Naruto and Sasuke, Another Analysis

[Guest Serenanna]

This discussion spawned off of the tangents in the favorite pairings and cliches thread. Major spoilers ahead for recent chapters of Shippuden.

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Last warning!

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::exhales:: Alright then. Perhaps this opinion of mine won’t matter since I do generally prefer to put most characters in hetero relationships anyway in my fics, like KakaSaku (please don't ask). But, above all, what I value most in writing and reading fanfiction is the canon plot and being true to those characters we all fell in love with in the first place. Even going AU is not an excuse for lazy characterization.

When I look at characters, I do not see who would be dominant or submissive, but what their story is, why they are the way they are, and what drives their emotions and actions. It is too easy to label character we don’t like, and not appreciate their part in the journey and thus not pay attention to the point that gets brought up in the course of a story with their involvement.

Manga is just like any other novel and can be analyzed just as much. Part of why I like the FMA manga more than the anime is for that reason. Things said earlier make more sense once you learn the whole back story. Naruto, of course, has its own back story which spans generations of characters, some of which fall to the wayside as well.

This brings me to Naruto and his relationship with Sasuke, how it changed and what it is currently. To be blunt, the situation between Naruto and Sasuke (and Sakura by correlation) are paralleled again and again between the teams that preceded Team Seven, the future Sannin Team and Kakashi’s Team, but what changes is the circumstance and scenario.

On the Sannin team, Jiraiya filled Naruto’s role as the loud, joyful, aggressive ninja while Orochimaru filled Sasuke’s role as the cool, subtle shinobi that was all about the job. While we never find out how they acted as a team, we do know that what prompted Orochimaru’s departure from Konoha was his own dirty doings, and we do know that years afterward both Jiraiya and Tsunade no longer accepted him as being one of the Leaf or even worth saving.

On Kakashi’s team under the Yondaime, there is a rival between both Kakashi and Obito, with both of them filling in the same roles. Kakashi is cool and by the book for most of the gaiden while Obito takes on much of Naruto’s heroic qualities once someone he cares about is in danger. They in fact seem to have a rivalry going on that, while not as destructive as the other boys, is still a rivalry the characterizes their friendship. It is only when Obito dies in the end that Kakashi’s character changes to caring more about the team than the mission.

Now, team seven . . .

Keeping in mind these parallels, the relationship between the pair is not one of friendship to start. No, not at all. It is only when they’re forced to work together that they actually come together. All throughout the Wave country arc, what is stressed the most is teamwork, and the beginnings of a friendly rivalry of one-upmanship between the two. It is only after Sasuke nearly kills himself saving Naruto from Haku’s senbon that Naruto sees them as more than just teammates and as being friends. That relationship is further cemented in the chunin exam and the Forest of Death when Sasuke goes against Orochimaru to defend his teammates and fails.

From that point on, everything is fine, even when they are separated to train . . . until the battle with Gaara. Things start to break down as soon as Sasuke sees how much potential Naruto has when they’re supposed to be at the same level. Keep in mind also that Sasuke’s sole driving purpose in life, as he’s stated so many times before, is to kill his brother and avenge his clan. If he cannot even beat his teammate, how in the world is he ever going to beat Itachi? It is this thought that probably drove him to accept Orochimaru’s calling and leave Konoha.

But why?

Throughout all of the series, everyone in Konoha has pointed out how evil Orochimaru is. He also seemed to make it abundantly clear in the Forest of Death that he wanted Sasuke for something no good. I am of the opinion that Sasuke knew all this in his choice to leave Konoha. He is not a stupid character, and while seemingly selfish, he’s has previously displayed a sense of justice by in the very beginning criticizing Sakura on her opinion of Naruto. So then, the question remains, why did he still go?

Well, he knew the only good teacher he had available was Kakashi, but Kakashi is not the type of ninja that will win at all costs, teammates be damned, which is what he needed in a teacher. I love the man too, but he didn’t step up to Itachi and match when they attacked Konoha, which made whatever the Copy nin could teach Sasuke not powerful enough. (Ironic though, Kakashi seems to have stepped up more in Shippuden.)

He also knew that his brother was no good as well. And since till then it seemed like everyone that had followed the straight and narrow never seemed to beat Atatsuki and Itachi, Sasuke needed something less so. And thus, he answered Orochimaru’s call. But before he did that, he needed to sever ties with everything that he left behind, first being Sakura, then Naruto. So then, if Sasuke was leaving no matter what, why the one final battle?

Well, Naruto is not the type of character to take anything sitting down. He would have followed Sasuke everywhere to get him back because he is that loyal of a friend to not let him walk into certain doom. Unless Sasuke physically put him down hard enough that he would let him go, he still would have followed him. This was also a chance for Sasuke to beat the guy who beat Gaara, whom he couldn’t beat, another chance to prove to himself that he would be capable of taking on his own brother. In beating Naruto one last time, and ending their friendship, Sasuke proved to himself that he was ready and willing to move on a different path by distancing himself from Konoha and his friends.

