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

[(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)

[heronite.livejournal.com]

Would you mind keeping things in context instead of taking one vague line and ignoring everything around it, thus making me seem as though I've spent the whole manifesto bashing a pairing? >:\

For one thing, I did Not say "SasuSaku is just angst-based." I said this:

(Bad arguments) for (NaruSaku)

2. Sasuke sucks and doesn't care about Sakura.

Um, yes he does. Care I mean. Not sure about "sucks", it depends on what you're looking at. Against Gaara, he stated that she was one of his "precious companions" that he wanted to protect, and he did bother to thank Sakura before leaving. In the Naruto databook character interview (that unfortunately is no longer online), Sasuke said of Sakura that she is a "very important comrade, since she's helped me a lot."

I just prefer the health-based NaruSaku to the mostly angst-based SasuSaku. It's a matter of preference I guess.

But Sasuke isn't just a cold-hearted bastard. At least... he wasn't in the past. Though this being a shounen manga, he'll likely only get better before the end of the series.

It was followed by the two following counters Against NaruSaku so to say:

3. Sasuke will just die a traitor anyway.

Nah. Shounen manga. Ain't happening. The probability of him dying is not 0 but is very, very small. The probability of him not getting redeemed is 0.

5. SasuSaku is pretty much dead at this point.

Nah. If anything, because this is a shounen manga, so things can only get better between Sasuke and Sakura at this point. Sooner or later they'll make peace, and it's quite possible that when they do, they'll automatically hook up, or something.

I'd go into more detail as to how yes, SasuSaku has had lots of development, no matter what my fellow fans say, but that would take too long. The best I could do is refer people to my (platonic) team 7 essay and to a SasuSaku vs NaruSaku comparison I've completed as well, but I won't elaborate on it. I feel NaruSaku has more the makings of a healthy couple though. It depends on what people prefer, I guess.

Basically, I was giving an Opinion of why I preferred NaruSaku over SasuSaku, even after stating that SasuSaku still had 1. chances of happening, 2. past development, 3. big probabilities for future development. But eh. You expect me to elaborate on it in a NaruSaku manifesto?
- this was in the annex of the manifesto. Not in the main section.
- It's in the 'frequent arguments' section of said annex, which I specifically said was mostly for those who debate.
- that's one line surrounded by lots of lines of "SasuSaku can happen and has had development and will have positive development later on." >:\

Also, I said "mostly". It doesn't mean it doesn't have anything else. I specifically said that it Did have development. Though you'll have a hard time trying to convince me that a good portion of SasuSaku fans aren't shipping SasuSaku because of the intensity of the goodbye scene. =\ (note: good portion, not all)