to Sakura and Sasuke’s importance to Sakura, the direction of things were subtly made pretty clear, who’s the one who raises her spirit up and makes her bloom and who is the one making her heart feel unease…
Databook 4 in terms of NaruSaku
As we can see from the translation, although the translator mentioned that doesn’t want to be biased, we can clearly see by the very fact that a certain implication was made. According to the databook, Sakura is the only one who understands him, Naruto, well. In Sakura’s heart, Naruto holds a very dear place. This implies that the same way Kushina was the one who understood Minato the best, the same happens between Naruto and Sakura.
By such choice of wording Kishimoto is subtly pointing towards Sakura to be Naruto’s other destined half. The same way Kushina was for Minato. And in another weird way, how Minato was for Kushina, if we look from the Jinchuuriki point of view. Similar case with Hashirama and Mito Uzumaki as well.
So, the databook implies that Sakura understands Naruto the best. How can we tell that? Well, by simply reminding ourselves of a certain period of time, back in the old days.
The meaning of bonds taught through Sai’s character
Let’s turn a bit to Sai arc. First of all, remember the volume’s cover art? If not, allow me to remind you, along with some other little details that connect between themselves. Which also explains why in The Last: Naruto the movie Sai’s kanji is bonds.
As we can see from the above image, the major point of this volume and Sai’s poster kanji was the meaning of bonds.
He understands the meanings of them thanks to Sakura. As we can observe from the imagery used in the cover art design – Sai, together with a Naruto holding an axe having Sakura’s name written on it.
What the axe with Sakura’s name symbolizes in that chapter is basically as shown and stated in Databook 4. The one who understands Naruto the best is Sakura. It’s thanks to her that Sai understands the important bond between Naruto and Sasuke.
When Sai first gets punched by Sakura in what it appeared to be Sasuke’s name, he doesn’t understand why the fake smile.
He is quick to observe that whoever badmouths Sasuke affects Naruto. He also learns that Sakura is quick to act on those who put Naruto through pain. And because badmouthing Sasuke makes Naruto suffer, Sakura punches Sai immediately. This prompts Sai to notice immediately Sakura’s rather gentle nature towards Naruto. All that despite being quite a rough young lady to others.
“Even the roughest woman is tender to the man she loves”
Like pointed out earlier in the picture and by Kishimoto himself even the roughest woman is tender to the man she loves. That was shown through Shikamaru’s mom, Yoshino Nara. Which is coincidentally or not another branch of cherry trees.
Kishi once again suggests Sakura loves Naruto romantically. He does that through Sai who points at her gentle nature towards Naruto. The same chapter where Sakura states that if it weren’t for Naruto and his willingness to work with Sai, she would’ve sent him flying away, if he would’ve badmouthed Sasuke again. Which in return would make Naruto suffer.
However, because Naruto decides that he is willing to cooperate, so does she. To keep Naruto from harm’s way, Sakura not only wants to save Sasuke but she also abides by any law that’s established along the way. All that so Naruto won’t suffer in any way. She doesn’t just want to protect Naruto physically, but emotionally as well. Which, like I said earlier, prompts Sai to notice her gentle nature towards Naruto. Which suggests that Sakura is gradually developing romantic feelings for Naruto.
The same way in the past she wanted to keep Sasuke from emotional pain which was the way she expressed her love for him, so does she with Naruto, now.
Databook 4 in terms of SasuSaku
On the other hand, in the same Databook, when it comes to Sasuke’s profile in Sakura’s databook entry this is what we get…
As we all know by now and whoever believed otherwise, like I said, only fooled themselves, Sakura will always hold Sasuke dear, will always “love” him, but not in the way a majority of people would be inclined to think. As in romantic love, but more of a brotherly type of love, as I said I believe here given that Naruto was the one who complimented her forehead in Chapter 3. Given that, as we see, this kind of love hurts her from the very fake smile it is shown to us, to the anxiety and insecurity that her heart is engulfed in whenever that type of love she holds for Sasuke is brought to the light.
A life of a flower in light vs in dark symbolism
As we can clearly see between comparing the two instances aka Sakura in the NaruSaku concept and Sakura in the SasuSaku concept, we’re dealing with two types of Sakuras so to speak. Like the symbolism of her name, when she as flower baths in light (Naruto) she comes to life (命 ), she blooms, while in darkness (Sasuke) flowers can only whiter and die…
Therefore given this interesting symbolism Kishi added throughout the manga, this underneath of the underneath… Given what Naruto and Sasuke represent (Light and Darkness respectively, just so we’re clear) think in conjunction with that and what we saw in Sakura’s Databook 4 entry for both of them…
Towards who is Kishi exactly pointing here really…? SasuSaku or actually… NaruSaku?
