Is Haku a boy or a girl?

[zeratul]

There has on many a forum, and school been a long firey debate among naruto fans. I have now decided to bring the debate here. So what do you think? Is Haku a boy or a girl

[Madmal]

Well, he said he was a boy....

not really sure, though...

[Innis Cabal]

he is male.

[Abacab]

Boy... wasn't it mentioned in the manga? Didn't Naruto say, "You're that female from the forest!"

Haku was like, "I'm a boy." (or did Zabuza say ,"He's a boy"?)

And Naruto was like "What!?"

[Rama_Lei]

Haku is a guy. This has been established many times.

[Amotis]

Wiki says male too!

[Innis Cabal]

i really dont understand why there is an argument about this....he uses male form speech, Zabusa refers to him as a male, he refers to himself as a male....he is male

[J_Muller]

Boy. He just looks like a chick. Sort of like Amotis used to.

[Catch]

There's no debate. The manga and the anime both specifically state that Haku is male.

[Amotis]

My new awesome avatar is sorta feminine. http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e367/amotis/emot-colbert.gif

[Vaynor]

I thought you meant Haku from Spirited Away when I read the title..

[Da Beast]

Well, it's been said in the series that he's a boy several times. I think I'm going to go with male here.

[Akaziel]

Why ask the question? The answer is obvious.

[Ceska]

Haku's definatly a girl, just look at her.
You only say that to not sound homosexual because you have a crush on him.
Hush you stupid crow.

[Nevrmore]

"By the way...I'm a boy."

I don't know what forums you've gone to where they actually don't know Haku's gender, but they should probably be ashamed of themselves.

[TheEmerged]

Haku is also creepy as <long string of expletives>, at least for me. I pretty much can't rewatch the water series because of that.

I doubt I could take that arc seriously after "the abridged series" anyway. Mr. Poofy Pajama Pants for the win!

[FdL]

The reason *I* wouldn't rewatch/reread the "water series" is because it was so boring. I feel that for someone who's starting to watch the series this could be a potential point for dropping it. It was sooo full of emo-crap and cliched characters. A definite low for the series, the kind of which other series save for later :)

Haku is a boy. It was clear both in the manga and the anime. I didn't think it was to different to understand or subjected to individual opinion. :S
I think there are plenty more debatable examples of bishonen.

What is not so explicitly and clearly explained is the true nature of the relationship between Haku and Zabuza. :S But then again, it wasn't too interesting.

[zeratul]

The reason *I* wouldn't rewatch/reread the "water series" is because it was so boring. I feel that for someone who's starting to watch the series this could be a potential point for dropping it. It was sooo full of emo-crap and cliched characters. A definite low for the series, the kind of which other series save for later :)

Haku is a boy. It was clear both in the manga and the anime. I didn't think it was to different to understand or subjected to individual opinion. :S
I think there are plenty more debatable examples of bishonen.

What is not so explicitly and clearly explained is the true nature of the relationship between Haku and Zabuza. :S But then again, it wasn't too interesting.

......I liked the water series. Zabuza was an awsome bad guy, although Gatto was the most generic of the generic bad guys.

[FdL]

Oh, Zabuza was great by himself, the first part of this is pretty good...But after that it gets awfull.

[Rakeesh]

*shrug* The 'emo-crap' is one reason I prefer Naruto much more over, say, Dragon Ball Z, although it does share some flaws from DBZ of course. As for cliched characters...well, I dunno. The Zabuza-Haku relationship was actually pretty nuanced, and considerably more 'substantial' than I would say a cliche generally is. For an opening (or, at least, semi-opening) storyline, I would say that the water series does an excellent job of laying down a lot of roots for some of the main characters. Particularly for Naruto, it is from Haku that he learns what later becomes his single greatest strength, and the thing that propels him forward through...let's see, it's really 2/3+ of the entire storyline.

