Naruto Anime/Manga (Manga Spoilers Not Tagged) [WSJ]

[The Twilight Mexican]

Am I the only one who enjoyed that more than the past several chapters even?

 

[Alex Strife]

Well, I don't know, the previous character was great for me, as a Naruto+Hinata shipper, and particularly a Hinata fan. But this one featured her being badass, so... We'll all agree that Naruto is taking a great path as of late.

 

[Obsidian Fire]

Holy cow, even Sasuke and Orochimaru (they're at Konoha!?!) felt that. And taking control of the Juubii is seriously smart.

I also think we just found out why all the characters in Naruto are mostly ninja, and not something else, like samuraii, the entire theme of the series wouldn't work.

 

[X-SOLDIER]

This is one of the few weeks where Mangastream's Translation is way WWWAAAYYY better than Mangapanda's. If you haven't read it, do yourself a favor, and go check it out right now: http://mangastream.com/read/naruto/94883763/1

This is the first chapter where I actually caught an art error - Hinata briefly loses her Kyubi Chakra cloak when Naruto sends out his clones.


ANYWAY!!!

This chapter was amazing. We get the sense of rivalry being accelerated as Sasuke's becoming aware of Naruto's power growing. At the same time, it's managed to make things HELLA sinister for whatever it is they're off to do, especially so close to Konoha. One wonders what Orochimaru's been planning and setting up in secret.

Naruto turning Kurama's chakra into a form that he can high five out to his allies is a pretty damned effective new tactic. It's also a nice way to give the other Konoha 11 a way to keep up in later battles. Seeing just how crazy powerful it makes Hinata's Hakkekushou was stunning (but now I want to see her Kurama-fueled Twin Lion Fists even more).

It was excellent seeing a recap of Inoichi and Shukaku's final moments with their kids, especially how Shukaku ALMOST gives Shikamaru a message for his mom. xDDD More than anything, this chapter has completely, and utterly cemented the theme of them taking over for their past generation, and holding that inside them.

Seeing Team Guy mourning Neji - especially Lee was heartbreaking, and tying it all together with Obito attempting to use their bonds to make them hesitant was marvelous. Most of all Naruto coming forward and declaring that living in an illusion where their comrades never suffered would be what it really meant to kill them, and that's what it means to be Shinobi was one of the best things that I've read in the series.

It encompasses the theme of bonds to every degree, all the way back to the very start of the series, and shows how Naruto's committed to his single ideal, but now he's actually starting to figure it out. It feels like he's closer than ever to discovering his answer for peace, but he's still got some difficulties to overcome. The look of heartbroken hope on Lee's face, really shows how when Naruto really believes in himself, he's endlessly inspiring to his comrades. (It's amazing that he was almost completely broken a chapter ago).


Really. I don't have enough good things to say about this chapter.



X

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Honestly, this was one of the best chapters ever to me. Somewhere in the same neighborhood with finding out what Itachi was really up to, or when he helped out recently.

Itachi is probably my favorite character in the series and the reason I got interested in it last year after purposefully avoiding it for yeeears (I initially dismissed it with "I liked it better when it was called 'Dragon Ball'") -- so for me to place something alongside that stuff is quite the compliment. Of course, Ino and Shikamaru being some other favorites helps too.

I don't think I ever quite picked up the emotional investment a lot of the series' fans have in it, though. I don't ship anyone, for instance. But this chapter -- and a couple of other recent ones -- actually made me feel something. I think the portrayals of grief have been highly convincing; Kishimoto has outdone himself there.

 

[Alex Strife]

I guess part of the emotional investment a lot of the series' fans have comes from the fact they have, like me, been following this for many years.

I mean, I was 13 when I first read, and watched, Naruto!!! I didn't even have Internet back then, so I essentially borrowed the manga tomes from a friend. They went right until the fights between the Konoha 12 and the rest during the examinations. And that's where I picked it up with the anime. Then, when soon after that I got Internet, I started watching it from the beginning, and then read it all until I reached the point I could follow it like I am doing now.

