Naruto, which started in 1997 and ended just recently in November of 2014, was a show and manga that a lot of us either grew up with from day one or had to wait a few years until they were old enough to watch but still basically grew up with the show.
One day we were flipping through channels or stayed up late (lets get real for a moment.. back then when most of us first started watching the show, 8pm was pretty late) and we stumbled across the annoying blond haired boy, the emo-looking boy and the overly obsessive girl with unnatural pink hair, and for one reason or another.. we fell in love with the lovely show.
There were a lot of lessons that we learned from watching or reading Naruto, a lot of lessons that he learned about the same time we were learning them and they helped shape us to be who we are today.
Naruto taught us to never give up on our goals, pushing through all the road blocks in life will surely pay off in the end. Sasuke taught us that one bad decision will alter the road of which you walk, but you can always change and find your way back home. Sakura taught us that males and females are equal, there is no "weaker sex". Itachi taught us how important family are and we should do everything in our power to protect that bond. Neji taught us that you are very capable of changing your "fate". Guy, and Lee, taught us the power of youth and motivation. Asuma taught us how important the generations to come are and how our decisions in life now effect the future for them. Shisui taught us that war is never the answer and to protect the peace.
Of course other characters have important lessons for us to learn, but those are the ones that really got to me and stuck with me throughout the show, the manga, the fillers and even the games.
We all need to take a moment and thank Kishi for the last 15 years, for taking those last 15 years of his life and devoting them to the manga and his fans.. He could have stopped after 5 years, wrapped things up with Sasuke leaving and Team 7 going on their merry way.. But he didn't, he took years and years to build up, to make sure everything was perfect and in place for the big ending. The ending that all of us were looking forward to, just to see how things ended, but we all secretly were dreading for the actual release date of the last chapter ever.
Though the manga ended, the anime soon to follow and then the last movie to show us the relationships between 699-700, there are still going to be people bickering over how it ended.. the ships that Kishi made cannon and the characters that he killed off to get us to where we are today. Every time someone gets mad at Kishi for his ending, just tell them to take a moment and think back on the last 15 years of their life with Naruto and then try to have them picture how different it would be without Naruto. Hopefully that would get them back into place.
Thank you again, Kishi, for making the last 15 years filled with lessons, tears, smiles and laughs.
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