Because I'm here - a Naruto/Sakura manifesto

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Title: Because I'm here - A NaruSaku Manifesto
Pairing: Uzumaki Naruto x Haruno Sakura
Fandom: Naruto
Spoilers: Up to Naruto manga chapter 319
Notes: This post actually isn't the manifesto itself: it's an index linking to the sub-parts, because the manifesto exceeds the Livejournal post character limit (by several times in fact).
Huge thanks to the admin of ship_manifesto for allowing me to post this somewhat unconventional essay. =D



Introduction: Read first? It won't take you long. ^^

1. I've divided this manifesto into several posts, and placed the other parts in my own LJ, because it is otherwise above the accepted LJ character limit. This here, is just the index.

2. This manifesto is long! So don't worry if you don't have time to read it in one go (even I have problems reading it in one go, and I wrote it...). Each part of the manifesto has an extensive clickable index at the beginning, so you can pick up where you left off!

3. This manifesto is also very image-heavy, particularly in Part 3 because of a few animated sequences. They should all have loaded by the time you reach them, but I'm warning just in case. Some people may also have browser display problems, so if you don't see Any images: that's a problem. Refresh? Sorry. :S

4. Comments go to this post please, and not to the other sections. It's cleaner this way! =)

5. As per the rules of ship_manifesto, flames don't go here. So post them elsewhere. Like in your own journals, or in places against NaruSaku! =D Contrary to belief, this manifesto is not destined to those who hate NaruSaku, but on the contrary to existing NaruSaku fans or to open-minded neutrals, in the hopes that it may help them gain a little more appreciation of this pairing. Feel free to hate it though, but express the hate elsewhere. =D

I hope the rest of you enjoy this, because I doubt I'll ever write a Naruto essay this exhausting again. *dead* Below are the links to each section, followed by the general index as reference. Enjoy!


NaruSaku Manifesto Part 1: Don't worry, because I'm here
- introduction of the characters, and part 1 of the manga

NaruSaku Manifesto Part 2: I'm here too, we'll become stronger together
- part 2 of the manga, and prologue to part 3 of the manifesto

NaruSaku Manifesto Part 3: Why NaruSaku? Because being there for each other is the greatest gift of all
- NaruSaku, the couple analysis!

NaruSaku Manifesto: Annex
- fandom resources, and answers to some frequent arguments. And of course, thanks. :)

Edit: I've since added a Mini-counter to frequent anti-NaruSaku arguments :)

NaruSaku Manifesto: Because I'm here
General Index

~ NaruSaku Manifesto Part 1: Don't worry, because I'm here ~

Presentation of the characters

I. Naruto.
I.1. Enter Naruto, the troublemaker!
I.2. A child plagued with a heavy burden, and trying desperately to find acknowledgement.

II. Haruno Sakura
II.1. Strong, understanding, perfect... ah who am I kidding. Enter Sakura: shallow, naive and presumptuous. And rather useless.
II.2. Sakura, a normal child, who through events far beyond her... was forced to grow up.

Manga part I: You don't have to notice me, but I'm right here

I. Naruto to Sakura: From a crush (although not unfounded) to selfless devotion
I.1. The comedic crush! And the very bad start.
I.2. The fairytale, and the realization of why he truly liked her
I.3. Go Sakura! Cheering on the girl he put his faith into.
I.4. As the difficulties arise again... Naruto shows his true devotion
I.5. A glimpse at maturity: selflessness, at the cost of his own happiness...

II. Sakura to Naruto: from rejection based on misunderstanding, to gradual acknowledgement and... trust
II.1. The original misunderstanding, and the shallow start
II.2. From slow acceptance, to acknowledgement of Naruto's spirit
II.3. The beginnings of companionship: this time, cheering each other on
II.4. And gradually... a developing fondness, and contemplation
II.5. As things degrade, the beginning of trust

III. The promise of a lifetime, and the promise to go together!
III.1. The promise of a lifetime
III.2. Naruto vs Sasuke: a battle between brothers...
III.3. The promise to go together!

Conclusion of part 1



~ NaruSaku Manifesto Part 2 - I'm here too, we'll become stronger together! ~

Part 2: Free of prejudices, now it all begins! A new understanding, but also new difficulties.

