Naruto Uncut Boxed Set, Volume 1 Reviews

• Hontoni arigato, Viz! (and I never thought I'd say that to you guys...)

  
  By AWFD44Q17PCOV on 2006-07-15
  This is the kind of respect an anime series should get. Just translate the story as-is and leave the 'interpretation' and reaction to the viewer. Blood and all. [They are ninja you know...] Watch it subtitled for the full effect!
  
  Don't get me wrong -- I fully understand the financial and practical value of releasing a dub version in order to reach the widest possible market. I understand that there are many people who just don't care to read the dialog instead of listen to it. And others who just don't want their pictures cluttered up with words.
  
  But there are still those (like me) who want their anime as close to the original form as possible; uncut and in the original language, and with the original seiyuu (voice actor's) performances intact. So if that's what you're looking for, oh Reader Of This Review, RUN out and buy this set as soon as you can. The translation is good (well... except for "believe it", *sigh* Okay, okay... I can ignore that), the presentation fine and you get a nice bonus in the story-board booklet. But most importantly you get the whole the story of Naruto as originally intended... not just the parts deemed 'safe enough' for general American audiences.
  
  Thank you, Viz, for giving us Naruto fans that much respect - and a choice. I, for one, eagerly await the release of the next set in this uncut series -- money in hand.
  
  ...I only wish the ONE PIECE anime could get this same respectful treatment as well. *cries*
  
  2008 EDIT: Yes, this has both a dubbed English track and the Japanese language track with English subtitles. And yes, Funimation does have One Piece and promises us an un-cut release later this month. Woo hoo! Let the Pirate vs. Ninja wars really heat up!
  
  

• Good

  
  By AI8EMB0HUC6Z5 on 2007-01-31
  I bought this boxed set as my 12 year old nephew's christmas present. I had two concerns. First was if there was "mature" content in the uncut episodes. Second was the quality of the headband and wrist cuff.
  
  The headband and wrist cuff are made of surprisingly thick sheet metal. I had to use a wood block to bend them to fit my nephews head and wrist. I was annoyed at first until I realized that these things can take (and have taken) some rough play. I'm very happy with them now.
  
  My nephew finally lent me the DVDs long enough that I could watch them. There is no content more mature than what I've seen on broadcast pokemon episodes. Also, the episodes are combined. You just play the DVD through and get the story. This is completely unlike the my dragon ball Z DVDs where each episode seems to start with a third of the previous episode. Very nice.
  
  I docked a star because of the price. Otherwise, I'm very pleased. I don't know if I can wait until a birthday or holiday before buying the volume 2 special edition.
  
  

• Description of the Show

  
  By A1F92EK0MUNOVR on 2007-11-29
  Most reviews don't seem to actually describe the show, assuming you've already seen it and simply are thinking about the DVDs. I'll see what I can do to describe the show and why it's so appealing:
  
  The character of Naruto is a young ninja-in-training. His village once fought a terrible beast, the "Nine-Tailed Fox", and the only way to defeat it was to trap its soul in the body of an infant. That infant was Naruto.
  
  His parents died in the battle and years later, Naruto finds himself a complete outcast from society. No family, no friends, and a village that doesn't seem to know he exists. He doesn't know the Nine-Tailed fox is imprisoned in him but the villagers all know and they shun him for the fear it causes them.
  
  Naruto decides that the only way he's going to get the recognition he craves is to become the greatest ninja ever known.
  
  Unfortunately for Naruto, his ninja skills are a bit, well, lacking. He is woefully inept at even the most basic ninja skills. Powers easily grasped by other trainees are difficult for him.
  
