Recently, I’ve finished the series Naruto the original series and Shippuden and I am going to include both the reviews all in one because they connect to each other before we get started. I would just just say I absolutely love Naruto bit has made it onto my top 10 anime of all time and most likely my top. This might be my number one.
I will be posting a Naruto Character post to help you understand any names included.
Synopsis of Naruto
Naruto is from the Hidden Leaf Village in a world filled with ninjas who protect their village and go on missions assigned by a Kage. Naruto had a childhood of isolation and was treated like an outcast by both children and adults around him. He unknowingly has the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside him. Every adult knows about the tailed beast within him but keeps this fact secret, so he doesn’t understand why everyone avoids him. Despite all these adversities, Naruto is a very cheerful person who is consistently smiling and trying to prove that he is worthy of being a member of the Leaf Village and one of the greatest Hokages. He routinely shares this dream with anyone he meets. People initially start their meetings with disbelief, but by the time Naruto parts from them, they believe in him and trust him. The original Naruto follows Naruto during his preteen years. He goes on missions with his team, becoming a strong ninja, making friends, and essentially proving that he is worthy to stand alongside others in his class. Naruto Shippuden centers around people noticing Naruto more for his skills and character rather than the tailed beast. Everyone eventually comes to rely on Naruto to protect and save the Hidden Leaf from any enemy.
—– Beyond this point, please expect Spoilers —— You have been warned
Key theme of Naruto
We can take a lot from Naruto, but a few themes become obvious even if you are only twenty episodes in. The first theme is breaking the cycle of hatred and violence. It feels almost funny to say that because most of Naruto involves fighting, yet the deeper message is the fight for a future where conflict is no longer necessary. The characters are constantly striving for unity, understanding, and a world where peace is something everyone can share.
Hard Work in Naruto
Another major theme is hard work. Naruto is the class clown, the kid who does not read the books, does not know the history lessons, and rarely takes anything seriously. But his determination is unmatched. Through pure effort he learns physical skills quickly and pushes himself farther than anyone expects. A huge part of that drive comes from the people who challenge him, especially the adversaries who stand in his way and force him to rise higher than he ever imagined. On top of that, he carries a fierce need to prove everyone wrong, to overturn the low expectations placed on him since childhood. People always debate whether his growth comes from natural talent, his prophecy, the Nine-Tails inside him, or his family line. In truth it is a blend of all of it. He is strong because of what he carries within him, the powerful family he comes from, his ability to learn quickly, the rivals who push him forward, and that stubborn desire to stay up all night practicing until something finally clicks.
Naruto is not the only now displaying hardworking, one thing I love about this series is the fact that while majority of the series revolves around Naruto, We do see kids pushing pass their limits to not only keep up with their fellow classmates, but also to make families proud or to prove they are not weak.
Importance of Friendship
Another theme that shines through is the importance of friendship. Naruto’s deepest and most complicated bond is with Sasuke Uchiha. Their friendship is unusual because they do not get along in the academy. They argued constantly, pushing each other away while unknowingly pulling each other closer. Over time we understand their dynamic and see how their bickering becomes the thread that ties them together like brothers. As Naruto continues his journey, he forms meaningful connections with many others, including the young ninjas around him. They begin to see him not as the loud kid who jokes around, but as someone capable, worthy, and determined to become a great ninja. People even start saying things like Naruto would never leave his friends behind, and it becomes one of the most defining truths of who he is. And he will be a great ninja.
Sasuke acknowledging that Naruto is his closest friend and both of them being orphaned at a young age helps us see how their dynamic is formed and their individual characters. Naruto orphaned from birth is consistently seeking attention whether good or bad and become the class clown. Sasuke knowing the love of his family before they were killed by his brother turned dark and isolated himself from everyone, become top of his class to get revenge for his entire clan that was slaughtered by his brother. A thing that could have brought them closer seemed to keep them at arms length majority of the series.
