Naruto is a series that fallows a little Genin named Naruto (no surprise there). It is a very high rating animated story (I believe it's right up there as number 1, or at least in the top 3). Why might that be? Perhaps it's because of how great and promising the idea seems to those who don't watch the entire thing. I've seen every last episode, and I can still say that I understand why it has such a high rating.
To put it simply: there are over 200 episodes, which can seem pretty daunting. I know I don't like anime that will take up
...
a whole lot of my time. Obviously, there were going to be fillers since it would take a lot more master-work to make 220x24 minutes of pure base-plot. Now, I'm not saying this is a horrid series, I'm just saying that at times I just wanted to skip forward but couldn't (as it's in my nature to watch everything so I can see if they're foreshadowing an event in the near or distant future).
Story: Naruto was basically the first anime that I was consciously aware of as being an anime. I watched it as a dub at first when it showed up on Disney XD, then continued on to watch it subbed so I could watch more of it with cool accents and fast words (it helps your reading rate). The driving point of the story didn't deter me because I thought it was childish. In fact, because of Naruto's dream, and the way he wanted to grow up, and all the friends that he wanted to make, I grew to love the series. But that doesn't mean that it earned a great mark. (6/10 - Fair)
Art: The artwork was beautiful. At first, it seemed a bit jerky with the movements, but over time you could see as it improved. The character drawings in themselves were masterpieces with their facial expressions and the way the animators seemed to know just where to put a windy element and whatnot. Even the fighting scenes were realistic, with their skins seeming to stretch out in slow motion as they were punched. (9/10 - Great)
Sound: The OP's and ED's, especially the OST's, were truly amazing. They set me in a fighting or a sad mood, then made me feel happy again and hope as the characters faced off the enemy that they absolutely had to beat. I wish I could download the songs and just listen to them over and over again while staring out into the rain... but I have school to attend. (9/10 - Great)
Character: The characters were cliche, and I found myself hating some of the main characters. One of the things that I hated most was getting this 3-episode long flashback of one character. I realize that it's good for gathering more information on someone, but there are some characters that are just too minor or just don't need such a lengthy flashback. Honestly, sometimes it felt like it was being dragged out just to make more episodes. There are some instances that I liked watching them, and then there were some where they repeated a flashback from way-back-when over and over again. Of course, Naruto is one of these cliche characters. Now, don't get me wrong, this is why I loved him and the series. Naruto was a boy that wanted to save others without becoming a monster. He used most opportunities to sound profound and look like a hero. If I hadn't seen his past, I would have hated him and wondered what gave him the right to talk like that. But I know that he had every right because I knew him, and I knew who he was going to be. (5/10 - Mediocre)
Enjoyment: I cant' say I didn't enjoy watching this series (though I can say I wouldn't have enough time to watch it again). It was my first anime, and I loved it. I still love it. That would make the rating I gave it seem kind of confusing, but it's like one of those little brothers/sisters that you don't like but love anyways. The characters took me places with their determination and the soundtracks let me ride their waves to the right moods. The ending left me feeling hollow until I picked up the sequel. But it did not completely measure up. (6/10 - Fair)
So, overall, this was a 6/10 anime, which means it was fair enough. I would recommend it to anyone just because I know that it's a great series to watch. When I rate it, I look at all the 220 episodes combined. Had it been shorter (perhaps 50 or something since I can't think of packing all of it into a simple 20 episode-series) I would have rated higher since there wouldn't have been as much to go over.
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Nov 10, 2012
Naruto is a series that fallows a little Genin named Naruto (no surprise there). It is a very high rating animated story (I believe it's right up there as number 1, or at least in the top 3). Why might that be? Perhaps it's because of how great and promising the idea seems to those who don't watch the entire thing. I've seen every last episode, and I can still say that I understand why it has such a high rating.
To put it simply: there are over 200 episodes, which can seem pretty daunting. I know I don't like anime that will take up ... |
