The Best Yet | My First Time Reading Naruto 

I shouldn't laugh but her calling Tsunade "Tsunde" gets me every time. Love the video though.

Murphy discovers the power of talk no jutsu

Your depictions on the charcter motivations/important scenes and themes from part 1 are mostly spot on! Part 2 incoming:) The best is yet to come!

Been following since you first started One Piece, glad you've been enjoying your manga journey! Not sure if you'll see this, but a general rule of thumb for syllables in Japanese: they are broken up by vowels (a,i,u,e,o). Sushi = su shi, Tsunade = tsu na de, Ino = i no, gaara = ga a ra. Only exception is a lone n as in Robin = Ro bi n, Shankusu (Shanks) = sha n ku su. With that alone, you won't be 100% on pronunciations but I hope it helps with names as you continue!

The talk no justu begins 😂

A lot of people mistakenly think that the main message of Naruto is about hard work overcoming natural talent, partially because Rock Lee is such a standout character who is attempting to prove just that, and also because they erroneously put Naruto in the “no talent” camp. But when Naruto is motivated he picks things up way faster than the average ninja. It may be annoying that Sasuke was able to pick up Lee’s taijutsu to almost the same proficiency in such a short amount of time, but for me that is just more confirmation that Kishimoto is not writing a “hard work trounces talent” story. The actual message of the series is about finding strength through connections with others, vs finding strength through solitude.

Minor, minor spoilers about Sakura. She does get better, however that kinda stops the instant Kishi starts writing her as a "girl" again and not just another character. Also, alot of people in the fandom consider her weak. She very much is not, of the Konaha kids she is straight up the strongest behind Narruto and Sauske, the problem is the gap between her and her team is kinda large. Character wise shes supposed to be part of the main three kids but power wise shes the leader of the background kids.

Kakashi Gaiden is the best part of Naruto. btw all Sharingan techniques are named after Japanese gods, Tsukuyomi(the illusion Itachi creates) is the Moon goddess, Amaterasu(black flame) is Sun goddess, etc. Also the author, Masashi Kishimoto is a Buddhist and was a monk for a while so there are a lot of Buddhism themes and inspirations in Naruto, especially in the second part.

I really NEED you to read Jujutsu Kaisen. Literally the modern shonen that learnt from the mistakes of all these classic shonen series (Naruto, Dragon Ball, HxH, etc...), also is only 250 chapters so far.

“i’m new to manga” Naaaaaahhh not anymore Merphy

To this day, Chouji's fight against Jirobou is one of my favorite scenes in manga. Growing up chubby in the 80s and 90s was a special kind of hell. Whenever we got media talking about it, it was always some kind of tongue in cheek, preachy moral of the week, "come on you can change yourself and be better" kinda talks. It never spoke to the ways the affected kids were feeling, just about their "problem". In comes Chouji. Dude is underestimated by his fellow shinobi, Ino, his own teammate despises him on appearances alone. Even though the body expansion thing is the family legacy, even his dad gives him a hard time about it. In my personal life, I had health issues as a baby that forced me to take a lot of corticoids, which ballooned me up for years to come. Being fat alone made so that kids forced me to always play the bad guys when we played pretend, if that much. I was always getting into fights because of it. It was always how it was. I had to toughen it up and take it. I made my first friend when I was 7, in first grade. It was a very skinny boy with a large head that was incredibly smart for a 7 year old. He was the first person to just be ok with me being how I was. Not laughing or making fun of me, or trying to "fix" me. We go back to Naruto and Chouji's backstory is pretty much the same. He meets a chill smart dude that doesn't care who he is, and appreciates him for his strenghts. Shikamaru tells everyone in no wrong terms: "Choji is physically the strongest one out of all of us here, techniques aside, and he can deliver finishing blows to anyone that tries to attack us" Choji is the first one to decide to stay behind and take an enemy on his own for the sake of his team because he felt the need to defend the honor of Shikamaru, and to honor his plan. He effectively gives his all to fight another enemy that was probably physically the strongest of his team even if weak in terms of techniques. His physical change comes from himself wanting to be helpful to his first and best friend and not because the world told him he should. It was the first time I cried my eyes out watching anime. I was in 8th grade when I first saw this episode and it was such a "he's literally me" moment that it almost gave me whiplash. I've since cosplayed as his Shippuden self when I was still a teenager, and to be honest I haven't stopped being similar to him in a lot of ways. Sadly I'm no longer friends with my first friend like Chouji is (our teenager years really drove us apart); but Chouji will forever be the best representation of a plus sized character I think I've seen, because he's not there (at least in the manga) to be the butt of jokes or end of an argument or moral.

