Here is the finale of such powerful story, one of the most popular animes in modern times. I felt mixed feelings, there were a few things solved correctly, but many others that are simply bad. A brief recap: in the aftermath of the Tsukuyomi, everybody wakes up, returns to normal (even Samui and Atsui). Sakura heals her teammates, Kakashi watches them, Naruto says Thank You, Sasuke says Sorry (and I don't feel he really meant it). She says for what?, so he says "for everything". She cries, the other two smile, Kakashi is glad. What's next: back to Konoha, Sasuke is imprisoned, Tsunade retires and makes Kakashi the 6th Hokage leaving him with a lot of paperwork, a funeral is held for the people who died, but basically this is only for the three known characters who passed away, Inoichi, Shikaku and Neji. About this, I didn't get the reason of why Tsunade retires, I mean she's old but not that old, and she has been only 3-4 years in charge. The funeral, well, I didn't like it because those 3 deaths were not as emotive or meaningful as Asuma's or Jiraiya's. There was no need in killing Shikaku or Inoichi. Then, Gai recovers in the hospital but he is badly injured in the legs, arms. In other words, he's crippled. Honestly, he didn't deserve this, while Kakashi becomes Hokage. Naruto recovers and is visited by Gaara, Killer B, and others, turns out that his arm will be restored with Hashirama's cells (this is incredible, their medicine is magical). Then, comes the best part, when Naruto reunites with Iruka at the academy, and Kakashi finally makes him a Jonin, with the condition of studying some books. Shikamaru will help him. This is obviously tedious for Naruto, but makes sense, still, should take him less than 2 years, and it's good that one of his true friends will help him, Sakura should be included too. Then, Naruto and Iruka share a "family" moment while having ramen, when he tells that without him (what Iruka did in the pilot, his support), he never could have been the hero he became. Now he is closer than ever to becoming Hokage, and that way started with Iruka. This was worth the rate, because the last minutes are garbage.
Kakashi as the Hokage grants Sasuke the pardon, and releases him from jail, because he helped to undo the Tsukuyomi. He acknowledges that is a difficult choice, but chooses to trust him. At the gates, Sasuke decides to leave for an atonement trip through the world. Sakura is there with Kakashi, and once again, she acts like in the first part of the series Naruto, wants to join him, he says no, but that he will return, and pokes her in the forehead. When he leaves, Naruto shares a farewell with him too. By the way, Sasuke doesn't want to recover his arm. This, along the past episodes, show how everything went wrong. Sasuke was well portrayed and written in the first part of Naruto. He was shown to think a little, and feel some remorse after leaving the village, Naruto unconcious, Sakura. But during Shippuden, during more than 400 episodes, he was never shown to feel remorse, guilt, shame for his actions. He was certain on his revenge. He believed firmly in what he was doing, even when he learned the truth about Itachi. His decision to attack or to punish Konoha, wasn't really that crazy, one could say that he was following somehow his father's will. Fugaku Uchiha resented the rest of the village for mistrusting the clan after the Kyuubi incident, for discrimination. He and the clan, probably would have attempted an attack, or a civil war, but they had their reasons, all that story goes back from the rivalry between the Senju and the Uchiha. So what was poorly done here is Sasuke's way. There was no real redemption for him, seemingly he only changed his mind because he couldn't kill Naruto. It makes no sense. There was no conflict on him, so why he'd switch sides so easily? Why he'd turn his back on his clan? Sasuke will never forget that Konoha ordered the Uchiha massacre, even if the 3rd Hokage didn't really agree. He won't make a life there, he's Uchiha, and made his own decisions. If Sasuke would have been shown to have doubts, to feel sadness or pain while fighting Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi at the bridge (after he killed Danzo), if there was a progression, a true way on his redemption, I'd believe it now. But how everything went on each episode, it's impossible. Honestly, for everything that happened, especially in Shippuden, Sasuke should have died. He lost his entire family in a tragic, unfair way. Unlike Naruto, he never truly belonged to the rest of Konoha, he couldn't feel a bond towards Iruka, or his teammates Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Kiba, Shino, Lee, etc. And with Naruto and Sakura, he said it during his departure in Naruto, he wasn't in the same road. They wanted him, but they were in different roads. Sasuke tried to belong to Konoha, but he realized that the pain of losing all his family, and at last, his brother, was too big. His way of redemption was to help to save the world, the world the Uchihas wanted to live in, from Madara, Obito or Kaguya (though I think she shouldn't exist). And he deserved to die, reunite with his father, his mother, his brother. That's the only way for Sasuke to have a good ending. Probably the only character who could have formed a bond with Sasuke was Kakashi. He knew well the Uchiha clan, the feeling of losing a father and a mother. Kakashi lost all the people he cared about, yet the difference is that he chose to stay in the village, and share his life with Gai, Asuma, Kurenai, Iruka, Jiraiya, the 3rd. He chose to live and teach what he learned to the next generations. So if Kakashi formed a bond with Sasuke in the first part, surely his way of redemption could have been more likely, and a life in Konoha would be possible. But like I said, that never happened. Sasuke only loved his family, that's where he belonged.
