Okay guys, this is it… The Last: Naruto the Movie; Opinions on the blank period, movie trailer + plot, pairings confirmation & Naruto chapter 699 + 700 prediction.
Few more days and the most beloved series in the world at the moment, in my humble opinion, approaches swiftly to its end.
As you probably have seen on my Tumblr, I promised you I will be writing this post.
You guys have left lots of asks in my inbox, expressing your interest in giving my one last shot at trying to guess this manga’s path.
I am willing to bet on what I will be writing here. But once again I remind everyone that this is my personal opinion.
And it does not constitute in any way any warranty that it shall happen.
But as I said, in my stubbornness I am willing to bet on anything for this “last theory” regarding the big finale.
I am also willing to say that if it will be so that NaruHina will be canon, then so be it.
Of course, I will still express my opinions. You won’t see me shutting up if I consider something to be BS.
But if NaruHina will be indeed canon, then so be it. You’ve “won” !
As if it’s a battle from which we would gain something… But anyway, moving on…
However, up until then, I would kindly ask to allow me to say one more time: hold your horses, don’t jump to conclusions!
It’s not the first time you’ve done it and got yourselves almost burned-up… We all did at some point. Because Kishi took care of that for us too.
But with NaruSaku he always had a way…
Now, finishing this little introduction or bet if you wanna call it like that, let me get to the point of this post.
My opinions on the blank period, movie trailer and the confidence I have
From where do I have this confidence, now, even more than ever despite the movie trailer and its apparent contents, Masashi Kishimoto’s message and the Last’s theme song cover, all which apparently, point to a story between Naruto and Hinata?
How can I still have the confidence to express my confidence in why I believe NaruSaku aka Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno becoming canon?
How can I say this if besides the apparent story between Naruto and Hinata, in the last movie trailer Hinata Hyuga seems to be the heroine of it, despite Sakura Haruno being present there and known as the heroine as we’ve seen from the charachter sheets that were released of the poses of Naruto and Sakura, one along the other?
Well, it all started when I saw this image:
Let me first start by saying that this is all the confirmation that I needed to reinforce my theory’s belief.
I wasn’t sure exactly when this movie will take place, but thanks to the confirmation, all is set.
This confirms that indeed, chapter 700 of this manga will be the epilogue chapter. The one taking place years after the end of 4th Shinobi World War.
Well, let me start by beginning a bit with a twisted order, but you’ll understand at the end of it.
Yes, this movie will be about Hinata, mainly. From certain points of view, yes, this movie will be about her love for Naruto and their bond.
And yes Naruto and Hinata will have certain moments together in the movie. But not because of what some subsets of the Naruto pairing fandom thinks, but because of other reasons.
Therefore, allow me to begin with the prediction for Naruto chapter 699 and 700 and we’ll go from there, further in the future as we’ll be passing through my last theory.
Predictions & my theory
What I believe we’ll be seeing next in chapter 699 is a Sakura arriving along Kakashi most probably, seeing a hurt Sasuke and Naruto.
And I am not sure exactly how, Kishimoto will show us through some of his writing skills how Sakura, will “choose” in some kind of way between Naruto and Sasuke. She’ll choose Naruto, but of course, might be done in the always subtle way.
But we also might see it pretty bluntly this time. We will probably go through some SS resolution. Or not, I am not sure.
Though I hope she gets some closure with Sasuke, they were nakamas after all and given Sasuke’s current state, we might see the old Team 7 dynamic. That which we all loved.
After that, we will finally see the thing we’ve been all waiting for and the reason that moments like Naruto Chapter no. 3 moment or the Promise of a Lifetime were created for.
And we’ll see how Naruto, the outcast ninja, how even in the released full trailer of the movie is reminded to us, managed to accomplish one more of his desires: to one day gain Sakura’s heart. By pure love, dedication and hard work, like he always did, even if it meant him suffering.
Like I said in “…from here and now on”, I believe the latest chapters, in our case 699, we will see Naruto finally confessing his feelings to Sakura.
The NaruSaku resolution
Bot before making sure to remind her in a way, about the Promise of a Lifetime he once made to her, back in the days.
When not only Naruto wanted to do this for Sasuke and himself, but also for Sakura. And he did it in such a way that he showed how gentleman and how big his heart is.
Proves ow his love wasn’t just a crush.
And like how in that 235 (?) filler was shown, Naruto will have been doing this like a gentleman.
By loving Sakura the way she truly was. Beautifully faulty like a human being, yet perfect in his eyes. With her feelings for Sasuke and all her being.
