Naruto Uzumaki: Difference between revisions
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| caption = Naruto Uzumaki by [[Masashi Kishimoto]] <!-- Because most articles are formatted this way, please do not change it to "Naruto Uzumaki in Part I by [[Masashi Kishimoto]]". It may be confusing to those unfamiliar with the series! --> |
| caption afo hspojhopFJpzofgkozp, omfg its jhitler pplz = Naruto Uzumaki by [[Masashi Kishimoto]] <!-- Because most articles are formatted this way, please do not change it to "Naruto Uzumaki in Part I by [[Masashi Kishimoto]]". It may be confusing to those unfamiliar with the series! --> |
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| first = ''Naruto'' manga chapter 1 <br/> ''Naruto'' anime episode 1 |
| first = ''Naruto'' manga chapter 1 <br/> ''Naruto'' anime episode 1 |
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| voiced by = '''Japanese''' <br> [[Junko Takeuchi]]<ref name="ANNJunko Takeuchi">{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=2130|title=Junko Takeuchi|publisher=[[Anime News Network]]|accessdate=2008-01-27}}</ref> <br> '''English''' <br /> [[Maile Flanagan]]<ref name="ANNMaile Flanagan">{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=47588|title=Maile Flanagan|publisher=Anime News Network|accessdate=2008-01-27}}</ref> |
| voiced by = '''Japanese''' <br> [[Junko Takeuchi]]<ref name="ANNJunko Takeuchi">{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=2130|title=Junko Takeuchi|publisher=[[Anime News Network]]|accessdate=2008-01-27}}</ref> <br> '''English''' <br /> [[Maile Flanagan]]<ref name="ANNMaile Flanagan">{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=47588|title=Maile Flanagan|publisher=Anime News Network|accessdate=2008-01-27}}</ref> |
Revision as of 15:49, 20 October 2008
Naruto Uzumaki | |
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Naruto character | |
File:Naruto-Opening01 222.jpg | |
First appearance | Naruto manga chapter 1 Naruto anime episode 1 |
Naruto Uzumaki (うずまき ナルト, Uzumaki Naruto) is a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series created by Masashi Kishimoto as the protagonist of the series. While creating Naruto, Kishimoto kept in mind to keep the character "simple and stupid" while giving him many attributes of Son Goku, the main character from the Dragon Ball franchise.[7]
In the series, Naruto is a ninja affiliated with the fictional village of Konohagakure, and has ambitions of becoming Hokage, or the leader of the village. Due to being the host for the nine-tailed demon fox, a malevolent creature that attacked Konohagakure, he is ostracized by the other villagers. He compensates for this with his cheerful and boisterous personality, and over the course of the series, manages to befriend several other Konohagakure ninja, as well as ninja from other villages. He obtains an especially close relationship with Sasuke Uchiha, one of his fellow ninja in Team 7, and treats him as his brother. Naruto appears in all of the series' films, as well as in other media related to the franchise, including video games and OVAs.