  However, Naruto has several powerful strengths:
  1) He has nearly unlimited energy. All ninjas use "chakra" (sort of like "spirit energy") to do special moves and Naruto seems to have more of it than anyone, thanks to the hidden power of the Nine-Tailed Fox.
  2) He never gives up. Long past the point where anyone else would have quit, Naruto will keep trying.
  3) Having grown up largely without family or friends, he takes great stock in his newfound campanions picked up in ninja school. Naruto is at his most powerful when his friends are in danger, and the full power of the Nine-Tailed Fox tends to manifest at that point.
  4) Naruto has great charisma, of a type. His never-say-never attitude is highly infectious amongst other characters. A key turning point of many of the tales is not only how his hope never turns to despair, but that seeing this, many good people who were struck with despair manage to rally and try harder. If this loser Naruto hasn't given up, they reason, then there's no reason I should give up either. So he wields great power himself at times, but he also consistantly drives other people to work harder and to do the right thing, since none of them want to measure up short to this "hyperactive knucklehead".
  5) Naruto is good at heart. One of the tales you'll get into later is Naruto vs Gaara. Gaara's character faced a situation growing up similar to Naruto, but he turned out evil, corrupt and thought that self-reliance was the most important thing. Naruto kept an essential goodness in his heart and knew that goodness was essential and a person's real strength is in his friends and family, no matter how despairing the circumstances seem to be.
  
  All in all, it's a great tale.
  
  Is it good for kids? I say so. Target audience is probably the 12+ range or so. Some of the images and concepts are disturbing, but everything in this show is a means to an end, and the most terrible scenes are a setup for a particular act of courage or moral goodness that counters it. You can find plenty of kid friendly shows out there, but their moral lessons tend to be fluff. Naruto is harder hitting, but the moral lessons are solid, core lessons. This isn't, "it's wrong to steal" or "sharing is caring", this is, "when things are at their darkest, redouble your efforts and keep trying" and "the decision between right and wrong is in your hands, and there is no proper excuse for doing wrong". It's a show with great heart, and I think you'd do well to watch it with your kids rather than simply pre-screening it. Keep an open mind about some of the situations it puts the characters in and wait for the lesson it delivers and I think you'll be well pleased.
  
  
  
  As for the DVD set itself, my only complaint is with the price.
  (Edit: They've recently slashed the price, which is a great idea. I hope they stick with the new price. I'll leave the rest of my review the same, though, just in case...)
  Rome, Season 1 was 720 minutes long for about the same price as this. Season 1 of Angel was 990 minutes about about this same price. Heroes: 1035 minutes. Lost: 1068 minutes. "Volume 1" of Naruto is only 325 minutes. Purchasing the entire show, as I would love to do, is exorbitantly expensive compared to other shows being sold on DVD. Fans may buy it anyway, but I think a lot of people who are unsure of the show and might have given it a shot will be turned away by the price.
  
  
  

• I cant believe how good this is.

  
  By ADH5E2OE07PAQ on 2007-02-27
  You know your watching a good show when you pop it and watch the whole thing right of the back. I give this a perfect rating for a reason. Reviews concerning anime on amazon are highly exaggerated at times. But Naruto deserves all the props it gets. I didn't know anything about this series, except the tiny bit I caught on tv here and there. The story is good. The characters are likeable and they're pretty developed. The action is good, there's a good dose of comedy and the episodes are well thought out. The boxset comes with 3 disk, 13 episodes, a small sketch book and special features. You can also switch it to japanese language. I highly recommend this series to all anime fans. This is possibly my best purchase this year. If you like anime with good action and a pretty solid story, I also recommend Shura no Toki.
  
  

• Great Series Backed Up By Average Box Sets

  
  By A2E6AW0H6S0EP3 on 2007-12-30
  Let me clear this up right now before I even start this review: The Naruto series has many strengths. The characters in it are interesting and unique and the general storyline is great. Furthermore the animation and voicing are stupendous and make the show worth watching.
  
  If I was rating based solely on the the TV series, Naruto would easily get 5 stars; but I'm not. I'm rating the box set as a whole, and honestly it is severely lacking. First of all the set only comes with 3 discs (12 episodes total). For around 50 dollars this is an enormous rip-off. Other series I have purchased recently (DBZ, Lost, Heroes, etc) come with 6-8 discs and over 20 episodes (most of them hour-long episodes) for around the same price if not a little cheaper! Plus each episode is less than half an hour long; that is just a horrible deal right there. Another thing that detracts from the Naruto sets is that it holds back on special features. If you are a fan like me, you love to poke around all the extra tid-bits usually crammed in similar box sets (ie making of, deleted scenes, interviews, etc)!
  
  Finally, the box sets never end on a complete note; they all awkwardly leave off right in the middle of a story. To make this even more excrutiating, the majority of the run time of these discs is taken up by the theme song at the begginning and end and the episode recap. A lot of the animation is just recycled over and over again to eat away the time and plot development.
  
