History Gush / Naruto

* ''Naruto'' is the reason to go into anime and manga in the first place. The Shonen-appropriate dark themes such as abandonment, loneliness/isolation, and simply being a crazy freak of nature (Orochimaru, for example) can click and lead to pursue horror and seinen titles like Berserk and Gantz. My tastes have matured beyond the typical "friendship always wins!" shonen that ''Naruto'' could be interpreted as, but that doesn't stop that from loving it. Love it for its flaws, its characters, the sheer possibilities that could happen in the universe. It isn't a coincidence that FF.net has thousands upon thousands of works for ''Naruto'', not to mention the crossovers.

* This show holds the title for some people as favorite anime of all time. It basically introduced some to anime in the first place. Some would even remember being very stereotyped against it before they got into it. Remember seeing commercials for it and thinking "WTF is this? People breathing fire? Why are there a dozen Naruto's? Why is that guy with the mask (Kakashi) walking on that tree? Stupid..." Then actually seeing it and being immediately hooked. This show has the best plot development and character development ever seen in an anime. Characters are not static, and there's the fact that the villains progress with the heroes, and it's not just the villain of the week. Don't know about the excessive {{Deus Ex Machina}} thats been going on lately, but one would still think that Kishi knows what he's doing. Not to mention that he doesn't go overboard on buffing everyone out like ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' or ''Manga/DragonBallZ'' or basically any anime out there. But most of all, this series has spawned perhaps the most epic fictional character in all of history....ITACHI.

** Naruto has some of the most endearing characters to be ever run across, so much so that one will continue to look forward to its weekly updates, regardless of quality.
** Not to mention some of the most distinctive-yet-cohesive character designs ever. You can instantly tell a Naruto character from any other kind of character and yet each one of the characters looks distinct.
** While the portrayal of women in ''Naruto'' is far from ideal, there's an appreciation of the varied body types (and personalities) of the female characters, and the fact that Kishimoto is more prone to sexualizing the males than the females (even if the males in question are in female form at the time).

** Naruto is one of the most popular anime/manga series to hate on right now, but one couldn't care less. Even after the general interest in anime and manga has significantly died down, it has never lost enthusiasm for Naruto. Never before have one could ever encounter such a lovable main character. From the overall story to the fight scenes to the side characters, everything is just excellent. The love for this series is going on strong, and now that the story is reaching its climax, it won't fail to disappoint. Even if it doesn't end the way one would hope it does, it could never bring one to dislike it, let alone hate it.
** Though he may not be nearly as fond of the series as he once was, there's no one denying that the first 16 volumes of Naruto are still some of the best quality Shonen comics to be ever seen. Naruto is what introduced many to manga/anime more than anything else and they still love many of the characters and themes presented in the early volumes. Truly it could've been the stuff of legends just like One Piece and FMA if Kishimoto remembered there were other characters and villages in his story. But alas. Definitely check out the Zabuza and Chunin Exams arcs.
* This show holds the title for some people as favorite anime of all time. It basically introduced some to anime in the first place. Some would even remember being very stereotyped against it before they got into it. Remember seeing commercials for it and thinking "WTF is this? People breathing fire? Why are there a dozen Naruto's? Why is that guy with the mask (Kakashi) walking on that tree? Stupid..." Then actually seeing it and being immediately hooked. This show has the best plot development and character development ever seen in an anime. Characters are not static, and there's the fact that the villains progress with the heroes, and it's not just the villain of the week. Don't know about the excessive {{Deus Ex Machina}} thats been going on lately, but one would still think that Kishi knows what he's doing. Not to mention that he doesn't go overboard on buffing everyone out like Manga/{{Bleach}} or Manga/DragonBallZ or basically any anime out there. But most of all, this series has spawned perhaps the most epic fictional character in all of history....ITACHI.
* ''Naruto'' is hilarious, not just because of funny moments, but the ever-so-controversial Kishimoto exploits those who take a Shonen too seriously while we sit back and enjoy the complex story and awesome action and unique twists per chapter, that is, if you actually pay attention. So while people fight over a manga, I'll let Kishimoto justify his controversies with post-revelation justification, something he is very good at doing in my opinion. This show's biggest flaws is it's masses of fanboys who act like this show's super-realistic, but other than that, go check it out! It has the most solid story of any manga ever seen and one will never die without seeing it through too the end.

