WARNING: LONG POST
Introduction: Believe it or not, a lot of people have no idea what character development is, they think Naruto getting a power-up is CHARACTER development smh lol so allow me to clear up some misconceptions. Character development is the change in characterization in a dynamic character over the course of the story. For example, your character starts off as a weak willed punk, but ends the story a hardened badass. Character development is NOT about the character's powers or how strong they get, your character can get stronger and stronger and still be the same person he was in chapter 1, making him a static character with no development. That's not to say that character development can't be woven into power-ups like in hunter x hunter, but with Naruto that's not really the case. Naruto is a classic coming-of-age story, and I would say Naruto's development gets a Solid C.
Naruto develops most as a character during the pein arc, the device used to develop Naruto's character is pein's invasion, and through fighting and conversing with pein Naruto comes to a new understanding about himself, Konoha, the Ninja world, and Sasuke. And he acknowledges these changes.
This is why I believe pain/nagato is the best villain in the story, he directly challenges Naruto's ideals and he has facts and history to back up his claims. By confronting Naruto he FORCES him to grow as a character.
Ninja World and Konoha Understanding
Naruto saying "I don't know" was huge for his character, the headstrong, take everything as it comes Naruto was backed into a corner by pain. All the best fights in Shonen are ideological clashes, characters battling over ideas, it's what makes us care about a conflict and keeps the story from being mindless violence. Fights are just tools writers use to explore the deeper ideas and themes in the story.
Naruto using the knowledge pain gave him to promise a brighter future
Naruto uses the hatred he felt for pain to try and understand Sasuke
Naruto proving that he understands revenge and hatred is a never ending cycle so he breaks the cycle
Naruto in part 2: I don't know if you guys realize this, but Pain is Naruto's first full on fight in part 2. Gaara retrieval arc he fought, but he didn't have a fight. The next arc the kyuubi took over so Naruto never fought. Naruto vs Kakuzu was more of a skirmish and that arc was about Shikamaru anyway. The next arc focuses on Sasuke and Jiraiya and Naruto's training is after that. Then the pain arc. We waited a long time to see Naruto kick ass and Kishi delivered.
Naruto vs Pein: Naruto was basically a bull in part two, with the kyuubi constantly influencing him or taking over, the tactical Naruto we knew and loved was pretty much gone, that's what makes Naruto vs Pein so epic, it's a return to form for Naruto. Some of Naruto's best tactics are in this fight, and it's pretty much the last time we see tactics in the series because the war is all about megazords and overpowering your opponent not out thinking them.
Best tactical parts of the fight #1
Best tactical parts of the fight #2
Best tactical parts of the fight #3
Bonus things that also made the arc great
These are the reasons I think The Pain arc was the best arc of part two, sorry it's so long. Basically, we get HUGE character development for Naruto in multiple areas of his understanding and it's a return to form for Naruto in part 2. Also, it sets up Naruto's mindset for the remainder of the series.
Honestly, i'm not really a Naruto fan but I understand what Kishi was trying to convey with his character, but I think he went a little overboard for my taste's. Naruto is pretty much generic main character sausage squeezed into a generic main character casing lol. But i do acknowledge that he was well characterized in the pain arc.
Introduction: Believe it or not, a lot of people have no idea what character development is, they think Naruto getting a power-up is CHARACTER development smh lol so allow me to clear up some misconceptions. Character development is the change in characterization in a dynamic character over the course of the story. For example, your character starts off as a weak willed punk, but ends the story a hardened badass. Character development is NOT about the character's powers or how strong they get, your character can get stronger and stronger and still be the same person he was in chapter 1, making him a static character with no development. That's not to say that character development can't be woven into power-ups like in hunter x hunter, but with Naruto that's not really the case. Naruto is a classic coming-of-age story, and I would say Naruto's development gets a Solid C.
Naruto develops most as a character during the pein arc, the device used to develop Naruto's character is pein's invasion, and through fighting and conversing with pein Naruto comes to a new understanding about himself, Konoha, the Ninja world, and Sasuke. And he acknowledges these changes.
This is why I believe pain/nagato is the best villain in the story, he directly challenges Naruto's ideals and he has facts and history to back up his claims. By confronting Naruto he FORCES him to grow as a character.
Ninja World and Konoha Understanding
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Naruto saying "I don't know" was huge for his character, the headstrong, take everything as it comes Naruto was backed into a corner by pain. All the best fights in Shonen are ideological clashes, characters battling over ideas, it's what makes us care about a conflict and keeps the story from being mindless violence. Fights are just tools writers use to explore the deeper ideas and themes in the story.
Naruto using the knowledge pain gave him to promise a brighter future
These panels show Naruto's growth in compassion and understanding of the world, it's also the origin of his end goal of wanting to unite the ninja world.
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Naruto uses the hatred he felt for pain to try and understand Sasuke
Naruto admits that he was naive in part 1, and acknowledges that he didn't understand Sasuke at all, allowing Naruto grow in his understanding of Sasuke.
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Naruto proving that he understands revenge and hatred is a never ending cycle so he breaks the cycle
Naruto did this with Jiraiya's help, putting a stamp on and closing the chapter of Jiraiya's influence in Naruto's life
Naruto also shows that understanding here.
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Naruto also shows that understanding here.
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Naruto in part 2: I don't know if you guys realize this, but Pain is Naruto's first full on fight in part 2. Gaara retrieval arc he fought, but he didn't have a fight. The next arc the kyuubi took over so Naruto never fought. Naruto vs Kakuzu was more of a skirmish and that arc was about Shikamaru anyway. The next arc focuses on Sasuke and Jiraiya and Naruto's training is after that. Then the pain arc. We waited a long time to see Naruto kick ass and Kishi delivered.
Naruto vs Pein: Naruto was basically a bull in part two, with the kyuubi constantly influencing him or taking over, the tactical Naruto we knew and loved was pretty much gone, that's what makes Naruto vs Pein so epic, it's a return to form for Naruto. Some of Naruto's best tactics are in this fight, and it's pretty much the last time we see tactics in the series because the war is all about megazords and overpowering your opponent not out thinking them.
Best tactical parts of the fight #1
Naruto analyzing pain, then coming up with a countermeasure on the spot using henge, and covering his eyes so he doesn't see the double rasengan from above.
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Best tactical parts of the fight #2
Naruto turning a disadvantage into an advantage.
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Best tactical parts of the fight #3
Naruto transforming all the rocks into clones to endure shinra tensei and to launch himself at pain.
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Bonus things that also made the arc great
Meeting Minato and Naruto learning he's the 4th's son
Hinata's confession
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Hinata's confession
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These are the reasons I think The Pain arc was the best arc of part two, sorry it's so long. Basically, we get HUGE character development for Naruto in multiple areas of his understanding and it's a return to form for Naruto in part 2. Also, it sets up Naruto's mindset for the remainder of the series.
Honestly, i'm not really a Naruto fan but I understand what Kishi was trying to convey with his character, but I think he went a little overboard for my taste's. Naruto is pretty much generic main character sausage squeezed into a generic main character casing lol. But i do acknowledge that he was well characterized in the pain arc.