I. NaruSaku in times of peace: Underneath the fireworks, a "shining young girl's heart"!
I.1. Let's start with the fireworks! "Monster strength" vs "You bastard! You still don't understand a woman's feelings!"
I.2. Underneath the fireworks: genuine comraderie!
I.3. Underneath the underneath: genuine fondness for one another
I.4. And maybe a bit of tenderness
I.5. Mutual admiration and respect: Heaven and Earth! A relationship between equals!

II. The difficulties begin... NaruSaku in times of need: finding in each other the will to move forward
II.1. Sakura lives up to her end of the relationship: this time, I'll be the one to protect them!
II.2. Care for each other's feelings... but also fear of hurting the other
II.3. To overcome these times of difficulties: drawing strength from each other

The next step, and the conclusion of part 2: out of the cyclical, into the mutual

Foreword to the pairing study: does Naruto "Deserve" Sakura?



~ NaruSaku Manifesto Part 3: Why NaruSaku? Because being there for each other is the greates gift of all ~

I. NaruSaku, and their influence on each other: always aiming higher
I.1. Matching strength with strength: doing the best for each other!
I.2. Matching weakness with strength: the power to never fall into despair!
I.3. The result of this influence: equals, companions

II. NaruSaku, the "couple"!
II.1. NaruSaku, the "natural" pair! Natural selves, Natural interactions, and Natural "attraction"
II.2. Naruto and Sakura: they haven't changed, but they've grown!
II.3. Underneath the underneath: a relationship that has grown as well!

III. A walk in the park! An ongoing journey, a mere work in progress
III.1. The gradual development: never huge steps, never intrusive, just slow foundations being built up
III.2. In the end, a slow, ongoing development, but one I feel is more complete as a result: a build-up without "shortcuts"
III.3. This is why I enjoy being a NaruSaku fan: watching a relaxing process unfold

IV. The psychology behind NaruSaku!
IV.1. Because similars attract. And interact. And build happy relationships
IV.2. A gradually developing intimacy: not eye to eye yet perhaps, but each feeling for the other
IV.3. NaruSaku, a companionate love

Conclusion!



~ Epilogue: The NaruSaku Manifesto Annex ~

I. NaruSaku Fandom Recommendations!
I.1. NaruSaku communities and general resources!
I.2. NaruSaku Fanart Recommendations!
I.3. Fanfic Recommendations

II. Silly annex: NaruSaku as a married couple?
II.1. The Hokage and the First Lady!
II.2. NaruSaku as a couple at home: the Yoshino of the Uzumaki household!
II.3. An incredibly well-rounded and powerful shinobi: NaruSaku kids!

III. Answers to frequent common arguments for and against NaruSaku

IV. Final words and thanks!

Comments

Just, Incredible

[(Anonymous)]

This is the bes essay concerning to Naruto pairing EVER made, you just take all aspects that are relevant and analyze them in a very incredible way.

The order, the way you mention all the facts, is a long essay, but is really worthy of reading. My favorite part was the 3rd one (but I really enjoyed the 3rd annex as well, i find gorgeous how you answer the questions) your growh analysis and psychology analysis of Naruto are great.

Congratulations!!!

Great Work.

Re: Just, Incredible

[heronite.livejournal.com]

*blinks*

How did you read it so fast? @_@

But thanks for the comment! =D

[(Anonymous)]

So fast?

I did not feel like it was so fast?

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's not just that. ^^; It's also the fact that I've posted it less than an hour ago. So it was at least a rather fast first response. ^^;

[ew-younerd.livejournal.com]

Amazingly well-written and thought-out!! Though there are a couple of parts I'm not sure of at the end, the entire analysis of the relationship was good in the sense that you have given the reader an opportunity to step back from relationship stereotypes and show why you think NaruSaku would work rather than for typical fanfiction reasons.

I feel that people from both sides of the NaruSaku and SasuSaku fandom tend to undermine the feelings of both relationships, but this sums up to me why I like both and why I feel that NaruSaku is completely individual and a very different type of relationship than most in Naruto.

