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Well, there you have it. The last fight begins now, bringing with it the culmination of one of the “big three” and a manga series that has been in our lives for over a decade. Love or hate what it’s become, the fact remains that Naruto has been a staple in around half the lives of most people visiting this blog on a daily basis, and it’s going to be a really strange reality without its weekly presence. But inevitable all things must come to an end, and surprisingly, that end is coming much sooner than we ever anticipated. Only four chapters remain (sadly it’ll end one short of the magical 700), and what a nostalgic run it’s likely to be—fitting considering just how many manga series have met their ends in the past year or two.
With that said, the ironic nature of it all is that while the final focus is on the Naruto vs. Sasuke fight, it’s not actually so much about the fight itself as what it represents. That’s not to say it’s not going to be a fun watch (I know I loved some of the panels in this chapter), but more so just a testament to how long the road has been to get here, and how far our characters have come in terms of strength, personality, and reputation. Obviously, some characters have gotten more development, but that’s par for the course considering there’s a character whose namesake is on the front cover. Sometimes I wonder how things would’ve turned out if they named the series “Sasuke” instead, but I guess Ninja Warrior has that covered with their big Sasuke sign at the beginning of their course…
Terrible references aside, there’s honestly not much to say here I feel. The battle’s pretty straight forward, and we’ve honestly already spent quite a lot of time discussing the thematic keys to not only this final fight, but to the overall ninja war and the series itself. The nostalgia’s bound to continue through the next four chapters so there’ll be plenty of time for that, so I think the thing for me is: now that you guys know that Naruto’s ending (and soon), how do you feel about it ending, the series overall, and the legacy it may or may not leave?
Here we are. It’s weird to think we’re finally at the end. What a ride it’s been.
The fact that there are four chapters left leaves me to wonder how the content will be managed. Unless the next four come out as 30 pages each, the fight has to be a pretty straightforward and short one in order for everything to be rounded up by number four. I expect the last chapter will be a lengthy one. Even if the fight ends next chapter, there is still the matter of picking up the pieces (ending infnite Tsukuyomi and the like) and giving us a comfortable conclusion.
Whatever the case, this chapter reminded me so much of their first fight, only with much larger moves. Can’t wait to see what happens!
As for the legacy it leaves…nothing, anime or manga, will ever be able to top the flashbacks. No matter what was happening in Naruto, we could also rest easy knowing there would be a flashback.
Unlike other manga, I haven’t been reading Naurto with a serious intention of finding themes, so for me I’m a little lost on how this will all end. Obviously Naurto will win (probably with a major move followed by talk–no-jutsu), but it’s whether Sasuke will be killed, sacrificial, redeemed, or rehabilitated into the village life. To be honest I can’t imagine an ending where the epilogue shows Naruto as Hokage, Sasuke married with Sakura? raising little Uchihas in the Leaf village. Or is that what we are going for?
About the fact that Naruto won’t be part of our weekly rituals, I didn’t even consider it Zephyr, until you mentioned it! I guess for me Naruto wasn’t one of the first manga I started reading, (*cough it was D. Gray-man*), so even though I’ve been reading it for years, I think I will be glad to see the ending of the story. I guess we really are not going to see Kakashi’s face in the end?! I’m a little curious as to how the love triangles get sorted out (Hinata, Sakura, etc.)
In all, I’m surprised it’s ending so soon, but think it’s a good time to do so. It’s a shame it won’t be chapter 700!
Btw about the series itself, It was good up until the time skip, I liked the Minato-Kushina flashback/explanations/back stories, getting to know Kuruma and Bee, Naruto’s sage training and Frog-land visits, the Pain arc was interesting too, but regarding the last Sage-of-Six-Paths and the Moon Illusion and Fake-Madara=Kakashi’s best friend arc I thought it was a bit contrived, boring, and confusing, especally anything regarding Sasuke. I’m looking foward to the next 5 chapters though.
Yeah, I mean I thought about it in particular because the end of Naruto also means I’ll literally have nothing I’m covering on a weekly basis this season, which’ll take some getting used to.
That said, it would be nice if we get to see Kakashi’s face at the very end. You know, figure it’d be a fun thing for the fans and what not. I don’t know if it’ll happen though eh.
