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Hyūga Hinata and Haruno Sakura: Their role and actions during the Pain arc.

Although it’s probably too soon for me to get caught up in debates like this, I can’t deny I’ve seen a lot of people bring forth their own opinions about the actions that both Sakura and Hinata took during the Pain Arc… most of which aren’t really nice.

Their scenes and the arguments that come forth with them are frequently used to put either one or both of these characters down or pit them against each other, which I believe isn’t a fair way of judgment, and is one of the reasons why I wanted to share my view on things and clear out some of the misinformation that is being spread while being as objective as possible- and also showing my appreciation for both of them as a bonus.

This post isn’t meant to criticize anyone’s particular opinion or change anybody’s thoughts on this matter; still, if you find what I’m saying it helpful or at least worth considering, that would make writing this as more than worth it for me. Without further ado, let’s start with Sakura’s side of things:

Haruno Sakura: Her role during Pain’s Assault Arc

Some of the arguments I’ve seen against her are the next ones:

‘She did nothing during the entirety of the Arc’

‘She just cried instead of doing anything useful’

‘She didn’t even think about helping Naruto and decided to stay on the sidelines’

Although all of these alude to the same apparent problem in the grand scheme of things, I still want to take my time addressing each one of them separately and debunk them to the best of my abilities.

1. ‘She did nothing in the entirety of the Arc’

While it is true she didn’t partake in any kind of big fight or conflict, that doesn’t mean she didn’t do anything at all; in fact, one of the first things we see before the attack is Sakura, Shikamaru, Shiho and other capable shinobi trying to decipher the workings and source of Pain’s power:

* (All manga panel readings from right to left!)

Just a few moments after, all of Pain’s paths show up and start wrecking havoc around the village, a threat that is soon adressed by a lot of shinobi and marks the beginning of several conflicts; during this first part of the assault, Sakura manages to defeat one of the summons causing distress- most likely saving a lot of civilian lives in the act- and then proceeds to offer support by treating the injured at the hospital.

Needless to say, her hands were pretty full before the actual destruction of Konoha, which didn’t give her much place to do any actual fighting. I’ve seen some people using Konohamaru’s feat of defeating one of the paths as a way to diminish Sakura, and to that I have one thing to say: they are not the same character. The author, Kishimoto, decided to add that fight as a way to show Konohamaru’s determination and his newly acquired technique, the rasengan; which was, all in all, really nice to see. And although I do understand people’s frustration at her lack of action compared to other shinobi during this part of the arc, I personally don’t see that as a reason to hate her. To me, she contributed in a really important way by healing those who were injured. Attending to others in times of distress isn’t a sign of weakness.

2. ‘She just cried instead of doing anything useful.’

This I consider to be a matter of personal perspective -I know a lot of people get irritated by the sight of characters crying frequently or during a situation they do not believe merits them to do so, but for me this is not the case.

Sakura crying and calling for Naruto is a result of deep shock at seeing the village she called home destroyed from one moment to another without a warning, and although this is only an speculation, it could also include the initial worry of what happened to everyone else, too. Even if people may find this behavior uncalled for, I believe this is a very humane and expected reaction to a situation this grave and also a testament to the faith she has in Naruto’s abilities, as a lot of other characters express either before or after the destruction took place. Also, these are the only panels we see her cry in during the arc (she quickly regains composure after this and later focuses on looking after an incapacitated Tsunade), so even though I am aware that the thoughts behind the sentence ‘she only cried during the arc’ are meant as an exaggeration and an excuse to mock, I don’t believe it is a fair way of analyzing the situation.

3. ‘She didn’t even think about helping Naruto and decided to stay on the sidelines’

I think this is one of the reasons she gets the most hate for, and in order to understand the situation, there are some things that need to be clarified:

A. Naruto asked for no one to interfere.

He wanted to keep everyone out of the fight, even when a lot of other ninja were eager to provide support; This was a sentiment he voiced through Katsuyu, now  present at almost every part of the village, who then proceeded to alert any shinobi that could ever think about joining that it was better not to. So, even if there is no actual scene showing us that Sakura knew about this, it is implied that she was notified of his decision as well.

