#logic databook

[beigebox]

A few books that that were being thrown away by my local university's computing department a few years back.

[kouyou-arc-when]

Theory on Fyodor's ability: Crime and Punishment

With the latest chapter, I can sort of imagine like 30 theories about what Fyodor's deal could be. Honestly, there are so many hints scattered way back from Untold Origins until now about the large-scale world-building of Bungou Stray dogs that we can imagine all sorts of possibilities for a person like Fyodor. I'll attempt to entertain one of them (this is not my only theory). In my opinion, it is clear he has a power that allows him to "endure" for long periods in one shape or another. That could be resurrection, reincarnation, regeneration, life force related power..- I guess the easiest way to describe it is an ability that helps him stick around. Right now Fyodor appears immortal, but I want to theorize on different aspects of what we know about him. These are key elements I want to focus on for my theory - they helped me narrow down certain options. I feel like the solution to the puzzle is figuring out how one ability can allow him to kill people and remain alive for long periods of time. 1. Fyodor's health, lifespan, and care for personal security: From what we've been able to gather, it seems Fyodor was alive in the 15th century, based on certain references from the latest chapter. However, there is an interesting aspect to his character: He cares very little for his physical safety - he gets intentionally captured all the time. We know this to be true from the time he got caught by PM, and there are theories he also ended up in Mersault partially because he wanted to be there. Within the latest chapter, he appears to have been captured by Bram's people on purpose once more. Furthermore, he tells Ace that he is prepared and "trained" to endure starvation.

This isn't the only time he gets in harm's way - arguably the entirety of Dead Apple was him putting himself at risk. Even so, while he MAY be immortal, and he puts himself in danger of losing his life, he is very sensitive about his health. In one databook, he mentions that his number 1 weakness is specifically his weak, sickly constitution. It seems getting ill is so upsetting to him that even if he survives a difficult endeavor like getting drowned, it's something he "isn't able to afford". Fyodor mentions this when he tries to drown Sigma and Dazai. He is anemic and hates getting sick/needs to be very careful about his health, every cover is drawn to show his dark circles and pale skin, Fyodor even admires good complexions on other people because his isn't that great according to databooks. This is a huge part of his character, and whenever we see additional material about Fyodor, there is 50% chance it's about his health issues (even for DA side material, the joke was he can't do much on weekends because his doctor told him to be careful about his blood pressure, according to one bit). What could this tell us about him? Fyodor constantly complains about getting ill: if he can regenerate ultra fast, this typically wouldn't be a problem. He says getting sick would be "intolerable for him". Ultimately, in a logical setting, an immune system largely allows a person to "regenerate" and many sickly people have a reduced capacity of doing this. Fyodor being able to regenerate super fast doesn't make a ton of sense. It is perhaps possible that Fyodor can regenerate large chunks of damage, but then his body enters a state of "suspension" which is why he's sickly - however, this doesn't fully track with the rest of what his abilities can do. I believe the biggest issue with Crime and Punishment is figuring out how the same ability that can kill others also allows him to live a long life (assuming this is all one ability). To continue examining this aspect of Fyodor, the wounds on his hand from his tick of finger biting don't seem to regenerate any faster than regular?

Harukawa is not overly consistent with any of this, just like most mangaka, and we don't see Fyodor biting his hands much later down the line, but there are a couple of times when it seems she's drawing him with wounds and scars on his arm.

I can remember like 2-3 other panels that show a lot of mini-scars, but manga artists tend to not be consistent with this level of detail. Hands are hard to draw af.

2. Bleeding I am pretty sure Fyodor's ability has to do with blood. I always theorized that he murders people by sacrificing some of his own blood, leading him to be anemic - there is very specific bleeding imagery whenever he kills people, and they usually die from bleeding out. I thought that was his "punishment" for committing a crime.

How would this work into immortality? In Christianity, life is heavily related to blood. You'll hear phrases like "Blood of the covenant", "blood of a lamb", and "sacrificial blood". Every person he kills "bleeds" out, yet he is anemic? Seems too random for it to be unrelated. So, what do we know? 1) He was alive in one way or shape in the 15th century, those are his memories, implying he, as a soul, has existed for over 600 years. He is long-lived. 2) Fyodor appears to be relatively unconcerned with dying, but appears to be worried about getting sick? 3) Fyodor himself says that being ill is his biggest weakness. It's canon he is anemic, and his health never gets better. 4) His scar from getting slashed by Bram healed since then, since there is no scar right now.

5) The wounds on his fingers don't heal super fast, meaning he likely doesn't have hyper regeneration. Being so sickly implies he doesn't have pure regeneration as well (from a logical point of view, but I suppose in a fictional setting it could make sense depending on how sensitive Asagiri is to detail). If he had regeneration, even to a baseline of his regular sickly self, he wouldn't say getting sick was "intolerable" for him, in my opinion. Fyodor isn't dramatic to complain about shit that doesn't get to him - he's alright with starvation and getting beaten. This sounds like he's afraid of more permanent damage (as an immune-compromised person, I can relate) If he got much sicker, he'd return to his old self eventually if he could regenerate, and he wouldn't have to worry that much. It is more likely he has something like complete resurrection from a state of being dead, rather than being able to regenerate over time. That follows what we already know. 6) His ability is connected to blood - making others bleed, and he himself being anemic. Blood in Christianity is associated with life. Does he have some form of life force manipulation? How does all of this come together? He is old af - meaning there is something up there. How could the above connect with immortality? A super sickly immortal? Why is he so sickly if he could regenerate? How would the same power that helps him live long also help him kill people?

I think it's possible that whatever he does with his abilities wears him out, and he has to change to another body eventually. Possibilities: 1) Killing people makes him sacrifice blood, so he gets sicker, until he dies. 2) Whenever he dies, it takes him a while to come back, so he can't afford to get sick and miss out on plans. However, if he has to die, it's still not a big deal if the reward is worth it, especially since he can come back, and others cannot. 3) Purely dying and reviving is easier than just switching to another body from sickly decay. The guy seems to panic more about getting sick than getting killed. Meaning he possibly has "periods" between resurrection/reincarnation/reviving. Perhaps he needs to die to revive into full health.

I guess it's possible that Fyodor's ability is related to life force itself? But how does that relate to the Crime and Punishment aspect?

Right now, I'd like to theorize that Fyodor's ability is essentially to "possess" people like a demon. Stay with me here. I'll try to explain what I mean by this: Fyodor can "possess" bodies. If he possesses them the right way, he takes over them and "rewrites them" to become him, including the physical appearance, which is why he looks the same throughout centuries. If he possesses them "wrongly", they die. The "crime/sin" is taking the body of another person - this is a profound violation in many religious teachings. "Possession" is a sin. Being able to possess bodies is one of the main trademarks of a Demon, which is how Fyodor is always nicknamed. Before he dies, he can change bodies.

I guess the easiest theory for me to imagine is that Fyodor is just a consciousness at this point, and he needs to "possess" bodies to keep living. Every single body he possesses occasionally wears down (this is the "punishment" part of his power), and he needs to keep finding new ones to keep living. Killing people wears down his current body even faster. Every time Fyodor "possesses" a new person he completely returns to his "baseline" form, and that is why he has no "old" scars from the 15th century. I assume finding a good body to possess may be more difficult, so that is why he avoids wearing down the current body with his power. Perhaps he starts killing his current host to possess another? And that is why he starts losing blood, making him anemic. The trick is that he doesn't finish the process. The reason Sigma was "brought into the world" was for Fyodor to have another "clean" body to possess. Asagiri even mentioned that Sigma was created in relation to specifically Fyodor's color pattern. Additionally, Asagiri told us to pay attention to "Chekhov's gun" cliffhangers, and this is one of the elements of the story we never got a resolution for - why was Sigma brought into this world, and why was he specifically made in relation to Fyodor's character? Having a body created by the Book, as a clean slate, may be perfect for Fyodor. Perhaps he cannot fully recover anymore from his broken health, even when he "reforms" after possessing someone, and that is why getting sick is worse for him than death - every time he "possesses someone" and takes their body, his body recovers less and less. Now, I want to elaborate on this. Why did Crime and Punishment not attack Fyodor in the mist? I guess one possibility is that Fyodor is a sentient ability. An ability that keeps possessing people.

Fyodor's ability won't attack him, because it is the consciousness controlling the body. "Crime and Punishment are close acquaintances, the borders between us vanish"

His fake speech to Sigma might be based on "half-truths" I have a theory that Fyodor's power ultimately synthesized with his real personality and became one indistinguishable whole. "The borders between us vanish" could possibly be a reference of the border between him and his power disappearing and leaving him corrupted. In my opinion, this would also explain why Fyodor wants to get rid of abilities - he wants to remove this curse from himself. While the ability may have conjoined with the real Fyodor, it still may be lost in how to act, and the real him continues being the root of all his desires. Dostoevsky's character was based on a chapter from Brother Karamazov where Vanya talks with the Devil - I feel like this is a huge hint to his character and the possible "possessive" part of his ability. Did human Fyodor summon a devil and had it become his power? Are abilities demons? Honestly, there are so many ways to interpret what we're seeing in BSD at the moment. I find it interesting that Fyodor wanted to see Bram and his "evil"

I think Fyodor may be fascinated with the existence of "good" and "evil" as equals - and is possibly fascinated by why "someone like him" exists. Why would God create an ultimately "evil" ability? And what about others who were born with evil powers such as Bram? They are just like Fyodor, which is why he relates to him. I feel like there is a lot of discussion to be had about the possible origins of abilities - the religious imagery, decay of angel themes, Nephilim theories, but I will leave this for another post. Also, I could write pages about Fyodor's ability, backstory and how it may be influencing his world view. I sort of have two theories in my head: Fyodor is a demon, or Fyodor is a human who was influenced by his "demonic" ability. I wrote this in a rush, so it's not well thought out at all, just a bunch of rambling, so thanks for reading again <333

[comikas-fandom-dump]

I actually find it confusing that Kishimoto wanted to portray Naruto as an idiot to the readers but at the same time someone creative and empathetic. Like, to have the amount of empathy that Naruto has, you need to have a very high emotional intelligence and he is also quite creative, something that I don't think the idiot would be.

Context 1 | Context 2 | Context 3

Different types of intelligence! Being "emotionally smart" doesn't necessarily mean being "logic smart" and vice versa. Take former "gifted kids" who have a high IQ but struggle severely in any social setting due to a low EQ. Or remember the kids from your own class who excelled at art or creative writing but couldn't do Maths to save their lives.

Still, Naruto scores pretty low in the first two Databooks when it comes to intelligence, so I have to assume that Kishimoto's definition of intelligence is IQ over EQ.

And it's not exactly an unpopular definition of intelligence either. Dictionaries will usually define "intelligence" in a way that relates to acquiring and applying information and letting it guide your actions. "Intelligence" is rarely defined in a way that also incorporates emotional intelligence.

But Naruto is more about feeling than thinking and more about instinct than analysis. Hence, Naruto is slow to grasp new concepts and will usually act before thinking, resulting in a bad performance and foolish behavior. This is why most characters and audience members would consider Naruto a lovable idiot.

