SK appreciation post #1; 415 vs 662 - 667
Beyond Karin and Sasuke awakening new powers for each other, there are so many circumstantial (Kishi™) similarities between 415 and this batch of chapters that I never run out of things to love. I already briefly touched most on the Manifesto, but I thought it wouldn’t hurt to give it its own appreciation post.
Like, in both cases, Sasuke and Karin are the first ones to become aware of each other’s plight:
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And also the only ones whose thoughts and reactions to it Kishi continuously stresses and focuses on:
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And while this is happening: while Sasuke and Karin have only got minds for each other, remaining that way all throughout:
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Others are bringing their own respective well-being to attention. But neither Sasuke nor Karin pays them any heed, putting the other first:
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And the biggest similarity (IMHO) is that in both cases, as far as they knew, they were goners. Karin because the flames were supposed to be inextinguishable, and Sasuke because she couldn’t sense him at all and knew what the logical explanation to it was.
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So what I really like about this, is that in both cases it wasn’t only a matter of Sasuke and Karin being desperate to save each other (an effort which yields results that, in both cases, take all bystanders by surprise - yet another similarity between both happenings).
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Beyond that, it was a matter of Sasuke and Karin instinctively refusing to accept that the other might die. In chapter 415, Sasuke downright refuses to give up on Karin; and the same applies to Karin during 662-667. It is the strength of their feelings when faced with potentially losing each other that awakens their new powers.
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So, basically, in both instances, Kishi made sure that:
- The focus of potentially losing Karin / Sasuke is entirely on Sasuke and Karin respectively.
- He has no other character reacting even remotely as strongly to said potential loss. So the emotional impact of the scene relies entirely on them.
- But said other characters are there to a ) bring to our attention that Sasuke and Karin are putting their own well-being in jeopardy and as such, prioritizing one another and b) That what they manage to do thanks to it is impressive.
- The circumstances that prompt the awakening of their powers are remarkably similar.
And it is in cases like these - where two scenes closely reflect each other as per Kishi’s usual writing formula - that one has to focus on Kishi’s writing intent above all.
Because I mean… we know how strongly Karin feels about Sasuke. So, what does this seem to say about the strength of Sasuke’s feelings for her?
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