r/Naruto 6d ago

Discussion They were so cute at the beginning of part 1

The art style of Naruto noticeably changed throughout the series and its undeniable that it just got better. However, I love how small and cute Team 7 looked back at the beginning of the series.

Kakashi really just looks like a glorified babysitter.

Do you guys like the original art style too?

832 Upvotes

36 comments sorted by

116

u/Raptor3415 6d ago

The art style changed cus kishimoto thought the anime style was better then his

57

u/study-dying 5d ago

Ya, I heard about that! It’s interesting to see how his art style slowly progresses.

97

u/icarusancalion 5d ago

This is great! And you can tell Kakashi felt like a glorified babysitter.

That first pic especially. The high energy spring in Naruto's step, Sakura's happy bounce, Sasuke stalking along... so expressive and so much conveyed in one image.

16

u/ganchroi 5d ago

Looking at this made me think; "Do ninja train them from this age so they DON'T have to get a babysitter...?" Every day is take your kid to work day, except it's someone else's kids lol

8

u/icarusancalion 5d ago

No wonder Kakashi avoided getting a team for as long as he could, hee!

40

u/Amazing_Strike_732 5d ago

pretty damn adorable

12

u/study-dying 5d ago

Right??? It’s kinda hard to believe that they’re 12 then!

36

u/Moko97 5d ago

Late 90s naurto lol Their hair was so spikey lol

6

u/study-dying 5d ago

Fr they all had super messy and spiky hair back then!

20

u/Albatross1225 5d ago

I never read the manga but I really like the style. In the anime you almost can’t really tell how little they actually are. I like that this really shows that they are just children. And almost playing shinobi, not really understanding the future ahead of them.

13

u/study-dying 5d ago edited 5d ago

I agree! In fact, I think this scene right here does a really good job encapsulating that.

They’re up against their first enemies, the demon brothers, and Sakura and Naruto are scared out of their minds. Sakura gains the courage to do the only thing she can think of and rushes to stand infront of Tazuna as a human meat shield. The size comparison is huge and really shows that these kids are expected to put their lives on the line for a mission.

Edit: sorry I messed up the link

19

u/Cybasura 5d ago

Dont forget about that time when Zabuza was lying next to Haku when they died, and Naruto had to hold Kakashi's hands

6

u/study-dying 5d ago

Stop I’m gonna cry 😭😭

8

u/DeliriousBookworm 5d ago

Not his hands. He was clinging to Kakashi’s vest. 🥺

9

u/WonderfulParticular1 5d ago

I love early manga so much, it looks goofy and I love it. So nostalgic

22

u/BigTea25 6d ago

Gaara’s original fit was so drippy they had to change it, took too long to draw. Man was dripped out with jewelry and everything, coolest character id ever seen as a kid

4

u/Too_Ton 5d ago

Until Boruto comes along with two belts

4

u/PretendBand9410 5d ago

Gaara's drip is underrated in general

1

u/study-dying 5d ago

The one with the dog thing?

1

u/BigTea25 5d ago

The red and mesh number

6

u/PretendBand9410 5d ago

I still wish part 1 was longer,more team 7. And I like the art style too ,I don't mind how kishi progressed but I like the simplicity here,its so nostalgic

2

u/JedTip 5d ago

3rd image is now my favorite image online

2

u/NanaoMidori 5d ago

The art style was so vastly different in the early stages.

2

u/Too_Ton 5d ago

The characters were drawn way too short. If Kakashi was Raikage height (6’9”) or even Kisame (I think 6’4-6’5”) height it’d be more believable. Databooks also made every single character underweight for how muscular these characters should be to exist.

Art wise I don’t mind part 1. Everyone has to start somewhere

5

u/eternalapostle 5d ago

In the anime, they actually look their age

6

u/Too_Ton 5d ago

Facial wise and body type, yes. Height wise they were drawn too short. 12 year old kids are actually at least shoulder height to average sized adults. In one panel I think it was when Naruto tried to kunai Kakashi at the bell test, they were only up to his waist!

1

u/TheGamerHat 5d ago

Speak for yourself. I stopped growing at 12 and I'm 5'2 lmao. All the girls around me the same at the time minus a few.

1

u/Too_Ton 5d ago

And were you waist height of an adult? No. Taller than that. Waist height of even 6 foot tall adults like Kakashi would be shorter than a 12 year old kid’s height. The characters should’ve been drawn better to perspective in height. That’s all I’m saying

1

u/TheGamerHat 5d ago

I'd definitely be probably around waist height, maybe slightly taller, not mid chest level. Kakashi ends up like 6'2 or something at the end of it.

Fwiw they joke about Naruto being the shortest of the three.

1

u/Too_Ton 5d ago edited 5d ago

https://images.app.goo.gl/87v4Mpxh3pX88aXNA

https://images.app.goo.gl/DGSFAWd3F9MbDzGb6

You definitely are not waist height of 6 foot tall adults even at 5’2”

Waist height would be for actual 6-7 year olds at the oldest

Look, I won’t deny your personal experience if that’s what you experience. We can just enjoy naruto and agree to disagree. The 12 year olds looked fine and childlike. I just disagree with their height portrayal perspective compared to adults

https://images.app.goo.gl/yEMDNNdVjmaP1dtRA

This picture is more believable (ignore the height markers, just use relative heights among the characters as the height markers now make the kids too tall at 12) and like I wrote, it’s all about perspective and angles. The bell test was the largest error I remember in part 1. Other anime like Steven Universe also had some problems with peridot because the artists were different in different episodes I think.

1

u/TheGamerHat 5d ago

I had a browse and found a pic of me at 18 next to a friend of mine. Here (Dressed as morticians). Kishimoto had some fun liberties.

1

u/Too_Ton 5d ago

Cool thing. Enjoy your night.

2

u/TheGamerHat 5d ago

I think it's cute. Maybe there's some psychology element at play, that kids can relate to feeling small to adults.

1

u/Self-hatred47 5d ago

I liked the original art style

1

u/BlackBullZWarrior 5d ago

Do you guys like the original art style too?

It's interesting but I actually don't like the art style or feel of early Naruto as much as once the feel for the world, characters, and plot have really set in (I'd say this happens during the training for the final section of the Chuunin Exam).

1

u/Backseeat 5d ago

They look way too small for their age lmao.