Finally we get to the battle…only to be slapped with more flashbacks we’ve seen an infinite amount of times already…sigh
Excellent, the much-anticipated and absurdly hyped last fight between Naruto and Sasuke at the Valley of the End, where they had their last epic fight. Finally, and so long as this doesn’t turn into a complete clusterf**k of absurdness where our two heroes forego any remote sense of an actual warmup and basically skip to just trying to blow the bejesus out of each other, and, for all we know, the world too, I think we’ll be just fine.
*Reads the actual chapter now*
. . . . .
*flips table over and walks away*
I dont mind the series ending because it held a lot of good memories and great moments but I feel how its going to end is going to be the dose of what the series is all about. I just hope they wrap up more about the aftermath of there battle and the other characters. I think the Last Naruto movie may do justice but its kind of a tease to wait for that, if the manga ends on a cliffnote(pun unintended) Im just hoping it doesnt end like an Scryed (anime ending) but thats just me ranting. Overall, I enjoyed the series and Im curious on what the author plans to do after the manga is done and the movie is finished. It will be a sad/tear ending for the manga coming from a long way/ending but I hope for whatever future works to believe in it.
Also thank you ZEPHYR for the reviews for the Naruto chapters. Its been a pleasure reading your reviews. 🙂
And thank you for reading. 😀
I remember when I was hooked during the Chuunin Exam arc. This was sooo many years ago. How time flies…
that was the time when everyone was still a ninja and not super saiyans throwing genkidama everywhere.
I remember being so very in love with this series back then. Now I just can’t wait for it to end so I can stop being disappointed. I’m not a very tough person to please, I’m not necessarily sophisticated in my manga choices. I like nice, simple fun. But Naruto has really suffered in some places from poor writing and not fleshing out characters enough to make the encounters meaningful.
Those were the days, weren’t they?
I was pretty hooked then too, roller=coastered up and down, then got pretty hooked early on in the Shippuden stuff, roller-coastered up and down again, and here we are.
It surely has been a long run! In a certain way I’m glad it finally comes to an end, prolonging a series more than necessary just ruins it. While the recent events have left me with a rather bitter taste, I think the most important thing to highlight is Kishimoto’s incredible imagination. I mean, being able to create such a huge world and build an interesting plot that lasted for more than 10 years!, it is certainly praiseworthy. Love it or hate it, the fact is Naruto has managed to keep us looking forward for each chapter week after week, and I’m satisfied with that. Hopefully we’ll get an ending that ties up the story in a compelling way.
At first Naruto was always ranked second to something else (sometimes behind Bleach or even One Piece) for me. And now that it has come this far, I can honestly say that it leaves a memorable legacy in my life and for future generations to come as being a classic ninja story. I know I will miss this when it’s over, but since the anime has a long way to catch up the manga I’m sure I won’t worry about it until the final episode. For now, it’s like a spoiler alert for me when I watch it being animated. I look forward to that end point.
I’m really glad to see the show come to an end, It still remains one of my favorites and I’ll miss it but all things come to an end after all, I hate shows that never end (like some american soap operas), by the way we still have Bleach, Fairy Tail, One Piece, Magi, Sinbad, (I hope they also end someday too) and perhaps another Manga/Anime will be premiering and be just as great.
As Shang Tsung from the “Mortal Kombat” the movie quoted
“It has begun!”
I am a little sadden that it is going to be over, but that is just how it is.
Who knows we might see these characters again in a spinoff series.
We can dream right?
