#kumo naruto

[jaguarys]

Please tell us about the lost potential of Kumogakure; it sounds like it'd be a very interesting discussion!

Thank you for asking! I apologize for this taking LITERALLY eons but.... finals. Actually died for a few weeks there.

I think it's such a missed opportunity that so few of the other villages' systems ever get explored. Kiri is another good example (I wish we got to see more of Mei repairing that shit). We're told how these issues tie into various characters' motivations (for Kiri, Kisame, etc.) but we never really get to see how they were. The issues in practice. Etc.

We're told about how each of the villages have their own systems for how they function, and personally I think Kumo has such an interesting one.

The "A" and "B" system are so fascinating. Having the A choose the B, having B become a Jinchūriki a bit later, letting the next B learn from the former... it all makes so much sense. It really seems like it would lean to a much more stable sense of self for B and a more stable relationship between the Kage and the Jinchūriki.

In practice, we see that it helps A4 and Killer Bee a lot. Where so many other Jinchūriki have been so ostracized, comparatively Bee has so much more protection from A4 and it allows him to be a lot safer. (Not that it's perfect. Obviously there's still major conflict between Bee and the village, but it's absolutely mitigated as opposed to others.)

Honestly, though, I think Kishimoto kinda shot himself in the foot with the creation of Kumo. He's created a village with a more or less unarguably better system for the Jinchūriki, a Kage who's successfully led for a fair amount of time, and one that's led to none of its members joining the Akatsuki. Basically, it's clear... something is going better. And that's never really addressed.

As with anything, it's ultimately an issue of Kishimoto not properly tackling the topics he introduces and dropping interesting plotpoints constantly.

I know a lot of people really dislike the war arc (and very fairly), but the summit arc is extremely interesting to me because it had a lot of potential. I think it could be extremely fascinating to see the different systems the villages have implemented and how that could lead to conflict or improvement or what have you. But instead we just get... war arc

[jaguarys]

oh my goodness gracious! you like blue b too?? I thought I would never find anyone like me literally everyone in the fandom forgets he exists (and to be real I don’t blame them) but do you have any headcanons on him? like his relationship with his father/uncle or just the third raikage in general?

AHH I love Blue Bee yeah! I really wish there was more with him in the series.

I think his dynamic with the third Raikage and its parallels (and more importantly its differences) with Killer Bee and the fourth Raikage are so neat.

It can be kind of hard to analyze these characters because there's so little about them (although I think there's more added in the anime? But I don't know anything about that) buuut that just means we get more headcanons! Here are a few random thoughts I've got:

I think that Kumo has SUCH interesting dynamics what with the current Jinchūki getting to know the future.

I think that would create... a lot of complex emotions. Blue Bee seems to be a pretty kind person, but even so (and especially with Gyūki's influence) I can see that becoming a tough pill to swallow.

I just can't imagine looking this kid in the eye and knowing they're going to replace you. Being told your successor has been picked and knowing (or maybe feeling before then) that your time is running out.

And on the flip side... knowing that your burden will be passed on to this kid. There was no way for Blue Bee to know Killer Bee would connect with Gyūki so well, and because of that he likely would have believed there to be a 50/50 that it would end horribly.

I think Fourth A supported KB a lot better than Third supported BB. I think that's for a few reasons (A4 and KB being closer in age and a brothers dynamic vs A3 and BB's uncle-nephew dynamic, for example), but I think the primary reason is because A4 just... loved KB so much.

I think A4 was willing to bend the rules a lot more, and he was willing to put KB first even when he perhaps shouldn't.

BUT. I think the reason why he was able to do that was because of his earlier dynamic with BB. He knew BB well, and he was able to see where his father had succeeded with him and where he had failed. And he had heard from BB's own mouth his reflections on being a Jinchūriki. And it meant when the time came he had a background on how to help KB.

And in conclusion: while far from perfect, Kumo's system on Jinchūriki continues to be the best.

[jaguarys]

I know comparatively Fourth A is such a minor character but he's so underrated. He's so damn neat. Like Kishimoto really introduced inarguably the best village with Kumo and then went "ok that's enough of that" like NO they had everything figured out! Kishimoto didn't let them do more shit because he knew they'd be too powerful