Why is Naruto so popular?
I've read it and there seems to be no deep story, just a generic action manga. I mean yeah ninjas are cool and everything but is it really worth all the buzz?

and when people ask, "well what part did you read?" and then I answer and they say "oh thats the boring part read a little further and you'll get hooked!"
so I read farther and still nothing, and that whole "read farther" thing got me all the way into shippuden saga and so far I just don't understand why it is so popular.

so yeah just thought I'd throw that out here, I get the feeling I'll become hated on this part of the forum but hey, to each his own right?
prepares for biblical stoning

My Top manga:

1. Yu-Gi-Oh!
2. Death Note
3. Fullmetal Alchemist
4. Bakuman.
5. Love Hina

Naruto isn't worth the hype, but since it takes less than a minute to read through most chapters, why not?

Stole that way of thinking from someone.

well alot of dragon ball chapters were like that to, but it worked for dragon ball 😛
I guess for me Naruto was trying to rip off dragon ball to much

My Top manga:

1. Yu-Gi-Oh!
2. Death Note
3. Fullmetal Alchemist
4. Bakuman.
5. Love Hina

Comparing two different stories doesn't really work to well.

Sure, they are both Shounen, but Dragon Ball was around long before Naruto, and the subject matter isn't the same, so they are obviously going to be handled differently.

Different Mangaka's make different things in different ways.

It just happened that it clicked with so many people.

Oh, you mean that way, yea, but that can be said of most Shounen, bro.

it can, but naruto especially (art style, use of energy, ect.)
now again, I'm not saying naruto is the worst (I can name plenty of series worse than naruto)
but yeah like you said, its not worth the hype (very nicely put, I couldn't think of how to put it

My Top manga:

1. Yu-Gi-Oh!
2. Death Note
3. Fullmetal Alchemist
4. Bakuman.
5. Love Hina

Well, what it comes down to is personal taste.

The archtype's and cliches we so so much are because people like them.

Its only logically that a series with so much in it, would be come popular.

And please note, logical =/= right.

Everyone has their likes and opinions so there's no need for someone to get fired up and say you're wrong. 😛 I didn't like Naruto at first either since it seemed so childish to me and I wasn't sure what the plot was. I ended up reading it in the end and getting hooked. The Akatsuki arcs are interesting to read. Maybe it isn't worth the hype but as a fangirl, of course I make a big deal out of certain things in the series 😉
Actually I must confess the reason Naruto is awesome to me is the gayness in it. >.> Yeah that's why I started reading it. It's so sad

that does make sense.

i guess I'm just not a fan of cliches lol
thats why I like Death Note (cna some one say "plot twist"?)

Quote from XxKumagoroXx

Everyone has their likes and opinions so there's no need for someone to get fired up and say you're wrong. 😛 I didn't like Naruto at first either since it seemed so childish to me and I wasn't sure what the plot was. I ended up reading it in the end and getting hooked. The Akatsuki arcs are interesting to read. Maybe it isn't worth the hype but as a fangirl, of course I make a big deal out of certain things in the series 😉
Actually I must confess the reason Naruto is awesome to me is the gayness in it. >.> Yeah that's why I started reading it. It's so sad

this made me lol

My Top manga:

1. Yu-Gi-Oh!
2. Death Note
3. Fullmetal Alchemist
4. Bakuman.
5. Love Hina

1st chapter, awesome.

Country of Waves, awesome.

Nartuo vs Gaara, awesome

Deidara vs Gaara, awesome

Jiraya vs Pain, mega epic awesome

Orichimaru, one of the best bad guys ever, at least till Kishi came up with Akatsuki and pussified Orochimaru

HIdan and Kakuzu, AWESOME

So yeah, pretty much some epic fights with interesting characters/jutsus and a main character that is naturally such a screw up, most of the fans LOVE it when he gets it right.

And yeah, the Naruto vs Pain fight was pretty epic considering it's the summation of everything Naruto had learned to that point.

Nothing can ever take back some of the filler and all the Sasuke emo crap but still, it's a pretty damn good read. Not great but then again what manga is?

That was rhetorical as most manga-ka are decent writers and artists but are not great at both, IMO.

Quote from SuperJude™

Nothing can ever take back some of the filler and all the Sasuke emo crap but still, it's a pretty damn good read. Not great but then again what manga is?
That was rhetorical as most manga-ka are decent writers and artists but are not great at both, IMO.

I can name plenty of manga that are great reads, and plenty of manga-ka that are both excellent story tellers and artists

and by first chapter did oyu mean the legit first chapter or the pilot chapter?
I loved the pilot chapter but not so much the real first

My Top manga:

1. Yu-Gi-Oh!
2. Death Note
3. Fullmetal Alchemist
4. Bakuman.
5. Love Hina

Though I'd comment on your remark about Naruto copying Dragonball's 'energy' idea.

Various forms of energy, no matter the name, are prevalent throughout Japanese culture. Whether in their philosophical/religious teachings, folklore, or certain medical fields. There's a reason why it's so incredibly predominant in manga and manwha. If you think Naruto is ripping off Dragonball, you surely need to read more series.

And no, I'm not a fan of Naruto.

Quote from pokeslob

I can name plenty of manga that are great reads, and plenty of manga-ka that are both excellent story tellers and artists

Yeah, in your opinion. In my opinion, even the "great" mangas out there are really entertaining, but not to be confused with great literature or art, and that's the point I was making.

Entertaining does NOT equal great.

Anyhow...

Opinions and likes are different....
Naruto is entertaining because of the mystery of the story...there are so many things yet to be revealed

People need mediocre manga, like Bleach or Naruto, that drag on and on because what else can they do with their time when they have already swallowed all the good manga whole in spartan, 8-volumes-in-one-day sprees.

it appeals to the mass majority

"when i'm sad, i stop being sad and be awesome instead."

• Barney Stinson