(As for psychology recs; J. Philippe Rushton is someone in the field I despise a bit because of his shithead remarks and racism at times. D: So I kind of eeked at that in the for the "A genetic case?" article, but otherwise they were all mucho fantastico)

I believe what is most important is the independent support these two give each other without being completely needy or dependent on each other. They are very similar in their actions and reactions to things; both strongly emotional people inclined not to hide their feelings, and when they do it's only to remain strong for someone they do not want to let down. Sakura's an intelligent, often emotional and prone to self-doubt kind of woman, who is strong and ambitious in her goals nonetheless and is not afraid to tell someone what she thinks of them. Naruto, I feel, brings out her more spontaneous and less-constricted side and makes her feel more comfortable. And the best thing about that is, he doesn't even need to try to do it. It's a natural process where they play off each other's strenghts. Sakura looks at Naruto as a person; she doesn't see him as some saviour or some perfect hero, and is aware of his flaws and hidden doubts. "Next time, we'll do it together." She tells Naruto on the subject of saving Sasuke, and thus, in the entire manga this might be the only time someone else has bridged a goal of their own with Naruto's to share it with him and support him. And support is probably one of the most important things in a relationship.

Sakura is a bit more subdued around most other people (Sasuke included). Her character is one of more emotional maturity, but Naruto helps mould her into more of an attitude in which she enjoys herself and who she is more. Personalities are difficult things because of all of the things that factor into what exactly makes them. They are subject to change a bit and adjust to environment according to who the individual is around, so it's best you're around someone that fits your character as well.

Naruto and Sakura find support in each other, and freedom in each other. Without realizing it, they are forming a secondary goal to saving Sasuke; and that is supporting each other through anything.

There are many different types of love, and many different ways to fall in love. Naruto and Sakura are on the road to one of the ways that constitute a strong, long-lasting love, and you captured this very well.

The Fanart recs were great, thank you!!!

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Another ultra-fast reader. ._o

But thanks muchos for the comments! =D

(As for psychology recs; J. Philippe Rushton is someone in the field I despise a bit because of his shithead remarks and racism at times. D:

Uh, okay. I don't know him at all, I just found some parts of the article interesting. D=

I believe what is most important is the independent support these two give each other without being completely needy or dependent on each other.

Exactly! I'm actually working on another Naruto essay! =D (though I have no idea when I'll complete the damn thing >__> ) In it, I address two things that seem to be quite dangerous in a relationship, in Naruto at least: excessive idealization (which makes you fall quite hard when it turns out that this person you look up to isn't all that), and excessive emotional dependence (a good relationship should make you Stronger, even if you end up alone afterwards, not weaker. At least, in my opinion. Some instances of excessive emotional dependencies left the characters that much weaker when things went bad: Sasuke/Itachi, made worse by Sasuke's idealization of Itachi, Sasuke/Fugaku - Fugaku made Sasuke dependent on his praises, instead of giving him self-confidence-, Gaara/Yashamaru, etc).

So I love how Naruto and Sakura are completely about free choice. No strings attached, just two healthy individuals who are natural around each other and enjoy each other's human personalities. =D

Naruto and Sakura find support in each other, and freedom in each other. Without realizing it, they are forming a secondary goal to saving Sasuke; and that is supporting each other through anything.

Lovely way of putting it! =D Some people make it think that it is all about Sasuke. Um, no. Akatsuki isn't all about Sasuke. Kyuubi isn't all about Sasuke. Sakura discovered the extent of Naruto's problems (Kyuubi, Akatsuki) After Sasuke left, and with Lee she's already shown in part 1 that she's capable of caring for someone even without Sasuke's interference. D= Well, I've addressed some of these things in a NaruSaku vs SasuSaku ghost annex that I've just un-hid in my lj as well, though that particular thing is a bit outdated and I'm too lazy to update. D=

The Fanart recs were great, thank you!!!

Thanks! =D I actually did do much of that part of the recs myself. Well... I got the Japanese websites by looking at the links on the first page of the NF NaruSaku fc, but I did a new search for DA ones.

[ew-younerd.livejournal.com]

Also, I feel that I should point out that I love how you explained their day-to-day chemistry.

This is why I love this pairing over so many other ones. This "attraction" between Naruto and Sakura isn't necessarily romantic. But I find this attraction to be quite well... natural, because they are not just attracted to each other's strength. Indeed, on the more human level, they are attracted even to each other's faults.