[TheEmerged]

Well, speaking for myself, part of the charm is the Dickensonian way the characters are inter-related. And yes, I'm from the school that wishes they could find a way to do more with the background characters.

On the other hand, the "daily" reruns on Cartoon Network have finally caught up to where I started watching so my Naruto overload is starting to trail off :D

[Rakeesh]

It's strange, but when I first saw Naruto, I saw it on Cartoon Network. I remember because I was traveling and in a hotel, it was for a marathon or something like two years ago. I watched like the first sixteen episodes or so. So, it was the dub.

By then I was thoroughly hooked, so later I went online and started watching the English sub version...and since then, I can't really describe why exactly, but the CN English dub is just horrible. It's kind of strange. It was fun and enjoyable before I watched the sub, and awful and horrible after I watched the sub. Even now, if I see my favorite episodes on CN, I can't go back and watch it.

[anphorus]

It's strange, but when I first saw Naruto, I saw it on Cartoon Network. I remember because I was traveling and in a hotel, it was for a marathon or something like two years ago. I watched like the first sixteen episodes or so. So, it was the dub.

By then I was thoroughly hooked, so later I went online and started watching the English sub version...and since then, I can't really describe why exactly, but the CN English dub is just horrible. It's kind of strange. It was fun and enjoyable before I watched the sub, and awful and horrible after I watched the sub. Even now, if I see my favorite episodes on CN, I can't go back and watch it.

This sort of thing happens quite often. I dunno what it is, maybe it's just because of a lack of cuts or the dialogue is synched up or whatever. Same thing happened to me with Dragonball Z.

Plus Orochimaru's japanese voice is amazing.

I really wish Littlekuriboh would release another episode, I just have to see some more children's card games. For me, the best line had to be:

"Attention Duelists! You guys are not Duelists!"

[FdL]

FYI the latin american spanish dub in CN is really good, in my opinion. I really enjoyed watching it in spanish. But then I got a whole bunch of chapters in japanese with subs.
Sakura's voice was really good, I like it better than the original, which I find sorta inexpressive and plain...

[bosssmiley]

There has on many a forum, and school been a long firey debate among naruto fans. I have now decided to bring the debate here. So what do you think? Is Haku a boy or a girl

neither, he is the shape-shifting master of darkness (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai_Jack#Aku). :smallwink:

[Mr. Moon]

Zabuza said he's a boy, Haku said he's a boy, and Kakashi said he's a boy.

That's really the same as having Kishimoto-sensie come out and say "Haku is a boy".

[Flabbicus]

Why do you refer to Haku as if he's more than one person in the polls?

As the others have said Haku is a boy and that is established in the comic, but it still didn't stop me from thinking he was a girl the first time I saw him.

*Plays Dude Looks Like A Lady*

[Koga]

Haku is a guy, but from behind you can pretend otherwise.:smallwink:

Instead of dude looks like a lady Haku reminds The Koga more of the song "Lola".

[Xian]

Haku's definatly a girl, just look at her.
You only say that to not sound homosexual because you have a crush on him.
Hush you stupid crow.
No, he's most definitely a boy.

[FdL]

"By the way...I'm a boy."

I don't know what forums you've gone to where they actually don't know Haku's gender, but they should probably be ashamed of themselves.

Yeah! I mean, come on, it's Naruto, it's not a highly intellectual, complex work of art. How can you not understand it is beyond my comprehension.
The very concept of a sexually ambiguous/"transgender" character is also something you should be familiar with if you're into anime. I've seen it everywhere, since the first anime series I got into, which was Sailor Moon.

[Nightmarenny]

Why ask the question? The answer is obvious.Not sure is a debate really its just one annoying little brat on Narutofan giving long lame explainations for why Haku "must" be a girl. With such stunning leaps of logic as....

1.The auther hsn't always been strait forward with us. Clearly this is a trick.
2.He kinda-sorta has tiny boobs in a baggy shirt
3.Haku and Zabazu are clearly in a relationship. They would never allow that on TV.

