Day 12 - Naruto Vol 1-4 Ramble

Let’s begin this one of eighteen reviews of Naruto, since I am keen to make it even and rounded since it’s 72 volumes long and doing four at a time seems reasonable. 

So, Naruto being one of the most well known series in the world of anime and manga. The story and art are by Masashi Kishimoto and distributed by both Shonen Jump and Viz Media in the west, it’s a series everyone knows. The story is simple, Naruto want’s to be the very best that no one ever was, sure the line from the Pokemon theme song is amusing but it’s true. He wants to become the next Hokage and win the love and respect of his village but that is the major story arc. There is story arcs within the series.

The art is okay, since I have seen more pleasant art from other people but that’s just me.  I actually enjoy some of the art, especially when it comes to portraying emotions and food, as well as animals and environmental scenes. As much as I hate the ugly crying, I sometimes feel like it’s a great thing within the series and adds to the emotional impact.

Volumes 1-4

The arc within the first four volumes is based on two major stories, the first of Naruto becoming a beginner ninja and joining his new team with Sasuke and Sakura. Their relationship development may be rocky but with the guidance of Kakashi may help them become an unbeatable team, possibly. The second story is about one of their main missions where they start to train harder and realise what sort of path they are leading, one filled with danger, blood and death. I even got attached to one character, but stuff happened. The fourth volume ends with the team now facing their next level of becoming the elite they aim to be.

So far, it’s the beginning, we are slowly getting to know the silent Sasuke, the spunky Sakura and the hot-headed Naruto being under the training of the interesting Kakashi. Slowly we are meeting more characters outside of them, the Hokage and Iruka, such as future characters like Gaara, Rock Lee and Hinata. I look forward to meeting them all in future manga volumes.

The themes are simple, it’s all about ninjas and their slow progress into their future roles as well as the adventures they go along. If you enjoy action and story/character progress, then give Naruto a go despite it being a long series.

I am enjoying what I am reading so far, and I am giving it a 4/5 bookmarks, as pictured with the mangas, since my partner inspired that concept. I hope that the manga doesn’t let me down or has some obscene amount of fillers that has nothing really to do with the series as a whole. I am kind of glad to have finally read this series at long last. I look forward to posting more about this series.