You did not even watch the video, did you. & if you did, your reading comprehension is baffling terrible. He did nothing BUT back up his claims with evidence in the series. You simply chose to ignore it because you think talking down Naruto makes you look smarter. Please stop embarrassing yourself
That point about Iruka at the end is making want to cry. This is once again not just one of the best videos on Naruto but one of the best videos on TH-cam
7:26 , "lee tried so hard and still failed." So you could say, then, that while he tried so hard and got so far but, in the end, it doesn't even matter?
This hits different. I always had a high appreciation for Naruto even though I wasn't the biggest fan of the series itself. This video showed me why and I appreciate you for that.
@@god_bleach I think writer that made it, had plenty of time to think about it and write something that makes plenty of hidden sense, plus plenty of times we never get hidden messages or realize how much meaning and work in some of the writing decisions, just because you see it as a functional writing - it is this way, just because it needed to be this way for the story to move forward, never realizing that there were plenty options to choose from and writer chose them for a reason. And yes Naruto has plenty of inconsistencies, but I don't think it is one of them. (Sorry for bad English.)
Good example of people not getting Naruto and thinking that It was written these way just to move the plot forward is fight between Temari and Shikamaru. I earlier thought, that It was just lazy stupid writing to make the Shikamaru almost win the fight and then almost give up for no apparent reason but to make final fight fight between Naruto and Neji. I didn't understand that this is essence of
His character, his laziness didn't let him to become shinobi of a higher rank, cause didnt want its responsibilities. But when his friends were going for a mission, he had to accept this responsibility, accept that he couldn't be more on the sidelines and that he was responsible for their lives and success of the mission.
One thing people often forget is that zetus stated that he looked to do the infinite tsukinome plan with the reincarnation countless of times but they all failed Until madada and hashirama came. This means that being a reincarnation of indra and ashura aren't born as special beings to such an extent they don't have to work for.
It's because the reincarnations are not literal reincarnations the way people see them as just copies. Hagoromo said that Naruto got reincarnated from Ashura AND Ashura's chakra got attached to him. It is deliberately set up so the cycle is not one of power, but conflict. The power Naruto got may have once been the power Ashura got, but both awakened it by doing their own thing. The prerequirement for that was Naruto embracing the Tailed Beasts as people (he could never force them base on his morality).
You can't just change my entire understanding of this story while also calling into question my botched interpretation of not only Naruto, but everything else I've ever consumed before and after. All over the course of a twenty-two minute video. You did it anyway though. Damn
Congratulations on being one of the few people who didn't just dig their heels in stubbornly upon having their flawed misunderstanding of the series challenged. That might sound insulting, but I promise that's not my intent. Seriously, read some of these comments. Some people are just ridiculously stubborn.
What’s more impressive about this another amazing video is the fact that some people still aren’t willing to treat those stories with more nuance, more of an understanding of the whole picture, in a sense, refusing to grow past that point of conflict and misunderstanding… This to me is one of the symptoms that show why the general discourse on manga seems to never evolve past youtube/overly passionate people whereas it’s pretty clear that most casual fans of the series who grew to see less of the material while it matured would be able to take as much from it if they gave it an honest look, free from the 2012-13 hate train… While the consensus is potentially shifting a little more every time Craftsdwarf uploads, the potential for a more educated reread was and always will be there. If you are not willing to understand Naruto as a comic for some of it’s narrative choices, I could not encourage you more to give it another shot as you’ve certainly grown, just like your overall perception. (Obviously this isn’t targeted to anyone who outright despises the series but i wouldn’t hope they got here)
I enjoy these kinds of videos because they force me to look back at things with a different lense compared to how I first read the manga. So many details were lost over the years as the apparent final battles of the series dragged on that I had completely forgotten most of the examples that Craftsdwarf had brought up, only remembering the bare minimum of certain scenes since it had been so long since I had first watched or read Naruto. An incredible video that made me realized that I had limited myself to one theme or angle to the story instead of looking at it from all directions. In other words, I blinded myself to what was written on the pages before me. What an incredible video to completely flip my Perspective on Naruto as a series as a whole. Incredible work, Craftsdwarf!
People often conflate "Perseverance" with "Hard Work" especially when it comes to Naruto. "Perseverance" is Naruto leaving the Chunin Exam's written test blank and yet still refusing to give up until he sees the 10th question. "Hard Work" would be him desperately trying his best to cheat off of the other candidates and inevitably getting caught 5 times and failing the exam. He couldn't just apply this hard work in studying for the test earlier either because the questions were way out of the scope of what regular Genin were supposed to know. "Hard Work" would not have worked here, even Lee passed the exam because of Ten-Ten showing him the answers. Obviously not saying hard work is bad but it's definitely not as major a theme of the story as most fans seem to believe, and that makes sense with the setting of the ninja world. You can't really train in the middle of a ninja battle with muh hard work but you can still pull off a win just by hanging on and waiting for an opening to attack ala Naruto's final Rasengan against Pain.
@@allancesar6718 No one is 100% right in Naruto. Neji also said the weak will stay being weak. He's not aware that becoming stronger or weaker might be someone's path in the future.
This is a new way for me to see lee. Also the same words from Guy, he originally tells lee to believe himself and even at the point he was crippled he says it agree, in resolve. I am glad I can see that now.
For some reason Ive been watching Naruto deep dives and yeah I agree “Hardwork > Natural Talent” is literally the smallest theme being tackled. Naruto is a series about understanding one another.
@@WatTheWut did watch it doesn't change at all what I said the first half of naruto is about fate and hardwork believe it just because he trys to make it sound not as bad but it is that bad its dbz levels of having characters around just to stand there or fight no name thugs
I think Naruto's initial problem was lack of discipline. Having become an orphan at a young age, he really had no one to instill such discipline in him. No one took him seriously since he couldn't fill his father's shoes with natural talent (even though it could be argued he did. After all, he learned to create large number of shadow clones just by reading a sacred scroll). To get the attention he craved, he became a goofball and a delinquent. He was considered an idiot because of his naïve positivity and inability to focus on studies combined with his innocent optimism about the people around him. People were also suspicious of him because of his seal and the beast inside of him.
yea saying that naruto inherited no natural talents from his parents is just plain false. he inherited his affinity to the wind style, which is described as being exceedingly rare, with few people being able to master it as a secondary and even fewer having a natural affinity for it as well as being most suited for offence, from minato and he inherited his own high chakra level and his freakish constitution from the uzumaki clan (yes contrary to what people think, narutos own chakra is monstrous, it's not just the nine tails) a few other statements in the video are also incorrect, narutos chakra control isn't bad because of the nine tails, it's bad because the thought of honing that skill never occurred to him until kakashi brought it up, every time naruto made an effort to improve it, he did so blindingly fast, he failed at the water walking only because of the seal orochimaru put on him to suppress the nine tails, but once jiraya removed that, naruto nailed the technique almost instantly. also naruto had plenty discipline, he was training almost constantly. what he was lacking was wisdom, naruto was training his body, as in things he was already good at like his stamina and strength, he lacked the wisdom to work at his weaknesses and he was too stubborn to listen to those who were wise than himself.
@@windhelmguard5295 The nine tails did influence his chakra control. Ebidu confirmed it and Orochimaru made it worse when he placed that seal on Naruto which was later removed by Jiraiya.
@@GDev-fp8vt "Naruto preaching hardwork" Naruto never said hardwork beats talent,his motto is not giving up on the things he values.He didnt become hokage while being a genin,by the end of the story he was already strong enough to pass the tests(By beating neji he already passed the chunin test final round) but he still was forced to study and gain knowledge to become a proper leader. Sasuke didnt work harder than Naruto,what do you mean?He got his powers: sharingan and mangekyo sharingan without any training,they were activated from trauma,after that he started overusing his mangekyo sharingan and then STOLE his brothers eyes to get eternal mangekyo,then he got so6p chakra for rinnegan from Hagoromo.Naruto actually had to work hard to learn rasengan,rasenshuriken and sage mode. And yes Naruto deserves the power of the nine tails,he had to suffer for 12 years because he was a jinchuriki.He suffered a 100 times more than Konohamaru.And he suffered more than Sasuke too.He never had any parents and when he finally got a godfather (Jiraiya),he ended up losing him too. At least Sasuke had a normal childhood for like 12 years before he lost his parents
@@GDev-fp8vt how did sasuke train more than naruto?Naruto trained for rasenshurken,creating hundreds of clones every day,and when the clones disappear,all their tiredness and fatigue goes back to Naruto.He did the work and took the load of a 100 people every day for a month,basically years worth of training,stop deflecting.Sasuke got his eyes for free and kept getting power ups.even stole his brothers eyes because he was going blind.Sasuke would be nothing without his brothers eyes,Naruto would still be hokage level with sage mode alone forget nine tails Naruto worked way harder than Sasuke,stop lying to yourself
Another character that kind of parallels Neji in regards to his nihilistic view of fate(which is even called attention to when Neji dies) is Obito. Both Neji and Obito blame the circumstances of the ninja world for their bitterness towards it. They both believe the world cannot change and that everyone is fated to succumb to its despair and darkness. They blame the world for why they cannot change. However it’s the resolve to endure and never give up hope that allows people to overcome their fate which Naruto shows both of them.
@@kyleward7417 agreed. My girlfriend says she misses his cute quirkiness in part 1 but SHE DOES NOT miss him yelling everything. Personally, I agree he can be off-putting in prepudden. But to be fair, at the beginning I hated or at least disliked Kenichi, most JoJos (and I mean like 6 out of 8 of them), Kiyo from Zatch Bell, Yusuke from YYH, Nagisa from Assassination classroom, and more. And NGL following how far they come makes me genuinely proud. Some shonens hero's journey arcs nowadays have this large cast allure. Where if nothing else, you can like the side characters brought into a manga/anime because of how over the top the main character has to be to stand out from it's contemporaries. I do however, believe this creates a problem relating back to how many main character elements that can be missed because Kishimoto is more subtle about the more symbolic powers ie: Naruto's shadow clones being a way to express his need for comfort with others, the child trauma that no doubt made part 1 Naruto the audacious annoyance as his mental state was tied to a curse, having powerups be both metaphorically and literally through making that curse a blessing. I truly think part 2 Naruto as a character starts shining after learning sage mode. I just think that with all these details of symbology, the quotes to live by, the comrades Naruto gained respect from/for and loads more makes him very well developed. Like how he was pulling Kage/Jonin level feats at the beginning and yet the Sasuke rivalry had me liking Sasuke more from time to time, it become apparent that Kishimoto did his utmost to insert pieces of Naruto's characterization more subtly so that his goals of social acceptance, becoming a leader, and saving his friend from a life of embracing his most painful moments all the more earned when he got there. And while some of these events being fated to happen, can make the series feel somewhat artificial, it does do well to push the ever-present themes of duality and repeating history all the more real. Those aspects don't line up with Naruto's character journey: plain and simple. But not every anime with strong narratives that are protagonist-driven can intertwine with all other themes at play. Just like how I've never heard someone complain in such overwhelming distaste about how the mechanics of nen being pretty much an afterthought in the Netero vs Meruem fight (one of the best and most hyped fights of the series). As far as the fated aspects of the show goes, YES it doesn't sync up well with the character driven narratives we've inherently come to know in Naruto's journey. But not every anime (especially long-running) can check every box when it comes to its concluding events. Pre-established notions can be thwarted. Like Hiruzen saying no one in part 1's Konoha could defeat Orochimaru.. yeah Might Guy would like to have a word with that. But I find many long running shonen to be difficult to wrap up, from as early as Yu Yu Hakusho all the way to (what I hear) regarding Seven Deadly Sins. Manga/anime often have flawed endings. But I don't believe these flaws should subtract so harshly from all of which is done right. And Naruto's character is no exception to this. In conclusion, it's better to start with a bad character if you want them to grow. And so many off-putting protagonists associated with the heros journey arcs in shonen end up being some of the best at establishing groundwork well. Naruto is an incredibly written character in his story. I think he's better than most.
This feels like a direct response to that video that Plague of Gripes made years ago. Lmao, I going to be real, I used to listen to that video often just because I preferred a One Piece and was looking at anything to undermine naruto fans. I do understand the larger themes of naruto tho. Good work!
Neji was wrong since the moment Hinata decided to fight back, he said people can't change because it's their destiny while Hinata was changing right before his eyes.
@@god_bleach The Hyuga clan changed, so he couldn't be more wrong. Unlike Naruto and Hinata he refused to do anything other than complain about his fate.
@@wisdommanari6701 A loser would be someone who gives up without even trying, the past Hinata. But in chosing to fight back, Hinata showed her strengths and changed herself. And although she did lose, winning against Neji was never her intention, it was changing from someone who gave up even before fighting to someone who would risk their lives just to change.
Very good video. Most people who get mad about reincarnation only look at it from a western perspective when Naruto is a Japanese series that heavily references Buddhism. Reincarnation in Buddhism is never about repeating your past lives but continuously trying to redeem yourself and not to repeat the same mistakes in next life. Most of these Naruto criticisms are baseless and often misinformed. This is often the case with Bleach and to some extent, One Piece. I'm glad that Bleach is having a renaissance after the new anime announcement.
Oh boy. You are immature in Buddhist reincarnation. Reincarnation count as your past life. Buddhist strongly believe 8n destiny and predestination stuff
A lot of criticism of Naruto is basically reduced to memes and the the cliffnotes version of the story, people semi-remember. Hard work vs natural talent was the theme of 1 fight, and in that fight, talent wins.