Only a little ways into the video but regarding Sasuke learning Lee's moves so quickly. The sharingan lets you copy moves so yes he is cheating

32:26 Naruto’s aggression stems from the fact that Sasuke refuses to wear his headband, which symbolizes fighting on equal terms as Leaf shinobi

"Tsunde..." My mind goes to Tsundere... 😂😂

The disrespect on Shikamaru, not even being adressed or named in both parts of this read-through/review. My boy deserves better!!! Oh well... We know when that'll happen....

A couple things I love about the Sasuke retrieval arc is there's some subtext with Sasuke's decision and Naruto's inability to win Sasuke over like he did Gaara. Firstly, Sasuke's struggling with Kakashi's claim that your comrades are your true source of strength but Orochimaru and Itachi are both people who have gained power from their isolation and they both eclipse Kakashi in terms of power. They are both direct counter-examples to Kakashi's and Naruto's philosophy. Secondly, Naruto was able to reach Gaara because he was able to understand the compulsions that drive him to kill. But in the case of Sasuke, who learns that if he goes with Orochimaru he may lose his autonomy completely, Naruto is incapable of understanding how Sasuke could accept that. The idea of the Ninetails taking him over terrifies Naruto and he doesn't understand what it feels like to hate somebody so much that he'd be willing to let the ninetails take him in the same way orochimaru wants to take Sasuke

Seeing Merphy’s videos go live always gets my day off to a good start. She’s just unapologetically passionate about reading. I feel like so many people lose the spark she has after becoming adults, and I’m glad she didn’t 🥹

Great video! Just sad that my boy Shikamaru (the smart and lazy kid) didn't get a mention. He is my favorite character in the series, and I hope that Part 2 will sell him to you.

17:25 I love that she's picked up on talk no jutsu already.

That was Gaara’s uncle not his aunt lmao!!

Tsunade is one of best characters written in the series in my opinion, mentally she is the most human and realistic. She lost both her younger brother when she couldn't do anything and her lover in her arms when she was trying her best to save him. So what does she do? She withdraws and drowns herself in addictions like drinking and gambling to push away her trauma.

I’m shocked she got Itachi’s name right. Pretty sure she was going to say “eye-techi” or something like that 😂

I have to give you your credit for this video Merphy, I never looked at Naruto as a story about the older war-torn generation trying their best to live with their own trauma and losses while also trying their best to steer the next generation down a better path, the amount of instances you pointed out where they’re clearly trying to guide the kids away from a path that leads to conflict is honestly surprising cuz I never even noticed that and gives the story a whole new level of depth

Merphy’s already peeping the “corrupt shinobi system”

wow i needed something to watch with my morning cooffe and here she is! i did not watch the full video yet but i know this is a banger already :)

Merphy already grasping the concept of Talk no Jutsu

Merphy: I mean he can be killed. Orochimaru: I don't always die, but when I do. I don't. Also, I feel like Shikamaru didn't get the attention he deserves. lmao This rescue Sasuke mission is my favorite part (outside of shippuden) cause this is where all those involved in the mission started to think more mature. Also a great build up for Shikamaru for his next role in Naruto's life.

Merphy last video: I didn’t care about the stupid bell scene. You’re not allowed to help your partner, but you helped your partner - you pass! Merphy this video: I need to re-read the bell scene! Kishimoto is an absolute master at dropping flashbacks that recontextualize EVERYTHING. So glad you’re enjoying it!!!

This video reminds me of my childhood when I was reading the manga. An outstanding video. I await your reactions to what's to come and the backstories of my favourite characters (now I know you love them too). Hope you enjoy the manga,.

Just wait till you get into part 2 🤟

Dualities and parallels especially in regards to Naruto and a lot of his antagonists is a very large theme in Naruto the series. It is meant to show how truly connected everyone is to each other through shared similar experiences. Also, as you read watch for hate and how it is addressed and confronted within the story. That is another large theme.