Several anime and manga publications have expressed acclaim and criticism of Naruto's character. He has been viewed as a stereotypical manga and anime protagonist comparable to many other protagonists in other shōnen manga.[8][9] Nevertheless, Naruto has remained highly popular with the Naruto reader base, placing high in several popularity polls.[10] Merchandise based on Naruto has also been released, including figurines and plush dolls.[11][12]
Creation and conception
When creating Naruto, Kishimoto incorporated into the character a number of traits he felt made an ideal hero: a straightforward way of thinking, a mischievous side, and many of the attributes possessed by Goku from the Dragon Ball franchise. He also made sure to keep Naruto "simple and stupid," since he does not like smart characters. Naruto himself is not modeled after anyone in particular, being conceived as childlike with somewhat of a dark side as a result of his harsh past. Despite this, he is always positive, making him unique in Kishimoto's eyes.[7]
Naruto's wardrobe is based on clothing Kishimoto wore when he was younger; according to Kishimoto, using a pre-existing design would not have made Naruto unique whereas something original would have made him stand out too much.[13] The orange coloring of his costume is used to make Naruto "pop," with blues often being used to complement the orange.[14] Because Naruto is associated with spirals, swirl patterns are incorporated into his costume.[15] Initial illustrations of Naruto had him wearing boots, but Kishimoto substituted these for sandals, because he likes drawing toes.[16] The goggles that Naruto used to wear were also replaced with a forehead protector, because the goggles themselves were too time consuming to draw.[17] Kishimoto said that he felt glad that his character had blond hair and blue eyes. The editor of Shonen Jump in the United States added that he implied that the traits may have led the character to appeal to a Western audience. Kishimoto said that he most identifies with Naruto out of all of the Naruto characters. When asked why Naruto's favorite food is ramen instead of kitsune udon Kishimoto said that he personally liked eating ramen.[18][19] In the Naruto: Clash of Ninja video game series, Naruto is playable in various stages of the demon fox's manifestation characterized by a red-colored chakra. Kishimoto liked the presentation of these forms enough that he imitated one of them for the manga cover of volume 26.[20] When designing Naruto in his Part II appearance, Kishimoto changed Naruto's forehead protector wider to make his eyebrows easier to draw, something that bothered him in his previous design. He also noted that his pants made him look childish, so he rolled up part of them to fix that mistake.[21]
In the Japanese versions of Naruto, Naruto often ends his sentences with the addendum "-ttebayo" (which gives a similar effect to ending a sentence with "you know?"). Kishimoto wanted to give Naruto a childlike catch phrase, and "dattebayo" came to mind. It complements Naruto's character, and serves as a verbal tic that shows him to be somewhat of a brat.[13] Throughout the beginning of the English anime, the dub replaced "dattebayo" and "-ttebayo" with the phrase "Believe it!" to mirror the effect, as well as to match the character's lip movements.[22]
The producers of the English-language anime stated that of all of the characters Naruto was the most difficult character to cast for; they added that Maile Flanagan "has Naruto down, from the mischievous side, that precocious twelve year old we learn to love, to the serious side."[23]
Character outline
Personality
Naruto's father, the Fourth Hokage, sealed the dangerous Nine-Tailed Demon Fox within Naruto's body, at the cost of his own life leaving him without a family.[24] With the villagers of Konoha always showing him animosity for being the container of the demon fox, Naruto never had a source of love or attention during his early childhood.[24] Desiring that which he has lacked all his life, Naruto's dream is to become Hokage, the village's protector, hoping that it will bring him the villagers' recognition and respect.[25] To assist him in gaining this title, Naruto possesses a fierce determination, always confident he can complete a given task with relative ease.[26] Naruto's efforts have proven successful as the series progressed, as many characters have reached the conclusion that Naruto will someday be an excellent Hokage.[27]
Since his introduction, Naruto's determination has resulted in some of his traits rubbing off on those around him, such that in Part II his teacher, Kakashi Hatake, notes this to be Naruto's unique power.[28] Gaara, after being defeated by Naruto in battle, discovers that true strength is found in fighting for one's friends, not for oneself.[29] These changes that other characters experience serve as the moral for the part of the story they take place in, and subsequently become the creed for the particular character's life.[30]
Through his ability to change others, Naruto has gained the friends that he lacked during his childhood. Among the many friendships he has formed, none are more prominent in the series than those he has with his two teammates: Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno. With Sasuke, Naruto shares a highly competitive relationship that he likens to brotherhood.[31] Though Sasuke betrays Naruto and the rest of Konoha at the end of Part I, Naruto maintains his attachment to Sasuke, readily lashing out at anyone who speaks poorly of him.[32] With Sakura, Naruto possesses a deep dedication to her, rooted in the crush he has had on her for years. Naruto's commitment to Sakura is such that he will do anything to make her happy, vowing to someday return Sasuke to Konoha for her sake. [33]
Abilities
Because of the demon fox within him, Naruto has access to its great chakra reserves, allowing him to perform ninja abilities that someone of his age would ordinarily be incapable of using.[24] Though portions of the fox's chakra constantly mix with Naruto's own,[34] Naruto can forcibly draw upon its reserves by either submitting to rage[35] or by directly asking the fox for a donation of its strength.[36] Once doing so, a fox-shaped shroud appears around Naruto with a number of tails indicating his current level of strength. While each tail drastically increases his fighting strength, Naruto begins to lose his sense of self as more tails appear, completely losing himself once the fourth tail is activated.[37] Because he can quickly become a danger to those he cares for in these situations, Naruto has begun to limit his usage of the fox's power.[38]
Naruto takes advantage of his expanded chakra reserves throughout the series. His first and most recurring example of this is the Shadow Clone Technique, which creates any number of physical copies of the user though it requires a large amount of chakra.[24] Naruto, however, can create hundreds of clones at once without worrying about tiring out.[39] He has found a number of uses for these clones, such as overwhelming an opponent and scouting a large area in a short period of time.[40] His ability to summon toads to aid him in battle also relies on the fox's chakra, as he can only summon larger toads with the fox's help.[36] However, he also learns senjutsu - an ability that greatly enhances his power.