As we all know, one of the most shocking things about this ending, that started happening around the half of Chapter 699 (which I frankly consider to be narrative feinting along with Chapter 700 but hey, maybe it’s just me…) is the fact that the one who gets to have an interaction with Sakura’s forehead is Sasuke. That’s despite everyone expecting it to be Naruto at some point, given Chapter 3 and what significance it holds in terms of Sakura’s real heart desire and NaruSaku.
Crow symbolism and infinite Tsukuyomi
Curiously enough, Chapter 3 itself is named Sasuke Uchiha, while the cover art pictures us a young Naruto with a crow next to him. Crow which if we recall, symbolizes Itachi Uchiha’s best known jutsu: Tsukuyomi. Behind this imagery, a moon on the background as we can all recall.
Therefore, to me all this seems like a similar set-up to the one in Road to Ninja. As in Infinite Tsukuyomi which supposedly showed the “real” heart’s desire. However, at the end of it, Sakura and Naruto both realized what they really want and should be grateful for. Thus NaruSaku were together side by side even when we were shown the reality check. Maybe it’s the same with Chapter 700, right?
For you to understand better what I mean, we’re gonna be taking it on turns, with imagery comparison along with concepts from both the manga’s contents and finale, as well as Road to Ninja.
What’s the message written as description in Road to Ninja?
This was the message at the time in order to understand Road to Ninja. This time, however, they did it a bit differently…
They made use of the fact that the world is with its eyes set expecting the manga’s finale and made Chapter 700 (a symbolical thematic number for this manga) into some kind of a trick chapter. Which at the surface it appears in a certain way. But as long as you try to see underneath the underneath, some things appear, some connections that make you question the validity of the chapter and think that no wonder that we are being sent to see The Last: Naruto the movie.
The same way it happened with the chapter preceding Road to Ninja, as we can see from its message.
Chapter 700 & connections to Infinite Tsukuyomi
What are some of the things that one notices weird and telling about this chapter?
Let’s start with the first one:
Interestingly enough, Kishimoto starts his chapter with Bolt making an interesting statement: a real shinobi can pull a prank without them even noticing! For the magnitude of a chapter such as Naruto chapter 700 Kishi’s choice of words is really interesting if you ask me. As if he’s saying that he is putting a prank without us, the world’s eyes, even noticing. Speaking of the world’s eyes, the dialogue continues with a remark from Shikamaru’s child saying how there are gonna be lots of look-outs in the whole village.
Like somehow Kishi expressing through this chapter that everything in it, its contents, is a prank and he still does it despite knowing the world’s eyes – the lookouts, are there to watch his every move.
I have been thinking about Bolt’s words you know. Many people assume that given the whiskers on his face and Hinata’s daugther, NaruHina must be canon and happily ever after married.
But as I keep looking at the kids, all I see is similarities with their what should be – in a way – real parents.
Child similarities with Naruto and Sakura
Let’s take Bolt for example.
Despite supposedly being Hinata and Naruto’s child, he loves pranks like Naruto and Sakura.
Despite supposedly being Hinata and Naruto’s child, he wears a necklace and we see Sakura will be wearing a necklace. One that we know little off as of now.
However, from what we know from manga’s history, the matter of necklaces first started with Hashirama. Who is one of Naruto’s parallel. He passed down in the family the respective necklace.
So if, supposedly this necklace is also a necklace passed down to Bolt, does that mean his actual parents are Naruto and Sakura? Since we see no such thing on Hinata, nor Naruto in either The Last or Chapter 700.
Instead, the only one who wore a necklace at some point was Naruto. Who coincidentally enough gets broken when Hinata interfered in Naruto’s fight with Pein.
Who gets later almost killed due to Kyuubi rampage. But that’s besides the point. Who else do we see wearing a necklace? Well, as we can see from the design sketches from The Last, Sakura. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not… but it does make one wonder.
Bolt similarities to NaruSaku & connections to themes previously established in the manga
It is funny how Bolt says that a real shinobi can pull a prank on people right under their noses or without them even noticing, whichever translation you prefer, refers subtly to one of the most valuable ninja lessons:
Coincidentally enough or not, this very lesson is introduced to us in Chapter 247 entitled “The Growth of the two”.
