Most of the late teenagers and people in their early twenties would have watched, or at least heard about one of the longest running anime in the world, Naruto (in combination with Naruto Shippuden).
With the extravagance of imagination in the plotline; a set of widely different characters, some with really poignant juxtaposition; and not to forget the very morally strong protagonist Naruto, the anime is watched by millions around the world- and with good reason. Here are some of the reasons why Naruto is a very endearing and special anime.
It has a lot of moral, ethical and developmental values attached to it
We can see the moral and ethical values popping up in the series over and over again. Ranging from protecting your friends through thick and thin, protecting your land (in Naruto’s case the village) even if it means staying rogue and making the impression that you are the villain, never giving up no matter what, always believing in yourself as well as your friends; you will find all these in Naruto: The Anime.
We can find inspiration in different ways, and given that the anime is so long (around 670 episodes and still going) you can even make it your way of life.
Character Development
All the characters in the story have grown, and all have a past. They do not just feel like ‘characters’ but as people we know in out lives, due to their detailed story that the anime has exhibited. Usually most main characters are embittered by loneliness in the past, and each have their own interpretations of it, which makes them choose the path they are walking.
For example, Naruto insists on gaining acceptance and recognition in the village since he is too much troubled by his loneliness, and he succeeds in making a lot of friends too. On the other hand, Obito, one of the main antagonist and also another lonely person, is stuck to the belief that there is no such thing as hope in this world, and intends to build a dream world with the ‘Infinite Tsukyomi.’
However, since we get to know their whole past, we actually tend to like the villains, as it was the circumstances in their life that led to who they are right now. And also, each character grows as the story progresses. For example, Naruto becomes less idiotic, Sakura becomes a self-sufficient doctor from an irritating girl; and Gaara, from a person who lives to kill anyone, to a person who lives to protect and even die for his comrades.
Itachi Uchiha
One of the characters that makes Naruto (anime) so special is Itachi Uchiha. He is a sheer example of how a ninja should be, and also how a person should be. His story is melancholic, he has lived a life full of sadness, and yet he dies with a smile on his face. He has to make a really tough decision between his clan and his village, and he chooses the village, slaughtering his entire clan except for his brother.
He sacrifices everything for the village and his little brother, goes rogue, is hated by his brother, and refuses to die from anyone else’s hands except his brother, who eventually kills him. And he is also the strongest ninja in whole of the series, using his Mangekyon Sharingan, Fire Style Jutsu and clones. Even Hashirama, the God of Shinobi, tells Itachi’s brother that “Your brother was a better shinobi then I am.”
Will make you laugh like a hyena and cry like a baby
If you are watching Naruto, you must be confected for laughter as well as tears. And the background music adds to the emotions generated. There are certain really sad scenes, for example, the realization that Itachi was actually a hero but is now dead, or when Minato and Kushina give up their lives. They literally bring tears to our eyes, and we can’t stop thinking about it even when we are not watching it. And there are some really funny scenes too, for example, when Sai says to Sakura that she is ‘ugly’ but says to Ino that she is ‘beautiful’, after realizing that people cannot digest the truth.
It will make you laugh, cry, cheer, feel motivated, and most of all, realization about certain things that we tend to forget, like how important friends are for us.
Everyone wants peace
One very different thing about this anime is that everyone, even the villains, want peace. Only the ways in which they think peace can be achieved are different. Antagonists Madara Uchiha and Obito Uchiha believe that there is no hope in this world, and so they want to create a dream world using the eternal genjutsu called the “Infinite Tsukyomi”. Madara finds too many contradictions, which can be understood by the statement he makes- ‘As long as the concept of winners exists there will always be losers.
The selfish desire to want peace causes wars and hatred is born to protect love.” However, Naruto firmly believes that peace can be achieved if everyone has the power to understand one another. And these difference in beliefs causes the ‘Fourth Great Shinobi World War’.