%%* Naruto is a popular series and due to that there is a lot of hate for it. It has happened before, ''Anime/DragonballZ'' is a good example. But that is not to say Naruto doesn't have its flaws. But it will always be a very special anime/manga, probably because it really draw someone to anime and manga. When I first heard of the series on Toonami, I hated the idea of the series. But I decided to give it a try and thank god that I did(with the added bonus of killing what little social life I had) The first scene that I watched was Iruka's speech for Naruto and I was hooked after the gallons of tears I shed(none even remotely manly) The thing that made me love this series was the pure emotion it could pull. And Kishi is able to get tears when he wants it, rest in peace Jirayia. As the series evolved so did the characters, Naruto is a great example. When we first met Naruto, he was a stupid, bratty, weak kid to the now(chapter 642) Naruto has changed to a quick-witted, kind and ungodly powerful leader. One of the things that I love of this series is the battle tactics and how unpredictable it is. Seriously, raise your hands that you saw Tobi as the main villain or that we would feel [[spoiler:sorry for the NINE-TAILED FOX, or that its a tsundere]]. Admittedly the series does have problems with some plot points, but you have to give Kishi some slack, as he has to think of the details, how it works with the overall story and draw the damn thing every week.
* Naruto is the reason to go into anime and manga in the first place. The Shonen-appropriate dark themes such as abandonment, loneliness/isolation, and simply being a crazy freak of nature (Orochimaru, for example) can click and lead to pursue horror and seinen titles like Berserk and Gantz. My tastes have matured beyond the typical "friendship always wins!" shonen that Naruto could be interpreted as, but that doesn't stop that from loving it. Love it for its flaws, its characters, the sheer possibilities that could happen in the universe. It isn't a coincidence that FF.net has thousands upon thousands of works for Naruto, not to mention the crossovers.
* The new series Boruto is for me an example on how you make a sequel. Fun characters, good graphics, interesting interactions and a lot of new characters to give a breath of fresh air to the series. That and seeing the old characters we love as parents is priceless.

** Not to mention some of the most distinctive-yet-cohesive character designs ever. You can instantly tell a Naruto character from any other kind of character and yet each one of the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters looks distinct.

* The new series Boruto is for me an exemple on how you make a sequel. Fun characters, good graphics, interesting interactions and a lot of new characters to give a bresh of fresh air to the series. That and seeing the old characters we love as parents is priceless.

* This show holds the title for some people as favorite anime of all time. It basically introduced some to anime in the first place. Some would even remember being very stereotyped against it before they got into it. Remember seeing commercials for it and thinking "WTF is this? People breathing fire? Why are there a dozen Naruto's? Why is that guy with the mask (Kakashi) walking on that tree? Stupid..." Then actually seing it and was immediately hooked. This show has the best plot development and character development ever seen in an anime. Characters are not static, and there's the fact that the villains progress with the heroes, and it's not just the villain of the week. Don't know about the excessive {{Deus Ex Machina}} thats been going on lately, but one would still think that Kishi knows what he's doing. Not to mention that he doesn't go overboard on buffing everyone out like Manga/{{Bleach}} or Manga/DragonBallZ or basically any anime out there. But most of all, this series has spawned perhaps the most epic fictional character in all of history....ITACHI.

* ''Franchise/{{Naruto}}'', even with its gaping flaws and shonen cliches, will forever and always hold a special place in my heart. I ''love'' that [[TheScrappy annoying]], [[{{Keet}} adorable]] little bastard (and a fair amount of the other characters too).

