NARUTO volumes 51 & 52, 5 kage summit arc. sakura's handling as a character in these volumes was interesting: although she's not up to the manga's fighting genre, when sakura plans to dispose of the criminal sasuke, her use of her womanly attributes to deploy naruto, and then her internal conflict over her feelings for sasuke were touching. naruto's own internal conflict over it was also intriguing, as i've never seen a panick attack in the shonen genre. i also like the exposition of sasuke's feelings as an oppressed outcast, and the other characters' presumptions towards him, even calling him 'trash' or 'with no future'. but sasuke comes to represent those who resent oppression, specifically the alienation from the truth of the system. all in all, 51 & the beginning of 52 were awesomely written. of course, for the shonen genre, which is aimed at teenagers. but there's no problem with that!
This is "Sasuke's Chidori", which was first performed at the Chunin Exam Finals. Kakashi had been teaching him all the time for a month, and he had just learned it. At this time, Sasuke seemed happy to have learned a new jutsu, and he was wearing a new version of his clothes. But for some reason, his Chidori is in "left handed".
Kishimoto is someone who doesn't use unnecessary depictions...There must be some important reason for Sasuke's left chidori.
When Kakashi performs Raikiri (or Chidori), he usually uses his right hand. Then he activate it with both hands at the same time (against Kakuzu), and then he activate it with only his left hand (when Tobi appears in the Land of Iron). If you think about it normally, you might wonder why Sasuke doesn't use his right hand? I know we've seen him emit chidori all over his body and he was able to wield lightning-empowered sword in his right hand.
I think...The truth is, there is a more important meaning.... The hidden necessity that Sasuke's Chidori must be on his left hand.
During their first encounter, Sasuke & Naruto only did the "Seal of Confrontation", and then they left without making any sign of reconciliation with each other.
It doesn't really matter whether he normally use chidori with his left or right hand. But, The only time it becomes meaningful is when it collides with Naruto's Rasengan. In the Valley of the End when the two hit each other with Chidori and Rasengan... For a moment, they were able to read both of their minds.
And then there is the ``inner scene'' that Naruto exchanged with Sasuke at the Valley of the End in the collision of Chidori ( left hand ) and Rasengan (right hand) . They always wanted to be friends, even if they couldn't admit it out loud. But they couldn't accept and come to terms with how they felt inside:
I think the fact that the two of them clashed Chidori and Rasengan at that time meant that they clashed their true feelings. Each of them used Chidori and Rasengan to express their true feelings that they could not express out loud.
Sasuke said that if they bumped into each other and "exchanged fists", they could read each other's thoughts. So rather than using each other's bodies, they bumped each other's techniques (hand to hand) and "exchanged fists to communicate their true feelings". Chidori and Rasengan are meant for Sasuke and Naruto to have a heart-to-heart conversation.
★ The moment they collided for the second time (and finally) in the Valley of the End, the two returned to their childhood and the fingers they exchanged in the spiritual world were an unmistakable "sign of reconciliation".
★ In the bridge (KSA)....Naruto shares his inner feelings to Sasuke. To convey the most important words that he wanted to convey to him at that time. This is Sasuke and Naruto, Chidori vs. Rasengan for the third time. (To be exact, the first Chidori vs. Rasengan fight was on the roof of the hospital...then it's used twice in the Valley of the End, so it's four times). It's been almost 4 years since then. Naruto now understands Sasuke's pain. He also gained confidence in his ability to have internal conversations with Sasuke. Maybe that's why he wanted to convey what he couldn't convey at that time, or the answers he didn't understand at that time. When Naruto said, “I'm glad I met you”, Naruto looks very happy. This is Naruto's true feelings. That smile on Naruto's face is not just a fake one, it really shows how happy he is to have met Sasuke. Naruto must have been wishing to convey these words through his ``inner conversation'' for three years.
★ No matter how amazing new techniques they acquire, this is still the one thing these two will clash against. Again their Chidori & Rasengan collided but this time there is no "spiritual world". When they woke up they were both lying next to each other. They had used all their strength, their eyes were exhausted, and kurama was already asleep. And now you could say that they were no longer Uchiha or Jinchuriki...They were just two people, "Sasuke and Naruto". Then...the conversation between the two is lit by the moon, and it's interesting how Sasuke's "true feelings'' gradually, or rather, begin to emerge from this point.
After all, Rasengan and Chidori have meaning only when their right and left fists meet. Only when the two people face the same direction will the ``Chidori'' on the left hand and the ``Rasengan'' on the right hand be firmly connected with their five fingers. In other words... Sasuke's left hand and Naruto's right hand should join hands with interlaced fingers. When holding hands, it is only possible to hold hands with the right and left hands. The right hand and the right hand cannot connect. Sasuke's left hand -> Chidori, Naruto's right hand -> Rasengan...It's not for two people to collide, but for two people to hold hands!
If Sasuke had activated Chidori with his right hand... Naruto's right hand and Sasuke's right hand, the two of them could not hold hands and their relationship ends with a unison sign and they remain divided into ``this side and that side.'' However, holding hands is possible only if two people are standing on the same side, facing the same direction.
I think, That's why...Sasuke's Chidori only works with his left hand.
But in reality, they want to stand next to each other. They want to stand next to each other and hold their hands...facing the same direction
In the case of left hand + right hand, if they are side by side and facing the same direction, their hands will be joined.
Both of them lost their dominant hands. Naruto's right hand and Sasuke's left hand were blown away and lost...the blood flowing from their arms makes it look like they are holding hands. It looks more like "holding hands" than a "sign of reconciliation". This has more meaning than a ``seal of reconciliation.''
A ``seal of reconciliation'' is a greeting that says ``face to face'' with each other. It is a greeting exchanged between people who are in conflict while standing on one side and the other side, ``remaining in the position of conflict.''
However, Naruto and Sasuke went one step further, achieving true reconciliation and understanding.
In Vote1, Naruto held out his hand to hold Sasuke by saying, "I don't want you to be taken away by someone like Orochimaru," and Sasuke held out his hand as a farewell and said his "Goodbye." Chidori in his left hand and Rasengan in his right hand...No matter how many times they clash, their left and right hands couldn't able to "hold hands" properly. They were still unable to understand each other's feelings.
In Vote2, Naruto and Sasuke... they stood side by side, looking in the same direction and holding hands. Sasuke was finally able to ``release'' himself from his burdens and darkness...Sasuke accepts and acknowledges his own weakness (his desire to connect with Naruto)... and Naruto was finally able to save his "one & only....friend'' through his "love"...through his understanding, trust, affection, and devotion. They both saved each other. They both completely understood, with no need for further explanation; everything is straightforward and transparent, leaving no room for confusion or ambiguity.
Kishimoto really planned from the very beginning Naruto and Sasuke's eventual reconciliation as he claimed in several interviews, even sharing his concept notebook notes where he had written 15 years before he actually wrote the final battle, he wanted them to do the seal of reconciliation [LINK]
But just to add a bit, Kishimoto connects Sasuke being left-handed and Naruto right-handed and them eventually laying down side by side with their blood representing their reconciliation to shinjuu demonstrations of devotion.