  I give the this product 2 stars only because Naruto itself is a great anime show. Unfortunately the Boxed Sets leave a lot to be desired.
  
  
• Great item but...
  By A20UB23SE3KM27 on 2006-05-25
  Wait 5 months. The price will drop to $15. No one will buy it because Naruto is downloaded so much (probably the #1 or #2 most downloaded anime; Bleach might currently outrank because of the year of fillers). It happened to the first DVD (you can find it for about $5 at Suncoast.
  
  Anyways, great anime. The "sexy no jutsu" scenes might be a little much, but honestly its nothing worse then the dresses at American award ceremonies and 100x more "family suitable" then some scene in Titanic, the Fifth Element, etc...especially since the point of the scene is not to show pr0n, but to insult the perverted nature of people who do watch pr0n, or it is implied that they do.
  
  Oh, and despite what I read on a forum: the clouds in the sexy no jutsu and harem no jutsu scenes are in the uncut version too. They are not CN edits.
  
  
• Naruto the hyperactive ninjia
  By A2BKHV7EZFIF18 on 2007-01-10
  I love this series so far, I just wish there were more DVDs in each set. There is only 3 in this one totaling 12 episodes. But it is definitely the way to buy this series. The other way is buying it in singles and you don't get as much for your money.
  
  On a note about the series, the characters all have there own issues. The hero of this story, if you can call him that, is Naruto a hyperactive ninja who wants to do well but keep getting in his own way. He is flanked by his two fellow genin ninja Sasuke and Sakura. Who are both are really good at what they do but have some social issues they need to work out. Mainly when dealing with Naruto. Sasuke wants to be the best and restore his family honor so he really doesn't pay attention to the other ninjas. Where as Sakura thinks Sasuke is the hotting this ever, and she wants to date him. The problem is he not interested, and what makes it all worst is that Naruto has the hots for Sakura. Their teacher is my personally favorite character Kakashi Hatake. Who attitude for teaching is unusually at best, but seems to work for these kids. These first episodes are the usual set up ones to get you use to all the characters. The real fun stuff starts at the end of these disc. I would personally advice switching back and forth from English to Japanese just cause certain characters sound better in each languages. I like the Japanese Naruto over the American one just cause his voice is a bit grading in the American one. Other than that if you like Japanese amine this is a great series to get in to.
  
  
• Original and dub
  By A233Y1DH7O2HVB on 2006-05-17
  The dub is ok, but there's something else. The dub may have blood edits and a few scene edits and removals, but there were also scenes that were fixed or redrawn. So, it would make sense if they did this: Restore removed scenes, unedited versions of those other scenes, all blood and violence, and keep all the fixed and redrawn scenes. This set will be ok but i still think they should do all of that. Another important detail would be the dub. They should make 2 dubs: One that is used on TV, and another with more accurate translations including swearing on DVD. That would be much better than putting the English dub heard on Cartoon Network.
  
  
• A Must Watch Anime
  By A2YRM7IZRRGOKX on 2006-11-25
  Although Naruto seems like it was designed for a younger audience, it is so much fun to watch as an adult. Characters are so much fun, the themes are strong, the story is addictive and extremely deep. Fantastic series. This is at the top of my list with Full Metal Alchemist.
  
  
• Great Job on dubbing, but now worth the $$$
  By A1B4W7B8P0P35X on 2007-01-03
  >> 13 episodes (for those wondering)
  
  This would be a great deal and worth getting if Naruto ended at episode 50. Unfortunatly the series is REALLY long (and ongoing) as well as loaded with slowely paced episodes which makes the box set not worth its price.
  
  As the review before says, it ends right at the zabuza fight which is where Naruto actually gets interesting.
  
  Just think about it, the best parts in Naruto are around the first 110 episodes, at 40 bucks for 13 episodes thats around 340 dollars! not to mention the series is well over 200 episodes now.
  
  But, the series is amazing. If you're a big fan (like me) maybe you wont mind dishing out that much money for naruto... However, I managed to get a good discount on them which is why im even considering it. It was inevitable that the producers would take advantage of the ongoing Naruto fad.
  
