Viridian Dreams Forum

That perfectly timed Shoryuken reversal was the best part of the chapter for me.

And sappiness aside, I think there is some elegance in the fact that this time Sasuke had a moment of introspection regarding his friendship with Naruto, mirroring the one that Naruto had during their first battle at the VoE.

Still, I don’t entirely get why Naruto’s words actually reached to him this time when every prior attempt at “Talk no jutsu” had failed. Was the fact that the fight ended in a draw? That Naruto literally gave an arm for him? The blood deprivation? Or just that this is the penultimate chapter so the hatchet had to be buried somehow?

Anyway, next one is the ending and it will have colored pages. Bring it!

... Waiiiitt. Naruto has both hands in "The Last," according to all the artworkand stuff.

Three possibilities:
1) Naruto will use his “Ninja Jesus” powers to regrow their arms.

2) Kishimoto will finally remember he has a main heroine that is a prodigious medic nin.

3) They will hunt down the surviving White Zetsu and Spiral Zetsu (seriously, what happened to those guys?) and transplant their arms.

Speaking of, two things point towards a NaruHina ending for me. First, apparently the tagline for The Last is "The final story is a first love." Also... the Soundtrack CD cover.

Sigh… The shipper in me wants to believe but considering how marketing always lies and that as time passes is increasingly apparent that the author is just trolling the shipping fandom for kicks and giggles… I’m just keeping my hopes down.

Still, putting that aside as well as my trepidations that they might continue the series in anime form, there are other things revealed about the movie that interest me, like the fact that the villain is a direct descendant of Kaguya and the Sage, or that Hanabi will have a role in it.

Going out with a Bang.

Well, folks... it was a good run. It wasn't a perfect series, but... I'm glad I saw it through to the end.

What are up with the names of the kids? Inojin, Shikadai, Chouchou, Bolt, Salad?

And what did you do to Anko?!?! (Who's the person with Kiba?)

The Konoha flak vest is an interesting evolution, kinda merging the Sannin generation version with the series version.

--

Fun fact - The shipping wars for Naruto's love are not ended by this chapter~

I mean, yeah, Hinata's daughter has whisker marks, as does Bolt. But a Sakura/Sasuke pairing is only implied via the daughter. I mean, it could easily be spun that the black hair and black eyes are recessive from Sakura. Plus "Salad"'s last lines could imply having the same dad.

So I'll just say Hinata/Naruto/Sakura trio confirmed!

...

Then again, the symbol on the back of Bolt's jacket does seem pretty similar to the Uchiha fan. So Naruto/Hinata/Sakura/Sasuke confirmed?

I have some mixed feelings about the ending. It was actually decent (better than what I expected really), but felt somewhat rushed.

As usual, spoilered so anyone not interested in my overlong rants can skip them quickly:

On the plus side:
On the negative side:
On the "weird" side:
And well, a sequel/spin-off manga of sorts is coming on the spring… On one hand, it seems it will only be a miniseries. On the other hand: I.just.want.the.storyline.to.end.not.milked.in.perpetuity.damn.it…

Right now I'm just figuring that maybe, maybe, we'll finally get that Nana Mizuki song I've been waiting years for as the theme to the last movie.

Because that needs to happen before the end.

Well, finally got around to reading the last 20 chapters... I have to say, for a series that started with one set of 'natural' rules, holy hell did it keep breaking and re-writing them. I kind of just wish they hadn't given Madara such an anti-climactic defeat.

On the other hand, I'm really happy that NaruHina and ShikaTema are the canon pairings. A lot of the other stuff in the epilogue... "WAT."
Although, I do wonder what Sasuke was reacting to in the forest...

Schizo tech gets crazier in the final chapter. So in 60-80+ years, the Elemental Countries have barely managed to make bulky video cameras and communications equipment to allow the Daimyos to video conference with each other when it's an emergency, but can't build cars, planes, trains, or any other bit of half modern technology that should be a predecessor to that (barring anime movies). Yet in the 12-20 years since the war ended, we have modern skyscrapers built on top of the Monument area in a modern city set-up and enough tech increases that Naruto has a laptop in his office.