** I think the plotline is woven in a way that makes you want to know what happens next with an absolute passion. Also, when looking closer, the characters are more complex than we realize and have the potential to be even better. And the newly discovered plot is amazing at surprising me.
** Naruto has some of the most endearing characters I've ever run across, so much so that I will continue to look forward to its weekly updates, regardless of quality.

** While the portrayal of women in ''Naruto'' is far from ideal, this troper appreciates the varied body types (and personalities) of the female characters, and the fact that Kishimoto is more prone to sexualizing the males than the females (even if the males in question are in female form at the time).
** Even though Kishimoto has the subtlety of a sledgehammer when it comes to hinting at future plot twists (I'm calling it now--Kakashi is totally not dead), I absolutely adore the way the world is set up. It's a crying shame the most interesting character don't get any development, though... I'm looking at you, Shino.
*** Despite the fact that my enthusiasm for the show has waned, I still think it holds a special place in my heart, simply because of the massive potential it had/has.
*** Ditto. The only reason I'm into manga at all is because my brother picked up a copy of Shonen Jump years back, and I happened to come across Naruto (specifically, the Zabuza arc, when they fought Zabuza for the first time). I was blown away, even though I barely understood what was going on. It's true that the series is intensely flawed, and frankly, I'm hoping it ends soon before it decays any further. But its premise, its fantastic, detailed universe, and its interesting characters gave it the potential to be the greatest series of all time (and indeed, if every arc was as good as the Zabuza arc, it would be).
** Naruto is one of the most popular anime/manga series to hate on right now, but I couldn't care less. Even after my general interest in anime and manga has significantly died down, I have never lost my enthusiasm for Naruto. Never before have I encountered such a lovable main character. From the overall story to the fight scenes to the side characters, everything is just excellent. My love for this series is going on 7 years strong, and now that the story is reaching its climax, I know it won't fail to disappoint. Even if it doesn't end the way I hope it does, I could never bring myself to dislike it, let alone hate it.
** Though he may not be nearly as fond of the series as he once was, this troper can't deny that the first 16 volumes of Naruto are still some of the best quality Shonen comics he's ever seen. Naruto is what introduced him to manga/anime more than anything else and he still loves many of the characters and themes presented in the early volumes. Truly it could've been the stuff of legends just like One Piece and FMA if Kishimoto remembered there were other characters and villages in his story. But alas. Definitely check out the Zabuza and Chunin Exams arcs.
* This show holds the title for my favorite anime of all time. It basically introduced me to anime in the first place. I remember being very stereotyped against it before i got into it. I remember seeing commercials for it and thinking "WTF is this? People breathing fire? Why are there a dozen Naruto's? Why is that guy with the mask (Kakashi) walking on that tree? Stupid..." Then i actually saw it and was immediately hooked. This show has the best plot development and character development i've seen in an anime. Characters are not static, and i like the fact that the villains progress with the heros, and it's not just the villain of the week. Don't know about the excessive {{Deus Ex Machina}} thats been going on lately, but i still think that Kishi knows what he's doing. Not to mention that he doesn't go overboard on buffing everyone out like Manga/{{Bleach}} or Manga/DragonBallZ or basically any anime out there. I hold this series in very high regard. But most of all, this series has spawned perhaps the most epic fictional character in all of history....ITACHI.
* ''Naruto'' is hilarious, not just because of funny moments, but the ever-so-controversial Kishimoto exploits those who take a Shonen too seriously while we sit back and enjoy the complex story and awesome action and unique twists per chapter, that is, if you actually pay attention. So while people fight over a manga, I'll let Kishimoto justify his controversies with post-revelation justification, something he is very good at doing in my opinion. This show's biggest flaws is it's masses of fanboys who act like this show's super-realistic, but other than that, go check it out! It has the most solid story of any manga I have ever seen and I will never die without seeing it through too the end.
