Ahhh… the big question, that seems to also tie into the topping/bottoming aspect of any proposed pairing between the two. Which one is ‘better’? I mean no offense to your personal prefence, but I would like to explain mine. In mindnumbing detail. -laugh- Sasuke… suffered, yes, and the event that caused the personality we define as his was witnessed in harsh detail by him as a child, so his “whinyness” is called for in part.
After the slaughter of his clan, he found himself alone in the world, without anyone to turn to for support. He also bears the psychological damage that such a massive betrayal (as far as he knew at the time) caused, which can be likened to another Naruto character, Sabaku no Gaara , whose uncle betrayed him and tried to kill him as a child. This gave him trust issues, as well as emotional scarring. As a defense mechanism, Sasuke shut down the majority of his emotions, or at least, tried to.
Hiding behind a blank mask, he refused to allow himself to become overly attached to others; in fear of both losing them, and of being betrayed again. Fixation on one goal, and considering little else gave him focus when he was in turmoil, and that narrow vision allowed him to break away from things that he might otherwise have held dear as they impeded his ‘mission’. Naruto, despite being just as alone in the beginning, always sought the attention of others, even if, as a child, this attention was negative.
This may have been due to his lack of understanding the reasoning behind his shunned existance within the village, but as these circumstances were revealed, he lost the belief in “any attention is good attention”, as one of his mentors, Iruka believed before him. Again, comparisons with Gaara arise, but only his situation as a young child- as Naruto aged, he gained friends that supported him, where Gaara found himself pushed further and further away from healthy forms of interaction.
Naruto, as a defense, forced himself into a state of optimism, and in my opinion, a type of apathy comparable with Sasuke. His ability to continue when he was discouraged, excluded and betrayed early on (Mizuki) gave us the impression that he did not allow the negative pressure of others affect him unduly. He did not give up. Indeed, he relished challenge, seeking to prove his worth to others. As with Sasuke, Naruto has a simple and solid goal; but unlike Sasuke, he believed in the importance of others as more than simple tools to get to the desired point.
Craving a “family”, which Sasuke may have lost, but Naruto never had, he seeks to befriend all who’ll have him, even going so far as to blatently proclaim Sasuke his “brother”. Though it is, at a glance, difficult to compare the two in this light, it is my opinion that Naruto has a distinct advantage in this category. Naruto, though slightly suspicious of some things, is a generally open person, and despite his inability to contain hinmself sometimes, has always sought the affection and support of others. He made friends, and he defended them with all he had.
Sasuke, despite his suffering, had the opportunity to open up to others, as did Naruto. Instead of taking the risk, he tried to shut himself away and deny the proffered support of the people around him. Admittedly, he has the right to do so, as his standing as one of the last remaining Uchihas gave him a prideful nature, and he went through a direct psychological trauma (Naruto’s, for the most part, was passive; he was ignored), but in the end, it was his choice, consciously or not, to become the untouchable “ice prince”.
Examine the aspect of attire however, and Sasuke is an instant preference of mine. Sasuke seems to prefer simplicity, though this may have also been to make the constant redrawing of his clothing easier on the artists. Plainness and function. Blue shirt, white shorts, and the same in black (Chuunin exam), headband worn correctly. Even in the Shippuuden, he wears a simple open white shirt and drab pants, the obi-like identification of loyalty to Orochimaru worn unobtrusively.
Despite his power, status and much heralded attractiveness, Sasuke does not flaunt himself in his clothing. He has a calm, relatively boring wardrobe. Naruto is all about attention. That is what his focus is. Loud, brash and emotional, Naruto’s personality shows through his clothing. A jumpsuit in an orange often described as “obnoxious”, clashing his both his blonde hair and slight tan, but offset by the blue of his shoes and headband, he wants people to look at him. Shippuuden Naruto has altered the blue to a solid black, but that lurid orange remains to catch our eye.
Though such gaudy manner of dress appeals to some, I find it a little overwhelming. Naruto already has those big blue eyes, the remarkable blonde hair and a backstory to have us conspiring for years after all the spoilers come out. His clothing is unecessary for his character to work, but he is given an overly extravagant outfit anyway. With the mention of Naruto’s blue eyes and blonde hair, the importance of the character’s base appearance becomes a plausible notion.
Sasuke’s “dark” personality is given a “dark”, but undeniably attractive appearance, and Naruto’s brightness is expressed with the impossible yellow of his hair and large, almost feminine eyes that can be described as anything from sapphire to baby blue, sparkling to vulnerable. Regardless, both have their critics and fanatics. On a personal level, I believe that they’ve been created in an overly obvious manner. The power of the script, personality and past of these two characters is overshadowed by their immediate appearance. Would they truly be different “people” if Sasuke had Naruto’s cornsilk hair, and Naruto his obsidian eyes?
Admittedly, character design is an important part of the entire anime, and though the two are some of the main characters, they are a little stereotypical for me to be completely content. But I digress. In the end, the pair are intriguing, but after careful consideration… Naruto wins my vote. Both characters are obvious in a manner, but Naruto’s inherent optimism and sense of righteousness overrules my love for the desperate, somewhat lost Sasuke. On one last note however, Naruto’s voice irritates me beyond belief, English or Japanese. -laugh-