Rasengan, a concentrated ball of spinning chakra first created by his father, is Naruto's favored method of attack.[26] When performing the technique Naruto creates shadow clones to help him form the attack by manipulating the chakra together.[41] While capable of grinding into whatever it touches and causing great damage, Minato created the Rasengan with the intention of infusing it with his own elemental chakra.[42] Through repeated training with his shadow clones, Naruto has been able to infuse the Rasengan with his wind chakra.[43] This has resulted in the creation of the Wind Release: Spiraling Shuriken (風遁・螺旋手裏剣, Fūton: Rasenshuriken), which damages what it hits on a cellular level but the hand he uses is damaged as well. [44]
Plot overview
As the main character of the series, Naruto is present in every arc and typically plays a prominent role for its duration. During Part I, Naruto's involvement in the plot is relatively indirect, as he spends his time improving his ninja abilities and pursuing his own goals while the overarching events occur elsewhere. Following the invasion of Konohagakure, Naruto is introduced to Akatsuki, a fictional criminal organization that seeks to extract the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox from his body. Though Jiraiya drives them off during this first meeting, Akatsuki's interactions with Naruto become a more central conflict in Part II.[45] It is not until Sasuke attempts to leave Konohagakure that Naruto takes a leading role in the plot, joining a team of ninja dedicated to stopping Sasuke from joining forces with Orochimaru.[33] Naruto and Sasuke ultimately have a one-on-one battle, though neither is able to bring themselves to finish off the other.[46] The two go their separate ways, but Naruto does not give up on Sasuke, leaving Konoha together with Jiraiya for two-and-a-half years of training to prepare himself for the next time he meets Sasuke.[47]
In Part II, Naruto receives less attention than he did in Part I. As other characters begin to receive additional development and the plot begins to cover multiple incidents across large distances, Naruto's role in the story is considerably lessened. Upon his return to Konoha, Naruto begins to deal more actively with the Akatsuki threat. He first saves Gaara from Akatsuki's clutches,[48] and subsequently proves instrumental in the downfall of Kakuzu.[49] After learning that Jiraiya has been killed by the Akatsuki leader, Pain, Naruto begins training to better prepare for future conflicts with Akatsuki. Most of Naruto's actions, however, are dedicated to finding and retrieving Sasuke. He and the rest of his team are briefly able to locate Sasuke, but Sasuke's rapid development leaves them no match for him.[50] After creating his new jutsu, Naruto and company try once again to find Sasuke. Though they almost succeed in this attempt, even running into Sasuke's brother, Itachi, they ultimately lose his trail and are forced to return home.[51]
Appearances in other media
Being the title character, Naruto has appeared in all of the series' movies thus far, normally being the lead character and doing a mission with Team 7. The fourth movie marks the first appearance of Naruto in his Part II appearance.[52][53] He also appears in all three original video animations produced for the series, helping Konohamaru to find a four leaf clover in the first one,[54] joining his team in escorting a ninja named Shibuki to his village and helping him fight the missing-nin that stole the village's "Hero's Water" in the second one,[55] and participating in a tournament in the third one.[56]
Naruto is a playable character in all of the Naruto video games. In several of the titles, it is possible to unlock and play a version of him enhanced with his own versions of Rock Lee and Might Guy's techniques.[57] Naruto Shippūden: Gekitou Ninja Taisen EX marks the first appearance of Naruto in his Part II appearance in a video game.[58]
Reception