As a side note: If you'd like to continue this conversation, I'd prefer moving it to @not-littering-my-main :)

[fille-de-skroa]

I was in Twitter, which doesn’t happen really often, and I saw this:

At first I thought "Well, half of the replies to the tweets seem to think that a good female character designs is an over-sexualized one, so it’s not surprising that people think Hinata has a good design…"

But then I realized that the problem of Hinata’s design wasn’t just the fact that she was over-sexualized in the anime and official arts. The problem of her design is that it’s BLAND.

Let’s take a look at her Genin design first:

To be honest, her Genin design is okay. The pompons on her jacket accentuated her soft and childish side, it’s a nice touch to her outfit. Her hair looks good and it’s pretty original to not gave her a more "girly" hairstyle.

But SP decided to gave her a more conventionally attractive and feminine face, and to sexualize her even though she’s 12.

After the time’s skip…

Her design isn’t extraordinary. Hinata’s outfit doesn’t have pompons on her jacket anymore, which seems logical since she grew up. But her outfit is now pretty bland, it just looks like a regular sport outfit. Her haircut is really classical and doesn’t have anything special to it except the two bangs that shape Hinata’s face.

Nothing interesting to say except that Hinata’s design is generic and kinda boring.

The Last design:

With time, Hinata’s design just get more and more generic. Her round face was changed for a pointy chin, and she even completely lose her bangs in her design for The Last. We can’t really tell if she’s a ninja or not, since she doesn’t have her hitai-ate anymore, and that her outfit doesn’t look very… practical for fighting.

The worst part about her design is that it’s OOC. A comment that Kishi made in the first Databook makes us know that Hinata isn’t interested in fashion, and that she was apparently not the type to wear clothes that reveal her skin.

(Kishi even tells us that she looks bland)

But making Hinata’s clothes shorter to make her more appealing to the audience is more important than the coherence of the story I guess… The black socks she wears are similar to the ones that girls in hentai wear, but in the design Kishimoto had previously drawn of Hinata, we can see Hinata was wearing the usual fishnet socks that shinobi wear (and she still has the shape of her bangs)

At first I thought that SP decided to replace the fishnet socks by the black socks because it was easier to animate, or just because they wanted to change of art style to distance themselves from the original anime. But then I noticed that Tenten was wearing fishnet socks on her The Last design… So there’s not other explanation for this change except the fact that it makes Hinata looks even more hentai-related. Great.

And finally, the Boruto Design:

Hinata’s design in chapter 700th was… decent. Her outfit look like an "adult" outfit, and I think her tied up hair looks pretty good. Her design is still bland and forgettable, but it’s fine. But for some reasons, her design was changed for the Boruto movie:

Kishimoto designed it, so there must be a reason for the changes. So, Hinata now has shorter hair and shorter clothes. And frankly, it looks like she’s wearing the clothes she wore when she was a genin, even the pompons are back. Not only does the color palet makes it hard to look at Hinata without laughing, the shape of the outfits is also pretty weird.

I don’t know if Kishi redesigned Hinata to make her more childish in order to show us that her wedding with Naruto only accentuate the fact that she’s still a little girl in love, but if it’s the case… well played I guess??

[depressedhatakekakashi]

Hi, do you know if the manga shows kakashi being stated to have graduated the academy at age 5? because someone said that they only said it in databooks and that you have to trust only the official source material

I mean, officially we have no manga instance where his acadamy graduation age is stated, but in the chunin exam arc he stares ro Iruka ‘i was half Naruto’s age when i became a chunin’

Naruto at this point is 12. Kakashi at half Naruto’s age would be six.

So it’s stated pretty clearly that Kakashi was a chunin at six years old.

There’s only two logical courses to take from there

Go with the data book and believe he graduated the acadamy at five and became a chunin a year later

Or somehow believe he became a chunin in under a year

Either way he’s still the youngest genin and chunin in canon

[anishake]

Bleach character’s and their planet placements

Yes, it’s what you're thinking - this is a post about what planet placements different characters might have, here we go (The sun signs are from offical databook):

Ichigo - Cancer Sun with 

Moon in Scorpio:  Mom related angst? Ichigo is a poster child of Moon in Scorpio placement, these people often come with a big emotional baggage when it comes to their moms and let’s not start with the complicated inner world he had

Mercury in Leo - Honestly, the reason I gave this placement to him is that Ichigo loves Shakespear, these people are fan of poetry and are more inclined to do well in humanitarian subjects. As it is revealed Ichigo became a translator, so I think the Leo Mercury makes perfect sense for him.

Venus in Cancer - he is a family man, need to say more?

Mars in Aries - Ichigo is very hotheaded, goes straight into action without thinking much and it’s always insticts  driving him, rather then logic, also he has big and endless energy, just like Mars in Aries.

Rukia - Capricorn with 

Moon in Aries: Rukia is a true definition of independent woman who knows how to give others motivation. She steadily rises to any challenges and is an honorable warrior. Besides she is very explosive and never shies away from anger - a true Moon in Aries Queen

Mercury in Aquarius - she is a very progressive and individualistic thinker and her weird chappy drawings are definitely the product of this placement.

Venus in Sagittarius - Rukia is in no way a romantic, but when she loves, she loves deeply and always places huge ideals on people she deems close. 

Mars in Virgo - She is very practical, hard working and a bit self-sacrificial. Think this placement makes sense for her.

Orihime -  Virgo with

Moon in Cancer - a perfect bundle of empathetic, caring and emotional. She even has that round face that many Cancer Moon gives.

Mercury in Libra - Orihime was the hopeless daydreamer and romantic. Never brisk or rude when it came to communication.

Venus in Libra - Again, we come to romance and love. She professed her undying love and wished that she had 5 lives  but one love interest in all of them. Yeah this Venus natives are that romantic and pretty much in love with the idea of being in love. 

Mars in Virgo - Orihime was always good with house chores and she is a healer, she might not be the best of warriors but never backs down from doing work. 

Aizen - Gemini with

Moon in Leo - this man had a HUGE ego. Not to mention, Aizen did all the work just because he didn’t want to be under anyone else’s rule, this moon has the narcissist jumping out and the hair game is on point always, when it comes to Leo.

Mercury in Gemini - This placements are clever as hell, big multitaskers and sharp minds. 

Venus in Taurus - Aizen was a man of Luxury, what can I say. 

Mars in Scorpio - Scheming for years and making sure everything is under your control? Leave it to this placement to execute everything perfectly and without anyone knowing. 

Byakuya - Aquarius with 

Moon in Leo - one thing Byakuya is is a prideful man with a hint of ego lurking on the surface. Besides he was quite a hothead and is a secret one still to this day. No one better to do that with than good ol’ fire moon. Not to forget, he has a fabulous hair.

Mercury in Capricorn - A true conservative. He knows how to carry on the legacy and is a very reserved talker, unless provoked. 

Venus in Aquarius - this placement is a rule-breaker and nonconventional when it comes to love affairs. We all know who he married and how he defied rules to have Hisana as his wife.

Mars in Capricorn - cold, disciplined and unapproachable, that’s our Byakuya so I went with this Mars placement.

Yoruichi - Capricorn with

Moon in Gemini - this placement is chill, playful and doesn’t tend to dwell on things much like Yoruichi. It’s all fun, flirting and games for this Moon

Mercury in Sagittarius - she is a free spirit, doesn’t care much about formalities and often says things as it is

Venus in Capricorn - I’m really not sure about this Venus placement for Yoruichi, but taking all the signs, this might be the perfect choice for her, considering her noble lineage. (Another option: Scorpio Venus, goes with her character as well)

Mars in Sagittarius - Legs and tighs! yup, no one has it better than this Mars sign just like Yoruichi. 

Ulqiorra -  Sagittarius with 

Moon in Capricorn - to say it lightly, this Moon doesn’t do emotions well and one thing Ulquiorra struggled were his and other’s feelings, having problems with nihilism. 

Mercury in Scorpio - he isn’t man of many words, but when he speaks he doesn’t play around goes straight to the point. Also he is very observing. 

Venus in Scorpio - Ulquirra had the theme of Lust going on, what other Venus to give him than Scorpio, with his depth and obsessive nature. 

Mars in Virgo - he was a dutiful and responsible man, always doing what he was given orders. This Mars knows how to do exactly that

[haleigh-sloth]

Personally when it comes to Hawks I really refrain myself from having any expectation. Not because I hate him or anything but because he's a damn wild card and I can never predict him. When it comes to Hawks Hori subverts my every expectation so I am just baffled at this character at this point. Villain Hawks, Dabihawks childhood friend, HPSC assassin (debunked by databook about Madam President didn't like previous President's murdery method). Like, how many times Hawks was teased to have confrontation? Bakugou, Tomura, Dabi, Toga, but he got AFO instead. The thing is, that makes sense. AFO IS Hawks' assignment. He will prioritize his duty over personal conflict. If we try to think based on pure logic (like him usually), we all know that there's no way he can stop Toga's parade with his strength, but he can be a meat shield to stop AFO or making him monologue (he's an expert for that) so him facing AFO with at best damaged quirk to be stolen is the most cost-effective move. So I personally think no one knows who Hawks truly is even now except Horikoshi. Some hate him, some love him, some thinks he's right, some thinks he's wrong, his place right now is just so... ambiguous. Sigh, I'll just wait Hori patiently to deliver the true Keigo and see whether I'll like him or not.

[asknarashikari]

if you're as far out of the loop for anything Naruto as I am. there was an official popularity poll that was held online for everyone to vote, IIRC, didn't know about this myself until recently... but here are the results

and yes, Sakura is in 3rd place. I find it funny that, barring Sakura, the members of the top 3 are dead characters.... if only Shisui got ahead of Sakura and all members of the top 3 would have been dead characters.

in any case, due to this result, the author is making a spin off starring Minato.

Huh, I'm actually pretty surprised by this because as far as I knew, Sakura was a pretty divisive character in the fandom. Back when I kept up with it, there was so much ~discourse~ about her, but it was mostly agreed upon that she was poorly written as a protagonist. And while she did well in popularity polls, it was nowhere near the top like in this poll, which makes me wonder what changed since then- maybe her characterization in Boruto helped?

Personally I was indifferent to her for most of the manga, but I actively disliked her after her fake confession. And while I still don't get the logic of her getting together with Sasuke, I just didn't want her with Naruto.

I love that Shikamaru's still in the top 15 though :)) In case you didn't notice, I sorta named my blog after him. He's my favorite character in Naruto ever since the Sasuke Retrieval Arc.

As for the spin-off with Minato, I know that Masashi Kishimoto has been wanting to write one about him for a really long time, even before this poll was published. I think I read it in one of the databooks (where there's usually a Q&A portion for him) or it was in an interview, but yeah it's been a long time coming. Like, I think he said it even before the original run of Naruto finished.

So, it's not news to me that he's interested, but it is news to me that he's finally pushing through with it.

[kouyou-arc-when]

I only trust you to tell me this. Does Dazai have any type he prefers physically??