Probably one of my favourite lines in the entire thing, because of the truth it rings. And it is not that they 'tolerate' each other's flaws or are accepting of them out of sympathy or any of that. It's a natural, empathic understanding of what the other can and cannot do, and it makes them very unique in their interaction. These are two people that have very big and sometimes seemingly impossible goals for themselves, and like any human being they are prone to self-doubt. This is why their existence in each other's lives are so important.

The entire "Walk in the park" section was also brilliantly written and presented. It is funny and rather odd that Sakura did not realize the similarities between her and Naruto, and what I find interesting is that they also hold enough differences (in approach and sometimes in character) to keep it interesting between them. You really can't see these two being dull around each other.

I suppose this couple is really appealing to me because of the lack of expectations and abundance of support. ;)

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Probably one of my favourite lines in the entire thing

Thank you thank you thank you. One of my favorite aspects as well!
Naruto: *smiles a dorky smile over how scary Sakura is*
Sakura: *smiles a fond little smile over how bratty Naruto is*

Me: Omg SQUEE!!!! *____* The post-timeskip Sakura smile (when Naruto was in denial where Sasuke was concerned) is actually my favorite NaruSaku moment, more than the Promise of a Lifetime and other angsty scenes. It was just so... natural and tender and... stuff! =D

It is funny and rather odd that Sakura did not realize the similarities between her and Naruto

Muchos credits to Krimson and Sumoni for that particular bit! It's so nice to be in a community that shares its thoughts! =D Muchos credits to everything you've provided me as well. ;)

And yes: they are similar enough to interact and be natural around each other while understanding these quirks in each other, and different enough to add spice. Great recipe for me! *squee!*

I suppose this couple is really appealing to me because of the lack of expectations and abundance of support. ;)

You could say that as well. ;) It's also Sakura's magic: you never know how she'll develop next. There are no impositions on her character, but she just grows and grows, both as an individual and in her relationships to others.

The way she's grown to accept Naruto, and also herself, is something I appreciate so much in her. XD

I also enjoy how Naruto is not Jesus around her. D= Just Naruto the Baka. =D

...?

[selun-chen.livejournal.com]

I have no idea how I did this - I read that whole thing in about an hours. Well, I guess it means go me then.

I can agree with you on most points. Especially about the suffixes - I guess people tend to believe that suffixes are used to indicate closeness, which in some cases are not the case.

I admire that fact that you took your time to write this, and that you are rather reasonable with your arguments. NaruSaku is very natural - and it something that just doesn't come over night - which many fanfiction writers believe(but that is after all fanfiction)

I guess as a fellow NaruSaku worshiper that I will hope NaruSaku happens - or else it is just too bad.

Nice essay by the way.

Re: ...?

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the comment! =D

Yup. Fanfiction writers tend to focus on just a scene or two for development, as though one night makes the difference for the next 50 years to come. ^^

[blooming-cosmo.livejournal.com]

Definitely adding this to memories. It's nice to see something so complete written on the pairing, so I thank you for actually taking the time to write this all out. Your insight on the pairing was great. I especially love how you go through their growth and how natural it was for them to form the bonds they did.

So much NaruSaku goodness. Must go through all the links you provided.

Very inspirational writing, and I admire your orgazational skills. Where's an NF smilie when you need one? D:

You're welcome for the icon, btw. XD

[heronite.livejournal.com]

I miss NF smilies too. D= And I'm too lazy to go find them on NF and link them back.

And yes, much thanks for the icon! I'm not familiar with icon-world, so I asked for recs. In particular, I wanted one of NaruSaku made of That particular pic. dsdragonster recommended that particular icon. It was absolutely Perfect. XD

[darkwindkaze.livejournal.com]

Yay, its out! Your workload must feel a thousand pounds lighter ^^

I hope you do not mind, but I suggested others read the manifesto on my own LJ and provided a link. Is that alright?

Again, you did an amazing job.

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Of course it's alright! *__* And yes, I feel So much happier now that it's over. =D

[maguskyros.livejournal.com]

I think it needs to be said that just reading the first two parts SHOULD convert anybody to Naru/Saku fandom. I hope this gets around and people start opening their minds a bit on this pairing.

