Reviews

In a lot of ways, Naruto is better than its sequel, Shipuuden. The power levels are tame so there is less of "throw explosive lasers at each other until one side wins." Naruto is also characterized in a more interesting way than his Shipuuden version. He's a cheeky prankster which makes for an entertaining and endearing main character. I know that he had to grow up, but that's just a shame.

Despite being a fan of the series, partly through nostalgia and partly through appreciation, I think some parts don't stand the test of time. The animation in most of the show hasn't aged well. It's inconsistent and even feels choppy at some points. There's also the aspect of people staring at each other for too long, padding the runtime. The yapping is cheesy a lot of the time. The villains aren't characterized in an interesting way (in this part at least). Also, the bulk of the story doesn't happen here, making this a really long introduction.

Obvious advice: Don't watch the filler. If there's anything that can cut down the staring and filler, go for it. It's very cheesy and old, but it's also unique and memorable.