And this brings me to Shippuden. Despite the outfit, Sasuke has proved that he is now his own man, especially in the latest chapters. While his new clothes follow Orochimaru’s style, they still have the Uchiha fan on the back at the neck. Above all, Sasuke takes pride in his clan. If he didn’t think he was any more, he’d stop wearing the fan like his brother. And while he claimed to be going along with the Sannin’s plan to be his new body to his old friends, as of 344, Sasuke proved it to be a lie to get them to stop chasing him by his own actions. He attempts to slay Orochimaru when he’s weak, and in the spoilers for 346, it seems he succeeds. His sense of right and wrong is still in place by not killing those thousands of other shinobi and by his own words in killing Orochimaru.

So, what does all this mean?

To me, Naruto is the clear classical hero of the story, loyal, heroic, courageous, hard-working, honest, and good, if a bit goofy, just like Jiraiya and Obito before him.

Sasuke, on the hand, is the anti-hero of the story. While his heroic traits are twisted by his own personal drama and the path he chose to get there, they’re still there. He has a driving purpose and it is a righteous one to him that he will do everything and anything to achieve, even if it means making friends of enemies and enemies of friends. In this respect, he has learned from the mistakes Orochimaru and Kakashi both made, growing into a stronger, darker hero for it.

Canonally, for these two to ever get together at this point, it would take an act of god. Not only is there still some shreds of rivalry, but Sasuke has much bigger issues, like killing his brother, to even bother with Naruto or the rest of Konoha for that matter. Naruto himself has bigger issues, like the fact that Atatsuki wants to kidnap him and pull out the Kyuubi. If it ever did happen after some form of resolution in which they both still lived and didn’t kill each other (a likely outcome), you would have to remember their past together. Things would not fit back together right away or in the right ways. It’s why they call it issues.

I do not think in uke/seme terms, so in that regard I cannot form an answer, but . . . based on what I understand of their personalities and histories, if it came to that, they would be more likely to fight over who did who than for one to be always bottom or always on top. So, there, the straight-shipping girl’s opinion on a pairing of Sasuke and Naruto.

Sere

[Guest Gaara]

Hmmm...I like how you made the connection between Naruto and Sasuke compared to the Sannin and Kakashi's cell. And it's very true, each generation that springs up seems to be learning from mistakes made in the past. And I do agree, Sasuke and Naruto's getting together would probably never happen. Sasuke cares too much about reviving his clan and killing his brother to bother with Naruto any longer in the new series. It's a commitment that is both admirable and laughable at the same time. It takes dedication to be that driven toward a goal, but to put it above everything in you life? That's seriously messed up. Sasuke becomes stronger to obtain this goal. Yet at a point in the story he wondered why Naruto was becoming so strong. Getting to Naruto. His goal comes down to basically one thing: Protecting his special people (well that and eating ramen). Naruto doesn't seek power for an alterior motive except to protect those close to him. I think one of the main themes of the anime is obtaining power for your own selfishness doesn't make you more powerful. But when you protect what is important to you, you become stronger than you ever thought you could. This is why Naruto and Sasuke would never get together. Although Sasuke is one of Naruto's special people he could be with someone who is--in not so few words--selfish. And although in his own twisted way Sasuke was doing the right thing he still went about it in the wrong way. And part of Naruto will never forgive him for that. Sasuke will never think the same way as Naruto, in that respect they are as different as night and day.

[Guest Serenanna]

I'm going to disagree with you. I don't think Sasuke is selfish, self-absorbed perhaps, and definite driven by the need for revenge, but not selfish.

Remember, this is the boy that had his whole family slaughtered before his eyes by his own brother. If that doesn't warp a perspective on importance in life, nothing will. He then had to grow up with the honor of his clan resting solely on his shoulders. Remember, this isn't Western culture, it's ninja culture, so things that may seem self-important may not be as such. Duty may come before honor, but if honor and clan revenge is all Sasuke had left . . .

If anything, the story of the Uchiha clan makes me wonder if Kishi watch too much of Kill Bill when he wrote it up, since it seems to echo that movie's theme of revenge at all costs.

His brother also seemed to leave him alive for a reason, which no one seems to know but as of 344 Sasuke seems to be embracing that destiny of confronting his brother.

Yes, the theme of protecting the most important people to you, be it one person (Haku and Zabuza), someone who hates you (Naruto and Sasuke/Sakura), or even an entire village (Sarutobi and all of the Leaf), is one that the the series pounds into the dirt. It is meant to be an obvious theme, but it doesn't mean the people always get stronger or win. Asuma and Hayate both, noteably, failed in that regard, leaving behind grieving women. So it doesn't always mean a win.

