Well, after almost 2 years of the Naruto anime being stuck in a rut of inferior filler episodes, it’s finally getting back on track with the manga…
I know that during the past couple of years, many Naruto fans either gave up on the anime and read the manga, continued to watch the anime despite the filler episodes, or just cast the series aside altogether. In my case, I stopped watching Naruto around episode 144. I found out that the filler episodes were going to continue for a long time, so I decided to wait until they ended and concentrate on other anime I was watching at the time. I thought I would continue following the Naruto saga by reading the manga, but I was never able to keep it up. Starting from where episode 135 left off, I read the arc about Kakashi’s past but I didn’t get further than that. I guess I was too caught up with watching other series’ at the time, plus I just don’t enjoy reading manga as much as watching anime. But even though I hadn’t watched new Naruto episodes for over a year, I still loved the series and continued to consider it one of my favorites. I’ve been watching the dub on Cartoon Network in order to remind me of the good old episodes and, if you can put up with a few violence edits, the dub isn’t as bad as people think.
Anyway, after watching the two-episode Shippuuden special, I realized how much I missed the Naruto saga. I’m really excited about getting back on track with one of the best shounen series’ there is (just pretend episodes 136 to 220 never happened). The beginning of the special caught me a little off guard. Since I don’t read the manga, I didn’t know what was going on during those first few minutes before the opening began. At first I though maybe I missed something from episodes before, but then I realized they were probably just using this dramatic scene with Sasuke as a hook to get fans into the new series. Quite a bold tactic to use such a long scene from a way later part of the series in order to get fans riled up =P Anyway, as for how the real story of the special went, I though it was pretty good. Obviously it takes place two years later, so these episodes served as sort of a reintroduction to the characters and plot of bringing Sasuke back. I did glance at the manga chapters of these episodes and it seemed like they added a lot in the special. If I’m not mistaken, I don’t think Temari, Shikamaru, and Gaara were supposed to appear yet. But I guess, like having Sasuke in the beginning, Studio Pierrot or whoever wanted to bring as many of the old characters back in these first couple of episodes as they could in order to get fans all the more interested in the new series.
The animation seemed a little different, but that’s probably because everyone is supposed to be older (plus it is technically a new series so there’s probably different animators). As I said, these first couple of episodes were pretty much just an introduction that’s going to set the stage for everything to come. They were relatively non-violent and I even noticed a sort of gentle sounding tune playing in the background in a lot of scenes. But I’m sure the Naruto action and drama that we all know and love will start soon enough. Oh, and as for the new opening and ending songs? They’re cool, I guess. Though the hip-hop/rap sounding opening seems a lot more fitting for Bleach, it does grow on you after a while. And like most Naruto ending songs, I didn’t particularly like or dislike this one (though I did love the little crude drawings of Naruto and Sasuke XD)
Anyway, after over a year of not watching any new episodes of Naruto, I’m totally looking forward to watching Shippuuden. I haven’t lost much interest in the series since then (just goes to show how great it is) and now my interest is even greater ^_^
No, actually, Temari, Shikamaru and Gaara did appear in the first chapters of the manga that episode 001-002 covered. In fact, the sequence of events in the first episode was very much like in the manga. You’re right, though, that the opening scene was just the one that the anime producers sort of inserted (plus the scene where Konohamaru chases a cat). That scene occurs very much later in the manga, long after the rescue Gaara arc is finished. So fans who don’t read tha manga would have to wait a very long time for the continuation of that scene, and for Sasuke to reappear.
Cool, thanks for the info. Actually I meant that Temari and Shikamaru didn’t appear in the special exactly as they did in the manga (I think it’s just in the anime that Naruto and Sakura first meet them in Tsunade’s office), and in the manga we don’t see Gaara until after Naruto and Sakura attepmt to take the bells from Kakashi. But I’m glad that they kept the majority of things the same in the special ^_^
on that note…..do they succeed in taking the bells this time? I just watched that episode, obviously. Please impart your knowledge, oh great manga reader.
hiro they do get the bells this time, at least in the mangas they do but its pretty lamme…
in my point of view Shippuuden seems really awsome but, at least untill for now (and i’ve seen episode 3..), they dont seem like much, think about it:
kakashi seems sooo weak and stupid… he used to have these huge fights and stuff, “konoha’s copy ninja” so feared and so on, with cool quick moves, and now he barely hands naruto saying hes so strong now blah blah blah and the fight has sum poor animation theres barely taijutso in it, come on! im a huuge naruto fan and belive me, untill now Shippuuden is just a bit above the fillers and way way way below the old series.
can’t u remember the chuunin exam? the last question , the huge fights, lee-gaara, the neji vs the spider guy who spitted kunais and so? now that was animation!
the fights used to be an attack by one guy, the other defends, a little storyline, then the first guy comes up with this huge attack and it all seems lost, but the second one comes from nowhere or so and gains all the momentum and seem all lost for the first guy!! but thats when.. it was like.. a bushin or so and the first guy uses his ultimate attack and so on and on and on :P
now that would be a great fight :DDD!! not like those freakin fillers… a poor wimp with no parents and a bad guy-(wimp)u dont understand me!(naruto)i dont have parets too-wimp crys-bad guy comes-starts a fight-bushins-bushins die-omg hes strong-bushins-rasengan-the end
thats how it goes for ALL fillers…
now if u notice the kakashi fight for the bells… they talk more than they fight.. they have sum new cool moves but then its the same… rasengan (and he still cant make a rasengan without a bushin?? wtf???)… i mean, what i wanted in shippuuden was to naruto become faster, more powerfull and more mature (still beeing stupid lol). all characters say that hes more powerfull but i havent seen anything to assume that. actually, the kakashi-sasuke bells fight was way more interesting and animated…
the only great animated part was sasukes jump towards naruto, thats ruled :D
i miss the old series so much…
old series * * * * * !!!!!!!!!!!!