As stated above, there are considered to be six forms of shinjuu, although I personally would pair "cutting off a finger" and "piercing the flesh" as one: self-mutilation. Anyway, Kishimoto writes three of these into the manga: the oath, the tattoos and the self-mutilation.
It's important to keep in mind that Japanese writers saw shinjuu acts as a hierarchy, each act being a bigger deeper demonstration of devotion precisely because they're harder to undo. Kishimoto also respects and follows this order in his own work.
The first one, the oath or vow, is the forever iconic double suicide oath Naruto makes to Sasuke so they can reincarnate without having any of the burdens that keep them apart. In the Japanese tradition it's usually an oath written in blood but Kishimoto has Naruto give an oral oath instead, for this reason some SNS shippers might consider Kishimoto has not yet used this specific type of shinjuu but since it's one of the basic shinjuu acts lower in the hierarchy, I personally believe he adapted it to his story.
The second shinjuu Kishimoto used is tattoos. And here is where find the significance of Sasuke being left-handed and Naruto being right-handed once again. The tattoos being in the dominant hand, that is the hand they use to write, grap chopsticks, do most of their chores, to grab their kunai and sword, respectively, and perform their signature jutsus that would ultimately be used as the final blow in their final battle.
OP has already written on Kishimoto incorporating irebokuro tattoos into the manga [LINK]. Irebokuro tattoos have the shape of moles and when lovers clasp hands they are perfectly lined up.
as a shinjuu practice, tattoos were considered above oaths and cutting your hair in the hierarchy because its effects (on the courtesan skin) would last longer, the courtesan would typically tattoo the name of the man she loved so he'd know he was special amongst her many clients, the man would be the one to write it out for her.
So Kishimoto combines here tattoos as a shinjuu practice with the irebokuro type of tattoo. Instead of having Naruto and Sasuke get each others names tattooed on their skin, he gives them sun and moon so that if they were to clasp their hands or do the reconciliation seal with their dominant hands had they not lost them in their battle, it'd look like a partial sun eclipse or the Uchiha crest.
And because Kishimoto is insane and has to put as much lore as possible into each thing he does for Naruto and Sasuke, the tattoos are a moon and the sun instead of their actual names like shinjuu tradition dictates, because Sasuke and Naruto represent Yin and Yang, something that's established and reasserted throughout the entire manga.
So we finally get to the boys getting their arms blown out, their self-mutilation. Fujimoto Kizan, who is the person who wrote an essay on shinjuu practices, divides self-mutilation into two categories: cutting off one's finger and piercing one's flesh.
Kizan explains why self-mutilation is the ultimate shinjuu: it cannot be undone. It is thus an act for those whose relationship is of the deepest intimacy. The love that leads them to commit such acts is of the grandest nature.
Naruto and Sasuke were willing to lose their dominant hand for each other. Sasuke even refused a new artificial arm knowing it'd be more difficult going through life without the arm he'd grown accostumed to use, for him what is done cannot be undone.
So Kishimoto respects the shinjuu hierarchy when incorporating the practice into the manga:
oath -> tattoos -> self-mutilation
and it was clearly very important to him that Naruto and Sasuke lost their dominant hands to demonstrate how deep their bond goes.
Kishimoto is a genius at making parallels. If there was something unclear about SNS, he would have explained it in another plotline or foreshadowing.
The chapter started with Gaara asking questions to Yashamaru. He doesn't know what pain is because he's never been injured.
血は 出ないけど･･･ここんとこがすごく痛いん｡
chi wa denaikedo... kokon toko ga sugoku itai nda.
It's not bleeding, but...it hurts so much around here.
[Yashamaru] : ただ一つだけ心の傷を癒せるものが あります。
tada hitotsu dake kokoro no kizu o iyaseru mono ga arimasu.
There is only one thing that can cure/heal a broken heart/wound of the heart
ただ、これは厄介な薬で、他人から しかもらうことができません。
tada kore wa yakkai na kusuri de, tanin kara shika morau koto ga dekimasen.
But, this is a bit difficult (to get) the medicine, that can only be given (to you) by somebody else / another person.
[Gaara] : 何?
nani?
What (is it)?
[ Yashamaru] : 愛情です
aijou desu
(It's) Love.
[愛情 -> giving love to someone]
[ Gaara] : ど...どうやったらもらえるの?
dō...dō yattara moraeru no ?
H...How can I receive it?
[ Yashamaru ] : 我愛羅様はもうすでに もらっていますよ。
Gaara sama wa mō sudeni moratteimasu yo.
Lord Gaara, You have already received it.
愛情は･･･自分の身近にいる大切な人に 尽くしてあげたいと慈しみ見守る心
aijō wa....jibun no mijika ni iru taisetsuna hitoni tsukushiteagetai to itsukushimi mimamoru kokoro
Love is..... a heart that desires to cherish/to serve, with the feeling of wanting to devote, and watch over the precious person who is close to you.
Kishi uses 愛情 to means that it is a mindset to dedicate yourself to the precious one near you by loving, cherishing and watching over them.
Notes:
✽ 愛情 (aijō)：a strong feeling of love towards your babies or your beloved ones. 愛情 is affection, the feeling/emotion of loving someone/something. 愛情 refers not only to lovers but also to family members. So, 愛情 can be used for anything, including family, between man and woman, and between husband and wife and homosexuales. 愛情 is the feeling and heartfelt love you have for your family. It is the feeling of wanting to cherish family and things. '愛情' has a very broad meaning and it refers to all feelings of wanting to care for someone other than yourself. It can mean romantic or other kinds of love. So, this word can be used not only for the lovers, but also for anything, including family members, pets, etc.
So, 愛情 means - An instinctive feeling of caring for the other person as an irreplaceable person, and wishing that the other person would think of you the same way. A warm heart that loves deeply. In a broad sense, it also includes the feeling of cherishing and caring for living things.
And also, the word ``愛情'' is never used with ``friend.'' It always uses with, "couple,'' ``parent and child,'' "family" and ``lovers'' , but ``friend'' is not included. Using the word ``愛情'' for ``romantic love'' is the most common use of the word ``aijō.'' However, feelings towards a ``friend'' are usually expressed using appropriate words such as ``友情 = Yūjō = friendship'', ``親愛の情= Shin'ai no jō = feeling of (affection) = (Feeling real friendship to someone)'' etc. It's not "bad" using 親愛の情 towards friends, but 親愛の情 sounds too formal or archaic/literary to use for a friend. "Feeling real friendship with someone" is correct in its meaning. However, I think it's too formal and too literary to be used between regular friends.
-> But if you have affection for your friend, and you say: “I felt quite a bit of aijō for [Name], who has been my friend for many years” it means that you want to go beyond ``友達= tomodachi = friends'' to ``恋人=koibito= lovers". So that means, if you have romantic feelings for your friend, it is okay to use the word "愛情= aijō= Love"
✿ 慈しみ (itsukushimi) = one's heart/mind/love that is offered/dedicated/devoted for the other/other person, not for oneself, sometimes even at the expense of oneself.
