Naruto continues to be a diamond in the rough. Ninjas in an unrealistic but interesting world with superpowers; straight up shonen. Masashi Kishimoto's manga is top of the line. The art is is detailed, identifiably unique, and action packed; the same applies to the story. The anime continues to be hit or miss. In the anime the art fluctuates wildly and the constant addition of filler makes dozens of episodes almost unbearable. The core story is solid albeit a bit sissy friendshippy over the top but the ability to watch characters age and change is a big plus. Where both the manga and anime excel is in interesting and inventive battle scenes. If you need straight up shonen action than Naruto will always please and from time to time they'll be sprinklings of extra entertainment when the story feels like appearing here and there. (.81)

- J Paige