Summary
Naruto is considered the face of anime and manga thanks to its engaging storyline and great characters. Naruto’s influence cannot be denied, it has inspired manga creators and spearheaded the global expansion of anime. Naruto features incredible action-packed battles, grounded realism, complex villains, and unforgettable character developments.
Naruto is one of the biggest series in the world, along with Bleach and One Piece, it is considered one of the most iconic series under the Big Three of Shonen Jump. While the other two series are both great in their own ways, Naruto still surpasses them in so many categories that it is sometimes considered the face of anime and manga.
This action-packed ninja series transcends genres to deliver one of the best experiences in fiction. From the engaging plot to the great characters, there’s a lot to love about this series even nearly a decade after it ended.
10 Naruto is the most influential person
Naruto’s influence is immense, not only inspiring the current generation of manga creators but also spearheading the global expansion of anime. Described as the foundation for Crunchyroll, Naruto has sold a quarter of a billion copies of its manga and is the most streamed anime of all time. Many authors credit their manga careers to Kishimoto’s Naruto, and it’s clear in the plot that it draws heavily from this iconic series, such as Yuki Tabata’s Black Clover, Kohei’s My Hero Academia Horikoshi, Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen and Koyoharu Gotouge’s Demon. Killer.
9 Naruto has the best action scenes
The most incredible fights in Naruto are not only the best of the Big Three but also anime in general. Since the series is a ninja series, there is an emphasis on hand-to-hand combat that also uses a variety of weapons and techniques, taking the action to incredible heights. While the battles are exciting, the context behind each battle makes them more emotional and interesting, such as Kakashi taking down Obito or Bee confronting his brother. Other times, however, the battles are a pure spectacle of the absurdity of power, most notably Madara destroying the Allied Forces.
8 Naruto is based on reality
Kishimoto skillfully weaved real-world scenarios and themes into Naruto, making the series much darker. Naruto has many complex themes, such as betrayal, genocide, discrimination, sacrifice, etc. Although aimed at young boys in the shōnen genre, Naruto can sometimes be extremely dark with scenes that are hard to swallow, such as Itachi killing his clan or Orochimaru performing experiments on humans. Darker doesn’t usually mean better, but in Naruto’s case, it gives readers insight into what the ninja world is really like.
Naruto is the most grounded in reality. Unlike in Bleach and One Piece where the main cast are presented as lovable heroes, Naruto is not afraid to portray the characters in a negative light and show that they are human beings capable of making mistakes. . Sakura is the best example of this, as she was once a target of hate for the way she treated Naruto at first but later became kind and had great growth.
7 The villain cast is the best
With around 700 episodes, Naruto has had a lot of villains with each character being as different as day and night. Each character is equally amazing and complex, making them some of the best villains in anime and manga history. There’s a lot of time spent fleshing out each villain, which leads to incredible backstories that sometimes make viewers sympathize with them despite all their actions. From Pain’s tragic past, Obito’s desire to change the unjust world to Madara being the product of Konoha’s discrimination, NarutoThe villain is one of the best characters in anime.
6 Naruto’s unpredictability sets it apart
The formula for One Piece and Bleach is pretty predictable, with the Straw Hats going to a new island and overthrowing an oppressive regime, and Ichigo saving Soul Society once again. They’re entertaining and perfectly executed, but one unpredictable Naruto arc after another is a breath of fresh air that keeps viewers guessing. One moment will focus on a tournament, another will talk about the biggest war in history, and then another will focus on Sasuke’s rogue ninja days. No two signs are the same, but all are a great watch.
5 Naruto has the best backstories
One Piece is known for its sad stories, but Naruto managed to become one of the iconic pirate series in the genre. The characters’ pasts are so interesting that even deviating a few details to focus on a specific person never feels boring. What’s interesting is that each backstory is carefully crafted to make sense of something big that’s about to happen, such as Kakashi’s heartbreaking past just before Obito was revealed as the mastermind.
The 4 Chakras are the best energy system
The power system in Naruto is the most interesting in the Big Three although it shares similarities with many other series. The shōnen genre of using spiritual energy is not new, but Chakras stand out due to the huge number of variations and how it can be used. From the fusion of chakra essences known as Kekkei Genkai, hypnosis to something as absurd as reality overwriting, there is no limit to how simple or complex a technique can be, and that is only possible because of the foundation of the chakras.
3 Naruto has the best character development
Almost every main character in the series goes through some type of character development. For better or worse, this ensures they don’t become stagnant, one-dimensional, which often leads to boring characters. Whether it’s Naruto letting go of his innocence, Sasuke embracing his hatred for the Sasuke clan, Obito joining the side of good, or Madara finally accepting defeat: There is no end to the forward movement in the psychology and perspective of each Naruto character. This makes them memorable and helps Naruto stand out with its incredible cast of characters.
2 Naruto’s art and animation are always top notch
One Piece and Bleach currently have great quality and animation, but Naruto is more consistent and ahead of its time. The most typical example is the fight between Naruto and Sasuke in the pre-timeskip. The animated film was praised for being able to compete with films that came out years later with better access to technology. Naruto Shippuden takes it to the next level, featuring great choreography that matches the best ninja series ever, with a final battle that shows the amount of resources put into this series.
The manga’s art is equally breathtaking. Although art can be very subjective and controversial, there is a widespread belief that Naruto’s artwork is the best of the Big Three. Eichiro Oda and Tite Kubo were excellent artists, but they couldn’t compare to Kishimoto’s brilliance as he created painting after painting that felt like it took weeks to draw but in fact it only takes a few days. From enchanting landscapes to expressive characters, tHis drawing in Naruto is the best among the Big Three.
1 Naruto has the best and most complex story
Describing the plot of Naruto in a few sentences is very deliberate considering how complex the series is, but people still try. Telling the inspiring story of an orphan boy searching for acceptance more than anything, Naruto is a testament to just how profound a stereotypical shōnen genre can be. The life values it teaches and the way it does so while entertaining with fascinating happenings is truly legendary and it’s easy to see why Naruto is a familiar name even to people who don’t watch anime.