Pretty sure Sasuke's danger sense was registering Salad's comments there.

Side note: why did Shizune randomly decide to stop wearing a sleeve?

Maybe it's because everyone's willing to actually work together (to a point) now instead of "kidnap small child, ???. Bloodline limit!" mentalities?

Although, I do wonder what Sasuke was reacting to in the forest...

Karin, just out of sight: 'I still haven't given up on you, Sasuke-kuuuunnnnnnn...!'

Orochimaru, ALSO just out of sight: 'I'll follow you forever, Sasuke-kun.'

The rest of Taka, ALSO just out of sight: 'I thought we we friends, Sasuke...!'

Sasuke: *shudders* 'I get the feeling I'm missing something I really shouldn't.'

Karin, just out of sight: 'I still haven't given up on you, Sasuke-kuuuunnnnnnn...!'

LOL.

Orochimaru, ALSO just out of sight: 'I'll follow you forever, Sasuke-kun.'

Wasn't he just supposed to act like a pedo?

The rest of Taka, ALSO just out of sight: 'I thought we we friends, Sasuke...!'

Actually, that's something that's kind of bugging me too...

Sasuke: *shudders* 'I get the feeling I'm missing something I really shouldn't.'

Sasuke, aren't you always missing something? *facepalm*

Maybe it's because everyone's willing to actually work together (to a point) now instead of "kidnap small child, ???. Bloodline limit!" mentalities?

I read recently an analysis of the epilogue stating that things like technology advancing so much in such a short time, Konoha growing to become a modern city and the Shikamaru/Temari and Chouji/Karui parings (i.e., people from different villages marrying and having kids) are there to show how much the world has changed due to the Ninja Villages making peace. I don’t know if that counts as a good example of “show don’t tell”, but I suppose is the best the mangaka could do in the space of a single chapter.

And well, now that I have resigned myself to this thing probably continuing for a couple of more years (…sigh -_-U): Any thoughts on what the sequel/spin-off/part III/whatever might be about? My bet is essentially a retelling of the Chunin Exams arc focused on the kids of the Konoha 12, with Orochimaru coming to spoil the party (I mean, there has to be a reason why he vanished at the end).

Karen learned Orochimaru's body transfer jutsu and transferred herself into Salad's body shortly after birth. Hence the glasses. Unfortunately, she's not Orochimaru, so it didn't work out as well as she hoped and instead she kinda merged with Salad instead of taking over (she lost her memories in the process~).

Orochimaru went wandering the globe in order to discover the meaning of the universe after seeing something horrible in the Tsukiyomi, and was eventually the star of a number of civilian TV series and movies based on a little known kabuki play called "Highlander."

--

Think of it like the Star Trek franchise.

We have the original series done now, and there are a number of "TOS" movies. Next up would be The Next Generation Naruto series. After it finishes, we end up with a series following an outpost on the edge of the Elemental Countries, having to deal with politics within and a mysterious new country discovered beyond (DS9). Part way through that, a patrol team gets caught up in fuinjutsu and gets thrown to the other side of the planet, and has to try to make their way back home (Voyager). Some more TNG Naruto movies pop in here and there during these two shows. Then the franchise kinda languishes for a few years before they decide to make a series that takes place back in the pre-Konoha (or maybe early days of Konoha), but many people don't really like the tone shift or designs and the series gets canceled after a few seasons right as it was starting to really hit its stride (Enterprise).

Then it gathers dust for many many years until JJ Abrams is hired to make a live action movie that ends up involving time travel and altering history while taking major liberties with the setting. Sadly, it's a major box office hit and gets a sequel that basically rips off a TOS era Naruto story but with more lens flare and explosions, some how doing well enough that a third movie involving more time travel is green lit for production.

Little bitter there Phht?

