Why All the Hate on Naruto?

[Palademon]

Short answer: Because the fans think it's the best anime ever, and half the time if I ask then what other anime they've watched, they say none. It's popular, which means many people like it, and here's why hating something popular works, because if something's popular it's expected to be very good. In the world of western anime fans this is how we discover new things, recommendations. Which means Naruto is being more highly regarded than many better things, also partly because most of the fans will never/never need to move on to another anime, because it's really long.

Also, the fans with this mentality are twelve, and from having moderated a chatroom based on a website for viewing Naruto episodes, I can tell you that apparently none of these fans want to watch, they just want to ask what episode a certian fight happens or to constantly ask if certain characters ever get together. They ask for spoilers so they don't have to watch it.

Long answer: It has got good fight scenes, but at my current age certain things make me cringe, and if I recommened it to someone I always have to warn them that the first season sucks.

Most people hate the characters, and even when I did watch Naruto a lot I didn't like any of the main characters very much. Some characters are cool, but unfortunately the show isn't about them.

People aren't waiting for the next plot point so much as they are begging for the inevitable fight between a main character and the new enemy. I've even written some rules for watching Naruto.

It's a bit predictable.
These rules are true for how far I've gotten into Shippuden.
1. Sasuke gets a new power every fight.
2. Hardly anyone except enemies die in the first series.
3. In Shippuden, everyone dies.
4. All gingers or redheads always at least start off evil, and will die.

Also, the show is stupidly long, and seems to compete with DBZ in stalling before a fight's completion, by padding it with flashbacks. Eventually you get into FLASHCEPTION.

 

[Alluos]

There is a ratio that I like to use to gauge whether I enjoy a story.
Characters introduced:things being done

It falls into the trap of trying to give everyone their own spot-light at some point, and never just satisfied with letting minor characters remain minor characters.

 

[Laser Priest]

Primarily because there is nothing redeeming about it, at least in my opinion.

The fight scenes, the stories, the dialogue, the characters; none of it even resembles quality.

 

[quantumsoul]

The show is padded to shit. No way fights should last as many episodes as they do.

I've enjoyed it in marathons because then something actually happens. Maybe if they cut out some the needless monologues and other padding so it flows better, I'd like it more.

 

[RaikuFA]

its fans(at least the newer ones) are very closed minded and give all anime fans bad name

i havent read it past when they introduced orochimaru though

 

[ShadowsofHope]

It's the fillers. Definitely the fillers.

I had hoped they would finish up by the end of August, and they'd get to the plot starting this month.

..Depression consumed me upon seeing the contrary.

 

[Ironbat92]

For me, I have 3 reasons why I don't like Naruto. 1 is the pacing. Outside of the the inner monologues, it takes forever for the show to finish something, and it just get's boring. I lost interest in One Piece because, like Naruto, it keeps going for hundred of episodes. 2 is that he is not a ninja. If they called him a fighter, that would be fine. But when I think Ninja, I think someone like Ryu from Ninja Gaiden, a silent killer who's low on words, but speaks with his actions, and where's something stealthy. Naruto is pretty much an annoying little asshole who wears an orange jump suit and screams at his opponent, and don't get me started on the emo known as Sauske and the useless Sakura. And my finally reason is that I've seen idea's that Naruto has done before. I'll say this about Naruto, it's a good starter anime, but for long time fans of anime, I wouldn't recommend it because the characters and stories have been done before. That's my reasons why, and I'm sticking with them.

 

[Smooth Operator]

As with all anime I like the idea far more then the show, I mean it's about a fucking ninja village... it's just pure awesomeness in concept.

But the main guy has ADHD and is an ill mannered retard in all his ninja training sofar he learned about 3 moves, by this point probably even the farmers know more.
I'm still predicting the only reason they let him tag along is so he doesn't flip his shit and unleashes the untamable demon.
And the series probably has more filler then actual story, which would be fine they would cover some of the many holes in the story, but instead they spin off to tell the story of a cat, or frog, or goat,... maybe it's a social experiment on howfar the fans are willing to be pushed.

 

[newwiseman]

I highly enjoy Naruto, I read the manga every week, but the filler really is shit.

