Naruto
The name of this anime is comparably short with other anime titles, but this really, really new anime holds a lot of emotions, humor, and human goals. It's still coming out in Japan and is seeping its way into gaining global popularity for even newly converted anime watchers. If you don't mind reading subtitles while watching, then you'll do fine until the US starts to release the anime (god forbid, though, ^_^). The manga is still being serialized by mangaka, Kishimoto Masashi, which has chapters coming out in a bi-weekly basis.
At the beginning of a very captivating first episode, which I really suggest you watch, we hear about how a fox spirit was sealed in an infant quite a while ago. Then, in present day, we get introduced to the troublemaker, Naruto. His grades in the ninja academy are very bad, and he failed to past the graduation exam because he could not clone himself. During the ceremony gathering in front of the school, he sways silently on a swing while he watches his classmates and their parents celebrate. We also hear how much prejudice the villagers hold for our main character. Afterwards, one sensei approaches Naruto to go take a Scroll from the academy and by doing so, he will graduate. Ecstatic, Naruto unwittingly steals the Shadow scrolls which hold forbidden techniques of the Konoha village. It's during this scenario that Naruto finds out the reason from the aforementioned ill-intentioned sensei that Konoha all hates him. Yet, with help from his other sensei Iruka, Naruto was able to see that at least Iruka appreciates how hard Naruto always tries. And by exercising the new shadow technique that Naruto read off the secret scrolls, Naruto manages to rescue Iruka. Then at the ending of this episode, is a very touching scene, which I will just surmise to say, Naruto has now graduated from the Ninja Academy because he can finally successfully clone himself.
After that tight spot, which lasts at least 10 episodes, the rest of the episodes revolve around taking the Chuusin exam, which takes a large chunk of episodes to enact through. Even as of this writing, there are some 40 episodes dealing with this one exam and whether or not Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura and many others can get promoted to Chuusin. More people are introduced, especially kids who were also in the same academy class with Naruto's year, which means that a lot of amateurs and rookies participate in this pretty challenging test with a sense of hostility in the air.
Let me just add some stuff on characters. Naruto is almost always cheerful, but is slow witted sometimes in getting subtler references. Yet, in watching all the episodes, you will have to be really stubborn if you don't start liking this character. He is honest and straightforward, and oftentimes his determination and will makes, at least me, admire his character. He didn't have the nicest circumstances growing up, but he toughed it out without turning into a hater of humanity which says a lot. While Naruto is pretty expressive, though, Sasuke, is pretty silent but serious in his goal of wanting to get powerful enough to kill a man. This man murdered Sasuke's whole family clan and left him as the last revenging Uchiha with the Sharingan detecting ability. Sasuke's and Naruto's rivalry is never too hostile in the beginning, and encourages Naruto to have a target to beat. Since, Sasuke graduated from the Ninja Academy as the top rookie while Naruto was the worse of that grade, this made Sasuke automatically a bit prejudice towards and look down on Naruto. But as they get to see each other's strengths and weaknesses more, you detect that Sasuke slowly accepts Naruto as a force to be reckoned with. As to the other team member, Sakura, with her being the girl, doesn't get to do much action. She is rarely in fights, but she is the most knowledgeable on book concepts of Naruto's year, yet she lacks conviction and motivation to do more, and doesn't strive to be a better shinobi as the other two do. Oftentimes, she is just trying to get Sasuke's attention, but she is not a complete ditz. Initially, I did see her as useless in fights, but later on, as you get to know her childhood taunting, you sorta like her as an individual a bit more. A bit, anyway. Anyway, that's all the characters I'm going to write about, because due there being sooo many of them... I can't really do anything more than that. Plus there aren't any spoilers since well, the anime isn't over yet... JUST WATCH THE ANIME TOO! You will not regret it. And although I'm not suppose to encourage this, cause I am a moral human being ^_^, but one can find bit- torrents seeds online to get episodes of this anime. Warning though: Once you start, you just might not be able to stop and then get really addicted to release dates.