* Naruto will always be the first proper anime/manga I got into, and I will love it forever for that. It's made me laugh and cry, and it's just been such a huge part of my life. I'll love it forever and ever <3
* I've seen most of the big-name animes out there and ''Naruto'' is by far my favorite. I agree 100% with the above troper who said that never before has there been such a lovable main character. ''Naruto'' has a way with perfectly crafting scenes that evoke such intense emotion that no other show I've watched period has achieved, in my opinion. I was a sobbing mess for literally the entirety of the Confronting the Jinchuriki arc, and even just ''thinking'' about the scene in which Naruto meets a certain someone brought tears to my eyes for weeks afterward. And whenever Naruto flashes that adorable smile with his eyes closed my heart just melts. I only discovered the show a few months ago so I didn't grow up with it like some other viewers, but even so it already has a special place in my heart. I desperately want to know how it ends, but I know I will also be very sad once it does.
* Naruto is a popular series and due to that there is a lot of hate for it. It has happened before, ''Anime/DragonballZ'' is a good example. But that is not to say Naruto doesn't have its flaws. But it will always be a very special anime/manga for me, probably because it really drew me to anime and manga. When I first heard of the series on Toonami, I hated the idea of the series. But I decided to give it a try and thank god that I did(with the added bonus of killing what little social life I had) The first scene that I watched was Iruka's speech for Naruto and I was hooked after the gallons of tears I shed(none even remotely manly) The thing that made me love this series was the pure emotion it could pull. And Kishi is able to get tears when he wants it, rest in peace Jirayia. As the series evolved so did the characters, Naruto is a great example. When we first met Naruto, he was a stupid, bratty, weak kid to the now(chapter 642) Naruto has changed to a quick-witted, kind and ungodly powerful leader. One of the things that I love of this series is the battle tactics and how unpredictable it is. Seriously, raise your hands that you saw Tobi as the main villain or that we would feel [[spoiler:sorry for the NINE-TAILED FOX, or that its a tsundere]]. Admittedly the series does have problems with some plot points, but you have to give Kishi some slack, as he has to think of the details, how it works with the overall story and draw the damn thing every week.
* Naruto is the reason that I got into anime and manga in the first place. The Shonen-appropriate dark themes such as abandonment, loneliness/isolation, and simply being a crazy freak of nature (Orochimaru, for example) clicked with me and led me to pursue horror and seinen titles like Berserk and Gantz. My tastes have matured beyond the typical "friendship always wins!" shonen that Naruto could be interpreted as, but that doesn't stop me from loving it. I love it for its flaws, its characters, the sheer possibilities that could happen in the universe. It isn't a coincidence that FF.net has thousands upon thousands of works for Naruto, not to mention the crossovers. To deny how much of an impact this series had on my personal growth as a person (since it was with me from middle school to college) and my taste in manga and anime would be to delete a very large aspect of who I am. I will never feel ashamed for liking Naruto, just like no one should ever feel ashamed for citing Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, or even Samurai Pizza Cats as their starting point for anime.
* Naruto is a series that does have problems, and I'll admit One Piece has surpassed it in my heart since I started getting the Funimation DVD's, but I can't really say I dislike it. My first truly successful fanfiction was a Naruto one, and I can't help but appreciate the general positive nature of Naruto. In an age where the 'ideal' series is something dark like ''Manga/HunterxHunter'', ''Madoka'', and even ''One Punch Man'' to some extent, it is nice to see a series where the heroes are good and positive goals can really change people.