...On the JJ Abrams part, probably. On the Enterprise part, nope. The newest ST series I cared about was Voyager.

At least I didn't make some sort of Star Wars->Disney equivalent thing in there.

Both paths lead to continuity wipe-outs and J. J. Abrams. So I suppose it depends on which one destroyed your childhood the worse: The prequels or the reboot.

Edit: And now for something completely different: I think this is actually very funny.

Honestly, the skyscrapers, tech, and growing hands and whatnot makes me want to see some sort of dystopian biopunk story.

But whatever, my ships sailed and thus I can be happy. I forsee Naruto being very much more like Star Wars, Gundam, or the like than Harry Potter. IE: more spin offs, more products. Which is fine. I'm a happy consumer.

Some new clips from The Last movie.
Despite my skepticism of it, it’s actually looking good.

There is also going to be a TV special centered on Hinata and Hanabi to commemorate the release of the movie.

Edit: And now there is going to be a new movie based on Naruto's son and Sasuke's daughter next year.

Those posts from Gabzi’s tumblr (“don’t forget, you are here forever”) sound so appropriate...

Not sure if anyone here is interested in the Stage Play Musical.

I’m skeptical about it, but seeing the cast and the costumes, I actually wish they rather do a live action movie with them.

Agreed. They did an AMAZING job getting the characters right though. Zabuza looks sufficiently deranged, and Orochimaru looks creepy as hell. Sarutobi looks like a BOSS.

Oh, hey, Chapter 700+1... in which family shenanigans happen and Sarada has a bit of an identity crisis.

Yeah, I was surprised.

"Oh god, I haven't paid the loan off for that..." *Faints* The humor was good, the drama was... predictable, but at least interesting (I don't think we've had this particular character conflict the series, and it's kinda interesting).

I can... actually kinda get behind this. It's a plotline that doesn't exactly lend itself to epic fights or anything (although we might get Sarada vs Sasuke, that might be interesting... ish). Just... a good old family intrigue story. It's almost as though, once freed from the issues of power levels, Kishimoto is able to write okay characters.

I am cautiously optimistic.

Kishimoto actually had a knack to write good character moments back in Part I and before the manga became so tangled up in apocalyptic conspiracies, “destined rivalries of eternal destiny” and DBZ power levels. One benefit of the setting being at peace and the new protagonists being younger is that he can focus again on what made arcs like the Chunin Exams so good.

That being said, one particular problem I see with this “family intrigue” thing is that, if the shipping fandom had already gone from SNAFU to FUBAR since the ending, this is not going to help matters (and if I once wanted to give Kishimoto the benefit of the doubt regarding the whole “trolling” thing, now I’m fully convinced he just loves to poke the wasp nest for shits and giggles). Still, I doubt this will end with any “shocking revelations” (the most surprising thing I expect is that Sarada’s glasses are a gift from Karin, like in a certain fancomic I remember).

In any case, the humor in the chapter was nice and I like the new generation characters and the way they interact with their parents. I just hope next chapter gives a bit more focus to Boruto and his family. Sarada is a likeable lead, but honestly, it would be a shame if the Uchiha end up swallowing the plot again.

Also, random observation: Who do you think is the white haired kid that was with Boruto in the classroom? He kinda remembers me of Tobirama, at least in looks.

Mr. White-haired guy had Orochimaru eyes...

I'm thinking he's related to either the Roach or Kabuto.

WMG: He actually is Orochimaru, in a new body - except now he's just cloning bodies for his use.

Or the white haired kid was conceived from Jiraiya's frozen sperm that was kept in a Konoha sperm bank.

On a more serious note, Himawari and Bolt don't appear to have the Byakugan so if that is indeed the case it gives rise to a pet theory that Byakugan only passes down on the male Hyuuga's x or y allele. Which would also explain why after all this time Hinata has never been branded with the seal. Pretty big oversight on Kumo's part not to have studied or understand genetics and Recessive/Dominant traits when they tried to kidnap Hinata at the age of three.