It's more than a decade!!

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Yeah, that makes sense. I imagine I would be the same way with "Dragon Ball." I was following that a long time ago, before most people in the U.S. even. I remember when you could mention it to kids your age and no one would know what the hell you were talking about.

Kind of a shame, really, as Naruto has a wider cast, better storytelling, and more legitimate reasons to get emotionally attached to its characters. Maybe I should have started following sooner after all.

I only really started reading it because of my kid -- after she had like 40 volumes of the manga, I decided to give that shit a try. First one I read was the one where Sasuke and Itachi fight (it was just laying out on the coffee table), then Itachi dies and Tobi/"Madara"/Obito explains what was really up with Itachi. I was genuinely impressed and decided to read the rest.

So, yeah, while I'm not in love with the series like most of its fans, I can appreciate it. All this recent stuff has been very exciting.

 

[Alex Strife]

Dragon Ball was brought to Catalan TV VERY early. So it's been part of our pop culture for a bit more than two decades now (almost the same amount of time as in Japan).

I wouldn't rank Naruto over Dragon Ball "per se". It's just that the medium has evolved, and in many cases (not all of them) shounen manga was much much simpler back in the day. Since nearly all the possible ideas have been explored, authors have the need to, if not explore something new, make rather impressive storylines, in order to maintain reader interest.

Therefore, a lot of characters pop up and background-heavy series happen. Obviously not all of them succeed, but the few that succeed to such a degree are clearly amazing. For instance, I've never liked One Piece, and stopped reading Bleach years ago, but they did a great job and the three of them are the clearest examples of what modern long-running shounen mangas should be like.

 

[Obsidian Fire]

Yeah, I've been flowing Naruto for five years, which about how long I've know manga/anime existed. It's probably one of the few fiction works that have actually changed the way I think about things, particularly people. Naruto pretty much runs on the idea that to themselves at least, everything a person does has a logical reason, and the key to empathizing with people is finding out how they view things, what is important to them etc. What sets it apart from a lot of works that have this as the theme is that Naruto doesn't take the easy way out. Just because Naruto understands why people do things doesn't mean he automatically agrees with them, but it does mean that when he doesn't agree with people, it's not because he hasn't thought it through thoroughly, which isn't all that common for a shonen protagonist.

It's also really helped my ability to extrapolate information from fiction, and come up with plausible back-stories for any fictional character I have to come up with (you don't want to see how detailed the back-story for my Dissida project character is). On the flip-side, poorly thought out characters, relationships, plot-lines, etc. in other works of fiction really stand out to me now (and are really annoying to read/watch).

The funny part is that my favorite fanfiction, Embers, has similar themes and tone to Naruto, only it's an (extreme) AU of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

 

[X-SOLDIER]

I started watching Naruto in late '02 or early '03, and then switched to reading the manga in late '04, (when the "Search for Sasuke" arc was catching up to the manga), and I've been reading it weekly ever since. I dropped off of the anime around the filler arcs, and only started watching them again for certain moments, after Shippuden started (mainly when there's a battle that I really want to see), and have been playing the Ultimate Ninja Storm games to supplement the delivery of the story in different mediums.

I've always really loved the themes and how everything is always interconnected shades of grey, and there's very seldom anyone who's just a flat out badguy for the sake of being a badguy. I'm always really impressed how the series has managed to mature with its audience so fluidly within the medium. It's not like Harry Potter, where each release can just jump to a year later, so this often makes things harder, but the series has done wonderfully. The time skip was right at the correct time, and they've kept themes growing and the character maturing really well through Shippuden.

It's also the fact that almost all the characters stay pretty well developed and intersting, and even the villains get a good run. The flashbacks-as-they-die theme that Kishimoto uses often makes you feel regret about how the situation played out. Recently seeing more of the nations that used to be at war being in a state of cooperation has always been really interesting.