From my memory, about 3-4 entries (databooks, interviews, magazines..) insist he doesn't have a type. I always say how funny it is that this is that one part that never changes, regardless of whether he's serious or joking. Guidebooks insist he loves beautiful women, but Kunikida always says the guy chases after any half-pretty lady, so perhaps it's questionable how low or high his standards truly are. That one interview said he's confident he can shape **any** woman to suit his tastes - and if that's true, I can't imagine whatever he wants to be too niche or specific if "any" woman can become it. Personally, I think Dazai sees "women" as just another hobby, a pleasant thing to waste his time on like booze or whatever. The dude doesn't approach this topic all that seriously - so, logically, any type of woman can be fun because she's something new to "explore". But for the joke of it, let me try and remember the women Dazai has expressed attraction for/approached (keep in mind that most no-name side characters are drawn to look very similarly). Higuchi (blonde, short, around his age) Sasaki (brunette, tall, around his age/older) Manga and LN waitress (brunette, stocky, much older) Anime waitress (brunette, his age?) Nurse (dark haired, older?) Murder victim Yamagiwa (brunette/dirty blonde, around his age or older since she was a regular and relatively experienced police officer, and I think you can't become one in Japan before 20, so yeah). Random lady that was walking that dog (brunette, same age?) A bunch of random women from wan/the anthology (purely from memory): -one was blonde, younger -one was a blonde waitress, she had no distinct features -two random older, brunette ladies He most frequently flirted with the waitress (anime and manga) and Higuchi (said she was pretty 3-4 different times). None of these women have anything in common, so it's safe to say he might just like anyone pretty enough. It's, of course, debatable who he's flirting with because he's really interested, and who's a target to use, but imo - he just doesn't have high standards for basic physical appeal. The waitress he flirts with, in the manga and LN, is based on the lady from No Longer Human - an older, married lady he tried to kill himself with, but fails. The main character of NLH, Yozo, says that was the only person he ever truly loved IIRC. That's why some people connect Dazai with "older" women, but was that just a coincidence or an actual preference of his? Who knows. I think it just happened that she was older, what's sure is that he's "open-minded"

[mindrole]

OK this is utterly random but I was digging for references to draw Dita and something about him looks. Off? I don't have the databook so my only references here are the CoM profile image and the in-game sprite in Interlude but then I realized that his eye color is significantly darker than Fragments we're currently aware of?? Even Eigha's are more Fragment red than Dita's. I think I'm losing my mind. Surely he wouldn't wear different contact lenses?

I don't really have a goal here I just don't have anyone else to bother with my brainrot and you're chill so presumably up for someone else's brainrot. Cool if not tho

i got pretty curious, so i decided to see for myself. just to note, theodore has pure #FF0000 red eyes so i didn't include him, none of the others have anything like that. the databook makes sure to make a distinction when talking about hatsutori's eyes too (i.e. saying they're not pure red, that they're dark red. i assume the same applies to the rest too).

if you're curious, there is not really much on ditasword in the databook, there's a paragraph about it on shinano's entry that teases CoM's premise and the nature of the show, what it is, mentions miwa and gives a little information about him etc. i feel like the only thing that isn't mentioned in the interlude or other material is that eigha as a character appears in season 2 and 4 (so he isn't in season 1 or 3). there's a drawing in the databook that can be seen in thumbnail form in miwa's room. i think it's the poster with taka on it. it's a little hard to see tho. the poster with shiyo on it is based on the art on the CoM website with ryuu replaced with eigha. as far as i know there's no HD version of the half with eigha on it.

here is what i ended up with:

it's something like this. (sorry the pic isn't aligned neatly)

i compared in-game sprites. any inconsistency in other pictures, i think i personally rule out as just that, inconsistencies.

looking purely by value, ryuu's eyes are the darkest among the fragments, miwa in second, then izu, hatsutori, misumi. i included hair color too for some reason. i was most surprised that misumi has the lightest eyes. izu is weird because his eyes are more RED than anyone else. overall, there doesn't seem to be any pattern or correlation for why they're all different. my guess is that it's just a design thing. we say "pink" hair, but it's noted to be shades of magenta. so by the logic of design choice, it makes sense that miwa, who is a 60+ year old man who pretends to be 40 years younger and plays an anime boy for a living, has the pinkest hair (since it's cute). ryuu having a sort of muddy, ashy purple. hatsutori having probably the least blemished magenta since he's got an otherworldly cult leader sort of mood going on, etc.

my personal outlook on color variation for a while has been that not unlike a gemstone, there are different degrees of purity and such, and if you consider theodore the "purest", then the other fragments appearance suddenly start to make sense. something like this:

tho, idk if this has any basis in reality. it's just a funny thing i thought of... (yknow since fragments, rocks... etc)

as for eigha... his eyes are darker than ryuu's. i feel like that's consistent with someone wearing contacts over normal dark eyes. i do think this is a factor, because the contacts in miwa's bathroom are noted to be black, not brown. i think red would definitely look weird under brown contacts, since yknow that kind of thing does peek out a bit. someone would have clocked the deception pretty fast if they compared dita in the show and miwa out and about. of course it's a lot of show don't tell. you just find miwa's disguise in his bathroom. it's obvious the implication is "dita's look is what miwa actually looks like" but the vigilant might still consider other avenues. i'm lazy so i just go with the most obvious and probably intended implication. this is just an aside, but i honestly would have snapped, the fragments have lightly colored eyelashes and eyebrows, so on work days miwa would have to tint them to look darker going to the studio or whatever else, wipe it all off and get in dita costume, then put it back on to go back home, then go home and wipe it off again...

we don't know what either person who plays eigha looks like, but since it's the inverse situation... i guess it makes sense. (if shiyo really is actually a real harada, it'd be auburn dark red under there?!?!!?!! <-instant otaku death) he does have a sprite where his eyes are glowing, but since it's a 2.5D show i don't rule out special effects, post processing, etc.

since the game collaboration is based on the movie, i'm fully assuming it's shiyo, but there's really nothing saying it can't be taka...?? i have no idea!!! i think it's definitely shiyo though!!!

overall, i didn't observe anything abnormal about miwa compared to the other fragments, but i also have no idea why izu's eye color is so drastically different from misumi's. i expected them to be the same since it's misumi's fragment after all.

[dhirtek]

Transistor-Transistor Logic (TTL) Market | ADM, Chembio Diagnostics, GoldStar, Harris Corporation

Introduction:

The introduction to the report serves as a gateway into the comprehensive world of the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market. As industries continue to evolve and adapt to changing consumer demands and technological advancements, understanding the market dynamics becomes paramount for industry stakeholders. The report takes on the responsibility of offering a profound and all-encompassing analysis of the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market, catering to the needs of a diverse audience that includes manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and investors.

Scope and Purpose:

The report's primary goal is to provide invaluable insights that empower industry stakeholders to make informed decisions. Whether it's manufacturers seeking to refine their product offerings, suppliers strategizing their supply chain management, distributors gauging market trends, or investors evaluating potential opportunities, the report aims to be a comprehensive guide. It endeavors to illuminate the current status of the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market while projecting its future trends.

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Value to Industry Stakeholders:

Recognizing that knowledge is power, the report promises to deliver a wealth of information encompassing various aspects of the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market. By delving into the intricacies of market dynamics, competition, growth avenues, challenges, and regional variations, the report seeks to equip its readers with an arsenal of insights. This information is not merely descriptive; rather, it's intended to be actionable, aiding stakeholders in making critical decisions that can shape their strategies and endeavors in the market.

Promising Comprehensive Analysis:

To fulfill its promises, the report assures a comprehensive analysis that leaves no stone unturned. It pledges to unravel the factors propelling the market's growth, dissecting shifts in consumer preferences and technological breakthroughs that are driving the demand for transistor-transistor logic (ttl) products. Simultaneously, it acknowledges that challenges and obstacles are part of any industry landscape, and it vows to illuminate these hurdles, be it economic uncertainties or the intense competition that often characterizes such markets.

Guiding the Path Forward:

As the report extends an invitation to its readers to explore its contents, it sets the stage for uncovering the competitive landscape. It introduces the major players in the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market and their strategies, offering insights into what makes them thrive. This insight-rich analysis is meant to guide others on their path forward – whether it's to navigate the competition more effectively or to find inspiration in successful strategies.

Anticipation of Insights:

With an awareness that the market is not monolithic but rather a composition of various segments, the report pledges to provide a nuanced understanding of these segments. It promises to detail their sizes, potential growth trajectories, and key trends. This targeted knowledge assists stakeholders in carving out specialized strategies and ensuring optimal resource allocation.

Market Dynamics:

Factors Driving Market Growth: The section dedicated to the factors driving the growth of the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market provides a comprehensive overview of the key forces propelling its expansion. It delves into a multi-dimensional analysis that underscores the multifaceted nature of this growth. The following aspects are discussed in detail:

Changing Consumer Preferences: The report recognizes that consumer preferences are ever-evolving, influenced by shifting lifestyles, demographics, and societal trends. It highlights how transistor-transistor logic (ttl) products are witnessing increasing demand due to consumers' heightened awareness of environmental sustainability and their preference for more efficient and eco-friendly solutions. As consumers increasingly seek products that align with their values, the market experiences a surge in demand.

Technological Advancements: A prominent driver of market growth is technological progress. The report emphasizes how advancements in manufacturing processes, materials, and product designs are enhancing the appeal and performance of transistor-transistor logic (ttl) products. These innovations lead to improved product efficiency, durability, and functionality, thereby attracting both consumers and industry players.

Government Regulations and Initiatives: The report recognizes the influential role of governments in shaping the market landscape. It details how regulatory frameworks and initiatives that promote the adoption of sustainable and environmentally friendly products are fostering the growth of the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market. These regulations incentivize manufacturers, suppliers, and consumers to opt for transistor-transistor logic (ttl) products, driving their adoption and market penetration.

Potential Hindrances to Market Growth: In a balanced assessment, the report acknowledges that alongside growth drivers, there are potential impediments that can affect the trajectory of the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market's expansion. These include:

Economic Uncertainty: Economic fluctuations and uncertainties can impact consumer spending patterns and investment decisions. The report discusses how economic downturns or uncertainties may lead to cautious spending behavior, affecting the demand for non-essential products such as transistor-transistor logic (ttl) goods. This economic sensitivity can create fluctuations in market growth rates.

Supply Chain Disruptions: The global supply chain is subject to various risks, including natural disasters, geopolitical tensions, and pandemics. The report highlights how disruptions in the supply chain can lead to production delays, shortages, and increased costs. Such disruptions can hinder the consistent availability of transistor-transistor logic (ttl) products in the market.

Intense Market Competition: The report acknowledges that as the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market gains traction, competition among market players intensifies. It explores how the proliferation of products and companies in this sector can lead to price wars, reduced profit margins, and the need for innovative marketing and differentiation strategies to stand out.

Balancing Forces and Strategic Implications: By elucidating both the driving forces and potential obstacles, the report paints a holistic picture of the market dynamics. It enables industry stakeholders to navigate the competitive landscape with a deeper understanding of the forces at play. Manufacturers can align their innovation efforts with consumer preferences and regulatory trends, thereby enhancing their market position. Investors and decision-makers can be better prepared to address economic uncertainties and supply chain vulnerabilities. Overall, this section equips readers with insights to make strategic decisions that account for both growth opportunities and challenges in the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market.

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Exploring the Competitive Landscape:

The section dedicated to the competitive landscape of the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market offers an intricate exploration of the market's key players, their strategies, and their impact on the industry. This segment aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the market's dynamics, the role of major companies, and the strategies they employ to thrive. The analysis encompasses several critical aspects:

Major Players Introduction: The report begins by introducing the major companies that play a significant role in the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market. These players are identified as key influencers within the industry and are pivotal in shaping its direction. The inclusion of their profiles establishes a foundation for the subsequent analysis.

