Why is Naruto so damn popular?

[questionsa]

It's a good franchise but why is it so overrated and widespread? It's basically your standard shonen about a guy becoming the best and never giving up, but it surpasses One Piece in media and popularity. Can someone give me an awnser.

[OverMaster]

In Japan, One Piece is actually much more popular.

I'd chalk a lot of Naruto's popularity on mere word of mouth, good publicity, and mass sheep mentality, actually. I don't think it's because of its rather doubtful quality. No offense to anyone who actually likes it, of course.

[Libaax]

I dont think its more popular in the west either. I see OP topping GN shelfs as much as Naruto.

Naruto fans are just more vocal, maybe because they know it has a bad rep compared to other shonen like OP,FMA.

[master of read]

It's a good franchise but why is it so overrated and widespread? It's basically your standard shonen about a guy becoming the best and never giving up, but it surpasses One Piece in media and popularity. Can someone give me an awnser.

if its so overrated, why do you read it?

[Mermaid]

mn I agree. Every cosplay thingo I go to everyone and his mother is Naruto.

[Ghost]

The standard is always popular. That's the reason its standard in the first place.

[1505627]

mn I agree. Every cosplay thingo I go to everyone and his mother is Naruto.

wouldn't his mother be naruko?:biggrin:

[jesse_custer]

It seems a large fan base grows around any repetitive anime.

[Sound Silence]

Hellooooo? Ninjas?

:tongue:

But seriously, why was Dragon Ball Z so popular?

Also, because it can be directed more at kids, and has that generic feel too it. One Piece is too bizarre for most people, and Bleach seems a lot more 'mature' (hence why CN has it on Adult Swim, I'd guess), whereas Naruto fits that perfect spot of "little kids with martial arts and powers and stuff".

Typical stuff. The rest I'd say, "it just ended up that way" through popularity creep. Similar to how Harry Potter hit it big and every other book about teen wizards didn't.

[OverMaster]

if its so overrated, why do you read it?

Being overrated doesn't equal being bad. It just means you think it isn't as good as most others think, but it doesn't have to imply you hate it.

Mind, I find Naruto be rather unbearable at most points, especially after the timeskip. It's just one of those series that demand more emotional involvement from you than they are worth, even though it has some really great but sadly misused characters.

But I understand the OP's viewpoint of finding it good for his likings, even if overrated.

[OverMaster]

Hellooooo? Ninjas?

:tongue:

But seriously, why was Dragon Ball Z so popular?


In America, at least, it mostly was because nothing like it had been shown here until then. (In North America, at least: down here, Saint Seiya came first).

[The Once And Forever]

I often have the same thought about One Piece. I can hardly read it when I do look at it.

[Xistel]

I feel the same way about One Piece. I read a few and it came across as more childish than Naruto. Also I think the artwork is 'too creative'.

Naruto is really popular because it has the power to appeal to various age groups at the same time, while OP is rather selective imho and Bleach is rather adult.

[1505627]

I feel the same way about One Piece. I read a few and it came across as more childish than Naruto. Also I think the artwork is 'too creative'.

Naruto is really popular because it has the power to appeal to various age groups at the same time, while OP is rather selective imho and Bleach is rather adult.

which ones did you read.it kicks off at the arlong arc. not to be critical, but no series that makes you sad for a ship is childish

[Spidey-kid1]

It's a good franchise but why is it so overrated and widespread? It's basically your standard shonen about a guy becoming the best and never giving up, but it surpasses One Piece in media and popularity. Can someone give me an awnser.Two words.

Rock. Lee.

/thread

[Sound Silence]

I feel the same way about One Piece. I read a few and it came across as more childish than Naruto. Also I think the artwork is 'too creative'.

Naruto is really popular because it has the power to appeal to various age groups at the same time, while OP is rather selective imho and Bleach is rather adult.

which ones did you read.it kicks off at the arlong arc. not to be critical, but no series that makes you sad for a ship is childish

My view is that One Piece...really bounces around. Like...one the one hand no one dies. But on the other...they don't die because survive really horrific injuries. On the one hand there's really deep themes and ideas...and on the other is Luffy asking a skeleton if he poops.

I'd say One Piece is actually a lot like Haruhi Suzumiya. It's really fantastic...but only if it appeals to you. Know what I'm saying?

[Guy1]

I'd say One Piece is actually a lot like Haruhi Suzumiya. It's really fantastic...but only if it appeals to you. Know what I'm saying?