As for Naruto, it's clear that he never really understood Sasuke. He recognized this when he learned about Jiraiya's death, and when Obito told him the truth about Itachi. So his obsession in bringing him back to a place where he didn't want to be, to the village that resented the Uchiha clan and treated Itachi as a traitor, becomes ridiculous, dull. Trying to save him from a path of hate and self destruction, that's different. Still, it leads to the same fate, for Sasuke to redeem himself by helping to save the world, but to die, as he has no destiny there. What Naruto and this ending does wrong is that not every person can change his ways, or forget/erase the pain in the heart. Some things can't be replaced, some wounds can't be healed. The ending is pretty unrealistic, and shows that Naruto is still immature in some aspects of life. He can't pretend that he is a savior who can turn every person from hate to love, from deep suffering to true happiness, that way we believe he is not a human character. Human condition Kishimoto. If Sasuke died, Naruto could have learned something, that he's not perfect, that he's human, he can make mistakes and that he can't control eveything, life is life. Plus, it would have been a much more emotive finale. Naruto said that he couldn't be Hokage if he can't save a friend. But that's not true, Hashirama, Hiruzen, Minato, Tsunade all proved the opposite. When people fail they learn, when they lose someone they can become stronger. Besides, he's just 17, he can't get everything going his way. What about the villages? The more than 50000 shinobis who died in the war? What about the cycle of hatred after so many deaths? What about the Bijuus and the people's opinion for Sasuke's pardon? They won't forget the Kage Summit, or the fact that while trying to capture B, he passed the Hachibi's chakra to Obito, allowing the Juubi to appear. What about the samurais he killed? Naruto will convince Mifune that was an illusion? Nothing makes sense. Like I said in the last review, Naruto seemingly only wanted to retrieve Sasuke alive, even more than becoming Hokage. For what I've read and seen, I believe that Kishimoto made this ending to please fans, kids, teenagers, and commercial reasons (sell Boruto, movies, etc). As for Sakura. Here she's written to still be in love with Sasuke, plus, it's implied and later confirmed that they end up together. This is annoying, obviously a terrible decision from Kishimoto. She had a good development in Shippuden, where she shared a lot of time with Naruto. They were in the same road, understanding, believing and supporting each other, even while naïvely thinking they understood Sasuke, that they could change him. She was herself with Naruto, and they know each other better than anyone. There was caring, a pure love from both of them. She even intended to kill Sasuke to protect Naruto. So this ending gives a poor message. It says that women don't move on from the first crush, that she will stay with a man who never liked her, and tried to kill her. After the recent shocking elbow in her chest and the killing attempts, Sakura should be in mental therapy and with a restriction order so Sasuke can never approach her again. Reality would say, the girl needs a shrink. Kishimoto Shattered Sakura. Was ignored all the development in her relationship with Naruto, who'd never consider to hurt her. I don't hate the character, I just believe she was poorly written in certain moments. Then, even Kakashi had character regression. On ep 214-215, he was firm in killing Sasuke after seeing how low he fell. Now he granted him free pardon. The 6th, and the 7th, will be the worst Hokages ever. I wonder what they'll do with Orochimaru and Kabuto, pardon surely. What a terrible finale. It's not the way such a story should have ended.
Kakashi as the Hokage grants Sasuke the pardon, and releases him from jail, because he helped to undo the Tsukuyomi. He acknowledges that is a difficult choice, but chooses to trust him. At the gates, Sasuke decides to leave for an atonement trip through the world. Sakura is there with Kakashi, and once again, she acts like in the first part of the series Naruto, wants to join him, he says no, but that he will return, and pokes her in the forehead. When he leaves, Naruto shares a farewell with him too. By the way, Sasuke doesn't want to recover his arm. This, along the past episodes, show how everything went wrong. Sasuke was well portrayed and written in the first part of Naruto. He was shown to think a little, and feel some remorse after leaving the village, Naruto unconcious, Sakura. But during Shippuden, during more than 400 episodes, he was never shown to feel remorse, guilt, shame for his actions. He was certain on his revenge. He believed firmly in what he was doing, even when he learned the truth about Itachi. His decision to attack or to punish Konoha, wasn't really that crazy, one could say that he was following somehow his father's will. Fugaku Uchiha resented the rest of the village for mistrusting the clan after the Kyuubi incident, for discrimination. He and the clan, probably would have attempted an attack, or a civil war, but they had their reasons, all that story goes back from the rivalry between the Senju and the Uchiha. So what was poorly done here is Sasuke's way. There was no real redemption for him, seemingly he only changed his mind because he couldn't kill Naruto. It makes no sense. There was no conflict on him, so why he'd switch sides so easily? Why he'd turn his back on his clan? Sasuke will never forget that Konoha ordered the Uchiha massacre, even if the 3rd Hokage didn't really agree. He won't make a life there, he's Uchiha, and