TLDR:
don't forget what you enjoyed as a kid, this was a good show.
INTRO.
With a show like this, people really like to pick it apart while dismissing some important factors.
First and foremost, I would like to point out that this show was directed towards a young audience, so if you're watching this show as an adult or young adult, it most likely won't have it's desired effect, one needs to review this series with that in mind.
To put it basically, the entire series is centred around a weak young boy who wants to rid himself of his weaknesses and be the strongest version of himself possible. This isn't a new concept for sure, I know it's the core of most Shonen's, however the way in which Naruto handles that concept is so kick-ass that it's almost impossible for most young audiences not to love it.
MY PERSPECTIVE.
I watched the first seasons of Naruto when I was 11 years old, I would like to say it has one of the strongest opening episodes of any series I've ever watched. What I will always remember is the kick-ass opening and ending themes, and the scene in the first episode where Naruto destroys some bad guy in the most overkill way possible that it was just so cool to watch.
You might say the scenes are dragged out and the animation is inconsistent, but I never even remember any of that as a kid since I would be so encapsulated by the characters and waiting to see Naruto inevitably destroy one of them in his next fight.
Seeing Naruto fight though his struggles is something you could say they overplay on, but again, when you're a kid things like sob stories and motivational stories go a long way and have a lot of repeat value. I would say they did it well, very well, and I was so drawn into Naruto's character every fight scene.
You have to consider, if it had this effect on me, it would likely have had a very similar effect on a lot of people, especially if they watched it at the same age as I did. I can imagine if I watched the show for the first time now, I'd probably be thinking "what the hell is all the fuss about", just as so many other people have expressed on this website and so many other websites.
RATING.
For a show like this and for myself, it is hard to place an overall number out of 10. There are some scenes that I would rate 10/10 in terms of my own personal satisfaction, if I were to take a harsh critical judgement of the art, story and general production value (things I didnt care about when I was younger), sure, I wouldn't give it anything more than 6/10, overall I would personally give it 8/10.
If you're any older than 14, I would recommend the manga.