In every official Shonen Jump popularity poll of the series, Naruto has ranked within the top five characters, coming in first place twice.[10][59] However, in the sixth poll, in 2006, Naruto lost his top-two status to the characters Deidara, Kakashi and Sasuke.[60] There has not been another official poll since 2006. Several pieces of merchandise have been made into his likeness, such as plush,[12][61] key chains,[62] and numerous action figures,[11] in both his Part I and Part II appearance. Junko Takeuchi, the seiyū for the character, comments that people are fascinated with Naruto because of how they think he's all cheer and fun, but in reality he's very harsh, while he accepts his past hardships and keeps going forward. She also comments she would like to make a song about his lonely past, as she did with him in the OVA before the first Naruto movie.[63]
Several publications for manga, anime, video games, and other related media have provided praise and criticism on Naruto's character. IGN has commented on Naruto developing from the lonely rebel during the series' beginning.[64] GameSpot claims that Naruto lives the ideal teenage life, as he is a ninja and eats all he likes, but, on the other hand, he is parentless and is shunned by the other villagers.[65] Anime News Network commented that Naruto's fights are not as good as others fought by their partners,[8] but they remarked his fight against Gaara as one of his best moments in the series since it surpassed most shōnen stereotypes.[66] T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews disagreed, noting that while Naruto is a "likeable enough scamp", his type of character has been done before in many previous anime and manga series.[9]
References
- ^ "Junko Takeuchi". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ^ "Maile Flanagan". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2002). NARUTO―ナルト―[秘伝・臨の書]. Shueisha. p. 31. ISBN 4-08873-288-X.
- ^ a b c Kishimoto, Masashi (2005). NARUTO―ナルト―[秘伝・闘の書]. Shueisha. p. 29. ISBN 4-08873-734-2.
- ^ "Hiden: Shō no Sho Official Character Databook Mini". Weekly Shōnen Jump (18). Shueisha: 6. 2005.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2008). Naruto Character Official Data Book Hiden Sha no Sho. Shueisha. p. 25. ISBN 978-4-08-874247-2.
- ^ a b Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). Uzumaki: the Art of Naruto. Viz Media. pp. 138–139. ISBN 1-4215-1407-9.
- ^ a b Kimlinger, Karl (2006-11-02). "Naruto GN 8-10 - Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ a b Ross Christina. "THEM Anime Reviews 4.0 - Naruto". T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ^ a b Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 199". Naruto, Volume 22. Viz Media. ISBN 1-4215-1858-9.
- ^ a b "Part I Action Figure". Naruto Store. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ^ a b "Part I Plush Doll". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ^ a b Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). Uzumaki: the Art of Naruto. Viz Media. p. 139. ISBN 1-4215-1407-9.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). Uzumaki: the Art of Naruto. Viz Media. p. 116. ISBN 1-4215-1407-9.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). Uzumaki: the Art of Naruto. Viz Media. p. 135. ISBN 1-4215-1407-9.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). Uzumaki: the Art of Naruto. Viz Media. p. 117. ISBN 1-4215-1407-9.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). Naruto, Volume 1. Viz Media. p. 60. ISBN 1-56931-900-6.
- ^ Shonen Jump Special Collector Edition (Free Collector's Edition). No. 00 2005. Viz Media. p. 13.
- ^ Shonen Jump. #33 Volume 3, Issue 9. September 2005. Viz Media. p. 8.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). Naruto, Volume 26. Viz Media. p. 1. ISBN 1-4215-1862-7.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2008). Naruto Character Official Data Book Hiden Sha no Sho. Shueisha. p. 342. ISBN 978-4-08-874247-2.
- ^ Bertschy, Zac (2006-03-24). "Naruto Dub.DVD 1 - Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ Shonen Jump Volume 3, Issue 8. August 2005. Viz Media. p. 4.
- ^ a b c d Kishimoto, Masashi (2003). "Chapter 1". Naruto, Volume 1. Viz Media. ISBN 1-56931-900-6.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2003). "Chapter 2". Naruto, Volume 1. Viz Media. ISBN 1-56931-900-6.