Woooo! More Naruto :) ❤

"this story constantly has scenes where words change a person's arc, words change the trajectory a person is going on" I see Merphy discovered the famous talk no jutsu (said with love, I love the power of friendship)

Merphy is a fan of "talk no jutsu" 🤣🤣🤣

Loving this can't wait for more Naruto videos, your perspectives actually clear the story up for me as well

Basic guide to Japanese pronunciation: a - ah (rhymes with spa) u - oo (rhymes with glue) i - ee (rhymes with see) e - eh (rhymes with yeah), unless it’s the last syllable where it tends to be pronounced like ee / ei. o - oh (rhymes with go) ee / ei - ay (rhymes with say) The rest are just contractions that should be easy enough to work out. For instance, kyū is a contraction of ki and yū.

Anyone else feeling the urge to read Naruto again?😂

19:48 It's pronounced "Tsoo-nah-day" but I'm going to have to start calling her Sunday from now on cuz that's hilarious LMAO 😂

Knowing exactly what happens in the series I'm so intrigued by Merphy's interpretations and experiences reading through.

Merphy discovered the strongest Jutsu in all of Naruto: The Talk no jutsu Btw, it is: tsu-NA-de Jay, Itachi, my favorite Character.

12:00 pain? this world shall know pain!

The start of shippuden has sakura's best moment and then it all goes downhill for her

Did u just call the tsukyomi the tsunami????? 💀

Excited to see what you think of shippuden. The best is still ahead!

Nailed it!! Except the tsunde part 😂😂 It's Tsu-Na-De

And thus a new jutsu was born "talk no jutsu" 😂😂

i love kakashi's lighting 100 bird strike fr

I adore the Naruto story profusely and for that, I thank you so much for appreciating the Naruto manga and even more for making such a discerning analysis of the story. I think for the most part, you get the story even more than most consumers of the Naruto series and even a lot of fans that I've seen. Many people seem to think this story is about underdogs and get fed up with plot points that seem to undermine that, but you seem to have caught on that the main themes of Naruto are of trauma, PTSD, extreme isolation and trying to deal with it. I like that you take note of the visual metaphors/representations of characters' internal struggles. It's interesting that your first brush with the Naruto story is one of the best analyses of it that I've encountered! The Naruto series has excellent pathos that far too many seem to miss, instead writing Naruto off as dumb standard shonen fare with strong guys, long fights and plot conveniences. Empathy is a big part of the story, which is why the talking after fights is how things are resolved. The mentality of "might makes right," unconditionally exerting one's will on enemies and not caring about them is how the end of World War 1 led to World War 2. Talking things out is how cycles of vengeance ends. In Naruto, Naruto often tries to open with this, but his enemies don't listen, so they fight. However, the fight isn't meant to resolve matters; it's just to get the antagonists to the point of willing to listen to what Naruto's perspective is and what he has to say. The author of this manga, Kishimoto Masashi, grew up near an American military base and it impacted his idea of war. I'm one of the few Naruto fans who really doesn't like Jiraiya for the most part, so I kind of got a kick out of you not learning his name in the previous video. A lot of people giving you pronunciation guides for Tsunade are incorrect. Tsunade is pronounced like tsu-nah-deh (with the "u" being similar to the "oo" in the English word "soon"). All vowels in Japanese are pronounced the same as their base form regardless of situation, other than maybe "u" being very faint in some cases (when you see a double vowel, it's the same sound as the single, just for a longer time ("ee" is just "e"/"eh", but said for a split-second longer)). Most English speakers seem to think that "tsu" is either pronounced the same as "su" (silent "t") or something that they cannot pronounce, but both are wrong. The "ts" sound in Japanese is pronounced the same as the "ts" in the English word "cats". You can practice it by saying "cats" and immediately connecting it to Tsunade (5th Hokage), or tsunami (the big tidal wave & the name of Inari's mom during the Haku & Zabuza Land of Waves arc), or any other "tsu" Japanese word you may encounter... Tsukuyomi (Tsu-ku-yo-mi) is the name of Itachi's technique that can make his opponents suffer for days in their minds, when it's only a second, or so in real-life. Tsukuyomi is the name of the Shinto moon god. A lot of techniques that Itachi and part 2's Sasuke use are named after Shinto deities. Amaterasu is the name of Itachi's black fire technique and the Shinto sun goddess. Other Shinto gods include Susanoo*, Kirin, Izanami and izanagi; no telling why I'm mentioning that now. 😜 A lot of Sasuke is very traditionally Japanese; his fixation on his clan/family, trying to restore their honor, the aloofness of his dad, his family's crest/symbol, which is a traditional Japanese fan and also almost his surname (Uchiha vs uchiwa). A gigantic war fan is how Susanoo created storm winds, according to Japanese legends. *(Remember what I said about double vowels in Japanese. This double "o" is just like the single "o" ("oh"), but said for a bit longer; not an "ooh" sound.)