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/3205/1q5xgl8.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NK45rfmWHA

[Len Ikari145]

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/3205/1q5xgl8.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NK45rfmWHA

Dear Gpd. Haruhi is a Beetleborg. Kyon is so screwed.:tongue:

[AdamYJ]

Dear God. Haruhi is a Beetleborg. Kyon is so screwed.:tongue:

A Kamen Rider, actually.

Anyway, I'm not sure what the appeal is of either One Piece or Naruto. Naruto I tried for a while but found it repetitive and dragged in places. One Piece I tried to watch when it was on TV, but couldn't really get into it. And for everyone who's going to say "It was a terrible dub. Try the fansub" or whatever, I'll just say that the dub had nothing to do with it. I just found the show really hard to get my head around. I mean, there's a stretchy guy and he's a pirate, but not a bad pirate and there's a dude who fights with a sword in his mouth and a talking reindeer who's a doctor and . . . I usually like crazy, wacky stuff, but that show was too out there even for me.

Personally, I'm more of a Shaman King man. :biggrin:

[Hazard]

A Kamen Rider, actually.

Anyway, I'm not sure what the appeal is of either One Piece or Naruto. Naruto I tried for a while but found it repetitive and dragged in places. One Piece I tried to watch when it was on TV, but couldn't really get into it. And for everyone who's going to say "It was a terrible dub. Try the fansub" or whatever, I'll just say that the dub had nothing to do with it. I just found the show really hard to get my head around. I mean, there's a stretchy guy and he's a pirate, but not a bad pirate and there's a dude who fights with a sword in his mouth and a talking reindeer who's a doctor and . . . I usually like crazy, wacky stuff, but that show was too out there even for me.

Personally, I'm more of a Shaman King man. :biggrin:

Actually in this case the 4Kids dub was pretty bad even by their standards, and this is the same company that has guards threaten people with their invisible guns. I will admit One Piece is average at the beginning. It gets better by the end of the Alabasta arc, and it only starts being truly epic during the fight with Eneru (and I mean the actual fight not the arc) and afterwards.

About Luffy not being an bad pirate, well he apparently prefers the more romantic definition of being a pirate: traveling, adventuring, discovering treasures, etc.

[1505627]

Actually in this case the 4Kids dub was pretty bad even by their standards, and this is the same company that has guards threaten people with their invisible guns. I will admit One Piece is average at the beginning. It gets better by the end of the Alabasta arc, and it only starts being truly epic during the fight with Eneru (and I mean the actual fight not the arc) and afterwards.

About Luffy not being an bad pirate, well he apparently prefers the more romantic definition of being a pirate: traveling, adventuring, discovering treasures, etc.

let's take a look at the luffydex

Pirate:a pirate is someone who has adventures with nakama

[Jacob B]

I hate this show. No offense to the fans though. I couldn't stand it for longer then 3 minutes. This show is highly overrated.

[AdamYJ]

Actually in this case the 4Kids dub was pretty bad even by their standards, and this is the same company that has guards threaten people with their invisible guns. I will admit One Piece is average at the beginning. It gets better by the end of the Alabasta arc, and it only starts being truly epic during the fight with Eneru (and I mean the actual fight not the arc) and afterwards.

About Luffy not being an bad pirate, well he apparently prefers the more romantic definition of being a pirate: traveling, adventuring, discovering treasures, etc.

More of an adventurer than a pirate, really. Maybe I don't get what makes people like pirates. I always figured it was because they made for badass villians. Or, in the case of pirates like Jack Sparrow, they can be fun when they walk a line between good and evil. I mean, when I think of pirate stories, the one that comes to mind is Treasure Island. In that case, though he was somewhat charming, there is little doubt that Long John Silver is the villian.

Anyway, none of that changes the fact that One Piece is just really, really weird.

When it comes to pirate manga, I lean more toward the American-produced Destiny's Hand. The pirates in that are more along the lines of Sparrow in that they're thieves and crooks, but not as bad as some of the other pirates.

[Guy1]

Actually in this case the 4Kids dub was pretty bad even by their standards, and this is the same company that has guards threaten people with their invisible guns. I will admit One Piece is average at the beginning. It gets better by the end of the Alabasta arc, and it only starts being truly epic during the fight with Eneru (and I mean the actual fight not the arc) and afterwards.

About Luffy not being an bad pirate, well he apparently prefers the more romantic definition of being a pirate: traveling, adventuring, discovering treasures, etc.

Besides, Nami does enough stealing for the whole crew.