As far as I know its just one guy. Has the fool swayed others?


Edit-Ok, who's the wise guy that picked "girl".:smallwink:

[Koga]

Yeah but most of the time it's obvious. With Haku it wasn't so much.

[Ceska]

No, he's most definitely a boy.
I know. Do I care? No. He still looks more feminine than 50% of the female cast.

[Nightmarenny]

I know. Do I care? No. He still looks more feminine than 50% of the female cast.
To be fair at that time the magority of the cast was twelve.

[Koga]

To be fair at that time the magority of the cast was twelve.
The Koga's spider sense is tingeling. XP

[Ceska]

To be fair at that time the magority of the cast was twelve.
I'm more talking about Anko (still looks like a guy with boobs to me) or Ayuya (which was even worse in second form). Though Sasuske in second form still is the worst, first reaction "super awesome gender changing transformation move go!"

[Koga]

Sasuke always looked like a guy to The Koga.

Then again The Koga has a very atuned tool o' meter. And Sasuke makes it go beserker.

[Choas_Dragoon]

He's male. This shouldn't even be up for discussion.

[Piedmon_Sama]

I'm more talking about Anko (still looks like a guy with boobs to me) or Ayuya (which was even worse in second form). Though Sasuske in second form still is the worst, first reaction "super awesome gender changing transformation move go!"

The artist (I can't remember his name) has actually admitted his females kind of suck (in the early issues, at least.)

[Cubey]

The artist (I can't remember his name) has actually admitted his females kind of suck (in the early issues, at least.)

Actually, I seem to recall he admitted that when creating Sakura as a character, he wanted a girl who wouldn't be "cute". And voila, seems it worked!

Also, hands off Anko. She's awesome. Just like every Chuunin Exam examiner - Ibiki, Hayate (that was the sick guy's name, right?), they all rule.

[FdL]

The girls are feminine, most of them kinda cute too, even if it's not what the author draws best. Anko is among the sexiest.

About the already trite revision of the topic, it's *meant* to be ambiguous within the story. What's out of discussion is that Haku is a male.

[Rakeesh]

Ummm...I'm sorry, unless you think that meant for Haku's (and Zabuza's, I believe he said it too) statement, "I'm a boy," to be somehow ambiguous, I'm not sure if I follow your reasoning.

[Innis Cabal]

its called the Zabuza Arc btw...not the water what ever

[Mr. Mud]

She or He or... Haku is a guy- thing girl it she man i think kinda... Basically i ahve no idea

[FdL]

Ummm...I'm sorry, unless you think that meant for Haku's (and Zabuza's, I believe he said it too) statement, "I'm a boy," to be somehow ambiguous, I'm not sure if I follow your reasoning.

Ambiguous until he says it, of course. It's plain to see that he cultivates a sexually ambiguous look

BTW, someone said that this was done this way because it was a cartoon series. It's not, it's exactly like that in the original japanese manga and these type of characters and relationships among them are pretty usual in japanese media. It's a cultural thing. They could have censored it like they sometimes do, but in this case it wasn't necessary (ie, this very thread is proof that some people didn't get it, which only reinforces the fact that it's a cultural thing).

[Rakeesh]

Oh, OK. I get you now. I misunderstood when you meant the ambiguous label to apply:) Yes, it certainly was ambiguous up until it was stated.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Haku's definatly a girl, just look at her.
You only say that to not sound homosexual because you have a crush on him.
Hush you stupid crow.

>.> Well at least I ain't the only one then.

...And yes, hush stupid crow.

[swordmaster2000]

wait Haku is a guy?! wow!:smalleek: that is strange! Also this may be off topic but what time is Naruto on on Cartoon Network? I would really like to watch it.

[Innis Cabal]

dont, the anime is crap, get the manga

[Callos_DeTerran]

dont, the anime is crap, get the manga

The anime has its moments and not everyone can afford the manga.