Business Strategies: The report delves into the business strategies adopted by these major players. It explores their approaches to market penetration, product development, marketing, distribution, and customer engagement. This insight offers readers an understanding of the distinct paths these companies take to secure their positions and expand their market shares.

Product Portfolios: Understanding the range of products offered by these major companies is essential in comprehending their market presence. The report delves into their product portfolios, highlighting the diversity and uniqueness of their offerings. This analysis provides a glimpse into the variety of options available to consumers and underscores how companies differentiate themselves.

Recent Trends and Innovations: The competitive landscape analysis is not static; it also captures the dynamism of the market. The report explores the recent trends and innovations introduced by these major players. It sheds light on how these companies continually adapt to changing consumer preferences, technological advancements, and emerging market demands.

Financial Performance: The financial aspect of these companies is a vital indicator of their market strength and sustainability. The report offers insights into the financial performance of major players, including revenue figures, profit margins, and growth trajectories. This information provides a quantitative perspective on the players' market impact and resilience.

Some of the major companies in the Transistor-Transistor Logic (TTL) market are as follows: ADM, Chembio Diagnostics, GoldStar, Harris Corporation, Infineon Technologies, Motorola, NXP Semiconductors, ON Semiconductor, Philips, Renesas Electronics, STMicroelectronics, Samsung, Texas Instruments

Strategies for Sustaining Position:

By presenting a holistic view of the competitive landscape, this section allows readers to glean insights into the strategies employed by major companies to maintain their positions:

Differentiation: Companies strive to differentiate themselves from their competitors. The report reveals how major players leverage unique product features, quality, branding, and customer experiences to set themselves apart in the market.

Innovation: Innovation is a cornerstone of success. By exploring recent trends and innovations, the report illustrates how companies continuously invest in research and development to stay ahead of the curve and meet evolving customer needs.

Market Penetration: Understanding the strategies for expanding market presence is crucial. The report discusses how companies approach entering new markets, expanding their customer base, and increasing their market share.

Adaptability: The competitive landscape is subject to change. Companies that exhibit adaptability in the face of shifting trends and challenges are more likely to sustain their positions. The report highlights how major players adjust their strategies in response to market dynamics.

Customer-Centric Approaches: Successful companies prioritize their customers. The report showcases how major players tailor their products and services to align with customer preferences, creating lasting relationships and fostering brand loyalty.

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In-Depth Market Segmentation Analysis:

The report dedicates a section to delve into the market segmentation of the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market, focusing on two specific segments named "Type" and "Application." This segmentation analysis serves as a critical framework for understanding the intricacies of the market's composition and potential. The following details are likely explored in this section:

Segment Characteristics: The report initiates the analysis by outlining the unique characteristics that define each segment. Whether these segments are categorized based on product types, customer demographics, use cases, or other distinguishing factors, the report provides a clear picture of how these segments are defined and differentiated.

Market Size: Understanding the size of each market segment is crucial for gauging its significance within the overall market landscape. The report likely provides quantitative data to illustrate the market share and contribution of "Type" and "Application" segments to the entire transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market. This information helps stakeholders appreciate the relative importance of each segment.

Growth Potential: Beyond current market size, the report delves into the growth potential of these segments. It explores factors such as emerging trends, consumer behaviors, technological advancements, and regulatory influences that could drive the future expansion of these segments. This forward-looking perspective aids stakeholders in identifying where the market's growth opportunities lie.

Key Trends: The analysis likely captures the key trends specific to each segment. Whether it's changing consumer preferences, evolving technology adoption, or shifting regulatory landscapes, the report provides insights into the forces shaping the behavior of "Type" and "Application." These trends inform stakeholders about the directions these segments might take in the coming years.

Strategic Insights: The segment analysis extends beyond descriptive data to offer strategic insights. By understanding the characteristics, potential, and trends of "Type" and "Application," industry participants can make informed decisions. Manufacturers can tailor their product development strategies to meet the demands of these segments, and marketers can create targeted campaigns to reach specific customer groups.

Resource Allocation: Effective resource allocation is a cornerstone of successful business strategies. Armed with knowledge about the characteristics and growth potential of each segment, stakeholders can allocate their resources – whether it's budget, manpower, or marketing efforts – in a more focused and efficient manner. This optimization is crucial for maximizing returns on investments.

Competitive Dynamics: The segment analysis also influences the competitive landscape discussion. Understanding the major players operating within each segment and their strategies provides insights into how companies compete within specific niches. This knowledge helps stakeholders identify where there might be gaps in the market or opportunities for differentiation.

Market Segmentation:

Type: Standard, Low Power Type, High-speed Type, Other

Application: Counter, Decoder, Encoder, Data Selector, Storage, Other

Strategic Decision-Making:

The comprehensive analysis of the "Type" and "Application" segments equips industry stakeholders with actionable insights:

Niche Strategies: Armed with a deep understanding of each segment's characteristics, stakeholders can craft specialized strategies to cater to the unique needs of "Type" and "Application" customers. This can involve tailored product offerings, marketing campaigns, and distribution approaches.

Growth Opportunities: The growth potential assessment informs strategic decisions. Stakeholders can identify which segment holds the most promise for expansion and investment, helping them prioritize their efforts and resources.

Mitigating Risks: Knowledge of key trends within each segment enables stakeholders to anticipate potential challenges and mitigate risks. They can proactively adapt to changing customer preferences, technological shifts, or regulatory changes.

Targeted Resource Allocation: With a clear picture of the market size and potential for each segment, stakeholders can allocate resources more effectively. This optimization enhances efficiency and increases the likelihood of achieving desired outcomes.

In sum, the segmentation analysis provides a roadmap for industry participants to navigate the diverse landscape of the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market. By examining "Type" and "Application" segments in detail, the report empowers stakeholders with the insights needed to make informed decisions, seize growth opportunities, and tailor their strategies for success.

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Exploring Regional Dynamics:

The section dedicated to the regional analysis of the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market provides a comprehensive exploration of how the market fares across different geographical areas. This analysis recognizes that markets are not homogenous and that regional variations can significantly impact market dynamics. The report delves into the intricacies of each region – North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa – to provide stakeholders with valuable insights. The analysis includes the following components:

Geographical Coverage: The report begins by outlining the regions under consideration: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Each of these regions represents a unique landscape with distinct economic, cultural, and regulatory characteristics that influence market behavior.

Sub-Regional Breakdown: Within each major region, the analysis likely provides a sub-regional breakdown. For instance, in Europe, the report might focus on countries like Germany, the U.K., France, Italy, and Spain. This detailed approach recognizes that even within larger regions, markets can differ significantly due to factors like language, culture, and consumer behavior.

Market Size and Growth Potential: The report quantifies the market size for each region and sub-region. This information provides a benchmark for understanding the relative significance of each market in the global context. Moreover, the analysis explores the growth potential of each region, considering factors such as economic growth, population trends, and market maturity.

Trends and Drivers: Regional trends and drivers play a pivotal role in shaping market behavior. The analysis delves into trends specific to each region, highlighting factors such as technological adoption rates, consumer preferences, and regulatory changes. These insights offer stakeholders a nuanced understanding of what is currently driving market dynamics.

Market Challenges: Recognizing that challenges vary by region, the report likely addresses obstacles specific to each geographical area. Regulatory complexities, economic constraints, and cultural nuances can all pose challenges that impact market entry and expansion strategies.

Competitive Landscape: Understanding the competitive dynamics within each region is crucial. The report may highlight major players operating in each region and their strategies. This insight helps stakeholders gauge the intensity of competition and assess the potential barriers to entry.

Culmination of Insights:

The conclusion of the report serves as the final crescendo in the symphony of insights, encapsulating the significance and value that the report brings to industry stakeholders. This section distills the entire report into a concise yet powerful message, reinforcing the key takeaways and underscoring the importance of the information presented.

Comprehensive and Practical Information: The conclusion reiterates the core objective of the report: to provide a comprehensive and practical resource for industry stakeholders. It emphasizes that the report goes beyond mere data collection and presents information in a way that is actionable and applicable to real-world business scenarios.

Insights into Market Dynamics: The report's value is highlighted by its ability to offer insights into the dynamic nature of the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market. From dissecting market trends to uncovering growth opportunities and potential risks, the report equips stakeholders with the understanding needed to navigate this ever-evolving landscape.

Informed Decision-Making: One of the central themes of the conclusion is how the report empowers stakeholders to make informed decisions. By offering a deep understanding of market trends, competitive dynamics, and potential challenges, the report serves as a guiding light in an environment often characterized by uncertainty.

Strategic Guidance: The conclusion underscores that the report isn't just a collection of facts; it's a strategic tool. It aids manufacturers in refining their product offerings, guides suppliers in optimizing their supply chain, assists distributors in capitalizing on market trends, and helps investors in evaluating potential opportunities.

Holistic Perspective: The conclusion highlights that the report provides a holistic perspective on the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market. It covers a range of critical aspects – from market dynamics to regional variations – ensuring that stakeholders have a comprehensive view that informs their decision-making.

Final Call to Action: The conclusion not only encapsulates the report's essence but also provides a call to action:

Informed Business Decisions: It urges readers to recognize the report's potential to transform their approach to business decisions. By absorbing the insights within, stakeholders are better equipped to navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and strategically position themselves in the market.

Continuous Adaptation: The conclusion suggests that success in the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market requires a commitment to continuous adaptation. The insights offered in the report are not static; they reflect the ever-changing landscape. The report encourages stakeholders to view it as a guide for ongoing adaptation and evolution.

A Blueprint for Success: Ultimately, the conclusion presents the report as a blueprint for success. By leveraging the knowledge and insights presented within its pages, industry stakeholders can chart a course that capitalizes on market trends, mitigates risks, and embraces growth opportunities.

Closing Thoughts:

In essence, the conclusion encapsulates the report's journey. It emphasizes the report's role as a strategic tool, a navigator, and a decision-making companion in the complex world of the transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market. The provided text not only outlines the structural elements of a market report but also captures its essence – to inform, guide, and empower stakeholders as they navigate the dynamic and ever-evolving transistor-transistor logic (ttl) market.

[noxxha]

Izuna’s Personality - the many possibilities

Uchiha Izuna is a blank canvas of a character. He barely made an appearance in the Manga, and the anime remains true to the source material - that is to say that little is done to flesh him out.

The only addition the anime made was giving us a fight between him and Tobirama (and it was a fight on the last of their powers judging by their exhaustion). While it is a pity that we were not shown Izuna’s Mangekyō abilities (missed opportunity), the exhaustion of his is at least a logical explanation as to why he did not use it by the end of the fight.

We at least get to see that he was (apparently is how I would interpret it) skilled in swordsmanship and that he knew the Katon: Gokakkyū no Jutsu, but the rest of his abilities remains a mystery.

He remains more a plot device (Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan) than a character.

Personality wise Izuna can be very similar to his brother, the complete opposite, or something in-between.