I dunno, I could go off, but suffice to say, I really love the series and the writing, and it's grown really close to me over the last decade (dear god that makes me feel old). xD


X

 

[Alex Strife]

I've always really loved the themes and how everything is always interconnected shades of grey,

How many? Fifty?

Oh dear. The joke was too bad. Sorry guys.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

So, for those of you who have been following it for forever and a day -- and didn't have the luxury of catching up on ten years of it in a short period -- in what specific ways would you say the series has improved, where would you like to see it go before the end, and how much longer do you think we have to go?

 

[Obsidian Fire]

The art for one... it's really funny going back to the first 20 or so chapters and seeing what everyone looked like.

I would say it started getting more serious during the Search for Tsunade arc, at least in the first half. Before that, it had a lot of the same formulas that many shonen manga had (someone wants to kill someone, there's a fighting tournament, etc.), but then the Sannen are introduced, and it's revealed that there's tonnes of not-throwaway backstory between the three of them and the fighting is serious. Oh, and we finally got to meet Itachi and Akasuki rears it's head.

The characters themselves have matured as well, which is impressive. It's almost laughable now to go back and read what the characters were like at the start of the series because of how much they've changed. At one level, it's like they're completely different character. At another, they aren't because the way they've changed is in character for them.

All I can think of now...

 

[X-SOLDIER]

So, for those of you who have been following it for forever and a day -- and didn't have the luxury of catching up on ten years of it in a short period -- in what specific ways would you say the series has improved, where would you like to see it go before the end, and how much longer do you think we have to go?

Apologies as I'm just going to jump around to wherever my mind takes me here.

Well, Kishimoto really came into his own art style, which has meant that things are more consistent. I think that he's done a really good job of staying consistent with his themes, and expanding the world gradually, but leaving the levels of power, relatively close to how they were initially established. People who were initially terrifying are still scary powerful, and the less powerful people still are, but the kids are always growing, but not in unbelievable ways.

He also did a fucking phenomenal job painting the Biju as terrible creatures of hate, and then slowly changing them into relatable characters. For me it was really powerful when Naruto realized that he had been doing to Kurama what everyone had been doing to him for years as a child. That moment was pretty damn big for me when it hit. The fact that Kyubi had always been this nameless hateful THING was so heavily engrained in my mind, that when you saw the Sage create them, and attempt to give them a chance for a good life, you see these parallels to huge themes in the story, like how it's one VERY small change that made it so that it wasn't Naruto as the evil force coming against Konoha for all the terrible things that they'd done to him, and Sasuke attempting to protect it from him.

Speaking of which, I think that Sasuke's had some of my favorite developments, only because they're so subtle and not often as well fleshed out as Naruto he seems unrelatable and crazy, but if you look at the underlying elements, everything makes sense to him. He's essentially manipulated by people offering him power his whole life, first Itachi, Orochimaru, Itachi, and then Tobi, and he's ALWAYS hell bent on revenge above any and everything else. It's only recently that he's really come into his own and started calling the shots, (when he brings back Orochimaru) and questioning his own motives. I really can't wait to see when he starts being as consciously in control of his own destiny as Naruto's been lately.

He also does a really good job of writing in story elements that come back and harken to previous events every ~25, 50, & 100 chapters. Hell, the idea that Naruto's origin story took us 500 chapters to reach is pretty impressive in and of itself. Little things like Kakashi saying, "I won't allow my comrades to be killed." in the first mission against Zabuza coming back into an integral part of the story, shows just how many small details from the outset go into building the themes in the story overall, and why I love the worldbuilding that he's done.

I also think that he does well keeping the characters customized, and powerful but still setting the original 12 a good ways apart from Naruto, and not making them overly powered JUST because they're the main cast - they fit into all niches with the Shinobi Alliance. On that note, the slow buildup of themes of them overtaking the previous generation has been really well done. In fact, the war overall has evolved from directly facing the evils of the past, to period-appropriate guerilla tactics and close combat along with ninjutsu, and recently changed into an analogy for modern warfare with instant mass communication and something that is capable of destroying whole cities at range.