Naruto after the time skip has really been a mixed bag for me. While I really enjoyed all the arcs in the original Naruto, I can’t really say the same for the time skip. I feel a large portion of this comes from what the characters became versus what I thought they would become. Naruto was at its core an underdog story, which is why I really liked it. This however was ruined when it pretty much came out that Naruto was just a reincarnation of one of the most powerful ninjas in existence. I could deal with the Hokage’s son part, but the rest of the destiny stuff really ruined what made the manga excellent to me. Sasuke and Sakura also really haven’t changed as much as I really expected they would. Yeh they’re stronger (a lot stronger) than they were in the beginning, but their personalities and overall character is still the same as when they started out: An emo jerkwad and a boy crazy girl. Really looking back all I really enjoyed after the timeskip was the Shikamaru Arc and the Pein Arc(the dragonball rez ruined this somewhat too)…Which is kind of sad. That’s not to say there weren’t chapters here or there I enjoyed, but as far as looking at the arcs as a whole…I don’t believe any of them passed the 50% like/dislike ranking other than those I listed above. Also Neji…just poor Neji…
Just out of curiosity. What are the chances that this could all be a stunt by the publishers. Naruto shippuden will end in four chapters but Naruto road to kage (or whatever name they choose) begins.
I wouldn’t put it beyond possibility that another Naruto series could follow, but it seems unlikely at this point. The whole “look forward to Kishimoto’s next work,” seems to hint at him wanting to do something new.
Only 4 chapters left!? Where did they state this?
It was on the cover page of the latest chapter.
“The final installment of Naruto will make its appearance in the November 10 issue of Weekly Shonen Jump”
…honestly, I’m not that upset that it’s almost over.
I liked most of part 1 and the early part of Shippuden, but pretty much after the Kakuzu/Hidan Arc, I guess I must’ve been numbed up to it with so much of the stuff that felt pulled out the ass.
I can’t even bring myself to get THAT excited over this final battle. I guess that excitement died with the sudden replacement of Madara (who was owning everyone) with Kaguya (a total piss-poor battle, despite supposing to be many leagues above Madara).
Naruto coming to an end along with Bleach another of the Big 3 is pretty much the end of an era for manga. How iconic would it be if series like Hayate no Gotoku and Hajime no Ippo would come to an end this year as well 😛
If anything though, I have to say that as endings go this one is reaching its end a lot more gracefully than Bleach.
Definitely not the first manga I read (I started reading mangas around 18 years ago…) but definitely something I’ve lived and got used too along the years, always waiting for it weekly and enjoying it more or else depending on the chapters, like everyone!
The end of Naruto certainly is marking the end of an era, and so surprisingly fast! In the sens that the NarutoxSasuke has been on hold for so long, that I thought that when we would get to it, we wold have like 2 volumes about it or something! ^^; And we also have to think about all the mess around them that have to be put back in place somehow and actually showing off a actual “ending” to the series…how is he going to do that in 4 chapters? @_@ I just hope that after so long, the ending of this series won’t be rushed…
The next question then would be what will the author do with his life? Live on with the enormous amount of money he must have made for himself alogn the years thanks to Naruto and literally vanish from the manga world, or be actually one of those authors that do not stop and go on making yet more masterpieces that will move us?
They said be on the look out for his next work, so seems like there’s something planned. Up in the air what he’ll do, how long he’ll do it, and when he’ll actually start publishing though.
Could somebody please write the manga/anime version of Mortal Kombat if not I will write it in four years time.
I’m not gonna lie, I will be a little sad to see it go. It’s hard to believe I’ve been reading it for 15 years. One Piece for longer…
I’m curious if Masa will tack on a lovey lovey friends forever ending or kill Sasuke off.
Epic Naruto is epic! 😀
Sooooooo…TenTen?
I feel this ending SO rushed.. he is really gonna wrap up Naruto vs Sasuke fight + end of eternal tsukuyomi + the impact of that fight in the ninja world + whatever happens next with everyone… in 4 chapters?.. :/ unless this next chapters have 30+ pages i cant see how this can be done without feeling rushed..
i mean he sure is taking his time.. 2 or 3 pages this chapter were wasted on a flasback we have seen several times.. the fight is escalating PRETTY FAST though lol… but is very dissapointing that we have been waiting for this rematch since the start of part 2.. and all we are going to get is some rushed fight..
anyway.. im still excited to see how things will happen… it will be weird to come each week to read the usual mangas and not finding Naruto there 🙁
We all know Talk no Jutsu will win in the end like always.
I think they should push for 5 more chapters just to hit the 700 chapter mark. Maybe an epilogue chapter will ensue.
And while we’re at it, I feel inclined to ask again: Where the hell is Anko and Yamato at lol.