And if he would be to one day win her heart, do it the right way.
By showing why he at least would be worthy of her love.
As for Naruto, Sakura’s heart is so pure and beautiful, that he’d only could consider himself lucky if such pure heart would bestow her eyes upon him.
He had seen how she can love by her showing affection to Sasuke. He can only be lucky to have that affection one day.
Same problem of worthiness Sakura seems to be having as well with herself in regards to Naruto’s love for her. She sees the magnificent heart that Naruto possess, so pure itself, that she can only feel unworthy of it. As her words say back when Sai tells her Naruto lover her – how can he love someone like me?
They both have beautiful hearts, they just need to rediscover it.
Probably Naruto will be tempted to back off as Sasuke would be now back.
And this is where possibly Kishi will be reintroducing a quite straightforward reaction from Sakura -> Naruto in terms of her reciprocation of his feelings.
By then, she would have probably come to a conclusion/realization in regards to her feelings for both boys.
It is also possible as well that 699 will show us a slight reference to Naruto Chapter 3 forehead kiss scene, making Sakura finally realize who was behind the “Sasuke mask”.
And who was exactly the guy who fulfilled, like Sasuke himself said in 693, her dream about love, back in Chapter 3.
If not in chapter 699, maybe we’ll see it in chapter 700, in the epilogue. And here is where we slowly transition into the story of The Last, where we’ll see all the rookies.
And how they ended up years after the finish of the 4th Shinobi World War.
Where Sakura will be appearing as Naruto’s wife. Similarly to, maybe, the scene in Naruto 382.
When Kushina makes her appearance as Minato’s wife pregnant with Naruto.
And somewhere in there, maybe a bit later, as they have a kid, Sakura telling her kids how she fell in love with Naruto.
Also, like Kushina tells Naruto when they meet about her love story with Minato, same will Sakura do. How the hair she had hated, brought her her soulmate and made her love her most hated part of hers.
Same way “the forehead she had hated so much, brought her the man of her dreams. And since that day on, she started loving her forehead and, more importantly, Naruto…”
And also, how her forehead would have been her “red thread of destiny”.
This is how I think I believe things will be played out in 699 or 700. If not then, maybe in The Last, but I am absolutely sure that Chapter 3 will be touched upon at a certain point in time.
Why I believe so? Well, like in “Growth of the Two” chapter 246, beginning of Shippuden Kishi shows us something. Through Sakura and Naruto, he presents a well known theme. The one of “a ninja must see underneath the underneath”.
Wondering if Kishi wanted to give us a hint ever since back then, since Naruto and Sakura, are planning to spoil Kakashi about the fate of the main character at the end of Jiraiya’s book.
Which can’t make me but think about Kishi’s book, The Tale of Gallant Jiraiya. And we all know that one…
Sadly, Kakashi refuses to hear the spoilers, although funny enough, Naruto and Sakura are about to “really spoil” it for him.
Maybe there’s a hint in the name of the chapter?
The Last: Naruto the movie – Kanji symbolism
Speaking of destiny, as we all know, recently this image has been circling around the internet:
As we all know, each of them represent a certain thing.
Hinata – 愛 Love (also affection, care, attatchment, desire or craving)
Shikamaru – 志 Will (also intention, plan, resolve, motive or hopes)
Kakashi – 忍 Endurance (also patience and self restraint or ninja)
Sasuke – 道 Path (also journey, course, moral or teachings)
Sai – 絆 Bonds (also relationships, emotional ties/links between people)
Sakura – 命 Life (also destiny, command and fate)
Sakura’s as we can see is Life known as well as destiny or fate, command and life.
Let me tell you why I believe it’s one of those “underneath the underneath” reading moments.
Yes, Sakura’s profile also is connected more to the life one given her status as a medical ninja.
And, also, in her personal profile, how she has mentions of being the best medical nin, Tsunade’s pupil, who has inherited her master’s will.
But you see, this kanji as a pair tattoo for a woman and a man means “unwavering love” or in archaic form “destiny”.
Of course, these things could mean absolutely nothing and I am not saying they mean that but… in the context of this manga and Masashi Kishimoto’s and his “underneath the underneath” lesson, what do we know about Kushina’s red hair?
Brought her the man of her destiny, like Sakura’s forehead will bring her the man of her destiny.
What besides that caught my attention? The fact that for a woman and a man, paired means unwavering love.
To be honest, ever since I saw Sakura’s face in 697 is like Kishi saying Sakura’s heart was always destined for Naruto.
