Naruto (Oct 3, 2002 – Feb 8, 2007)
Director: Hayato Date       Music by: Musashi Project; Toshio Masuda         Written by: Katsuyuki Sumisawa; Junki Takegami
Action-Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy,
Key Words: Ninjas,  Shonon,
Studio: Studio Pierrot        Licensed American Publisher:

Episodes: 220

Konohagakuri village was plagued with a powerful Nine-tailed Demon Fox attacking the village and killing many. In order to stop him, they sealed him away in a small baby boy.
12 years later, Naruto is a boy trying to become the best Ninja in the world much less his village but he can never catch a break. The village treats him like he is the demon fox himself and it doesn’t help he’s an orphan. Can Naruto become a ninja or forever be seen as a danger? And will he ever become Hokage?

My Thoughts: Ok… um… I feel that I am in the same ball park as a lot of reviewers. I really think that the show has gone on too long and went pretty much nowhere. No offence to people who like the show, but really, I am not sure what they see in this. The story was good for a while, but then it felt like it broke the story line, going into something different.

The animation is alright though it does break the art style a lot. I hate the random bits of ‘chibi-fide emotions’ that are littered throughout the show. I have to growl at the color choice of all the outfits really, most of them are so not ninja colors. Orange, Pink… sometimes even white. These are not good colors if you want to sneak! I’m also wondering why people wouldn’t see all the clouds that happen every time they use a jitsu. Where is everyone looking when they do it? I mean, I could see it a mile away.

The voices… Oh my god… the Japanese is better than the English by a lot. I only like a few English voices but I just want Naruto’s annoying little squeak to go away. Unfortunately, That’s for both the Japanese and English version. I hate Sakura’s more in the Japanese then the English because at least I could block her out when she went all Sasuke love in the show. I love the English of Hina as well. The music…. I like the opening and closings mostly, but then the background music is as annoying as the voices. They use them over and over again, not giving me any way to get away from them!

All in all, I really don’t want to try to finish this.

Rating:
I have to say I really didn’t like it much, but its artwork and music for opening and ending isn’t that bad.

(Prequel to Naruto Shippuden)