I have some last thoughts before the early screening of The Last: Naruto the movie. As I told you some days ago on my Facebook page.
As well as on Heaven & Earth, the place all the lurkers seem to have activated their infiltration accounts. But moving past that.
Junko Takeuchi’s latest interview gave me a lot of hope in regards to NaruSaku’s possibilities at canon given my latest thoughts from theories till my last post. The one that kind of connects all the other ones.
Which interview you wonder? This one here …
last thoughts before the early screening of The Last: Naruto the movie; Junko’s interview
There was a special part of her interview that intrigued me.
Of course, it’s the part that talks about what types of love we will meet in The Last: Naruto the movie.
Ｑ：聽說這次的劇場版描寫的是「愛」，我們能夠看到怎樣的愛呢！？
We have heard that the movie’s theme is love, what kind of love would the audience see!?Ａ：可以看到各種各樣的哦。開頭可以看到對鳴人對母親的愛。而從小櫻身上可以看到賭上生死為了夥伴一路戰鬥而來的那種偉大的愛。雛田還是一根筋的愛讓人覺 得很可愛。而鹿丸和井野繼承了第四次忍界大戰逝去的父親們的意志，讓人可以感受到與兩年前緊密聯繫的愛。而舍人這個角色身上肯定也有著不同於他人的某種 愛，希望大家可以注目這一點。
Oh, there would be all kinds of love. At the start of the film, we would see Naruto’s love for his mother.From Sakura’s character we would see her risking her life, fighting till the bitter end for her Nakama, that kind of great/wonderful love.
Hinata’s is still a single minded love, which is cute.
From Shikamaru’s and Ino’s side they have inherited the will of their fathers from the Great Fourth War, letting the audience feel the bond/love from 2 years ago.
And also from Toneri’s, this character must also have some kind of love different from the other characters, I hope the audience can pay attention to that.
You wonder why this part caught my attention?
A little analysis based on Junko’s words
Well, maybe because the fact that this movie seems to be focusing a lot on Kushina’s words.
And Naruto’s love for his mother, as well as his way of ninja of never going back on his word.
Now, of course, this lead us to Kushina’s words in regards to a love life. Her words were none other than these:
Like I reminded in my previous post, I believe the whole NaruHina awkward love thing is just a marketing feint.
Why? Because as we know, the girl canonically confirmed to be weird that Kushina advises Naruto not to go for is Hinata.
All while as well, we have Sakura canonically confirmed to be Kushina’s parallel. The girl like her.
Now, since we have that one cleared-up, let’s see what we’re moving next to: Naruto’s love for his mother Kushina.
After these words of Kushina’s, what did Naruto say he’d do?
He promised that he’d eat more healthy, as for sleep and baths, she didn’t needed to worry as Naruto got plenty of these.
He explained he knows about the three prohibitions when it comes to his master, Jiraiya’s.
And how she was right about the school but he didn’t let it get to him.
Whereas when it comes to his friends, only with one he has problems, he said while remembering Sasuke.
Kishimoto’s subtle hints via visual mechanics
Now, when it comes to friends, let’s remember an interesting imagery Kishimoto uses here:
While we have them all placed in one picture, where we have a smiling Naruto, Hinata, the girl he supposedly falls in love with it’s with his back at him, praying.
It’s the same position as she is on the poster. All while Sakura is facing him, with her hand in a fist, close to her heart.
Speaking of Naruto falling in love for the first time…
All I’ve got to say is that one should know how misleading this marketing campaign is.
We have already established the fact that Naruto already fell in love once, in canon.
And the person he loves is none other than Sakura.
I don’t think I need to bring out Databooks, right? After all, Naruto was still listed to be very well in love with Sakura after Hinata’s own confession.
The movie’s focus on love, Kushina’s words and Naruto’s promise fulfillment
Anyway, moving past that and coming back to our subject.
As we were saying, Junko states that the movie starts with Naruto’s love for his mother, Kushina.
We already presented what were his initial convictions in regards to those respective matter.
However, apparently, there’s still one more:
As we can see, in terms of his romance life, Naruto is also trying to fulfill his mother’s wish.
Of course, it doesn’t go that easily, but as he says himself, he’s been really trying hard to do them all.
Given the raws of this chapter, from what I informed myself, it is implied that his actions not only talk about the past ones.
He also refers how he continuously will be doing so on the future as well.
