I’m Sasuke centric. I really am. He’s the best character in this entire series. But when speaking about Sakura I have to say I am now, always, and forever will be confused by so many people who hated a 12 year old girl for BEING a 12 year old girl.
Not to mention her utility often being directly attached to who she decided to love and who she ultimately ended up with in a relationship. For some reason. An idea never implied or suggested by the story itself.
Just the incredulous double standard applied to this character mostly it seems by people who claim to like her or would if she “only made better choices”. Whether because they felt she owed Naruto her uterus or she didn’t portray western feminist ideals the way she should’ve. Which makes zero sense when Sakura is essentially a Japanese woman with an eastern viewpoint, but okay.
Hands down she’s had the greatest growth of any character and all of that is dismissed because essentially as a female she is whoever she is allowing to “poke” her. And the fact this idea is propagated by other females as well as males onto another female is a theory for which there are no proofs.
Naruto could have ended up with Chiyo-baasama or literally began a romance with one of the bijuu and his position, sincerity, and character would never be lowered or called into question.
I said this a long time ago, liking something that is well liked does not mean the reason you liked it is superficial, substandard or subpar. It is literally like telling someone they’re shallow for liking pizza.
Take note that a much overlooked canon fact is that her admiration of Sasuke was developed without knowledge of his popularity.
I’m going a bit long with this but treating a 12 year old girl like she should have approached things like a 27 year old woman with two long-term relationships under her belt from the start of a series, is perhaps the most idiotic thing I have collectively seen from any fandom.
As someone who will not shy away from telling you I love the male counterpart of this ship most. Sakura has deserved much more than what she has received from “fans” and vitriolic spectators.
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romaincrisis
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