My friends test my patience when they refer to anime as “cartoons”. Technically, anime is a form of animation, similar to cartoons, but it often revolves around some moral lessons. And this, I believe, differentiates them from cartoons.
As an anime lover, I’ve watched numerous shows, including Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, etc, and from each of them, I’ve learned something invaluable.
For instance, Vegeta from DBZ taught me the value of hard work and perseverance. Just like that, I learned the power of friendship and loyalty from Luffy in One Piece.
But if I were to choose one anime that taught me some life-long lessons, it’d be Naruto. Here, I’ll share a few key lessons Naruto taught me. But before I get to it, let me start by explaining where you can watch it, along with hundreds of other anime series.
So, let’s start.
Where To Watch Naruto?
Naruto is available on Crunchyroll and Netflix. However, Netflix is my top choice as I can easily download its episodes and watch them on the go. Additionally, by bundling my cable TV with ATT internet plan, I can access a whole anime network where hundreds of other anime series are available.
4 Profound Lessons I Learned from Naruto
I believe the whole Naruto series is full of lessons. And, while this article may not be enough to cover all of them, I’ll only share those that I believe have affected me the most.
Never Give Up
If you have watched Naruto, you’d know that he was neither the strongest nor the smartest kid in the ninja academy. Also, since Naruto was a Jinchuriki, most kids and even villagers didn’t like him. To make things worse, Naruto was on his own in his childhood, as his parents, Kushina and Lord Fourth Hokage, died fighting the nine-tailed beast.
It’s a fact that odds were heavily against Naruto since he opened his eyes. However, Naruto never thought of giving up. He worked hard, failed multiple times, never gave up, and finally graduated from the ninja academy.
Always Believe in Your Dreams
Every time Naruto was insulted by his fellows or villagers, he reminded them of his goal: to be the village’s Hokage one day. Some people laughed, while others labeled him a mischievous kid.
Nonetheless, their reactions did not deter Naruto from his goals and dreams.
Even though Naruto did not become the Hokage in the series, he finally realized his dream after Kakashi stepped down in Boruto. Now, it’s a fact that his never-give-up attitude helped him a lot, since Naruto also had firm faith in his dream.
With all the villagers always mocking and ridiculing him for being a Jinchuriki, Naruto never lost sight of his goals and always believed in his dreams. In short, Naruto’s character has been a big inspiration for me, and always reminds me of the quote that “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
Don’t Desire Quick Power
It wasn’t Naruto but Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke who taught me this lesson.
While Naruto had the power of the nine-tailed beast, Sasuke belonged to the Uchiha Clan and possessed the Sharingan. And as Master Jiraya took Naruto under his wing to teach him some invaluable ninja skills, Sasuke joined hands with Orochimaru and Kabuto to quickly gain the forbidden powers.
Being a Naruto fan, I don’t feel hesitant in admitting that at one stage, Sasuke was much stronger than Naruto. However, as Naruto’s purpose was never to seek power, but to use his existing chakra for the greater good, he sustained longer than Sasuke.
For instance, even though Sasuke jumped in to help later, it was Naruto who saved the ninja world from Madara and Kabuto in the 4th Great Ninja War.
Never Abandon Your Friends
Naruto and Sasuke didn’t get along at first, but there was mutual respect between them.
Gradually, as they completed more missions together, a bond was developed between them, which suddenly broke when Sasuke left the village and joined Orochimaru and Kabuto.
From then on, we witnessed how crucial friends and friendship were for Naruto. Besides becoming the Hokage, he did everything in his power to bring back Sasuke. And, even though it took a lot of time, Naruto successfully brought Sasuke back to the village.
Also, if you’ve watched Naruto, you’d know how bravely he fought for Neji and Gaara. And not just for them, Naruto also stepped in for Hinata when she faced the Pain.
Last but not least, Naruto also taught me to face every difficulty with courage and determination.
So, all in all, the entire Naruto series is full of profound and lifelong lessons. From believing in your goals to always standing up for your friends, I believe these lessons are going to stick with me for the rest of my life.