Good job.

[heronite.livejournal.com]

I'll be content if the whole thing makes them appreciate NaruSaku just a Tad little more. ;)

Or at least, stop throwing around claims that NaruSaku lacks development, and that Sakura is just a stupid bitch who hates Naruto. X'D

Thanks for the comment! ^__^

[lucific.livejournal.com]

I've been waiting for this. And yours is absolutely brilliant! Definitely memming. xDDD

[heronite.livejournal.com]

phrixus_? phrixus_ as in the one who made my current default icon?

It's an honor, thanks! =D =D =D

[daniee1.livejournal.com]

Very nice! I can tell this took a lot of time & effort. I like how you noted Shikaku's words to Shikamaru: "Even the roughest woman is tender to the man she loves". I've also noticed that and thought it was interesting how it's just like Sakura treats Naruto ^^ (well, she might not love him yet, but you know what I mean)

[heronite.livejournal.com]

She might not be in love with him yet, but she sure cares about him. =D

And the word "tender" might not have been used here, but "kind" is getting close. :3

Actually, I wonder what the raws to the Shikaku passage stated. For all we know, it might have been the same kanji! =D

*doesn't know where to find the raws to that page, though. :( *

[(Anonymous)]

Wonderful manifesto Mizura ^^ Took most of the afternoon for me to read it but it was worth it! I especially loved the part where you talked about when Naruto realized why he liked Sakura to begin with, and then later in part II how he seemed to remember it all over again. It was something I didn't catch when I read the Sasuke bunshin scene (which was quite awhile ago).

*squeal* I love this pairing so much!!
~Skysong

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Thank you thank you! I love this pairing so much as well! =D

The henge scene was just a small beginning that might not have led anywhere. But it was something to start on, something that showed that it was more than just about looks. =D

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Indeed! =D NaruSaku may not be romantic yet, but it's one of the relationships with the most positive mutual development! And it didn't just start after Sasuke left. It started all the way back in part 1. It was subtle, but undeniable. =D

And that's the lovely thing about NaruSaku: for NaruSaku, I'm not looking for proof of romance. Instead I'm looking for Basis for romance, or rather basis for a relationship: something to build everything else on, rather than say "they love each other just because! See, the manga says so!" How cliche! XP

It's definitely cute. But it's also more than just cute. =D

I can't imagine the work that must have gone into it.

It's like this: you try not to think too much about it, and you just do it. I still remember when I was like at 10% of completing the manifesto, and sighing at how long it will take. D=

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Yup! ♥ Thanks so much for the input you've given during the making of this manifesto!

It does bring back memories, doesn't it? :3

[(Anonymous)]

This is a very well written essay. However, it would've been nice if could've just talked about NaruSaku and not try to bring down other pairings in the process.

[heronite.livejournal.com]

I did just talk about NaruSaku in parts 1, 2 and 3 and the first half of the annex. =\

There's a reason the annex was called an annex: because it was not completely included within the manifesto. It's a tangent. I've also specifically stated that the frequent arguments part were about well... arguments, destined mostly to people who like to debate. So the rest is inevitable. But there's a reason it's located in an annex, and not in what I consider the manifesto "proper." =\

[bunnynumber13.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I think it's very well-written and well-researched. However I had a hard time staying with it. Usually I'm all for length but it felt like more information than was necessary. I'm not talking about the evidence of NaruSaku. For that I think you did an excellent job in detailing and picking out and describing. Mostly I think the ideas about men and women and relationships kind of warranted another essay altogether. You also used a few pictures more than once.

I like NaruSaku okay. I'm not fanatical about it nor am I rooting for it to happen. However I love how you espoused how it doesn't matter if they become romantic or not, their bond is beautiful as it is regardless. Not many essayists who write NaruSaku pairing support essays factor that in. For that alone this is what makes your essay unique and balanced and well worth a look for any Naruto fan regardless of pairing preference.

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I think it's very well-written and well-researched. However I had a hard time staying with it.

I Did say that it was long and that it wasn't really meant to be read in just one go. ^^;

You also used a few pictures more than once.

... so?

Wow *_*

[(Anonymous)]

Amazing. Major respect for doing all of that.