fillers — * * * * (minus 4 lool XD)
shippuuden * * * (3 because i really like the storyline to come or i would consider 2 stars)
basically they could have done a way better job than this crap but i gues that after 2 years they might have lost the.. magic, and i really hope not..
whats really on fire now its Death Note( death note is the best anime evr ever made!!!!! :DD believe me, u’ll get hookep up in aa glance if u like anime!) and One Piece (and of course FMA, Elfen Lied bleach and so on)
anyways theese are my opinions.. if u wanna talk about anime add ak4i@hotmail.com and talk to me, i really enjoy talkig about animes and hearing reviews :[ )
by any chance you know the name of the ending song? =D
@liz
>>>by any chance you know the name of the ending song?
The name of the ending song is “Nagare Boshi ~Shooting Star~” by HOME MADE Kazoku
_Ak4i_, there are episodes when the animation is poor, and there are episodes where it’s average, and a few where it’s awesome. The opening sequence has awesome animation, I’m sure you’ve noticed. The producers of this anime works on something called a “budget.” You can’t just go and waste the budget on episodes that are not that special and defining. Believe me, once they get to the Sakura and Chiyo vs Sasori fight, they’ll have better animation, and also in the Naruto vs Orochimaru fight. By the way, I’m not exactly sure why I’m replying to this review out of all the hundreds of reviews on the Internet. Well, thanks for the opportunity though.
well, i didn’t see the special and the only thing i follow is the cartoon network part, so i basically missed everything you just said…was it on cartoon network? cuz, i think imissed it!
TGA-Tsurugii, this special I’m talking about in the post is of the new Naruto TV series that is currently airing in Japan (not on Cartoon Network). CN is only up to about episode 79…I’m talking about episodes 221 and 222. Right now they’re only available via fansubs and maybe on YouTube.
That was news to me. I have not seen any Naruto sence the begining of 06 end of 05. and I still cant see it although I do want to see it. I read the manga but i only got 1 and 2 so it does not help much.
Personally I can’t stand the english version of Naruto, sometimes it’s ok but it’s just not as thrilling as the japanese version. I’m currently watching the series from the start again as I’ve missed a load of episodes, but I’m watching the Shippuuden too becuase I think it’s pretty cool, and even though it’s not amazing I reckon it’ll get better soon. It’s easy to watch the fansubs on youtube and some are on animeepisodes I believe, but for youtube they get taken down quite quickly because they’re illegal… it sucks I know.
One thing I think that’s not too great about the Shippuuden is the fight between Gaara and Deidara. Gaara’s sand shuld so have been able to catch him faster than that!! Plus it took ages, not even finished yet, will proabbly get more interesting with Sasori entering the scene and the massive explosion was pretty cool too. But the whole flying, chasing, flying, catching, dodging, flying, chasing thing was kinda… annoying. That’s just me though, I’m probably just… weird.
I’m glad that Naruto hasn’t completely grown up, I mean he just wouldn’t be Naruto then, would he? He looks pretty good now *grins* and Sakura seems a lot less annoying now, and I love her power punch thing.
I didn’t really mean to write this much *shrugs*
I can’t verify the autencity of what im going to say (as it was a friend who told me) but did u notice that this (very) poor animation looks like the fillers?
My friend told me that the ppl hired to animate the fillers will continue untill episode 20, then some other ppl will start animating and hopefully it will be (much) better!
PS: Gaara tai Deidara …. omg i will not commment on that… gaara moving his arms… OMG!! there is no god up there…..
Just please answer this and then forget me ‘k? I want to know in shippuuden (on episode 179 in the real one), is Naruto still oblivious to poor Hinata? I really love NaruHina so…want to know.
Ja Ne!
As far as I know, Naruto is still oblivious to Hinata. I haven’t read ahead in the manga, but so far in the anime nothing has changed between them.
i read the manga up to date. and so far nothing with naruto and hinata
i think naruhina is the best ! ! ! and i hope they will be 4ever 2gether…! ! !
hmmmm still nothing with Hinata and Naruto?!
still a great series to me!
when is naruto shippuuden going to come on t.v. in America?
yeah when is this coimng to america…….i watch naruto on cartoon network but i want to see all of it now…
I watched the tv series and the english dubb is shit but the japanese version is way better for starters Shikamaru in the first eppisodes he says stuff like “stop bitching” and “piss off” in the dubb you dont even see him that much.
Plus the japanese version has more blood. which is awsome!!
And one last thing i like how Kiba and Hanita look when there older!!
Im so sad…*crys*I missed Naruto episode 146 and 147 and I dont know when ill eva B able 2 see them*CRYS*
I’m not exactly sure, but i think Naruto Shippuuden will be on Cartoonnetwork around October/November 2009
hallo my frinde i m yacine from algeria and i louve naruto when is this coimng to america…….i watch naruto on cartoon network but i want to see all of it now…
hola
me gusta ese anime
esta bueno
i love naruto, he rocks my socks…..Cant wait to see the new episodes :D actually just going to look them up…
i love watchin naruto but Naruto shippuuden is much more interesting…
I have wacthed Naruto shippuuden till 028 and i am hoping to watch till the end…
Every body enjoy watching Naruto Shippuuden…
^^” ^-^
Naruto rocks!! i’m a itachi fan. I really hope the japanense version hets here fast. I can hardly wait. I mean there more blood and people actually curse. Itachi Rules!!!!
hey guys !! I read the the Naruto and guess what!
Hinata says to Naruto that she loves him when she was fighting Pain to
protect Naruto !!!!!!!!! =)