Key theme of Naruto Shippuden
Perseverance
Never giving up is essentially Naruto’s defining trait, and his strong perseverance motivates others to improve and keep pushing forward. The competition between ninjas helps everyone strive to be better and to stand strong alongside their comrades. Naruto’s one dream remains unchanged throughout the entire series. There are no obstacles that make him turn away or avoid challenges. He continues dreaming and smiling through hardship. Shippuden follows Naruto’s journey to stop the Akatsuki, find Sasuke, and bring him back.
He is overcoming the tailed beast and attempting to tame it. Unlock different battle modes, such as Sage Mode.
Loneliness
Shippuden focuses on Naruto’s present situation regarding the comrades and friends he has made who care about him and want to help. We see flashbacks to his past loneliness to emphasize how much better his life is now because he has friends who will stand by him. He also has the entire town on his side, which makes him feel a bit different since they previously exiled him. It takes him some time to process and accept the changes in the community.
Forgiveness and Redemption
So many characters contributed to this theme.
- Neji and Hinata: Initially, Neji blamed Hinata and her father for his own father’s death, believing that Hinata’s father had killed him to protect the main family. However, during the original Naruto series, Neji discovers the truth. We then see him training alongside his uncle and beginning to build a stronger relationship with his family.
- Neji and Naruto : Naruto protected Hinata when Neji almost killed her and Neji believed that Naruto was incompetent and not worthy to be in the same level as him and that changes through Naruto growth and his views of Naruto changes.
- Sasuke and Itachi : Itachi killed his whole clan and spared his brother. Sasuke grows to resent his brother wanting to be stronger to defeat him. Towards the end he learns why Itachi did what he did and he forgives his brother.
Finding One’s Place and Purpose
Shikamaru:
He has to be the first character I mention because he always felt the most lost—almost nonchalant about where he belonged and what his purpose was. Yet by the end of the story, he’s sitting beside Naruto, already planning his role as his advisor when Naruto becomes Hokage. I loved watching him grow into himself and finally find his place.
Sasuke:
Once determined to destroy the Leaf, Sasuke ultimately chooses to protect it from the shadows. His path is complicated, but it runs parallel to Naruto’s goal in a quieter, heavier way. Through Naruto, he discovers not just what he wants to protect, but how he wants to do it.
Naruto:
Naruto had a clear vision from the very beginning. He knew exactly where he wanted to go, and when everything was said and done, he reached that place. His determination and unwavering focus carried him through every obstacle, allowing him to fulfill his goals exactly as he had imagined.
Naruto’s Friends
Naruto gained friends throughout the series as people gradually began to see him for who he truly was. Before becoming a ninja, he was mostly alone—though that might be a slight stretch. As a child, he often snacked with Shikamaru and Choji, the class’s resident snackers and nappers. It makes sense that they were his first friends. Shikamaru came from a strong clan and was clearly intelligent, even if he was famously lazy, while Choji offered quiet companionship.
I would also count Sasuke as one of Naruto’s early friends. Sasuke defended Naruto when Sakura mocked him for not having parents, revealing a shared loneliness between them. Even if they didn’t recognize it at the time, that moment showed they were already connected, friends before they knew how to name it.
Toward the end of Shippuden, we begin to hear the phrase, “That’s my idiot classmate who’s going to be Hokage.” It’s a recognition of the same qualities they always saw in Naruto, but now viewed with respect and endurance rather than doubt. Their words reflect pride and trust—proof of how deeply they relied on him. In the end, Naruto didn’t just earn their respect; he brought entire nations together. Everyone wanted to be part of his wedding, to stand beside him in that moment.
Summary:
Did I miss something? Yes, I did. Naruto Shippuden has over 500 episodes alone, and I will be making many more blog posts going in-depth on specific characters and themes. Stay tuned. So why do I like Naruto? Well, it’s complex and intricate. It focuses on engraving important lessons in your mind. As of right now, Shippuden is officially my second favorite anime of all time. Case Closed has maintained its reign for now, maybe because it was one of my first anime ever. Naruto OG is currently at number 10.
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