i lied, THIS is the last “in-progress naruto thoughts” post:
THOSE LAST SEVEN EPISODES HAD NO BUSINESS BEING SO WONDERFUL AFTER THE HELL THIS SHOW JUST PUT ME THROUGH. i’m so happy. i practically want to cry with relief; i’ve been so sad and down for the last two days feeling that my last moments of naruto were going to be something that i hated and that my last feelings about my first watch were going to be anger and disappointment, but THEY WEREN’T; the last arc came in from nowhere and hit me with the howling freight train of hope and joy that the actual ending of this show was supposed to have; and sure, it’s too bad that the real story will never have quite the ending it deserved, but this extra arc captured the spirit that the actual ending should have had; and that’s enough; i’ll take it; it’s enough for me that i was able to watch my last episode of naruto grinning from ear to ear.
this did EVERYTHING RIGHT.* the hopeful tone, the bittersweet feeling that things are changing and it’s a little sad but also good, the focus on ALL the different characters, the highlighting of ALL the relationships we learned to care about - THIS IS WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO FEEL LIKE.
i can’t even remember everything that made me smile or laugh or Feel something wonderful tonight. konohamaru making a congratulations video for naruto. kiba and akamaru tackling ino during team 10′s “congratulations” filming. iruka being offered the vice principal position but feeling like he wants to keep teaching students one-on-one. those three academy students who keep defacing the third hokage’s bust in the courtyard (HEROES!!!! GIVE THOSE KIDS A MEDAL RIGHT NOW!!!!) kakashi telling every single person who talks to him to stop calling him “lord.” the five kage having a peaceful, happy, friendly summit and going out to dinner together. team gai going absolutely bananas together like always and lee bouncing on gai’s bed and the number of times each member of the squad is like ‘neji would never tolerate this’ or ‘what would neji think,’ because he’s still such a present part of their lives. shikamaru losing it in panic when choji’s smugly says “we??? *i* already got a gift.” choji planning on using the third gift certificate for himself and being seated at a separate table XD XD XD XD. TEMARI AND SHIKAMARU. sakura and ino competing and fighting and reaffirming as always how close they actually are and how much they understand each other. the fact that sakura has finally learned how to make food pills that don’t taste like sewage. gaara and lee being friends and wandering the leaf village together. kankuro saying that naruto would like an extravagant wedding gift, while an image flashes of naruto and hinata up on this wild podium like a circus casino with flashing lights and confetti (kankuro clearly understands naruto better than anyone; i stand by this). killer bee planning a dance performance by the raikage for the wedding. kankuro wanting SO BADLY to see gaara dancing too. gaara deciding that he should honor naruto not as the kazekage, but as a friend. shino connecting with those academy kids and instinctively teaching them to appreciate and find wonder in things they were initially afraid of/grossed out by; him being so uncertain and afraid of what’s going to happen when team 8 disbands, before finally discovering the confidence to keep moving forward alongside them. “if you’re someone who’s living in the past, and can’t see the future, are you really living?” kiba’s relentless confidence, happiness, his aggressive friendship. iruka telling shino to consider a career in teaching. kakashi replying “oink oink” to tonton in the weariest, most Done With Everything voice possible. hinata asking kakashi where he’s going, and him literally responding “i’m going to take a nap.” kakashi sprawled flat on his back in the grass. iruka’s ongoing struggle to decide what to say to naruto and in what role to address him. everyone agreeing to work shifts so they can all go to the wedding and still cover the village’s staffing needs. kakashi refusing to accept a bad compromise. COME HELL OR HIGH WATER. “nobody leaves early, and nobody comes late!” NARUTO ASKING IRUKA TO COME TO THE WEDDING AS HIS FATHER. sakura receiving sasuke’s hawk with that one-word message: “congratulations.”
i’m going to CRY. i’m so happy. this was such an unexpected gift to receive. i really thought my days of enjoying new naruto episodes were over, but a miracle happened and i was able to end my first experience with this show on a high note. i watched those last credits roll while feeling nothing but love for this story, and that’s all i could ever ask for.