(no subject)

[splintered-soul.livejournal.com]

So, in my random goings around in the Naruto fandom I've noticed that a lot of people have pretty much changed their Team 7 to the Naruto-Kakashi-Sakura team since Sasuke's MIA. It made me wonder how many people really are into Sasuke.

I know a lot of people, including me, were considerably unhappy with Sasuke after the Sasuke-in-a-barrel arc. I never cared much for Sasuke through the series, and I found myself screaming at my computer screen like a lunatic. In my displeasure I found that a lot of people agreed with the anti-Sasuke sentiment. Which was one of the the reasons I went "huh?" when Sasuke beat Naruto at the popularity poll, making me hate him more.

Now however, I don't really hate him as much I just want Naruto to beat him into a bloody pulp and drag his half dead carcass back to Sakura so they can continue living their happy assassins-for-hire lives.

I was just wondering, now that all the flame from the Sasuke hating has died down, what people thought of him. Personally, I'm once again apathetic to his character, I just hope Naruto and Sakura can go on living decent lives with him like the old times.

Comments

[donna-c-punk.livejournal.com]

I used to utterly hate him, now I'm like you - apathetic. If he never came back, I wouldn't give a rat's ass. His brother's more interesting to me. And not in that "OMGHOT!" sort of way, either. I'd love to learn about the character. To hell with Sasuke.

[badfeeling.livejournal.com]

I sort of disliked Sasuke from the begining. He was a dick to Naruto & Sakura alot and everyone else still thought he was hot shit. I feel sorry for what he's gone through but he's Orochimaru's bitch now. D: I only want him to come back so Naruto & Sakura can live happily with that mofo, too.

[deidarachan.livejournal.com]

I ALWAYS liked Sasuke, and probably always will.

[superheroine]

My feelings are mixed - I mock the poor boy to hell and back, but I loosely remain in his fanbase. Just because he's popular doesn't mean he's well liked - I, personally, stopped loving him the moment he turned all twisted and dark. But I kept following him, merely because he interests me so much. His motifs, how he ticks, how he thinks and his relationships with those around him - those are what drive my feelings for him. He's an ass. He's a stupid, arrogant, power-hungry kid so bent on revenge he doesn't quite realize what he's doing to himself in the process. But? He remains so intriguing.

Perhaps his popularity doesn't come from how great a person he is, or how pretty he is (though that's doubtable) but because he's set up in such an interesting way. Though, considering how fandom works, I doubt it.

And I think the (ugh, I hate this term) "fallen angel" dark side to him attracts people. Has there ever been a case of dark evil that doesn't get some sort of fan following, no matter how small?

[heron-advocate.livejournal.com]

Never really liked him...hated him after Sasuke-in-a-barrel. Naruto > Sasuke

[jeeto.livejournal.com]

For me, it seemed like he was a jerk at the begining, but more in an immature pouty way, and frankly all of team 7 had their annoying moments in the begining. It seemed like he was getting much cooler throughout the exam.

Things started going downhill for him when Itachi showed up and he became so wangsty that I was glad he got stuck in a barrel so we didn't have to hear him whine anymore. I neither like nor dislike him, but I kind of hope they eventually get him back.

But really the minor characters are so much more fun.

[ashoka.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I hated Sasuke until the 'barrel arc.' Then he showed that he actually had some depth beyond the stereotypical emotionally-stunted, dark bishounen. His motives are hard to argue with and he's doing what he thinks is best.

Come on, he wants to avenge his mom and dad. That's a pretty fair goal, even if he's going about it badly - but you know, he's young.