Its on at 5:30 EST on weekdays and like...9:00 Pm on Saterday. Though the ones on Saterday are the new ones so its up to you if you want to watch those ones.

[Catch]

The anime has its moments and not everyone can afford the manga.

Its on at 5:30 EST on weekdays and like...9:00 Pm on Saterday. Though the ones on Saterday are the new ones so its up to you if you want to watch those ones.

No. The english dub will literally dissolve your face.

It's been fansubbed and you can find it pretty much anywhere on the internet, though this (http://www.naruto-kun.com/) seems to be the place.

[FdL]

dont, the anime is crap, get the manga

That's generally my advice, and a good one. But in this case I like the animation and the dimension color adds to this. I read the manga too and consider it to be the true series.

[Rakeesh]

While if I had to pick between the anime and the manga I'd pick the manga hands down, the anime does add some pretty good depth. For example, the soundtrack in my opinion is pretty damn good.

Boy, I was watching a bit of the Itachi-Sasuke episodes, bits of the one where Sasuke fails to murder his brother, and Itachi puts him through that day again, and it made me think, "Boy, the people that complain that Sasuke is 'emo', they must be like super-ultra-adamantium-tough! Because I'd sure be reduced to a whimpering heap if that happened to me!"

[Ceska]

BTW, someone said that this was done this way because it was a cartoon series. It's not, it's exactly like that in the original japanese manga and these type of characters and relationships among them are pretty usual in japanese media. It's a cultural thing. They could have censored it like they sometimes do, but in this case it wasn't necessary (ie, this very thread is proof that some people didn't get it, which only reinforces the fact that it's a cultural thing).
Well, they could still be in a sexual relationship, Haku being female or not.

Edit: Rakeesh: What annoys me about him is not that he was afraid but that he decided to weep over it for the rest of his life, abandoned his friends and deceived everybody just to kill his brother. That's overdoing it.

[Koga]

When you know someone who looks that good who cares about sexuality?! Give The Koga some of that! Rawr!

[doliemaster]

Just pointing out, the water series was the only part I could watch, and only because haku and zabuza rule and if anyone says I am emo, I HATE sasuke and I wish he would DIE.

[Rakeesh]

CSK,


Rakeesh: What annoys me about him is not that he was afraid but that he decided to weep over it for the rest of his life, abandoned his friends and deceived everybody just to kill his brother. That's overdoing it.

I understand what you're saying, but...this wasn't just an average killing, for one thing. This was Sasuke's older, idolized brother who systematically and for no clear reason at all wiped out all his family, all his friends (at least most of them, since I imagine the Uchihas, living in their own segregated section of Konoha, must've been insular), and then tortured him.

He also used his own special Sharingan on Sasuke to torture him, and you and I know the extraordinary powers of persuasion, hypnotism, domination, and fear that particular Sharingan can wield. He was eight, the only thing that would be unusual about his entire life being shaped and formed by the event was if it wasn't.

Who, exactly, did he deceive? I think it was like his twentieth spoken word in the entire series when he reveals that his only goal, his only committment, his only purpose was to murder his brother and revive his clan.

Now as for abandoning his friends, well, I'm with you there. Flat-out, stupidly and selfishly wrong, that's what Sasuke was when he did it. I can certainly understand him doing it though, and empathizing.

Just between you, me, and the playground, I blame the educational establishment of Konoha for this. Where was the therapy for Sasuke? Why wasn't he either pushed or forced to tell what Itachi had said after the mass murder? Why didn't anyone find out about what went on between the two of them and then say, "OK, we've got a serious problem here, it's obviousthis kid is going to do something stupid and reckless when he gets older. Maybe we need to, I dunno, foster him with another family? Make sure he's got friends right away? Promise him that he'll get the very best training we've got to offer, and all the help we can provide in killing Itachi?" etc. etc.

[FdL]

Well, they could still be in a sexual relationship, Haku being female or not.