Or an absolute sweetheart

In the databook the following information is listed:

Izuna was Madara’s equal in abilities/power. He also accomplished a “great number of military achievements” according to the above. What those accomplishments are, exactly, remains unknown. That he was important to the Uchiha clan - probably both for his power and for his personality - could be one reason why Uchiha members defected to the Senju.

Both as shown in the Manga (as a child) and also above, he held Madara in high regard. He also trusted his older brother immensely. He offered, after all, their clan’s greatest treasure to his brother; and with it his faith (and confidence) that Madara could keep the Uchiha clan safe.

What we have to work with:

Harmonious/balanced

Self-sacrificing/devoted

In the anime - as a child - he appears to soften his voice around (especially) Madara (and even Tajima) as his voice was much more…cold when addressing Tobirama (for obvious reasons, but nevertheless) it is quite the contrast to Tobirama who appears to keep his tone of voice in check around their father (and in general really), while Izuna freely lets excitement be seen and heard even. There is an innocence there that probably got lost somewhere along the way of growing up.

So he is not as emotionally repressive as Tobirama. Which could indicate that there is a closer bond between the Uchiha family than the Senju family, or at least, a greater emotional honesty. The Senju siblings had to repress their feelings (at least, that was Butsuma’s wish…a wish Tobirama followed to the extreme), while the Uchiha siblings appear as if they are given more freedom to express themselves (Izuna’s disbelief and his excitement at seeing Madara’s Sharingan). Madara remains stoic and focused during the entire encounter at the river, for obvious reasons. He did not take kindly to nearly losing his brother in front of his eyes.

Now, the “harmonious” part of Izuna’s personality, is tricky to pin down. We saw too little about him for the “show don’t tell” rule to really apply to him.

At least if we think about “harmonious” in a particular - to even stereotypical - way.

“The definition of harmonious is things that go well together, or people and things that get along well. When you get along with someone and rarely fight, that is an example of a situation where you have a harmonious relationship.” (Yourdictionary.com)

If we use the above definition the harmonious part of Izuna’s personality could simply mean that he - in general - knew how to handle people, had a soothing aura, but that the one he got along best with, was his older brother - Madara. Who knows, perhaps they rarely fought? Being so in-tune with one another?

But we still do not know how he was around his clan, around Madara, when he was older, to say for certain that they were “one heart and one mind” type of duo.

According to dictionary.com the definition of harmonious is the following:

Adjective

1 marked by agreement in feeling, attitude, or action: a harmonious group

2 forming a pleasingly consistent whole: congruous: harmonious colors

3 pleasant to the ear; tuneful; melodious

This does not really mention how a human is when described as “harmonious”, besides the first one. Which pretty much states that you are in agreement in body, spirit and emotion/feeling…which does apply to Izuna. He is shown to be consistent in his behaviour and is not wishy washy. His opinion on the Senju does not change the little we see about him. Perhaps he was blinded by hatred, but so were the rest of the characters - even if said hatred was shown in different (and in more, or less, subtle ways).

Synonyms to harmonious (thesauruses.com)

Amicable

Balanced

Congenial

Coordinated

Cordial

Peaceful

Accordant

Adapted

We are getting somewhere, but I am still not satisfied with the answers I have found. I therefore looked into “peaceful” (as such was another word that was used to describe Izuna back in the day) to see if there was a better answer to be found with that word.

Adjective, peaceful (thefreedictionary)

1. Undisturbed by strife, turmoil, or disagreement; tranquil

2. Inclined or disposed to peace; peaceable

3. Not involving violence or employing force

Hmm…the first two could be possible descriptions, the third one…well…

The words calm and composed seem to describe Izuna rather well honestly. Even as a child, as well as an adult.

It could also just be that the “harmonic” part of Izuna was meant as him being a pleasant person to be around all in all. I can see him as someone kind, someone who went above and beyond to help and keep his clan safe.

Then again, despite going this far to make sense of this particular part of Izuna’s personality - there could be a more simple reason for some things not making complete sense, and that is that Kishimoto had not planned so far ahead when he wrote down Izuna’s personality traits. Perhaps he had a different plan in mind for the Manga? Perhaps he never expected having to write out the founding of Konoha - or perhaps he had a different idea in mind before he introduced the “Indra and Ashura” dynamic, and as such he had to backtrack and make Hashirama and Madara similar to Ashura, Indra, Naruto and Sasuke?

Who knows.

The official german translation goes as follows:

“Du ähnelst…Madara’s…kleinem Bruder, Uchiha Izuna.”

The official english translation is the following:

“…You’re a lot like…Madara’s…little brother, Uchiha Izuna.”

In my “Uchiha Izuna” comparison post I mentioned that the anime - while still vague - seems to imply that Sasuke and Izuna were alike in both appearance and personality (at least they could have been).

The german translation is vague. You can interpret however you wish here. Same with the english translation and the anime - honestly - and yet the anime…is a touch more concrete in a way. Considering the context. I’m rambling now, but I feel that the anime implies a strong (to stronger) likeness to Sasuke and Izuna being alike in personality. Hashirama does not know Izuna exactly, but that smile of his almost makes it seem as if he remembered something. Perhaps Izuna being similiar to the way Sasuke was in that scene? Considering that is what he says indirectly, it could therefore mean that Izuna was blunt and very “to the point” (with the Senju, it could have been different with other clans).

It is interesting to speculate what could have been.

Here Izuna showcases quite the arrogance (which comes back to haunt him just a split second later). It appears he was - rightfully - proud of his eyes and their power.

And while it does not really state who was the stronger of the two, a particular sentence from Madara (during chapter 661) stuck out to me while going through the chapter.

“It’s your M.O to strike an opponent just when he’s convinced of victory.”

And while this can mean any which battle, it could mean that Madara was remembering Tobirama striking down Izuna in particular. This could imply that Izuna had the upper hand, and could have made it out alive, had Tobirama not caught him off guard with his “hiraishingiri” technique.

But who knows, in the Manga we only got the very end of the fight. Izuna could very well have had the upper hand for a while, until Tobirama caught him off guard.

It says a lot that Tobirama had to invent a completely new jutsu to counter Izuna and his Sharingan/Mangekyō Sharingan.

Aww, he is definitely young here. He is leaned slightly sideways, as if he is looking past Madara to look at Hashirama (most likely), while in the anime his gaze seems to be directed at Madara’s back.

I can imagine that Izuna was empathic - but his empathy was only really extended to his clan. Perhaps to an allied clan or two (if such arrangements were made), but that is not to say that he was not someone kind. I can imagine that he was…and that he would have been kinder to more clans than only the Uchiha, had circumstances been different.

They lived in times of war, after all. Kindness and empathy has no place in war. At least not to their enemies.

One can accuse Izuna for being selfish - the moment he willingly accepts his death before joining hands with the Senju. But that does not take away from his peaceloving and harmonic nature. Humans are complex, never static or “one way or the other” - one can interpret the Naruto characters in a similar way if one so wishes. Izuna probably wanted peace as much as any other Uchiha, but he saw an alliance (between Uchiha and Senju) doomed to fail.

It can be seen as Izuna being against peace, but I do not see him as someone averse to peace as a whole - he was simply wary of the Senju clan, and of Hashirama in particular.

And that is another thing that does not take away from someone being peaceful. I cannot claim that we humans get along with everyone we meet, and that would be the same for the characters in the Narutoverse were they real.

Izuna simply looked out for his brother and the clan - the way a second-in-command should.

Even if Madara had accepted the ceasefire then and there, would it truly have lead to the peace Hashirama envisioned? Madara was not particularly clear-headed and could - theoretically - have agreed to any condition, Hashirama could have made, in his distress. Which would have invoked Izuna’s ire most likely.

It would not have been an agreement on equal footing and terms. It wasn’t even when Madara finally accepted Hashirama’s agreement.

Madara wanted to believe in Hashirama and their “pipe dream” (as much as he tried to deny it) - but Izuna did not have the same faith in the Senju clan.

Suspicion and fear also reared its ugly head, and can one blame him for such? Not really.

Being wounded by your archrival, being in pain and dying, and the leader of their nemesis dares to offer an alliance in that moment? Suspicious and hypocritical.

Everyone would be at fault - in one way or another - had the situation been real. Both Senju and Uchiha are as much victims as they are perpetrators of this vicious cycle of hatred.

While this is speculation, Izuna was probably quite the strong willed person. We do not know how the wound killed him, but it - most likely - got infected and caused him a slow, agonizing death.

He probably laid dying between days to perhaps a month at most.

Looking at the background during the skirmish it appears to be summer, and when Izuna passes away it is autumn. He probably had to cling to life for at least a few weeks…I can only imagine how painful such a situation must have been to both brothers. Imagine the agony of watching your most precious person waste away, watching him slowly die, while you can do nothing to save him.

It must have chafed at Izuna’s pride as a warrior as well, dying in such a “undignified” way. Honour has always been important to the Japanese, and I wonder how many can truly empathize with their way of thinking (“bushidō”) - and that you should kill yourself before bringing “shame” to your family name/yourself.

That’s…terrifying and tragic. And yet it is also quite sound…considering how valuable a hostage could be (or a corpse or two…).

It is while Izuna laid dying (we are only shown Madara’s anger after his passing - anime only scene at that) that he offered Madara his eyes. This, at the very least, implies his devoted nature. Like Obito, he gave up their clan’s treasure (Sharingan) so that his beloved older brother could look after one thing he, Izuna, held dear.

No matter who he might have been, we know one thing for certain, and that is that Izuna was devoted to the clan, to Madara, to the very end.

[sneezemonster15]

Can we trust databooks and chapter's covers? Did Kishimoto write them?

Like some databooks claim that Sasuke and Karin were in romance, Sakura used to have crush on Sasuke, Sakura filled Sasuke's lonely existence with love. On cover of chapter 363 it is mentioned that Sasuke left or threw away love and ss think it means he left/threw away his love for Sakura.

Haiyya.

No. Databooks, novels, games etc are not canon. NONE of them. Dot. Period. Kishi didn't write them. One of those few pages, where Kishi wrote Sasuke saying that the kiss tasted like miso, that apparently was written by Kishi and that was the reason it was written in first person. But honestly, you can go ahead and disregard that as well if you want. It seriously doesn't matter.

What matters is the story and the story only. Kishi personally wrote parts one and two, Boruto movie, Gaiden and those few extra chapters, one as a pretext for Road to ninja movie and the one where Naruto misses his hokage ceremony. And the one as a pretext to The Last where Kiba and his dog are the MCs. And a couple of pages where Naruto takes Hinata on a date.

Databooks are compiled by the editors. Why else would it talk about things that blatantly go against the story and the actual characterisation? Only people in the fandom, who want to go five steps deeper, have the time and patience to read the databooks. They are just extra material provided by SJ for fans as fanservice. It boosts publicity and keeps the fans interested. That's how any media business works. Just like novels and games which are merchandise. They are NOT canon and they are not to be taken seriously. When you read Harry Potter, what's canon for you? The actual books or the games based on them or the fanfiction based on them? You think the creator has the time to put that kind of effort and time that he already has a shortage of in derivatives of the original work? Kishi sometimes draws the covers of the novels or poster art etc, because he is under the contract by SJ. The novels have his name and the name of the actual writer of the novels written on the cover. Kishi's because he is the original creator of the characters. He has no participation in the actual stories.