If you want, If you put in an effort, If you train, if you give it your all, If you concentrate yourself... NOTHING grants that you get what you want - Craque Daniel (Falha de Cobertura). Effort, Friendship Victory? You put in a effort because you are able to do so, You have friends because you are worth to begin with, You win because the conditions were just right... The Shounen Jump motto os a lie - Kumagawa Misogi (Medaka Box) "Don't get me wrong, I love passionate battles. But, if you attribute the outcome of the match to passion, you might as well be saying that the loser just didn't want it enough." - Tachikawa Kei (World Trigger) Até mais ver mr, Poneis
I'm having trouble understanding the first quote..... I get the idea that just because you put in the work and the time the world isn't obligated to give you what you want but the question now becomes so should I not even try, should I settle?! I'm not trying to hate I'm just understanding it same with crafts video
@@lonemotheo1964 The thing is if you settle the world won't be obliged to give you anything either way... It's not about what the world should give you but what you can take from the world... In the end is very much about what you want from life... you can live with the satisfaction that at the very least you gave your everything (Rock Lee) or you can spare yourself of the time, the costs and the stress of trying blindly (Shikamaru) ... To be honest there shouldn't be a wrong answer... But if you ask around now that he is the right arm of the Hokage, neither the anime nor the manga gave much screentime to Shikamaru to look at clouds anymore... I could be wrong I put the anime (Boruto) aside around the 60th episode... The thing with Naruto is that his tribulation was as great as his just desserts... When the quest presented itself he fought, when everything became difficult he didn't run away, when everyone gave up he didn't... and according to Crafts essay 9 tails or not, unlimited chakra or not, 4th hokage lineage or not... being the chosen one or not a lot of people would still gave up... TL;DR The Columbus egg... The Bottomline Crafts -> Perseverance = Luck My Comment -> Luck > Perseverance (YMMV) Like Oda-sensei from One Piece once said in a SBS... the manga is just a product, it's our fun as readers to read and make our own answers... (Free adapted from a a answer he gave a fan in the volume 82 SBS) Até mais ver mr. Poneis
The thing about the Kyubi disrupting Naruto's chakra flow is fanon. The secondary seal that Orochimaru put on top of the first one disrupted his chakra flow but he got that fixed in less than a month.
It's ironic that Lee lost his fight and sustained near permanent damage because he internalized his beliefs of hard work and talent only for a lot of naruto fans to do the same thing and damage their understanding of naruto as a series.
@@Gackt4awesome A bad writer just wrote one of the most influence and successful shōnen manga of all time. He also won multiply awards, not bad for a bad writer.
Just wow. This was a great video. One of the things I love about Naruto are the characters. They all Have been through something or feel the need to prove themselves or have a goal to achieve. I really love the themes and messages of the anime. I related to Rock Lee the most. I had somewhat of a similar story. Lee I found to be so inspiring that his story helped me in real life. Along with many other great characters not just from Naruto. Thank you for making this amazing video.
I gotta say! wow! I am ashamed that in my arrogance and ignorance I failed to pay attention and dismissed so much. While I have a few gripes, this was needed. Thank You for making this!
You clearly love this series and have given this a tremendous amount of thought and care. I respect that. I do find myself agreeing with you on many things. That being said, I think it is possible for a fan (I consider myself such) to see and accept the "flaws" in a work of art that I love. Of course, it's art, so on some level whether a creative choice is truly a flaw or not is ultimately subjective. Some viewers will like a choice while others will hate it, even though its the same choice. I may as well just come out and say it: Rock Lee is my favorite character in the entire series, despite it being a series full of fantastic characters. Ironically Gaara is probably my second favorite. Naruto teaches Gaara (who the world saw as a monster, rather than a human being) that its not too late for him to change his life. His entire village and his own family hates him? So what? Naruto was the same way, but (with the encouragement of Iruka) he set out to become Hokage. So, Gaara, against all odds, decides to set out on his own journey to become Kazekage and is successful, surpassing Naruto, the hero that defeated him, inspiring Naruto further to one day be Gaara's equal and join him at the top. Maybe, just maybe, a little of Lee's "hard work" ideals rubbed off on Gaara the same way they inspired Naruto. Anyway, back to Lee, yes, he did lose. In fact, it wasn't just against Gaara. Lee loses so often that it is a part of his character, he is perpetually struggling, failing, always one step away from greatness. You see that back when he is training as a kid, he always gets to 99 push ups, but can't complete the final one before he collapses in fatigue. Doing 99 push ups in a row is a tremendous feat, but Lee's way of life (just like his mentor Guy) is to set high goals and push himself beyond his limits. If he can't complete 100 push ups, then he must do 100 squats, or whatever self imposed punishment he comes up with, turning his "failure" into an opportunity to train and get stronger. When we first meet Lee, he is already a Genin, which is damn impressive considering he graduated from the academy without any ninjutsu or genjustsu abilities whatsoever. Presumably he performed so well in the physical aspects of the exam that his final grade was high enough to pass in spite of getting zero points in the "magical" components like the clone jutsu. He always found his OWN way in life, his own way to fight, to become strong, and to be "a splendid ninja," ultimately mastering techniques (as a child) that filled Kakashi with awe just to witness, remarking "this isn't just effort alone: this boy really is a genius." Yet he loses. Sure, he easily defeats Naruto and Sasuke in their sparing match, but he loses to the sound ninja Genin in the forest, even after using the primary lotus in an attempt to defeat one of them, they use ninjutsu to turn the ground softer, negating his efforts. We see in flashbacks how Lee has challenged Neji to sparring matches countless times, but Neji has completely overwhelmed him every time. On one occasion Lee apologizes to Guy about "messing up on their last mission." And of course, Lee loses to Gaara, in spite of unlocking Gate 5/8 (the Gate of Pain), utilizing speed blinding enough that Gaara can't see him, raw power so great that he can shatter Gaara's sand armor with his bare hands and send his body flying across the room. Lee still loses, once again, his opponent was able to soften the blow of his finishing move, to survive, and strike after he lowered his guard. I don't ignore these facts. I think they're of great importance to the story and to Lee's character. Lee is an inspiration to me personally, not in spite of losing, but BECAUSE he loses. He teaches us that it is ok to lose. Losing doesn't make you a "loser." Ask anybody, and they'll tell you Lee is awesome, a badass, one of the most likable characters in manga. He's not a loser. He's a splendid ninja. Why? Why isn't Lee a loser or a failure? Because when Lee falls down, he always gets back up again. That's why he gained the respect and recognition of the other characters in the show, not out of pity, but because of his determination, his willpower, his ambition to never give up, even when it would be easier to do so. He keeps going because it is his way, his code, to give 100% to whatever he is doing, to fight till the end, even if it seems futile. In sticking to his code, he completes one of his own self-imposed challenges. He vows not to give up and so, when he fulfills his promise, he wins. If I could criticize the series for one thing, it would be how Lee was never truly given the chance to complete a character arc in Shippuden. Sure, perhaps he did in filler arcs, but I am referring to the manga canon storyline now. Obviously, Lee is not the main character, so it would be absurd to expect the author to make the whole story revolve around him. That's not what disappointed me. I was disappointed that Lee didn't get to grow the way Gaara did or Shikamaru for that matter. Shikamaru doesn't have a huge role in most of Shippuden, but he still had his chance to shine, to have his own character arc, to avenge his master and take on new responsibilities vowing to one day be a mentor as cool as Asuma was to the next generation. That's all I wanted for Lee, just to see him come into his own, to mature and find his place in the world. To feel that he had indeed become a splendid ninja as he once set out to do. Its a shame that his development just kind of stalled and never seemed to go anywhere imo. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the matter tho.
I totally agree,the final war arc was a wasted opportunity to see Rock Lee and other characters growth,like have them fight with the revived akatsuki members and then win with teamqirk and strategies
I can't believe ppl think the main theme is hard work over natural talent when as said in the video hard work leads to the discovery of talent. No character is actually ordinary. Even as useless as everyone says saukra is even if she through hard work had a natural talent for medical ninjustus. Lee had natural talent for high speed taijustu. To be a ninja everyone needed both
Lmao wow I just peeped that 2 of the most beloved characters are the reason why alot of people criticize the series 😭😭, great video bro the "omg neji was right" and "naruto went against its hard work" theme is something that HAS to get debunked
Finally someone puts a positive on Neji's death. Too many people say its dumb, but I love how he grew out of his hate just like his father to protect the ones he loves.
This is the first time I've seen neji's death in a more positive light as opposed to he died so naruhina can happen which makes no sense since they still needed an entire movie after that when they could have easily built it in the pain arc. Now thou I can see it as neji following in his dad's footsteps and making his own decision in spite of the curse placed on him, even if that is what was wanted from him. In the end it didn't matter.
I love this video. For too long people have clung to these ridiculous notions to justify that Naruto somehow failed its premise. It's fine if you don't like the direction Naruto went in, but don't try to convince the rest of us that you guys were right.
Naruto might just be the biggest example of westerners projecting their beliefs onto an eastern work. Considering it's a series about understanding one another that's really sad.
I wonder exactly what you mean when you say that. Are you saying Because we grew up in a culture outside of Japanese culture that we somehow misconstrued the ideas communicated with us?
@@GhostlyNomad130 Pretty sure that's what he means, though I'd have to disagree with the notion that it was the biggest example; Bleach is a far bigger (and more egregious) example of that in action.
Also gotta leave people trying to assert Naruto and(Shippuden) aren’t the same work. The manga is called Naruto. Shippuden was used in the title of the latter part of the story for marketing I guess? I always hated it. The anime simply titled “Naruto” isn’t a complete work and neither is “Naruto-Shippuden”
@@lasttrinity0780 only here in the States. In the original Japanese release, everything from Goku meeting Bulma to Goku flying off with Uub was called "DRAGON BALL"
I really really loved Lee's conclusion. He was the person who think he can achieve anything just by putting efforts but after getting his arm and leg crush and the fear of might not being a Ninja again. He cries and cries asking Guy sensei what he do now? How can he overcome this ordeal .... and than He accepts the surgery cuz Luck is a skill too
I always wondered why Kishimoto had Guy be the one to fight Madara and open the 8 gates instead of Lee. I feel that if that had been Lee's moment a lot of people would like him more
Here the problem with Lee narratively: because his strength comes from relentless training, anything he does Gai can do better due to having a decade more time to train. Once you get to the endgame, having Lee face the upper echelon of antagonists just makes them look weak as Gai could have probably handled it easier. We accept Shikamaru beating Hidan when Azuma couldn't since they have completely different skillsets and pretime, but you can't do that with Gai and he basically hijacked Lee's story.
@@flockinify That only a problem because Kishimoto wrote it that way, he could have always made Lee stronger than Gai, specially if he had given some of Gai's moments to Lee, specially that fight against Madara
There is also the problem with the fundamental difference between Guy and Lee. The gates represent sacrifice, not hard work. Guy's entire thing, beyond hard work, it's sacrifice for others. The red leafs nourishing the earth. It's the will of fire. Lee it's, fundamentally, a copy of Guy, but had problems inheriting the lesson Guy gave. Guy, beyond hard work to do something, thought Lee about putting others before him. Lee took notes, but he didn't internalize the lesson, did it less to protect others, more to show of. In the forest, he lost to the Sound Ninja because he wanted to impress Sakura. He used a move that placed him in a bad spot. His motivation wasn't to keep her safe, like Naruto did vs Gaara. Go head first and keep them away. The same happened in the fight vs Gaara. He wanted to show of and beat Gaara. he internalized the "hard work vs talent" thing and never understood Gaara. What does words like "hard work" and "talent" mean for Gaara. He was a monster born out of cut bonds. Hatred. Hatred vs hard work does not work. Lee forgot his dream of "splendid ninja". He got that in that fight, but by going bonkers on Gaara, for no reason, he crippled himself. Only to be saved by the bonds: Lee-Guy, Lee-Naruto and Nauto-Tsunade. hinata fought neji to change herself, she won. naruto fought Kiba to rove he was not a loser, even when nerfed. Ino and Sakura had their resolution, even if the fight was bad. Naruto fought Neji for himself, Hinata and Lee, even Neji. Even in the end, Lee never opened the 8th gate, as the 8th requires the ultimate sacrifice. That was the swan song for Guy. The man who nurtured the next generation. Could Lee have been written differently? Sure. But the story had to be changed from the get-go. Guy was the man who sacrificed everything for others, not Lee.
@@dancorneanu9144 I hadn't thought about it that way but it's interesting to think of that Lee's biggest flaw was his ego, i wish the story had focused more on that. All the more reason why it would have been a great ending to his arc if he had opened the 8th gate though. For him to finally stop fighting to show off and fight to protect others. but you're right the story should have been different before that.
I don't really see how it is reductive to point out the central meaning of a long-form work. Especially when what mainly distinguishes it (as you pointed out) is that its length allows it to explore more topics, which is a great opportunity for it to build on a central point (The TV series GoT and BB are good examples). I do think that the issue with this thinking is the assumption that no ideas expressed in a work are done so in isolation, but I don't think that's much of the case in Naruto since people do recognize that it takes advantage of something specific that goes as far back as Chapter 1.
Wow. I never understood the reincarnation part for years no matter how hard I tried, but I get it now! Ashura keeps failing, but he never gives up. He is literally and figuratively the soul of Naruto.
Its still sad to see how Rock Lee ended up not accomplishing anything, he wasnt really present in Shippuuden. Hard work does not beat the writing apperently
@@rabbss830 what sort of accomplishment is that? Shikamaru became a Chuunin a couple of chapters after Lee got introduced to the Story. This is nothing of value. Jonin would be another thing, but Chuunin is not much
@@rabbss830 i think you just lack knowledge when it comes to Lee. As someone who compared himself with the best of the best (Naruto, Neji, Sasuke) and whose whole character is about showing the world that you can beat genius through hard work you do expect more of him than mediocracy.
I wanted her to blossom so badly. Her and Chiyo's fight with Sasori is still my favorite moment of the entire series. It was like things were going to be different...! And then they weren't.
Sasuke wasn’t super talented, he just always had potential, his brother Itachi had the talent. If we look at them age by age, Sasuke has to do so much just to reach even a fraction of the sheer natural ability Itachi had at a similar age. Even by the time of Shippuden Sasuke is 16 years old and is still isn’t able to surpass a 13-year old Itachi until he attains the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, a power that for all intensive purposes should be downright impossible to achieve.