* I've seen most of the big-name animes out there and ''{{Naruto}}'' is by far my favorite. I agree 100% with the above troper who said that never before has there been such a lovable main character. ''{{Naruto}}'' has a way with perfectly crafting scenes that evoke such intense emotion that no other show I've watched period has achieved, in my opinion. I was a sobbing mess for literally the entirety of the Confronting the Jinchuriki arc, and even just ''thinking'' about the scene in which Naruto meets a certain someone brought tears to my eyes for weeks afterward. And whenever Naruto flashes that adorable smile with his eyes closed my heart just melts. I only discovered the show a few months ago so I didn't grow up with it like some other viewers, but even so it already has a special place in my heart. I desperately want to know how it ends, but I know I will also be very sad once it does.

* ''{{Naruto}}'', even with its gaping flaws and shonen cliches, will forever and always hold a special place in my heart. I ''love'' that [[TheScrappy annoying]], [[{{Keet}} adorable]] little bastard (and a fair amount of the other characters too).

* This show holds the title for my favorite anime of all time. It basically introduced me to anime in the first place. I remember being very stereotyped against it before i got into it. I remember seeing commercials for it and thinking "WTF is this? People breathing fire? Why are there a dozen Naruto's? Why is that guy with the mask (Kakashi) walking on that tree? Stupid..." Then i actually saw it and was immediately hooked. This show has the best plot development and character development i've seen in an anime. Characters are not static, and i like the fact that the villains progress with the heros, and it's not just the villain of the week. Don't know about the excessive {{Deus Ex Machina}} thats been going on lately, but i still think that Kishi knows what he's doing. Not to mention that he doesn't go overboard on buffing everyone out like Manga/{{Bleach}} or {{Dragon Ball Z}} or basically any anime out there. I hold this series in very high regard. But most of all, this series has spawned perhaps the most epic fictional character in all of history....ITACHI.

* Naruto is a series that does have problems, and I'll admit One Piece has surpassed it in my heart since I started getting the Funimation DVD's, but I can't really say I dislike it. My first truly successful fanfiction was a Naruto one, and I can't help but appreciate the general positive nature of Naruto. In an age where the 'ideal' series is something dark like ''Manga/HunterxHunter'', ''Madoka'', and even ''One Punch Man'' to some extent, it is nice to see a series where the heroes are good and positive goals can really change people.

* Naruto is a series that does have problems, and I'll admit One Piece has surpassed it in my heart since I started getting the Funimation DVD's, but I can't really say I dislike it. My first truly successful fanfiction was a Naruto one, and I can't help but appreciate the general positive nature of Naruto. In an age where the 'ideal' series is something dark like HunterxHunter, Madoka, and even One Punch Man to some extent, it is nice to see a series where the heroes are good and positive goals can really change people.

* Naruto is the reason that I got into anime and manga in the first place. The Shonen-appropriate dark themes such as abandonment, loneliness/isolation, and simply being a crazy freak of nature (Orochimaru, for example) clicked with me and led me to pursue horror and seinen titles like Berserk and Gantz. My tastes have matured beyond the typical "friendship always wins!" shonen that Naruto could be interpreted as, but that doesn't stop me from loving it. I love it for its flaws, its characters, the sheer possibilities that could happen in the universe. It isn't a coincidence that FF.net has thousands upon thousands of works for Naruto, not to mention the crossovers. To deny how much of an impact this series had on my personal growth as a person (since it was with me from middle school to college) and my taste in manga and anime would be to delete a very large aspect of who I am. I will never feel ashamed for liking Naruto, just like no one should ever feel ashamed for citing Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, or even Samurai Pizza Cats as their starting point for anime.

* Naruto is a popular series and due to that there is a lot of hate for it. It has happened before, Dragonball Z is a good example. But that is not to say Naruto doesn't have its flaws. But it will always be a very special anime/manga for me, probably because it really drew me to anime and manga. When I first heard of the series on Toonami, I hated the idea of the series. But I decided to give it a try and thank god that I did(with the added bonus of killing what little social life I had) The first scene that I watched was Iruka's speech for Naruto and I was hooked after the gallons of tears I shed(none even remotely manly) The thing that made me love this series was the pure emotion it could pull. And Kishi is able to get tears when he wants it, rest in peace Jirayia. As the series evolved so did the characters, Naruto is a great example. When we first met Naruto, he was a stupid, bratty, weak kid to the now(chapter 642) Naruto has changed to a quick-witted, kind and ungodly powerful leader. One of the things that I love of this series is the battle tactics and how unpredictable it is. Seriously, raise your hands that you saw Tobi as the main villain or that we would feel [[spoiler:sorry for the NINE-TAILED FOX, or that its a tsundere]]. Admittedly the series does have problems with some plot points, but you have to give Kishi some slack, as he has to think of the details, how it works with the overall story and draw the damn thing every week.

