If you are someone who takes this seriously, and will not reply to this topic with something stupid like "Naruto sucks" or "Naruto is gay", please read.

My mother thinks this is show is meaningless and for five year olds, (or) kids. I cannot agree with this. For those of you that watch this show and take it seriously, what are your thoughts? America may have turned it into a kids cartoon, but I watch the japanese episodes with english subs. Naruto is something I would consider for adults. It has happiness, love, hate, detestation, sadness, grief, sorrow, joy, life, and death. It has blood, tears, war, fighting.
People are brutally murdered in this show, it even speaks in its own religion for some characters. It even has gambling. There is a man that believes he is a god, that he has "evolved" from more than man. He believes that as a god, bringing world destruction will bring world peace, and cause the world to mature through pain. He believes that after the world destroys itself, they will turn to him as their god and leader. Do you still think this show is for kids? Do you still think its stupid? Then watch these videos I have taken the time to look up and select for you:

-Original Series-

Roar, Chidori! Brother vs Brother

Hate Among The Uchihas: Last Of The Clan

Good-bye Old Friend

360 Degrees Of Vision - The Byakugans Blind Spot

Losing Is Not An Option

-Naruto Shippuden-

The Man Who Became God

Honored Sage Mode

In Attendance, The Six Paths Of Pain

The Tale Of Jiraiya The Gallant

The Longest Moment

The Light & Dark Of Mangekyo Sharingan

Amaterasu

Naruto Shippuden Episode 138

-Character Quotes-

Itachi Uchiha - "People live their lives bound by what they accept as correct and true. That's how they define 'reality'. But what does it mean to be 'correct' or 'true'? Merely vague concepts... their 'reality' may all be a mirage. Can we consider them to be simply be living in their own world, shaped by their beliefs?"

Itachi Uchiha - "The people of this clan are all the same. You focus on the trivial, and lose sight of what's most important. Change is impossible, in this fog of ignorance. How can we evolve when regulation is all we know?"

Pain - "We're both of the same breed, after all ... motives for war are of no concern. Religion, Ideology, Resources, Land, Spite, Love, or 'Just because ...' No matter how pathetic the reason, it's enough to start a war."

Pain - "Those who do not understand true pain can never understand true peace."

Pain - "We are but men, drawn to act in the name of revenge we deem to be "justice". But when we call our vengeance "justice", it only breeds more revenge ... forging the first link in the chains of hatred."

Pain - "I want you to feel pain, to think about pain, to accept pain, to know pain."

Now tell me, what do you think?

And also, in your response, PLEASE Be Mature

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Dec 7 2009, 2:11 am by Lord Malvanis.

Half of those quotes remind me of Excalibur. Yes I too watched the unadulterated american translated version and it SUCKED. But the Japanese with subs seem more serious and I feel as if I knew that this show has a plot, lot of filler, but it's still cool.

They shouldn't. I find Naruto in all forms to be absolute shit.

Mature anime is a contradiction in terms except for a select few.

Thank you for responding with something I was looking for.


This is not a proper response to the topic.

This has nothing to do with the topic.

See to the second quote.

The general idea of Naruto is discouraging, and the elements you describe seem as desperate attempts to make the show feel 'deep' (which I define as meaning that it has several layers of meanings) when it isn't, to attract a fanbase consisting of those who watch for action and those who do the same yet justify it as you did.

That said, I've never watched it. Maybe I'm wrong. However, I believe that if a series truly wanted to connect to life and throw in philosophical elements, such a move can be done much more effectively through live filming, as that in itself would focus on the older, smarter population, rather than through Anime, which as a rule mostly appeals to the newer generations. Thus, I believe that any philosophical value is secondary in intention and effect.

Damn, that sounded good.

Just because it isn't what you'd like to hear doesn't mean I can't say it.

Centreri, Thank you for responding with a literate, mature post. I find it to be something actually worth reading as a reply to the topic.

Posting that you think a certain post is worth reading....

I feel like you broke one of your own unenforceable rules.

