In *Naruto*, opinions on certain characters were always highly polarized. This was true even before the revelation of Tobi's real identity. Take Itachi, for example. Some fans praised him, while others criticized him.
This is the same in Ren's world.
Fans who liked Itachi felt that he had no other choice. The village leaders already knew about the Uchiha clan's impending rebellion. Given the preparations, there was no way the village would allow the Uchiha to succeed. A failed coup would lead to chaos in the Leaf Village and the Land of Fire, inviting other nations to invade.
In their eyes, Itachi did the right thing by sacrificing his family for the greater good, prioritizing the village's stability over his own clan. Some even viewed Itachi as a tragic figure, caught between his duty to his village and his love for his family. He was doomed to be labeled a traitor no matter which side he chose—either betraying his clan or endangering his village.
On the other hand, many fans criticized Itachi. To them, Itachi's actions were unforgivable. In Chinese culture, there's a strong belief that one should honor their parents. Even if one isn't exceptionally filial, killing one's parents is considered unimaginable.
And beyond the question of patricide, what right did Itachi have to decide the fate of the entire clan?
What if some Uchiha members, like those who weren't involved in the planned coup, didn't deserve to die?
Critics argued that justifying Itachi's actions as being for the greater good was absurd. They saw him as a traitor who sold out his entire clan for his and his brother's survival.
For Ren, the debate over whether Itachi is a hero or a villain misses the point. Characters in fictional works often embody exaggerated elements of real issues, reconstructed and dramatized for storytelling.
Moreover, Ren had drawn *Naruto* for the sake of earning money from the Tenju Bank in Sakura.
Therefore, many Japanese cultural elements in the manga were not altered, as they might have been in other works Ren adapted.
While certain ideas might seem acceptable in Japanese culture, they might be considered utterly unforgivable in Chinese culture.
Ren personally admired Itachi, particularly for his strength and tactical prowess, but he didn't agree with the character's actions, especially the slaughter of his clan. If placed in Itachi's shoes, Ren believed he would likely side with his family.
Ultimately, whether praising a character excessively or condemning them, the fact remains that Itachi's portrayal deeply resonated with readers, prompting them to empathize with and contemplate his actions.
While fans were debating Itachi's morality, many turned their attention to *Cells at Work!*.
Ren's *Cells at Work!* only covered the first season, so with the conclusion of the *Sword Art Online* SAO arc, this series was also approaching its end.
In the latest chapter, Red Blood Cell finally became a seasoned veteran, even capable of training newcomers.
Unfortunately, the good times didn't last. The body's owner suffered a life-threatening injury.
White Blood Cell rushed to the scene, but the usual guards, the platelets, were nowhere to be found. Due to severe blood loss, many cells had been forced out of the body.
Seeing this, readers couldn't help but comment.
"This body's owner is so unlucky!"
"Right? There's always something going wrong—flu viruses, cancer cells, and now severe blood loss. What does this person even do for a living?"
"Take better care of yourself, idiot! The cute platelets and hardworking red blood cells are fighting for you!"
As the once sunny and bright environment turned into a winter wasteland resembling a nuclear winter, readers felt increasingly frustrated.
But as Red Blood Cell and her junior continued to transport oxygen despite the freezing cold, snow blocking their way, and their bodies numbing, the story suddenly felt more intense and inspiring.
Just when Red Blood Cell collapsed in the snow, leaving readers on edge, something unexpected happened.
Thousands of red blood cells appeared, leaving both Red Blood Cell and the readers stunned.
Given the massive blood loss, where had these cells come from?
The readers quickly figured it out.
If there was blood loss, then the body needed a transfusion!
These red blood cells were from a blood transfusion!
Sure enough, the comic then featured an educational section about blood donations, explaining that these new cells had been introduced through a transfusion.
"End of the series!"
"What? It's over already? There are so many more conditions to explore! Can the Porter draw a chapter on the effects of smoking and drinking on the body? Also, can you depict what happens in the body when a man gets, uh, excited?"
"Wow, that's asking a lot of the Porter. I can't imagine how he'd draw that."
Ren was taken aback by the readers' comments. This topic was actually covered in *Cells at Work! BLACK*, a spin-off series.
The readers' imagination didn't stop there.
Some even asked, seeing the scene of red blood cells being sucked up through a syringe:
"I didn't know that's how syringes worked. So every time I get a shot, does it take a piece of my flesh with it?"
"!!! No kidding!"
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