You basically pointed out everything I love about NaruSaku, and then made me love it more <3

Nice job.

(But I will admit, I had trouble sitting still and reading it all... must be my medication XD)

[Kitsunejenna]

Re: Wow *_*

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Eh. I'm surprised that some people Did read it in one go. I get headaches by the time I reach the end of part 3. I usually then have to take some time off before finishing it. D=

Then again, since I wrote the whole thing, I must have re-read each part over half a dozen times over the course of completing the whole thing. >_>;

Fantastic...

[deathraptor.livejournal.com]

Mizura, I'm always impressed by these manifestos of yours, and this is by far the greatest. No wonder cham and everyone recognize you as a genious in your own right. There's no real way to describe this.

(I'm Raptor of NF btw)

Re: Fantastic...

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Raptor! What's up? =D Thanks for the comment!

[(Anonymous)]

Calling SasuSaku "angst based" while NaruSaku is "Health-based" seemed a lot like a put down to me.

[(Anonymous)]

Sorry, that was a response to this (http://community.livejournal.com/ship_manifesto/156175.html?thread=4017423#t4017423)

[soysauce.livejournal.com]

YES YES THRICE YES. I love NaruSaku. It's a sweet pairing, a pairing that I don't find to be 'lust' or whatever. Their friendship is strong, and to ME it grew into a sort of innocent romance. Puppy love? No. I can't find the words XD. Great essay! So organized!

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Thank you! ^___^ Lust is overrated, friendship is underrated...

[momigi.livejournal.com]

Wow. Just wow. You did an amazing job on this and as I read it, I think I became a stronger NaruSaku fan! Wonderful job!

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! Glad you like NaruSaku even more now. ;)

[l33tie.livejournal.com]

Your incredibly accurate and thought provoking points made me feel happy, sad at times, and at one point hungry. I don't know how that happened either. But nonetheless, I think this has to be most likely the greatest manifesto I have read in the Naruto fandom - although the irrelevant information (there wasn't lots, but it was some there: the "they are natural" argument was brought up a lot, it all seemed to be the same point - and gave me the feeling that you were trying to bash it into my skull with a shounen heroine's hammer) made me need to pause and watch a comedy show at times to make it feel less like my head was about to explode (I handle piles of information badly), but the main points got through spectacularly.

And, while I wouldn't consider myself a NaruSaku "fan" (I can see the appeal of nearly any pairing, although in all honesty more in these two than most others) the cute, realistic bond between those two showed very clearly through your essay. Thank you oh so much for reminding me just why I always liked them in a relationship together: they compliment each other. And no, not in the way that some NaruHina fans seem to think is so incredibly important. Whenever one falls down, the other already knows to catch them through instinct alone. Someone once told me that true love is when people have fights, have problems with each other, but after, manage to stay and love each other all the more, because - thanks to that little snap, fight, or irritation - they understand each other all the better.

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Hungry? Did it take That long to read?

Kidding. XD On the point of natural though, oh my gosh, did I really insist that much on it? I admit I didn't get the feel myself. XD

Now that I think about it, perhaps unconsciously, I overcompensated because of the amount of Un-natural that people like to emphasize in other pairings. Like... "They hate each other!" "They act so tense around each other!" "Oh my god they faint around each other! That's chemistry for you! =D " And I'd go: "Uh... how are all those things a Good thing. :S " So with that in mind, I mind have overdone it. My bad! ^^;

And yes! Fully agreed with the part on complimenting! They walk side by side, help bring out each other's strengths, and helps set each other straight back on their path when the other falters. =D And I agree with what you've said on true love as well!

Thanks for your comments! =D

[technoranma.livejournal.com]

*adds to memories* I almost cried it was so gawddamn good.

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it so much! =D

[(Anonymous)]

Bueatiful just simply bueatiful... I hope that their companionate love evolves into consummate love over time.

[heronite.livejournal.com]

I hope so too! =D Though lacking that, companionate is still good! It's so Rare in fictional pairings. :S

[(Anonymous)]

omg it sux cuz naruhina 4ever!!


Kidding! Kidding!

This was extremely well-written. I'm not sure I've ever read such an excellent defence of a pairing before. The images were an excellent touch; the definitely worked wonders to illustrate (pardon the pun) your points.

