Although it is an iconic ninja story, Masashi Kishimoto’s series Naruto is ridden with its fair share of disadvantages. There are upsides and then there are downsides, especially when it comes to characters. The mangaka had every opportunity to overshadow the Marineford Arc, but he fumbled big time.
To be fair, every Shonen series has its drawbacks, yet the manga garnered major flak from viewers as well as readers. The fumble is tied to the recurring plot inconsistency in the series. But it leaves us with a pressing question: Are stakes that low in the manga?
Masashi Kishimoto’s fatal fumble in the series
As we all know, Masashi Kishimoto has had his fair share of highs and lows with his series. It is a rollercoaster ride when it comes to the good, the bad and the ugly. While there are good fights, the series falls short in terms of sloppy animation. But this time, it has more to do with the characters in the series.
For now, we won’t be discussing anything about sidelining since it is an overused criticism. It is indeed true nonetheless, especially with how they were reduced to mere table lamps. However, they were done dirty in every way possible, and here’s how.
Sidelining is one of the worst things to happen to a character. We often forget how crucial characters are for the plot. But that isn’t the sole purpose, especially when it comes to creating a compelling storyline. Kishimoto precisely abandoned the compelling nature with this fumble in his story.
On r/Naruto, a discussion thread was made that had fans pointing to fakeout deaths and the general lack of deaths in the series. From Gaara to Kankuro, several characters were kept alive just for the sake of plot. This also extends to Might Guy who deserved a glorious death nonetheless.
We’re aware of how his character was stripped of honor and reduced to a cripple. It is saddening on most aspects, which also had some fans suggesting the existence of “low stakes” in the series. The possum act didn’t turn out well for the series, but does that mean the stakes are low? Let’s find out.
Are stakes that low in Naruto?
Naruto is both a ninja story and a commentary on the militarized society. War, corruption, and powerplay aren’t isolated from the ninjaverse either. It seeps into the folds of their childhood and adulthood even. With child soldiers and resistance at the helm, there are bound to be casualties and loss.
The stakes seem low to people because the series deprived the characters of their deserved end. Killing off Neji was a dirty move and is seen as unnecessary to this day. But Guy’s revival is inglorious, especially with his sacrifice and intense battle with Madara, which brings us to this point.
Kishimoto may have played out the endings according to the plot. Some deaths outline sacrifice, while others are reduced to plot development. We all cried when Jiraiya died and when Naruto’s parents protected him. To top it off, Itachi’s final fight triggered a cryfest altogether.
Each death served a purpose, yet some, right off the bat, were inconclusive. This adds to the inconsistency criticism that the series faces along with the lack of stakes. In totality, it has low stakes, especially with how the endings played out with the characters.
Overall, Kishimoto missed the boat in giving his characters rightful honor and glory in the series.
Naruto: Shippuden is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Shueisha’s Manga Plus app.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
