Why Naruto Is Overhyped

1. Naruto Isn’t Bad, But It’s Definitely Overhyped Naruto is one of the most popular anime series ever made. For many people, it’s their childhood favorite. But popularity doesn’t automatically mean the writing is flawless. The real problem is that Naruto gets hyped so much that new watchers feel pressured to like it, even when they clearly see the flaws. Because of this, many beginners start with Naruto, get bored or confused, and then lose interest in anime completely. Overhype can create a bad first impression. 2. Fans Ignore the Problems and Defend Everything The Naruto fanbase is huge, and many of them blindly defend the show. They attack any criticism, even if it’s valid, like the massive number of filler episodes, repetitive flashbacks, slow pacing, random power boosts, and the messy war arc. Instead of having a normal discussion, the moment someone says “Naruto is overrated,” fans jump to protect it. This prevents honest conversation and pushes better anime out of the spotlight. 3. Itachi Uchiha: The Most Overrated Character in the Series One major example of Naruto’s overhype is Itachi. The fandom treats him like a perfect genius who made all the right choices. But when you actually look at his actions, they don’t make sense. Itachi had many other ways to handle the clan situation. He could have taken diplomatic steps, exposed the elders, communicated with his clan, or even refused to follow the order. Instead, he killed his entire family and emotionally broke his younger brother for life. These aren’t genius actions; they’re tragic and poorly structured writing decisions that create drama, not logic. But fans still act as if every choice he made was brilliant. The hype around Itachi comes mostly from fan interpretation, not from what the story shows. 4. Naruto Has Many Questionable Story Decisions When you look closely, the series has a lot of strange, unrealistic choices. Villains turn good instantly after a speech. Side characters get abandoned in the story. Power scaling makes no sense. Sudden twists appear just for shock value. Entire arcs get dragged longer than necessary. If this were a new anime releasing today, people would criticize it heavily. But Naruto gets a free pass because of nostalgia. 5. New Watchers Get Misguided by Overhype Naruto fans often introduce the anime to beginners as “the greatest anime ever made.” Because of this, new viewers expect masterpiece storytelling, but instead get fillers and pacing issues. They feel disappointed, and some even stop watching anime altogether. Naruto should be recommended as a classic, not as the best starter anime. There are plenty of other shows that give a better first experience. 6. Many Great Anime Get Ignored Because of Naruto’s Influence Because Naruto takes so much attention, new watchers often miss out on amazing shows like Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, Hunter x Hunter, Vinland Saga, Mob Psycho 100, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Death Note. These series have tighter writing, stronger character development, and more consistent pacing. But fresh watchers don’t reach them because Naruto fans tell them to start with Naruto first. 7. Overhype Hurts the Anime Community The problem isn’t the show itself; it’s the fan behavior. Blind praise, unreasonable comparisons, and ignoring flaws make the anime community less welcoming. Anime is a huge and diverse medium. No single show should dominate someone’s entire experience.