To often Kishimoto writes a really engaging arc that ends in a drawn out fight, then the animators rush the story and cut the fight in half. That forces horribly written filler to be aired.

It' sad and I really wish that Naruto, and Bleach, would adopt a season schedule and do maybe 25 episodes a year.

That whole subgenre of anime is like watching someone level grind in a terrible European RPG.

The more I run that analogy through my head, the more I find myself agreeing with it. Episode start: yap yap yap. Ad break: yapping through an attack. Episode end: first attack has just been countered amidst more yapping. Next episode: repeat.

I've kind of completely turned away from the fighting animes. I only really watch dramas/certain comedies these days...

I can't agree more with this. But I blame the studios more than the source material.

 

[sheah1]

It might have something to do with some rather shitty animation, a bridge battle that lasts for way too many episodes, and a godawful english dub.

Noooooo you watched the dub how could you!!! Watch with subs or you ear will burn...

Listen, I know the sub vs dub argument inside and out. Despite efforts by people to insist watching in the original language, the vast majority still only watch in the language they speak.

Hmm, I may have an interesting diversion for you two. I'm trying to get into Gurren Lagaan (enjoying it immensely) and the only two places I've been able to find it show two different versions; The English high-quality dub, and the low quality Japanese sub. I can't decide which to watch because the dub isn't that bad, if anything it makes me nostalgic, but the high quality is a massive boon in an anime with such epic fights.

So; which do I watch?

OT: Naruto was one of the first animes I saw (apart from DBZ and Gundam Wing and such as a kid) and, manga wise, I've read a lot of much better stuff, but I never saw anything particularly bad about it, plus the dude with the giant sword had a pretty god damn epic death.

 

[The Lunatic]

I just generally don't like anime.

Regard it as kinda childish really. You're welcome to like it, but, it's just not my thing.

Not to say all are like that, but, those that aren't, I still just don't really care for.

I guess, it's mostly due to it being focused around Japanese culture, not something I have a lot of interest in.

 

[grimgor42]

SASUKE!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!! thats all i got out of the show after a while so i stopped. it was stupid. From day one the guy explains he's leaving of his own free will and thats that. But they have to obsess over "saving" him anyway. It's plain sappy.

 

[tzimize]

firstly, FRIENDLY MUSHROOM

and i love Naruto, it's may favourite anime. sure there are a lot of filler episodes but the rest of it is pure awesomeness

Agreed.

Its a great series, with great characters. Especially naruto. It has imo a fantastic emotional depth and is a show that is relatively available to kids and at the same time tackles a lot of stuff thats relevant for both grown ups and kids. Plus its about fucking awesome ninjas.

The animation is mostly very good, the music is GREAT, the character diversity great, the story is quite good...I love it. I just wish sasuke would FUCKING DIE. I'm so tired of that emo idiot words cannot express it. I wish they would finally give up on him and just kill him. But if they did it wouldnt be naruto I guess.

 

[mitchell271]

I love Naruto! the anime goes on and on and on though. I really hope the manga finishes soon because it feels like it's been dragged on a little now

 

[Dr. Pepper Unlimited]

My guess is that it just won't die already. It's been going on for hundreds of episodes. I'm sorry, but there is no anime plot of out there that requires hundreds of episodes to tell. It locked and loaded with more filler than an applie pie and about as stale as two day old bread. The plots tend to be unoriginal and the characters are horribly 2-dimensional. It should have had its run like everything else, then stopped. Right now, it's just being milked for everything it's worth.

 

[zehydra]

I don't know about you, but I don't watch tv shows for battles. I watch them for story, and characters. I feel like in Naruto, it's just a bunch of random shit made up on the fly. Like I'm watching power rangers or something.

I don't watch much anime, but an example of one I do like, is モンスター, or Monster, based off of Naoki somebody's graphic novel (manga, after it was completed).

 

[Hawk eye1466]

Because this is a ninja

NOT THIS

I'm sorry but ninja's are suppose to be quiet sneak in take out the target or steal something and get out without being caught, NOT wear bright orange jumpsuits and summon giant frogs.