He supervises Boruto, and he also was the creative story supervisor of The Last, where he said in an interview that he didn't write the romance bits of it, because he felt embarrassed to make two of his characters, that he thought of as his own children, kiss. Lol. He sure didn't feel embarrassed when he drew a naked Sai and Sasuke performing full on sexual foreplay in fucking canon. Also, Hinata's and Sakura's characters in it are pretty much in character.

But people who understand Kishi's writing know why he does the things that he does and says the things that he says. ALL of it pans out logically. A lot of it because he wrote a gay love story in a limiting genre such as shounen, which itself was a brave and risky thing to do, so he has to be careful about what he says in the interviews. And a lot of times, he just runs his mouth, and why won't he? He wrote such a great story diligently for fifteen fucking years and he can't even talk about it freely because of the limitations of this genre. He wanted to write something different, something that hasn't been done in shounen before, so he wrote a gay love story, which reads like it comes from such a deep and personal and emotional place, but he had to sacrifice other things for it. For example, the ending.

He says other stuff too in his interviews, the snarky stuff, that he says about Sakura and Hinata, tongue in cheek, because he is petty and he enjoys it and he also looks down upon people who aren't able to see his true intentions. Because of their own projection. And I don't mind it honestly. His hands were tied. So if this is the way for him to take his frustrations out, so be it. It's partly the reason he wrote Gaiden. He could have written it so differently, it was a new angle, he wrote new elements in it, but he chose not to. He decimated SS in it. Because he wanted to. Because he couldn't care less for SS. And he has never shown anything but disdain for Sakura's character consistently.

You know how he would feel for the SS stans? The same thing he felt and said for Sakura's seiyuu who was just so excited for Sarada's character, the result and reason for SS. Heh.

Mockery. It's pretty consistent too.

You can go ahead and stamp it up on your mind, only the original manga is canon. Plus few other things mentioned above. What Kishi wrote. Nothing else matters. Absolutely nothing.

As for chapter 363, this.

Guys. Do you really think Sasuke said this for Sakura? What does your understanding indicate?

With all due respect, I need to say this. You guys are just way too gullible. SS are one of the craziest and most delusional fandoms in the history of fandoms, so much so that, its own creator mocks it relentlessly.

Do you really think Sasuke means Sakura when Kishi talks about his love?? For real?

Who is Sasuke's one and only.....friend? Who is the ONLY one Sasuke needs to 'cut off' to be truly alone? Who became Sasuke's 'closest friend' which Sasuke himself said was very significant for him? Who is his 'Usuratonkachi' which is his word in Kishi's most favourite panel, a conclusive, final panel that he had already thought of years before the manga ended? Who is the person Sasuke protects and cares for at the cost of his own goals and ambitions, no matter how small the threat, and even almost died for without a second thought? Whom does his body move for on its own? Who is the person he shed happy tears for? Who is the person he resonated with, who related his loneliness with, and who felt warm and fuzzy for, who reminded him of his bonds with his family, his core motivation?

Now who is the person he apathetically attempted several times to get rid of in part two? Who is the person he called annoying and was utterly unimpressed with, who got called annoying by him consistently? Who was the person he said he had no reason to love and that person has no reason to love him? Who was the person he couldn't care less for and left to die in lava dimension but rescued Naruto even when he didn't need to be rescued? Who is the person he cannot even respect as a fighter, who is the person he can't even bother to answer the queries of? Who is the person he can't even bother to thank or apologize to properly? Who is the person he clearly said in reunion that he had already cut off his bonds with? Who is the person he doesn't see for 12 years? Who is the person he is never happy to see, who doesn't even smile for?

Also, what do you understand by love? What does love mean? What do you feel when you love someone?

Someone with whom you resonate deeply with, with whom you share your loneliness, whom you would give your life for and whom you would protect tooth and nail at the expense of your own life in order to sustain their goals and dreams, to have them live at the expense of your own ambition, someone whom you smile and laugh with, someone who makes you feel like family, warm and cared for?

OR

Someone who you show at best some friendliness but then at their lack of understanding and empathy makes it easy for you to cut off your bonds with? Someone whom you can't respect? Someone whose intelligence and instincts you can't trust? Someone whom you can't even take seriously?

Do you really need me to answer these questions? For real?

Do you really cannot see something as crystal clear as this? Would you really let yourself be manipulated by silly ass SS who Kishi himself made the laughingstock of the fandom? Why do you give them so much credit? Honestly, if this was some experimental cinema that you needed explaining, I would have done it. I do explain the more indirect parts of it anyway. But you seriously gotta be smarter than that guys.

SS have NOTHING except for their crazy ass delusions. Trust your instincts. Trust Kishi's writing. He is the freaking creator. Who would you believe, him, the one who wrote this story or SS who come up with crazy ass garbage bin metas? Give yourself some credit.

I have like sixty repetitive asks just on the topic of SS said this, SS said that, and you guys ask this to every SNS analysis blog there is. And they all pretty much say the same thing. And why wouldn't they? Because that's what Kishi meant you to read. It's hardly rocket science. It's so goddamn clear for everyone to see. But you guys are still so goddamn insecure.

Even casual fans can see it's about SNS and both SS and NH are last minute shit for the sake of Boruto. How?

Common fucking sense.

SS have to be delusional to believe in their ship because they literally have NOTHING else. And they say shit like this and you believe it willy nilly.

Forget SS. Read the manga for yourself. Make your own conclusions. I don't mind explaining stuff but I draw a line at spoonfeeding shit that is already clear as crystal. What do you want me to do? Teach you the alphabet? English? Words? Sentences? You want me to be your kindergarten teacher?

Seriously. Stop. Doubting. Yourselves. Kishi's story might be a little indirect but it's not incomprehensive. Really, it's not difficult. For the most part, it's pretty straightforward. For the rest, I am here and I would do my best to help you understand. Which I already do.

But put some effort yourselves. And for heaven's sake, don't be so gullible. Don't be so fucking EASY.

YOU, SNS, have EVERYTHING THAT MATTERS. Fuck NH, SS. NrSk, SK. They have nothing. And you have one of the best written love stories in the entire world.

And you are still so damn insecure, it's seriously ridiculous. Kishi put so much damn work in this love story, you apparently are in the fandom because of it, but you still doubt it. At the end of the day, it pretty much negates what Kishi himself wrote with so much damn effort. All because of- SS SaiD tHiS, Ss saID thAt. 😭

This is a love story about Sasuke and Naruto.

I have said it a million times already. Trust your instincts. That's how stories work. That's how they are written. Follow the story for the story's sake. Not for shipping. You are not in competition with ANYONE. No one can compete with SNS, how can they? The whole story is a love story about THEM! Unless that's all you care about. Competing. In which case, go to someone else. I am here to talk story and characters. I don't give any credit to NH and SS and you are only enabling them when you obsess over every little stupid thing they say. Stop it.

[lunyzare]

Thoughts on Izuna vs. Tobirama

As far as we know, we can assume Tobirama created the Hiraishin Jutsu to fight the Uchiha and balance out their natural battle advantage their Sharingan gave them.

However, I have to wonder – why did he first use it on Izuna (of all people)? He could have chosen any other Uchiha, but no, we are shown he chose to use it to defeat Izuna specifically.

The reason why I believe that Izuna was the first victim of this Jutsu is simple – Kishi could have chosen any other Jutsu Tobirama created at that time, as all of them were most likely created to better fight the Uchiha clan, however he chose this specific Jutsu, and thus he probably did so for a reason; to show not only how Izuna died, but also the origins of this famous Jutsu. The other reason I believe Izuna was most likely the first victim is also simple – both clans were constantly trying to best each other (we see the proof of that when both clans come up with the exact same idea at the river confrontation when Hashirama and Madara were young) – and I am quite convinced that (realistically), had Izuna seen the Hiraishin Jutsu before, he would have been (probably) more prepared, and would have expected Tobirama to try to use it.

The clearest evidence of my theory that Izuna really was the first person Tobirama used this Jutsu on, is Izuna's face right after he was hit by it, as both the question marks in the middle panel and his face in the right down panel show clear surpeise (although it could be argued he was just suprised by being injured in general).

So, coming back to my question: Why did Tobirama use this Jutsu on Izuna specifically? Why, again of all the Uchiha, did he choose Izuna?

According to the databooks, they were equals in power, however that likely wasn't the only reason.

Now, this is just me theorizing and it is more a realm of headcanons, however I just have to wonder if perhaps Izuna's Shinobi skills (he was regarded as one of the best among the Uchiha after all, and he was also, like Madara, the first of the two to awaken Mangekyo Sharingan) terrified Tobirama in some way. I simply believe there had to be a reason why Izuna was feared the same way Madara was – and I just have to wonder if Tobirama was, just hypothetically, scared of his abilities the way we were shown he was scared of Madara's. Izuna's position in the clan – him being the clan head – might have also played the role, for defeating him meant weakening the Uchiha (and especially Madara).

I also have to wonder (and this is again more in the realm of headcanons) how the situation would differ had Izuna's eyesight been completely intact. We can (logically) assume he was most likely using his powers (probably even Susanoo), and therefore he must have been affected by blindness too (it is quite ridiculous to assume Madara was the only one of the two suffering from it). So had Izuna's eyes worked properly, would he still be defeated? (Probably would, due to plot, but would it be the same?)

There is just so much information to be pondering about, and I am still sad we didn't get Madara's flashback where at least some questions could be answered.

[never-mess-with-the-uchihas]

Can you debunk this hater

Hey! I am really Sorry for the (really really) late answer. I really haven't checked my ask box in months. T - T

So, what's with this - "Listen Up Sakura fans!" - are we here for a gang fight or what ? 😂

1.

So, Who cares about WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED (which medic could have been where, if they could have been in this world instead of that, or if he was here, instead of there, and all those bullshits, we are not playing "what-ifs". What we care about is WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED in the series.

Because, If we go by his "what could have happened" logic, even I can say mega bullshits like - the Nine Tails could have been sealed inside Pakun, instead of Naruto, and the series could have been named as -

- because Naruto wasn't the only living being in the shinobi-world to seal Kyubi in, just like, Sakura wasn't the only medical ninja in Shinobi World, right?

And, People say that everyone would have died without Sakura, because she was a part of chain reaction in saving the world(just like Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, Obito, etc.). No one is simping her, this is just a simple logic.

And the reanimated people, and Sage of Six paths are already dead, so why is he even saying that "they won't die", is beyond me.

2.

"And we mainly hate Sakura because of her attitude like she was so rude t naruto in part 1 even if *naruto didn't irritate her at that time*. Others saved Sakura more than the times she saved them smh."

Having flaws and correcting them as you grow up, that's how real life works. If this person only wants "perfect flawless main characters", then he is really missing out on great characters, from great books, by great authors.

And, Sakura did save Naruto and Sasuke multiple times, like they saved her multiple times too - cuz this is what friends do. How is that a reason to hate her?

As for 3,3, and 4,

Yes, Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi, did all that, and EVEN MORE, and I love them a lot too.

