Naruto 20 themes: 'cause you will hate yourself in the end

Bonus theme 3. Where the weather goes

In Mizu no Kuni, the weather seldom changes. Haku has lived in a world of swirling mist and scattered snows all his life, and when he finally has to leave there is no wind that he can follow. He walks towards the sunrise instead, every morning; it is better than walking towards the sun’s demise.

In Mizu no Kuni, it seldom stops raining, and the weak sunshine brings little warmth to Haku’s skin. There is something cruel and needle-sharp about rain; Haku has always felt safer in snow. Its blinding whiteness is a reassurance, hiding how distant the horizon is.




2. Void

The white blankness of her eyes hides nothing, voiceless, wordless as she is. The space between her fingers, the tips touching, the rest of the hand curled and nervous. Each second's pause between thought and speech counting off another condemnation.

You see through her and you think you understand, read her heart easily. ( You would have even if she did not wear it on her sleeve. ) Know how to grasp it in your fingers and squeeze, and read the negative space that her chakra leaves behind as it fades.

You think, this is valid, this if nothing else will count.




3. Monster

He can feel the markings as they crawl and writhe across him, like a tattoo on the inside of his skin. It should tickle, but it doesn't. In any case, the sudden chakra flow that accompanies it reduces any other sensation to a triviality.

( Nonetheless, he notices: it should hurt, and it does, though not as much as returning to normal. )

Later he thinks of the kyuubi, and wonders.

Much later he realises that he identifies with both Naruto and the power he has within him. He has the feeling that some of the reasons might be the wrong ones.




07. Nothing to lose

The truth is, it is about more than just hatred. Asking Sasuke to kill his best friend is not just a test of his will or a proof of strength; it is another way of keeping Sasuke on the path that Itachi has chosen for him. Hope is strong but hopelessness stronger, and if Sasuke can destroy his strongest bond with his own hands, he will have no more reasons to falter.

Itachi doesn’t believe that it will make enough of a difference, of course. Sasuke will fail. But he wants the eventual fight to have been worth the wait.




12. Strategy/tragedy

More important than seeing how a plan could work is seeing how it could fail. Shikamaru sees the possibilities everywhere now -- all the ways strategy could give way, all the things it could give way to -- whether at the end of a mission or the end of the cold season or the end of enough years of waiting. Even when he plays shogi, he finds himself taking longer and longer to decide on his moves.

“You don’t have to second-guess everything.” His father sounds almost amused.

“I know,” Shikamaru says, staring at the board. He still doesn’t make a move.