[athelice.livejournal.com]

I don’t know, I’ve always appreciated what Sasuke’s character brings to the story of Naruto, especially AFTER his betrayal (and not the ‘OMG sasuke’s hawt’ sort of way) Kishi spent a lot of time building his character and made his switch to the “dark side” realistic. He’s one of the more three dimensional characters in the story, which is not surprising, considering how much the story focuses on him and his past. His internal conflict is interesting.
I know many ppl (all of my male friends in fact) hated him from the start without to much thought into it, and from all the sasuke bashings on the forums (‘OMG, so what his family’s all dead, what a damn whiney fag’…and much worse) he’s clearly not one of the popular characters here in North America. I think that’s partly because many people identify with Naruto(the underdog), so they’re naturally against Sasuke’s whole “I’m too cool for you” born genius attitude thing (him turning adversary didn’t help that much either). But then a friend of mine admit that he hated Sasuke cause of his huge fan(girl) base. Or those that just hated his betrayl. There’s a good forum post that I recommend that goes into Sasuke’s psyche and the reasons behind his betrayal. Good read.
Click here (http://forums.narutofan.com/showthread.php?t=1264&page=1&pp=20)
Without him, the whole friendship/betrayal thing that is much the highlight of the series would be gone, and I doubt I’d be as interested. Love him or hate him, gotta admit that he is one of the most talked-about character in the series though.

But making fun of Sasupants is fun indeed! ^__^

[superheroine]

Eee. Someone else using the nickname "Sasupants" XD I <3 you. Saaaaaaasupants!

[starry096.livejournal.com]

Sometimez he makes me want to laugh. He made me cry during the Wave-arc....

Most of the time I don't give a rats-ass about him. During the barrel-arc I was pretty angry at him, though.

[red-donkey.livejournal.com]

I never hated him. I loved him at first but after a while he just kind of went down on my list. But I never hated him and I still think he is pretty cool. Him leaving made me like him more though because that's when I understood why he was an ass.

[allherglory.livejournal.com]

He tends to have a few funny expressions, but otherwise comes off as an asshole in my book.


But he is teh HAWTEST ASSHOLE EVAR. ♥

[donna-c-punk.livejournal.com]

I rather liked that name he got saddled with before the time jump - Batsuke. You know, that popped into my head when I was watching Batman Begins.

[athelice.livejournal.com]

Alright, not that great of an AMV (and er, not mine) but even without watching Batman this convinced me of their similarities. Batsuke indeed!

http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members/members_videoinfo.php?v=78602

[athelice.livejournal.com]

LOL I <3 joo back! I can't remember why I chose to put Sasupants instead of some of his other nicknames like 'SasUKE, susgay (I meant these in the most loving way, of couse), saus-kay, etc etc. The other ones I can understand, but why Sasupants? Hooray for randomness! >:D

[dbnext.livejournal.com]

I think it may have something to do with the illicit response he gets. People either love him or hate him, both of which are very strong emotional reactions. I don't think any other character in the series gets such a strong response both negative and positive. :B

I personally used to hate him too. Because I was just seeing what he was doing, being an ass, betraying everyone etc. But then I analysed him a bit more and now all of a sudden....I like him XD He's a very complex character and without him the series would be a LOT more boring. And besides, you have to remember that i wasn't his intention to involve anyone when he left Konoha. He was just going to leave wihtout telling anyone and that would be the end of it, but then Naruto literally tried to force him back against his will. So....I can't really fairly hate him for that either. Because in the end he is doing it all because he loved his family.

[hikaruyuki.livejournal.com]

I actually really disliked Sasuke until..I don't know when. Maybe I hated him so much that I started to like him. Now I actually adore him (he's up there in my favorite characters list along with Kakashi and Iruka). I play as Sasuke at Rokudaime, do fanart of him, and other crazy stuff.

I actually think he's a very interesting character. I wasn't angry at him during the barrel-arc (if I was in his place, I probably would've done the same thing to gain power), and his whiny bitchyness is just something that comes along with your whole clan being massacred. And..not to mention that he was an adorable kid.

And I have a love for geniuses.

[ex-duelist.livejournal.com]

I was indifferent to him to start with and now I... remain indifferent to him.

Frankly, I think he's boring. His angst is too cliched to catch my interest, I guess.

But he's pretty. *shrug*

[donna-c-punk.livejournal.com]

His angst is too cliched to catch my interest, I guess.

No joke.