Villains (almost) always have something that makes you question why you were so adamant to destroy them, and if they were going about things in a way that could be the ideal way. I think that the humanity in the villains is why some of them want to give Naruto a chance - it's the same reason that they're on their own path. Kisame and Nagato especially.

While he's occasionally pulled some punches (Chouji, Kakashi), it's fucking DEVASTATING when he kills main characters, because he does it for keeps, and he does it to people who you care about, and who play big roles to Naruto: Third Hokage, Jiraiya, Neji, and even does so for other character groups: Asuma, Shukaku, Inoichi.

Also - I've been carrying a torch for Naruto & Hinata since the first anime episode when she's shyly cheering for him in class, so I obviously get a lot out of those recent developments, and I hope that there's more.


I think that covers some basic thoughts, albeit in a rather haphazard manner.



X

 

[X-SOLDIER]

Tiny note: SJA's translation is really solid. I'm still a little perplexed by the weird terms for certain Jutsu, while others are more natural sounding. If I did have any requests for it, it'd be for the "*translation notes" that fan scanslations give with the original Japanese and explanations of origins, like that Shinobi and Endure use the same Kanji.

Also- it had a note from Kishimoto saying that he's motivated to work extra hard by knowing that even more people are all reading his manga on the same day.



X

 

[X-SOLDIER]

http://www.mangapanda.com/naruto/617


HOLY SHIT!!!!! NEW CHAPTER!!!!!


READ IT NOW.



BUFFER ZONE FOR SPOILERS...



SO...




The bit with Lee was amazing. Seeing him dealing with his closure of no longer having Neji as a rival he could challenge one day was amazing, and watching Naruto lay a hand on his back, and having him erupt in Chakra was just a magnificent emphasis for that moment.


Then we get the explanation for what it was that Shukaku was analyzing, and it's how Kakashi used Kurama's Chakra earlier to contain Gyuuki for a surprise attack, and in true Nara style, he just comes up with an amazing tactic on the fly. Also, we get to see that they're about 3 times as powerful.

Then we get Kurama's internal dialogue that FINALLY explain what Naruto's heritage does for him. His INSANELY huge reserve of Uzumaki chakra, and years as a Jinchuriki allow him to adapt his own chakra to anyone else's system almost instantly. This explains a lot about how Karin's healing works, and why their clan made such good hosts for other beings, and it's also a metaphor for how he connects with people so naturally. Then Kurama just transmits through that link. On TOP of that, the fact that he's using it in the same way that Minato did to embed his & Kushina's chakra into Naruto is just an AMAZING culmination of little minor details into something exceptionally significant. Also, we've got a note that he's officially surpassed his parents capabilities, which is completing the theme of his generation taking over. He's OFFICIALLY Kage-level material.


Then, we have Obito making another play at using the Hyuuga clan's curse to attempt to dishearten everyone, even going so far as to build a cage around them. After Obito killed the bird attempting to escape when Neji died, the symbolism of the ENTIRE ALLIANCE ARMY forming a bird that breaks free of its cage is just SO perfect to seal up the themes that he's been building.


To finish it all up, you have Lee FUCKING KICK MADARA IN HALF (Taijutsu vs. Madara for the win)!!! THEN you have Hinata instantly set Naruto's dislocated shoulder into place, so that he can Rasenshuriken through Obito. They're both cut off from Jubi now (who knows what that'll result in, since it's out of everyone's control). AND IT ALL ENDS ON A NOTE ABOUT BONDS! Naruto reaffirming that he's not gonna let his connection to Sasuke fail, and it manages to take a fight that is literally off the charts on every level, and still leave something even more ominous in its wake. (I am loving their matching black cloaks, btw).




SO PLEASED.



X

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Reading it a second time, this should have been a double-length installment. Shit got real exciting.

 

[X-SOLDIER]

Oh, additionally, the Anime's back off of fillers again as of last week.

This week was Gaara vs. his dad, and next week is Naruto & Bee vs. Nagato & Itachi.