Of course, that's what's actually implied here no matter how you look at it. An homosexual relation between an older man and a young boy who fulfills his role of servitude and submission. Which is nothing that is too alien to japanese culture or even to occidental culture (look at the greeks).

[Rakeesh]

Sure, it's possible...but there is zero evidence one way or another within the story. What purpose is there in speculating, then?

[Piedmon_Sama]

Seriously, can an adult male and a young boy not have a close mentor/pupil relationship without someone making a gay connection? It's nowhere implied in the manga. All Haku is is that Zabuza "gave him purpose," a line which could have come from the mouth of **** Grayson or Tim Drake, two of the boys to have filled the role of "Robin" in DC Comics.

[Tengu]

Well, Haku also mentioned that Zabuza had a beautiful body once...

Though truth to be told, I always imagined their relation as more of a "parent-child" one than a sexual one.

[FdL]

As I interpret it, it's got that side too.

I know that there's no explicit evidence for what I've said in the series. But I think it's precisely the fact that there isn't what makes it clear that it's something they don't want to or they cannot show. Don't you think so?


This is somehow related to rules of discourse that describe flaunting an implicit cooperative principle when in communication. I think this could be well applied to storytelling. One friend told me that he thinks anime & manga usually stick too close to showing only things that have a meaning for the main story (IIRC he used some variant of the term "nuclear", probably from his film studies). This is consistent with what I exposed.

[Rakeesh]

So you're saying that because Haku remarked that Zabuza had a beautiful body, that means that the lack of specific evidence of a sexual relationship between the two elsewhere in the series is evidence that there is such a realtionship?

[Nightmarenny]

dont, the anime is crap, get the mangaNo its not. The voices are not overdone. The dubbing is logical they rarly sidestep the word "kill" and blood is everywhere. Its not as clean as the manga but it aint the dubs fault.

[Rakeesh]

I don't dislike the English dubbing because of editing choices, I dislike it because the Japanese voices are much, much better in my opinion.

[Piedmon_Sama]

As I interpret it, it's got that side too.

I know that there's no explicit evidence for what I've said in the series. But I think it's precisely the fact that there isn't what makes it clear that it's something they don't want to or they cannot show. Don't you think so?


This is somehow related to rules of discourse that describe flaunting an implicit cooperative principle when in communication. I think this could be well applied to storytelling. One friend told me that he thinks anime & manga usually stick too close to showing only things that have a meaning for the main story (IIRC he used some variant of the term "nuclear", probably from his film studies). This is consistent with what I exposed.

Uhh... by that logic, any pair of fictional characters you care to mention could have unexpressed homosexual longings just seething beneath the surface.

[FdL]

No, what I mean is that the fact the true nature of their relationship is not explicitly explained is enough to suspect that there is reason to not explain it.

From what they DO say it's a fact that there's a relationship among them, something real and deep, but we're never told they're master and apprentice, or companions, or like brothers or anything. That's the basis for my theory, reinforced by the fact that Haku dresses like a woman.
Which is another thing that isn't explained, because when we see Haku as a child it wasn't like that.

Anyway, it's a theory of mine and you need not agree, of course :D Maybe I'm reading too much into it but it's the way I understand it, and besides analyzing the stuff you watch is always a good exercise.

[Rakeesh]

From what they DO say it's a fact that there's a relationship among them, something real and deep, but we're never told they're master and apprentice, or companions, or like brothers or anything. That's the basis for my theory, reinforced by the fact that Haku dresses like a woman.
Which is another thing that isn't explained, because when we see Haku as a child it wasn't like that.

But it was explicitly explained. Zabuza was the leader, and Haku was the tool for Zabuza's plans of domination and conquest. To Zabuza, by his own words and by Haku's own admission, he (Haku) was a living weapon, a powerful tool that Zabuza could use to further his plans. To Haku, he (Zabuza) was simply 'someone who needs me'. As I recall, we don't get any input one way or another on what Zabuza felt Haku thought of him as, or even if he cared at all.