That isn't Naruto's way either though, remember, his way of the ninja is to never back down and never give up, which he never does, excellently. And he seems to have the mystic ability to pull a win out of his ass . . . except against Sasuke. Naruto is not driven by the need to protect something or someone, but the will to prove himself. Since the beginning he's been trying to prove himself as a ninja after years of being ignored and failing, including being acknowledged by his friends, peers, and rivals. It's why he was happy as a clam to finally be acknowledged by Iruka-sensei in the first episode as a ninja.

This goal is, of course, pre-empted when one of his teammates is in danger (saving Sakura in the Gaara battle comes to mind). He is Kakashi's student after all, so his list of priorities is complex to say the least.

So, if the conflict between Sasuke and Naruto is dissolved down to a conflict of differing personal need, it is really the need for familial honor and revenge verses the need to be accepted and acknowledge, or, well, loved.

. . . This is getting more complex of an anaylsis than I thought.

[StoryJunkie]

someone told me somewhere that all the characters' names were of significance to their roles. Orochimaru, means snake I believe, or was it that Itachi means weasel? Naruto, I think...well I can't remember. and Sakura..Sakura...there are SO many anime characters named after the Cherry Blossom it's unreal. The Japanese story is not the same as a Western story. Nor is it even the same as a Chinese story. I find it very interesting in using this sort of information in trying to deduce the ideas behind the actions. It's a really good story, anyway.

[Guest MayNeuma]

Naruto, I think...well I can't remember.

Yes, you're right. However, as for Naruto, it doesn't resemble any animals. In fact, it's a fishcake that decorates the top of ramen. I think that's where Naruto's fetishm for ramen inspired by. However, his last name, Uzumaki, means spiral. Many times, spiral's used as a symbol. Where the end and the beginning cease to exist.

The spiral plays a certain role in symbolism, and appears in megalithic art, notably in the Newgrange tomb. While scholars are still debating the subject, there is a growing acceptance that the simple spiral, when found in Chinese art, is an early symbol for the sun. Roof tiles dating back to the Tang Dynasty with this symbol have been found west of the ancient city of Chang'an (modern-day Xian). The triple spiral is one of the main symbols of Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism, often standing for the "three realms" - Land, Sea and Sky, or for one of a number of deities who are described in the lore as "threefold" or triadic. [source: http://en.wikipedia.org/]

This alone is an enough proof of Naruto's significance in the series.

[Guest Serenanna]

Elaborating on the meaning of names, I'm pulling this from the wiki entry on Naruto's character page:

Naruto can mean "maelstrom," and is also the name for a sliced stick of Kamaboko with a pink whirlpool design in the middle that is used as a topping for Ramen (Naruto's favorite food). The Japanese sometimes use "Naruto" as a nickname for the commercial at (@).

The surname "Uzumaki" is a pun on "spiral" (渦巻), while "Uzumaki" refers to a three-dimensional spiral, like a whirlpool or vortex. A more accurate translation for spiral would be "Rasen." The Konoha leaf symbol is drawn with an arrow attached to a spiral, part of the seal on his abdomen is a spiral, the symbol on the back of his jacket and shoulders is a spiral, and one of his attacks is Rasengan, which means "Spiraling Sphere." "Uzumaki" can also mean "whirlpool," in reference to the Naruto whirlpool (鳴門の渦潮), named after the city of Naruto.

So, if you take this is context, it's ironic that the second half of the series is called Shippuden, Hurricane Cronicles. In essence, Naruto's name is a pun. Most of the names are blatant puns. Hatake Kakashi, for example, means 'Scarecrow in a Field', and the 'Kaka' sound of his name is the sound crows make. Episode 101, the mask filler episode based off one of the manga's omake, was filled with crows, and Kakashi even used a scarecrow dummy to fool Sakura. Yes, Itachi means weasel, which is considered bad luck or an ill-omen in Japanese culture, which means making him a villian is not just fitting, but also kind of punny too.

Some of the names even come from Japanese legends on ninjas, like Sarutobi Sasuke . . .

. . . I wonder who got named after him?

There's also references to the story "Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari (児雷也豪傑物語, "The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya") from Japanese literature." (from Wiki, Jiraiya's character page) as Tsunade and Orochimaru are also characters in that tale and not just Jiraiya. Oh, and it's also about summoning a giant toad.

All these references and puns are lost on most people that don't look for it, but the majority of anime character follow some sort of ironic naming scheme. Tsukino Usagi of Sailor Moon for example, Bunny of the Moon, is after a japanese legend of a rabbit living on the moon pounding rice cakes. Gundam Wing, all the mecha pilots were named after a number in a different language, so, Naruto is not unique in that aspect.

Sere