Should we be reading the manga?

[Archangel]

The manga is now about 100 chapters ahead of the anime and there's no sign of this filler arc ending anytime soon so i would like to post a question for the manga readers:

Give us your opinion, is the manga story much better than this and should we forget about an anime that's basically saying "screw you" with this filler arc or should we just keep watching the anime since the manga isn't all that great anyway?

I know that reading the manga or not is a choice that everyone has the right to make, i'm just asking the manga readers what they would do if they were in how position.

I'll admit it, i'm a bit pissed that we got cut off from akatsuki and sasuke to go watch some lame villains and their retarded plans and i can't help but wonder if the real thing is better than this shit. And even if it was an amazing filler, with that many chapters ahead they're so shamelessly milking the cow for some extra bucks that alone pisses me off.

[The Heretic Azazel]

I don't see how it hurts to keep up with any series' manga as well as its anime. While the anime sometimes adds cool parts to extend manga material, many of these have ended up in two-episode clone fights and Kakashi staring at Deidara with his MS for just as long. These things are just better paced in the manga. At the same time, the anime can be useful for actual fights that I think you can understand more easily with moving characters than black and white panels.

That, and being able to distinguish filler content can be helpful.

[DarthEnderX]

It hurts because black and white still images is for queers.

[Assertn]

I think its more fun to discuss the anime with anime-only viewers...so I'd prefer if you guys don't read the manga. But whatever you want, I suppose.

The current intro seems to suggest that the real arc will start up sometime before they replace it, though...so it shouldn't be too long.

[Archangel]

I think its more fun to discuss the anime with anime-only viewers...so I'd prefer if you guys don't read the manga. But whatever you want, I suppose.

The current intro seems to suggest that the real arc will start up sometime before they replace it, though...so it shouldn't be too long.

I'm guessing you're referring to the new akatsuki members you see in the new op, yeah i noticed them too and that might mean that this won't take too long but what guarantees do i have that after they end this arc they won't just go back to the staring contests of the "good old days" ?

i would be nice to have another forum a new set of people to discuss the manga with but then again then i wouldn't be able to post in the anime forums because i know all my opinions would someway be influenced by the manga.

[Abdula]

Well no one has to start reading the manga to enjoy the anime. I think the anime is pretty good on its own its just that when you start comparing it to the manga then you would have some complaints. Honestly I just prefer mangas over animes but thats just my preference. I would think that anyone who has read a manga and then later watched the anime or vice versa would agree that in most cases the manga would be overall better than the anime with only a few exceptions. I think its something similar to reading a book and then watching a movie or show based on that book.

Anyway as far as Naruto goes I think if you only read the anime then thats fine but doing both is better especially now where there is so much filler content in episodes. Beyond that the pace and overall tone of the anime is better and somewhat darker and there isn't any of those "LOL WTF" scenes and none of the homo erotic nonsense. I expected the anime to be lighter but when they haven't been stretching scenes they have been changing alot of little things that when put together have the, hopefully unintentional, effect of dumbing down things and makes people overlook things that are sometimes important or that were clearly evident in the manga. Then there is the fact that they put in things that never happened or skip over other things blah blah blah blah. You get the picture.

If you only watch the anime then I would think it would be better if you just stick to the anime. I assume that by this point if anyone has picked up the manga during all those months of horrendous fillers then they are probably never going to.

[DB_Hunter]

I would say in story terms the manga is miles better than the anime right now. In terms of enjoying the anime Vs manga, if the anime was to be paced like it was in the original Naruto series with the same awesome music, then I would prefer to watch the anime. However since Shippudden is shit and will not be going back to how the anime was I would say start the manga. It takes some time getting used to still images in black and white, and admittidly there are some fight scenes in the manga where I don't know what the hell is going on because of how it is drawn.

[Genma]

All I read are mangas now. Well, there are a few exceptions of course, such as the occasional Bleach anime episode.