As for Haku's style of dress, I think it could potentially be stretched to say that Haku was a transvestite...but that's a far leap from a D/s relationship between the two of them, I think.

I know I don't need to agree, I'm just discussing it :)

[Nightmarenny]

But it was explicitly explained. Zabuza was the leader, and Haku was the tool for Zabuza's plans of domination and conquest. To Zabuza, by his own words and by Haku's own admission, he (Haku) was a living weapon, a powerful tool that Zabuza could use to further his plans. To Haku, he (Zabuza) was simply 'someone who needs me'. As I recall, we don't get any input one way or another on what Zabuza felt Haku thought of him as, or even if he cared at all.

As for Haku's style of dress, I think it could potentially be stretched to say that Haku was a transvestite...but that's a far leap from a D/s relationship between the two of them, I think.

I know I don't need to agree, I'm just discussing it :)
You might recall Zabuza crying his eye's out going on a suicidal rampage and then asking to be layed by Haku, and telling that guy he worked with that Haku would deffently be going to heaven and he was happy for him.


......Yeah I don't think he cared.

[Alex Kidd]

Not to mention the whole

"let me see him, one more time."

That vision, the touching his face while lying on the ground. And the whole snow and light thing. Really that whole ending could have ripped right from a tragic romance novel. It may not have been acted on but those last scenes definitely pointed something past platonic.

Plus the crossdressing and beautiful body remarks.

Oh and BTW the question is poll is misworded, Haku's gender is effeminate male. His SEX is male.

[Setra]

No its not. The voices are not overdone. The dubbing is logical they rarly sidestep the word "kill" and blood is everywhere. Its not as clean as the manga but it aint the dubs fault.
Believe it!
Believe it!
Believe it!

That's 40% of the reason I dislike the dub, also, of the few episodes I've seen, they friggin edited out nosebleeds! I don't know why, but it completely urked me.

Plus, the cast just sounds silly in general.

At least if the Japanese cast sounds bad, I can't tell, but they do really seem to speak with more emotion (maybe because they're paid better/get more respect).

Though in the end I stopped watching Naruto, once you get past 50 Filler episodes in a row, I can't watch anymore, even though they finally continued with the story, I pretty much stopped watching it.

So in the end, not only do I dislike the voices, the anime itself is kind of meh. Read the manga.

Also, Haku says he is a boy, Zabuza refers to Haku as 'he', heck, earlier on, when they first saw him, even Naruto and Kakashi referred to him as male.

I doubt highly Haku is female.

[Haruspex]

Believe it!
Believe it!
Believe it!

That's 40% of the reason I dislike the dub, also, of the few episodes I've seen, they friggin edited out nosebleeds! I don't know why, but it completely urked me.



40%? For me it was more like 100%. Why did they have to add that phrase in anyway? I didn't see anything like that in the English manga. Overall, I found Naruto's English voice to be the most annoying. The others not so much, as it was nice to be able to watch the show without focusing on the bottom half of the screen.

On topic, I think Haku was a boy. Unless the translations I got were messed up big time, there's no doubt about it.

[Rakeesh]

I was actually talking about times up until before his death, Nightmarenny. Also remember that he didn't care, or at least say or give any hint about caring, until Naruto told him just what he meant to Haku, not including anything about a sexual relationship at all.

I guess this question comes down to other kinds of questions. If you believe that there was a homosexual relationship between other characters, such as Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes, or Frodo and Sam, etc., then you might be more likely to believe there was one between Zabuza and Haku, based on transvestite behavior and male-to-male affection.

[Ceska]

Who, exactly, did he deceive? I think it was like his twentieth spoken word in the entire series when he reveals that his only goal, his only committment, his only purpose was to murder his brother and revive his clan.
At first, Konoha. You know, the whole thing with going to one of the Sannin when you got two on your disposal right there was a bit overdone. Actually, while maybe displeased with it, they would have helped him fulfilling his goal. After all, Itachi is their enemy as well, having his younger brother kill him is a good thing to Konoha, be his reasons selfish or not.