This chapter shows Naruto and Sakura’s growth individually as well as a pair. An interesting succession of facts is the one in which Naruto and Sakura try to win over Kakashi by giving him spoilers of the last joke at the end of the Icha Icha series. Remember, the book written by Jiraiya? Supposedly being the same book Kishi launched as “The tales of Gallant Jiraiya”.
That where something happens with the main character and seemingly, the truth is another? Kakashi, fearing to be spoiled, covers his ears and closes his eyes. Then, after defeating him, both Naruto and Sakura mention the very basic skill needed by a shinobi: to see underneath the underneath.
At the end of that day, similar to Road to Ninja’s case, Naruto and Sakura go out on a date, showing the first signs of a changed perspective from Sakura’s end to Naruto’s one. She now accepts on going on dates with Naruto.
How the similarities connect to Road to Ninja
Therefore, given the paths they have taken with Road to Ninja, where they did the following:
- heavily advertised a seemingly NaruHina and SasuSaku -centric movie that a large amount of people were convinced that it will be one;
- in reality being a heavily NaruSak-centric movie;
- the movie’s main context being family love, the kind of love Naruto needed;
- putting it in the context the other significant half;
- showing how two halves combined form a home, Kishi once again clearly paralleling via Road to Ninja that Sakura is the one Kushina talks about when she mentions to Naruto he should find a girl like her, suggesting once again that Naruto’s destined half is Sakura;
Taking all that into consideration, this time in canon manga, despite its paralleled counterparts failure (ObiRin, JiraTsu) what’s suggested to us clear.
It is expected for Naruto to surpass the previous generations and win the girl’s heart.
Have together with his other destined half, Sakura, the family he so much longed for. And, might I add, in her own special way, she longed for as well – given that by the end of the movie, together with Naruto in their journey, Sakura learns how important her parents are, despite her initial convictions.
So as I was saying before, given the paths they took with Road to Ninja, what they actually showed and what it actually was about, let’s more forward to some interesting observations…
The Last theory on The Last: Naruto the movie’s take on a “shocking” ending
Apparently the canon wants us to expect a shocking ending. However, haven’t we heard about that shocking occurrence before?
Road to Ninja is the first time when it’s been brought to our attention how something shocking is going to happen to the Naruto cast. And as we see, when Naruto and Sakura get to that world everything is upside down.
Is this what the description of the chapter suggests here, likewise? We’re going to first meet a seemingly shocking end. But, what happens at the end of the end itself?
The shocking part, Road to Ninja & the girlfriend subplot
When we look at these details and remember towards what really Road to Ninja alluded at, at the end of the movie with NaruSaku and also given the so-called manga’s finale, things get weird, indeed. NaruHina and SasuSaku canon? How? It’s unimaginable given the development of the story until now, we are inclined to think.
It gets to be even more unbelievable and makes you question it even more. I mean, knowing Road to Ninja and what it heavily suggested and we already mentioned above, meaning this:
… it would be absolutely unbelievable for Naruto and Sakura not to end together!
And so so many other things point to this!
Besides these fairly obvious parallelisms between Sakura and Kushina in chapter 631, what we also have introduced here in terms of NaruSaku symbolism, is the concept of red thread of destiny/red thread of fate. All is done via Kushina when she tells Naruto the story of how she fell in love with Minato.
MinaKushi mirroring NaruSaku & the red thread of fate
What was MinaKushi’s red thread of fate? Well, Kushina tells us bluntly: her most hated feature, her red hair, became her red thread of fate. But why? It was because, as she tells us, Minato complimented her red hair.
That which up until that point she hated it so much.
How does translate into NaruSaku? With Sakura and her most hated feature which Naruto compliments.
Back Chapter 3, that the one who compliments her most hated feature (her forehead) – like it happened with Kushina and Minato, was Naruto. Kishimoto here didn’t allude or suggested it. He made it as clear as the sun in the sky.
Given how some of the canon events of the manga tie in very well with the events in Road to Ninja, it is my fair belief that the response of it, the underneath of underneath of Chapter 700, lies in Road to Ninja.
But in order to understand that, you’ve got to go and watch The Last: Naruto the movie.
However, as we’ve seen and established by now, Road to Ninja was the movie that set even Japanese fans to call NaruSaku the MinaKushi 2.0. The new generation of MinaKushi given the mirroring/parallelism.