B. The fact that medical ninja aren’t permitted to fight unless they are a user of the Byakugō probably didn’t play a part in this.

Although this is a very understandable way to explain Sakura’s inability to go into battle at this point in time; I believe it wasn’t exactly the case, since it wouldn’t explain the fact that she took the liberty of fighting an Akatsuki member and other people in the previous arcs. I could be wrong in this and I certainly accept any corrections if that is the case, but as I see things, if Sakura was absolutely forbidden from fighting during the Kazekage rescue mission or any other mission whatsoever due to her status as a medical ninja, the fight with Sasori wouldn’t have happened in the first place; and even though the specifics of the situation certainly (and for good measure) could’ve lead her to disobey these rules, I think a more viable explanation for this is that she only has to abide to these norms when explicitly assigned as medical support on a mission or in times of war- which also explains her fight(s) at the very beginning of the war arc, her role as part of the medical corps instead of the battlefield later on and then the few moments she gets to engage in combat after the completion of her seal. This directly implies that during the Pain arc Sakura was in full capacity of providing support if she decided to, not bound by the rules placed on medic-nin during active duty (Again, this is only a supposition and I greatly encourage anyone to correct me if there is any evidence of it being false.)

Still, even if we assume this is true and come to the conclusion that nothing was stopping her from joining the fight other than Naruto deeming it unnecessary, it still wouldn’t be the complete truth. This is where the third point comes into play:

C. The information she had about the events taking place during the battle was given to her by someone else.

The story goes out of its way to actually inform us that some characters can’t get a clear view of the battlefield at all, especially with Sakura, since the person who makes her aware of most of what’s happening is a Hyūga Clan member:

And I say most because there are some details that she wasn’t informed of, as normally happens during these type of conversations. One of these things and probably the biggest of them was the fact that Naruto got pinned down some time during the fight and was unable to move or counterattack; because she did not know this, she didn’t show up and try to help him.The next piece of information she was notified of after finding out about Naruto’s arrival to the scene and how he had already dealed with all of Pain’s paths was the fact that Hinata had tried to intervene and was defeated, Naruto’s transformation into 6 tails mode, and Pain having to flee right after. To this, Sakura reacted quite quickly, and asked Katsuyu to tell everyone to evacuate the surroundings. Once the battlefield was cleared, she prioritized Hinata’s safety. 

In conclusion (and from my point of view), although Haruno Sakura didn’t exactly fulfill the role a lot of people wanted her to, she still played a part- however small- in this Arc, and certainly not a disappointing one for me. She did what she could with the information she was given and tried to adress each situation as best as possible; the fact that she couldn’t be there for Naruto during the fight isn’t because she didn’t care for him, but rather because, aside from the circumstances previously mentioned- that was not her moment to have but Hinata’s. We’ll be talking about her next. 

Hyūga Hinata: Her role during Pain’s Assault Arc

Thankfully, Hinata doesn’t receive as much hate as Sakura for the events that take place in this Arc, so this won’t be too long. However, I think there is still a question that needs answering and that I’ve seen a lot of people bash her for.

Was her attempt to fight Pain in order to help Naruto foolish?

Not really, rather than foolish, I think her actions would be better described as mainly brave and probably a little reckless. Still, there have been hateful comments saying that not only did she totally disregard the fact that Naruto asked everyone to stay out of the fight but that by showing up she just became a huge burden, providing nothing of real value. I will proceed to address these two claims as best as I possibly can.

1. ‘She disregarded Naruto’s words and launched into the fight for no good reason.’

Although it is true that she entered the battlefield when everyone was told to keep out of it, she was one of the only people that could do so without it being totally dismissive of Naruto’s intentions, why? Because she’s a Hyūga.