  I would probably wait off until they release more episodes on DVD and make a savings account to afford them when the all come out. That way you wont be left on any cliff hangers =)
  
  
• My 7-year-old twin sons love it and so do I!
  By A2YHUVYO1RZ4FF on 2007-04-10
  Naruto is skillful in its ability to develop sympathetic characters quickly while still cramming an amazing amount of action into a short time period. My kids have no trouble with the Japanese character names and even can sing the theme song in Japanese. The violence seems mild compared to Tom & Jerry and the stories teach important life lessons without being preachy. And the kids think it's super cool!
  
  
• Yes! This an't the Toonami version
  By A1VCLTAGM5RLND on 2006-05-09
  I can't wait for the season box set come out on the 4th of July. Naruto was always the kid who had no friends cause he's half human half demon fox cause a 9 tail fox demon was sealed inside Naruto when he was just a baby. When he gets mad his true power unlease.
  
  Even when you watch this show on Toonami it's not so bad cause they show some blood, risque humor, and brief nudity. Just image how the uncut dvd will be like.
  
  
• For God's sake, It Isn't that bad.
  By A36RHKS3IYCU9G on 2006-06-20
  To all those who are saying "Oh, God! Viz butchered the Naruto dub! Dubs suck! I hate anime companies for ruining my favorite anime" - get a grip. I have two words for you: One Piece. Remember what happened there? Exactly. The Naruto dub could have been a lot - and I mean A LOT - worse than it is. It is actually very good. The voices fit the characters and the script hasn't been drastically butchered a la the style of 4Kids. So for the love of God, stop complaining and deal with it.
  
  
• Really Worth It!
  By A2MNGF7KO6I3VF on 2006-07-28
  This DVD set is great!
  I totally recomend this for are all the newbie Naruto fans (i.e. the ones who've
  only seen the Toonami version!) The one thing I say to them is to watch it in Japanese
  with subtitles! It's great way to see what they're missing out on!
  
  I also recomend it to all the original Naruto fans! I don't care if you "already have the
  episodes downloaded on my computer." Because this DVD set comes with SPECIAL FEATURES!!!( and free stuff! ) That right there should at least make it a desirable collectors item! ( so what if it's done by Viz! It's a heck of alot better than 4kids! )
  
  Owning this DVD set as somone who's seen and loved Naruto a year before it came to the U.S. AND watches it on Toonami ( it's really not that bad, it could be worse ) I
  really feel that this set is worth it's price!
  
  
• an excellent start to the series
  By A2QC1WPN6LII5B on 2006-11-07
  This is an excellent way to get your Naruto collection started. It's true that there isn't much of a difference between the edited version on Toonami and the uncut version on these discs, but the series doesn't stay this tame for long. And plus, getting your Naruto is much cheaper this way. Rather than getting disc after disc of the edited version, buy the uncut discs and get all the original action and japanese openings and endings. The only way to enjoy this series is all the way.
  
  
• I didn't get butcher that much.
  By on 2006-06-28
  Ok, I do agree with other animes that the companies here butcher them beyond belief here in the USA, but in Naruto they did a really good job on it. I mean the stuff that was cut out of the USA version was the cussing. Trust me I watch it in full japanese most of the time. The voices match the characters, they didn't cut many parts out, and the voice actors gave the characters real emotion. And when you buy an "Uncut Version" it means both in english and japanese they stick to the original script. Trust me I've bought many animes.
  
  
• Keep Your Head On Straight!
  By A1HAA423Z4U65P on 2006-08-05
  This rating has nothing to do with the quality of the series. It has to do with the outlandish pricing for what your receive. If you want the extras such as the headband, wristband, some songs, and a fancy box, then you will be very pleased with this item. But if you only want the uncut DVD, then buy a boxset from Japan. If you want to buy it is to sell it in the future since it is limited, then you should be cautious. I have seen some limited edition DVDs drop drastically in price. Also, with several cheaper boxsets of these DVDs for sale, it is hard to find a buyer willing to pay the high price. I highly suggest everyone go the cheaper route.
  
