Naruto has been a very big part of my life ever since I started watching and reading it around 2004-2005. It was an interesting premise: it's a story about this kid who was shunned or feared by the community he lived in, trying to make his way in the world and realize his dream of becoming the best ninja out there. It's an idea that appeals to the lonely kid in many of us, and it's an idea that appealed to me when I first watched the anime.
This week marks the end of fifteen years of serialization of Naruto in Weekly Shounen Jump, and in a way, the end of a phase of my adulthood.
I was in my early twenties when I first started following the adventures of Naruto and his friends. I had a very different outlook on life back then, forged by a number of negative experiences in my turbulent high school years.
Naruto was the kind of stubborn kid that never gave up even in the face of adversity. He never really killed anyone; he always found some way to win them over with the power of friendship.
There were times where I wanted the manga to just get it over with, and there were times where I didn't fully agree with the way Kishimoto was developing the story and characters. But then there were real great moments in the series, moments of awesomeness where you can't help but cheer Naruto and friends on.
And it's not just limited to the titular ninja: Naruto's world is full of characters with full and deep backstories. Even the villains have their own past traumas and motivations. Some sacrifice their all for love; some become the series' worst villains for the same reason. It's a world with a history that spans generations. I'm a sucker for worldbuilding.
Naruto was a bridge that helped me gain friends through our mutual appreciation for the manga. One glance at my profile and you'd know.
Much like the other great shounen manga before it, Naruto is a story that will resonate for many of this generation, and hopefully for more generations to come.
Believe it :3
There were times where I wanted the manga to just get it over with, and there were times where I didn't fully agree with the way Kishimoto was developing the story and characters. But then there were real great moments in the series, moments of awesomeness where you can't help but cheer Naruto and friends on.
And it's not just limited to the titular ninja: Naruto's world is full of characters with full and deep backstories. Even the villains have their own past traumas and motivations. Some sacrifice their all for love; some become the series' worst villains for the same reason. It's a world with a history that spans generations. I'm a sucker for worldbuilding.
Naruto was a bridge that helped me gain friends through our mutual appreciation for the manga. One glance at my profile and you'd know.
Much like the other great shounen manga before it, Naruto is a story that will resonate for many of this generation, and hopefully for more generations to come.
Believe it :3
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