Going through the journey with Naruto to learn the rasengan is why Naruto has my favourite magic system

When the boys fought the sound ninjas, that was the day they all became men.

Your indecisiveness about the Hokage is understandable he seems like a nice person and his goals and attitude are admirable but his actions or lack there of are very morally questionable the child soldier part is not solely on him as it's a thing all Shinobi nations do and he was born and raised into it but some things are on him like neglecting Naruto or letting Orochimaru go ... etc "etc" is probably the worst of his actions 😂

I always took Naruto’s immediate agreement to the fight to be threefold. 1. Naruto has BEEN wanting this fight since the Chunin Exams. It’s been a while and a lot has happened - he’s grown a lot and he wants it. 2. Naruto saw the look on Sasuke’s face and understood what it was. It was more than a fight it was a test, it was serious. It was a challenge from a rival. Naruto swore to never run again. Naruto wants to meet Sasuke on this emotional level. 3. Naruto was concerned. The look on Sasuke’s face is desperate and unstable. One thing we see throughout the series so far is Naruto, perhaps due to his lonely childhood, is really emotionally intelligent and observant. He saw the instability and anguish. He wanted to address it. The fight was how he knew how to. Definitely getting to the good stuff now!

Sakura being trained by Rock Lee sounds awesome.

The thing with the Naruto vs Sasuke class on the rooftops and why it doesn't feel like Naruto attacking Sasuke with the Rasengan was as big a deal as Sasuke attacking him with the Chidori because Naruto is an idiot. It's believable that he could make a rash decision like that in the heat of the moment. He's not thinking about what could happen, his thoughts are probably something simple like "I'll hit him with my strongest attack, he'll hit me with his, we'll clash, and I'll win! Worst case scenario one of us gets a little injured, no biggie!". Sasuke, on the other hand, knows better. He knows how dangerous what he's doing is. He doesn't just think there's a chance Naruto will get hurt, he believes he will and wants it to happen. Understandable on both sides, but their intentions are totally different.

If you haven't, please watch the Third Hokage's funeral in the anime. The sadder emotional moments are so strong, and the music that accompanies it is always immaculate.

I’m sorry Murphy I can’t ever forgive Hiruzen for letting Naruto live on his own like that and letting it leak that the 9 tails was in him. He let this happen and he’s lucky as hell that Naruto had so much love and forgiveness in his heart otherwise the whole village would have been wiped off the map ten times over. Like could you imagine how kids throw tantrums and he’s got a nuke on hand???????

Naruto will always have a special place in my heart,seeing someone else get into the series it’s exciting.

I love the Naruto videos you’ve made I’m a new viewer and subscriber and it would be cool if you watched the part 1 openings to see your reaction.😛

Chidori is also an amazing name for an attack on top of the visuals. The name alone gives sound and feel to the jutsu so well.

This video was everything I wanted. I loved every second!

It's Tsu - NA - De ("TsuNahDay)

It pronounced su-na-de Also the Fandom uses the Japanese names as a lot of the moves are tied into Japanese mythology.

One interesting thing is in that final clash naruto could have won but he wanted to prove a point. So he scratched the headband

I like your comment on Lee and Sakura being kinda just normal people among giant powerhouses. Because when you look at a color wheel, you can see how Naruto’s main colors orange/yellow are on the opposite side of Sasuke’s main color which is dark blue, representing their rivalry, but also an ode to the different paths they walk. Naruto’s being bright, energetic, and representative of Naruto’s growth while Sasuke’s being dark, gloomy and representative of Sasuke’s decent into malice. But both Sakura’s main colors (red/pink) and Lee’s (Green) being somewhere in between Naruto’s and Sasuke’s. Possibly being representative of just a normal average path?

