(Major spoiler alerts)
Konoha, a village hidden in leaves, sees a deadly attack that threatens to turn its existence into nothingness. It’s a combat between a ferocious nine tailed demon fox and its residents who are trained shinobis (ninja), but it's a combat that the shinbois are losing.
Enter the fourth Hokage (leader)! who in his eleventh hour, manages to seal the demon in a newborn boy. The cursed boy. An orphan. A boy hated by all. The greatest Shinobi to ever live. Naruto Uzumaki.
*Insert Shonen Jump’s theme song*
This is just the premise of the 1st of 700 episodes of Naruto. A show that, even in its 20th year, is considered a masterpiece (a flawed one of course!). The anime is based on the manga (Japanese comics) of the same name, written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto.
It is the fourth best-selling manga series in history. 8 years ago, On November 10, 2014, the manga series Naruto ended its 15-year run in the weekly Shonen Jump.
Here are my thoughts on what makes Naruto a beloved flawed masterpiece.
When a friend recommended Naruto to me, I asked them to explain the plot and they said, “A cursed child who is hated by all and fights evil and wants to become the leader of his village.”
I laughed and reduced it as a childish caricature of a fantasy novel. (I know I deserve to be launched into outer space by Lee's Leaf Rising Wind). But during the lockdown when the world around me was rapidly crashing down, I decided to give this anime a second chance. And it changed my life forever. And for good!
The physical limitations of reality do not apply in a shounen anime and you find yourself immersed in a cosmic-supernatural world, where science does not apply but emotions do.
Where good will always prevail over evil. And so I found myself watching 31 episodes per day during the lockdown. What I expected to be a lighthearted binge watch session, soon turned into lessons on life, death, power, politics and philosophy (to name a few).
No matter what you do, where you live and how old you are, Naruto has something for everyone. It speaks personally to you in a language only you will understand. The show is called Naruto but it is as much about the supporting characters.
‘Shannaro!’: Pushing Yourself Just One Notch Beyond Limit
Naruto is our perfect underdog who is an attention seeking outcast and hated by everyone in the village. And to add to his agony he is paired with Sasuke who has everything he lacks (except for a family).
In hindsight his aim to be the Hokage (the leader) is indicative of his visceral desire to be loved by all.
He has the perfect formula for a villain origin story and yet he is our hero. Why? Because he doesn't fear failure. Every time he falls flat on his face he gets up and pushes himself beyond his limits.
Naruto never gives up on himself. Not to forget Rock Lee. Unlike Naruto, Lee didn't amass generational chakra to perform ninjutsu and genjutsu but like him he has the conviction to not give up.
Rock Lee’s mantra is simple, “You are your own competition, be better than your older self.” In the purest sense, Rock Lee is the definition of a black horse.
‘Bakayaro! Konoyaro!’: Complex and Satisfying Narrative Arcs
Behind the success of this gripping action-shounen series lies its fleshed-out characters. The transformation and inner journey of each of them has been written with such delicacy, that as a viewer you are left feeling satisfied.
A minute character like Kimimora also has a backstory and you end up stepping into his psyche and world. But for me Gaara had the most interesting character arc. Presented as a bloodthirsty, ruthless murderer with an intent to destroy everything he sees, in the first part, he trekked on to become one of the most kind-hearted and generous shinobis of his time.
Gaara during the "Chunin Exams" and "Konoha Crush" arcs was considered the alter ego of Naruto (if he had given into the darker intrusive feelings).
However after a dramatic duel with Naruto and subsequent loss, Gaara’s sand castle comes crashing down and he sees light for the first time. And what we witness after that is a beautiful redemption story for the Kazekage.
‘Mata Kondo Da’: Lessons on Loss and Grief
Despite having an unearthly power system, what keeps it close to reality are loss and grief. Throughout the series we witness tear-jerking, chest clutching deaths, be it Itachi’s bid to save his little brother, Third Hokage's sacrifice for his village or Asuma’s heroic fight with Hidan.
But the one that impaled a sword into my heart was Jiraiya’s demise. Being an orphan for most of his life, Naruto found a family in Jiraiya sensei. His death made Naruto despondent, but with Iruka and Shikamaru’s support he allowed himself to grieve.
What we witnessed in the subsequent episodes are valuable lessons on loss and grief. When left unacknowledged and unheard, pain grows bigger. It was only after Naruto shared his ordeal with his peers, could he take the first step towards moving on. When put face to face with his master’s killer, Nagato, Naruto decided to be a bigger person and honour Jiraiya’s sacrifice by forgiving Nagato.
‘Mendokuse!’: Characters Are Relatable
So what will be your pick? A teacher who has a secret vice for erotica, a prodigy who just wants to watch clouds sway by, prodigy’s friend who cares more about chips than wars, a terrorist who thinks everything he creates is art, a muscular softie who only raps or a medic who is in a non existent relationship with a problematic boy. When I wrote there’s something for everybody, I meant it.
The characters are so complex and yet likable, that it is hard to hate anyone (well barring Danzo and Hidan). For me the one character that stuck with me was Shikamaru. He is the smartest amongst his peers but doesn't beat the drums to broadcast it.
He just cares about daydreaming and leisure. But he’ll go berserk if you even glare at one of his friends. He could be the smartest shinobi in the world but quite slow when it comes to matters of the heart. Basically he is the guy in your class who says he didn't study but will score the highest!
I remember when I finished watching Naruto, I felt an emptiness inside. Now I had nothing to look forward to. Before I realized this show had become a part of my extension.
I know there are better animes out there, but nothing will ever come close to what this show made me feel. Sometimes I want to erase my memory just to be able to watch the show again for the first time.
I don't want to get into the technicalities. There are a million animes like AOT, Hunter X Hunter, Tokyo Revengers, Code Geass etc with a engaging storyline, better female characters and an ending that doesn’t beat around the bush. But what makes Naruto unique is that he makes us believe in ourselves too; that if we try, we can make it too! Dattebayo.
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