� Difference between 愛 & 慈しみ is...
✼ 愛 (ai) : deeper and more Generally used. 愛 is not only for romances/relationships but also love of families, pets, countries, love for people and so on. In most cases, target of the word "愛" is partner. and sometimes parents use it to their children. 愛している Or 愛してる (= Aishiteiru or Aishiteru) is a very heavy and special phrase.
You can say 愛している aishiteiru (I love you) to your children, parents, boy/girlfriend, pets, cars, etc... almost anything. Just like Itachi saying 愛している to his brother and kushina saying 愛してる to her son Naruto. 「愛してる」 is a colloquial form of 「愛している」, in which "い" is dropped.
In everyday conversation, "愛してる" is more common than "愛している” although Japanese people don't say these words frequently. It is not so old that it is no longer used. It's just a modern way of saying it.
Japanese use 好き です ( = Suki desu) much more often than 愛しています( = Aishiteimasu) or 愛してる(=Aishiteru).
eg:
1. 君のことが好き ( = Kimi no koto ga suki.) = I like/love you.
2. [Name]ちゃんのことが好きになっちゃったかもしれない ([name]chan no koto ga suki ni nacchatta kamo shirenai.) = I kind of like you, [name]/I might be in love with you, [name]...
3. どうして僕/私のことが好きなの？(= Doushite boku/watashi no koto ga suki nano? = why do you love me?
Or
どうして僕/私のことを愛しているの？(= Doushite boku/watashi no koto wo aishite iru no?) = Why do you love me?
4. 僕を好きにならないで (=Boku wo suki ni naranai de) = don't fall in love with me
5. でも僕は君のこと愛していない/ 好きじゃない。(Demo boku wa kimi no koto aishite inai/ sukijanai.) = But, I don't love you.
愛している is a colloquial word and is mainly used when explaining a situation. 愛してる is also a colloquial word to express your feelings.
[[Colloquial language]: Of the languages expressed in speech, that Items commonly used by people in society in their daily lives. [Literary language requires consistency that is different from spoken language itself, and at the same time has its own grammar and vocabulary (ゴイ) system]]
There's nothing wrong with saying ``愛している'' to someone, whether it's a pet, a child, or a family member. Due to a cultural difference, Japanese hardly says such direct confession, instead of reading atmospheric mood each other. Moreover, some people may feel that it would be somewhat strange in Japan if family members frequently said "愛している" to each other.
Parents often say to their children "大好き (daisuki) ". [“daisuki” can be more innocent, like when you love your mom, children or dogs, for example]. So, Kids and parents also say to each other “I love you”, using 好き ( = suki).
e. g:
お父さん、大好き! ( = Otōsan, daisuki) = I love you dad!
ママのこと大好き！(= Mama no koto daisuki!) = I love you, Mom! / I love my mom!
僕、お母さんのこと... (= Boku okaasan no koto...[が好きだ ga sukida]) = I love you, mom!
Japanese often leave the sentence unfinished on purpose in Japanese. So you have to read between the lines. Usually when you leave the sentence like that it means "I like you." But it depends on the context.
They almost never use 愛してる ( = aishiteru) face to face. Because "愛してる" sounds like very dramatic, and unrealistic to (some of) them. [Also Japanese say “daisuki” too casually when you talk about food, games, things or some preferences, etc.]
As people start hearing the word 「愛している」 more often in TV dramas. However, I don't think people say this much in conversation to their friends and family. However, it's not a language issue; it's a Japanese trait that people don't say ``I love you'' to the person they're meeting or to their family. I think it's typical of Japanese people to be shy and say things like, ``You'll understand even if I don't say it.'' Japanese culture of reading the atmosphere may also have an influence. Or they prefer expressing their love in more subtle ways. Some people think that "If you say something so often it will become cheesy".
Younger couples are not so shy about expressing their love. They say it or text it to their boyfriend/girlfriend more casually.
愛している can be used both in written and spoken words. It's not unnatural, and it might be a good thing.
In general, many Japanese men think that it is more important or preferable to show oneself through actions and attitudes rather than words. Similarly, 愛している can mean to couples “I love and adore and cherish you with every inch of my body and soul and want to spend the rest of infinity and beyond with you” but, it depends on the person and the situation. There are also people and cases where you simply say "I love you". Yes, there are people and cases who say it seriously. It is true that Japanese people tend not to say 愛している very often in everyday life.
愛している/愛してる more often seen in movies, songs, manga or literature than in everyday conversation.
Conclusion: 愛している is a word that can be used to express feelings towards family members (children, parents) and relatives. However, just because it's a word that describes it doesn't necessarily mean you'll say it. In the daily lives of ordinary Japanese people, it is extremely rare for them to directly say this to their family and relatives. In fact, there are many people who never say ``I love you'' to their family members even once in their lives. This doesn't mean love isn't felt, but it's expressed differently. Of course, this depends on each individual family, and I'm sure some families say this all year round. But it's uncommon for family members to directly say 愛してる to each other. There are couples who always uses 愛してる, but it totally depends on the couple though.
In Japan (of course it depends on the family but) grownups don’t express their love towards their parents, children saying “daisuki / Aishiteimasu” verbally in daily life. Instead, Japanese say kind words such as 体に気をつけて (karada ni ki o tsukete) = "take care of yourself" or do things for mom/dad, to express the similar feelings.
✼ 慈しみ (itsukushimi) : means "cherishing and protecting those in a weaker position." The difference is whether it's a "weak position" or a "lower position." It would be better to say "people or animals in a weak position". "weaker" is more appropriate than "lower." Some dictionaries might explain it as "lower," "weaker" is a better word. This is because being "lower" does not necessarily mean "to be protected." By contrast, being "weak" does likely mean "to be protected," so, it is more appropriate. 慈しむ is a word that is rarely used in daily conversation. It is used in literary expressions.
It doesn't matter if they are independent or not. For example, "cherish the people" is a common phrase and an example sentence in the dictionary, but the "people" (tami) are each independent.
For e.g:
• "A mother's love (慈しみ) for her child"
• "The king cherishes (慈しむ) their people, considering them important, and protects them."
• "God always embraces you with compassion (慈しむ)."
However, there are exceptions, such as: "After their parents died, the older brother, who was old enough to be her parent, raised his younger sister as if she were his own child." 慈しむ mean in this sentence - To think something very important. So, that is he raised his sister with great affection or care.
Naruto's sincere and honest 愛 love, Sasuke's 愛 love that is deep and therefore complicated. For Sasuke, "his body moves on its own to protect his friend" is his "愛=love," for Naruto, "continuing to protect his friend even at the cost of his own life" is his "愛=love". Sasuke received 愛情 from his family, and after discovering the truth about his family and Itachi's actions, his 愛情 turned into a burning desire for revenge. This desire led him down a path of darkness and hatred. Sasuke's "hatred" is also an expression of "愛情love"... To take it to the extreme, we could even say that "hatred = proof of 愛情 love". Sasuke's words and actions that others perceive as "hatred" but...there is a "truth" about Sasuke that only Naruto can see.
