narutooo!!!!!

[TheEmerged]

I personally like Naruto. True, in the original, Sakura made me want to jump into the computer and punch her in the face and the fillers sucked, but Shippuuden is much, much better. Right now though, I think that Kishimoto is running out of ideas or something because the manga is getting kinda boring. That's ok though, because I have a lot of other animes and mangas that I'm following. If the end is as sucky as the FMA anime end though....

Actually, I think the author realizes the story is coming to its natural end and is hesitant to actually wrap it up.

Spoiler

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Death of the mentor? Check. Rival completing his "life's mission"? Appears to be check. The "real" enemy revealed? Check. "Surprise" revelation about the hero's past? Semi-check, this one is currently ongoing. All we need now is the dead/threatened love interest and/or revelation of the "true love"...

[Kojiro Kakita]

If only if this was true. According to the latest interviews we have only reached the half way point of Naruto.

[EvilElitest]

If only if this was true. According to the latest interviews we have only reached the half way point of Naruto.

Another filler arch boys
from
EE

[sune]

Another filler arch boys
from
EE

the another... and another... and another... and- ya you get the picture

[Fuzzy_Juan]

of course they are only half way done...they are wrapping up the oldest plot points and moving into the real focus of the new season...the fight against Akastuki. They will learn the leader and join to fight against him and his remaining minions...in the mean time, they have the 1, 2, and I think 3 tailed beasts...maybe the 4 as well, and they are searching for the remaining 4. My guess is that this season will end with eithe the world under akatsuki and the start of a resistance, or a climactic clash that leaves Naruto as the hero...

I will say, things don't look too good for the 5th Hokage...with Jiriya and orochimaru dead...it looks like she could very well be next...part of the themes of the story has always been about the next generation stepping forward to take their place as the old pass on...we could see most all of the older ninja bite the dust.

If they do...my money is on Kakashi being the next Hokage...Naruto is powerful, but there is probably one more 'season' they are gonna yank out...and that means no Hokage till then.

If things are cyclical...like most Japanese tales are...Sauske, after helping him defeat Akastuki will leave...Naruto will also leave for a time and train/look for Sauske/deal with things that happen in the final parts of Shippuden...he will return and save the city from something that probably will mean the death of the 5th/6th Hokage at which time Naruto will lead the Viliage against the threat which turns out to Be Sauske...for whatever reason...and they will once again have it out in the valley of the kings or some other ironic place with naruto winning and finally becoming Hokage...It might be that Sauske was posessed by the remnants of Madara or Orochimaru within him and gets redeemed...it is unlikely he dies...

I wanna see how it all ends regardless.

[Kojiro Kakita]

ah, how can Sasuke be possessed by a guy that according to the manga is still alive and possessing another Uchiha.

Actually its highly likely that because Naruto is a shounen show, Sasuke and Naruto will be friends at the end of the series, just like Gaara (GOD HIS COOLNESS FACTOR DROPPED).

I just keep telling myself one more month and a new Berserk comes out.

[Talkkno]

If only if this was true. According to the latest interviews we have only reached the half way point of Naruto.

That was stated several years ago....
Also, for more of the comic i posted earlier... *Flame shield activated*

[Kojiro Kakita]

I am referring to the newest interview which states the series is going to take longer than he expected since his editor wants him to do more back story for the characters he introduced (Sasuke's new group). Although Kishimoto hinted that he may just get rid of them to hurry the story along.

[Ikol_777]

While I do not care for the three main ninjas (Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura) I like a lot of the side characters.

[averagejoe]

Also, for more of the comic i posted earlier... *Flame shield activated*

Eh, the paralells get to be more strained.

[Obrysii]

And again ... why even compare the two? If anything, Avatar is a rip-off of Naruto ... Naruto is six years older than Avatar.

[Poison_Fish]

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No, no, no, they obviously prevent people from being tang.

Win

speaking of seinen, Gantz is always a good bet. As is Blade of the Immortal, Now there is good writing. Though, you can't quite call BotI seinen.

Still, there are a few semi-unique characters from Naruto I enjoyed before I stopped following it.

[Nerd-o-rama]

That was stated several years ago....
Also, for more of the comic i posted earlier... *Flame shield activated*
*snip*

To be fair to Avatar, about half of that is pretty general tropes. The number of character archetypes that share the same personal details (Amazon love interest with fans, rival's mentor with lightning control and an obsessive compulsion) is a bit above average.

And frankly, I don't care if something is mildly derivative if it's a better story than what inspired it. And Avatar is far and away a better-written, more thoughtful, and more entertaining show (without 200 straight episodes of filler).

[Tengu]

While I do not care for the three main ninjas (Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura) I like a lot of the side characters.

I agree with that. Those three are perhaps the lamest people in a show with otherwise (mostly) interesting and cool characters. At least Kakashi is in the upper tiers of coolness...

To be fair to Avatar, about half of that is pretty general tropes. The number of character archetypes that share the same personal details (Amazon love interest with fans, rival's mentor with lightning control and an obsessive compulsion) is a bit above average.

And frankly, I don't care if something is mildly derivative if it's a better story than what inspired it. And Avatar is far and away a better-written, more thoughtful, and more entertaining show (without 200 straight episodes of filler).