This goes in character with Naruto’s no. 1 known quality: never giving up. And keeping his word.
So as we can see, this movie will mostly be centered, I presume, around Kushina’s dying words to Naruto in terms of everything.
Not only his love life, but mainly focusing on his love life, probably. As Kishimoto seems to be telling us.
A comparison: Sakura’s type of love vs Hinata’s
Now, let’s move on a bit… after telling us about Naruto’s love for his mother, Junko says we will be seeing Sakura risking her life for her nakama until the very bitter end.
That kind of great, wonderful love.
Now, where have we established this has happened before and with what does it connect?
Oh, right, maybe Chapter 663 entitled as I need to remind you – Absolutely.
The events of this chapter we have already established.
But also, as reminded, the contents of the respective chapter is basically a parallel between the triad/triangle of the real main featured pairings of this manga:
When it came to Hinata, however, Junko Takeuchi described her as cute, however, still a single-mided love… What does that remind you of?
Opinion on movie’s route
So, given how we get these interesting choice of words I can’t help but think of the following route, think at it as circular.
Movie begins with focus on Kushina. Better said, on Naruto’s love for her.
Most probably we’ll hear again her words to him which later takes us his words to Minato at the parting time.
After that, it goes to Sakura, linking to the red thread of fate + destiny/life/destined life kanji.
Then it continues with Hinata. With her cute little selfish love, along with her trying to reach Naruto like shown in 663. Plus possible IT she might get in due to Toneri.
Then it goes to Naruto. Possibly getting into an IT himself around there because he will try to save Hinata. Ergo the awkward love and NaruHina canon and family.
The, we go back to Sakura, as Junko said we will see deep love for her nakama. After that, it circles back to Kushina’s initial words for Naruto and Naruto’s love for her.
Fulfilling what his mother told him, thus circle complete. You know, given her words to Naruto, the foreshadowing; as in will show the red thread of destiny that doesn’t break.
I mean, don’t you guys see? The only thing that hasn’t been touched in canon manga and hasn’t been questioned until now, just made clear, was none other than Naruto’s love for Sakura.
On the subject of Naruto’s love
Now the marketing comes with this shocking statement according to which Naruto falls in love for the first time.
From the get go, you, as a Naruto fan should know that this isn’t the first time Naruto fell in love. Unless you’re purposely ignoring it.
On the contrary. If anything, it should be the second. And now, given that Naruto’s love hasn’t only been shown pretty clear in the manga but has also been thematically established by all the literary devices Kishi used, most poignant ones being the parallels, this paired up with his never give up attitude together with the red thread of fate destiny that surrounds Naruto and Sakura, should be very telling that this surface isn’t what it seems, that the truth lies somewhere deeper, thus, the movie.
Not to mention, we already got some sketches that show us a quite intimate Naruto and Sakura. The ones along them are none other than Sai and Shikamaru.
Naruto and Sakura are not just simple comrades, but a pair that by working together, have changed the shinobi world.
Like they said they would when they both vowed such at the beginning of the manga.
It’s past more than just a simple love.
However, when it comes to love, Naruto loving someone else, now, all of a sudden indeed after loving Sakura for all these 15 years we’ve be reading the manga, would be nothing more than the reverse of Sakura’s own confession:
Naruto would be doing nothing but lying to himself.
As I remember, back at that time, people said this would be the ending of NaruSaku.
However, afterwards, these two had only positive moments going on between them and we’ve finally had the last nail in the coffin: confirmation of Sakura = Kushina parallel.
Speaking of confessions… Remember whose confession was in the falling snow? Yup, Sakura’s…
Maybe now, in The Last: Naruto the movie we’ll see Naruto’s confession to Sakura?
Hope so and keeping finger crossed! After all, in the end, the movie will tell his story.
But given the manga’s contents and the fact that Junko Takeuchi herself said that the movie should be seen along with the manga and things that connect to it (like Road to Ninja *wink-wink*), I can’t help but feel hopeful for a positive NaruSaku outcome at the end of The Last: Naruto the movie.
As we know, on the 24 of November, an early screening is played out in Japan for fans. Let’s hope we will soon find out some real news, if not possible, I guess we should all wait and see the movies for ourselves.
With these being said,
Till next time.
xoxo,
Chatte
So how do you like the ending? 😂😂😂
It is what it is, life kept going. 🙂