Minato: As long as love (愛) exists, hate (憎しみ) does as well ⟶ (chapter 440)
Tobi: when a person come to know love (愛情)... they run the risk of carrying hate (憎しみ). ⟶ (chapter 416)
Madara: To protect love (愛) , hate is born (憎しみ) ⟶ (chapter 602)
Because humans have a lot of love, they also have a lot of hatred.
"Love -> Hate → Hate"... In the ninja world up until now, hatred born from love has given birth to new hatred. The real battle between Naruto & Sasuke must fight is "hate-> love-> love"... To accept hatred, regain love, and have that love give birth to new love.
In ch. 660....monk Bunpuku mobilizes all the characters to convey "love".
And the “裏の心, Ura no Kokoro” of the title...
You could call it a hidden true intention. “心裏-Shinura” means “inside the heart; in one's heart; in one's mind; in one's conscience,” and the kanji for “心 - kokoro” can also be read as “うら- ura” (meaning “things that cannot be seen on the outside; a heart, inner feelings”). I guess it could be said that “important things cannot be seen with the eyes but only with the heart”.
In his left palm, the kanji 受 (U-ke-ru) means accept and receive. In his right palm, the kanji 心(Ko-ko-ro) means heart and mind. If you combine the ``(inside-out) heart'' engraved on the right hand with the ``Uke'' character engraved on the left hand... it becomes a close-up of the ``love''.
受 (Acceptance) + 心 (Heart) = 愛 (Love) .
What's amazing about the bunpuku master is that he wrote the word ``love'' separately on his left and right hands. And, as Yashamaru once said, “love” can only be received from other people... The “true meaning of words” can only be known through connections with other people.
Sasuke loses his left arm, while Naruto loses his right arm. Their blood is as connected as if holding each other's hands. Sasuke's (left palm) received/accepted “heart” from Naruto's (right palm), together it's becomes “love”.
傷つき、失いそしてそこに在ったもの───
kizutsuki , ushinai soshite soko ni atta mono...
Hurt, loss....and what remains in the end is....
── dash, it is used to interrupt or change sentences, omit words, etc. This sentence is not fully given and it's left out ambiguously. Vote 1 was love transformed into hate (although they never hated each other) and vote 2 was hate transformed into love.
However, this isn't something I made up, it underlined at the beginning of their VOTE 2 battle: "Hate can transform into love (愛情-aijō) this time" and "A battle of love (愛- ai) and power."
So I think the word left out ambiguously of the sentence is "(愛- ai)= love".
傷つき、失いそしてそこに在ったもの───愛
Hurt, loss....and what remains in the end is....love
Also, Naruto and Sasuke aren't brothers. especially after this reincarnation Storyline came into the picture. How many times Naruto must say, that they are not brothers but friends....??
Naruto, an orphan without a family, creates his own bond over the course of the manga from the people he meets. Despite coming from different backgrounds, he forms a strong bond with Sasuke and choosing eachother.
Sasuke has a real brother, which is Itachi. In storytelling, the intentional arc is the underlying theme or message the author is trying to convey, the emotional truth that resonates with the reader. That is, Itachi creates a direct comparison between 1. "the people you were born and raised with, and your blood relatives," it is presented as a contrast, highlighting how "family" while often the sources of support and love, can also be destructive [also naruto's parents apologize to him for hurting and burdening him] 2. "the people you meet in your life," this highlights how your friendships can be very strong and positive. But you can see how strong the love between Naruto and Sasuke is and how intentionally written it is.
Sasuke led Naruto to understand his own feelings for him, to understand his pain, and he does. Naruto makes Sasuke understand that....there are alternative solutions that won't plunge him into darkness, which is accepting love.
In Gaiden,
before he say this, Naruto remembers Iruka-sensei and Sasuke. And it indicates how he sees them as 'a part of his own family'. Iruka-sensei filled Naruto's broken heart with 愛 by saying "he is no longer the monster fox...he is Konoha's...Uzumaki Naruto". Sasuke and Naruto... they shared the same "pain" and made him realize that although they were not connected by "blood", they were firmly connected by " 想い = feelings". [this same term Sasuke uses in chapter 695: Sasuke and Naruto part2]
Kishimoto implied in Gaiden that some bonds are stronger than blood relations, like his bond with Sasuke. Naruto explicitly calls his feelings for Sasuke 'love.' He doesn't define it further, but we get the idea.
Rewrite of my reply here.
Long post about Sasuke and his associations to mythological deities like Amaterasu and Izanami and how that represents the influences of Itachi and Naruto on his life:
In Naruto, Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi are jutsus used by the Uchiha clan, connected to the Mangekyo Sharingan. In Japanese mythology, they are siblings born to Izanagi, the deity of creation and life. Amaterasu is the goddess of the sun and Tsukuyomi is the god of the moon.
The main myth surrounding them involves Tsukuyomi killing Ukemochi, the goddess of food, which causes Amaterasu to become angry with him, leading to their eternal separation.
I see this myth as representative of the conflict between Sasuke and Itachi. Sasuke's anger at his brother for the murder of their parents and clan is similar to Amaterasu's anger at her brother's act of violence. This is strengthened by Sasuke and Itachi’s connections to Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi, respectively.
In the manga, Itachi is the character who first uses Tsukuyomi, as well as Amaterasu. However, even though Itachi is the one who introduces the jutsu, Sasuke is the character who has more ties with it. Both of his eyes can control Amaterasu, while only Itachi's right eye could.
Sasuke is more skilled at Amaterasu and uses it more often, as seen in his battles with Killer B and the Five Kages. While he also does use Tsukuyomi, he is shown to be weaker than Itachi, which Danzo comments on, stating that the difference is like day and night.
Itachi, in general, is associated with the moon, the night, and darkness. He is obviously connected to the night of the Uchiha massacre. Sasuke is reminded of him when he looks at the full moon.
Another myth involving Amaterasu tells the story of how she retreats into the Amano Iwato (Heavenly Rock Cave) after a conflict with her brother Susanoo, which sends the world into darkness. Amaterasu's reappearance from the cave is described as light returning to the world.
In Sasuke vs. Itachi, Itachi refers to Sasuke as his "new light." Him taking Sasuke's eyes will restore his blindness (darkness). So Sasuke is the Amaterasu to Itachi's Tsukuyomi, the light to his darkness.
In contrast, Naruto and Sasuke are represented by Izanagi and Izanami. Izanagi is the deity of creation and life, while Izanami is the deity of creation and death. Itachi mentions them as a pair, two opposites that succeed only when working together.
Sasuke thinks about this comment when Naruto talks to him about their cooperation in their fight against Kaguya, drawing a direct comparison between Naruto and Sasuke to Izanagi and Izanami.
Izanami and Izanagi can be considered to be an example of yin-yang dualism, life vs death, heaven vs earth, sun vs moon. In Chinese philosophy, yin-yang is a concept referring to opposite but complementary forces that work together to make up everything in the universe.