Now, what do we know of this big symbolism for the two pairings? That they’re bound through the red thread of fate. Like I said in that theory of mine called Fated Love: Bound by the red thread of fate, given certain details, it is alluded to us that the pairing that’s meant to be is NaruSaku.
What does the concept/symbolism of red thread tells us?
It means “fated lover” and that they’re bound by fate or a “red string”. In other words it alludes to a certain’s “someone (this)”.
Red string is always put on pinky finger. Therefore, that’s why we have the drawings depicting the finger equaling girlfriend.
The two people connected by the red thread of fate (運命の赤い糸, unmei no akai ito) are destined lovers, regardless of time, place, or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but never break.”
The concept is that two people who are destined to be together are attached by an invisible red string bound from a male’s thumb to a female’s pinky finger (though nowadays it’s become more common to show both parties attached at the pinky).
As we saw up there, for Kushina, her destined love came in the form of Minato complimenting her hair. However, as we’ve seen in canon manga, Naruto doesn’t get to confess to Sakura yet. At the same time Sakura doesn’t get to find out who the one who complimented her forehead back in Chapter 3 really was. The fact that it was Naruto, not Sasuke. Instead we get this:
An image with Sasuke being the one to forehead-poke Sakura is a very Itachi-esque fashion, while Sakura gets in a weird kind of way, her wish fulfilled in regards to her forehead and Sasuke.
The forehead poke and its meaning
While most would be inclined to see this as a romantic gesture on Sasuke’s part, we must recall a certain detail. The way Sasuke pokes Sakura’s forehead is very brotherly-like, the way Itachi did with him as well:
Given the context of things, I’d say Kishi is actually alluding at a family-like type of love between SasuSaku.
And given its parallelism and with the dynamics between Itachi and Sasuke (that of brothers of course), to me like I said it would seem he suggests that the love existent between Sasuke and Sakura is the brotherly type.
It’s somthing a good part of the fandom suspected. It has been confirmed to us recently when Sasuke paralleled Team 7 members to his family. This means he views Sakura as a little sister now. The same relationship that was depicted between Itachi saw Sasuke.
NaruSaku dynamics vs SasuSaku dynamics in terms of Sakura’s forehead
We get to see the differences in terms of Sakura and her forehead implications when it comes to SasuSaku dynamics vs. NaruSaku dynamics.
As we can observe and said already, when it comes to SasuSaku and Sakura’s forehead, it’s all portrayed like a brotherly type of love.
However, when it comes to NaruSaku and Sakura’s forehead, Kishi heavily suggests a romantic aspect. And he parallels it to Minato’s compliment on Kushina’s forehead. That which portrays the aforementioned red thread of fate. The fated love concept we talked about.
Speaking of the red thread of fate or fated love concept. Before actually going further in theorizing why I believe that the end is not the true one but a hoax under the Infinite Tsukuyomi mask.
Let’s dwell a bit more into this concept of fated love started through MinaKushi. And continued through NaruSaku. With a bit of mirroring in connection to this – SasuKarin.
Fated lovers concept in Naruto media
Now, we all know the whole concept of Secret Lovers in regards to NaruHina, right? According to which, in a game, Naruto and Hinata paired together would mean Secret Lovers.
However, it was brought to my attention back some time (I will verify this once again though!) that the respective translation is actually wrongly translated from Japanese to English.
That actually the combo between Naruto and Hinata, when paired together is named “Secret Love” not “Secret Lovers”. This probably alludes back at that time to Naruto’s secret love for Sakura and Hinata’s secret love for Naruto.
This concept if you ask me, makes much more sense than the secret lovers one, especially if we take into consideration the following:
When combining Sakura and Naruto, you get the “fated love” card. By now, with the manga we established the fact that Kishimoto, via the parallelism/mirroring between Sakura and Kushina suggests so as well. That Naruto and Sakura are fated lovers.
The Last: Naruto the movie and the theme of fate
Now, what do we know about The Last: Naruto the movie‘s intro?
That finally, everyone’s fate has been decided… Interesting choice of words, isn’t it?
So, if Chapter 700 was supposed to be the one that shows us how everyone’s fate has been decided… Given the manga’s overall context, implications, symbolism and literary devices which showed us that the fated one for Naruto should be Sakura and viceversa… How comes that everyone’s fate seems to be twisted around? Also why everyone there is acting really OOC?
And this is where I caught a connection and saw what was behind all of this, the marketing, the weird chapter, Databook entries and whatnot: that connection being Road to Ninja, which heavily implies if you have understood the mechanisms of how Infinite Tsukuyomi works in Road to Ninja, you go it.