Second, Orochimaru. I know, he's the bad guy. But just between you and me, killing your master after two years because he is too weak for you isn't any better than what Itachi did. It's not his murder on Orochimaru that annoys me, it's the reasons he does it for.


Also, my problem with Sasuke is not that he's depressed, or that he's sad about what happened. He very well may be all that. But it's that he is so god damn arrogant about it. He's doing like he's the only one in pain. Hello, half the cast has psychological problems! He acts like he has the worst life you can think of, while he doesn't. First off, everybody seems to respect him. Just look at the chuunin exams, there actually are people taking their day off to see him. He still feels alone, and I know how he feels. To be honest, I'm quite borderline depressive since quite some time, and I had very depressed moments. But he has to take the fact that there are people in worse situations. Take Gaara for example, he's got voices (or one) talking to him, he can't get hurt, feels inhuman, everybody fears or ignores him and his own father tried to kill him, not to talk about the monster inside him and the following sleep deprivation. And even Gaara got rather normal with effort and hard work on himself.

To sum it up, Sasuke is not wrong in his feelings, but his actions. He's, taken to an extreme, like Sakura seeing she is absolutely useless, and instead of getting a medical ninja and devote herself to something useful, runs off to the evil guy just to show them she can be strong. Also, he said something like "well, you can't know how it feels to lose your family, you never had one", which is not only very tactless, it's also weeping in his own pain. I mean, look at yourself. You had a great life for eight (I think it was eight?) years. Some people never had. Some were alone for their whole life, never getting to know the happiness you felt before. And now you complain about that, hurt your best friend and abandone those who do like you, and who do want to see you happy. That's why I dislike him. Not because he whines about something he may whine about. Not because he feels the way he does. Because he acts stupid, selfish and like an total tactless ass.


Just between you, me, and the playground, I blame the educational establishment of Konoha for this. Where was the therapy for Sasuke? Why wasn't he either pushed or forced to tell what Itachi had said after the mass murder? Why didn't anyone find out about what went on between the two of them and then say, "OK, we've got a serious problem here, it's obviousthis kid is going to do something stupid and reckless when he gets older. Maybe we need to, I dunno, foster him with another family? Make sure he's got friends right away? Promise him that he'll get the very best training we've got to offer, and all the help we can provide in killing Itachi?" etc. etc.
However, I agree with this notion. It seems to me Konoha somehow tries to breed psychologically instable but strong kids. They even ally with those.

[Setra]

40%? For me it was more like 100%. Why did they have to add that phrase in anyway? I didn't see anything like that in the English manga. Overall, I found Naruto's English voice to be the most annoying. The others not so much, as it was nice to be able to watch the show without focusing on the bottom half of the screen.

On topic, I think Haku was a boy. Unless the translations I got were messed up big time, there's no doubt about it.
If I am correct..

They translated 'dattebayo' as 'Believe it!'... I am fairly sure Naruto says 'dattebayo' very often.

I could be wrong.

[Alex Kidd]

I don't believe in any of the above. But you see, Watson never told Holmes he had a beautiful body and nothing had better ruin it while stroking him and Frodo never made Sam up so he looked like a girl. It was as explicitly done as a homosexual somewhat pedophilic(considering Haku was roughly the same age as Naruto and co he'd be 12-13, Zabuza is probably in his early to mid twenties twenties, becoming a genin ten ears earlier) relationship could be.

[Rakeesh]

Watson very frequently expressed admiration for Holmes's athletic and mental prowess, and lived with him unnecessarily for years. Frodo and Sam frequently hugged, and even on occassion kissed one another.

I think, judging by his height, it was pretty clear Haku was older than Naruto and Sasuke, putting him in the 14-15 range, I suspect. I don't know if it's down somewhere.