But, Is he seriously comparing -

Uzumaki Naruto - the main protagonist of the show - on which the show is named after, from the prominent uzumaki clan, the reincarnation of a god, jinchuriki of the nine tailed beast, the child of prophecy -

- and -

Uchiha Sasuke - last and the strongest member of Uchiha clan, reincarnation of another god, holder of Sharingan, Mangekyou Sharingan, Eternal Mangekyou Sharinagan, and Rinnegan -

- with -

Haruno Sakura - who came from no prominent clan - has no prominent blood running through her veins - whose parents were nothing but mere genins, and work as mere civilians - who didn't have any Kyubi sealed inside her - who wasn't reincarnation of any god - who wasn't handed over any Sharingan by her friend - who was gifted with nothing but her chakra control and her brain - who had worked her ass off though years, to reach where she is

- just to downplay her?

She is still one of the strongest Shinobis of the series, and as of now, the strongest Kunoichi of the series(source: Naruto databook), who is recognised and acknowledged throughout the Shinobi World, by great Shinobis (Ex- hokages, present-hokage, Akatsuki member, Kazekage, and even the ones who's skills this person has listed).

Just because Sakura's combat skills(not her medical skills) were lower than TWO REINCARNATIONS OF GODS, doesn't mean that she was any lesser of a Shinobi.

5.

"Sakura did basically nothing in part 1."

Yup, So, It was Pakun who gave Naruto and Sasuke, a sense of having a family, Right?

It was Pakun who stayed awake all night, and fought the sound nins to bones, to protect Naruto and Sasuke in the forest of death, Right?

It was Pakun, who saved Sasuke from his darkness in the forest of death, Right?

It was Pakun, who stood infront of a tailed beast, armed with nothing but a Kunai to save Sasuke, Right?

People need to understand that physical strength or powers, or who had more no. of fights in the series, do not define the importance of a character in a story, but the way the character develops, and the way he/she influences those around her, that defines that character's importance.

Ever wondered why Sakura became one of the most important person in the lives of Naruto and Sasuke, if she did nothing but "Tortured Naruto", "Annoyed Sasuke", or "cried a lot", in the part-1?

"Helped defeat Sasori, only because Chiyo's help."

Umm...

The same way Naruto needed Jiraiya's help to know about Pein's real body, which was the only way to defeat him?

The same way Sasuke needed the powers from the absorbed Orochimaru within him, to go against Itachi?

The same way Sasuke needed Manda's help to protect himself from Deidara's C4 blast?

The same way the the 5 kages needed eachother's help to go against Madara?

The same way Sasuke and Naruto needed eachother's help to fight against Madara, Obito, and Otsutsuki members?

The same way Sasuke and Naruto needed Kakashi, and Sakura's help to defeat Kaguya?

So, What's fucking wrong with taking help?

Also, could Chiyo have defeated Sasori, without Sakura's help?

"...only because Sasori wantedly didn't dodge in the end."

Umm... Is this person trying to say that if the opponent gives up, after being defeated, it cannot be counted as a win ?

So, will he say that Naruto didnt defeat Nagato, because ultimately he killed himself after reviving everyone he killed?

So, will he say that Sasuke didn't defeat Danzo because ultimately he comitted suicide by blasting himself?

The double standards that people show, when it comes to Haruno Sakura, is really funny 😂.

As for the rest of the bullshit in part 5, about "HOW SAKURA BASICALLY DID NOTHING IN THE ENTIRE SERIES, YADA YADA VADA VADA", I have already talked about all those bullshits in my older posts. Repeating all that would be too tiresome 😂.

I mean just read these lines -

"...used some useless dialogues like her life..."

"...punched Kaguya only because Kaguya couldn't do anything else..."

(umm?? that's exactly the point of attacking from blindspot of byakugan?? 😂)

- who is gonna counter these bullshits?

My boys Naruto and Sasuke, are gonna blow him up, before he can even get this chance. Lmao.😂

I don't know who this person is, but he really needs a character developement - in real life.

[gakkubi]

Naruto lore and the timeline issue: When Trivia disturbs the story, AKA Why Yahiko was not 15 when he died -- the lore thesis™

(Pain - Chapter 436. Choji's description of Pain - Chapter 427. Yahiko - Chapter 511).

Hey everyone. I'm writing this because we all have been through that "I wonder what's the age of this adult charact-- wait it's a teenager?!" moment and, as recurring as it is in anime and manga, I don't believe this is the case with Yahiko. The 4th Databook states Yahiko as having died at 15, so I've gathered pieces of the manga itself to dispute this statement, or at least give basis for a different view that can be just as accepted as the Databook's one.

It's the story itself that gives us the information to make our own interpretation and understand what we're reading - when later trivia is added and conflicts with the story that was told, I believe we should have the freedom to choose the interpretation we prefer.

If you like Naruto meta, the Ame Orphans (+ Obito and Naruto), or simply enjoy looking at Kishimoto's art, this might be interesting for you. I hope you enjoy <3

First, before we dive into the story itself, let's start with something easy to analyze: Math! (lol).

Of the Databooks, I'll take only four informations available (which are consistent and logical):

1) Nagato and Konan are 35 in Shippuden; 2) Obito is 31 in Shippuden; 3) As of the Pain Arc, Naruto is 16. 4) Obito is 13 at the events of Kanabi Bridge.

From this, we have some facts:

Ame Orphans & Naruto: 35-16=19. The Ame Orphans were 19 years old when Naruto was born. Yahiko was already dead when Obito attacked Konoha, because according to Obito's flashbacks in Chapter 607, this happened after they encounter at the cave. By math alone, that means Yahiko was not older than 19 - but how younger was he?

Obito is key here. Obito most likely "dies" at age 13¹. He's saved by Madara, and spends and unknown amount of months in his care until he witnesses Rin's death. Somewhere between Rin's death and Naruto's birth, Obito meets the Ame Orphans. The only time constraint available is Kushina's pregnancy, because Kakashi took care of protecting her during those months. This means that (at least) around 9 months passed between Rin's death and Naruto's birth. I think assuming that about 1-2 years between Obito's "death" and Naruto's birth is a good time.² (1. I couldn't find the canon source of this info, but I suppose it's the average age; 2. This could be a lot more, depending on: how much time Obito spent during Madara's care - that is, how much time passed between Obito's "death" and Rin's death -, and how much time passed between Rin's death and the start of Kakashi's "special mission" of protecting Kushina). But moving on:

Ame Orphans & Obito: 35-31=4. The Ame Orphans are 4 years older than Obito. If Obito met them somewhere between his "death" and Naruto's birth, being 13-15, he met the Ame Orphans when they were 17-19. This places Yahiko's death between his 17-19 -- let's work with 18.

Yahiko being 15 in his age of death puts a stress on Obito's own timeline. If we respect the age gap between Obito and Nagato/Konan, then he was 11 when he "died", met Yahiko months after and then attacked Konoha at 12.

To respect Obito's age, two possibilities exist: either the databook has Yahiko's age incorrect, or Yahiko is 4 years younger than Nagato and Konan.

Now, this would mean that ~9 years old Nagato and Konan were following ~5 year old Yahiko and surviving on the judgement of a small child (who can't even read yet!) to guide them to find food and shelter during times of war.

I guess we all can agree this is... nope.

(It's worth mentioning that, in Akatsuki Hiden, Nagato speaks of the prospect of Konan and Yahiko having children - more especifically, he speaks of his desire to see the "family expand." Like the 4th Databook, Akatsuki Hiden is also "extended canon", but still, Nagato and Konan discussing the topic of pregnancy feels very differently when we see them as adults, and when we see them as 15 year olds. I have to wonder which one was the interpretation that Kishimoto and Shin Towada were looking for...).

--- So, using math, we can reach a conclusion:

Obito's age holds Yahiko's death age at 17 at least. His age correlated to Naruto's birth also holds Yahiko's age at 19 at most.

Honestly, this is already better than Yahiko dying at 15.

But is it good?

Or better yet, does it make sense story wise?

Now, let's look at the story as the readers we are:

Let's try to guess Yahiko's age as readers of the manga, who don't have acess to the databooks/narutopedia. That is...

...the audience to which Kishimoto was telling his story:

Here I'm repeating almost the same image from the start of the post, except these are all from the same arc - Pain's Assault.

In Ch.427, see Chōji describing Pain as 25-30, which fits not only our expectation that the Akatsuki's Leader is a grown man, but the fact that he was Jiraiya's student many years before Naruto himself. Pain is tall, and looks strong and mature.

When Yahiko appears in Ch.446, after Chōji's intel (the only age number we manga readers have), he doesn't seem younger.

The story presents no further direct plot points to imply Yahiko is younger than what Pain looks ("25-30").

I took this two images because they show, very well, how Pain and Yahiko have the exact same facial structure (they're the same person, after all...), and they were both drawings from the same arc -- which means we're respecting any possible later changes in art style consistency.

(I must note I do not consider the possibility of Yahiko's body aging due to Nagato's use, because 1) This possibility was never mentioned in Naruto lore -in fact, Jiraiya figures out the "Pains" are dead bodies because he can recognize the people he met at least 16 years earier, as they remain identical apart from Nagato's interventions; 2) The possibility of dead bodies ageing seems a bit of a stretch. Given how Kishimoto took the time to explain Izanagi and Izanami into detail, I have to believe he would have explained this, were that the case).

For the sake of argument, let's pretend Chōji never said anything. It is only one panel! Well... Fair enough.

Let's then compare "teenage Yahiko" to the most well-known teenage character we have: Naruto himself! Who is now 16 and rocking beautiful makeup.

Look, I won't pretend that Kishimoto has a 100% consistent style , 100% of the time (like any artist), and that the characters features never change - they do, even on panels which are side by side. "Zoom", story pace, importance of each panel all influence in how much he will give attention and detail considering his limited time to actually create the content as a mangaka.

But there are many ways to make characters look younger or older, facial structure being the easier to note, and most effective.

Pain's face is more mature than Naruto's; his head is longer, eyes are smaller, his jaw more pointy (both Naruto and Yahiko have strong jaws so maybe not very noticeable), and Pain's chin is much more forward. His face has already "finished" developing - Naruto still has more roundy features. His face is more of a square than a rectangle.

Younger Yahiko still has many of his own features - except his face is much shorter; his eyes, much bigger, his already strong jaw is much smoother. Konan, who shares his birthday, also has a shorter face, bigger eyes, rounder features.

They're teens. Teens like Naruto. Much younger than how Kishimoto draws Pain.

Or, perhaps, this is a better comparison. Let's take young bandaged Yahiko, young bandaged Naruto and older bandaged Yahiko (+ Konan) and see how they compare.

Naruto is 16 as of Chapter 455 (after Pain's Arc). He looks very much alike to Yahiko in this remarkably similar scene; we don't know when the Konan/Yahiko kiss happened - we only know it was after Jiraiya left and before they moved out from the Hideout to Amegakure.

We don't officialy know how old the Ame Orphans were when Jiraiya found them/left them (we only know that 3 years passed), so we don't have actual information to assume Yahiko and Konan's age at the time of their kiss. Visually, however, both Yahiko and Konan in Chapter 511 look very similar to Naruto in Chapter 455...

As readers, we are used to teenage Naruto's appeareance, so when we look at a young and similar Yahiko, it's logical to assume they're the same age, especially given how Kishimoto himself controls how he draws the characters.

Now, as readers reading the manga, let's look at Konan's flashbacks in her fight against Obito.