I really liked this video and it did make me see some things differently with regards to specific characters like Neji and Rock Lee, and hell, even Naruto as a character but it didn't really convince me at all about the flub that is the entire thing, from the perspective of "this is a shounen and things like power scaling and systems are part of the package" precisely because of how the series end. For the characters, I think the subtext in Naruto was handled decently well and appreciate a lot of it, but the text itself is just so poor IMO. (note that this rant is mostly about power-level stuff) I can summarize it right from 16:36 to 16:54, I just simply disagree. It's not his own power, it was bestowed upon him. Nothing in the series really speaks to "well he used his power right!", like, unlike whom exactly? No one else in the series is bestowed as much power and is shown to not make the best of it. Anyone that "uses their power wrong", had a weaker power than the 9 tails anyway. The closest person that also gets randomly bestowed power for no reason is Sasuke, and they end up being exactly as powerful as the other for all intents and purposes. Next to that, it's Madara who had the Rinnegan, but my boy DID the work for it, was it a hundred years? Don't even know but he absolutely wasn't bestowed that power, he earned it, even when also being a reincarnation. Naruto was never the underdog. He might have seemed like one, but it was all smoke and mirrors caused by a lack of information. Son of the fourth Hokage and of a strong lineage from Kushina's side, (we know it's bullshit that he didn't inherit any talent from them as the SoSP says, that was literally just lip service, look how fast he learns the Rasengan, a month, as opposed to Minato's 3 years who WAS talented "unlike Naruto", and later Boruto took 3 days and improved it ACCIDENTALLY, what did talent skip a generation? lol. show me he is untalented don't tell me he is but then have him outperform the most talented people in history who ALSO worked hard as hell) 9 tails inside, taught by the very best legendary teachers, and literally the reincarnation of ninja J-man. How many times was his life saved by help from Kurama's chakra? Say that "hard work overcoming talent" is not the main point of Naruto and I'll agree, but it's definitely a topic that's touched on a lot, especially on early Naruto, and absolutely all of that was ruined by what happens by the end. If Naruto had had, idk, the 6 tails rather than the 9 tails I'd eat this shit up just like I did when I was in 8th grade, but as it stands nah. You can't just gift someone the most potential and then have them be the best and say "well but he worked really hard!" when there's no evidence he would have become just as powerful as he did without that gift. And this is unrelated to the main point but there are just so many more things with this series man, the retconning of Kakashi and Hiraya's relationship to Naruto before they met just unnecessarily made the story even more incestuous than it already was and damaged early Naruto by making their interactions just plain odd on rewatches. Like bruh.
What do you think is so poor about the text exactly? Minato created the rasengan, which was why it took him so long to "learn it". Naruto was taught the rasengan by one of the greatest ninja to exist, not to mention he didn't even properly learn it. He had to have shadow clones present to help him properly mold his chakra, again another detriment of having the nine tailed fox constantly hinder his own raw chakra pool. And yes actually, unlike his father Boruto is a ninja prodigy and much smarter than Naruto ever was at his age. The "talented" people he constantly outperformed lost because they didn't acknowledge Naruto and didn't believe him to be a worthy adversary so they would often underestimate him in fights as a result. Neji lost due to his own arrogance. It's really nopt touched on a lot, you people just make it seem that way, the way people talk about hardwork in Naruto you make it seem like that was his nindo or something. You literally just acknowledged that being the case too, the only arc where hardwork is truly emphasized a lot is the chunin exams, and even that is just a misinterpretation on other people's part. The show itself is telling you that isn't always a reality. I don't understand how that ruins what happened at the end, like what end are you even referring to? And to say that Naruto didn't work hard is just a testament to either you forgetting what you literally watched/ read or just perpetuating the same bs that everyone else did. It's almost like he didn't train for the rasengan, didn't go on a 3 year long training journey with Jiraiya, didn't train to attain the rasenshuriken, didn't work his ass off to attain sage mode, etc. It's shown time and time again yet you willfully just gloss over all of that because it serves your purpose. With out the 9 tails Naruto remains an absolute splendid ninja, not to mention a member of the uzumaki clan. Your complaints lack the substance of someone who even watched the show and come off as someone who just wants to find something negative to say just like everyone else.
@@P31N bruh are you for real, Neji wasn't overconfident, he just didn't expect that Naruto would LITERALLY break the rules of the universe and use chakra even though his chakra points were crushed. Also, Naruto was down for the count for minutes on end and the ref would just not call it, but one punch from Naruto and it was an immediate loss for Neji lol. What hard work was there exactly from Naruto? This is what I mean by the text sucking. The execution of the moment-to-moment. Plus Naruto didn't only beat whoever he fought with, he surpassed literally everyone and become the strongest (SECOND strongest at the very worst) in history, in a world full of prodigies. Stronger than Might Guy, than Kakashi, than Hiraya, than Hashirama, than Sarutobi, than Minato, than Tobirama, than all of the rest of the Kages. So you're saying that a 18 year old kid worked harder and for longer than ALL of them adults? The timeskip is proof of MY point, not yours. 3 years is nothing compared to a lifetime of hard work AND unmatched talent from all these mentioned characters, all surpassed in 3 years, 4 if you want to be generous and say there was one year from the timeskip until the end of the series, it's still bullshit. Hell make that timespan 5 years and it's STILL bullshit. How many years did Hashirama or Minato practiced the sage mode, both who were again, unprecedented talents AND hard workers, and in how many months AT BEST did it take for Naruto to surpass them on it? Again, this is what I mean by the text sucking. It literally makes no sense. At least in HxH Gon and Killua are CONSTANTLY hyped up as 1 in 10 million talent prodigies, but Naruto is constantly SAID to be untalented, to be a failure, only to turn around and proof the exact opposite. Then the SoSP has the AUDACITY to say that Naruto didn't inherit any talent whatsoever lmao FoH. If he hadn't said that, at least left it up to interpretation, I'd be fine with most of this shit. Like I said, the text sucks. There is no actual proof that he tried harder than anyone else that was under his own circumstances or worse. There's no point of reference of anyone else struggling to control chakra because of having a tailed beast inside nor having the same reward as he did for doing so. He's always just stated to be an untalented hard worker while ignoring that there's no comparison in the first place since none of his opponents OR peers, or literally anyone else in thee world, had his unworked-for boons in the first place. Most apt comparison in having gifts given to them as if we were on Oprah is Sasuke, and they're both literally top 2. And again, I actually like the subtext of it all, this same video made me change my mind at least on Neji dying for the main branch and on Rock Lee ending the series as a fucking loser, but the TEXT, the power-scaling, the power system, the stakes, were just all over the place. I'm glad the soul of the work is decent enough, not even great, but I happen to also like the body to make sense.
@@keen96 @kee I find your first point bizarre since character driven fights ultimately comes down to an ideological battle between characters and Naruto was right to not accept resign to the idea that everyone had placed on him that he wouldn't amount to anything and fight to prove himself so that's why he won and plus it fits with the fight details since it represents Naruto getting back up to fight despite the odds whereas Neji falls at the slightest pushback i.e surrender to his "fate" . Griping about the technical aspects of a fight is fine and dandy but that shouldnt be used as your basis as to why Neji deserved in a textual sense especially when they actually do fit to the overall point. This sort of leads to my next critism about your comment since like many people who claim that Naruto is hypocrite, just inherited his power, doesn't deserve it, and/or others are more deserving of it is it completely ignores the context surrounding the event and only looks at story details in a vacuum and sometimes plain gets it wrong too. For instance, this idea that Naruto is played up as underdog is only ever present in part 1 of the series when everyone rightfully thinks so because he displays no competencies at the academy and despite wanting to be Hokage to be acknowledged by his village, is too undisciplined to try and improve and there's no one to guide him. It's only after seriously applying himself to his goals and being properly mentored by renowned ninjas like Jiraya and Kakashi does he begin to display the innate talents he always had (Craftsdwarf talks about this as "hard work leading to the discovery of talent") but that doesn't change the fact that he had to work hard and go against the early expectations people had of him. It's such a minor thing to bitch about too since after Tsunade retrieval arc, I don't recall any main characters ever doubting Naruto again besides perhaps villains being arrogant about their own power and on the contrary, are very supportive of him and place high expectation on him as he'd finally able demonstrated to everyone in his village that he can be an excellent ninja. As to your other point of people working harder than him yet falling short in terms of power, first off this paints a picture that every battle Naruto fought was easy or he could do it alone but that's sooooo far from the case. Like really, is there any major arc where Naruto didn't rely on comrades for help or had an easy go at it? The only instance that come to mind is the fight he had where he first used the rasenshuriken but that's only because he requested so and Shikamaru still had to deal with Hidan. Are we going to forget that he actually failed to rescue Gaara from Akatsuki in time and Chihiro sacrificed herself to atleast bring him back to life or how Pain dominated him even after getting his Sage mode and ultimately he had to talk Nagato down instead or how the fight against Madara was declared a war? Often these fights are slugfests so it's not like there's a significant gap in strength and on top of that, Naruto has to come to understand their opponents and convince them to take a more peacefully approach rather than forcefully change their minds if he truly wants to stick to his ideals. This is all actually a distraction to the main argument I have that it doesn't matter that the people around him were working harder and longer than him since, like mentioned in the video, it's really about finding what you can bring to the world that others can't and Naruto wanting to bring hope and change to the ninja world fits with him being the reincarnation of the son of the great sage that tried to peacefully unite everyone. This is personally why I'm not all that bothered by the reincarnation plot. "WoRkInG HaRdER" doesn't have any bearing on that nor should it on a metanarrative sense and if you can't tell can't, it's an idea that I find is very childish
@@LifeAura123 No point even saying anything further lol. What he has reiterated again just shows to me that he didn't understand what he watched and that's okay. That's what's beautiful about this medium, we can both watch the exact same show and interpret it completely differently. He's adamant in the whole mindset of hard work and who worked harder than who despite that not being a focal point of the story to begin with, but he claims it is. Which I boil down to how he chose to interpret what he saw. Hard work only beats talent when talent fails to work hard. While Naruto isn't a genius by any means, he's gifted and he has always thought outside of the box when it came to his fights. His arguments hang on the thread of people within a village that actively wanted to see him fail and die and uses that as a basis for saying "he was constantly said to be untalented and a failure." IT's almost like bro doesn't even know the meaning of talent lmao, its laughable. Like how tf can you even inherit talent... "huh"?? Just because your parents are good at something doesn't automatically mean you will be too. Naruto is gifted in his own right. He already seems to be set in his thoughts already anyway, ideky he would watch a video like this if he had such strong preconceived biases towards the show.
@@LifeAura123 god damn had a pretty elaborate answer and the pop-up closed, don't feel like going as detailed now so shortened version is: disagree on neji's fight, he didn't surrendered he was declared the loser even though Naruto had eaten dirt for long periods of time too. my point being, details and execution matter to me, I can't help it. literally would have no problem with it if the punch had knocked Neji out instead. besides that, fair points all around. I'll admit that my strong distaste of chosen one storylines severely colors how I see Naruto now, especially because of how late it was brought up, it ruins all of the series retroactively for me. At least in Harry Potter we know Harry is the chosen one on the first page, but for Naruto finding out so late in the game it sours the whole experience for me, alongside the Jiraya and Kakashi retcon. That lone plot point made me go from talking about Naruto in a "your favorite thing" presentation in 8th grade and generally loving it to a "3/10, I'm just reading it cause I've stuck around for years at this point I just wanna see how it ends" as craft said, the reincarnation thing could be seen as a curse that Naruto overcame by not giving up on Sasuke unlike how Hashirama did on Madara but like... I think episode 1 Naruto would have done that same decision? At the latest, the Naruto after Lands of Waves and before Chuunin Exam would have already made that decision so like, ???? that point just doesn't seem impactful for me. Also I just want to add, I don't dislike Naruto ONLY for the power levels and chosen one stuff. The world building is atrocious, the story is way too incestuous tripping over itself to make sure that everything is related to the same few characters, the power system is too basic for a shounen and inconsistent as hell (where did hand signs go??) From what I understood, you don't really care about this stuff and care purely on the characters. I get that, I love character work too, but I also dig having the text itself make sense and be consistent and well crafted, and I like interesting power systems and creative application of them. And maybe I should reiterate, this video DID change my mind on a couple of things. I see the point that Neji chose his death rather than being a victim of destiny (though the scene itself was so poorly executed it's one of those where you go bruh just move a bit to the left lol also felt very forced and disingenous since Naruto and Neji barely interacted post-timeskip) it just didn't change my mind on the series as a whole. Gai should have died after 8 gates and Naruto being the reincarnation of a god still taints everything retroactively. I'm not gonna lie though, I had never thought of the final point on Iruka like that and now I'm pretty chill with the fact that he was completely forgotten about for 99% of the series. Yes, this was the abridged response lol. I once had a literal 9 hour conversation about everything I dislike about Naruto with a friend that really likes it lol.
first of all, a fantastic video. second of all, I am very much so enjoying this trend of yours recently of trying to do positive coverage of stories. rather then finding the faults in them, you try to find the good things, which evidently exist in all media. however, one thing I must say as a negative of Naruto, is that it was not well executed. the sad reality is that despite having really good messages, fantastic characters, and a wonderfully fascinating world, Naruto failed at delivering them properly and doing them justice. when one person fails to see the point of a story, you can say that it wasn't for them. perhaps they weren't the target audience, perhaps they missed something. when an entire generation comes out of it with the feeling of betrayal and disappointment, you know there is a problem in the story. Naruto wasn't able to properly convey it's points and messages across, and it eventually led to you needing to make such a video. seeing so many people changing their mind and the way they looked at the story from this video is heart warming, yet at the same time saddening, because they wouldn't have reached this conclusion if it wasn't for you, and that is on the story, not on them.
Exactly! Kishimoto didn't do well enough of a job regarding Naruto. The fact that ppl are still arguing decades later about this is proof that the writing/philosophy of Naruto isn't profound
I know Naruto is not about hardwork beats talent but Lee losing is seen as a challenge to those ideals of hardwork beats talent but since Naruto is also portrayed as a loser without talent taking 3 years to accomplish what most of his classmates accomplished. Is the analogy perfect? No but to a child they can make sense.
For me it's less about the betrayal of themes and more about how obvious the retcons are. Do they ever explain why the 3rd Hokage let Naruto be treated the way he was by the other villagers? Why Jiraiya didn't recognize the the name of his pupil's son from the book he wrote? What about how Lee's dream had already been achieved by Gai since he is also incapable of using ninjutsu and genjutsu? Also I thought the reason why Naruto had trouble using his chakra was because of Orochimaru's poor sealing jutsu not the Ninetails. These retcons added by Shippuden aren't the only reason why I think it ruined the series but they are a part of it.
