'Abandoned Hope' is also great. It focuses on Naruto's feelings of abandonment as a child. The fanfic paints a very sad picture of his early days, with him constantly longing for acceptance and love. It's a heart - wrenching read as it shows how Naruto's positive attitude is a mask for his deep - seated pain.
A Naruto fanfiction can be sad when it delves into the sacrifices Naruto has to make. He gives up so much of his personal life and relationships for the sake of the village and his friends. If a story highlights how he loses his close friends, like Sasuke in some darker interpretations, it can be extremely sad. Additionally, if it shows Naruto being misunderstood by the people he's trying to protect, that also adds a layer of sadness. For instance, if the villagers still don't trust him despite all his efforts, it can be a very tragic situation for Naruto.
One aspect of Naruto's sad childhood in fanfiction could be his loneliness. He was shunned by the villagers because of the Nine - Tails inside him. In many fanfictions, authors explore how he coped with this isolation, like finding solace in small acts of kindness from a few people, such as Iruka - sensei.
Unfulfilled dreams can also be a theme. Naruto has always dreamed of becoming Hokage to gain the respect and recognition of the village. If in a fanfiction, something prevents him from achieving this dream, like an unexpected injury or a political conspiracy, he would be extremely sad. He has put so much effort and hope into this dream, and to see it slip away would be a huge blow to him.
One great sad Peter Parker fanfiction is 'Alone in the Dark'. It delves deep into Peter's feelings of isolation after the death of a close friend. Another is 'Broken Webs' which focuses on his struggle with his identity when he's faced with a major setback in his life as Spider - Man.
One possible plot could be Naruto spending his birthday alone in his apartment. All his friends are out on a mission or too busy with their own lives. He looks at old pictures and回忆起 his lonely childhood birthdays, which makes him sad. He starts to question his place among his friends and whether he really matters to them.
Unrequited love is a common theme. Often, characters in the harem have feelings for Naruto that are not reciprocated, leading to sadness. Another theme is sacrifice. Some characters might sacrifice their own happiness for the sake of the group or Naruto, which is really sad.
The theme of hope against all odds is also present. Despite his sad childhood, Naruto in fanfiction always has that glimmer of hope that things will get better. He believes in himself and his future, even when no one else does, and this is something that fanfic authors like to emphasize.
There's a fanfiction called 'A Sad Ending for Naruto'. In this story, Naruto fails to save Sasuke in the end, and he has to live with the guilt and the loss. It's really heart - wrenching as it portrays Naruto's pain and despair. And 'Naruto's Solitary Sorrow' is also a sad one, where Naruto feels like he's truly alone even after achieving so much, as he realizes the cost of his journey has been too high in terms of relationships and personal losses.
Betrayal can also be a big theme. Maybe in fanfiction, Naruto is betrayed by someone he thought was a close friend, adding to his already heavy burden of sadness. This could be a new character or an existing one taking a different path in the story.