I like mangas because they go at your own pace. Granted, there's no music, sound effects, voice acting, or animation, but for some reason I just like it better. And, although most mangas are either exactly like an anime or very similar, Naruto's is way different.

The next arc in the manga is my favorite. I'd recommend reading it because it's pretty sweet, and also there's a lot of cool stuff going on in the latest chapters that were recently released.

So, in short: yes.

[Archangel]

Bah screw animation, if you have a good enough imagination you can get even more awesome effects going on in your head than the anime can

What i would really miss would be the soundtrack, i'm no musician so i can't add that to the manga

[DarthEnderX]

Bah screw animation, if you have a good enough imagination you can get even more awesome effects going on in your head than the anime can

Yeah, well for those of us raised on american television, thats not an option!

[Uchiha Barles]

I'm a bigger fan of the anime than the manga, assuming, you cut out every single filler that ever happened, maybe with the possible exception of this one, and one of the ones that happened during the 1.5 year filler void. So basically, when manga parts are animated, in general I've enjoyed the anime better. fights are much clearer, and this series has usually had very good fights. The soundtrack to the battles have also been above average. The thing is...if you consider the filler, including the stuff that happened in the manga but got unnecesarily dragged out, the manga is far less frustrating. So overall, the manga is better. But when the anime is good, the anime is better. This series as a whole though, isn't really good enough to warrant sticking to the anime only. Read the manga imo.

[kenren]

I don't know if it is alright to post the following here. Please delete if it is against the rules Thanks.

If we were to start reading the manga now, what chapters should we start reading which is before the recent fillers?

[Yukimura]

You'd want to start with volume 35 (c310-319). 310 opens right after Sasuke, Oro, and Kabuto have disappeared. I believe everything from 310 and 311 was animated already but starting in chapter 312 some events that occurred in the manga were not put into the anime. From chapters 312-318 only the events that involved Konoha characters were animated so you'll see some repetition but several things that didn't involve Konoha characters also take place in those chapters that you don't want to miss out on as they are part of the lead up to the next arc in the manga (and pretty awesome).

As to my two cents about reading the manga, RTFM. The only problem I see with reading the manga is that once you're caught up waiting a week to get just a chapter is a lot more annoying than waiting for a week just to get an episode. You can try just reading the arc, or only reading completed volumes to keep yourself from having to suffer the weekly chapter burn but in the end I think it's worth it.

P.S. Get the volumes from Mangatraders. I packed many of the volumes myself including 35-39 so they are of the highest quality and should be easily viewable using whatever manga viewing method you might employ, plus I think I tossed in a few fully colored chapters.

[Assertn]

I'll just make it easier (or perhaps more tempting)...

http://www.onemanga.com/Naruto/312/
Just click there and start reading.

[iMUSTbeTHEdevil]

I'll just make it easier (or perhaps more tempting)...

http://www.onemanga.com/Naruto/312/
Just click there and start reading.

Brilliant! You never seem to out do yourself!

DO IT READ IT! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!!!!


And remember, the first one is always free, the next one is gonna cost you!

[Parkalash]

Manga is best!, there u go now read it ! :P

[Archangel]

Dam u Assertn, that was the last straw, i'm now reading the manga and DAM it's AWESOME!!!!! ( Check it out 5 exclamation points )

I haven't finished quite yet, tough i have read about 50 chapters already since i just couldn't help myself, but i advice every single one of you to start reading the manga too, it beats the anime in just about everything.

[iMUSTbeTHEdevil]

Dam u Assertn, that was the last straw, i'm now reading the manga and DAM it's AWESOME!!!!! ( Check it out 5 exclamation points )

I haven't finished quite yet, tough i have read about 50 chapters already since i just couldn't help myself, but i advice every single one of you to start reading the manga too, it beats the anime in just about everything.

If you really want to make the experience complete, read all of the previous chapters to see how badly in some cases the anime has fucked shit up!

[Abdula]

Its rare that you say something sensible. I congratulate you.

[Archangel]

Well... give me some examples