  
• worth the buy
  By A1LT46RU338O1D on 2006-11-03
  Naruto is one of the best anime of it's time. this collection comes with both english and dubbed versions of the series, I started with watching the dubbed years ago but I still love the english version of this show that is how well Viz did on converting the show and with this set the English version is fully uncut all the blood and sexual themes are still intact and now has the orignal openings from the Jap version not that crappy one from cartoon network the bonus features are great too and the sketch book was interesting to look at but I would have prefered a Manga but oh well maybe next set which I am anticipating greatly. I have been watching this series for years in dubbed form and I am still in love with it till this day Dubbed or English it is all good so I highly suggest this set for any vet of the show and anyone who has never seen Naruto definetly needs to pick this up it's worth it.
  
  
• Not worth the cost. Shop around for the best price.
  By A2A2C925D767QU on 2007-12-09
  The series is great, but it should be known that you can get all the Naruto Uncut boxed sets at Wal-Mart for almost half the price they're offering at Amazon. I'm kind of curious as to why this is since Amazon usually offers the best prices on all their products.
  
  
• Naruto... The best Shonen title currently on the market...
  By A3GIO0YY94R7A0 on 2008-01-03
  I avoided watching Naruto for so long... Simply because I wasn't a fan of the character designs and because the story seemed shallow. It was by chance I saw an episode on Cartoon Network and had my oppinion swayed. 3 episodes later and my original oppinion was spun in the completely opposite direction. The show was good. But not until I brought the uncut DVD's that I realised the show is more than good... It's bloody great!
  
  Though at first I thought the show was good dumb fun I was soon to find out this anime can be surprisingly deep and touching. It has even provoked tears at times. The character designs also grew on me... pushed along by the enthralling personalities of the characters. And the voice acting... Both the original and the english dub... is fantastic.
  
  Naruto is an anime I'd reccommend to anyone that likes anime or action. It seems to have it all. A little something to appeal to everyone.
  
  Though I must say... Naruto Volume One is the weakest of all the box sets released thus far (5 as of writing). It starts off slow and silly and doesn't get too interesting until the first major villian (Zabuza) comes along. But once Zabuza hits, the show rockets into first gear and shows why it is the best shonen title currently on the market.
  
  
• Nice... Very nice.
  By A2UQWJHXT55CBJ on 2006-07-20
  It's time to toss out those old Bootleg DVDs you got from the anime specialty shop and delete those avi files you downloaded using Bittorrent because Viz has actually released a true to the original licensed box set for the first 13 episodes of Naruto. Translations are dead on, the picture and sound quality are amazing and most importantly, the original opening and closing sequences have been preserved for this U.S. release. It may actually be time to start giving Viz a little more street cred.
  
  
• I love Naruto
  By A2V7L1FHN5M04U on 2007-04-30
  I purchased Naruto Volume 1 for my son's birthday present and found that I am taken with the Naruto story. Naruto and the gang have wonderful personal stories and is action packed. And you have to love the 'Sexy Jutsu'! It does have some adult type situations, like with the Sexy Jutsu, so some parents be warned. I find it all in good fun and hilarious! Enjoy this DVD and my son is saving up for Volume 2!
  
  
• I love Naruto...but it's not for kids!
  By A3CMWWOO7AOZUG on 2007-06-06
  Be forewarned: although the first few seasons are relatively innocent and fun this series gets very dark, violent and emotionally troubling starting around season 4. If you don't want to have to explain to your kids why they can't watch their favorite show anymore then you might want to think twice about starting them off with this series.
  
  At the same time, the same deep and mature themes that make this series inappropriate for children make it engaging for adults! Naruto is character-driven with deep themes and complex narrative structures that really only start to emerge around the third season. I highly recommend it...for ADULTS, that is!
  
  
• For the love of...
  By A3PEMBYEBOYKI5 on 2006-06-28
  For those griping (needlessly) about the Toonami version of Naruto, there's no longer ANY reason to complain. Viz is releasing these uncut Naruto sets with both the uncut dub and Japanese audio, translated subtitles, the original footage, OPs, EDs, and exclusive extras.
  
  For the record, Naruto on Toonami is excellent. Sure, they had to make some edits, but at least the show is mainly intact, with names intact, music intact, and accurate translations/script writing.
  
  This boxset is to appease both camps. I, for one, will be getting this on July 4th.
  