The fact that she is in possession of a Byakugan means that she was one of the only characters that were completely aware of what was happening between Pain and Naruto at all times, and could choose to act when things went wrong without totally intruding. Why then, didn’t more clan members offer support? That much we don’t know; but leaving that aside, this goes to show that even if Hinata had always placed her trust in Naruto since the beginning, and undoubtedly had faith in his strength, she knew he could not take care of everything on his own, both physically and even mentally. She acted at just the right time, and even if she couldn’t accomplish much against Pain, I would say that inflicting actual damage to try and save Naruto wasn’t the point of the scene at all.This takes us to the next and final point.

2. ‘She became a burden once she entered the battlefield and provided nothing of value.’

Once again, while it’s true Hinata didn’t do much physical damage to Pain or even had the time to get rid of some of the rods keeping Naruto in place like she did in the anime (which was an addition made to heighten the emotion and dramatics of this fight)- in the manga, all of the scenes she’s in still felt incredibly emotional, at least for me, but why is that? well, because what we’re meant to see aren’t exactly her fighting skills or battle feats but the amount of bravery it takes to phase an enemy much stronger than yourself, and the fact that she was completely willing to sacrifice herself defending Naruto not only because she loved him deeply, but because he was also her greatest source of inspiration and courage. And taking it from her own words, the one who’s smile saved her.

So while yes, her lack of combat during this scene has left some people frustrated- her intentions and her resolve of protecting Naruto, I would say, totally makes up for whatever may be found missing. Also, and as I see it, her words came at a much needed time for him. Naruto was in a situation where he felt powerless, full of doubts and in need of a reassurance his mentor wasn’t able to provide anymore; and even if he wouldn’t end up recalling much of what happened during this scene after he regained full control of himself, the fact that Hinata was there putting her life on the line and voicing her belief and love for him just as Minato would do in the following chapters, was overall a really great detail.

In conclusion, although Hyūga Hinata’s actions could be classified as reckless at most; in my opinion, they were certainly not foolish or pointless, but an incredible proof of her love, growth and bravery.

Sakura and Hinata both had their own unique role to fulfill during this arc, which they did, if I may comment on it, in a great way- their scenes certainly not being written with the intention of inciting debates or trying to make the audience pick sides and demand they prove what character did the best job which, unfortunately , seems to be what some people choose to focus on.

As for my final thoughts on the matter, there aren’t many, I’m just glad I finally could take the time to write all of these things that have been on my mind lately. Sakura and Hinata are both characters I greatly appreciate, and while it is quite obvious that the opinions I have of them won’t get rid of the hate and apparent resentment a great part of the fandom feels towards them, I still hope to be able to add some positivity and show appreciation for the work that Kishimoto put forward and which a lot of people hold close to their hearts. I apologize for any grammatical errors that may be present since english is not my first language, and I hope I was able to convey all of this information in a way that was understandable and helpful for you, I’ll continue to improve as time goes on.

Thank you for reading.

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Some posts I have planned

Although new ideas for analysis suddenly come to me when I watch something, there have always been a few topics that I’ve wanted to talk and elaborate on for the longest time; some I already have in the drafts or am still collecting info on, and would like to share as a preview in case anyone is interested. However, I’ll have to apologize, for I don’t think I’ll have the time to upload frequently due to schedules and all the scenes and arcs I may have to rewatch and reread in order to do a character, theme or situation justice, which I’ll try my best to do. Here are some things I have in the works/am thinking of:

(Boruto: Naruto Next Generations) Mitsuki: A path to self discovery

(Tokyo Revengers) Takemichi as a refreshing new perspective of the shōnen MC trope

(One piece) One piece’s portrayal of weakness and why it’s so great

(Naruto/Naruto Shippuden/Boruto) Chōji: A story of insecurity, doubt and acceptance

(One piece) Ace: his life, his thoughts and the happiness of being loved

(Naruto + Kono oto tomare) A debate on Talent vs Hard work

(Chihayafuru + Tokyo Revengers) Wakamiya Shinobu, Kisaki Tetta and the mindset of a great antagonist

(Tetsugaku Letra) The struggles of being human

(Scissor Seven) Scissor Seven and its amazing showcase of character depth

(Naruto + MHA) Fights as a device for character insight

Some of these may change titles, some other ideas I have thought of may be posted before any of these and others may not really be developed on for a long long time; still, these are all themes I am really invested on and I hope others will find interesting as well. Thank you for reading.

