We got Naruto, Team 7, Team 8, Team 10, as well as Team Guy and the Sand Siblings, plus the Sannin. In only 135 episodes, Naruto introduced us to all the key protagonists for the rest of the series, and fully fleshed them out with distinct personalities, interesting backstories, and powerful relationship dynamics. Not to mention that the Chuunin Exam Arc is still my favorite story arc in all of Naruto, followed by the Sasuke Retrieval Arc which had the best written fights of all time (back when fights were about theme and smarts, not just who has the most chakra and willpower).

It lost the jovial levity that made Naruto so fun in the first place. Related: Popular games, TV, and movies that shaped geek cultureĪnd while the optimism of Naruto was intoxicating, the darker tone of Naruto Shippuden often felt like it took itself too seriously. The simplicity of Naruto's singular goal and the progression of obstacles he had to overcome led to some of the most powerful moments in anime, and it was a lot easier to follow because the story was so focused. In retrospect, I find that Naruto was more enjoyable overall. The tone of the series grew quite a bit darker as well, shifting from the youthful exuberance and optimism of Naruto's childhood to the uncomfortable realities of adulthood, war, and grief. Naruto's plot is primarily personal: it's all about Naruto's struggle as a discarded outsider who wants to become Hokage and win the respect of those around him. Related: The best sites to watch anime online for free Naruto vs. (Since I never watched any of the filler episodes in either series, my thoughts are solely based on canon episodes.) Here's how Naruto and Naruto Shippuden differ, and which series is better.

They might share the same settings and characters, but there are many creative differences that set them apart-so much so that I now consider them as two separate anime series rather than two parts of one whole. To me, Naruto Shippuden feels like a different show altogether from Naruto. Now that I've finished both, I don't think they are. Related: How to watch Naruto without any fillersįor the longest time, I thought of Naruto and Naruto Shippuden as two parts of one series. I caught up, then stopped somewhere during the Konoha Crush Arc because I couldn't be bothered anymore with the week-to-week pacing of the series.įortunately, I revisited the anime earlier this year and binge-watched both Naruto and Naruto Shippuden. I first started watching the Naruto anime about ten years ago, when it was airing the middle of the Chuunin Exam Arc.

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