I feel like it’s obvious how Naruto and Sasuke represent yin-yang. Naruto is light, the sun, and heaven (sky). Sasuke is darkness, the moon, and earth (ground). Like yes Kishimoto, we see the symbolism.
Light and darkness, the sun and the moon, are diametrically opposed. Naruto, connected to Izanagi (the sun, yang), is positioned as the opposite of Itachi, connected to Tsukuyomi (the moon, yin). This symbolizes their roles as foils when it comes to their bonds with Sasuke.
Itachi and Naruto are arguably the two characters who have the most influence on Sasuke. Itachi’s influence on Sasuke is portrayed as negative. Through his actions on the night of the Uchiha massacre and encouragement of Sasuke’s vengeance, he leads Sasuke down a dark path.
Itachi is linked with Sasuke’s loss of agency. He lies to and manipulates Sasuke in an attempt to control his actions, disregarding Sasuke’s own thoughts and feelings. When Itachi is revived via Edo Tensei, he admits to this, after seeing how his actions have harmed Sasuke.
This changes after their fight with Kabuto. Itachi sees how Sasuke has grown and apologizes to him. He chooses to respect Sasuke as his own person, acknowledging his free will, breaking away from the darkness he once embodied as he vanishes into the light.
In contrast, Naruto’s influence on Sasuke is shown to be positive. Naruto is connected to Sasuke reclaiming his agency. At the Valley of the End, Sasuke first tries to kill Naruto to gain the power of the Mangekyo. He adheres to Itachi’s will, following the path Itachi wanted him to take.
At the end of the fight, Sasuke chooses not to, even when presented with the opportunity to do so.
It is Naruto’s acknowledgement of their bond that causes Sasuke to make this decision. We can see that Naruto’s words had a great effect on him due to the change in his Sharingan.
Through interacting with Naruto, Sasuke walks away from the path carved out for him by Itachi, maintaining his agency in the face of his manipulation. Itachi himself notes Naruto’s influence on Sasuke, thinking of him as a “guide” that helped Sasuke decide his own journey.
To Sasuke, Naruto is the light that leads him out of Itachi’s darkness.
Naruto going to the same spot Sasuke acknowledged him for the first time and fed him when they had just turned a team right before the finals of the Chuunin exams.
Hesitating and struggling to say out loud the reason why he went there to begin with. Awwww
He even started cold sweating and getting defensive lol
I decided to look at the OG Japanese text for a meta I was working on and imagine my surprise when I saw how VIZ absolutely butchered the translation of this page. Sasuke thinks HE WAS BORN TO BE ATTRACTED TO NARUTO (Image 1 is the more accurate translation, image 2 is the VIZ translation, and image 3 is the more accurate translation along with other proof that Naruto and Sasuke are a pair).
In the VIZ translation, Itachi gives Sasuke a speech about how two who are seeming opposites are actually two sides of the same coin and can only succeed together. Sasuke later thinks about Itachi's words after Naruto discussed the way they cooperated to take down Kaguya.
It's still very gay and significant that Sasuke thinks he and Naruto are a pair (in fact, the EN version was one of my favorite scenes), but it absolutely doesn't show how powerful the original version is. Because this moment reflects an awareness on Sasuke's part that he and Naruto are fated ("born to...") in a positive manner ("attract complementary things...").
It is yet another egregious example of VIZ removing the nuance from SNS moments. Things like SNS' heart symbolism and the pattern of Naruto's feelings for Sasuke being regarded as bizarre are downplayed by VIZ (Note: In the fourth image I posted, the original nuance is that Naruto and Sasuke's hearts are able to connect with each other, and it's a direct callback to Sasuke's words to Naruto during VOTE 1 (互いの心)). It's unfortunate that even when you opt for the manga, many moments are lost in translation.
Additionally, 引き (which means to draw) is also used by Kabuto to describe the way Naruto clung onto Sasuke.
And according to the person who interviewed Kishimoto for Aera Magazine, Kishimoto and his first editor conceptualized the plot as Naruto and Sasuke being attracted/drawn to each other and then fighting in the end.
So there's a significant running theme of Naruto and Sasuke being incredibly drawn/attracted to each other.
Naruto most likely sees how the world around him works, and it affects his behaviour, especially since he craves for acceptance.
Notice the difference in his reaction when another guy says he likes him in part 1 vs part 2.
(Sorry for a bit poor quality, it was difficult to find an accurate translation, most were viz translations which didn't convey this convo very well). In part 1 he's just annoyed, because he doesn't like Kankurou as a person. He didn't even think about that "I like you" could have certain other implications. But in part 2 he's straight up creeped out by Kakashi saying the same thing, eventhough the meaning and intention is the same in both.
Naruto's reaction to Kurama mentioning his kiss with Sasuke was also way too over the top. Like really comical. Naruto was putting on a show in front of everyone. But whenever he's with Sasuke, he forgets all about this, he is fine with waxing poetry to Sasuke, or Sasuke being close to him...
My guess is since he went through puberty he also learned things about himself and thus started to become more sensitive to such things. Thus internalized homophobia.
Take this scene for example. He seems a bit uncomfortable being there. Sai was probably made to be like this (inappropriate, talking about p*nis all the time, being compared to Sasuke, challenging Naruto about his fixation on Sasuke) so Kishi could introduce more such themes into the manga. He's rather clever about this.
Another guess (it could be both combined) would be that since Jiraiya is so aggressively straight man (to the point he has to introduce himself by saying he's not into men lol) living with him for those years during the timeskip could have affected Naruto's mindset even more. But it's funny how Kishi keeps stressing over and over how Naruto finds Jiraiya's er*tic books boring. Also unlike Jiraiya who peeps on women for p*rverted reasons, Naruto does it as a prank, and in order to practice his oiroke no jutsu. Kishi is trying to show how they are different. I remember on one discussion forum one guy actually brought up he noticed Naruto's changed behaviour after he came back with Jiraiya! Like that he was even more gay and more sensitive to gay things. See, other people notice too.
Then he calls Konohamaru's boy-on-boy jutsu "nasty". Naturally, it's a shonen, Naruto can't have a comically interested reaction like Sakura to something like that, it wouldn't fly. Thus the internalized homophobia. But I also think he didn't want to see Sasuke who he's possessive over being with Sai like that lol. And Naruto really isn't one to talk considering what he came up with later.
Look how proud he looks. Little hypocrite. He's been working on those twink bods more than rasengan lol. Kishi wasn't very subtle with that comment. Also Kishi fought for this moment with his editors for YEARS because he just really needed to write this down. It was just that important to him...
Of course Naruto's repression comes up when it comes to Sasuke as well. Here he admits Sasuke is attractive, but then immediately backpedals on it. His real feelings just slipped.
Later, he was thinking about Sasuke, his mind consumed by Sasuke, but when Sakura and Sai appear his whole body language changes and he immediately claims he was thinking about a date with Sakura. He didn't want to be vulnerable nor let anyone know about his real feelings at the moment. He is hiding behind a heterosexual facade.
