While I thought no one would read my comment and post, here you have posted your respond. Thanks!
The more I think about it, the more I get to realize that romance wasn't Kishimoto's cup of tea, but he was probably forced to add it by his editors, who were very careful and sensitive about the audience's response and ratings... In this respect manga industry is really choking (not allowing the authors publishing in major magazines reveal their own thoughts, but making them change the plot twists if the editors think that the audience wouldn't like them), there's not much real creativity in it: you just have to follow major canons, and that's it. Sometimes it feels pretty much the same with the audience (who are actually quite free to have their own thoughts and to disagree with the author, especially when they have some pretty solid arguments), but the major audience is afraid of any criticism as long as their needs are satisfied. And just like those editors make an author change their original plot just because it's not cliché enough, the audience tries to oppose any individual who doesn't agree with "they are wrong because their opinion is not popular" kind of logic (at least that's how it felt to me...). So I'm kind of glad if my commentary gave you the little boost you needed to express yourself in the open. (:
By the way my favourite female character in the whole series was Tenten, and I never shipped her with anyone (it was kind of revolutionary to find out someone shipped her with Neji...).
And Kakashi's cool, so I'm kind of glad he's still single (judging by other examples of "romance" given). In this respect, I'm kind of afraid there might be a "plot twist" about Gaara and his adoptive son... if you know what I mean. o_0
I wholeheartedly agree with you. I wish I could thumps up it
I doubted for a while whether I should speak up or not, but I just really love Naruto, that's why it's so hard to swallow it silently. I suggest that hardcore fans who do not tolerate other people's opinion when it differs from theirs to stop reading right here, in particular those who supported Naruto&Hinata. I am writing what I'm about to say not to persuade anyone about anything, but just to express my own thoughts and, which is prevailing, feelings and I don't need anyone to tell me that what I'm feeling is wrong, I'm just plain stupid etc. If you can appreciate someone's thoughts regardless of whether you share the same/similar feelings or not, then you are most welcome. If not, I believe I've made myself clear that I'm just expressing here what I cannot overcome on my own, that's all. I'm not seeking for answers, I already have them and the upset me. It's just a cry from the heart, very emotional, selfish, stubborn and lacking rational perception. It's okay if no one reads it till the end. It's okay if someone reads is and doesn't leave a comment. It's okay if someone reads it and responds in a neutral manner (e. g. 'it never bothered me', or 'nope, I just can't wrap myself around this way of thinking', or 'I'm lucky everything turned out to be the way I wanted' etc) without trying to prove me wrong and staff. Now, I've warned you, here we go.
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I don't know why exactly I fell in love with Naruto. I actually started with anime, and it plaid a great part in it. The first thing that enchanted me was the universe. I so liked the idea of life close to nature, of people nurturing their own powers instead of relying on technology (it didn't even bother me that technology existed and actually was present in the world, because it was never a big deal, so I didn't even notice or question why they had TV). And the second thing that enchanted me was Naruto himself. Stupid, mischievous, energetic, hot-headed, impatient, pretentious, doing things for show, exaggerating things, demanding other people's attention, a loser and a loner who doesn't like to be alone. It has always annoyed me to come across such archetypes in manga/anime. But then I looked at him a little closer, how sincere and straightforward he was, how adamant he was about what he believed in, how he never betrayed and never lied to himself and... I felt that I lost it. The very first episode, 24 minutes, was pretty much enough for that. Then I started watching it: 2nd season was still in progress so I switched to manga and kept both reading and watching for a while. Then after yet another series of fillers I switched to manga thinking to return to anime later, when it keeps up with manga a bit. And as I looked on, I realized that Naruto is a romantic utopia. Because (normally and logically) you can't just convince a fanatic such as Pain with just one conversation, no matter how passionate it was. But well, it's just the way Naruto is, and I gave in to this narutotherapy of his. And you know what? I even started enjoying it. I mean, who wouldn't want there to be no pain, or grief, or heat in the world? Who wouldn't want to stop wars with just a couple of correctly used words? Who wouldn't want to find inspiration in such a fool who really believes it's possible and proves it someone? I mean, even if we just follow the inner logic of Narutoverse, who in their right mind would ever promise to Kurama, the kyuubi, to lease him from his hatred? But it's Naruto, the boy who has always had those ideas since he was a kid. And slowly, one by one, he implemented all of them. Every single one of them, no matter how insignificant it seemed to be. His urge to return Sasuke has always seemed somewhat disturbingly wrong to me, I never thought Naruto understood Sasuke the way he claimed to, or Sasuke ever cared about anyone but himself (with the exception of Taka team later on, no matter how absurd it seems), but I couldn't deny the way Naruto felt... at a certain moment of time, to my very own surprise, I caught myself watching/reading the whole series from Naruto's perspective! I even thought I also became stupid to the same extent, I even hoped that I also became more honest with myself...
I reread chapter 458&459 before writing this, just to remind myself I'm not insane, to confirm that I wasn't hallucinating or delusional most of the time. Nope, doesn't seem so. The major objection I have here is that Naruto's way of ninja s to never give up no matter how childish his dreams seem to other people. That's the way Naruto is... I mean was, used to be until a certain point. To be honest, I could specify one point exactly, but it just felt all so wrong at the end. What's precious about human relationships (for me) are small gestures, exchange of words, facial expressions, hints, details that give a very precise picture and a solid feeling. Why bother 700 chapters and over 500 series + several OVAs + several films during 15 years to establish a strong bond between Naruto and his yet another childish dream Sakura to just ruin it in a flash? I mean, I wouldn't object if Naruto had always liked another girl (be it Hinata, or Ino, or Tenten, or whoever else, I could care less) - but from the VERY beginning and till the bitter END. It's true that I don't like Hinata's type of character, and Sakura (although far from a likeable girl to me) was sometimes annoying, but still managed to leave a more pleasant overall impression, and my personal taste is not the point here. The point is Naruto is beyond any logic or reason, he never, literally never listened to logic or reason, and that's what made him him. And it worked! I cannot find an appropriate explanation (except for that I also became a victim of narutotherapy), but it freaking worked! And the manga/anime showed how Sakura also started to change, very-very slowly, bit by bit, little by little, but started to change and blossom towards Naruto. Or so I was convinced. And then all of a sudden Naruto ends up with someone who is not Sakura, his childhood dream? Are you kidding me? He might as well give up on Sasuke or on becoming a hokage, duh.
And this is what makes me feel so betrayed, this is why it hurts so unbearably much. The Naruto who is no friend to logic and reason, who never gives up on his words or his dreams, never changes his grounds - gave up on one of his biggest childhood dreams, hooray! Such a beautiful soul turned out to be just another corrupted Colossus on clay feet... Such a shame, shame, shame. (c)