Why shouldn't I write a review regarding the manga series known as Naruto? It's basically the biggest reason why I became heavily invested into anime and manga alike. Truth be told though, I didn't read the entire series and only began doing so when, at the time, I finally watched the latest episode and, due to curiosity, have to resort to reading the manga to know what's next for the story.

Now, six months since the end of the original series and three months since I snapped at the disbelief that Naruto ended, allow me to vent out my thoughts regarding, Naruto.

By now, Naruto is one the most overrated anime/manga series in the industry, along with the likes of One Piece and Bleach. But there's a reason why a lot of people still read and watch Naruto, because it's such a great presence in the anime/manga world that everywhere you turn you see Naruto in his orange suit, with a Rasengan in hand and a kunai at the other. Naruto is a big name, inside and outside of its origin country.

The story. Well, basically the story is simple on the surface, but once you get into it, the world of Naruto is vast and complex, tying Japanese culture into the mix, I mean, why not right? Despite its simple premise of the main character trying to persevere the hardships of a shinobi and eventually become the strongest, the presentation is, dare I say, top-notch. Fighting scenes are well-narrated and the plot twists are very much appreciated. Simply put, the story of Naruto is simply amazing.

The characters. The series has a diverse cast of characters, both heroes and villains. I can be forgiven for forgetting most of them but what really sets each character apart from one another is not the personality, but their respective jutsu and skillset. Once you get over it, you eventually see the character as a person and learn its personality and then you learn their past. Yada-yada-yada-yada, you get the point. Overall, the characters are memorable because of their skills shown and not mostly because of the personality, at least for me. I don't have a personal favorite if you're wondering.

The art. The best that I can describe the art of Naruto is that it's consistent, while at the same time improving on consequent chapters. Kishimoto's art style is very much recognizable and is worth of praise. The character's are well designed, backgrounds have full of detail, and the fight scenes are well presented, even in manga form. Overall, it's just good, nothing too fancy.

Verdict. Naruto will forever remain a hallmark of manga and I really enjoyed reading it. I may not be worthy of saying that it's the best out there, but to me, Naruto made my childhood and teenage-hood a bit fuller, and that's saying something. And now as I wait for the anime to end in a similar fashion while still watching all these fillers, I'll look forward to the next big thing that can be as good as or surpass in a series of this caliber.