Everyone is actually in a genjutsu in Chapter 700! But at what point did the genjutsu start? In order to understand these questions, we have to take it by turns and establish first, some ground rules, so to speak. Better said to show some details/connections/parallels in order for you guys to understand better where I’m going with this.
Road to ninja, canon manga & mirroring
So, as established before, in canon manga alludes that the destined girl for Naruto is Sakura via the mirroring with Kushina. The same thing Road to Ninja suggests, despite being a genjutsu.
At their core, Sakura and Kushina are alike, no matter which world we’re talking about. And Minato and Naruto respectively are their destined ones and viceversa.
Why? Because what’s the holy rule of the fated lovers bound by the read thread of love? That the two people connected by the red thread of fate (運命の赤い糸, unmei no akai ito) are destined lovers! Regardless of time, place, or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but never break.
You ask yourselves why do I believe Road to Ninja is the answer? Well, there are those of you who follow me for quite a while on my Tumblr who know that ever since Road to Ninja appeared, I said it’s something about this movie more than it meets the eye and. And that also, I have been observing how Kishi brings in canon manga, elements from Road to Ninja. Which means there’s definitely something up with it.
Given these instances. And the other details I mentioned before in regards to Road to Ninja and the manga, let’s get down to showing why I believe that everyone in Chapter 700 is under Infinite Tsukuyomi.
I am gonna divide this into 4 major parts.
I. The surface: NaruHina and SasuSaku are canon
Why do I say the surface? Well, we’re ourselves on the aforementioned theme of this manga. That a ninja’s most valuable skills is being able to see underneath the underneath. So NaruHina and SasuSaku are what could be called the surface. Or the seemingly the underneath. However, one must see even past that, underneath the underneath!
Yes, this seems to be the surface of things. This also seems to be the real end after all, isn’t it?
However, given in this theory we relate things to Road to Ninja, let’s try and explain some possible discrepancies.
Such as one of the biggest seemingly discrepancy. The one showing NaruHina and SasuSaku married. And canon in chapter 700.
This is where I am gonna bring your attention to a literary device Kishi has once fooled us with before. Which one? The narrative feint.
The Last theory on The Last: Naruto the movie on feint no. 1
Apparently, Naruto and Hinata have a kid. But how comes that besides the whisker marks, Himawari looks like an younger Lee? And Lee’s son has a similar haircut as Himawari, minus the apple stem like thing.
You might wonder what would Lee and Hinata have to do since they barely interacted in the manga? Well, besides the fact that Lee has proved to have in-depth knowledge of the Hyugas, back in Part 1, they mirror each other in their love for the hero and heroine.
But there is also a scarf which definitely means Hinata is the destined one, not Sakura – some would say. To those people, I need to remind them a certain thing… that being, the narrative feint! Remember Obito’s case?
First, Kishi introduced us with this idea of the man behind the mask. Slowly he starts building him as Obito Uchiha. But at a point in time, Kishi tries to fool his readers. He makes us believe that Obito, the masked man, is actually who he is saying he is: Uchiha Madara.
Even the haircuts matched, so besides not only feinting us with the narrative, Kishimoto also did it by design. And now I highly theorize he’s doing the same with the whiskers on the children’s face. Despite them being only 2 not 3 like Naruto’s. And despite that, this only happens when the baby is in its mother’s womb. Therefore, given that Hinata isn’t a jinchuuriki, this would have been impossible! Also, given how the kids actually tend to look like.
The possibility of a Lee and Hinata blooming romance, given their mirroring confessions, looks higher and higher. In the end, this is the beginning of love, right? Who is to say that there isn’t a beginning for a love between Lee and Hinata?
For more explaining in this matter, I’d advise you to read Konan-sama’s own LeeHina theory where she basically puts together everything I wanted to express besides what I already did. Thanks a lot for the help, sweetie, once again!
The Last theory on The Last: Naruto the movie on feint no. 2
If you asked yourselves about the scarf, let’s do something. As in compare a bit symbolism between both canon manga and The Last up until now:
Not only that this happens 2 years after the Great 4th Ninja World war. But even then, Hinata’s feelings didn’t reach Naruto. Similarly how she, in chapter 662 entitled The real end, doesn’t get to reach Naruto.
