Kurenai and Genjutsu

[Rague]

Alright, Kurenai introduced the Chakra Pulse to Naruto and he immediately mis-fired it, causing the genjutsu of the ninja housewives to vanish. Kurenai didn't mind this because they were making frivolous use of her art, right? We can assume that these ninja housewives use genjutsu to improve their - wrinkles, makeup, bust size, curves, cleavage, and perhaps wardrobe?

Chapter 1:

"I don't usually wear this in the field, though some kunoichis dress in bright colors so they can masquerade as civilian women. Besides, I mask my appearance with a genjutsu anyway. The brightest color I wore as a genin was such a dark red that it looked like brown from a distance." - Kurenai

It just dawned on me that we have no reason to assume that Kurenai looks any different from the way she does in canon, but then here, she masks her appearance with a genjutsu. So what part of her is altered - the only physical description of her I recall of her was about her red eyes and about the clothes she wears in contrast to Naruto's.

[Greatlimmick]

I figured the chakra-adept housewives were mainly using genjutsu instead of makeup, but in retrospect it could be any of the things you listed.

Judging by that line of Kurenai's, I thought she meant that on missions, she used genjutsu to mask her presence, not that she was using them to alter the aesthetics of her appearance.

[Bezzerker]

Actually, I read that line as her altering her physical looks. Kurenai is the sort of person who chooses what words she uses carefully, if she meant that she was masking her presence, she would have said presence instead of appearance. That said, I also see that as something she does on missions, not while she is at Konoha.

If she did maintain a genjutsu on herself to alter her appearance on a regular basis, that would make her a hypocrite for complaining that some housewives were doing it as well. And from what we know of her, she hasn't come across as being a hypocrite (At least to me).

So in short, I don't think she has changed anything about her physical appearance, since that would make Kurenai a hypocrite.

[Greatlimmick]

Actually, I read that line as her altering her physical looks. Kurenai is the sort of person who chooses what words she uses carefully, if she meant that she was masking her presence, she would have said presence instead of appearance. That said, I also see that as something she does on missions, not while she is at Konoha.

She chose her words more carefully than I chose mine, apparently, I meant in the sense of camouflage, since they were specifically talking about clothing colors.

[BobVosh]

Actually, I read that line as her altering her physical looks. Kurenai is the sort of person who chooses what words she uses carefully, if she meant that she was masking her presence, she would have said presence instead of appearance. That said, I also see that as something she does on missions, not while she is at Konoha.

She chose her words more carefully than I chose mine, apparently, I meant in the sense of camouflage, since they were specifically talking about clothing colors.

This was my assumption as well.

[TraceReading]

There is a difference between using the art to conceal your position or make yourself look less like a trained warrior and using it because of personal vanity.

[MortisMage]

There is a difference between using the art to conceal your position or make yourself look less like a trained warrior and using it because of personal vanity.

It's a little silly that random, shallow villagewives know genjutsu to improve their looks. Wouldn't genjutsu be taught to a villager trained in ninjutsu, as in, a kunoichi? Then, why is Kurenai special for using genjutsu for her purposes? Why, and who are, these wives who are using genjutsu, a deadly ninja art, for personal vanity?

Its a joke, sure, but still, Kurenai > ninja housewives.

[jgkitarel]

Keep in mind that enough wash out of the academy with at least a basic understanding. It wouldn't surprise me if some enterprising former academy student developed a means to do so within the limits of her (or his, for that matter, I've met plenty of vain guys) training.

[doc.exe]

Or a simpler explanation really: Given that they are described as the wives of some village elders (i.e. clan elders), you can easily assume that they are also kunoichi or once were kunoichi but retired after marrying. In that case, Kurenai taking issue with them using genjutsu for vanity purposes instead of ninja duty is a bit more justified.

[Wraith5]

While I think JGK's theory is a good one, I think doc's is more likely. I also agree with Mortis. Kurenai rules (well... I guess "ruled" would be more appropriate... )

[jgkitarel]

Both are probably true, as well. Kunoichi would be the more likely to do so, as people are vulnerable to vanity, especially as they lose their initial looks.