Reflection and Analysis

Naruto: The Problems Don't Start When Many Think (7/5/2021)

Note - Since there are people out there who think that offering up any form of criticism regarding a work means a person is a hater of the work, I am noting the fact this is a defensive mechanism by those who want to see a flawed series as unflawed because they fear knowing the flaws will ruin their enjoyment, where those who offer up the criticism know they like the series despite it being flawed.

Also, while I am open to debate I am not open to any argument based on fallacy of logic which includes "this is fiction" or "this is the genre" so "the issue is a non-issue because the rules of reality don't apply". Even in fiction the rules of common sense apply, but each fictional world has a set of rules established that it should follow, but a writer is more likely to have issues if they have this kind of attitude regarding fiction or even genre.

I decided to do a quick run through of the series and making a running list of the major issues which crop up with each of the arcs.

Prologue – Land of the Waves

Problem 1 – Information regarding graduation is inconsistent. We're told in the first chapter that Naruto is in fact on his third try, yet he's not two years older than the other kids but instead the same age, yet it is later revealed that Sasuke is unable to graduate early like his brother because standards have changed. In fact, there are inconsistencies of when character become Chunnin and Jonin in the series as well.

Problem 2 – This idea that Naruto has no friends is a lie as well is the fact the reason the entire village hates him is also a lie. We later learn that Shikamaru, Choji and Kiba were friends with him – characters who weren't introduced until the Chunnin exams by the way. In the very second chapter the Hokage says that only a select few known that Naruto has the fox spirit in him, rather than all of the adults.

In truth, the village hates Naruto because he's a spoiled brat who has no respect for others and needs to learn that to be respected on need to respect others, something I'm not sure if he ever really did. Sure, Kishimoto later on comes out and tries to rectify it by saying that another character who wasn't introduced until that point orcastrated a leak, yet if Naruto hadn't caused any problems prior to that then there wouldn't have been an issue.

Oh, and there's the line about the fourth Hokage wanting everybody to think of Naruto as a hero despite the fact it wasn't Naruto who did anything.

Problem 3 – Naruto has the goal of becoming Hokage so people will respect him because he's become the strongest shinobi which in turn makes the position seem like it's only about being the strongest shinobi. Naruto never grows into the role, but instead is handed to him based on Naruto logic rather than real world logic. In truth, Naruto should have come to the realization that he didn't need to become Hokage to earn people's respect, but it's okay for Naruto to also go back on his word let alone change his personal dreams.

Chunin Exams

I'm going to argue that the Chunin Exams is one of the best arcs in the entire series, but the innonsistencies we see with this arc are introduced later on, such as Karin meeting Sasuke during the exams despite the fact there wasn't any time for this to have occurred. So...

Problem 4 – Kishimoto doesn't keep track of what happened in previous Arcs like this one.

Konoha Crush

Problem 5 – The Hokage shouldn't have died. Things started going south with the introduction of the barrio that prevented others from helping him by having those creating the barrior on the inside only for Kishimoto to forget the Hokage can just take one out and that be done with, so two chapters later the inside shields were introduced despite the fact these shouldn't work, but because Kishimoto says it does we're to believe it so, yet can you name me one other series which has this mechanic in the series?