[Totoro Man]

if we're talking about the anime-- I don't really like it. too damned much filler and the dub voice for Naruto is annoying.

however, I really enjoyed the Rock Lee vs Gaara fight-- which was the first few episodes I saw. unfortunately it became pretty clear (in a few episodes) that the show was never going to get better than that. so I gave up on it and read the manga.

a lot of people like 'fight' mangas. if you think about it Dragonball, Bleach, One Piece, Naruto-- they all have plucky protagonists that fight a lot. they all follow the same basic formula-- and they're pretty good examples of that formula.

[Little_Mac]

For me, Naturo has the classic "Hero overtakes upbringing" story, with a nice tragic understory. Up to the "Sasuke turns on Konaka" arc, it was a really good, well written story. Great characters, good fights (Naruto/Neji and Gaara/Sasuke) and the characters were constantly growing. The author was doing a nice job pacing the story as we were getting a good glimpse of the world.

The Sasuke/Sound Ninja meeting was really the end of the good storytelling. No one can tell me that Sasuke ever should be been able to escape Konaka as a Genin. What in the world were the senior ninja guards/ANBU guards doing? After the escape, Naturo/Sakura went over 100 episodes moping and barely learning any new technique/growing as people. It killed any momentum that it had.

Now, it's starting to return to normal, but it's tough to care. The main villain (Madara) plot is hard to describe, the secondary villian (Sasuke) sorta failed in his main mission and now is attacking other head of states to get to Danzou (based on hearsay). Seriously, this story needs help.

OP works because the author paced his story correctly. He took his time establishing the characters and the world and developed the main villians (WG)/ conflict patiently. He established not only a crazy world power-set, but showed unique logical ways in using the powers. Now, everyone is reading the latest battle in total anticipation, because the readers have no idea what is going to happen. OP is a masterpiece.

[Darth Joker]

It's a good franchise but why is it so overrated and widespread? It's basically your standard shonen about a guy becoming the best and never giving up, but it surpasses One Piece in media and popularity. Can someone give me an awnser.

School-based setting involved in training kids/teenagers with low-to-mid-level powers, with loads of typical teen angst and issues, with the characters being very distinctive from one another, thrown in with
Ok-or-better production values = Instant Success

It worked with X-Men, it worked with Harry Potter, and it works with Naruto.

Other factors that help...

Shipping Wars - Naruto, from what I've seen, has this way more than One Piece or Bleach. It's relationship conflicts really resonate with people and/or interest people in the same way the Soap Operas do.

Highly polarizing characters - Sasuke is, overall, a benefit for this show, whether you like him or hate him. Having truly polarizing important characters, characters that the fandom is intensively and pretty much evenly divided on; that's great! It sparks loads of heated debate which in and of itself can draw the interest of simple passerbys with little to not internet in the actual anime. Heck,this is what almost got me into Naruto.

Sheer volume - This helps (not against One Piece and Bleach, of course, since they have it too - but rather against shorter animes like, say, Haruhi's). Kids can follow Naruto the way that adults follow soap operas.

[FanLove4Blade]

It's a good franchise but why is it so overrated and widespread? It's basically your standard shonen about a guy becoming the best and never giving up, but it surpasses One Piece in media and popularity. Can someone give me an awnser.

you know, i have an anime addicted friend who asks the same question. why is it so popular? she dont know either as she finds it to be quite boring. and she always says If you're gonna watch anime never watch naruto. It'll turn you off she said.

[Ghost]

Naruto is really popular because it has the power to appeal to various age groups at the same time, while OP is rather selective imho and Bleach is rather adult.

I dunno, I'd say Naruto and Bleach appeal to about the same age group and is equally serious.

Especially now that Naruto has taken a rather heavy philosophical/ideological turn.


About Luffy not being an bad pirate, well he apparently prefers the more romantic definition of being a pirate: traveling, adventuring, discovering treasures, etc.

It would be nice if he actually did those things, though.

The main reason One Piece isn't my favourite manga by now is that all they do is: traveling, find strange island, fight evil people, traveling, find strange island, fight evil people, traveling, find strange island, fight evil people, and so on.

Just for once I'd like them to go on a treasure hunt, you know, with map and stuff. Or just explore whatever bizarre island they come across. Maybe try to solve a major conflict that doesn't involve one-on-one duels and ends with Luffy taking on the main bad guy.

I liked the island with the two giants, that guy who was stuck in a treasure chest, and the Davy Back contest. (Even if that one did end with Luffy dueling with the main bad guy as usual.) And I tend to love the parts between the main arcs, where things are either wrapped up or introduced.

Just, all the main arcs are just the same thing over and over.

[NickGuy]

But seriously, why was Dragon Ball Z so popular?.

cuz it fucking rocked, thats why

I think the artwork is 'too creative'.
wha....????? youre making my head hurt