The theme I really enjoy about Naruto is how the pain of war echos through generations, you will see this a lot in the series, the whole world and economy is based on the need for war, I think you will enjoy how this series explores this theme

"Words change some ones arc" talk-no-jutsu

Sasuke choosing to leave Naruto alive...it's so fascinating. so many thoughts are clearly swirling in his head, the path to power he's seeking demands that he should take this opportunity, but he can't. he justifies it to himself as seeking a "different route to power than his brother", but it could very well genuinely be that he saw the precipice of ridding himself of Naruto forever and couldn't stand the thought. is this hope of rediscovering his love and his chance at a future, after his quest for revenge has either been abandoned, or run its course? only time will tell.

Lol shes learned about the power of Talki No Jutsu (communicating to change the outlook of your enemies)

Not merphy calling tsunade "sunday" 😭😭

These reviews are amazing. Naruto may not be the greatest story but it holds a special place in my heart and it’s awesome to see someone getting into it.

FYI the bones/gore with Kimimaru is much less graphic in the anime. The bones kinda of just slide through his skin instead of ripping it, so you dont see any blood or muscle tissue.

"Your pain is nothing conpared to mine!" Crazy to see someone finding the deeper meaning in a show I enjoyed viscerally as a teenager.

A key theme in this manga (especially in Part 2) is having empathy for others and realizing that you could be in someone else’s shoes, if past circumstances were different. You will love Part 2

Jiraiya''s name sounds great; good pronunciation! The lady Jiraiya suggests is his old teammate, Tsunade. Her name is pronounced Soo-Nah-Day!

26:10 the training "montage" was very well expanded in the anime, in my opinion. the slower approach to training along with the adorable conversations and antics is always a highlight of the arc to me!

People always say that Kishi can't write female characters which is mostly true but always forget that he wrote an entire arc about Tsunade who feels like a real person that has suffered from so much loss and trauma that she is now indifferent to the world, and she is now at a Crossroad in which she can choose to continue to live in a twisted recreation of the past that is so dear to her or to move on, accept that loss and become a mentor to protect the future generation that reminds her of her little brother so much

31:25 naruto accepted the fight right away because he didn't think it was a fight to the death, he thought it was just a fight to see who is better. In their second fight you can see that naruto really didn't want to fight sasuke to the death.

Thanks for the interesting video! I wouldn’t like to spoil it, but Hiruzen, the third Hokage, is similar to Dumbledore not only in appearance, but also in his actions, you will understand this later. Harry Potter and Naruto have many similarities, this was confirmed by the manga author Masashi Kishimoto himself, who watched the first film about the boy who lived. As the story progresses, you will notice more similarities! I wish you pleasant reading! By the way, the arc about the sound village ninja and Sasuke's decision to leave the village is the most emotional and deep in my opinion, I advise you to watch the anime and listen to the 5th opening with the song “Rhapsody of Youth”, where our young friends (brothers) Naruto and Sasuke break up, but they will never forget each other!

The thing with Sasuke learning Lee's move is that the sharingan allows the user to copy any technique, including taijutsu.

Itachi only becomes better and better and better

I'll say, reading this as a kid as an adult are very different experiences.

Ah yes, my favorite hokage: Tsundere 😂

sasuke learned it in a month cuz he has the sharinngan. nobody is capable of doing that without the sharinngan but i get the confusion

In my opinion, Kakashi is a very unique character in Naruto - he is a veteran ninja who has been through A LOT, he knows the ninja world is harsh. He is accostumed to violence, even though he never agreed with it internally (he does not showcase much emotions when he kills Haku). He even has done some cruel acts (being a former Anbu member) and knows that he will be part of a cruel system. But he still believes in his students, in the youth that can change this order, and he especially believes in Naruto. And he is still capable of showing care to these kids and learning them important moral lessons.

