At first, when I saw my friends read this series, I'll be honest with ya. I didn't care about it one bit. But when my sister told me that I had to record it for her when the anime first came on in the US I was annoyed, for I didn't find it interesting at all to read. Then after watching the very first episode, My heart and soul was devoted to the series, and I wanted to get everything from it. The cards, the video games, the manga, everything. That when I first started reading the rest and started the manga, and I loved everything about it. The characters which Naruto was my favorite cause he was someone I could relate to when i was know. Sasuke the rival/Best friend, and many other characters that are unique and awesome in their own way like Hinata Hyuuga and such. The storyline was great as the slow ended in part 1. But then continue to part 2. I have to agree with some people about the Sasuke thing but as Hinaru77 said which I did look up and confirm, that without Sasuke, kishimoto would not have made this story so long to be begin with. Plus there were a lot fight then devleopment that I think that need to be there. The author kishimoto, had an older, pliot story about the main character, Naruto, being a demon instead of ninja, for he didn't really like the way of the japanese traditional on the ninja socitey and the use of the hand signs. So the author tried to make his own creation as a "This is the ninja world of Naruto Uzumaki, and it turned out quite well, for it become a popular hit in japan. Kishimoto tried his best to make the storyline unique as the main character, Naruto, tries and help to change many people throughtout the series adn still does now. He really is the knuckle head ninja that has the magical words that seem so simple yet very unique, as he goes through every mission, very fight and very course to be the next hokage. Now that we're it's end, there is now a war that must be done that Naruto must fight for. You may think it uncool to have a sixteen year old fight in a war, but hey that's how it was back then as kishi had said the in war, loved ones die, people get killed, people lose their home. etc as he was told by his grandmother that long ago of the terrible stories they had in WW2. So now that I'm a least a decade in the series and still am devoted to. Now that I know that kishimoto is putting this series into his climax, it kind of makes me sad. I wish that he would continue with it, just not with Naruto trying to bring back Sasuke all the time and actually have everyone fight together as a team, with new powers and such. Now as I read up to chapter 585, the author just keeps getting better and better with the plot, now that it's coming to an end with it's funny, colleging roles, that this series had played for the last 12 years of writing. I hope that he'll do a squeal with the next generation of Naruto or something like that. But untill the very end, recommend that you watch it or read it.