The third hokage was an idiot. That's pretty much what the canon explanation is. He saw the darkness in his village, and he choose to ignore it and not fix anything, until the conditions became so bad the only way to prevent a civil war was genocide. That's not directly the same thing, but it's a symptom with the same root cause. It's a problem he and Hashirama both had. They were only willing to look at the potential good of a village, the peace and quality of life it provided, but just liked pretending that all the problems weren't there. It's kinda what directly resulted in so many of the problems that come to a head in the 4th war arc. Jiraiya is a spymaster, I doubt he didn't know who Naruto was, he just didn't show up. Why exactly that is, I'm not sure, my best bet would be he's just kind of an ass or was busy drowning his grief in pr0n. As for Lee and Guy, I'm not sure if that is really a narrative issue? If anything, having Guy as a yardstick of what Lee's philosophy could accomplish would just make him more driven to get there. My take on it is more so that his whole arc in chuunin exams is trying to demonstrate how toxic his mentality of hard work is to his own health. He essentially spends all day every day training, to the point of essentially not having a social life outside his team, and to the point that the techniques he uses almost leave him unable to walk because he can't figure out when it's time to cool it. More so, I think there's a very important and often overlooked aspect in the differences between him and Guy. Lee's motivations are fundamentally selfish. He's unwilling to take a lesser position due to his pride, because he wants people's admiration, and he repeatedly gets hurt or loses and advantage trying to show off. I think it sorta culminates in him never being able to learn the 8th gate in Shippuden, because it's one based on sacrifice and destroying yourself to give others a chance to move forward (as seen with Guy and Dai's uses of the technique respectively). At least in Shippuden, the reason Lee failed to match up to Gai, is because he was doing for his own sake, what Guy was doing selflessly.
Great video, though I will disagree on one major element. Pretty much up until the bring back Sasuke arc, the series kept trying to present Naruto as an untalented underdog, who then pulls out wins based on birthright power. He pulls off an extreme shadow clone jutsu after practicing a few hours due to his massive chakra pool. He survives against Haku due to Kurama. He’s able to train under Jiraya and pull off crazy summoning Jutsu due to Kurama and crazy chakra. And so on. Heck, many of the important adult figures in Naruto’s life took notice of him because of Kurama, including Iruka. The early parts of the series keep saying that Naruto is bottom of the barrel in terms of talent, yet he always came out on top due to Kurama, his crazy chakra pool, and learning techniques incredibly fast. Plus, he’s the son of the Fourth Hokage, which was obvious from the very start, meaning he did have lineage backing him, only none of the younger characters knew (I dropped the series shortly after the time-skip, so I don’t know who knew and who didn’t). You could be 100% right about what the series was going for thematically, but the takes you mock are completely supported by the series. From the very start, Naruto had special unique powers that were critical in setting up relationships and winning fights. And the series kept pretending that he was a low talent underdog that made it to where he was through hard work, all while he displays incredible gifts and very fast learning capability. It’s not just two fights, it’s the series up to the rescue Sasuke arc that beat that in.
No from the beginning of the story it was stated that the reason naruto struggles with his jutsu is because kurama power. And the fact that naruto is using that power now is because one of the main themes of naruto is overcoming Your own circumstance and exploring the idea of hard work is by product of that theme there is reason why most the villains in naruto Are a darker versions of himself. Last the fact that someone is talented done not mean they do not work hard or struggle so do not make it sound that sme how a prove of that theme.
@@tarakezehare6899 That doesn’t contradict anything I’ve said though. Sure, Naruto overcame the negatives of Kurama, but that basically happened before the set off on the escort mission. Yes, his chakra control was still screwy, but it didn’t matter (he still learned tree walking very quickly), only serving as an extra power boost later on (and he befriended his squad in the same time frame, along with some other characters). Kurama was essentially a net positive from the start (his ostracizing basically ended after the first showing of shadow clones). He still is carried by multiple birthright powers, he just happens to be a good kid and lucky that said powers attracted positive influences more than say Gaara’s did.
@@Skywardflare758 your point. Was because naruto work hard then thef story is Contradicting itself and my point is the is more to that themes then that and kurama being a net positive to naruto is part of what the story want to say. the same as the drunk style of lee.
@@Skywardflare758but hagoromo literally said that Naruto didn't inherit any power or talent from Minato or Kushina, every success is from Naruto himself for being who he is.
Very good video and i understand your view but i still hav one Problem. I think the hole reincarnation is the point i just can not stand. That his father is Minato i think do not matter, because just because his parents are strong does not mean he is strong because he never meet them. But he is reborn from some of the strongest people in historie and for me that show that he never did something 100% out of his own mind. He was just the last step of the fight between the brothers and he always had the potential to become stronge. He always had a way to go. He never was just: "Waht can i do now? I have nowhere to grow now." Maybe i misunderstand the story but i do not know as a kid i could relate to him but now i could never relate to him.
I dunno man, none of this changes the fact that they made a horrible job at consistency in storytelling. They hyped the wievers with this, child progidy who is extremely dangerous in battle, and then they did nothing to showcase his promised potential. The child progidy appearantly cant deflect some fkn wood. I would be totally fine with his death if they didnt hype him so much in og naruto, or if he actually died doing some awesome shit no other shinobi could achieve, giving up his life in process. with the former scnerio we would at least have no expectations. with the latter, we would get the climax of his potential arc. Naruto is a good show but like every show ever it has its flaws. Nejis lazy death was one of them
On the Buddhist stuff, Unfortunately the decision to have black zetsu vaguely tempt Indra does undercut the Buddhist messaging. Although the text does not explicitly say BZ persuaded Indra into attacking Ashura, the text does imply it with the lines “I tempted Indra, who had lost the fight for ninja creed succession.” And “You’re part of the ninja history I helped create.” This can lead ppl to believe BZ caused the cycle of reincarnation. However, the story does nail one aspect of Buddhism, perfectly: Karma in regards to Naruto. You are absolutely right. If karma were this absolute thing, then Karma would force Naruto to deal a deathblow to Sasuke, but Naruto saves him. Sasuke says he will kill himself, but Naruto tells him. Don’t you dare. Unlike the Uchiha/senju war, Kaguya did not guide Hashirama to kill Madara. He did that on his own volition. Being Hashirama’s reincarnation. Naruto inherits the karma of killing Sasuke, but he rejects that karma by saving him. I read a comment said that the cycle of reincarnation ended with BZ because BZ “artificially extended the war” therefore he essentially caused it, therefore it ended with him. That’s a fair point about the Indra/ Ashura stuff, but he can;t say the same thing about Naruto and Hashirama.
One thing that irks me in this video is the Might Gai's sacrifice comparison to Naruto inheriting the Sage of 6 Paths power. Without Gai or any of the support like Sakura/Gaara still there, both Naruto and Sasuke would have easily died when they were in a coma. Might Gai's sacrifice was already stated to be there as the foundation for the new generation. Naruto saving Gai is a reward to Gai for his sacrifice and hardwork to be able to see the new generation or an asspull. Not to mention, Gai almost singlehandedly crippled Madara on his own where as both Naruto and Sasuke were needed to match Madara.
@@MrM9819 I disagree with the point at 16:25 that Naruto deserved to be stronger than Gai because he endured and overcame. Might Gai was a foundation or stalling so Naruto could get to where he is. Not to mention that Naruto and Sasuke really got their power because of their ancestry not as much deserving or representing them overcoming emotional development
Firstly, guy didnt do anything to help Naruto and Sasuke while they were in their comas. Obito and kabuto respectively saved them. Secondly, guy was fighting a nonchalant Madara who was fighting in a non serious manner. Guy also needed help from Kakashi, Minato, Lee, and Gaara to gain an advantage, so saying Naruto and Sasuke needed to work together is completely irrelevant to your argument
@@YightLagami It’s less about their ancestry and more about the hope that Hagoromo saw in the two. He specifically tells Kakashi that within Naruto is the ability to turn hatred into love and light. And with Sasuke, Hagoromo was making his own attempt to fight the reincarnation cycle. So Craft’s argument isn’t really void bc they both needed to overcome several mental and emotional obstacles to get where they are
This is a great video with alot of words and BGM. Naruto story is still sort of bad, your reaching a lot in this man. I respect the point of view and effort though 👍🏿
While I agree on the front of Rock Lee and Neji, I hard disagree on Naruto being a reincarnation. Every other aspect of Naruto's life didn't predispose him to greatness. Kurama was as much a curse as he was a blessing, his father being the Hokage didn't serve any good to Naruto, his inheritance of large chakra pools from his mother was, while fortunate, not something that automatically put him above his peers, his closeness to Jiraiya did nothing for him on its own, but his status as a reincarnation of a famous hero giving him a powerup strong enough to kill a god with little training needed to use it stands out among Naruto's other powerups. It is the only powerup Naruto gets that isn't a double edged sword, Kurama gives access to massive amounts of Chakra but is hard to control and makes it hard for him to use his own chakra, Shadow Clones let him overwhelm opponents with pure numbers but is incredibly Chakra inefficient if used incorrectly, the Rasengan is incredibly powerful but cannot be done on his own, the Rasenshuriken is even stronger but rips him apart if used as a melee weapon and can't be thrown without Sage Mode, Sage mode is the only other power up that breaks this pattern, but it took a ton of training to master. While it is true that Naruto only got Six Paths mode because Hagoromo believed him to be worthy because of his past effort and thus that could be considered to be how he earned it and Naruto still had not achieved the dream his past lives had failed at, and indeed that is correct, I find it to ultimately be rather uncomfortable that his past lives only became relevant in his success when he couldn't succeed on his own. Naruto, the one who was always suffered from his status as "the chosen one", in the end prevailed not from his own hard work to succeed, not from his own caution and restraint from pushing himself too far, and not from his mastery of the few gifts he had, but because of a circumstance of his existence that he had no meaningful interaction with prior to obtaining the powerup.
If you really wanted to make a point the best example would actually be Sakura, not gods Naruto and Sasuke. Sakura is the most normal as normal can be that achieved powerful things and became one of the best leaf ninja.
Creating a bland character with no thought, no explanation for powers, no lore who gets suddenly strong after time skip OFF SCREEN =\= Hard work Specially when just working for 2 and a half year is enough for someone to overshadow those who were working since they were 5 (almost every clan kid)
All fine and good but Neji's death was still bs. (Again Kishi admitted to only doing it to push Naruto and Hinata together for some reason, its not like they didn't like each other already).
@@SolitaryLark actually, it didn't come out of nowhere. It's fine if you don't like the plot line, but it's worth noting that the Indra and Ashura thing was foreshadowed since the Five Kage Summit arc and the Sage of Six Paths was established at least during the Pain arc.
I'm glad that there's still some TH-camrs who actually get Naruto's story.
Oh, didn't know you liked Naruto.
This is probably the most important Naruto video anyone’s made.
This video is cute but not backed by any evidence with in the series. The real answer is the series of Naruto contradicts itself.
@@god_bleach No actually you just missed the point of the series.
You did not even watch the video, did you. & if you did, your reading comprehension is baffling terrible. He did nothing BUT back up his claims with evidence in the series. You simply chose to ignore it because you think talking down Naruto makes you look smarter. Please stop embarrassing yourself
@@FrffyVsBoredom In the end we are fated by birth, neji was fated to die for the clan. Naruto was fated to be the hero.
You can literally apply that logic to any story.
That point about Iruka at the end is making want to cry. This is once again not just one of the best videos on Naruto but one of the best videos on TH-cam
It made me cry dammit.
ikr, Crafts couldn't have capped off the ending any better. then the Iruka smile there nearly pulled a tear outta me, no lie lol.
7:26 , "lee tried so hard and still failed." So you could say, then, that while he tried so hard and got so far but, in the end, it doesn't even matter?
Bro imma need you to leave now 🚪
True
He had to fall,and lose it all,but in the end,it doesn't even matterrr
This hits different. I always had a high appreciation for Naruto even though I wasn't the biggest fan of the series itself. This video showed me why and I appreciate you for that.
Damn, this brought tears to my eyes. Rereading Naruto with these ideas in mind will be a good time.
Phenomenal stuff, please keep that up, it's a crime that you don't have a bigger audience. I wish you all the best at this difficult time.
This video is cute but not backed by any evidence with in the series. The real answer is the series of Naruto contradicts itself.
@@god_bleach I think writer that made it, had plenty of time to think about it and write something that makes plenty of hidden sense, plus plenty of times we never get hidden messages or realize how much meaning and work in some of the writing decisions, just because you see it as a functional writing - it is this way, just because it needed to be this way for the story to move forward, never realizing that there were plenty options to choose from and writer chose them for a reason. And yes Naruto has plenty of inconsistencies, but I don't think it is one of them. (Sorry for bad English.)
Good example of people not getting Naruto and thinking that It was written these way just to move the plot forward is fight between Temari and Shikamaru. I earlier thought, that It was just lazy stupid writing to make the Shikamaru almost win the fight and then almost give up for no apparent reason but to make final fight fight between Naruto and Neji. I didn't understand that this is essence of
His character, his laziness didn't let him to become shinobi of a higher rank, cause didnt want its responsibilities. But when his friends were going for a mission, he had to accept this responsibility, accept that he couldn't be more on the sidelines and that he was responsible for their lives and success of the mission.
Sorry if my comments seem incomprehensive, I am kinda bad at English.
Thanks for the video, Craftsdwarf. Your take on the series, as well as Mathwiz's, is the most profound. I like the series, because of both of you.
One thing people often forget is that zetus stated that he looked to do the infinite tsukinome plan with the reincarnation countless of times but they all failed
Until madada and hashirama came. This means that being a reincarnation of indra and ashura aren't born as special beings to such an extent they don't have to work for.
You are right !They are just born to fight each other
And keep on continuing the cycle of hatred
It's because the reincarnations are not literal reincarnations the way people see them as just copies. Hagoromo said that Naruto got reincarnated from Ashura AND Ashura's chakra got attached to him. It is deliberately set up so the cycle is not one of power, but conflict. The power Naruto got may have once been the power Ashura got, but both awakened it by doing their own thing. The prerequirement for that was Naruto embracing the Tailed Beasts as people (he could never force them base on his morality).
You can't just change my entire understanding of this story while also calling into question my botched interpretation of not only Naruto, but everything else I've ever consumed before and after. All over the course of a twenty-two minute video.
You did it anyway though. Damn
Congratulations on being one of the few people who didn't just dig their heels in stubbornly upon having their flawed misunderstanding of the series challenged. That might sound insulting, but I promise that's not my intent. Seriously, read some of these comments. Some people are just ridiculously stubborn.