The one managing to do that is however, Sakura. Yes, most probably thought given that Hinata’s kanji is love, her love for Naruto is having a pivotal role. But like manga establishes it, she isn’t the one for him. As even if her feelings might reach him, the destined one for Naruto is none other than Sakura. Despite content showing otherwise.
II. The underneath of the underneath = NaruSaku & SasuKarin: bound by the red thread of fate
Now, given we have established the said similarities between canon manga and The Last… Let me get back on why I believe these two pairings are meant to be.
Given this particular parallel.
We can fairly conclude one thing. Based on the myth behind the red thread of fate and what manga shows until now, NaruSaku and SasuKarin are bound to be together. Sakura’s and Sasuke’s kanjis giving us strong reasons to believe so.
Let’s first remind ourselves about Sakura’s kanji:
As explained before, Sakura’s kanji letter means life or destiny. Kishi made this obvious in his classic subtle way, by having Sakura saving Naruto’s life. Her might as the great medic shines the most. But he also shows us that she is the destined one to be at his side. You know, given the context of the red thread of fate via MinaKushi explained before.
Also, Sasuke’s kanji is path. In whichever path he chose to take, who was the one at his side, with her unwavering love and devotion? Oh, right, Karin! And oddly enough, Sarada Uchiha looks exactly like Karin! She who is apparently SasuSaku’s child.
Given the meaning of adding Sarada + Uchiha together, could this mean Karin is the one to keep Sasuke’s fire? Therefore the union between him and her would symbolize basically, Naruto and Sasuke finally becoming brothers by blood?
Similarities between MinaKushi, NaruSaku & Sasukarin
Kushina fell in love with Minato because he saved her life and made her see him as a splendid shinobi. He changed her by complimenting her most hated feature.
With NaruSaku, it was Naruto who complimented Sakura’s most hated feature and changed her.
With SasuKarin is the fact that Sasuke saved her life and thus made her see him as a splendid shinobi. The same way Kushina saw Minato.
But what matters most at the end of the day is this. That although destined to be together, these 3 relationships aren’t based on that thing only.
It was a mutual road/path, where both parties were there for the other. In good times and in tough times, no matter what. Their string stretched and tangled along the way and still seems to be doing so. But at the end of the day, that string will never break!
III. The middle where the secrets lie = Road to Ninja
I kept talking on and on about Road to Ninja and its connections. Besides the ones that I already made obvious, what it’s interesting to mention is this. How similar Chapter 700 dynamics are with those of Road to Ninja! Let’s take some turns for example
Tenten – in canon manga loves weapons and couldn’t live without them. In Road to Ninja she isn’t good at all with them while in Chapter 700 she sells them. For those who know Tenten, we should all know she’d never do that! It’s her gift and her way of becoming in her own way a legendary kunoichi like Tsunade.
Kiba – in canon manga loves dogs. In Road to Ninja hates Akamaru and loves cats. In Chapter 700 he hangs around with the cat lady. This has also a similar dynamic to that of RTN in terms of personalities changes.
These are only 2 of the discrepancies in character I see. Despite that, we can clearly see that something is wrong and most likely this seems to be an Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Seeing the finale with Sasuke poking Sakura’s forehead. Seeing similar kids that seem to be NaruHina ones. These only remind me about the initial wishes Sakura and Hinata had in Road to Ninja. To be with Naruto and Sasuke respectively. At the end of the day though, NaruSaku was the one to walk triumphantly.
IV. The real ending, the reality of the facts = The Last: Naruto the movie.
In my opinion, I believe that The Last: Naruto the movie will be the actual real end. Road to Ninja establishes that for Sakura, the right one is Naruto.
In The Last: Naruto the movie, we’ll witness something else. Despite the fact that Hinata has her best intentions, the destined one for Naruto is Sakura.
But not probably before having a last moment between Naruto and Hinata, the moment of parting… after which, we will see her taking her clan duties more in serious, maybe?
After all, the release of the sketches seem to tell a story… Sakura and Naruto’s? Released together. Hinata’s? The last, together with her sister, nonetheless.
With these being said, here I conclude my theory. Despite the huge amount of other information I could’ve added. I chose to stop here to try and keep it as simple as possible. I already went far enough. ^_^
Remember folks: all I’m saying here is at a theoretical level and might remain like this forever! Don’t go spreading this around like some true info, like it has happened before! No, this is just my theory and what I believe it happened and might happen. Given the information we possess up until this point, at least.
Hope you enjoyed the read! Don’t forget to leave your thoughts down below!
xoxo
Chatte