- ^ a b Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 151". Naruto, Volume 17. Viz Media. p. 139. ISBN 1-4215-1652-7.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 169". Naruto, Volume 19. Viz Media. p. 131. ISBN 1-4215-1654-3.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2008). "Chapter 262". Naruto, Volume 29. Viz Media. p. 178-179. ISBN 1-4215-1865-1.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 138". Naruto, Volume 16. Viz Media. p. 64. ISBN 1-4215-1090-1.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 217". Naruto, Volume 24. Viz Media. pp. 182–184. ISBN 1-4215-1860-0.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 234". Naruto, Volume 26. Viz Media. pp. 58–60. ISBN 1-4215-1862-7.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). "Chapter 286". Naruto, Volume 32. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-874039-3.
{{cite book}}
: Check|isbn=
value: checksum (help) - ^ a b Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 183". Naruto, Volume 21. Viz Media. pp. 58–60. ISBN 1-4215-1855-4.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). "Chapter 95". Naruto, Volume 11. Viz Media. p. 17. ISBN 1-4215-0241-0.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). "Chapter 28". Naruto, Volume 4. Viz Media. ISBN 1-59116-358-7.
- ^ a b Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). "Chapter 95". Naruto, Volume 11. Viz Media. pp. 99–105. ISBN 1-4215-0241-0.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). "Chapter 291". Naruto, Volume 33. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-874039-3.
{{cite book}}
: Check|isbn=
value: checksum (help) - ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). "Chapter 308". Naruto, Volume 34. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-874138-3.
{{cite book}}
: Check|isbn=
value: checksum (help) - ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). "Chapter 315". Naruto, Volume 35. Shueishia. ISBN 4-08-874273-1.
{{cite book}}
: Check|isbn=
value: checksum (help) - ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 365". Naruto, Volume 36. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-874432-2.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 167". Naruto, Volume 19. Viz Media. pp. 102–103. ISBN 1-4215-1654-3.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). "Chapter 321". Naruto, Volume 36. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-874288-5.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 339". Naruto, Volume 37. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-874338-7.
{{cite book}}
: Check|isbn=
value: checksum (help) - ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 346". Naruto, Volume 38. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-874364-4.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 150". Naruto, Volume 17. Viz Media. ISBN 1-4215-1652-7.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 234". Naruto, Volume 26. Viz Media. ISBN 1-4215-1862-7.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 238". Naruto, Volume 27. Viz Media. ISBN 1-4215-1863-5.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 279". Naruto, Volume 31. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-874002-7.
{{cite book}}
: Check|isbn=
value: checksum (help) - ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 341". Naruto, Volume 38. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-874364-6.
{{cite book}}
: Check|isbn=
value: checksum (help) - ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). "Chapter 309". Naruto, Volume 34. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-874138-3.
{{cite book}}
: Check|isbn=
value: checksum (help) - ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2008). "Chapter 396". Naruto, Volume 43. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-874552-7.
{{cite book}}
: Check|isbn=
value: checksum (help) - ^ "Naruto The Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ^ "Naruto Shippūden (movie 2008)". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
- ^ "Naruto Special: Akaki Yotsuba no Clover wo Sagase (OAV)". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
- ^ "Naruto Special: Battle at Hidden Falls. I am the Hero! (OAV)". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
- ^ "Naruto (OAV)". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-02-18.
- ^ Naruto: Ultimate Ninja English instruction manual. Namco Bandai. 2006.
- ^ "NARUTO-ナルト- 疾風伝:TV東京 - Goods". TV Tokyo. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). "Chapter 107". Naruto, Volume 12. Shueisha. ISBN 1-4215-0242-9.
- ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). "Chapter 293". Naruto, Volume 33. Shueisha. ISBN 4-08-874108-6.
{{cite book}}
: Check|isbn=
value: checksum (help) - ^ "Part II Plush Doll". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ^ "Part I Key Chain". Naruto Store. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ^ "Junko Takeuchi". Akadot News. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
- ^ A. E. Sparrow (2007-11-09). "Naruto Reader's Guide". IGN. Retrieved 2007-12-22.
- ^ Dodson, Joe (2007-10-13). "Franchise Player: Naruto". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ Martin, Theron (2008-02-29). "Naruto Uncut DVD Box Set 6 - Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help)