Not to mention that while there are some similarities between the characters (and "some" is the accented word here - where they are not the same, they are completely different!), the actual story is far from similar.

PS. Perhaps offtopic, but anyone knows a movie player that lets you grab screenshots? I want a new, even more disturbing avatar.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Not to mention that while there are some similarities between the characters (and "some" is the accented word here - where they are not the same, they are completely different!), the actual story is far from similar.

See, I don't think I've ever seen any episodes relevant to the main story, so I wouldn't know. And on a very general level, Avatar's story is pretty generic. It's on an episode-to-episode level that it's clever.

PS. Perhaps offtopic, but anyone knows a movie player that lets you grab screenshots? I want a new, even more disturbing avatar.

Oh God, no. I think GOM player has a built-in screencap feature.
Also: I am an emotional masochist.

[WarriorTribble]

PS. Perhaps offtopic, but anyone knows a movie player that lets you grab screenshots? I want a new, even more disturbing avatar.

VLC media player has a decent snapshot feature. Some variations of Media Player Classic seems to have one, but I never did manage to get it to work...

[Obrysii]

Hit the "Print Screen" button and then go into Paint and paste it - anything on-screen will show up as an image.

[Tengu]

Hit the "Print Screen" button and then go into Paint and paste it - anything on-screen will show up as an image.

Doesn't really work with movie players (at least not with JetAudio, Winamp, Windows Media Player, DivX, SMPlayer...) - instead of the movie screen there is simply black.

I'll try VLC and GOM. Though I am also tempted to make an avatar from some of the Superdickery covers...

[sune]

ah, how can Sasuke be possessed by a guy that according to the manga is still alive and possessing another Uchiha.

Actually its highly likely that because Naruto is a shounen show, Sasuke and Naruto will be friends at the end of the series, just like Gaara (GOD HIS COOLNESS FACTOR DROPPED).

I just keep telling myself one more month and a new Berserk comes out.

ya right.... gaara will never be the same

[Obrysii]

Doesn't really work with movie players (at least not with JetAudio, Winamp, Windows Media Player, DivX, SMPlayer...) - instead of the movie screen there is simply black.

This is not true. It is a glitch in your computer, likely as a result of your graphics setting - try changing the "video acceleration" to half or full, or to off if it is on.

Here is an example to backup my claim:

Spoiler

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[EvilElitest]

And again ... why even compare the two? If anything, Avatar is a rip-off of Naruto ... Naruto is six years older than Avatar.

Ok, when the rip off is better than the orginal show, now that is just sad man. Just sad


also by the by, Naurto isn't orginal in the least, so it really isn't a rip off
from
EE

[Kojiro Kakita]

I thought it had already been decided that everything is a rip off of something else.

Naruto rips off DBZ (Kishimoto even admits it. For those of you who do not believe this, look at Naruto's clothing very carefully), and DBZ rips off JOurney to the west.

[Obrysii]

Ok, when the rip off is better than the orginal show, now that is just sad man. Just sad

Not really. Star Wars was a rip-off of old serials, for example.

Rip-offs do tend to be better--I won't speak for Avatar because I have not watched it--but that is simply because they are merely borrowing and altering what already works. They are evolving a proven good -- if a rip-off isn't better than the original, then that is the sad event.

[WarriorTribble]

This is not true. It is a glitch in your computer, likely as a result of your graphics setting - try changing the "video acceleration" to half or full, or to off if it is on.

This is also the case with me, but personally I like to make video snapshots without having to edit out the background.

[Eita]

Go to full-screen.

[EvilElitest]

Not really. Star Wars was a rip-off of old serials, for example.

Rip-offs do tend to be better--I won't speak for Avatar because I have not watched it--but that is simply because they are merely borrowing and altering what already works. They are evolving a proven good -- if a rip-off isn't better than the original, then that is the sad event.

Thats not really a rip off, thats an influenced book. Tolkien was influenced by Norse myths but he hardly ripped them off. I don't really think Avatar is a rip off but i think naurto is just a rehash of already boring plots
from
EE

[Talkkno]

I am referring to the newest interview which states the series is going to take longer than he expected since his editor wants him to do more back story for the characters he introduced (Sasuke's new group). Although Kishimoto hinted that he may just get rid of them to hurry the story along.

Link? the last time i saw something was in the Datebook 2 or some other related publication..

[Obrysii]

I don't really think Avatar is a rip off but i think naurto is just a rehash of already boring plots
from
EE

There is a fine line between rip-off and influence. If Avatar has so many similarities to Naruto's characters, and came into existence six years after Naruto began ...

Just as well: how is Naruto a rehash of "already boring plots"? Care to elaborate?

[Paragon Badger]

...But Avatar is so much better than Naruto. If only for one reason.

Avatar has what Naruto lacks... decent story-telling.

Naruto has a better setting and concept, but the author coulden't retell the story of 'Macbeth' without needlessly drawing it out to non-conclusive, agonizingly obvious plot devices.

And let's face it, Macbeth is a very simple story. Dude is given the opportunity for power. Dude takes power. Dude dies from his fatal error.

It's the story-telling that's made it a classic.

[Obrysii]

That is your opinion. Others will say that Naruto has good storytelling - it is not intended for western viewers, and thus we cannot say with perfect certainty that Avatar is inherently better, only that it was designed for the tastes of Americans.