We hardly have any age/time information of the time between Jiraiya's departure and Yahiko's death. We have, however, many visual and storytelling cues that separate Chapters 509 and 511.

After Jiraiya's departure, various panels indicate passage of time, as well as show the characters growing visually older;

At the time of Konan and Yahiko's kiss (511), they would still wear their childhood robes, but the Akatsuki's coat makes it first appearence with Nagato standing by the door as the original YahiKona stan.

Panels after the kiss show the conflicts of war, as well as the organization growing bigger, indicating passage of time again;

Yahiko states the reason they need to "find a new Hideout" is that the Akatsuki is "too big" for Jiraiya's Hideout. It's unclear whether it functioned as headquarters and/or if the other members lived there;

When the Akatsuki officialy settles in Amegakure, more members are shown than in the previous panels (509);

Konan in chapter 509 also appears significantly older than her 511 teenage self;

It's also unclear how long the Akatsuki resided in Amegakure before Yahiko's death.

Chapter 446 (when Yahiko dies, which we as manga readers have already read), offers previous context we know for the Akatsuki:

Nagato states that the organization "grew famous overnight." It's important to consider that "growing famous overnight" is not a number, but a perception - the Akatsuki, a organization which wanted to bring peace to a war plagued country through nonviolent means, grew famous overnight in spite of the challanges. In my view, his affirmation speaks more of the Akatsuki's success than the actual time speed of its growth;

He explains that the reason why Hanzō¹ designed a trap to kill Yahiko/destroy the Akatsuki was because of his paranoia that the Akatsuki could "steal sovereignty over Amegakure from him";

One could also argue that Hanzō's paranoia amplified his perception of the Akatsuki's power -- but we must not forget that Nagato himself also spoke of the Akatsuki's rapid ascencion amidst the adversities of their goals.

This implies that both Yahiko and the Akatsuki were in posession of power/influence/success enough to pose as a threat;

Chapter 509, however, disputes that, showing the Akatsuki in trouble, losing members and struggling to bring peace to districts. In 509, Yahiko is not shown as a succesful person in position of power - he is stressed by the Akatsuki's situation;

Because of this information conflict, one could assume that there's a time gap between 509 and a more stable/powerful Akatsuki, shown in 446;

There's no indication of how much time separate Konan and Yahiko's argument in 509 and his death in 446. No canon information supports/disputes the ideia that it could be weeks, months or years², meaning that the plot gives room for Yahiko's Akatsuki to exist for years before his death without any contradictions.

(1. Keeping in mind that Danzō's deception [falsely accusing the Akatsuki of killing Rain shinobi] is an anime-only arc [p. 347]. In the manga, Nagato only says that Hanzō and Danzō allied because they could help each other with exchanged favours. In the anime, Danzō witnesses a glimpse of Nagato's power and considers it a threat to Konoha, which leads him to ally with Hanzō - in the manga, it's implied that the Akatsuki was a threat to Hanzō's control over Amegakure, not any member specific member despite the Leader [Yahiko, his "direct rival"], hence he allies Danzō [another power hungry man like himself, but with different ambitions]. The manga-only explanation better enhances the idea that Yahiko's Akatsuki had success/influence as an organization. / 2. For clarification, the argument scene in chapter 509 is most likely Yahiko's last appearance, chronologically, before his death in 446, since we don't know when exactly the Obito encounter in 607 takes place. It's often assumed Yahiko died soon after that 509 scene, but in manga-canon we have no evidence for that).

Phew, these were many plot points for an analysis that until now focused mainly on math and art...

How do these influence Yahiko not being 15, anyway!?

Because we, readers, matter. Our perceptions matter. Our view of the story we're reading matters. We meet the Ame Orphans, children who have nothing, and watch them grow into sucessful shinobi leading a revolutionary group!

It's only logical we assume building the Akatsuki would take time - it's only natural we assume Yahiko, Konan, Nagato are all adults... especially when they look like adults.

(Nagato, Konan and Yahiko as of Obito's flashbacks in Chapter 607).

Taking once again Obito for timeline reference, this is how Obito meets the Ame Orphans; Konan looks younger than she is Shippuden present events, but her features are still mature, her eyes much smaller and her face much longer than other characters like Sakura (I could have inserted an image of Sakura, but I think comparing Konan to herself leaning to kiss Yahiko in the previous images show the clear difference). Nagato looks identical to his "regenerated (adult) self" from Edo Tensei Arc. And Yahiko... Yahiko looks obviously like an adult. Long face, small eyes - and, yeah, this isn't the best Kishimoto has ever drawn him. It doesn't have to be.

The drawing is making the point it needs to make; the Ame Orphans were adults when Obito met them, and Yahiko was the Akatsuki's Leader as well as an obstacle in Obito's plan to manipulate Nagato. He wasn't just a kid who Obito could toss aside.

He was an adult who was followed by many who believed in his ideals, despite of not having any notable strenght or jutsu. Granted, Gaara was also a teenager and a Kazekage...

... but Yahiko was a nobody - being a nobody and a teenager and leading an organization like the Akatsuki? Databook and Chōji aside, this doesn't quite give "15 year old boy" vibes for us readers.

(It also feels kinda lame for 14 year old Obito to be called a "criminal and/or idiot" by another kid his age, so I also feel like it's better and more respectable for an Adult Who Has Seen Shit™ to be suspicious of him -- and the fact that he "beat" Yahiko, despite being so much younger, only makes him more badass).

(Various handsome man from various chapters I can't quite remember now).

This one is mostly because I love the Naruto manga, but since we're talking about hot men with strong jaws art, let's take the facial structures of Naruto, Obito and Yahiko.

Obito is 31 at Chapter 600, and Pain looks much more like him than he looks like Naruto - he "is" 25-30, after all. The scene were Yahiko looks at Konan being held hostage shows Yahiko with the exact same facial strucute of his Pain self - the exact same angled jaw, longer face, smaller eyes.

Notice how it's different from Naruto, who is a teenager with a strong jaw - especially because of the eye size. Obito has large eyes, but his face is a lot longer, more defined, more mature than Naruto's... and teenager Obito had even bigger eyes, so we can compare him to how he used to be, and see how he has grown.

(As a mangaka, Kishimoto tells his story through art and dialogue alike).

Art-wise, this is the grand finale; we have Yahiko at various stages in his life - a wonderful case study for understanding facial proportions in drawing. (References for drawing! Yay!)

First, child Yahiko, around ~9, when he met Jiraiya - an obvious child. Huge eye-to-face ratio (we almost ignore his eyebags), small chin, a jaw that is hinting it will be angled but is still smooth, pointy nose. Then we have teenage Yahiko, who has a longer face, more well defined hairline, a more angled jaw, a more forward positioned chin - but his eyes are still big, his nose still pointy.

And at last we have adult Yahiko and Pain - smaller eyes, a square jaw that goes fully down before going forward, ending with a strong chin. His lips are fuller and the nose bridge is more well defined. Both have line marks around the eyes, which are often used to indicate age (and sometimes stress/exhaustion). There are noticeable visual differences between the second and third drawings, which help to "enhance" the sense of time passage. The third and fourth drawings are virtually identical, saved for Pain's rinnegan/percing.

And if comparing Yahiko to himself isn't enough, let's do better:

We know Naruto is a teenager. How do him and Yahiko/Pain compare side by side? Do they look the same age?

(Arcs: Pain's Assault / Obito vs Konan).

First, during Pain's Assault - no. Pain is obviously older.

Longer face, angled jaw, smaller eyes. In here Naruto's rounder features due to his age are obvious. Kishimoto drew Pain with the very rational intention of him being older.

But what about Konan's vision of who she will be loyal to, in Chapter 511 (Obito vs Konan arc)?

Harder to compare because they're not in the same angle, but to me it's still the same. Yahiko looks just like in all the other times he appears in profile - longer face, pouty lips, defined nose, smaller eyes, angled jaw. Naruto has bigger eyes and a shorter face. Yahiko may not look as mature as Pain does, but he doesn't look as young as Naruto....

... Not before in the earlier comparisons, and not now, literally together in the same panel.

Conclusion:

Trivia is fun. I won't lie, I love looking at databooks and finding all sorts of information about characters. Birthdays, blood types, favourite foods, unknown hobbies. It's fun. It's awesome.

But when lore outside of the storytelling starts to disrupt this very storytelling, things get weird and, once two canon information diverge, we don't have to (and I dare to say we should not) accept only one was the Truth.

Especially if it disturbs our understanding of what the story itself is telling us.

I think I present enough information to show that Yahiko was never intended to be 15. The story itself makes me doubt that Kishimoto even planned for him to be 18, either - honestly, I do think somewhere around 20-24 would be fit better what he looks visually, especially if we consider what Kishimoto himself Chōji said.

(I realize that this would no be the first time Kishimoto made a decision and went back on it; in fact, it wouldn't even be the first time he changed his mind about Yahiko, even. In Chapter 509 Obito says he influenced Yahiko to create the Akatsuki... and this is never mentioned again. Lol. Well? At least Yahiko's adult appearence is consisent).

Timeline in Naruto is already confusing by itself - Kishimoto cared more about the smaller arcs making sense inside themselves than in the story as a whole, Yahiko's age is just one of various inconsistencies.

Which means that, if we free ourselves from Obito's age constraint, Yahiko could totally have died at 19 like math suggests, or at 25 like Chōji assumed, which would make Nagato/Konan +40 in Shippuden, and these possibilities are still logical and awesome.

I think what I mean is:

Do you want to go by the databook and consider Yahiko 15, regardless of what that means for Obito and Pain himself? By all means, do it. Do you want to take the age that makes most logical sense at place him at 19? By all means, do it!! Do you want to take the story as it looks visually and place him as +20? By all means, do it.

I just believe that there is worth in the story that is told, in the story that the readers follow and make interpretations of, and that no posterior retcon/trivia should disturb the real stars: the work itself and our feelings about it.

Thank you very much to those who read until the end! <3

.............PS:

I know I considered mostly manga information for this, but instead of "manga readers who never read the databooks/narutopedia", let us be "anime watchers without google" instead....

This is a scene from episode 348. Yahiko and the Akatsuki celebrate their new "alliance" with Hanzō.

As anime watchers only, what do we think is happening here?

Do we think they just ate a lot and drank a lot of juice, and happened to fall asleep seated awkwardly like that?

Or maybe, we don't think those empty glasses were filled with juice... the scene prior to this shows a screencap of the dinner leftovers and the glasses have a yellowish drink in them. Sometimes, sake is yellowish.

Granted, we don't know much about alcohol laws in the Naruto world. We know Lee did have access to some amount of alcohol (which he didn't process very well, hah), and we know drinking is one of the three shinobi vices (in Konoha at least)....

But this scene with Yahiko and the Akatsuki doesn't exactly pass me "teenagers celebrating" vibe to me. If we consider Yahiko is the only teenager there, it means a bunch of adults willingly chose to follow a dreamy 15 year old for free, since the Akatsuki has little to no money for not being paid for the missions (as Yahiko remarks, with a lot of concern, in this same episode).

The story is telling us something. Following the databooks is alright, of course, but I do believe that, after seeing a scene like this, it's also perfectly alright to believe Yahiko is an adult who is allowed to drink.

Once again, thank you for reading! :)

And never forget: Pain, Obito and Naruto are fucking hot.