edit:
just finished a naruto marathon from 1st chapter to the 700. all i can say toward the end everybody and their dog seems to have super power, and sooooo many revelations i can barely keep up. i really really want to know whether the final boss is a demon, a god, an alien or what. thats the whole WTF moment there when these two kids decide to kill a goddess and succeed. i think theres a myth somewhere about this kind of goddess, who knows?
still, i enjoy it though it kinda jump the shark toward the end. a great run, now i want to see the mafia manga that kishimoto said 'the best manga he ever draw'.
end edit
that's the only way you will be able to enjoy this manga. i just finished my 2 days naruto marathon from the first chapter to the latest 582 chapter. i had had read naruto before until the chuunin exam but dropped this. but now reading this in complete block make the reading better. i am actually quite regretful i dont wait until this manga finish but i got spoilered massively so that's why i read this. anyway, i really do recommend people to read naruto until after it is finish. this is because the fight can get pretty long winded and the excitement of waiting for new chapters will only turn to fatigue, then boredom then you will just drop this manga. however, reading this in one go make the excitement propel you to continue to read and thus you can see the overall plot without getting confused, especially with the shitload of characters.
i do get quite surprised with naruto because i thought it is just a long winding battle manga but actually it is very well written. every technique is grounded in stable rules, he dont just take them out of his ass. there is overarching plot that tie the past to present quite beautifully. the history and the landscape is all meticulously planned out. there is no wasted chapter at all, every mission serve a purpose to progress the plot, or it will tie to the future. i really am just amazed.
the characters are also very interesting and likeable. naruto as a main character dont fail at all. personally i do not like stupid but over determined over protective character, but somehow naruto dont get across too annoying. i hate his stalker tendency with sasuke, but i guess it's okay for the plot. people had been hating on sakura but i do not think she is useless, but her obsession with sasuke is baffling. i also completely empathized with sasuke. i love almost all the characters that have been introduced here, and i love the way that even though they are enemy, the reader and the characters do not hate them.
the art is also the cornerstone of this series. every character have distinguishable face, i can easily identified them. i also can even remember their name even with the number of characters because they have very strong identity. they do not just have differing hair style, but their own personality and physical make up. the art is very simple and clear with no unnecessary lines, and it is perfect in its simplicity. it is not beautiful and obstruct the flow of the story but carry the story by presenting it to the reader in easy to digest way.
the fights is also something enjoyable. i read quite a few of battle manga already, but naruto is one of the best. i like the clarity of the fight, i can follow its progression, there is rules and thoughts behind the fight and most of all it is interesting. d gray man for example, have beautiful art but i cant understand the chaotic fight that make me just skip them. one piece have interesting powers but theres no rules in it that anything can happen, the world is not stable. but naruto's universe is stable with foundation, that's why i love the fights.
all in all, i really love this manga and i recommend this to anyone who love a series with good plot, strong cast of characters, great fights and most of all enjoyable story.