I've always held an appreciation for NaruSaku for some of the reasons you listed, but you really solidified them. While I can admit NaruSaku is certainly more feasible than most other pairings (mostly due to the fact that Naruto interacts with Sakura the most), other NaruX pairings still have their charm (Hinata's bloody cute sometimes, and Ino and Temari...strong, smart and gutsy...they're just hot!)

It would simply be amazing to see other pairing defences as well written as this (Naruto+females; I pretty much couldn't care less about the other male characters). Hell, only half-as-well-written defences would be great!

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Other pairings have other points. They're simply not the same as NaruSaku. =D I'd say that NaruIno for example might have more "initial" potential than NaruSaku (they're also very similar and Ino had an initially stronger personality than Sakura), however it does not have the development (obviously). But the development can be fully addressed in fanfics or the likes, so all's good. =D

Of all Naruto x female pairings, only NaruSaku makes me squeal as much (because of the gradual development), though I somewhat support NaruIno (I prefer KibaIno though: loud and strong on the outside, softies on the inside, a strong relationship full of cuddles! =D ). It'd be nice though to see people write manifestos of other Naruto pairings though. =D

[kidouche.livejournal.com]

Oh Miz...

I admit, my great fiery love of NaruSaku was taking a backseat to my current DeiTobi obsession, but reading this made me remember all the reasons why I love NaruSaku so much, and why I used to be such an ardent NSLAP-er. XD (I think laziness has gotten the better of me recently...that, and I just don't enjoy visiting Narutofan anymore because of the insane amounts of Stupid.)

Beautfiul, Miz. I teared up at a few points (especially when you discussed how willingly Naruto shunted aside his own happiness for Sakura's sake, and how Sakura understood Naruto's feelings enough to take his half of the burden upon herself...the images helped, too). I'm in the process of re-reading Part II, and I'm even more excited now to relive the NaruSaku moments again.

I don't know...there is something so...poignant about their relationship, and it really gets me in the gut. Like you mentioned, I would kill to find someone like Naruto, who only wanted to bring out the best in me and didn't pressure me to be someone I'm not. That's what these two do for each other, and that's what they'll continue to do. Whether or not their relationship develops into romance (which I think it can...plenty of lovers start off as friends, and I've heard that physical attraction also comes with time in some cases...you know, the whole "their personality makes them cute!" thing), it is still beautiful, and it's so rewarding to watch.

You should be very proud of this, Miz. ♥ Excellent work.

[heronite.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad You enjoyed it as well! =D

Eh, to be honest, I've put a cap on debating as well. Debating is getting repetitive, not when NaruSaku hasn't had much show for some time (and the other pairings even Less lol), but even without that, just thinking of canon NaruSaku can make me go =D at times.

Hell yes, the amount of altruism in that relationship is sooooo beautiful. *sniff* And that's why I think it would work so well: because they're So willing to put the interests of the other before their own. Willingness to take into account the other person's feelings and actively do something about it is only a Good thing for a relationship! =D

I've actually read a funny article not so long ago. Apparently those liberal about relationships (on the role of men and women, on equality and on divorce, etc) actually tend to have less problems with their relationships and divorce less than the ultra-conservative people who insist on rigid patterns. Because willingness to compromise and communicate is what makes a relationship work. And NaruSaku takes a step beyond: they actually go out of their way for the other person's sake without needing to be asked. =D So touching.

Yeah, it would be So nice to be in a relationship like that. -I- don't want to be with Naruto: he's not my type. But Naruto and Sakura together is just so... *sniff* They just fit so Well!

As for the physical attraction, someone just recced me a new fic that I've put in the manifesto. Heir of the Kyuubi or something like that. There's a small sentence that made me go =D : something in the lines of Naruto complaining to Sasuke about why he won't accept Sakura when Sakura's so hot, and Sasuke retorting that he should know better than to go for physical lust. And Naruto replies that that's the weird thing: Sakura doesn't have the best physique, but she's just so Beautiful.

Because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Naruto told Sakura post-timeskip that she hasn't changed at all. And in my opinion, it's because she's still be bright girl that he fell in love with. As long as that remains true, appearances don't matter. =D