made his own decisions. If Sasuke would have been shown to have doubts, to feel sadness or pain while fighting Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi at the bridge (after he killed Danzo), if there was a progression, a true way on his redemption, I'd believe it now. But how everything went on each episode, it's impossible. Honestly, for everything that happened, especially in Shippuden, Sasuke should have died. He lost his entire family in a tragic, unfair way. Unlike Naruto, he never truly belonged to the rest of Konoha, he couldn't feel a bond towards Iruka, or his teammates Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Kiba, Shino, Lee, etc. And with Naruto and Sakura, he said it during his departure in Naruto, he wasn't in the same road. They wanted him, but they were in different roads. Sasuke tried to belong to Konoha, but he realized that the pain of losing all his family, and at last, his brother, was too big. His way of redemption was to help to save the world, the world the Uchihas wanted to live in, from Madara, Obito or Kaguya (though I think she shouldn't exist). And he deserved to die, reunite with his father, his mother, his brother. That's the only way for Sasuke to have a good ending. Probably the only character who could have formed a bond with Sasuke was Kakashi. He knew well the Uchiha clan, the feeling of losing a father and a mother. Kakashi lost all the people he cared about, yet the difference is that he chose to stay in the village, and share his life with Gai, Asuma, Kurenai, Iruka, Jiraiya, the 3rd. He chose to live and teach what he learned to the next generations. So if Kakashi formed a bond with Sasuke in the first part, surely his way of redemption could have been more likely, and a life in Konoha would be possible. But like I said, that never happened. Sasuke only loved his family, that's where he belonged.
As for Naruto, it's clear that he never really understood Sasuke. He recognized this when he learned about Jiraiya's death, and when Obito told him the truth about Itachi. So his obsession in bringing him back to a place where he didn't want to be, to the village that resented the Uchiha clan and treated Itachi as a traitor, becomes ridiculous, dull. Trying to save him from a path of hate and self destruction, that's different. Still, it leads to the same fate, for Sasuke to redeem himself by helping to save the world, but to die, as he has no destiny there. What Naruto and this ending does wrong is that not every person can change his ways, or forget/erase the pain in the heart. Some things can't be replaced, some wounds can't be healed. The ending is pretty unrealistic, and shows that Naruto is still immature in some aspects of life. He can't pretend that he is a savior who can turn every person from hate to love, from deep suffering to true happiness, that way we believe he is not a human character. Human condition Kishimoto. If Sasuke died, Naruto could have learned something, that he's not perfect, that he's human, he can make mistakes and that he can't control eveything, life is life. Plus, it would have been a much more emotive finale. Naruto said that he couldn't be Hokage if he can't save a friend. But that's not true, Hashirama, Hiruzen, Minato, Tsunade all proved the opposite. When people fail they learn, when they lose someone they can become stronger. Besides, he's just 17, he can't get everything going his way. What about the villages? The more than 50000 shinobis who died in the war? What about the cycle of hatred after so many deaths? What about the Bijuus and the people's opinion for Sasuke's pardon? They won't forget the Kage Summit, or the fact that while trying to capture B, he passed the Hachibi's chakra to Obito, allowing the Juubi to appear. What about the samurais he killed? Naruto will convince Mifune that was an illusion? Nothing makes sense. Like I said in the last review, Naruto seemingly only wanted to retrieve Sasuke alive, even more than becoming Hokage. For what I've read and seen, I believe that Kishimoto made this ending to please fans, kids, teenagers, and commercial reasons (sell Boruto, movies, etc). As for Sakura. Here she's written to still be in love with Sasuke, plus, it's implied and later confirmed that they end up together. This is annoying, obviously a terrible decision from Kishimoto. She had a good development in Shippuden, where she shared a lot of time with Naruto. They were in the same road, understanding, believing and supporting each other, even while naïvely thinking they understood Sasuke, that they could change him. She was herself with Naruto, and they know each other better than anyone. There was caring, a pure love from both of them. She even intended to kill Sasuke to protect Naruto. So this ending gives a poor message. It says that women don't move on from the first crush, that she will stay with a man who never liked her, and tried to kill her. After the recent shocking elbow in her chest and the killing attempts, Sakura should be in mental therapy and with a restriction order so Sasuke can never approach her again. Reality would say, the girl needs a shrink. Kishimoto Shattered Sakura. Was ignored all the development in her relationship with Naruto, who'd never consider to hurt her. I don't hate the character, I just believe she was poorly written in certain moments. Then, even Kakashi had character regression. On ep 214-215, he was firm in killing Sasuke after seeing how low he fell. Now he granted him free pardon. The 6th, and the 7th, will be the worst Hokages ever. I wonder what they'll do with Orochimaru and Kabuto, pardon surely. What a terrible finale. It's not the way such a story should have ended.
