hontou ni
5Aug/0820

Kiddie steps into anime fandom – My nephew the Naruto fan

My nephew has been watching me watch anime since he was born. 7 years he witnessed his uncle laugh, yell, cry and headbutt Japanese 2D images on his now-retired desktop LCD. Despite that, he never got into Japanese anime (or maybe PRECISELY because of that), preferring the fare that Cartoon Network spews. (Alright, it's not that bad really. I actually enjoyed Spongebob Squarepants' quirky humour.) That was until Naruto began to air on Central last week. 5 eps into the show, he was a fan.

It's great to meet a fellow fan even if he was your nephew and more than 20 yrs younger. He started to call frequently to discuss about the show/characters and I prepped him for the Haku arc (which incidentally is my favourite of the Naruto anime). In fact, just talking about it got me so excited, I went out and bought the Naruto DVDs for him (Vol. 1) - 4 DVDs which he devoured immediately. Now he can't wait for the start of the Chuunin exams and I can't wait to get the DVDs from him to relive Haku goodness (who must be one of the finest traps even more the term was coined.)

I personally believe one's reaction to Naruto fandom is one of the most telling things about his anime fandom. The anime elitist would deride it as a mass-market product designed for the inferior mainstream palette while the Narutard would try in spoil your anime experience by flaunting how much he knows. But honourable is a fan who seeks to enhance another's anime experience via nurturing instead of neutering interest. (And neutering interest includes posting anime spoilers as entry titles, spoiling everyone and anyone visiting just the aniblog aggregators hosting these sites.)

Now I can't wait till weekend to pass my nephew Vol. 2 of Naruto. Man is he in for a ride.

Related posts:

  1. Random Rant: Hikaru no GO vs Naruto
  2. Fandom, Filesharing and Finances
  3. 2009 Moment of Anime: Melting into the Fandom of Miku Hatsune

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  1. Hinano
    August 5th, 2008 - 10:21

    Well Naruto was pretty awesome, hell even I got addicted. It’s just after the time skip things sorta go downhill and Naruto is replaced with Saucy

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  2. The Sojourner
    August 5th, 2008 - 10:32

    Well. After Naruto, you could always try and inoculate Nanoha into him. Maybe when he old enough to understand what AWESOMENESS is made of.

    And I do not mind being your godson.

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  3. ninjasin
    August 5th, 2008 - 11:05

    It’s always refreshing to see and hear about new young fans entering the realm of anime and manga. I, myself, have facilitated such a thing with my younger cousins. I applaud you on your thoughts, Stripey, about how the Naruto fandom says a lot about the particular fan.

    I agree, it’s not the greatest series out there, but it was the one that got me back into anime after a several year stint of just not feeling the connection to it anymore. Thanks to Naruto, I’ve been back into the culture for nearly six years now. I’m much more selective about what I choose to watch, but Naruto brought me back. Without it, I never would have discovered the awesomeness that is Nanoha.

    Wow… that got long. See, this is what I get for being a perpetual lurker. When I open my mouth, way too much comes out. Anyways, kudos to you and your nephew! I hope he enjoys the Chuunin Exam arc. It was always one of my favorites.

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  4. Kabitzin
    August 5th, 2008 - 11:20

    As everyone who gave Naruto a chance knows, the first part of it is actually pretty good (aside from how badly everything is dragged out). [spoiler]It’s after Sasuke bolts that everything goes to crap in the anime.[spoiler]

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  5. yaku
    August 5th, 2008 - 12:25

    Naruto is awesome. Fillers and flashbacks spoil it but it’s still entertaining.

    Well I got a little nephew myself (two year old) but his mother thinks anime is evil full of lesbian love and violence so I know she won’t let me show him anime.

    LOL the good thing is she has satellite cable, so as soon as he gets stuck to the screen box he’ll discover anime ^^

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  6. Kabitzin
    August 5th, 2008 - 14:11

    but his mother thinks anime is evil full of lesbian love and violence

    Haha, what would Zyl say?

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  7. crimson
    August 5th, 2008 - 18:53

    mm, based on that token, that means tv shows and news are full of lesbian love and violence too.

    But yeah, naruto is a good anime for everyone to enjoy. Uhm, has he seen Pokemon? :D

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  8. Crusader
    August 5th, 2008 - 19:14

    Ah I see that you have been busy corrupting today’s youth. Today Naruto tomorrow a room full of figures! tell me is your nephew a budding sis-con too? Also when do you plan on sharing with him the wondrous Da Capo saga? :P

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  9. Impz
    August 5th, 2008 - 19:49

    I made fun of Naruto too, but hey I was a fan of Naruto up to Episode …somewhere, and got swallowed by the massive shit. Nonetheless, the opening 40-50 episodes are just darn cool.