CAFG, I asked people to tell me what they thought in a mature way. Centreri was the only post given that actually talked about the topic, and didn't come with saying its just a piece of shit, rather stating his thoughts and reasons.

I can practically smell the gin-laden wafts of breath of the producers coming off this pile of manufactured manure. If ever it came close to something resembling genuine art and story telling, it's only target demographics and formulaic design to me now.

<SD>To be more serious, I'm not saying that Naruto doesn't have mature moments, my problem with the show/manga is that the sort of thing your post outlines isn't are what makes up the majority of the show.

The people writing the show are adults, and they might think of something profound once in a while and write it into the show, however:
1. Their job is still to write a kids show that will be popular with kids.
2. The premise of the show, is a generic shounen premise, a bunch of ninja clans fighting each other.
3. If you're interested in intellectual depth, you can probably get more of that from a different source. If you're interested in watching ninja clans fight each other with magic, watch Naruto.</SD>

Fucking Merrell is too heavy handed in null imo Z_Z

Also Naruto is noob anime for anime noobs. Anyone who knows anything about anime knows that One Piece is strictly better than Naruto.

QFT

Maybe i've watched too many american versions (unless the version you take seriously and the american share the same things) then I want to say that constantly repeating "IF YOU TRY HARD ENOUGH YOU CAN DO ANYTHING! BELIEVE IT!" With that in mind you can put Naruto on par with Dora the explorer. Honestly they way they portray:


reminds me of a really bad James Bond villain where he has the chances to kill Bond but never does it and waits till the end to do a very mature "MEET YOUR DOOM" followed by a "MUAHAHAHAHAHA" Yes they have gore and blood but it's not consistent. Sorry, had it not been for the fillers of Naruto and a random selection of 2-3 other semi important ninjas (lee, neji, etc) to defend the VIP really ruins the 'serious tone' you want to believe it has. I mean maybe one or two episodes has it but as a whole I would have to disagree that Naruto is srs bsns.

Death note is srs bsns

SEN != 4chan. Deal with it.

After reading a few posts, I can agree that most of the show isn't as serious as I'm attempting to make it. I focus on the parts that attempt to send a message, make a point. Also, I'm not talking about the childrens "DARN" instead of "DAMN" version. I'm talking about the japanese episodes, with the english subs where you actually get to see them say "FUCK" as kids. I'm pretty sure 100% of the people here would say the american retard dub version is horrible and pointless, including me. I want you to look at it from the non-american dub point of view, where you actually get to see the show.

They don't swear in the show, as it's aired in a kids time slot. It's just that dattebayo translates the stuff in an edgy fashion, to make it seem cool and appealing to an american crowd.

Wait let me get this straight. When you say dub to american from japan or w/e that means the dialogue only right? How many times have i seen Naruto go into chibi form and yell like crazy with eyeballs that don't even fit in his face. What they say changes but not what actually happens right? as in the drawings or w/e. What about when kakashi put his finger in naruto's ass as a way to defeat him in a training exercise? What about all the times Naruto gets hit on his head and a giant ballon of skin grows before your eyes and he crys rivers from his eyes.

Anime in general is not meant to be taken seriously, if it is then it's for:

I'd say take it as seriously as any other medium. I wouldn't automatically not take it seriously just because it's a cartoon.

The big bias I have against taking Naruto seriously isn't that it's animated, but that when they guy sat down and conceived it he was probably thinking "man I hope I can get this into shounen jump, I could make so much money"

Cool, so if I make a story in which people say "SHIT" and "FUCK" every few lines, and throw in a few random phrases reflecting some sort of cynicism or elementary musings on humans, society, emotion or thought that take about five seconds to think up and write out, then my story will suddenly be deep, serious, adult and profound?
And then I can replace the "SHIT"s and "FUCK"s with "POOP"s and "FUDGE"s (an entirely unintentional combination of euphemisms), it's a children's show? (hay, more audience! more money!)

Sounds like a plan, I demand to be the voice of the character that doesnt die in the end but everyone thinks he did.

Naruto is stock standard shounen. It's not deep or mature.

I see no mention of the manga. Usually, source > adaption. Even then it's still not great.