What’s more impressive about this another amazing video is the fact that some people still aren’t willing to treat those stories with more nuance, more of an understanding of the whole picture, in a sense, refusing to grow past that point of conflict and misunderstanding… This to me is one of the symptoms that show why the general discourse on manga seems to never evolve past youtube/overly passionate people whereas it’s pretty clear that most casual fans of the series who grew to see less of the material while it matured would be able to take as much from it if they gave it an honest look, free from the 2012-13 hate train…
While the consensus is potentially shifting a little more every time Craftsdwarf uploads, the potential for a more educated reread was and always will be there. If you are not willing to understand Naruto as a comic for some of it’s narrative choices, I could not encourage you more to give it another shot as you’ve certainly grown, just like your overall perception.
(Obviously this isn’t targeted to anyone who outright despises the series but i wouldn’t hope they got here)
This video is cute but not backed by any evidence with in the series. The real answer is the series of Naruto contradicts itself.
@@god_bleach how
@@44hkt In the end neji was fated to die for the lesser clan
@Not Important ok
@@god_bleach I asked how Naruto as a series contradicted itself, there’s only the quarter of an argument here fam
Excellent video, I’ve been waiting for someone to make a video debunking these misguided ideas about Naruto for ages 👍
HotBoySpicy did it too recently.
I enjoy these kinds of videos because they force me to look back at things with a different lense compared to how I first read the manga. So many details were lost over the years as the apparent final battles of the series dragged on that I had completely forgotten most of the examples that Craftsdwarf had brought up, only remembering the bare minimum of certain scenes since it had been so long since I had first watched or read Naruto.
An incredible video that made me realized that I had limited myself to one theme or angle to the story instead of looking at it from all directions.
In other words, I blinded myself to what was written on the pages before me.
What an incredible video to completely flip my Perspective on Naruto as a series as a whole. Incredible work, Craftsdwarf!
People often conflate "Perseverance" with "Hard Work" especially when it comes to Naruto.
"Perseverance" is Naruto leaving the Chunin Exam's written test blank and yet still refusing to give up until he sees the 10th question.
"Hard Work" would be him desperately trying his best to cheat off of the other candidates and inevitably getting caught 5 times and failing the exam. He couldn't just apply this hard work in studying for the test earlier either because the questions were way out of the scope of what regular Genin were supposed to know. "Hard Work" would not have worked here, even Lee passed the exam because of Ten-Ten showing him the answers.
Obviously not saying hard work is bad but it's definitely not as major a theme of the story as most fans seem to believe, and that makes sense with the setting of the ninja world. You can't really train in the middle of a ninja battle with muh hard work but you can still pull off a win just by hanging on and waiting for an opening to attack ala Naruto's final Rasengan against Pain.
Neji was right
@@allancesar6718 No.
@@allancesar6718 No one is 100% right in Naruto.
Neji also said the weak will stay being weak. He's not aware that becoming stronger or weaker might be someone's path in the future.
@@hotsauce6789 you’re illiterate, you can choose to become stronger or weaker
@@jayglizzyxgaming8812 Aging? Illness? Crippled?
This is a new way for me to see lee. Also the same words from Guy, he originally tells lee to believe himself and even at the point he was crippled he says it agree, in resolve. I am glad I can see that now.
For some reason Ive been watching Naruto deep dives and yeah I agree “Hardwork > Natural Talent” is literally the smallest theme being tackled. Naruto is a series about understanding one another.
Man the first half of naruto is about hardwork and not letting your brith decide your life. But it ends with the exact opposite of that.
@@tesytes318 ok, now watch the video properly
@@tesytes318 ok now actually watch the video
@@WatTheWut did watch it doesn't change at all what I said the first half of naruto is about fate and hardwork believe it just because he trys to make it sound not as bad but it is that bad its dbz levels of having characters around just to stand there or fight no name thugs
@@tesytes318 ok now actually watch the video
I think Naruto's initial problem was lack of discipline. Having become an orphan at a young age, he really had no one to instill such discipline in him. No one took him seriously since he couldn't fill his father's shoes with natural talent (even though it could be argued he did. After all, he learned to create large number of shadow clones just by reading a sacred scroll). To get the attention he craved, he became a goofball and a delinquent. He was considered an idiot because of his naïve positivity and inability to focus on studies combined with his innocent optimism about the people around him. People were also suspicious of him because of his seal and the beast inside of him.
yea saying that naruto inherited no natural talents from his parents is just plain false.
he inherited his affinity to the wind style, which is described as being exceedingly rare, with few people being able to master it as a secondary and even fewer having a natural affinity for it as well as being most suited for offence, from minato and he inherited his own high chakra level and his freakish constitution from the uzumaki clan (yes contrary to what people think, narutos own chakra is monstrous, it's not just the nine tails)
a few other statements in the video are also incorrect, narutos chakra control isn't bad because of the nine tails, it's bad because the thought of honing that skill never occurred to him until kakashi brought it up, every time naruto made an effort to improve it, he did so blindingly fast, he failed at the water walking only because of the seal orochimaru put on him to suppress the nine tails, but once jiraya removed that, naruto nailed the technique almost instantly.
also naruto had plenty discipline, he was training almost constantly.
what he was lacking was wisdom, naruto was training his body, as in things he was already good at like his stamina and strength, he lacked the wisdom to work at his weaknesses and he was too stubborn to listen to those who were wise than himself.
@@windhelmguard5295 The nine tails did influence his chakra control. Ebidu confirmed it and Orochimaru made it worse when he placed that seal on Naruto which was later removed by Jiraiya.
@@GDev-fp8vt "Naruto preaching hardwork" Naruto never said hardwork beats talent,his motto is not giving up on the things he values.He didnt become hokage while being a genin,by the end of the story he was already strong enough to pass the tests(By beating neji he already passed the chunin test final round) but he still was forced to study and gain knowledge to become a proper leader.
Sasuke didnt work harder than Naruto,what do you mean?He got his powers: sharingan and mangekyo sharingan without any training,they were activated from trauma,after that he started overusing his mangekyo sharingan and then STOLE his brothers eyes to get eternal mangekyo,then he got so6p chakra for rinnegan from Hagoromo.Naruto actually had to work hard to learn rasengan,rasenshuriken and sage mode.
And yes Naruto deserves the power of the nine tails,he had to suffer for 12 years because he was a jinchuriki.He suffered a 100 times more than Konohamaru.And he suffered more than Sasuke too.He never had any parents and when he finally got a godfather (Jiraiya),he ended up losing him too. At least Sasuke had a normal childhood for like 12 years before he lost his parents
@@GDev-fp8vt how did sasuke train more than naruto?Naruto trained for rasenshurken,creating hundreds of clones every day,and when the clones disappear,all their tiredness and fatigue goes back to Naruto.He did the work and took the load of a 100 people every day for a month,basically years worth of training,stop deflecting.Sasuke got his eyes for free and kept getting power ups.even stole his brothers eyes because he was going blind.Sasuke would be nothing without his brothers eyes,Naruto would still be hokage level with sage mode alone forget nine tails
Naruto worked way harder than Sasuke,stop lying to yourself
Another character that kind of parallels Neji in regards to his nihilistic view of fate(which is even called attention to when Neji dies) is Obito. Both Neji and Obito blame the circumstances of the ninja world for their bitterness towards it. They both believe the world cannot change and that everyone is fated to succumb to its despair and darkness. They blame the world for why they cannot change. However it’s the resolve to endure and never give up hope that allows people to overcome their fate which Naruto shows both of them.
That makes sense, the villains like madara see the world as cursed, nagato understood the world through the lense of suffering.
Thank you for talking about this. I don’t know why, but the Naruto fandom has gotten so toxic about this talent vs hardwork thing.
Somehow, Naruto is one of the most underrated characters in his own story.
No he isn't. Even if you ignore all the destiny and hard work stuff, he's still very unlikeable after the timeskip.
@@Kurodo222 Nah, he was just annoying in part 1, he was alot better since time skip
@@Kurodo222 lmao just say you're speaking for yourself, you utter it like it's objective fact.
@@kyleward7417 agreed. My girlfriend says she misses his cute quirkiness in part 1 but SHE DOES NOT miss him yelling everything. Personally, I agree he can be off-putting in prepudden. But to be fair, at the beginning I hated or at least disliked Kenichi, most JoJos (and I mean like 6 out of 8 of them), Kiyo from Zatch Bell, Yusuke from YYH, Nagisa from Assassination classroom, and more. And NGL following how far they come makes me genuinely proud. Some shonens hero's journey arcs nowadays have this large cast allure. Where if nothing else, you can like the side characters brought into a manga/anime because of how over the top the main character has to be to stand out from it's contemporaries. I do however, believe this creates a problem relating back to how many main character elements that can be missed because Kishimoto is more subtle about the more symbolic powers ie: Naruto's shadow clones being a way to express his need for comfort with others, the child trauma that no doubt made part 1 Naruto the audacious annoyance as his mental state was tied to a curse, having powerups be both metaphorically and literally through making that curse a blessing. I truly think part 2 Naruto as a character starts shining after learning sage mode. I just think that with all these details of symbology, the quotes to live by, the comrades Naruto gained respect from/for and loads more makes him very well developed. Like how he was pulling Kage/Jonin level feats at the beginning and yet the Sasuke rivalry had me liking Sasuke more from time to time, it become apparent that Kishimoto did his utmost to insert pieces of Naruto's characterization more subtly so that his goals of social acceptance, becoming a leader, and saving his friend from a life of embracing his most painful moments all the more earned when he got there.
And while some of these events being fated to happen, can make the series feel somewhat artificial, it does do well to push the ever-present themes of duality and repeating history all the more real. Those aspects don't line up with Naruto's character journey: plain and simple. But not every anime with strong narratives that are protagonist-driven can intertwine with all other themes at play. Just like how I've never heard someone complain in such overwhelming distaste about how the mechanics of nen being pretty much an afterthought in the Netero vs Meruem fight (one of the best and most hyped fights of the series).
As far as the fated aspects of the show goes, YES it doesn't sync up well with the character driven narratives we've inherently come to know in Naruto's journey. But not every anime (especially long-running) can check every box when it comes to its concluding events. Pre-established notions can be thwarted. Like Hiruzen saying no one in part 1's Konoha could defeat Orochimaru.. yeah Might Guy would like to have a word with that. But I find many long running shonen to be difficult to wrap up, from as early as Yu Yu Hakusho all the way to (what I hear) regarding Seven Deadly Sins. Manga/anime often have flawed endings. But I don't believe these flaws should subtract so harshly from all of which is done right. And Naruto's character is no exception to this.
In conclusion, it's better to start with a bad character if you want them to grow. And so many off-putting protagonists associated with the heros journey arcs in shonen end up being some of the best at establishing groundwork well. Naruto is an incredibly written character in his story. I think he's better than most.
Underrated? By fucking who?
now THIS is Naruto content
You’re actually a goat omg
This feels like a direct response to that video that Plague of Gripes made years ago. Lmao, I going to be real, I used to listen to that video often just because I preferred a One Piece and was looking at anything to undermine naruto fans. I do understand the larger themes of naruto tho. Good work!
Neji was wrong since the moment Hinata decided to fight back, he said people can't change because it's their destiny while Hinata was changing right before his eyes.
He said she was fated to lose. That didn't change
He was right, he's not talking about the individual but the clan itself
@@god_bleach The Hyuga clan changed, so he couldn't be more wrong. Unlike Naruto and Hinata he refused to do anything other than complain about his fate.
Hinata remained a loser forever, he was right
@@wisdommanari6701 A loser would be someone who gives up without even trying, the past Hinata. But in chosing to fight back, Hinata showed her strengths and changed herself.
And although she did lose, winning against Neji was never her intention, it was changing from someone who gave up even before fighting to someone who would risk their lives just to change.
Very good video. Most people who get mad about reincarnation only look at it from a western perspective when Naruto is a Japanese series that heavily references Buddhism. Reincarnation in Buddhism is never about repeating your past lives but continuously trying to redeem yourself and not to repeat the same mistakes in next life.
Most of these Naruto criticisms are baseless and often misinformed. This is often the case with Bleach and to some extent, One Piece. I'm glad that Bleach is having a renaissance after the new anime announcement.
Spitting
Oh boy. You are immature in Buddhist reincarnation. Reincarnation count as your past life. Buddhist strongly believe 8n destiny and predestination stuff
Glad I found this video because you are one of the only ones that gets it, Craftsdwarf. Amazing analysis.
Another banger!
A lot of criticism of Naruto is basically reduced to memes and the the cliffnotes version of the story, people semi-remember. Hard work vs natural talent was the theme of 1 fight, and in that fight, talent wins.
If you want, If you put in an effort, If you train, if you give it your all, If you concentrate yourself... NOTHING grants that you get what you want - Craque Daniel (Falha de Cobertura).
Effort, Friendship Victory? You put in a effort because you are able to do so, You have friends because you are worth to begin with, You win because the conditions were just right... The Shounen Jump motto os a lie - Kumagawa Misogi (Medaka Box)
"Don't get me wrong, I love passionate battles. But, if you attribute the outcome of the match to passion, you might as well be saying that the loser just didn't want it enough." - Tachikawa Kei (World Trigger)
Até mais ver
mr, Poneis
I'm having trouble understanding the first quote..... I get the idea that just because you put in the work and the time the world isn't obligated to give you what you want but the question now becomes so should I not even try, should I settle?!
I'm not trying to hate I'm just understanding it same with crafts video
@@lonemotheo1964 The thing is if you settle the world won't be obliged to give you anything either way...
It's not about what the world should give you but what you can take from the world...
In the end is very much about what you want from life... you can live with the satisfaction that at the very least you gave your everything (Rock Lee) or you can spare yourself of the time, the costs and the stress of trying blindly (Shikamaru) ...
To be honest there shouldn't be a wrong answer... But if you ask around now that he is the right arm of the Hokage, neither the anime nor the manga gave much screentime to Shikamaru to look at clouds anymore... I could be wrong I put the anime (Boruto) aside around the 60th episode...
The thing with Naruto is that his tribulation was as great as his just desserts... When the quest presented itself he fought, when everything became difficult he didn't run away, when everyone gave up he didn't... and according to Crafts essay 9 tails or not, unlimited chakra or not, 4th hokage lineage or not... being the chosen one or not a lot of people would still gave up...