Naruto using Rasengan against Sasuke at the water towers was I think because Naruto is still a kid who doesn't truly understand his own power yet. His intention is not to kill Sasuke, but to stop him from leaving, and because he respects Sasuke so much, he will go all out in the attempt. And that includes using Rasengan. Naruto doesn't realize it could kill his friend, because his intentions are not to kill but to injure enough that he can literally drag Sasuke back if that's what it takes.

Hey, when you continue reading naruto?

The worst part is that the genjutsu wasn't just three days, Itachi doesn't just control how much time passes, but also how fast or slow time passes. 1 second could feel like a whole hour...

Stopping the video to say it´s Tsukuyomi, not Tsunami. It is named after a Shinto god, similarly to various other techniques. Incredible video, by the way. Let´s continue.

correction. Yashimaru is Gaara's uncle not aunt

The power Itachi explained to Sasuke about that is obtained by killing his best friend, is called the Mangekyo Sharingan. It's the next evolution to the Sharingan which offers a substantial power up. It's not specifically the power that Itachi uses. The Mangekyo Sharingan manifests powers based on the Individual who awakens it so they are different.

Peak Naruto ♥

I love your videos. Also, don't even think about looking up how the names are pronounced before recording 🔪 it's so damn funny watching you struggle 😭😭

Naruto is a generational character, I'm glad you noticed the ways his words change people. It's ironically one of the biggest critiques of Naruto in the past. The so called "Talk no jutsu"

Sasuke's choice is also based on the reunderstanding that what Itachi did isn't just a one-off, itachi will continue to come back and rip asunder everything Sasuke values, any life he manages to build, until Sasuke destroys him. Until then, Sasuke will have no peace. Itachi and Orochimaru USED to be in the same organization to capture people like Naruto, they aren't teammates anymore, because before Orochimaru tried to gain control of Sasuke, he first tried to do so to Itachi, was horribly defeated, and fled the organization. The Sasuke Retreival Arc is truly an Arc where boys became Men, and really deserves a video itself. You should have been advised to do a video on each Arc, and you should definitely do that going forward.

I really love kakashi's habit of being late, which is the same habit obito had, even has the same reasons lol

24:00 Bit of an error here. Sasuke doesn’t become angered by him “not being the best or 2nd place” as Sasuke isn’t necessarily out to be “the best” nor has he ever cared about a ‘title’. Sasuke’s frustration comes from his seemingly lack of ability and progression in relation comparison to what his goal is, despite the powerful drive he has of dedicating his life to bringing retribution for the slaughtering of his family and people. Everything he did was for working towards overcoming and killing Itachi. We see Sasuke become frustrated in himself from not being to overcome his opponents multiple times in Part 1. Ex, after fighting Kakashi, Haku, and fighting Lee. We see Sasuke in his thoughts use his goal of killing Itachi as motivation to face Orochimaru, someone he knew he couldn’t defeat. He participates in the Chunin exams, yet he couldn’t care less about being a Chunin. But uses it as way to test and progress himself Sasuke is frustrated in himself for not being where he knows he needs to be. And it all culminates when he finally meets Itachi again. His goal, the killer of his entire clan right in front of him. Everything he’s been working for and thinkinh of since the night of the massacre. For all his loved ones and clan. And he’s unable to even touch a hair on Itachi head, and insignificantly disposed of. Which leads Sasuke think everything he’s been doing was insignificant. Naruto becomes a physical representation of his frustration. Naruto, being someone who doesn’t have the same conviction and drive he has pushing him, in his eyes, yet continues to march on and progress at an alarming rate. Thus, Sasuke challenges him to prove to himself that his drive, his motivation, his conviction to achieve his goal is greater than Naruto

I am very happy to see you quickly getting a grasp about the world of shinobi. You’re definitely on to something and you’ll be pleased to know this won’t be a “that’s just how the world is let’s skip over it” situation. When I first experienced the series I thought all the cruelty was just pockets in a peaceful world growing too big. As I followed the series the roles slowly reversed.

READ BLACK LAGOON. If you want an outstanding female lead. 😈

Your excitement for itachi gives me life! I love Guy sensei he is my absolute favorite!

You're gonna lose your shit when you read the shippuden part/part 2 of the manga (The characters that you mentioned like: sasuke, itachi, guy, gaara, tsnuade are all gonna go through some heavy shit and you're gonna def be amazed by it)