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List of anime/manga of my interest

Some of these I will adress, some I will not; and I have to admit it: there are a lot of popular anime I have not yet watched and some which I’m not considering watching. This is not because I think they’re not worth it; but because I’m not drawn to certain topics and genres such as horror, gore, series based on heavy fantastical or supernatural elements and works that showcase a frequent use of graphic violence and explicit sexual themes or situations. I hope everyone can be understanding of this. Feel free to recommend anything, although I may decide not to watch it. Without further ado here is the list. 

Shōnen series:

Naruto/Naruto Shippuden (currently reading the manga)

One piece (still in the process of catching up)

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

Dr. Stone

Tokyo Revengers (Manga only)

The Promised Neverland (Manga only)

One Punch Man 

My Hero Academia

Seinen

Monster (currently watching)

Ajin

86: Eighty Six

Darker than Black 

Slice of life/sports and comedy:

Hyouka

Silver Spoon

Chihayafuru (manga only)

Kono oto tomare (manga only)

Kaguya-sama

Saiki K

Way of the Househusband

Others:

Scissor seven (Chinese anime)

Godzilla: Singular point 

Sonny boy 

Megalo Box (Have still to watch season 2)

Violet evergarden

Otoyomegatari (manga)

Samurai 8 (manga on hold)

SpyXFamily (manga)

Tetsugaku Letra (manga)

These are only some of the works of media I’ve consumed, and mostly ones I wouldn’t mind rereading, rewatching and discussing about, again, I may not address some of them in the near future but if you have a positive opinion or a question on any of these and want to talk about it, feel welcome to ask.

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Important info

 Before anyone reads any further I would appreciate if we could all take the next things into consideration. 

The next posts are all reflections I’ve made on things I find great about different series, which I will try to make as thoughtful, congruent and true to the story as possible. However, I cannot guarantee a complete lack of bias, use of imagination in order to develop certain ideas, and, although I will try to avoid it, criticism (which will be minor and always attributed to my own personal opinion). Not everyone will find my thoughts true, helpful or worthy of consideration- which is completely understandable. 

Sometimes I’ll post without having finished a certain series first, especially those with a large number of episodes and on-going series, which may lead to a somehow narrow/incomplete perspective on certain themes or characters. Although all this will be done with positive thoughts in mind, I apologize if this is ever the case; and I will make sure to correct myself as I take on the rest of the series.

As I go about analysing any work- and as best as I will try to avoid it- there is always the possibility of me missing/overlooking specific key points, which could lead to an erred depiction of a theme or situation, if this is the case and is totally unrelated to the point talked about previously, I encourage you to correct me.

This space is meant to be as friendly as possible. Although there is bound to be discourse due to the subjects/topics at hand coupled with differing opinions, please refrain from making hateful comments towards myself or others and keep everything respectful. 

Although most of these posts will be the product of my own reflections with little to no external influence (especially for shows with a small fanbase or for series whose fanbases I don’t interact with), from time to time I will pitch in my thoughts on certain discussions, or even big controversies within a fandom, mostly to adress and correct misinformation rather than change an opinion. I will go about it as respectfully as I can, with no intention of diminishing anyone or being rude.

Lastly, I will be accepting asks in case anyone is interested in any thoughts I may have about a certain topic/character/series, however, I won’t answer any condescending messages, or any asks that clearly expect me to hate on a particular work or character, which is not going to happen. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding.