For all its action, adventure and humor, naruto is a rather dark manga that explores war, death, betrayal, manipulation, and many other heavy themes.
From start to finish, Naruto is filled with dark moments that deal with topics such as the pain and suffering of war and the hardships faced after the war is over. Series creator Masashi Kishimoto deftly explores these dark themes by tightly integrating them into the story through the setting and character motivations. After all, however, some moments are darker and more unsettling than others.
10 Birth of Naruto
This first disturbing situation forms the basis for Naruto’s story, establishing the prejudice and discrimination that the jinchuriki have to endure. The Jinchuriki are humans chosen to host parts of the Ten-Tails, a massive, violent monster that terrorized the world in ancient times. Like Naruto, the other jinchuriki of the ninja world are often chosen as children and have no say in the decision to choose them as hosts. The point is that being a jinchuriki is not a reward. Instead, it is a curse. As the true embodiment of the monster that caused so much pain and suffering, the jinchuriki were hated. This exposes the stereotype and discrimination prevalent against children, which is a fundamental and accepted tradition in the ninja world.
9. Itachi tortures Sasuke
Naruto fans know how Itachi’s massacre of the Uchiha made Sasuke determined to become the strongest ninja possible, which will inevitably lead him to a tragic path in life. So considering Sasuke’s sensitivity to the situation, it’s unsettling that Itachi, in Naruto #147, activates Tsukuyomi and forces Sasuke to relive the deaths of their parents and clan. Naturally, forcing him to relive his most traumatic experience would show that despite his good intentions, Itachi ruthlessly carried out his plan.
8. Kakashi Killed Rin
Manipulation is the name of the game in Naruto, and one of the most shocking examples of this is Madera’s manipulation of Obito. Sensing Obito’s conflict with his plan to change the world. Madara took advantage of Obito’s feelings for Rin and Rin’s responsibility as a ninja. By turning Rin into a jinchuriki that would be released upon her return to Konoha, Madara guessed that she would sacrifice herself before allowing that to happen. In Naruto #604, Madara also allowed Obito to arrive just in time for Kakashi to punch a hole in Rin’s chest, unaware that Rin herself had actually jumped out before Kakashi’s punch to sacrifice herself for the community. As a result, Obito gave up his dream of returning to Konoha and has since become an effective assistant to Madara’s plans.
7 Real Reasons Itachi Killed the Uchiha Clan
For most of his life, Sasuke believed his brother turned rogue and killed his entire family because he was evil. However, in Naruto #397 after Itachi’s death, Obito disguised as Tobi informed him of the real reason behind Itachi’s actions in Naruto, which was the age-old prejudice against the Uchiha clan. and the plot of Danzo, who forced Itachi to kill his own family. At that point, Sasuke realized that he had wasted most of his life, since the death of his family, wrongly hating and hunting down his brother, as well as abandoning his friendships. Additionally, it also instantly restores his accumulated hatred and transfers it to the obliteration of Konoha Village despite the fact that it means his old friends there will be annihilated. .
6 Madara’s Hashirama Betrayal
In a story where betrayal is common, perhaps the most disturbing is Madara’s betrayal in Naruto #621 about the goal he shares with Hashirama. The two have fought each other many times but instead of increasing in intensity, the conflicts have developed into a shared disgust with war and the needless pain it causes. Finally, after becoming the leaders of the clans, they decided to put aside their differences and unite as one. It was this agreement that led to the establishment of the village of Konoha. Unfortunately, Hashirama’s popularity with the villages led Madara on the wrong path until he eventually chose to recur the violence and distrust between the families.
Orichimaru’s 5 experiments
Once a former top-ranking member of the elite Konoha, Orochimaru’s turn to the “dark side” is one of the darkest moments in Naruto’s past. However, more disturbing than his choice to give up his life as a Konoha ninja and essentially become a terrorist, is his kidnapping of hundreds of children and experimenting on them to achieve immortality. Not only does this illustrate how harsh it is as a kid in the ninja world, a trend that continues throughout the story and into the next generation, but it’s also a particularly terrifying moment considering Some of Orochimaru’s experiment results and effects. It was already in the minds of those under his command. Indeed, while Sasuke was not physically kidnapped, he was manipulated and prepared to be sacrificed for Orochimaru’s glory. Using children in this capacity regardless of the goal is dirty, dirty work.
4 Critical Wounds of Sasuke Karin
In Naruto #480, after being overpowered and overpowered by Sasuke with the intention of revenge, Danzo grabbed Karin and threatened to kill her if Sasuke didn’t give up. Without hesitation, Sasuke moved forward and attacked Danzo through Karin, severely wounding Karin while remarking that once captured, she became useless to him. While this would be a dark scene regardless of Karin and Sasuke’s connection, it’s made even more apparent by the fact that Karin not only loves Sasuke but is also one of his trusted subordinates. he is on team Taka who always shows his greatness and unconditional. support its leadership. Outside of the fact that he killed one of the top members of his party because he was too intent on killing Danzo was the fact that he actually seemed to enjoy killing twice.
3 Jiraiya’s death at the hands of Pain
Pain, whose original name is Nagato, is one of three orphans found by Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade. Instead of abandoning them in their plight, Jiraiya protected them and taught them how to be a ninja. They will continue to become capable ninjas in their own right. However, due to the plots of Madara Uchiha, who implanted his Rinnegan in Nagato as a child, and Obito, Madara’s discipline, Nagato was influenced, corrupted, and believed that violence was the key to bringing about peace. the vase he dreamed of. achieve. Jiraiya was sent to spy on Pain’s organization, Akatsuki, but was discovered and attacked by Pain. The shadow of the moment captures how time has changed. Jiraiya could have easily killed Nagato years ago but chose not to do so. As a result, the student he raised ended up killing him without remorse.
2 Sasuke’s plot to kill Sakura
Sasuke and Sakura’s relationship in Naruto is one of the most complicated in the series. Despite Sasuke’s constant disdain, Sakura’s love for him has not only not faded, but grown stronger. Many times Sakura did all she could to put Sasuke in the best position to survive and succeed. However, in Naruto #483, despite her incomparable feelings for him, Sasuke still doubts her feelings and orders her to prove it by killing Karin. To her surprise, she agrees to do it but when she hesitates, Sasuke rushes in to kill and is stopped only by the intervention of his former teacher Kakashi. Considering all the history between Sasuke and Sakura, and her feelings for him, the fact that he killed her instantly is darker than the darkness.
1 Naruto vs Sasuke
The darkest moment of the story comes when Naruto confronts Sasuke one last time. It’s not only that childhood friends who became so close during their early years are now fighting fiercely, but it’s also unsettling given Naruto’s lifelong belief and support for for Sasuke, someone he believes not so much. different from yourself. Under different circumstances, their friendship and the power they possessed could have been the combination to eventually bring peace to the ninja nation, instead they were used to tear each other apart. together
In a story built on tragedy, violence, and manipulation, it’s no surprise that Naruto is filled with dark moments. In the end, however, it was those dark events that made all those moments of lightness and hope so much stronger. by naruto The darkest moments are ultimately part of what makes it such a groundbreaking work of Shounen.