Published by elznic on 31 May 2008 at 12:17 am
Naruto as the “Every Kid” in All of Us
Characters in pop culture all have their own unique appeal. When a character is a stereotype, a cardboard cut out of other popular characters or dramatically “thin” then the popularity of the character generally remains somewhat limited. But, when a character is fleshed out and presented in a unique manner then the character has the potential to become extraordinarily popular. Of all the Naruto Characters, Naruto Uzumaki remains one of the most popular for a number of reasons. Probably the main reason he is so popular has something to do with the fact he is a major departure from the brooding, philosophical ninjas we have previously grown accustomed. Since this member of the Naruto Gallery is a prankster who is more precocious than menacing he appeals to the average kid a great deal. When Naruto fools around in “ninja class” he embodies the traits many kids may possess when it comes to the way they act in geology class. So, yes, there is a certain psychological attachment to be found with the character and that plays a significant role in the development of the appeal of the character. As such, it should come as no surprise that the video game has reached the levels of popularity that it has achieved.