Naruto: Why the Original Series Is Superior to Shippuden

Key Takeaways

The original Naruto series had better power scaling compared to Shippuden, maintaining consistency and avoiding overpowered characters.
Female characters played a more significant role in the original Naruto series, while Shippuden sidelined them in favor of male protagonists.
The original series allocated more time for ancillary character growth, focusing on battles and development, unlike Shippuden, which neglected side characters.

As a longtime fan of the Naruto series, I must admit that the original Naruto takes the cake when it comes to storytelling quality, pacing, and overall enjoyment. Having grown up with the first series, I can attest to its nearly perfect filler episodes, like “Forming Shino” or “the Curry of Life,” which were a delight to watch and didn’t bog down the narrative like some of Naruto Shippuden’s filler arcs.

In the realm of prominent anime productions, the Naruto series has drawn various forms of criticism. Although some may view these criticisms as unfounded, there is indeed substantial basis for them, particularly when it comes to Shippuden. Initially lauded as an even greater achievement than the initial Naruto series, Shippuden ultimately faced a multitude of recurring problems, resulting in a significant drop in quality and narrative compared to its predecessor.

In terms of storyline advancement, character growth, and the use of secondary characters, the initial Naruto series is superior. Shippuden, however, took a turn for the complicated with numerous new plot twists, and unfortunately neglected the development of many supporting characters. Although both the original Naruto and Shippuden are well-crafted stories, these discrepancies make the original series more appealing.

Unchecked Power Scaling

The Original Naruto Series Has Better Power Scaling

The main problem that affects the entire Naruto series is its power disparity, whether it’s the Rinnegan in Shippuden or the Karma in Boruto. In contrast, the original Naruto series skillfully manages power distribution, with protagonists, antagonists, and supporting characters roughly having equal strength, avoiding overpowered characters. However, Shippuden introduces an imbalance into the Naruto universe with the arrival of excessive power-ups.

Is this the power of a God…

In the Shippuden continuation, the story took off magnificently following a two-year time jump. But, trouble started brewing once the Rinnegan – an almost divine power – was introduced, significantly altering the Naruto narrative’s trajectory. The Rinnegan served as the first instance of imbalanced power escalation, with the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan being another example. As the series progressed, this issue intensified substantially, leaving Naruto and Sasuke virtually invincible after obtaining the chakra of the Sage of Six Paths. Although such power scaling was unavoidable, the initial Naruto series maintained a more balanced escalation throughout its 220 episodes.

The Role of Female Characters in Naruto

Female Characters in the Original Played a Bigger Role

One of the most prominent issues with the Naruto franchise is its poor treatment of female characters. Author Kishimoto has, on multiple occasions, reiterated his inability to write fleshed-out female characters. However, this statement is quite inaccurate considering the female characters in the original Naruto series were considerably developed. Some even played a major role in the narrative, while others rivaled their male counterparts.

I will die before I let you touch him – Tsunade

In the story of Naruto, Temari and Tayuya are two formidable adversaries who often outshone their male counterparts in terms of strength. During the first part of the series, Tsunade played a significant role, but her influence as a powerful female ninja diminished in Shippuden. Regrettably, most of the key female characters were pushed to the background in Shippuden, with the plot primarily focusing on the male leads.

Side-Characters Were Fleshed Out in the Original

Konoha 11 and Other Ancillary Characters Were Written Off

In any storyline, it’s essential that supporting characters undergo development and growth. Although the original Naruto series excelled in this area, Naruto Shippuden didn’t quite deliver as much character progression for its side characters. It’s not uncommon for anime with numerous characters to overlook many of them, but the original Naruto series effectively provided screen time to its ancillary characters. Characters like Konoha 11 serve as great examples, as they received significant attention during the Chunin Exams and Sasuke Retrieval Arc, which centered around the rookie squads and their shinobi activities.