* Naruto is a popular series and due to that there is a lot of hate for it. It has happened before, Dragonball Z is a good example. But that is not to say Naruto doesn't have its flaws. But it will always be a very special anime/manga for me, probably because it really drew me to anime and manga. When I first heard of the series on Toonami, I hated the idea of the series. But I decided to give it a try and thank god that I did(with the added bonus of killing what little social life I had) The first scene that I watched was Iruka's speech for Naruto and I was hooked after the gallons of tears I shed(none even remotely manly) The thing that made me love this series was the pure emotion it could pull. And Kishi is able to get tears when he wants it, rest in peace Jirayia. As the series evolved so did the characters, Naruto is a great example. When we first met Naruto, he was a stupid, bratty, weak kid to the now(chapter 642) Naruto has changed to a quick-witted, kind and ungodly powerful leader. One of the things that I love of this series is the battle tactics and how unpredictable it is. Seriously, raise your hands that you saw Tobi as the main villain or that we would feel [[spoiler:sorry for the NINE-TAILED FOX, or that its a tsundere]]. Admittedly the series does have problems with some plot points, but you have to give Kishi some slack, as he has to think of the details, how it works with the overall story and draw the damn thing every week.

* I've seen most of the big-name animes out there and ''{{Naruto}}'' is by far my favorite. I agree 100% with the above troper who said that never before has there been such a lovable main character. ''{{Naruto}}'' has a way with perfectly crafting scenes that evoke such intense emotion that no other show I've watched period has achieved, in my opinion. I was a sobbing mess for literally the entirety of the Confronting the Jinchuriki arc, and even just ''thinking'' about the scene in which Naruto meets a certain someone brought tears to my eyes for weeks afterward. And whenever Naruto flashes that adorable smile with his eyes closed my heart just melts. I only discovered the show a few months ago so I didn't grow up with it like some other viewers, but even so it already has a special place in my heart. I desperately want to know how it ends, but I know I will also be very sad once it does.

* I've seen most of the big-name animes out there and {{Naruto}} is by far my favorite. I agree 100% with the above troper who said that never before has there been such a lovable main character. {{Naruto}} has a way with perfectly crafting scenes that evoke such intense emotion that no other show I've watched period has achieved, in my opinion. I was a sobbing mess for literally the entirety of the Confronting the Jinchuriki arc, and even just ''thinking'' about the scene in which Naruto meets a certain someone brought tears to my eyes for weeks afterward. And whenever Naruto flashes that adorable smile with his eyes closed my heart just melts. I only discovered the show a few months ago so I didn't grow up with it like some other viewers, but even so it already has a special place in my heart. I desperately want to know how it ends, but I know I will also be very sad once it does.

* I admit that I'm not very familiar with most animes out there, but I've seen most of the big-name ones and {{Naruto}} is still by far my favorite. I agree 100% with the above troper who said that never before has there been such a lovable main character. {{Naruto}} has a way with perfectly crafting scenes that evoke such intense emotion that no other show I've watched period has achieved, in my opinion. I was a sobbing mess for literally the entirety of the Confronting the Jinchuriki arc, and even just ''thinking'' about the scene in which Naruto meets a certain someone brought tears to my eyes for weeks afterward. And whenever Naruto flashes that adorable smile with his eyes closed my heart just melts. I only discovered the show a few months ago so I didn't grow up with it like some other viewers, but even so it already has a special place in my heart. I desperately want to know how it ends, but I know I will also be very sad once it does.

* I admit that I'm not very familiar with most animes out there, but I've seen most of the big-name ones and {{Naruto}} is still by far my favorite. I agree 100% with the above troper who said that never before has there been such a lovable main character. {{Naruto}} has a way with perfectly crafting scenes that evoke such intense emotion that no other show I've watched period has achieved, in my opinion. I was a sobbing mess for literally the entirety of the Confronting the Jinchuriki arc, and even just ''thinking'' about the scene in which Naruto meets a certain someone brought tears to my eyes for weeks afterward. I only discovered the show a few months ago so I didn't grow up with it like some other viewers, but even so it already has a special place in my heart. I desperately want to know how it ends, but I know I will also be very sad once it does.