TL;DR The Columbus egg...
The Bottomline
Crafts -> Perseverance = Luck
My Comment -> Luck > Perseverance (YMMV)
Like Oda-sensei from One Piece once said in a SBS... the manga is just a product, it's our fun as readers to read and make our own answers... (Free adapted from a a answer he gave a fan in the volume 82 SBS)
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mr. Poneis
@@mrponeis well when you put it that way makes sense
cool take on Naruto! thanks for spreading some better light on this series that's been misunderstood.
The thing about the Kyubi disrupting Naruto's chakra flow is fanon. The secondary seal that Orochimaru put on top of the first one disrupted his chakra flow but he got that fixed in less than a month.
The best Naruto Anituber at it again
It's ironic that Lee lost his fight and sustained near permanent damage because he internalized his beliefs of hard work and talent only for a lot of naruto fans to do the same thing and damage their understanding of naruto as a series.
Gee it’s like Rock Lee is correct and Kishimoto is a bad writer when given his own work in the timeskip
@@Gackt4awesome he’s not!
@@Gackt4awesome Sir, have you even watched the video? Even if you disagree, you're going to need to put more legwork in as to why you think that.
bars
@@Gackt4awesome A bad writer just wrote one of the most influence and successful shōnen manga of all time. He also won multiply awards, not bad for a bad writer.
Just wow. This was a great video. One of the things I love about Naruto are the characters. They all Have been through something or feel the need to prove themselves or have a goal to achieve. I really love the themes and messages of the anime. I related to Rock Lee the most. I had somewhat of a similar story. Lee I found to be so inspiring that his story helped me in real life. Along with many other great characters not just from Naruto. Thank you for making this amazing video.
I gotta say! wow!
I am ashamed that in my arrogance and ignorance I failed to pay attention and dismissed so much. While I have a few gripes, this was needed.
Thank You for making this!
Wow great essay again craftsdwarf, loved it!
This video really brings the series to a full circle 👏 👏 👏
A refreshing perspective
this vid is so fire great analysis
You clearly love this series and have given this a tremendous amount of thought and care. I respect that. I do find myself agreeing with you on many things. That being said, I think it is possible for a fan (I consider myself such) to see and accept the "flaws" in a work of art that I love. Of course, it's art, so on some level whether a creative choice is truly a flaw or not is ultimately subjective. Some viewers will like a choice while others will hate it, even though its the same choice. I may as well just come out and say it: Rock Lee is my favorite character in the entire series, despite it being a series full of fantastic characters.
Ironically Gaara is probably my second favorite. Naruto teaches Gaara (who the world saw as a monster, rather than a human being) that its not too late for him to change his life. His entire village and his own family hates him? So what? Naruto was the same way, but (with the encouragement of Iruka) he set out to become Hokage. So, Gaara, against all odds, decides to set out on his own journey to become Kazekage and is successful, surpassing Naruto, the hero that defeated him, inspiring Naruto further to one day be Gaara's equal and join him at the top. Maybe, just maybe, a little of Lee's "hard work" ideals rubbed off on Gaara the same way they inspired Naruto.
Anyway, back to Lee, yes, he did lose. In fact, it wasn't just against Gaara. Lee loses so often that it is a part of his character, he is perpetually struggling, failing, always one step away from greatness. You see that back when he is training as a kid, he always gets to 99 push ups, but can't complete the final one before he collapses in fatigue. Doing 99 push ups in a row is a tremendous feat, but Lee's way of life (just like his mentor Guy) is to set high goals and push himself beyond his limits. If he can't complete 100 push ups, then he must do 100 squats, or whatever self imposed punishment he comes up with, turning his "failure" into an opportunity to train and get stronger.
When we first meet Lee, he is already a Genin, which is damn impressive considering he graduated from the academy without any ninjutsu or genjustsu abilities whatsoever. Presumably he performed so well in the physical aspects of the exam that his final grade was high enough to pass in spite of getting zero points in the "magical" components like the clone jutsu. He always found his OWN way in life, his own way to fight, to become strong, and to be "a splendid ninja," ultimately mastering techniques (as a child) that filled Kakashi with awe just to witness, remarking "this isn't just effort alone: this boy really is a genius."
Yet he loses. Sure, he easily defeats Naruto and Sasuke in their sparing match, but he loses to the sound ninja Genin in the forest, even after using the primary lotus in an attempt to defeat one of them, they use ninjutsu to turn the ground softer, negating his efforts. We see in flashbacks how Lee has challenged Neji to sparring matches countless times, but Neji has completely overwhelmed him every time. On one occasion Lee apologizes to Guy about "messing up on their last mission."
And of course, Lee loses to Gaara, in spite of unlocking Gate 5/8 (the Gate of Pain), utilizing speed blinding enough that Gaara can't see him, raw power so great that he can shatter Gaara's sand armor with his bare hands and send his body flying across the room. Lee still loses, once again, his opponent was able to soften the blow of his finishing move, to survive, and strike after he lowered his guard.
I don't ignore these facts. I think they're of great importance to the story and to Lee's character. Lee is an inspiration to me personally, not in spite of losing, but BECAUSE he loses. He teaches us that it is ok to lose. Losing doesn't make you a "loser." Ask anybody, and they'll tell you Lee is awesome, a badass, one of the most likable characters in manga. He's not a loser. He's a splendid ninja. Why? Why isn't Lee a loser or a failure? Because when Lee falls down, he always gets back up again. That's why he gained the respect and recognition of the other characters in the show, not out of pity, but because of his determination, his willpower, his ambition to never give up, even when it would be easier to do so. He keeps going because it is his way, his code, to give 100% to whatever he is doing, to fight till the end, even if it seems futile. In sticking to his code, he completes one of his own self-imposed challenges. He vows not to give up and so, when he fulfills his promise, he wins.
If I could criticize the series for one thing, it would be how Lee was never truly given the chance to complete a character arc in Shippuden. Sure, perhaps he did in filler arcs, but I am referring to the manga canon storyline now. Obviously, Lee is not the main character, so it would be absurd to expect the author to make the whole story revolve around him. That's not what disappointed me. I was disappointed that Lee didn't get to grow the way Gaara did or Shikamaru for that matter. Shikamaru doesn't have a huge role in most of Shippuden, but he still had his chance to shine, to have his own character arc, to avenge his master and take on new responsibilities vowing to one day be a mentor as cool as Asuma was to the next generation. That's all I wanted for Lee, just to see him come into his own, to mature and find his place in the world. To feel that he had indeed become a splendid ninja as he once set out to do. Its a shame that his development just kind of stalled and never seemed to go anywhere imo.
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the matter tho.
I totally agree,the final war arc was a wasted opportunity to see Rock Lee and other characters growth,like have them fight with the revived akatsuki members and then win with teamqirk and strategies
Goated video
Craftsdwarf just had a Naruto flashback and grabbed a pen.
Once again you put what I have in my mind eloquently, fantastic video
2:00 that music has me wanting to watch Kenichi all over again.
I can't believe ppl think the main theme is hard work over natural talent when as said in the video hard work leads to the discovery of talent. No character is actually ordinary. Even as useless as everyone says saukra is even if she through hard work had a natural talent for medical ninjustus. Lee had natural talent for high speed taijustu. To be a ninja everyone needed both
Lmao wow I just peeped that 2 of the most beloved characters are the reason why alot of people criticize the series 😭😭, great video bro the "omg neji was right" and "naruto went against its hard work" theme is something that HAS to get debunked
Wow ..subbed and liked..this video is beyond
Finally someone puts a positive on Neji's death.
Too many people say its dumb, but I love how he grew out of his hate just like his father to protect the ones he loves.
he didnt had to die for this
@@vivvy_0 For the safety of the world?
@@Ineedgames he could have easily redirect this attack with his twirling signatur move
@@Ineedgames narratively would have been better if he just got killed off in his fight against kidomaru
@@vivvy_0 Why Kidomaru? Would ruin the point of him deciding on his own to defend Naruto and Hinata.
This is the first time I've seen neji's death in a more positive light as opposed to he died so naruhina can happen which makes no sense since they still needed an entire movie after that when they could have easily built it in the pain arc.
Now thou I can see it as neji following in his dad's footsteps and making his own decision in spite of the curse placed on him, even if that is what was wanted from him. In the end it didn't matter.
I love this video. For too long people have clung to these ridiculous notions to justify that Naruto somehow failed its premise. It's fine if you don't like the direction Naruto went in, but don't try to convince the rest of us that you guys were right.
Naruto might just be the biggest example of westerners projecting their beliefs onto an eastern work. Considering it's a series about understanding one another that's really sad.
what do westerners and easterners have to do with anything 😐
I wonder exactly what you mean when you say that. Are you saying Because we grew up in a culture outside of Japanese culture that we somehow misconstrued the ideas communicated with us?
@@GhostlyNomad130 Pretty sure that's what he means, though I'd have to disagree with the notion that it was the biggest example; Bleach is a far bigger (and more egregious) example of that in action.
@@marcusduroseau7397 how so?
@@marcusduroseau7397 yeah how so?
Naruto fans gaslighting about the bad writing and making excuses is always funny to me
Great video!
So good! nice to see you back w/more Naruto vids they're enthralling lol.
Also gotta leave people trying to assert Naruto and(Shippuden) aren’t the same work. The manga is called Naruto. Shippuden was used in the title of the latter part of the story for marketing I guess? I always hated it. The anime simply titled “Naruto” isn’t a complete work and neither is “Naruto-Shippuden”
I feel the EXACT same way about Dragon Ball.
@@MARCSEIDis you get it!
@@MARCSEIDis dragon ball was separated. There are three different manga. DB, DBZ, and DBS.
@@lasttrinity0780 only here in the States. In the original Japanese release, everything from Goku meeting Bulma to Goku flying off with Uub was called "DRAGON BALL"
Frick, I've finally been convinced. Thank you, Craftsdwarf! Also, your voice is hecka cute.
I really really loved Lee's conclusion.
He was the person who think he can achieve anything just by putting efforts but after getting his arm and leg crush and the fear of might not being a Ninja again. He cries and cries asking Guy sensei what he do now? How can he overcome this ordeal ....
and than He accepts the surgery cuz Luck is a skill too
Another great video. You've really made an outstanding series on Naruto.
Fantastic as always
How does one overcome fate? Seems like thats the biggest issue with naruto
great video
Awesome.
I always wondered why Kishimoto had Guy be the one to fight Madara and open the 8 gates instead of Lee. I feel that if that had been Lee's moment a lot of people would like him more
Here the problem with Lee narratively: because his strength comes from relentless training, anything he does Gai can do better due to having a decade more time to train. Once you get to the endgame, having Lee face the upper echelon of antagonists just makes them look weak as Gai could have probably handled it easier. We accept Shikamaru beating Hidan when Azuma couldn't since they have completely different skillsets and pretime, but you can't do that with Gai and he basically hijacked Lee's story.
@@flockinify That only a problem because Kishimoto wrote it that way, he could have always made Lee stronger than Gai, specially if he had given some of Gai's moments to Lee, specially that fight against Madara
There is also the problem with the fundamental difference between Guy and Lee. The gates represent sacrifice, not hard work. Guy's entire thing, beyond hard work, it's sacrifice for others. The red leafs nourishing the earth. It's the will of fire. Lee it's, fundamentally, a copy of Guy, but had problems inheriting the lesson Guy gave. Guy, beyond hard work to do something, thought Lee about putting others before him. Lee took notes, but he didn't internalize the lesson, did it less to protect others, more to show of. In the forest, he lost to the Sound Ninja because he wanted to impress Sakura. He used a move that placed him in a bad spot. His motivation wasn't to keep her safe, like Naruto did vs Gaara. Go head first and keep them away. The same happened in the fight vs Gaara. He wanted to show of and beat Gaara. he internalized the "hard work vs talent" thing and never understood Gaara. What does words like "hard work" and "talent" mean for Gaara. He was a monster born out of cut bonds. Hatred. Hatred vs hard work does not work. Lee forgot his dream of "splendid ninja". He got that in that fight, but by going bonkers on Gaara, for no reason, he crippled himself. Only to be saved by the bonds: Lee-Guy, Lee-Naruto and Nauto-Tsunade. hinata fought neji to change herself, she won. naruto fought Kiba to rove he was not a loser, even when nerfed. Ino and Sakura had their resolution, even if the fight was bad. Naruto fought Neji for himself, Hinata and Lee, even Neji. Even in the end, Lee never opened the 8th gate, as the 8th requires the ultimate sacrifice. That was the swan song for Guy. The man who nurtured the next generation. Could Lee have been written differently? Sure. But the story had to be changed from the get-go. Guy was the man who sacrificed everything for others, not Lee.
@@dancorneanu9144
I hadn't thought about it that way but it's interesting to think of that Lee's biggest flaw was his ego, i wish the story had focused more on that. All the more reason why it would have been a great ending to his arc if he had opened the 8th gate though. For him to finally stop fighting to show off and fight to protect others. but you're right the story should have been different before that.
Damn this really did attack my world view. You've improved a lot as an analysist since those Fairy Tail videos.
I don't really see how it is reductive to point out the central meaning of a long-form work. Especially when what mainly distinguishes it (as you pointed out) is that its length allows it to explore more topics, which is a great opportunity for it to build on a central point (The TV series GoT and BB are good examples). I do think that the issue with this thinking is the assumption that no ideas expressed in a work are done so in isolation, but I don't think that's much of the case in Naruto since people do recognize that it takes advantage of something specific that goes as far back as Chapter 1.
I stopped watching when you said Kakashi was childish for learning wisdom from Obito.
Wow. I never understood the reincarnation part for years no matter how hard I tried, but I get it now! Ashura keeps failing, but he never gives up. He is literally and figuratively the soul of Naruto.
Masterpiece
What amazing Chanel!!
Its still sad to see how Rock Lee ended up not accomplishing anything, he wasnt really present in Shippuuden. Hard work does not beat the writing apperently
Lee does becoming a Chuunin, he accomplished that.
@@rabbss830 what sort of accomplishment is that? Shikamaru became a Chuunin a couple of chapters after Lee got introduced to the Story.
This is nothing of value. Jonin would be another thing, but Chuunin is not much
@@MrChiyobaa like i said before, don't compared one's accomplishment with anothers. You sounds like an asian mom by doing that.