We don't know that Zabuza made up Haku to look like a girl. And no, it wasn't "as explicitly done as it could be", if it was done like that, Zabuza would have returned some of the affection before his death. As it is, all you've got is a cross-dressing teenager who says that the man he idolizes and centers his existence around has a beautiful body.

[FdL]

I don't think the comparison of Zabuza and Haku's relationship to that of Holmes & Watson or Frodo & Sam is an accurate one, for reasons others have told and more of my own.


If I am correct..

They translated 'dattebayo' as 'Believe it!'... I am fairly sure Naruto says 'dattebayo' very often.

I could be wrong.

Yes, really often and surprisingly in almost any mood. In spanish the translation for dattebayo is "de veras!", something closer to an reaffirming "really!".

IMHO anime english dubs tend to be quite bad. I'm not against dubs but they usually overact as if it was the case of cartoons (that might be the main problem). Surprisingly, I find that the spanish dubs I've seen are on par with the originals, the latin american dubs, that is. Especially the ones from Animax, but also CN.

[TheEmerged]

Boy, I was watching a bit of the Itachi-Sasuke episodes, bits of the one where Sasuke fails to murder his brother, and Itachi puts him through that day again, and it made me think, "Boy, the people that complain that Sasuke is 'emo', they must be like super-ultra-adamantium-tough! Because I'd sure be reduced to a whimpering heap if that happened to me!"

Rakeesh, try and remember that a lot of us have had little/no contact with the manga and formed our "Sasuke is teh emo" (sic) opinion well before the whole bit with Itachi is known. Even knowing this afterwards, some people continued to feel this way because they feel he reacted inappropriately. (the whole "leaving everyone I know and love now to chase after some loser I'm secretly planning to kill once I've learned all I can from him, when I have arguably better instructors at my disposal" thing)

Speaking for myself the first time I saw Sasuke conscious was at the start of his battle with Gaara in the arena, for example (an oddity of when I started watching the series and some of the episodes I missed). So I only developed the "Sasuke is teh emo" (sic) bit after they started rerunning the episodes daily -- and what I've "spoiled" from the manga hasn't really improved my opinion of him.

[Rakeesh]

Well you know, that's another funny thing about the Konoha leadership. See, Kakashi knew some of what was going through Sasuke's head re: Orochimaru and power. Also, as time passed, Orochimaru's contemporaries became available for information and even instruction. And finally, why didn't someone ever say to Sasuke, "Listen, kid, I'm not gonna lie to you. Orochimaru is strong. Very strong, and pretty smart too. But...y'know, that fight he had with the really old man? The guy with as many liverspots as he had wrinkles on his face? The affable, perverted, likeable old fellow? Even when Orochimaru had been planning for the fight with him for months at a minimum, even when he had pulled out all the stops, arranged the plan of battle to his own benefit, chose the battlefield, chose the time, chose his adversary, even then he only narrowly managed to defeat this very old man in the decline of his power. So narrowly, in fact, that he only barely avoided his own death in the process and as it was became horribly crippled and had to be rescued from the 'victory'. So. Maybe y'oughta rethink this apprenticeship to Orochimaru thing?"

I tell you, the old Hokage was great. But some parts of his brains sure did mysteriously get obliterated by Plot! ;)

[doliemaster]

I only friggin' watched the crap because of Haku and Zabuza, because they made me think that the characters I had seen in Kenshin, I.E oniwabanshu and Aoshi, but they die in less than what, nine episodes? The only other thing left to the series was the hope that, even though I knew it would never be cannon, for anko and orochimaru to hook up, they make such a cute couple.:smallsmile: .

[Haruspex]

If I am correct..

They translated 'dattebayo' as 'Believe it!'... I am fairly sure Naruto says 'dattebayo' very often.

I could be wrong.

If that is indeed the case, then that explains it. Might have to check out the subtitled episodes just to make sure, heh.

[Rakeesh]

I am totally sure he says that frequently in the anime :)

[Abacab]

He does say "dattebayo!" often but it's actually a made up word. It's supposed to mean something like "oh yeah!"