  
• Naruto Uncut Finally...
  By A2C8J1FX6KVBJ2 on 2006-07-22
  The long awaited Naruto uncut boxed set. What can I say, I was a little disappointed that it took so long to get here. The Naruto anime has been out in Japan for 4 years and is still going!
  
  The box itself is okay for a paper boxed set, though the outside is lacking in images. I would like to see the Naruto characters on the box. The forehead protector is okay. The wrist band needs redesigning. The metal is flat when it should be curled so it can curl around your wrist. Maybe my wrist is too thin... I do like the cinch bag though.
  
  The box to hold the dvds reminds me of Hong Kong imports that fold out, I thought they should have a plastic case. I already slightly creased mine taking it to a relatives house.
  I liked the storyboard book of episode 8, to actually see the thought that goes into the beloved Naruto series is fascinating and I liked the episode they chose too.
  
  What's sad is that it's only half of season 1, meaning 13 out of 26 eps, it cuts into the middle of the Zabusa and Haku arc. But they chose a good place to cut off because when the 2nd boxset is released it will start with episode 14 which is mainly recaps. I wonder if they will have the Crimson Clover special.
  
  The menu screen are nice and thought out. Each dvd has one member of team 7 in the menu screen.
  
  Though it irks me that they open up with: "Shonen Jump's Naruto" It should be "Kishimoto's Naruto" Give him credit, without him Naruto wouldn't exist.
  
  For subtitle translations they need to be consistant. For example they constantly change the english name of Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and for Jutsu they sometimes call it a spell when it should mean technique or skill. But it's great to finally hear the Japanese Music again, to see the real opening and closing sequences even though I dislike the ones in the first season.
  
  Over all the boxed set is ok, but could have been better. It's a special edition!! make it special!! Like include a UFO catcher.
  It was great to rewatch them on TV, in Japanese, with proper subtitles instead of Engrish. I guess it's another long wait till the next boxset.
  
  
• Believe it!
  By A1UBFJ0BDTVUEH on 2006-08-12
  The uncut version of the anime is much better than what is aired on TV. Though there are still some diferences between the Japanese version and what is in the uncut version. I wouldn't recomend the special edition unless you are a hard core Naruto fan. The bonus items that come with it are mainly geared toward younger viewers and not much towards adult viewrs,
  
  
• Excellent anime
  By A1GD4XGW50IMRN on 2007-02-13
  I have to say, I really only got this anime because I really can't stand most of the english dub cast and I wanted the original japanese versions. So I purchased this and have been happy ever since. I love the manga and seeing the characters in anime form is great. Go Kakashi!!
  
  
• Naruto Uncut (need I say more)
  By AJ9RKVPT2K3ZD on 2007-03-23
  I was very excited about ordering this, as I had seen the cut episodes on TV and the original uncut Japanese episodes. This to me was a perfect blend, I could watch in Japanese if I wished, or with the English dub if I didn't feel like dealing with subtitles. The set comes in a lovely case with a storyboard for one of the best episodes. The only disappointing thing about this was that it came with only 13 episodes. This to me is not a season - especially not when it ended in the middle of the battle on the bridge, why not complete the arc (it's only a few more episodes and people would be less enclined to feel like they had been ripped off with paying so much for a measly 13 episodes).
  
  
• Naruto is the best!
  By A2S5BIRX1IMCU on 2007-04-01
  One of the best anime I have ever seen. Hands down! Loaded with ninja fighting, comedy, and even some romance.
  
  
• Mmm, Naruto-y goodness.
  By AJ1X45IA8BXIZ on 2007-04-03
  I bought this for myself and I believe it was worth every bit of money I put in. It was wonderful to see the uncut version instead of what I had seen on television (as they edit it quite a bit for the more ... sensitive viewers).
  
  The only thing that dampens it is some of the translation errors in various areas but not everything can be perfect. Such things don't really bother ME but it might bother others.
  
  All-in-all it is a wonderful buy and I am glad to have it in my collection. :)
  
  

• Naruto Uncut Boxed Set, Volume 2
• Naruto Uncut Boxed Set, Volume 3
• Naruto Uncut Boxed Set, Volume 4
• Naruto Uncut Boxed Set, Volume 5
• Naruto Uncut Boxed Set, Volume 6