@@rabbss830 i think you just lack knowledge when it comes to Lee.
As someone who compared himself with the best of the best (Naruto, Neji, Sasuke) and whose whole character is about showing the world that you can beat genius through hard work you do expect more of him than mediocracy.
@@MrChiyobaa nah, lee never compared himself with others after becoming chuunin, he just do his own things.
Nice👍
This. This is the Naruto video the community needs. Those who need to watch it probably won’t though :/
Two consecutive craftsdwarf Naruto videos?! It's like he's trying to make me coom.
shit this video was great
Please do a video analysing Sakura's character and the importance of her relationship with Sasuke in the broader narrative
Please no one wants to watch a video about that garbage pairing.
Is there any explanation other than Kishimoto doesnt know how to write Romance?
I wanted her to blossom so badly. Her and Chiyo's fight with Sasori is still my favorite moment of the entire series. It was like things were going to be different...! And then they weren't.
There is no importance in the broader story at all. It held no themes on Sasuke or Sakura. It was just bad writting.
I appreciate the Kenichi ost
HITMAN REBORN
Sasuke wasn’t super talented, he just always had potential, his brother Itachi had the talent. If we look at them age by age, Sasuke has to do so much just to reach even a fraction of the sheer natural ability Itachi had at a similar age. Even by the time of Shippuden Sasuke is 16 years old and is still isn’t able to surpass a 13-year old Itachi until he attains the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, a power that for all intensive purposes should be downright impossible to achieve.
I really liked this video and it did make me see some things differently with regards to specific characters like Neji and Rock Lee, and hell, even Naruto as a character but it didn't really convince me at all about the flub that is the entire thing, from the perspective of "this is a shounen and things like power scaling and systems are part of the package" precisely because of how the series end. For the characters, I think the subtext in Naruto was handled decently well and appreciate a lot of it, but the text itself is just so poor IMO. (note that this rant is mostly about power-level stuff)
I can summarize it right from 16:36 to 16:54, I just simply disagree. It's not his own power, it was bestowed upon him. Nothing in the series really speaks to "well he used his power right!", like, unlike whom exactly? No one else in the series is bestowed as much power and is shown to not make the best of it. Anyone that "uses their power wrong", had a weaker power than the 9 tails anyway. The closest person that also gets randomly bestowed power for no reason is Sasuke, and they end up being exactly as powerful as the other for all intents and purposes. Next to that, it's Madara who had the Rinnegan, but my boy DID the work for it, was it a hundred years? Don't even know but he absolutely wasn't bestowed that power, he earned it, even when also being a reincarnation.
Naruto was never the underdog. He might have seemed like one, but it was all smoke and mirrors caused by a lack of information. Son of the fourth Hokage and of a strong lineage from Kushina's side, (we know it's bullshit that he didn't inherit any talent from them as the SoSP says, that was literally just lip service, look how fast he learns the Rasengan, a month, as opposed to Minato's 3 years who WAS talented "unlike Naruto", and later Boruto took 3 days and improved it ACCIDENTALLY, what did talent skip a generation? lol. show me he is untalented don't tell me he is but then have him outperform the most talented people in history who ALSO worked hard as hell) 9 tails inside, taught by the very best legendary teachers, and literally the reincarnation of ninja J-man.
How many times was his life saved by help from Kurama's chakra? Say that "hard work overcoming talent" is not the main point of Naruto and I'll agree, but it's definitely a topic that's touched on a lot, especially on early Naruto, and absolutely all of that was ruined by what happens by the end. If Naruto had had, idk, the 6 tails rather than the 9 tails I'd eat this shit up just like I did when I was in 8th grade, but as it stands nah. You can't just gift someone the most potential and then have them be the best and say "well but he worked really hard!" when there's no evidence he would have become just as powerful as he did without that gift.
And this is unrelated to the main point but there are just so many more things with this series man, the retconning of Kakashi and Hiraya's relationship to Naruto before they met just unnecessarily made the story even more incestuous than it already was and damaged early Naruto by making their interactions just plain odd on rewatches. Like bruh.
What do you think is so poor about the text exactly?
Minato created the rasengan, which was why it took him so long to "learn it". Naruto was taught the rasengan by one of the greatest ninja to exist, not to mention he didn't even properly learn it. He had to have shadow clones present to help him properly mold his chakra, again another detriment of having the nine tailed fox constantly hinder his own raw chakra pool. And yes actually, unlike his father Boruto is a ninja prodigy and much smarter than Naruto ever was at his age. The "talented" people he constantly outperformed lost because they didn't acknowledge Naruto and didn't believe him to be a worthy adversary so they would often underestimate him in fights as a result. Neji lost due to his own arrogance.
It's really nopt touched on a lot, you people just make it seem that way, the way people talk about hardwork in Naruto you make it seem like that was his nindo or something. You literally just acknowledged that being the case too, the only arc where hardwork is truly emphasized a lot is the chunin exams, and even that is just a misinterpretation on other people's part. The show itself is telling you that isn't always a reality. I don't understand how that ruins what happened at the end, like what end are you even referring to? And to say that Naruto didn't work hard is just a testament to either you forgetting what you literally watched/ read or just perpetuating the same bs that everyone else did. It's almost like he didn't train for the rasengan, didn't go on a 3 year long training journey with Jiraiya, didn't train to attain the rasenshuriken, didn't work his ass off to attain sage mode, etc. It's shown time and time again yet you willfully just gloss over all of that because it serves your purpose. With out the 9 tails Naruto remains an absolute splendid ninja, not to mention a member of the uzumaki clan.
Your complaints lack the substance of someone who even watched the show and come off as someone who just wants to find something negative to say just like everyone else.
@@P31N bruh are you for real, Neji wasn't overconfident, he just didn't expect that Naruto would LITERALLY break the rules of the universe and use chakra even though his chakra points were crushed. Also, Naruto was down for the count for minutes on end and the ref would just not call it, but one punch from Naruto and it was an immediate loss for Neji lol. What hard work was there exactly from Naruto? This is what I mean by the text sucking. The execution of the moment-to-moment.
Plus Naruto didn't only beat whoever he fought with, he surpassed literally everyone and become the strongest (SECOND strongest at the very worst) in history, in a world full of prodigies. Stronger than Might Guy, than Kakashi, than Hiraya, than Hashirama, than Sarutobi, than Minato, than Tobirama, than all of the rest of the Kages. So you're saying that a 18 year old kid worked harder and for longer than ALL of them adults? The timeskip is proof of MY point, not yours. 3 years is nothing compared to a lifetime of hard work AND unmatched talent from all these mentioned characters, all surpassed in 3 years, 4 if you want to be generous and say there was one year from the timeskip until the end of the series, it's still bullshit. Hell make that timespan 5 years and it's STILL bullshit. How many years did Hashirama or Minato practiced the sage mode, both who were again, unprecedented talents AND hard workers, and in how many months AT BEST did it take for Naruto to surpass them on it? Again, this is what I mean by the text sucking. It literally makes no sense. At least in HxH Gon and Killua are CONSTANTLY hyped up as 1 in 10 million talent prodigies, but Naruto is constantly SAID to be untalented, to be a failure, only to turn around and proof the exact opposite. Then the SoSP has the AUDACITY to say that Naruto didn't inherit any talent whatsoever lmao FoH. If he hadn't said that, at least left it up to interpretation, I'd be fine with most of this shit.
Like I said, the text sucks. There is no actual proof that he tried harder than anyone else that was under his own circumstances or worse. There's no point of reference of anyone else struggling to control chakra because of having a tailed beast inside nor having the same reward as he did for doing so. He's always just stated to be an untalented hard worker while ignoring that there's no comparison in the first place since none of his opponents OR peers, or literally anyone else in thee world, had his unworked-for boons in the first place. Most apt comparison in having gifts given to them as if we were on Oprah is Sasuke, and they're both literally top 2.
And again, I actually like the subtext of it all, this same video made me change my mind at least on Neji dying for the main branch and on Rock Lee ending the series as a fucking loser, but the TEXT, the power-scaling, the power system, the stakes, were just all over the place. I'm glad the soul of the work is decent enough, not even great, but I happen to also like the body to make sense.
@@keen96 @kee I find your first point bizarre since character driven fights ultimately comes down to an ideological battle between characters and Naruto was right to not accept resign to the idea that everyone had placed on him that he wouldn't amount to anything and fight to prove himself so that's why he won and plus it fits with the fight details since it represents Naruto getting back up to fight despite the odds whereas Neji falls at the slightest pushback i.e surrender to his "fate" . Griping about the technical aspects of a fight is fine and dandy but that shouldnt be used as your basis as to why Neji deserved in a textual sense especially when they actually do fit to the overall point.
This sort of leads to my next critism about your comment since like many people who claim that Naruto is hypocrite, just inherited his power, doesn't deserve it, and/or others are more deserving of it is it completely ignores the context surrounding the event and only looks at story details in a vacuum and sometimes plain gets it wrong too. For instance, this idea that Naruto is played up as underdog is only ever present in part 1 of the series when everyone rightfully thinks so because he displays no competencies at the academy and despite wanting to be Hokage to be acknowledged by his village, is too undisciplined to try and improve and there's no one to guide him. It's only after seriously applying himself to his goals and being properly mentored by renowned ninjas like Jiraya and Kakashi does he begin to display the innate talents he always had (Craftsdwarf talks about this as "hard work leading to the discovery of talent") but that doesn't change the fact that he had to work hard and go against the early expectations people had of him. It's such a minor thing to bitch about too since after Tsunade retrieval arc, I don't recall any main characters ever doubting Naruto again besides perhaps villains being arrogant about their own power and on the contrary, are very supportive of him and place high expectation on him as he'd finally able demonstrated to everyone in his village that he can be an excellent ninja.
As to your other point of people working harder than him yet falling short in terms of power, first off this paints a picture that every battle Naruto fought was easy or he could do it alone but that's sooooo far from the case. Like really, is there any major arc where Naruto didn't rely on comrades for help or had an easy go at it? The only instance that come to mind is the fight he had where he first used the rasenshuriken but that's only because he requested so and Shikamaru still had to deal with Hidan. Are we going to forget that he actually failed to rescue Gaara from Akatsuki in time and Chihiro sacrificed herself to atleast bring him back to life or how Pain dominated him even after getting his Sage mode and ultimately he had to talk Nagato down instead or how the fight against Madara was declared a war? Often these fights are slugfests so it's not like there's a significant gap in strength and on top of that, Naruto has to come to understand their opponents and convince them to take a more peacefully approach rather than forcefully change their minds if he truly wants to stick to his ideals.
This is all actually a distraction to the main argument I have that it doesn't matter that the people around him were working harder and longer than him since, like mentioned in the video, it's really about finding what you can bring to the world that others can't and Naruto wanting to bring hope and change to the ninja world fits with him being the reincarnation of the son of the great sage that tried to peacefully unite everyone. This is personally why I'm not all that bothered by the reincarnation plot. "WoRkInG HaRdER" doesn't have any bearing on that nor should it on a metanarrative sense and if you can't tell can't, it's an idea that I find is very childish
@@LifeAura123 No point even saying anything further lol. What he has reiterated again just shows to me that he didn't understand what he watched and that's okay. That's what's beautiful about this medium, we can both watch the exact same show and interpret it completely differently. He's adamant in the whole mindset of hard work and who worked harder than who despite that not being a focal point of the story to begin with, but he claims it is. Which I boil down to how he chose to interpret what he saw. Hard work only beats talent when talent fails to work hard. While Naruto isn't a genius by any means, he's gifted and he has always thought outside of the box when it came to his fights. His arguments hang on the thread of people within a village that actively wanted to see him fail and die and uses that as a basis for saying "he was constantly said to be untalented and a failure." IT's almost like bro doesn't even know the meaning of talent lmao, its laughable. Like how tf can you even inherit talent... "huh"?? Just because your parents are good at something doesn't automatically mean you will be too. Naruto is gifted in his own right.
He already seems to be set in his thoughts already anyway, ideky he would watch a video like this if he had such strong preconceived biases towards the show.
@@LifeAura123 god damn had a pretty elaborate answer and the pop-up closed, don't feel like going as detailed now so shortened version is:
disagree on neji's fight, he didn't surrendered he was declared the loser even though Naruto had eaten dirt for long periods of time too. my point being, details and execution matter to me, I can't help it. literally would have no problem with it if the punch had knocked Neji out instead.
besides that, fair points all around. I'll admit that my strong distaste of chosen one storylines severely colors how I see Naruto now, especially because of how late it was brought up, it ruins all of the series retroactively for me. At least in Harry Potter we know Harry is the chosen one on the first page, but for Naruto finding out so late in the game it sours the whole experience for me, alongside the Jiraya and Kakashi retcon. That lone plot point made me go from talking about Naruto in a "your favorite thing" presentation in 8th grade and generally loving it to a "3/10, I'm just reading it cause I've stuck around for years at this point I just wanna see how it ends"
as craft said, the reincarnation thing could be seen as a curse that Naruto overcame by not giving up on Sasuke unlike how Hashirama did on Madara but like... I think episode 1 Naruto would have done that same decision? At the latest, the Naruto after Lands of Waves and before Chuunin Exam would have already made that decision so like, ???? that point just doesn't seem impactful for me.
Also I just want to add, I don't dislike Naruto ONLY for the power levels and chosen one stuff. The world building is atrocious, the story is way too incestuous tripping over itself to make sure that everything is related to the same few characters, the power system is too basic for a shounen and inconsistent as hell (where did hand signs go??) From what I understood, you don't really care about this stuff and care purely on the characters. I get that, I love character work too, but I also dig having the text itself make sense and be consistent and well crafted, and I like interesting power systems and creative application of them.
And maybe I should reiterate, this video DID change my mind on a couple of things. I see the point that Neji chose his death rather than being a victim of destiny (though the scene itself was so poorly executed it's one of those where you go bruh just move a bit to the left lol also felt very forced and disingenous since Naruto and Neji barely interacted post-timeskip) it just didn't change my mind on the series as a whole. Gai should have died after 8 gates and Naruto being the reincarnation of a god still taints everything retroactively. I'm not gonna lie though, I had never thought of the final point on Iruka like that and now I'm pretty chill with the fact that he was completely forgotten about for 99% of the series.
