You mean there's more Naruto?

[Back to being Cenanuff]

So, yeah, I got some free time, and had been hearing about Naruto: Shippuden for a while, so I decided to check it out. The first, say 60 episodes or so are pretty much the same as the first series, and gets by on seeing how all the ancillary characters have changed during the 3 year time skip. Naruto's still trying to get the increasingly emo Sasuke back. He still fights in the exact same way. Orochimaru's still a creepy pedophile. But then the story switches and starts centering more and more around Asuma and Shikamaru while Naruto is training some new technique, and it starts really getting good. We find out what Akatsuki's really up to, and there's a couple of the guys I'd actually like if they didn't do some of the things they've done in the series. The interaction between Hidan and Kakazu kills me. Anywho, I'd say pick up the series around episode 70, but there are a few things you'd have to catch up on in the earlier episodes for everything to make sense. Cheers!

[SsnakeBite, the No1 Frenchman]

I actually find the Shippuden series better than the original series (and that says a lot). Maybe it's because I like more adult characters.

[Deleted]

I like Shippuden a little bit more because they're hitting the climax of the story (depending on if you see the war with Akatsuki as THE major storyline or them trying to bring back Sasuke) which they built up in the original Naruto. They spent A LOT of time building it all up, and now in Shippuden it's finally happening...somewhat...

Part of them centralizing stories around other characters is that they've realized who's more popular. For example, in Shonen Jump's character polls (and these would be for character's across ALL of their animes/mangas, not just Naruto) Shikamaru would be near the top constantly despite being a minor character in Naruto. That probably played a huge role into him being a more important character and being at a higher ranking than the rest of his group in Shippuden.

[Back to being Cenanuff]

I wouldn't say that's entirely true. Rock Lee is always near the top, too, but the only story arc he played a major part in was the rescue Gaara arc.

But I will agree that the less Naruto-heavy episodes are the better ones, which is funny, because he's the title character.