In the Naruto series, notable moments include fights between secondary characters like Rock Lee versus Gaara during the Chunin Exams, and Neji and Choji battling against the Sound 4. Unfortunately, Shippuden tended to push these characters aside, with some Konoha 11 members, such as TenTen, becoming virtually forgotten. As new plotlines emerged and characters evolved, it’s expected that focus on supporting characters would lessen. However, Naruto Shippuden didn’t manage this transition well, resulting in an underdeveloped ensemble of characters.

Quality of Filler Episodes

The Original Naruto Series Featured Higher Quality Fillers

In the Naruto series, it’s well-known that there are a lot of episodes that don’t follow the main storyline, also known as filler episodes. This happens in both the original Naruto and Naruto Shippuden. Interestingly, the number of filler episodes is roughly similar in both series, hovering around 41%. However, the quality of these filler episodes varies significantly. The filler episodes from the original series tend to match the quality of its main storyline, providing valuable character development for secondary characters as well.

In addition, some of Naruto’s most famous filler episodes are found within the original series, like “Laughing Shino” and “the Curry of Life”. These episodes were nearly flawless, making them enjoyable for viewers despite being non-canonical. However, Naruto Shippuden, unfortunately, is burdened with excessive filler that slows down the story. The only exceptions to this are Kakashi’s backstory and the history of Akatsuki, but most of Shippuden’s filler arcs were disappointing. This significant difference in quality is another point that demonstrates the original series as being superior to Naruto Shippuden.

Retcons and Plot Holes

Shippuden Was Plagued By Plot Holes

In the world of Naruto, retcons pose a persistent problem across the series as a whole. Interestingly, there’s a significant disparity in the number of plot inconsistencies and retcons between the original series and Shippuden. During its 200-episode span, the initial series had relatively few plot holes. The most notable one being that the Fourth Hokage’s revival by Orochimaru was almost impossible, given he was sealed using the Reaper Death Seal Jutsu, a method that supposedly rendered such reanimation impossible.

Instead of Shippuden, it’s filled with twists and inconsistencies, or what some might call “retcons” and “plot holes.” The functions of Tailed Beasts within the storyline and Itachi’s role in the Uchiha Clan Massacre have been rewritten, making for a series that has an abundance of such unexpected changes. As the narrative grew increasingly complex, author Kishimoto found it necessary to introduce some previously overlooked details through retcons, which unfortunately resulted in several gaps or inconsistencies within the Naruto series as a whole.

The differences between the initial Naruto series and Naruto Shippuden further emphasize that the original version is the superior one. Key elements like the Senju-Uchiha rivalry, Tailed Beasts’ origins, and the Otsutsuki clan were not present in the original Naruto storyline. Introducing these elements into the story created numerous plot inconsistencies, negatively impacting the overall reputation of the franchise.

The Original Series Features Better Pacing

Shippuden’s Pacing Is Highly Inconsistent

One of the biggest differences between the two shows lies in their storytelling rhythm. The original Naruto series was more evenly paced, making it easier for viewers to follow along without being bombarded with too much new information at once. For instance, the Chunin Exams and Konoha Crush arcs are great examples of how Naruto managed its pace effectively, as they unfolded the story in a measured manner rather than rushing through the narrative.

Instead of rushing through fight scenes and character development, the original series carefully unfolded a detailed storyline. This was evident in the intricate relationship between Zabuza and Haku, as well as the intense battles during the Chunin Exams. Unfortunately, Shippuden struggled to maintain this balance, with the narrative’s pace often inconsistent. The early arcs involving Akatsuki were well-paced, but things took a turn when the Fourth Great Ninja War started.

In the Naruto series, a staggering 200-plus episodes delved into a two-day war event. Despite this extensive coverage, the action unfolded at an excruciatingly slow pace, akin to a snail’s crawl. Although more than half of these episodes were filler material, the speed of the story arc remained uneven. Most episodes featured meaningless battles with minimal advancement in the plotline, leaving many viewers frustrated by what they perceived as poorly crafted narrative segments.

Naruto is available to stream on Prime Video.

2024-10-29 19:35