Yes, this was the abridged response lol. I once had a literal 9 hour conversation about everything I dislike about Naruto with a friend that really likes it lol.
first of all, a fantastic video.
second of all, I am very much so enjoying this trend of yours recently of trying to do positive coverage of stories.
rather then finding the faults in them, you try to find the good things, which evidently exist in all media.
however, one thing I must say as a negative of Naruto, is that it was not well executed.
the sad reality is that despite having really good messages, fantastic characters, and a wonderfully fascinating world, Naruto failed at delivering them properly and doing them justice.
when one person fails to see the point of a story, you can say that it wasn't for them. perhaps they weren't the target audience, perhaps they missed something.
when an entire generation comes out of it with the feeling of betrayal and disappointment, you know there is a problem in the story.
Naruto wasn't able to properly convey it's points and messages across, and it eventually led to you needing to make such a video.
seeing so many people changing their mind and the way they looked at the story from this video is heart warming, yet at the same time saddening, because they wouldn't have reached this conclusion if it wasn't for you, and that is on the story, not on them.
Exactly! Kishimoto didn't do well enough of a job regarding Naruto. The fact that ppl are still arguing decades later about this is proof that the writing/philosophy of Naruto isn't profound
With this entire paragraph I at least expected an example. 😥 😔.
When some people fail to grasp the nuance of a story then it's on them, not on the story.
@@MrM9819 nah
Gotta love Iruka-sensei
Or else you haven't seen the show.
I know Naruto is not about hardwork beats talent but
Lee losing is seen as a challenge to those ideals of hardwork beats talent but since Naruto is also portrayed as a loser without talent taking 3 years to accomplish what most of his classmates accomplished. Is the analogy perfect? No but to a child they can make sense.
For me it's less about the betrayal of themes and more about how obvious the retcons are. Do they ever explain why the 3rd Hokage let Naruto be treated the way he was by the other villagers? Why Jiraiya didn't recognize the the name of his pupil's son from the book he wrote? What about how Lee's dream had already been achieved by Gai since he is also incapable of using ninjutsu and genjutsu?
Also I thought the reason why Naruto had trouble using his chakra was because of Orochimaru's poor sealing jutsu not the Ninetails. These retcons added by Shippuden aren't the only reason why I think it ruined the series but they are a part of it.
The third hokage was an idiot. That's pretty much what the canon explanation is. He saw the darkness in his village, and he choose to ignore it and not fix anything, until the conditions became so bad the only way to prevent a civil war was genocide. That's not directly the same thing, but it's a symptom with the same root cause. It's a problem he and Hashirama both had. They were only willing to look at the potential good of a village, the peace and quality of life it provided, but just liked pretending that all the problems weren't there. It's kinda what directly resulted in so many of the problems that come to a head in the 4th war arc.
Jiraiya is a spymaster, I doubt he didn't know who Naruto was, he just didn't show up. Why exactly that is, I'm not sure, my best bet would be he's just kind of an ass or was busy drowning his grief in pr0n.
As for Lee and Guy, I'm not sure if that is really a narrative issue? If anything, having Guy as a yardstick of what Lee's philosophy could accomplish would just make him more driven to get there. My take on it is more so that his whole arc in chuunin exams is trying to demonstrate how toxic his mentality of hard work is to his own health. He essentially spends all day every day training, to the point of essentially not having a social life outside his team, and to the point that the techniques he uses almost leave him unable to walk because he can't figure out when it's time to cool it. More so, I think there's a very important and often overlooked aspect in the differences between him and Guy. Lee's motivations are fundamentally selfish. He's unwilling to take a lesser position due to his pride, because he wants people's admiration, and he repeatedly gets hurt or loses and advantage trying to show off. I think it sorta culminates in him never being able to learn the 8th gate in Shippuden, because it's one based on sacrifice and destroying yourself to give others a chance to move forward (as seen with Guy and Dai's uses of the technique respectively). At least in Shippuden, the reason Lee failed to match up to Gai, is because he was doing for his own sake, what Guy was doing selflessly.
Naruto's chakra control sucked because of nine tails.Proof is chapter 90 i think.
Great video, though I will disagree on one major element. Pretty much up until the bring back Sasuke arc, the series kept trying to present Naruto as an untalented underdog, who then pulls out wins based on birthright power. He pulls off an extreme shadow clone jutsu after practicing a few hours due to his massive chakra pool. He survives against Haku due to Kurama. He’s able to train under Jiraya and pull off crazy summoning Jutsu due to Kurama and crazy chakra. And so on.
Heck, many of the important adult figures in Naruto’s life took notice of him because of Kurama, including Iruka. The early parts of the series keep saying that Naruto is bottom of the barrel in terms of talent, yet he always came out on top due to Kurama, his crazy chakra pool, and learning techniques incredibly fast. Plus, he’s the son of the Fourth Hokage, which was obvious from the very start, meaning he did have lineage backing him, only none of the younger characters knew (I dropped the series shortly after the time-skip, so I don’t know who knew and who didn’t).
You could be 100% right about what the series was going for thematically, but the takes you mock are completely supported by the series. From the very start, Naruto had special unique powers that were critical in setting up relationships and winning fights. And the series kept pretending that he was a low talent underdog that made it to where he was through hard work, all while he displays incredible gifts and very fast learning capability. It’s not just two fights, it’s the series up to the rescue Sasuke arc that beat that in.
No from the beginning of the story it was stated that the reason naruto struggles with his jutsu is because kurama power.
And the fact that naruto is using that power now is because one of the main themes of naruto is overcoming Your own circumstance and exploring the idea of hard work is by product of that theme there is reason why most the villains in naruto Are a darker versions of himself.
Last the fact that someone is talented done not mean they do not work hard or struggle so do not make it sound that sme how a prove of that theme.
@@tarakezehare6899 That doesn’t contradict anything I’ve said though. Sure, Naruto overcame the negatives of Kurama, but that basically happened before the set off on the escort mission. Yes, his chakra control was still screwy, but it didn’t matter (he still learned tree walking very quickly), only serving as an extra power boost later on (and he befriended his squad in the same time frame, along with some other characters). Kurama was essentially a net positive from the start (his ostracizing basically ended after the first showing of shadow clones). He still is carried by multiple birthright powers, he just happens to be a good kid and lucky that said powers attracted positive influences more than say Gaara’s did.
@@Skywardflare758 your point. Was because naruto work hard then thef story is Contradicting itself and my point is the is more to that themes then that and kurama being a net positive to naruto is part of what the story want to say. the same as the drunk style of lee.
@@Skywardflare758but hagoromo literally said that Naruto didn't inherit any power or talent from Minato or Kushina, every success is from Naruto himself for being who he is.
Overshadowed lee
Rip destiny ninja kid
Very good video and i understand your view but i still hav one Problem. I think the hole reincarnation is the point i just can not stand. That his father is Minato i think do not matter, because just because his parents are strong does not mean he is strong because he never meet them.
But he is reborn from some of the strongest people in historie and for me that show that he never did something 100% out of his own mind. He was just the last step of the fight between the brothers and he always had the potential to become stronge. He always had a way to go. He never was just: "Waht can i do now? I have nowhere to grow now."
Maybe i misunderstand the story but i do not know as a kid i could relate to him but now i could never relate to him.
I dunno man, none of this changes the fact that they made a horrible job at consistency in storytelling. They hyped the wievers with this, child progidy who is extremely dangerous in battle, and then they did nothing to showcase his promised potential. The child progidy appearantly cant deflect some fkn wood.
I would be totally fine with his death if they didnt hype him so much in og naruto, or if he actually died doing some awesome shit no other shinobi could achieve, giving up his life in process. with the former scnerio we would at least have no expectations. with the latter, we would get the climax of his potential arc.
Naruto is a good show but like every show ever it has its flaws. Nejis lazy death was one of them
TFW Kishimoto killed off our best stoic boi to create the nightmare of Boruto.
Boruto is pretty good tho
On the Buddhist stuff,
Unfortunately the decision to have black zetsu vaguely tempt Indra does undercut the Buddhist messaging. Although the text does not explicitly say BZ persuaded Indra into attacking Ashura, the text does imply it with the lines
“I tempted Indra, who had lost the fight for ninja creed succession.”
And
“You’re part of the ninja history I helped create.”
This can lead ppl to believe BZ caused the cycle of reincarnation.
However, the story does nail one aspect of Buddhism, perfectly: Karma in regards to Naruto.
You are absolutely right. If karma were this absolute thing, then Karma would force Naruto to deal a deathblow to Sasuke, but Naruto saves him.
Sasuke says he will kill himself, but Naruto tells him. Don’t you dare.
Unlike the Uchiha/senju war, Kaguya did not guide Hashirama to kill Madara. He did that on his own volition.
Being Hashirama’s reincarnation. Naruto inherits the karma of killing Sasuke, but he rejects that karma by saving him.
I read a comment said that the cycle of reincarnation ended with BZ because BZ “artificially extended the war” therefore he essentially caused it, therefore it ended with him.
That’s a fair point about the Indra/ Ashura stuff, but he can;t say the same thing about Naruto and Hashirama.
One thing that irks me in this video is the Might Gai's sacrifice comparison to Naruto inheriting the Sage of 6 Paths power. Without Gai or any of the support like Sakura/Gaara still there, both Naruto and Sasuke would have easily died when they were in a coma. Might Gai's sacrifice was already stated to be there as the foundation for the new generation. Naruto saving Gai is a reward to Gai for his sacrifice and hardwork to be able to see the new generation or an asspull. Not to mention, Gai almost singlehandedly crippled Madara on his own where as both Naruto and Sasuke were needed to match Madara.
I agree, I really wish Guy and more of the konoha 12 died during the war.
What’s your point ?
@@MrM9819 I disagree with the point at 16:25 that Naruto deserved to be stronger than Gai because he endured and overcame. Might Gai was a foundation or stalling so Naruto could get to where he is. Not to mention that Naruto and Sasuke really got their power because of their ancestry not as much deserving or representing them overcoming emotional development
Firstly, guy didnt do anything to help Naruto and Sasuke while they were in their comas. Obito and kabuto respectively saved them. Secondly, guy was fighting a nonchalant Madara who was fighting in a non serious manner. Guy also needed help from Kakashi, Minato, Lee, and Gaara to gain an advantage, so saying Naruto and Sasuke needed to work together is completely irrelevant to your argument
@@YightLagami It’s less about their ancestry and more about the hope that Hagoromo saw in the two. He specifically tells Kakashi that within Naruto is the ability to turn hatred into love and light. And with Sasuke, Hagoromo was making his own attempt to fight the reincarnation cycle. So Craft’s argument isn’t really void bc they both needed to overcome several mental and emotional obstacles to get where they are
This is a great video with alot of words and BGM. Naruto story is still sort of bad, your reaching a lot in this man. I respect the point of view and effort though 👍🏿
lol
Hilarious you didn’t listen at all
@@davidajayi6516 I did listen to it. Listened to the whole video. Just because I don't agree with him doesn't mean I didn't listen.
i think i hate naruto now
this is so Based
Care to give a real explanation?
You can just say you disagree with Plague of Gripes, you don't need to strip me naked in the corner of this Wendy's.
While I agree on the front of Rock Lee and Neji, I hard disagree on Naruto being a reincarnation. Every other aspect of Naruto's life didn't predispose him to greatness. Kurama was as much a curse as he was a blessing, his father being the Hokage didn't serve any good to Naruto, his inheritance of large chakra pools from his mother was, while fortunate, not something that automatically put him above his peers, his closeness to Jiraiya did nothing for him on its own, but his status as a reincarnation of a famous hero giving him a powerup strong enough to kill a god with little training needed to use it stands out among Naruto's other powerups.
It is the only powerup Naruto gets that isn't a double edged sword, Kurama gives access to massive amounts of Chakra but is hard to control and makes it hard for him to use his own chakra, Shadow Clones let him overwhelm opponents with pure numbers but is incredibly Chakra inefficient if used incorrectly, the Rasengan is incredibly powerful but cannot be done on his own, the Rasenshuriken is even stronger but rips him apart if used as a melee weapon and can't be thrown without Sage Mode, Sage mode is the only other power up that breaks this pattern, but it took a ton of training to master.
While it is true that Naruto only got Six Paths mode because Hagoromo believed him to be worthy because of his past effort and thus that could be considered to be how he earned it and Naruto still had not achieved the dream his past lives had failed at, and indeed that is correct, I find it to ultimately be rather uncomfortable that his past lives only became relevant in his success when he couldn't succeed on his own. Naruto, the one who was always suffered from his status as "the chosen one", in the end prevailed not from his own hard work to succeed, not from his own caution and restraint from pushing himself too far, and not from his mastery of the few gifts he had, but because of a circumstance of his existence that he had no meaningful interaction with prior to obtaining the powerup.
If you really wanted to make a point the best example would actually be Sakura, not gods Naruto and Sasuke. Sakura is the most normal as normal can be that achieved powerful things and became one of the best leaf ninja.
Creating a bland character with no thought, no explanation for powers, no lore who gets suddenly strong after time skip OFF SCREEN =\= Hard work
Specially when just working for 2 and a half year is enough for someone to overshadow those who were working since they were 5 (almost every clan kid)
In short, Sakura is a chosen one in hiding.
All fine and good but Neji's death was still bs. (Again Kishi admitted to only doing it to push Naruto and Hinata together for some reason, its not like they didn't like each other already).
i dont know about 'only'
lol. Neji did due to bad writing. There was no purpose or significance. It's crazy how delusional fans try to rationalize that.
You know I mostly agree. I still hate the reincarnation plot line.
That's one of the best plot lines
@@kyleward7417 nah dude it come outa no where and gives an abrupt I’ve and dissatisfying power up. Wheel of time is reincarnation done right.
@@SolitaryLark actually, it didn't come out of nowhere. It's fine if you don't like the plot line, but it's worth noting that the Indra and Ashura thing was foreshadowed since the Five Kage Summit arc and the Sage of Six Paths was established at least during the Pain arc.
@@SolitaryLark Not really, it always seemed like something that had already been set up from the introduction of Madara and Hashirama.
@@TwistedDanns five kage summit arc is basically end game naruto that’s really late.(the sage existing doesn’t really matter for my issues)
This is why lee is the best character in this show, imo.
Btw i still think the reincarnation thing in this show sucks imo