Naruto in Japan

To 'lol',

I think you'll find that nowadays, many people (especially late teens and early twenties) in places like the UK are very happy to announce they like cartoons. I have seen many people my age (20) walking around with Spongebob Squarepants shirts and bags, clothing with the Powerpuff Girls on, and even I myself have a Pokemon hat (like Ash's) which many of my friends have commented on as being cool! I have also recently bought myself some of the forehead protectors from Naruto, and after telling my mum what they were, I got her to watch a few episodes with me and even she thought it seemed good!

Just because something is *aimed* at a particular audience, doesn't mean to say only that audience will have an interest in it. It may interest you to know that the blockbuster musical film 'Grease' was meant to be a small-time, low budget, low income film with only a very limited audience. Now everyone from the English-speaking western world (and probably others) have seen it too!

that all those people who are nuts aboud anime intended for kids are fooling themselves by thinking people in japan will understand them, thats all im saying.

How is evangelion looked upon in japan cause I really want to see the four movies coming out in japan soon...

I don't think it matters, please pursue in whatever you like no matter what the public view is on the subject.Like Kelly said, just because something is intended for a particular viewing audience does not mean others cannot watch or have an interest in it. My point was that watching children's cartoons like Naruto and Bleach will probably get Teenage and above Anime fans more stares in Japan than in their homelands.
Like Naruto if you like Naruto, watch Bleach if you want to watch Bleach,but please do not expect other people's reactions to be any different just because they live in Japan.

I think many people have an impression that this place is some floating Anime castle in the sky.

-Rai Chan

I agree with you , ofcourse they should enjoy it if they like, i wasnt saying they shouldnt at all ^^

Its just slightly annoying how they keep yelling "just you wait till i get to Japan where everyone UNDERSTANDS me" .. Well ., maybe its more delusional and sad rather than annoying ^^;;

I know about different takes on things especially with how mature other cultures are to things americans are sensative over which is why I'm saying that most things with blood are aimed at teens but knowing that kids will watch it they take it out or color it black rot like that. That's what I'm saying.

Evangelion is not even half as popular in Japan as many American otaku would suggest. Evangelion's fanbase in Japan is no different than it is in the U.S.---it's an otaku show that lacks mainstream appeal. I'm not sure if they look down on it, though (otaku is a highly negative term in Japan, however).

As for Naruto, it's pretty popular, but not as popular as One Piece or Detective Conan.

If shows like Naruto are so unpopular with anyone over 13 in Japan, howcome whenever you see pictures of animecons over there, there are always loads of older teens cosplaying as Naruto characters?

Just because ALL older teens do not watch this kids show, doesn't mean some of them don't!

I find it VERY ironic that people here are saying things like "don't stereotype Japan. We don't all watch kids anime" and yet they are happy to stereotype themselves in saying such a thing!

People are diverse, no matter what country you go to. Some Japanese over 13 will like Naruto. Some will think it's a show for little kids. To say anything to the contrary is to stereotype the viewers.

i go to admit some anime seems childish maybe but its still fun to watch. id prefer to read naruto the manga than actually watch it. maybe the anime of naruto is viewed as childish than the manga itself. who knows? people have different views japanese people are people like everyone else. and i know older people who like some anime who live in japan, tho they dont worship it.

I am an English teacher in the back country of Japan. I teach kindergarten through middle school.
Elementary school children here aren't allowed to watch too much tv, and most anime shoes are on fairly late at night, so you don't have kids watching the Naruto, Bleach, etc shows until Middle School.
Naruto is kind of a silly show. It's not very cool to admit you like it. When students say, "What manga do you read," I always say "Naruto," even though I've only read one or two books. (the past fight sequence between Sasori and Sakura took an entire book to do, but that's nothing when you consider it takes 6 episodes on TV. Lame!)
Anyway, when I say Naruto is my favorite anime and manga, they all laugh at me. No one above the middle school age should really ever admit to liking Naruto. It's just not done. But, naturally, they are out there.

Also, I would like to point out that of my students, the ones who have admitted they like Naruto are all girls. They frequently draw me small chibi Naruto characters and leave them on my desk, or write their English essays about their love for this or that character. I have yet to meet a boy who admits he watches the show.

There's the two cents from the country itself. Cheers.

Hi im from vancouver and naruto is the best!!!! Sasuke is my favourite character !! When he defected i could have cried! He still is my favourite but im liking sakura alot now!!

Ok i am 15 really and people here in canada love it! 13+ go up into the 50's. It's a great show and i am proud to be OBSESSED with it!!! I jus wonder why so many girls favourite is Sasuke? Like i said before he 's my favourite but i don't know why? maybe whoever voices him (english dub) or whatever? but many older teens LOVE IT (mostly boys).

and this is what i come across??? but on the subject, i'm an aussie girl and i love naruto manga. i luv deidara! btw: don't most ppl hate sasuke with a passion? i know i do!

Naruto isn't popular in Japan at all. Just last year I was asking high school aged students about the cartoon Naruto and they had no idea what I was talking about. Both boys and girls. Eventually one person said they knew what I was talking about, but when I mentioned if they knew Rock Lee (My favorite character) they were lost.

It did show every Saturday or so and I'm sure it has it's fans, but it's not as popular as other things.

This year, I haven't caught Naruto on TV even once, nor met any fans of it. Everyone around me seems to be huge fans of Lilo & Stitch or other cartoons.

I've heard rumors about a Naruto theme park, true or false? i'd think it would be pretty cool. but i dont know if its true. Also i love sasunaru! (sorry im hyper)

At my school no one in the 7th grade likes naruto but everyone in 6th and 8th-12th love it! i'm in 7th grade and so i mainly hang out with 8th graders. People in 7th grade think i'm lame because i like naruto but a lot of the boys like me because i hang out with 8th graders. Deidara's my favorite male character and Tayuya is my favorite female character. my nanny and my dad hate the show while my mom and i are obsessed with it! LOL! My mom and i usually watch it in Japanese without the subtitles.(Yes, I speak Japanese)

that people who made naruto , are they in japan?

Some people here seem to be having trouble answering the question. The question was how popular Naruto is in Japan, not your school in America or Europe. I'm American but I've noticed that Naruto is way less popular in Japan than in other countries. An easy way to tell is to compare the amount of fanwork made by people in Japan to the amount made by people from other countries. I've seen loads of Naruto fanwork made by people who aren't from Japan but I've seen very little made by people from Japan (which really says a lot when you see the amount of japanese fanwork for other series). Cosplaying doesn't count because in Japan it's the outfit that really matters, not the character or series that it comes from.

I would say that Naruto isn't very popular in Japan.

Somethings catch on better in other counties then in the country they were made. Like, Prince of Tennis is pretty popular (in my knowledge) in Japan, but Naruto is well known there. I'm guessing that most kids in Japan know what Naruto is, but may not watch it.

Naruto is being made in Japan.

At my school, Naruto is not popular at all! In fact, I am the ONLY girl in my school who reads and/or watches Naruto. There are five boys. Yeah, I am twelve and it is recommended for teens, but I fell in love with the show! I watched one episode when it still played on Cartoon Network, and I was instantly addicted! Yeah, Naruto is not popular for girls... Sasuke is going to die, but if he dies, all his dumb fangirls will die with him! They will commit suicide. Yay. Half of Japan will be wiped out. So will a quarter of America. Sasuke can be outsmarted by a chicken, probably.