That time when she wakes-up from the genjutsu.
Remember how in that dream, she stops for a second and looks at Naruto?
That’s the feeling Kishi left me with. So, given that scene and the whole triangle context and issues with Sakura’s forehead… well you know.
But given certain “impediments”, Sakura will find out about the forehead comment later on. The destiny of love between Naruto and Sakura to happen will take a little more time.
Due to ironically, Naruto’s own silliness.
This, paired with all the other hints I told you about, make me believe that NaruSaku will be canon.
In terms of Hinata’s character
But what about Hinata, you wonder? Her word means love, the movie seems to concentrate on her relationship with Naruto and her love for him.
Well, let me tell you what Kishi is doing here.
We’re at chapter 699/700, right? Hinata’s feelings haven’t been resolved yet and after the war – like in the exact timeline of The Last , she’s planning on stop chasing after him.
But not before wanting her feelings to reach him one last time, until she’ll let go.
As we saw in the trailer, Hinata has been trying to give Naruto that red scarf for a long time now, ever since they were children.
Now, indeed, Naruto’s words are directed at her. How do all these connect?
Well, as we know when Naruto was little, he was pretty mean on itself.
And as we can remember, he used to treat people really harshly because he was seen and felt himself, like an outcast.
And then was Hinata, who was just admiring him, back in the shadows, not saying anything. Thus, insert that part in the movie with Hinata loathing herself that she didn’t do more back then.
Like I always said myself when debating with NaruHina fans, yes, she had the best intentions.
But she still stood there and watched and did nothing. That made her selfish, no matter how good-willed she was.
And Hinata knows that herself and as we can remember and see, she said it herself. Once in the confession in Pein arc and the other one, here.
When she says she loathes herself for not doing more.
Hinata herself says she didn’t do more. So, in my opinion, this shuts down any “Hinata was there from the beginning while bitch Sakura wasn’t” type of comments.
Hinata herself says it.
However, once and for all, before stopping to run after him, Hinata makes one more step in trying to reach him. And from here, the focus on her and Naruto.
She’ll tell him what she couldn’t tell him back then. That she wished she would have been there more. And thus, that scarf would be her sign of “sorry” for those times.
Or something like that, I guess.
I believe she goes to Sakura because if the manga ends with NaruSaku in epilogue, Hinata feels somehow the need to ask Sakura if she can offer Naruto the scarf.
Assuming that Naruto and Sakura are dating/engaged.
And Sakura, given how she really is a nice girl, assures Hinata that she can do such thing. And maybe who knows, she even helps Hinata morally to do it.
I also believe on the other side, Naruto, as he is pretty mature now, feels the need to clear things up with Hinata too. In regards to that time.
Assure her that although he was very hard on her that it even made her cry (as we can see in the trailer), he didn’t mean it.
He was only a hurt child, but now he really appreciates her as a close nakama.
Besides that, what could the other type of love in Hinata’s case could be or mean?
I, for one, believe that it’s gonna deal with her rather selfish love. Which she will realize and make her wake-up to things that matter more.
As in, her clan and her status as a heiress, thus we’re introduced with Hanabi Hyuga’s kidnapping. Which forces Hinata to get out of the craving type of love for Naruto that she had, to the love for her family.
Realize what’s more important to her – Naruto’s love or Hanabi’s and her clan’s safety? And thus, with all the things happening, it will help Hinata finally move on.
As well as Naruto, but not before settling these things between them.
And that is why we have so much focus on Hinata. Besides the Hyuga involvement via Toneri, Hinata is heavily involved and presented along Naruto, in the trailer.
Conclusion
But, like I said, in my opinion, this period is dealing with how Naruto and Sakura become a couple.
Who later started to date. And who later, in the time of the epilogue presented to us in chapter 700, get married.
How Naruto proposes to Sakura. I have a feeling that’s a ring on her necklace to be honest, the engagement ring Naruto gave her maybe.
But I can’t put my hand on it.
How they have kids and the happy life that he always wanted. And Minato and Kushina, along with other generations’ destinies echoes, finally get fulfilled.
And the closure they needed via Naruto and Sakura’s destined love.
So, with that being said, I am willing to bet my money that this is how things actually are. And that this is what the movie is actually gonna be.
That’s why I don’t believe at all it affects NaruSaku in The Last: Naruto the Movie.
On the contrary, it reinforces it!
What do you think? Leave your thoughts down below!
Till next time,
xoxo
Chatte