But sometimes Naruto doesn't even think of backpedaling on it. He is with his supposed "crush" yet unlike anyone else who would try to get closer or maybe flirt, he is just thinking about Sasuke. This is actually a moment that made many people raise their eyebrows. Including people who didn't like narusasu, or people who didn't ship anything. Specifically because it's written like a clickbait, as in Naruto says "he is happy" and Sakura going "huh?" and because she's his supposed crush who is taking care of him as I said most readers would expect next page have Naruto say something that would emphasize his crush on Sakura. But no, he goes on about Sasuke. No matter how much ss/nh insist we see gay everywhere, many other people picked up on Kishi's writing at many points during the story. But anyway, even with the internalized homophobia, Naruto's love for Sasuke is so strong he can say crazy things about Sasuke to other people and to Sasuke himself that things like "I'm starting to like you" (a completely average thing to say to another person) can't compare to, and still be unbothered by it.
Finally there is the interaction with Minato. Naruto wants to look good in front of his dad so he hesitantly agrees Sakura is his girlfriend, despite how in the previous arc we were shown that Naruto knew Sakura still likes Sasuke, and was angry at her when she tried to confess to him. So he is obviously not serious about Sakura being his girlfriend, but he is saying it to Minato hesitantly. Yet when his dad is leaving he doesn't want to lie anymore.... but he's also hesitant about admitting he hasn't found a girl like his mom wanted.
About the last part, I think it's referring to the armadillo scene? I think it was Kishi's typical humour, like how Naruto saw Haku in makeup and feminine clothing, and assumed Haku was a girl, but then was told Haku is a boy and went "oh okay, I didn't know that kind of thing existed". Here there was instead an armadillo that somehow looked like it was wearing makeup (??? idek or at least looked feminine) and since Naruto needed to write down whether the animals were boys or girls (a ridiculous cover up mission they made up to hide the war was going on from Naruto lol) but then it was flipped over with everyone else and Naruto saw its p*nis and went "even if heaven and earth switched places, a male is still a male". I guess Kishi likes this kind of thing lol... his d*ck jokes...
I know it says "the world might flip over" here but I know it's actually that proverb "even if heaven and earth switched places" that's often used in Japanese.
EDIT: this got flagggged by tumblr so I had to edit sus words.
I think we also see Naruto's behavior of internalised homophobia during his farewell to Gaara after Team 7 rescues him and brings him back to life.
Naruto looks embarrassed, doesn't know how to approach the situation which is simply saying farewell to a friend, but he struggles because it implies physical contact between them: a handshake
It's very interesting how it's Gaara (the more reclusive of the two) who has to initiate contact because Naruto is just so distressed about it. Kishimoto also very interestingly has everyone looking at them expectantly. Gaara reassures Naruto quietly and discreetly with his sand "it's okay, it's just a handshake"
Naruto is appreciative of the gesture and finally decides to shake Gaara's hand. Right away Kishimoto shows us Kakashi and Gai being playfully affectionate with each other, physically.
what are people's reactions to this? they're weirded out, almost disgusted. Even though Gai and Kakashi are doing nothing but playing, their physical affection is not well received by other ninjas (ninjas who have known them for years and know they are not a couple or secretly in love, mind you)
So Kishimoto gives us the answer to Naruto's uncharacteristic distraught behavior in prior panels; physical displays of affection between men, are not seen with good eyes. Doesn't matter if you've been friends for decades and people know there's nothing more to it (Gai and Kakashi) or if you just saved your friends life (Gaara and Naruto).
"why is Naruto struggling to the point of looking almost guilty about holding his male friend's hand?"
"oh look, everybody is disgusted at two male friends being playfully affectionate with each other"
If Naruto behaved this way when it came to a simple handshake with Gaara, who is a friend he rarely sees because they live in different villages, he's absolutely going to be all up in arms when it comes to Sasuke, especially when everybody points out his behavior towards him is "weird"
Other people both here on tumblr and on reddit have written posts on how Kishimoto pays homage to Devilman in Naruto and Sasuke's final battle [LINK] [LINK]
But I still wanted to make my own post after reading Devilman's og manga and a couple side stories because I feel I have a couple things to add to the conversation :D so without further ado let's get started
Devilman is one the most influential manga out there. Among the series it has inspired you'll find Evangelion, Berserk, Parasyte, Chainsaw Man, Tokyo Ghoul, Attack on Titan & Naruto. And if you want to talk about the "founders of yaoi" in shonen, you must talk about Ryo and Akira, many of your favorite mlm ships have been influenced by them.
When Naruto's chapter 698 first came out back in november 2014, Japanese fans quickly noticed the similarities between it and Devilman's final chapter. So let's discuss what Kishimoto takes from Devilman and incorporates into his own work
Our main characters of each series are Naruto and Akira respectively. They're both seen as righteous and noble. Naruto always follows his promises and Akira is considered to be pure of heart. They're both dorks who over the course of their series gain power specifically for their final battles, the climax of their series. However, where Naruto seeks to save Sasuke, Akira actually wants to kill Ryo out of anger and revenge.
Another thing that makes Naruto and Akira different is the fact that Akira's driving force is Miki, a girl with whom he lives and who also has feelings for him. Miki's death is Akira's breaking point and what leads him to fight Ryo.
Meanwhile Naruto's driving force is Sasuke. Basically, there's stronger subtext for Naruto's homosexuality you won't find often in other shonen main characters.
Then we have our deuteragonists who are at the same time antagonists (and in Sasuke's case even considered the heroine by some) of their series. Ryo, who is Satan in the body of a human from whom he took his memories and lived a relatively normal life until the return of the demons he orchestrated himself. During his time as a human Ryo fell in love with his best friend Akira but was mostly in denial of his feelings until right before their fight. Sasuke also bears feelings for Naruto he tries to supress.
Both Ryo and Sasuke believe they must cut off Akira and Naruto out of their lives for they consider the feelings they have for them a "weakness" in their goals, which for Ryo is reconquer the planet for demons and for Sasuke to bear all the hatred of the shinobi by himself to stop the cycle of hate and achieve true peace like his brother intended
Ryo's feelings for Akira are what made him turn his beloved friend into a devilman, at the cost of his best demons, hoping that way he'd survive the demon apocalypse and be together afterwards.
Sasuke's feelings for Naruto is what made him defy his brother Itachi's command to kill his closest bond to awaken his mangekyou sharingan so he'd be able to defeat him in their future battle
What makes Ryo and Sasuke different is that Ryo doesn't actually want to fight Akira and even cries when he's told there was no way to avoid their fight
Sasuke, on the other hand, calls for the fight to take place and is the one who pushes Naruto to fight him.
An interesting aspect we notice from Ryo and Sasuke before their battles against Naruto and Akira begin is that once the conflict in their respective universes has already begun (humans vs demons war in Devilman and the 4th great shinobi war in Naruto) we observe Ryo and Sasuke trying to protect Akira and Naruto from the danger that's occurring, urging them to not engage in certain events but at the same time they both do not show any concern for the well-being of other individuals affected. Ryo and Sasuke make it very clear they only care about Akira and Sasuke
So the final battles are about to begin. In Naruto everyone is under Tsukuyomi and in Devilman humanity has gone extinct after 20 years of war against the demons.