* I admit that I'm not very familiar with most animes out there, but I've seen most of the big-name ones and {{Naruto}} is still by far my favorite. I agree 100% with the above troper who said that never before has there been such a lovable main character. {{Naruto}} has a way with perfectly crafting scenes that evoke such intense emotion that no other show I've watched period has achieved, in my opinion. I was a sobbing mess for literally the entirety of the Confronting the Jinchuriki arc, and even just ''thinking'' about the scene in which Naruto meets a certain someone brought tears to my eyes for weeks afterward. I only discovered the show a few months ago so I didn't grow up with it like some other viewers, but even so it already has a special place in my heart. I desperately want to know how it ends, but I will also be very sad once it does.

* Naruto will always be the first proper anime/manga I got into, and I will love it forever for that. It's made me laugh and cry, and it's just been such a huge part of my life. I'll love it forever and ever <3

* ''Naruto'' is hilarious, not just because of funny moments, but the ever-so-controversial Kishimoto exploits those who take a Shonen too seriously while we sit back and enjoy the complex story and awesome action and unique twists per chapter, that is, if you actually pay attention. So while people fight over a manga, I'll let Kishimoto justify his controversies with post-revelation justification, something he is very good at doing in my opinion. This show's biggest flaws is it's masses of fanboys who act like this show's super-realistic, but other than that, go check it out! It has the most solid story of any manga I have ever seen and I will never die without seeing it through too the end.

* This show holds the title for my favorite anime of all time. It basically introduced me to anime in the first place. I remember being very stereotyped against it before i got into it. I remember seeing commercials for it and thinking "WTF is this? People breathing fire? Why are there a dozen Naruto's? Why is that guy with the mask (Kakashi) walking on that tree? Stupid..." Then i actually saw it and was immediately hooked. This show has the best plot development and character development i've seen in an anime. Characters are not static, and i like the fact that the villains progress with the heros, and it's not just the villain of the week. Don't know about the excessive {{Deus Ex Machina}} thats been going on lately, but i still think that Kishi knows what he's doing. Not to mention that he doesn't go overboard on buffing everyone out like {{Bleach}} or {{Dragon Ball Z}} or basically any anime out there. I hold this series in very high regard. But most of all, this series has spawned perhaps the most epic fictional character in all of history....ITACHI.

* This show holds the title for my favorite anime of all time. It basically introduced me to anime in the first place. I remember being very stereotyped against it before i got into it. I remember seeing commercials for it and thinking "WTF is this? People breathing fire? Why are there a dozen Naruto's? Why is that guy with the mask (Kakashi) walking on that tree? Stupid..." Then i actually saw it and was immediately hooked. This show has the best plot development and character development i've seen in an anime. Characters are not static, and i like the fact that the villains progress with the heros, and it's not just the villain of the week. Don't know about the excessive {{Deus Ex Machina}} thats been going on lately, but i still think that Kishi knows what he's doing. Not to mention that he doesn't go overboard on buffing everyone out like {{Bleach}} or {{Dragon Ball Z}} or basically any anime out there. I hold this series in very high regard. But most of all, this series has spawned perhaps the most epic fictional character in all of history....ITACHI.

** Though he may not be nearly as fond of the series as he once was, this troper can't deny that the first 16 volumes of Naruto are still some of the best quality Shonen comics he's ever seen. Naruto is what introduced him to manga/anime more than anything else and he still loves many of the characters and themes presented in the early volumes. Truly it could've been the stuff of legends just like One Piece and FMA if Kishimoto remembered there were other characters and villages in his story. But alas. Definitely check out the Zabuza and Chunin Exams arcs.

** {{Naruto}} is this troper's favorite manga/anime EVER! I love the main character, I love all the other characters, I love the plot, I love the fight scenes and the jutsu system, I love the artwork, and... I just abso-fuckin'-lutely LOVE this series!