Goodbyes are difficult, and for anime fans it hits different, especially with Naruto. The series kickstarted back in the 2000s and remains a cherished piece of our childhood. But, endings are necessary and it left us teary-eyed. With Junko Takeuchi, it took a different turn altogether.
We process endings and beginnings differently and the voice actor is no different. She was hesitant and had mixed feelings about her character’s closure, which is understandable. It further reflects on the bittersweet journey from childhood to parenthood in Masashi Kishimoto’s series.
Junko Takeuchi’s mixed feelings about Naruto’s ending
Other than Mamoru Endo (Inazuma Eleven) or Gon Freecs (Hunter x Hunter), Junko Takeuchi has worked on a diverse range of roles. Some of these include Noel (Claymore) and Rin Natsuki (Yes! Precure). Her breakthrough role as the knucklehead ninja overshadows other roles.
For almost two decades, Takeuchi san has voiced the beloved ninja Naruto. It is only natural for voice actors to become attached to their characters, and she is not different. She truly breathed life into the character by adding more pizzazz to his personality.
Call him knucklehead or blondie, his mojo and way of life encouraged viewers and readers worldwide. Through his flawed characters, Kishimoto created a sense of familiarity and reliability. The ending itself was a perfect closure for the characters, yet Takeuchi was at odds with the idea.
In an interview, the actress revealed her conflicting feelings regarding the ending. She said:
At the end, even if I look at the happy wedding ceremony of Naruto and Hinata, I thought that that sadness maybe it’s because it became an unrequited love that my heart felt heavy. But after long time, I have recently re-examined the DVD and my thoughts about it have slightly changed.
We often forget that it isn’t the viewers or the readers but the writers and voice actors that get emotionally invested in the series. It is only valid for her to feel that way, but this makes one thing certain. Kishimoto portrayed the cycle of childhood and adulthood brilliantly in his manga.
The bittersweet journey of childhood and parenthood
Time goes by in an instant isn’t a mere phrase, but something we can collectively agree upon. This is so true for our hero and his journey from childhood to adulthood. We grew up with it and it grew on us and it is okay to be a little teary about this.
A large part of this has to do with the significance of generations in Kishimoto’s series. From Hashirama to Sannin, the ninjas are a testimony of growth and development not as ninjas but as individuals. The same goes for Naruto’s role as a parent in Boruto.
From being an orphaned kid to becoming a parent, his journey was nothing short of perilous. However, it is important to understand that both he and Boruto are similar, yet different in most ways. While he fought tooth and nail to achieve Hokage status, his son’s journey has more to do with self-discovery.
To have everything on the get-go made him not appreciate things. It is the loss and betrayal which shapes Boruto’s character. With his father, it was the need to be acknowledged and seen, and fans need to acknowledge both characters. Both are complex yet well-written characters in their manner.
Overall, it has been one heck of a bumpy ride with highs and lows and we’re glad Masashi Kishimoto gave us one of the iconic ninja stories ever.
Naruto 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