Good episode. Lost of flashback content, but it's needed to tell the story, and the flashback also appears in the manga, so it's not a bad thing. I'm really stoked to see how the Nagato/Itachi battle looks animated, especially if Six-Paths Nagato shows up by the end of the episode, though I expect to see him the week after. I am ESPECIALLY excited for the Second Mizukage's episodes after that, because he's far an away one of my favorites (his dialogue in this episode had me cracking up).

The schedule for Feb is up here: http://www.saiyanisland.com/2013/01/naruto-shippuden-february-2013-schedule/


X

 

[X-SOLDIER]

Latest chapter's out: http://www.mangapanda.com/naruto/618/3



Oh. Shit.



This chapter's opening has a brilliantly done, DIRECT parallel to Naruto's return to the village but with Sasuke, and then gets right into the nitty gritty details, and reveals the plan that I was totally not prepared for...

I'm a little curious about what's going on with the Zetsu tracking Sasuke, and how there were a convenient number of them present, but I wouldn't put it past Orochimaru to notice something like that. I'm also WAY curious about the fact that the Uzumaki clan kept the masks, and they're the origin of the Shiki Fuujin jutsu. It's only appropriate to bring that back into the grand scheme of things, given how Naruto's talents were explained last time.

It's terrifying with them running around with the 4 Hokage though. I do have to admit that it makes me glad that they've been revived, because an eternity of torture wasn't what they deserved, and I like the idea that this will be a way to put them to rest properly, even if it does mean that Orochimaru got his arms back - which he's been scheming at for a DAMN long time now.


And given the location that they're at, the Edo Tensei clearly isn't their only objective here.



X

 

[Drax]

I think this one blew my mind the most.

The only person they haven't brought back yet is Jiraiya.

 

[Danseru-kun]

I have a hunch Neji might be zombified too, if he does I wish he'll fight Hinata.

Anyway, Minato zombified makes me depressed. As much as I dislike Naruto (the character) his bond with his parents is something that will never make me hate the series no matter how I'm disappointed with it.

 

[Obsidian Fire]

Okay... Kisimoto continues to out-do himself. It's so nice to finally see the Shiki Funin jutsu again. I've only wanted to know how that sealing technique was come up with for the entire run of the manga. Looks like we might be able to see that now. Incidentally, if the Uzumaki have a mask that makes you become the Shingami, what other masks might they have around? And Tobirama has been brought back with Edo Tensai which is a jutsu he created. I really want to see his reaction to this as well as his explanation for why he created Edo Tensai in the first place. And I wonder if Minato knows what the part of himself he left behind in Naruto's head has been up to. Also, where's Kushina? She was inside the Shingami's stomach as well...

What I'm most curious about is Kurama's Yang (or was it Yin?) chakra. Minato told Naruto he sealed half of Kurama's chakra in Naruto and the other half inside the Shingami's stomach. Only now the stomach has been cut open (via sepuku which has some interesting implications) so the other half of Kurama's chakra is... somewhere else? The thought of Kurama have double the amount of chakra he has currently has is mind-boggling. I don't think Orochimaru knows about this either.

I'm also... relieved? that Orochimaru is the one who resurrected the Hokage as opposed to Madara or Tobi. What I think is really interesting is that the primary reason he's resurrected them is for information (at least, that's what he's said). As for where he resurrected them... I find it really interesting that the Uchiha district has been left alone since the massacre. And now that Sasuke has Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, I'm sure Sasuke is going to see what's on that stone tablet.

 

[Super Mario]

God damn it why did they have to bring Minato back into the game? Just when I thought he can finally rest forever with Kushina, they pull him back in....

I'm surprised Konoha remains untouched despite the destruction going on with Madara and Obito out there! hahaha!

 

[Theozilla]

Yeah I'll be really curious to see if Kurama's other chakra half gets addressed.

 

[Roger]

And Tobirama has been brought back with Edo Tensai which is a jutsu he created. I really want to see his reaction to this

http://www.mangareader.net/93-123-5/naruto/chapter-118.html