[shoudo.livejournal.com]

I've always had mixed feelings about him. When I first started watching this series, I didn't start from the beginning. I had come in when my brother and his friend were on eps. 20, so somewhere around the first exam or so. At the beginning (when I was having difficulties with names, lol) I had thought that the show revolved around Sasuke, so I sort of liked him, 'cause I saw him a lot, y'know? And then I was all like GET WITH SAKURA, and then that evolved into annoyingness. I guess, basically, I like him, but he irritates me. I mean, I know that he as a reason and all, but I think he's too emotionally attached on vengeance, so that kind of... ruins his I was hurt by my family, so I have excuses type of attitude he has going on.

I dunno, I have mixed emotions.

[lunarwhirl.livejournal.com]

I used to think, "Ah, he's ok..."
And then he got a superiority complex upgrade and ran off to Sound. And the WAY he did it... Ugh.
Now I'm pretty sure I hate him.

[xxeminaxx.livejournal.com]

I'm sure I DON'T hate him... he had his reasons... I guess ¬_¬

I hardly liked him to begin with, other then his looks, he pretty much sucked, Personality-wise and everything.

But he's not THAT bad of a character.

At least he's interesting to follow xD

My fandom for him won't die until he kills Naruto.

....

No, not like what happened before in ep.139-141(I think)

I'm pretty sure Sasuke was just trying to save Naruto... in his own demented, twisted way.

Though, I gotta say, I love Naruto ten times more then I do Sasuke.

But what confuses me the most, is why people label Naruto as the 'idiot'.

He's not an idiot to me at ALL, he's probably the strongest(mentally and physically) character in the show, hence, the show being named after him.

I'm sure Sasuke only won that popularity poll for his looks alone.

[sarinthesky.livejournal.com]

I'm a pro Sasuke for a number of reasons:

1. He makes the series more interesting, hell, the Sasuke/Naruto friends/rivals/enemies story is one of the main themes of the series (shadowing Orochimaru/Sannin etc)

2. He's great to make fun of

3. He's a well set up 'bad' guy that for me is believable, I can't say that in the same position I wouldn't do the same, much as I'd like to think I could be happiness and roses and well adjusted after seeing my older brother mass murder my clan and family and tell me I was worthless.

4. He isn't quite as bad as he thinks he is - without knowing why he took Haku's needles, he wanted to save Sakura, he couldn't kill Naruto.

5. Hell, I can't WAIT to see him and what's in store plot wise after the time jump

6. Doesn't every series need and Angsty Bishie Boi? ;P

[demonoflight.livejournal.com]

At first, I was indifferent to Sasuke. I mean, jeez, he's Sasuke, the dark, angsty, uber-talented bishounen. What's so interesting about that archetype?

And then I read the manga up to the Naruto and Sasuke battle. And I started hating him, but thinking that Chibi!Sasuke was the cutest thing in the entire world.

Now, after watching episodes 129-134 in the anime, I have this odd love-hate relationship with Sasuke. I think he sucks. Really, he's a fucked up little bastard if he is able to think of killing his best friend to advance himself. I hate that. But you know what? He decided not to. He was all 'fuck you, Itachi, I'm not going to be your stupid little puppet' and went... to Orochimaru. What a moron. But still, he didn't kill Naruto. And I don't care what everyone says, Sasuke is a wonderful character. His whole story is so very interesting, and his psyche intrigues me. And besides. Chibi!Sasuke? Still the cutest thing in the world, next to Chibi!Gaara.

Also, I started liking him more after my friends and I decided to mock Sasuke (it's all from love, we swear) and started an ongoing joke about Sasuke liking to eat babies. Nothing against babies, I'm serious, it's just a funny thing.

[killua]

I...adore Sasuke. Not half as much as Itachi, but much more than I like Naruto (that's a whole different explanation.) When Sasuke went with the Sound Four, I was happy because to me, it just seemed like something Sasuke would do. If Sasuke had decided to stay in Konoha and be all happilyeverafter I wouldn't have liked him nearly as much (anymore.)

If Sasuke comes back, I'll start reading the Naruto manga again. (Even though I'm tempted to start again purely for the Itachi!love and Sasori's (revealed) appearance.

And yes, the Japanese fanbase is rather interesting. Not nearly as much people hated him there than in the English fanbase (or other languages, anyway.)