From a different reader's perspective it's the best thing to happen to the manga since Shippuden began, possibly and most likely in the entire history of the series.

Why of course it lacks interest. Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji fighting their dead former sensei? Boring. Sai reuniting with his brother and Sasori achieving peace after years of meaningless strife over nothing? Lame. Don't even get me started on the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist's introduction and power narration by the man who wants to reform them. It was a massive waste of time to see the Swordsmen own dozens of Alliance ninja with their unique and individual swords. And Darui actually having a personality? Psh, any character can do that. The minutes that I spent watching Mifune completely reverse the battle with the revered Hanzo of the Salamander that he had years and years ago, I will never get back. Not to mention Onoki about to fight his master and Gaara about to face off with his dead father, snoozefest. If I want to see an effed up father-son relationship I'll just watch more Star Wars. Naruto learning the most powerful technique a Jinchuriki can have is such a waste, like we really need to see the main character prepare for the challenges ahead as though he's somehow important. I swear, Kishi is just getting lazy with this arc.

I could go on, but that'd make your response longer, and I don't feel like exchanging walls of text.

I agrrer with this they should have atlease close deaths like in the cathc sasuke arc

The Beast wrote:

From a different reader's perspective it's the best thing to happen to the manga since Shippuden began, possibly and most likely in the entire history of the series.

Why of course it lacks interest. Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji fighting their dead former sensei? Boring. Sai reuniting with his brother and Sasori achieving peace after years of meaningless strife over nothing? Lame. Don't even get me started on the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist's introduction and power narration by the man who wants to reform them. It was a massive waste of time to see the Swordsmen own dozens of Alliance ninja with their unique and individual swords. And Darui actually having a personality? Psh, any character can do that. The minutes that I spent watching Mifune completely reverse the battle with the revered Hanzo of the Salamander that he had years and years ago, I will never get back. Not to mention Onoki about to fight his master and Gaara about to face off with his dead father, snoozefest. If I want to see an effed up father-son relationship I'll just watch more Star Wars. Naruto learning the most powerful technique a Jinchuriki can have is such a waste, like we really need to see the main character prepare for the challenges ahead as though he's somehow important. I swear, Kishi is just getting lazy with this arc.

I could go on, but that'd make your response longer, and I don't feel like exchanging walls of text.

I'm glad we can agree.

Sakura Haruno wrote:

The Beast wrote:

From a different reader's perspective it's the best thing to happen to the manga since Shippuden began, possibly and most likely in the entire history of the series.

Why of course it lacks interest. Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji fighting their dead former sensei? Boring. Sai reuniting with his brother and Sasori achieving peace after years of meaningless strife over nothing? Lame. Don't even get me started on the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist's introduction and power narration by the man who wants to reform them. It was a massive waste of time to see the Swordsmen own dozens of Alliance ninja with their unique and individual swords. And Darui actually having a personality? Psh, any character can do that. The minutes that I spent watching Mifune completely reverse the battle with the revered Hanzo of the Salamander that he had years and years ago, I will never get back. Not to mention Onoki about to fight his master and Gaara about to face off with his dead father, snoozefest. If I want to see an effed up father-son relationship I'll just watch more Star Wars. Naruto learning the most powerful technique a Jinchuriki can have is such a waste, like we really need to see the main character prepare for the challenges ahead as though he's somehow important. I swear, Kishi is just getting lazy with this arc.

I could go on, but that'd make your response longer, and I don't feel like exchanging walls of text.

I'm glad we can agree.

If you want to know the point, here it is: This war will be the sole cause of world peace. The Gokage have created an Alliance where the shinobi of the world have exchanged their headbands representing their individual villages and are rallying under a single, unifying cause. That's everything but pointless.

Oh boy. Is more than just an excuse to have Sasuke make out with Claire?

I've learned from experience that when writers do their work (and manga artists ARE writers), the authenticity and quality of the work are really co-dependent. It's easy to complain about the direction that a manga can take or the way it is written. It is harder to try really hard to see where the writer is coming from.

I wonder if Kishi is, through Naruto manga, trying to create some sort of allusion to first and second world war? Or is he attempting to place certain events in his own life or things he has seen or heard through local and international media into perspective for himself? When I read certain battles I feel a sense of connection or lack thereof. Some of the reason for that is simply because I do not understand the context it comes from and/or I feel a sense of cultural dissonance.

For example, I identify with characters of Tenten, Neji and Lee because they are around my age, look Asian, and have similar worldviews. I identify with most of the characters within the 10 to 30 age range because I feel a sense of connection to their age/developmental level. Some characters even those of the same age range I feel less connected through because their back stories are too dissimilar to my own and/or I have a hard time comprehending their worldview. Whenever an identifiable character's story is being chronicled, I become more interested. Whenever the story pans to different characters that I don't identify with as much I become not as interested or feel "bored".

And now I shall go back to my actual thesis/paper... XD But anyways, yeah...