Ryo & Akira's fight is described as a battle of love and hatred. Naruto's fight is described as a battle of love and power.
In Naruto, the Sage of Six Paths states that he hoped Naruto would be able to turn hate into love unlike their predecessors Ashura and Hashirama, who failed to do so.
Although in Devilman's case you could also see it as Ryo being the love because he loves Akira & Akira representing the hatred because he's come to hate Satan after Miki's death. It could also be Ryo representing hate due to his hatred for humanity (and being a literal demon) and Akira representing love due to his love for Miki.
Thus, Ryo and Sasuke representing the "hate" and Akira and Naruto the "love" side of the battle.
Once the battles have come to an end we see both pairs laying on the ground observing the moon. The winner of the fight being the first one to speak.
After the battles, Ryo gives a monologue on his sympathy for the demons as living beings, why he betrayed God and how he came to hate humans vowing to exterminate them. Sasuke on the other hand, asks Naruto why he never gave up on him and after getting a satisfactory answer he ponders on how much Naruto has meant to him.
Ryo declares he won the battle whereas Sasuke admits his defeat, but why?
Naruto and Sasuke showed themselves to be pretty much equal in the battle field and they're both equally wounded as well, so why Kishimoto decided Sasuke lost? It's all about the theme of the battle, love and hatred.
Ryo managed to kill the man he loved and succumb to darkness to achieve his goal, that's why he won. Sasuke couldn't, that's why he lost.
Ultimately, Ryo & Sasuke admit their wrongdoings. Ryo asks Akira for forgiveness and Sasuke accepts out loud he's finally come to acknowledge Naruto seeking reassurance from him that he wants him by his side.
And is right after this we get the gore reveal: Akira dead cut in half by Ryo and Sasuke and Naruto bleeding to death after losing their arms. It's important to point out that Naruto and Sasuke losing specifically their arms has a deeper significance beyond being a nod to Devilman, me and tumblr blog twomiddlefingersforthehaters discussed it in depth in this other post [LINK]
As you can see Kishimoto also took the single tear Ryo shed after realizing he killed Akira and wrote it into his manga but this time Sasuke sheds a single tear overwhelmed by Naruto's devotion for him, his one and only who never gave up on him.
And Kishimoto LOVES the single tear trope, he's used it for Minato and Kushina, Haku and Zabuza and Mario and Saori. Always in the context of the love and devotion one has for the other bringing the other to tears.
Another interesting parallel between Naruto and Devilman is these panels where Naruto (winner) tells Sasuke (defeated) "finally awake" wheres in Devilman, Ryo (winner) tells Akira (defeated) "you fell asleep"
It feels like Kishimoto turning the tables on love winning over hatred this time. When love wins, Sasuke who represented hatred, gets to wake up and see the light/right path again. When hatred wins, Akira who represented love, falls asleep entering total darkness.
This is reaffirmed in Naruto when we remember how Sasuke decided to destroy Konoha as dusk fell, symbolizing his descent to darkness. But after being saved by Naruto and acknowledging his own love for him, we see the sunrise, symbolizing Sasuke escaping darkness (we also see him laugh for the first time in years abandoning the evil 'kukuku' laugh for the genuine 'hahaha' laugh, you can read more about this here)
Finally, Sasuke would've regretted killing Naruto just like Ryo ended up regretting killing Akira.
"Don't kill Naruto... You will regret it" <--> "Don't leave me alone. Don't leave me"
Kishimoto takes Ryo and Akira's story and turns it on its head for Naruto and Sasuke, who get to reconcile their differences and reach each other's hearts. His homage to Devilman asks the question: what if this time love wins?
sasuke, sakura, and how their relationship goes along with buddhist beliefs
NARUTO is invariably full of references to japanese, chinese and overall asian mythology, and we can see that by observing the main character himself — as naruto is based on the legend of the nine-tailed kitsune fox, — or by observing the names of ocular powers — such as amaterasu, — or by observing the infamous hand signs — based on the animals of the chinese horoscope.
in fact, despite it not being explicit in the narrative, there are a few signs that many characters' personalities were based on some of these animal archetypes, such as sasuke, who might be inspired by the snake personality, and sakura, who might be inspired by the boar personality. and the key characteristics these animals engage, based on mythological and religious themes, is pretty telling of sasuke and sakura's relationship.
the snake and boar personalities
When the Snake's anger is roused, his hatred can be limitless. His antagonism is silent and deep-rooted. An icy hostility will express his displeasure instead of a volley of hot words. The more lethal types will like to crush their enemies totally. There is no foretelling the Snake's movements. His mind is calculation itself and he has the staying power to wait until the time is ripe for his revenge. For those luckless souls who incur his wrath, self-exile to Siberia may not seem like such a bad prospect. (THE HANDBOOK OF CHINESE HOROSCOPES, p. 119, by theodora lau)
this description of the snake personality as described by theodora lau is pretty fitting to sasuke's character, especially when it comes to his hatred towards his brother itachi. throughtout all the manga, sasuke makes of revenge his all-time purpose, and although eventually he leaves the snake archetype to become a hawk, which is much more arrogant, such reactive traits are still apt to him, due to his reactions towards all the deceit that itachi and the leaf village have put him through.
then, when it comes to sakura, it's actually hard to define her as any of the chinese signs, since she's more of a support character than anything, but there are hints of it, with characters around her that are relevant to her arc, such as ino-pig and her master tsunade who has the pig tonton for a pet. but as it could be the case that the boar personality could be appliable to them and not sakura, below is a trait of the boar woman as described by lau that is so fitting to sakura to the point of not needing further elaboration:
Nonetheless, she will be very personable and modest. She will devote every ounce of energy she has to the objects of her affection and ask for very little in return. You will be able to identify her by her remarkable purity of expression and trusting ways. Yet, although she loves with total abandonment, she will show a preference for anonymity or even secrecy. She can worship someone at a distance for years or serve him with passionate devotion without his knowing about it. (THE HANDBOOK OF CHINESE HOROSCOPES, p. 221, by theodora lau)
now, with both characters' animal personalities established, how relevant is knowing that to analyze their relationship in the series?
a cyclical storytelling
let's start from the beginning, with their first interaction in chapter 3: as sasuke is the most complex character of the two, it makes sense that sakura would not understand him at first. in fact, being not so well-developed, she can't convey any feeling that could match sasuke's hatred. his main goal, as exposed in chapter 4, is to kill a certain someone, while sakura's main interest focuses solely on being a romantic match to sasuke. with the author kishimoto's desinterest in his female characters, it's easy to define sakura as shallow, while sasuke is the force that moves the plot.
