Naruto vs Sasuke (Chunin Exams)

Originally posted by TheAuraAngel
When did it fall in quality, in your opinion?

The Sasuke Retrieval arc was the peak of the series, imo. Shippuden was the decline, but the story was still above-quality until... I'd say the Hidan/Kakuzu vs. Team Shikamaru/Team Kakashi fight was the mark where the series devolved into being just average. It was around that time that we got an over-saturation of Sasuke-wank, and then the gayness of Pein bringing everyone back to life, and then the ninja war, which so far has just been a ****ing mess. Honestly, I'd put the series at this point on par with Bleach during the Kurakura town battle with Aizen, where it was just ****ing horrible.

Originally posted by Nephthys
I'm biased? Against whom? I like neither Current Sasuke or Naruto and I really like both Chunnin Exam versions of the characters.

Spoiler:
AuraAngel

dur313

Eh, I personally disagree. I think it hit a low-point during the Sasuke-centric stuff but has rebounded upwards again.

It's got it's bumps rather than being a curve that peaks IMO.

Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
The Sasuke Retrieval arc was the peak of the series, imo. Shippuden was the decline, but the story was still above-quality until... I'd say the Hidan/Kakuzu vs. Team Shikamaru/Team Kakashi fight was the mark where the series devolved into being just average. It was around that time that we got an over-saturation of Sasuke-wank, and then the gayness of Pein bringing everyone back to life, and then the ninja war, which so far has just been a ****ing mess. Honestly, I'd put the series at this point on par with Bleach during the Kurakura town battle with Aizen, where it was just ****ing horrible.

I dunno. Granted, Kishi really did spend too much time on Sasuke. Even though it is my favorite fight, could have done without his fight against Deidara. Or at least, should have had an arc in between him getting his team and the fight.

Pain bringing people to life was lame. Only one I didn't want to be dead was Kakashi. The others being dead was fine.

But I can't say this is as bad as Karakura town.....that was shit.

Originally posted by Demonic Phoenix
Biased against...

Spoiler:
AuraAngel

.

dur313

Indeed. It hurts. cry

Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
The Sasuke Retrieval arc was the peak of the series, imo. Shippuden was the decline, but the story was still above-quality until... I'd say the Hidan/Kakuzu vs. Team Shikamaru/Team Kakashi fight was the mark where the series devolved into being just average. It was around that time that we got an over-saturation of Sasuke-wank, and then the gayness of Pein bringing everyone back to life, and then the ninja war, which so far has just been a ****ing mess. Honestly, I'd put the series at this point on par with Bleach during the Kurakura town battle with Aizen, where it was just ****ing horrible.

I'd take anything over the Decide chapters of Bleach personally. And Naruto hasn't sunken to that level of intoleribleness as of now. The Sasuke wank was necessary but what was wrong with Hidan and Kakuzu?

But that's off topic. I'd personally think Sasuke would win against chunnin exams Naruto. Wonder if he can summon an average sized frog at this point?

I agree with Naruto dropping in quality when the focus went to Sasuke. It got Deicide levels of bad when Sasuke went after the Kages, but I think the war stuff has been great personally. Probably because Sasuke's ****ed off so far.

Also I think people overestimate Exam-era Sasuke.

Naruto has never hit Deicide levels.

The Kage fights were entertaining. Not the best but entertaining enough.

Oh, I think the Kage stuff was *way* above Deicide 🙂

Sasuke was being an idiot, but that was reflected in how it turned out (i.e. he was supposed to be an idiot), and it helped established the Kages who'd be continuing players.

Granted still not a high point, I just rate deicide really really lowly.

Though to be fair, the Kage they most established was A. Mei and Onoki didn't go without but they did end up battling a battered Sasuke.

The Summit Arc had the badass Mifune. Clearly above Deicide. uhuh

I guess I just have low levels of tolerence for that piece of shit.

Which is understandable. The Pain arc ended on a lame note(touching in a way but lame) and to immediately jump to another Sasuke arc might be too much.

However, I found it entertaining. Which is more than can be said for Fake Karakura Town and Deicide.

Also, Gaara got to be cool in the summit. Gaara being cool is always great.

Fake Karakura Town had Barragan and Yoriuchi though.

Gaara was at least better than his siblings.

Sasuke: What is there for me if I go back to Konoha?

Gaara: (Okay Gaara, big chance. Explain the benefits of not being on the run, not hating everything you see, and having a chance to lead a good life. Piece of cake, you're the Kazekage! Alright, here go-)

Kankuro: **** you Sasuke, no one loves you anymore. And the Uchiha were dumb!

Gaara:.....

Originally posted by Nephthys
Fake Karakura Town had Barragan and Yoriuchi though.

It had Barragan losing in the dumbest of ways(to a character that serves no purpose) and Yoruichi being beaten offscreen.

The Deicide arc is quite possibly the single worst piece of shit I've ever read in a manga. Naruto was IMO probably at its lowest point at the end of the Nagato arc (Not sure what the technical name for this arc is), when Nagato by himself completely killed the arc with his "LULZ I USE JESUS POWAHS TO BRING EVERYONE BACK TO LIEF" crap, but that doesn't come close to how repulsive Deicide was. Nor does the current One Piece arc, the worst in the series, reach such incredible levels of shit.

I'd say currently, Naruto is "all right," there are problems, sure, in that we don't get to see all that we would like to and the events are a bit messy (For instance, having two important ass fights going on at once basically means we will either have to see switches between each one on a bi-chapterly basis, or Madara will go the way of Yammy), but really, I don't have high expectations for Naruto like I do manga such as Berserk or Vinland Saga. So I am content with it, for now.

Edit: Barragan salvaged the Fake Karakura Town Arc for me, he was so awesome, even if he died a lame death, the time he had on-panel was amazing.

Invasion of Pain arc? I think.

Edit: I liked Barragan too. But he could not save it.

The sheer amount of smacks to the face from that arc was too much for me.

Don't get me wrong, FKT arc was lame as bawls, but Deicide was just horrible.

Oh, I don't deny that. Not one bit. I'll take Karakura town over Deicide any day. haermm

And yeah, I agree with Blax.

Naruto used to be better overall, and IMO the old art style was superior.

I thought how Barragan died was clever personally.

But yeah, FKT was so ****ing stupid. The SS brigade steamrolled with some of them not even bothering with Bankai.

And all the fights were the same asspull power-up shit that the worst of Bleach is.

Also that ice clone. Asspull of the century.