My Bias Opinions
The best way to describe this anime is with a quote from the manga itself. "This village (Konoha) is filled with strong willed children." This hasn't even come appeared in the anime yet which is as of this writing around episode 70. It's spoken by one of the three legendary nins and I whole heartedly agree. Every single character that shows up here has their story and it is worthwhile to see it. Especially with all the shinobis who are all striving to make a name out of themselves. Even if I am used to watching shoujo anime, this anime didn't disappoint me in the least. It has points where I wanted to cry along with Naruto or really feel that his or anyone else's rash actions are damn foolish. Yet, you grow to admire Naruto because you slowly realize how he influences each and every person he meets, in a good way too. His own helplessness of always being ignored didn't make him a paranoid creature. Instead, he knew that in order to change his situation, he had to become stronger, but always "with his ninja way" and never going back on his words or who he is. Let me just say, never underestimate the power of a kid's will. I can write so much more about this little boy, but it would not make much sense to the newbie of the anime. No matter what, WATCH this one. If by the first episode you don't feel a little touched, than well... I congratulate you for not succumbing to the Naruto craze, but I'll still feel sorry for you cause you'll be missing out. One more thing, the soundtrack is really good too, especially the slower instrumentals. ^_^ (UsagiSakura 5/02/04)
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The story's main character, Uzumaki Naruto, a blonde kid that's almost always wearing an orange jumpsuit with zippers and swirly symbols, is an aspiring 12 year old orphan who wants, no matter what, to be the best shinobi (meaning ninja) in the village. And since the best shinobi is the Hokage (leader of the Leaf Village), Naruto has proclaimed on several accounts that he will be the next Hokage. Unfortunately, Naruto is despised by his village because he has sealed within him a fox spirit that nearly destroyed their village twelve years ago. At the beginning of the first episode, he clearly has no friends or comrades. Yet, what makes Naruto different than a standard basket case of tears is that he was able to always cheer himself up. He does not dwell on depression for long.
Next, all new genin level ninjas are divided up for training. Naruto is put into a team of three with the pink haired and book smart girl, Haruno Sakura, and, the highest scoring student of the class, Uchiha Sasuke. Now, there is a slight love triangle here. Naruto likes Sakura, but Sakura is smitten with Sasuke. Meanwhile Sasuke only cares about becoming the best shinobi to accomplish his goal. As the story progresses, we see Naruto and Sasuke become rivals because while Sasuke has much more natural talent due to his genetic attributes, Naruto, on the other hand has more heart and determination. Their new sensei is called Kakashi and he loves reading his Come Come Paradise books. But before they all become initiated as true genin level, the three must pass Kakashi's test. The test involves being able to snatch one of the two bells from Kakashi so that they can eat lunch. And with three of them and two lunches, that means one person will get no lunch and will demote back to the academy.
Needless to say, of course they do pass... eventually that is. The moral in that episode is too deep for me to really try to restate here. Get my point? WATCH it! So, any how, the three of them needs to complete missions for the Konoha (Leaf) village, sorta like mercenaries. But since they really are beginners as genin, the three get stuck with D missions. This consists of very simple and uneventful tasks of finding lost pets and picking up garbage while Kakashi basically just hangs out reading his book. But, as luck has it, the Hokage, being sorta obliging to Naruto's complaint that they aren't doing anything challenging, gives them a C mission. The mission is to escort an old bridge builder back home. Little did Kakashi and his disciples know that this man was being targeted for murder in order to stop his bridge building project in the Wave Country. Hence, the three of them and Kakashi, need to deal with pretty potent enemies including an exiled Shinobi from the Water Country. This is the point where we get sorta awed at Kakashi's abilities as well as the immense potential chakra, or inner spell power, that Naruto possesses.
If you haven't noticed, I put a lot of personal biases in the above review already, because, well, I can't hold them back. This anime was introduced to me by my little brother and once I saw the first episode, I was hooked and addicted to see much, much more of the story. Since I didn't have easy access to the fan subbed version of the anime, I relied on the manga to know the plot, and the manga is topnotch too, although certain fight scenes are too intricate looking in black and white to decipher what was going on by myself. Let me emphasize that manga is art. All the feelings of the drawn character you'll get from just a few facial mug pics rather than the slower and melodic expression that anime sequences take. The anime has a lot of vibrant colorings too and although the characters are drawn pretty simple, since its almost a direct copy of the manga, there isn't anything wrong with it.