but, still, sakura cares for sasuke. that's clear when she cries for him when he's thought dead in the land of waves arc, or when she risks her life for him in the forest of death, or when she defends him as gaara advances to attack him in the leaf crush arc. instinctively, unexplainingly, sakura loves and cares for sasuke's well-being more than her own, and becomes desperate when even thinking about not being at his side. which takes us to their last interaction in part i, as sasuke is fleeing the village in chapter 181:
despite caring about sasuke so much, sakura can't get him to open up. nobody can; at this point, sasuke only ever says what's on his mind when provoked by naruto in the valley of the end. it's known that sasuke cares about naruto and sakura, and that it pains him to leave them, but, still, he has to leave. even if sakura confesses her love to him, begs him to stay, and asks him to take her with him, all sasuke answers is "you will never change," in reference to when he said she makes him sick in chapter 3 — and, more than that, before he knocks her out to flee the village, sasuke actually thanks her.
what for?
to understand it, we should skip to the last few chapters: in chapter 693, as sasuke wants to kill naruto to establish his revolution, sakura once again confesses her love to sasuke and begs him to stay, to which, once again, sasuke answers that she makes him sick, and once again knocks her out. then kakashi comes in her defense, pointing out how much sakura loves sasuke, even if all he does is make her suffer. sasuke's response?
what we should have in mind to understand that response is that, in chapter 698, sasuke exposes that being with team 7 in part i made him feel like being with his family again. the family he had bonds with, as, before the uchiha massacre, he used to admire his older brother, try to call his father's attention, and be cared for by his mother. these are the bonds that guide his obsession with revenge throughout the series, and that sasuke thinks of when it's pointed out that sakura loves him.
even if sasuke never shows to reciprocate sakura's feelings in part i, he knows about them, to the point of lecturing her once about her waste of time by flirting when she could be training. so, assumingly, sasuke had her feelings in mind in all of his interactions with her in part i. and as she confesses to him as he's about to leave the village in chapter 181, sasuke thanks her. once again, i ask: what for?
for saying she loves him. for being part of what made he remember about his family when he was lonely. surely, naruto and kakashi also made him feel that way, but their interactions with sasuke aren't as pitiful as sakura's is, to the point of him acting tender like he did with her by saying "thank you", even if he uses violence right after.
what's curious in kishimoto's storytelling is their last interaction in chapter 699 after sasuke comes to terms with naruto, with sasuke about to leave the village once again, sakura asking him to take her with him once again, and sasuke denying and saying "thank you" to her once again, this time poking her in the forehead.
it being a little different from the first time sasuke leaves, — without the negative acts such as sasuke knocking sakura out, as this departure happens in good terms — it makes sense that this interaction is portrayed as positive to the narrarive. sasuke's words from chapter 181, "thank you", ressonate with sakura in many of their interactions in part ii, implying that she hung on them as an affectionate gesture from sasuke. so it makes sense that, as he says them again, she blushes in wonder, even if he's leaving. and then in the epilogue sasuke and sakura have a daughter together — sarada.
so i've pointed out all that. in their interactions, sakura begs sasuke a little, and sasuke tells sakura she makes him sick a few times, but nevertheless they end up together to the point of forming a family, even if sasuke's not present due to his travels around the world. and where do the snake and boar personalities apply again?
the samsara wheel
the mythological references in NARUTO are not just to the folklore; they are also religious. kishimoto doesn't stop himself from taking elements from buddhism, for example, even if, predominant in many countries from asia and the fourth most practiced religion in the world, there are a few variations of it to count.
the element relevant to our analysis, the samsara wheel, from the tibetan buddhism, brings to us 6 of the 10 realms from the buddhist beliefs in the states of mind. those work as stairs, although you don't have to go up or down step by step, in the sense that you can go from one state to another without an order. in this theory, to reach nirvana, one must attain at least the 7th realm, as the first 6 realms (or paths...) belong to a rebirth cycle. the most direct reference to this wheel in NARUTO is the sage of six paths. remember him?
the samsara wheel has a few illustrative elements, but the ones we're focusing on right now is 2 of the 3 animals from the middle. there are a bird, a snake, and a boar. guess which animals we're going to talk about?
In the hub of the wheel are three animals: a pig, a snake, and a bird. They represent the three poisons of ignorance, aversion, and attachment, respectively. The pig stands for ignorance; this comparison is based on the Indian concept of a pig being the most foolish of animals, since it sleeps in the dirtiest places and eats whatever comes to its mouth. The snake represents aversion or anger; this is because it will be aroused and strike at the slightest touch. The bird represents attachment. (WIKIPEDIA'S PAGE FOR BHAVACAKRA)
with such symbolism, sasuke being an allegory to a snake makes total sense: he can be so pent up with rage that he blows up completely when upset. but how come sakura represents ignorance as described above?
the concept of a boar, or a pig, eating whatever comes to its mouth can be representative of sakura because of how the narrative portrays her when she only accepts all of the treatment sasuke gives her: especially by the last chapters, he either ignores her or puts her down by calling her useless, just to make a simple apology after his match with naruto, and then give her a small sign of affection by poking her forehead before leaving her like itachi used to do to him, which has sakura in wonder.
but remember how in chapter 576 sasuke himself describes itachi's pokes in the forehead from when they were younger?
as affectionate as they might have been, itachi's pokes, to sasuke, were just a manner for itachi to wave off sasuke's demand for attention. itachi's last poke in sasuke's forehead was just him repeating that cycle — and how would he ever have to face sasuke again anyway if he was dying? but in chapter 590, as itachi comes back half-alive and has a resolution with sasuke, he's honest with him for the first time in ages, and doesn't poke him in the forehead again. in fact, itachi touches him forehead to forehead, saying he will always love sasuke.
although sasuke receives this demonstration of love from the brother he has forgiven, it is not the demonstration he gives sakura as he parts from the village in chapter 699, after she asks him to go with him. he just repeats itachi's words, "maybe next time", deliberately keeping her at a distance, like itachi would say. but sakura gets touched by that anyway.
what's ironic is that this gesture, the poke in the forehead, gains a new affectionate meaning in the narrative when sakura pokes sarada for the first time in NARUTO GAIDEN, implying that this is better than a kiss. sarada gets curious by that touch. even if both sakura and sasuke poke their daughter on the forehead as to dismiss a topic, like itachi used to do, she receives it as a symbol of her parents' affection, relating it to the wonder of finally meeting her father, and accepting it as a demonstration of love.
a woman that accepts whatever comes...?
as a snake, sasuke acts towards his revenge, full of hatred; and as a boar, sakura loves from afar without expecting anything in return. these descriptions are pretty telling of the two characters' arcs in NARUTO, and how they relate to one another. although sakura loves sasuke with all her heart, she can't reach him, and can only wait for him to love her back. they've got a daughter, and still, sasuke can't be around, leaving sakura and sarada. while that happens, sakura teaches their child how to be loved by sasuke, a distant man who can only bother himself with small gestures. and even though this man frees himself from the snake archetype eventually, sakura remains a boar, eternally accepting whatever sasuke can give her. even if it can only be the absence.
wheres that revoultion at sasuke @emosuigetsu - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