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  10. vexx
    August 6th, 2008 - 00:48

    Switch in a few episodes of Nanoha A’s on him just to see what happens. :)

    I guess I was always just the wrong age. I’d rather have my teeth pulled than sit through more than 5 minutes of Naruto (or DBZ or One Piece or Bleach or ….). That is precisely the sort of thing that kept me uninterested in anime at all between my youthful astroboy-speedracer-gigantor-ultraman period in the 1960s and my redeployment into anime in about the year 2002 (ignores forced Pokemon period in the 1990s when kids were young, aieee).

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  11. Stripey
    August 6th, 2008 - 07:22

    Hinano: I think I didn’t last that long. Gave up after about 130ish. tried to start again with Shippuden only to quit in 4 eps. They need to stop dragging out those eps. XD

    The Sojourner: LOL! I’m not sure Nanoha DVDs would be worth your sacrifice :P At my nephew’s age, I believe he’s not ready for Nanoha yet. They are kinda of too young to understand the true essence of GAR or to look beyond form for substance :) I’d still try though…

    ninjasin: I think that’s a very balanced view you hold there. An anime fan after my very own heart! :)

    Kabitzin: I was sooo glad I got to marathon the first 80 eps. Else I’d have probably barfed bile over the sword, Hokage and monkey tussle. XD

    yaku: Oh dear. I guess it’s hard to you to educate your aunt. :) I can’t imagine an animeless childhood :)

    crimson: yes he has. Not too crazy about it and enjoys its gameboy version more :)

    Crusader: Hmm Da Capo… only if I’m not gonna get a niece XD But seriously I do plan to intro him Da Capo since I wanna educate him on what perfect girlfriend material looks like :)

    Impz: I don’t blame ya since it is a fact that the series went rapidly downhill after the orochimaru arc :P Which is why I will ONLY be getting the first 4 vols of the DVDs :P

    vexx: While I grew up watching anime, I have to thank Zyl and another friend for my re-entry back about 2002 when he passed me Mahoromatic and Love Hina. The rekindled flame has been burning bright since. :)

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  12. Zyl
    August 6th, 2008 - 08:21

    @Kabitzin: I would have nothing to say except to give two big thumbs up! d_(^_^)_b

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  13. yaku
    August 7th, 2008 - 00:06

    Stripey: doesn’t help the very first anime I ‘showed’ her (more like she had nothing to do but sit next to me) was Utena the movie ^^U (two naked chicks on top of a broken bike)

    Even so, whether the kid likes the show depends on his luck to find it when it’s airing and whether re actually likes cartoons that much. I’m pretty sure he’ll get hooked sooner or later (and then there’s always hentai 15 years in the future^^).

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  14. Stripey
    August 7th, 2008 - 01:10

    Zyl: You’re the kind of anime fan the tanuki clan warned me about! XD

    yaku: LOL! First impressions last. I suppose it’s up to you to undo the damage… maybe recommend Marimite? Nothing like wholesome high school girls to change anime opinions.. kekeke :P

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  15. The Sojourner
    August 9th, 2008 - 06:31

    Nanoha A’s DVDs are worth it imo.

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  16. Leefe
    August 12th, 2008 - 09:40

    Perfect girlfriend material being a sister? XD

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  17. Stripey
    August 13th, 2008 - 09:30

    The Sojourner: LOL! A true Nanoha As fan indeed! XD

    Leefe: LOL! Notice why I haven’t been hankering for a niece? :P

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  18. EvilDevil
    August 16th, 2008 - 10:42

    “but his mother thinks anime is evil full of lesbian love and violence”
    i believe she is the one that borrowed my stash of pr0n and never gave it back…

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  19. yaku
    August 25th, 2008 - 23:58

    Stripey: If I show her Marimite she’ll think it’s full of lesbian love (don’t really blame her though). She’s a person who has “cartoon ahr 4 kidz” stuck her whole life, I think there’s little I can do for her ^^ (that’s where her son comes into action, hehehehe…)

    @EvilDevil: lol the ironic thing is as much as she disapproves she still thinks it’s a lot more normal than gay love (aka yaoi, which is unfair manp0rn ftw!). I’ll ask for the stash, but don’t expect anything ^^

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  20. kaski
    April 7th, 2009 - 13:03

    naruto is awesome. when i grow up i want to an artist. later yo!

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