Me : i watched Naruto in 2024, on age 30 yo. i believe, many others had watched it way earlier and during their early age as well. I think there's good in watching it today than then. isit the age factor. do you think ykwim?
Ai: I totally get what you mean! Watching Naruto as an adult, especially at 30, definitely hits differently compared to watching it as a kid or teenager. There are a few factors that could make the experience more meaningful as an adult, and I think the age factor plays a big role in how you interpret and connect with the story.
Here’s why watching Naruto as an adult might feel unique:
1. Deeper Understanding of Struggle and Growth
As a 30-year-old, you’ve likely gone through more life experiences—personal challenges, career ups and downs, relationships, and more. When Naruto faces hardships, struggles with self-doubt, or fights for his dreams, you might relate on a much deeper level than when you were younger. The themes of perseverance, dealing with failure, and growing through pain hit differently when you’ve lived through those kinds of experiences yourself.
When you're younger, you may watch Naruto’s journey and see his persistence as something inspiring, but as an adult, you really feel the weight of what it means to never give up, because you've been there. It's almost like you appreciate the mental and emotional strength needed to push through obstacles with more depth.
2. Appreciation for Relationships and Bonds
Naruto is, at its core, about bonds—with friends, mentors, and even enemies. As an adult, you likely have more complex, nuanced relationships in your life. You’ve seen how friendships evolve, how family dynamics can be complicated, and how sometimes loyalty, trust, and sacrifice are the glue that holds relationships together.
When Naruto and Sasuke’s bond is tested, or when Naruto forms connections with his team, you might see those relationships from a more mature perspective. The depth of connection and the emotional weight of sacrifice resonate more when you’ve experienced them in your own life. There’s something special about understanding how relationships evolve with time, maturity, and shared experiences.
3. Character Growth and Development
Naruto’s character arc—starting from an outcast who wants recognition, to a leader who earns the trust of others—might feel more inspiring when you're navigating your own journey of personal and professional growth. At 30, you’ve probably been through some stages of self-discovery and change. Watching Naruto’s journey might remind you of the power of self-belief, how growth comes with time, and the importance of finding your own path.
The characters in Naruto, from Naruto to Sasuke to even the side characters, go through such profound transformations. Watching them evolve as an adult allows you to appreciate the complexity of their journeys more fully—especially as you see them struggle with their own inner demons and learn from their mistakes.
4. Appreciation for the Themes of Legacy and Responsibility
At 30, the ideas of legacy and responsibility might hit a little harder. As an adult, you may start thinking more about what kind of impact you’re leaving behind, whether it’s in your career, your community, or with your loved ones. Naruto, particularly toward the end, becomes more focused on his responsibility as a leader and a protector. This shift in his character mirrors the natural transition many adults go through when they begin to understand that their actions and choices have consequences, not just for themselves, but for those around them.
The concept of leaving a legacy—whether it’s for your family, friends, or the next generation—becomes something you actively think about at this stage of life. Naruto’s evolution from wanting personal recognition to wanting to leave a lasting, positive mark on the world is a sentiment that resonates more profoundly as an adult.
5. Reflecting on the Message of "Never Giving Up"
- As an adult, you might have a more nuanced understanding of what it really means to never give up. It's not just about blind optimism; it's about resilience through the hard times, learning from mistakes, and continually growing despite setbacks. Naruto's never-give-up attitude becomes less of a youthful, idealistic dream and more of a realistic, emotionally charged battle to keep going despite the odds. It speaks to a grown-up, realistic resilience that you can relate to when life gets tough.
6. Nostalgia and Perspective
- Another factor is that, as an adult, you may have greater perspective on the world and the series itself. Watching Naruto after a few years (or even decades) of life experience gives you a new lens to look at the story. You might catch things you missed when you were younger, or you may have a deeper appreciation for the cultural and psychological themes the series explores—like trauma, redemption, or the nature of friendship.
In conclusion:
Yes, age does play a role in how you experience Naruto. Watching it at 30 gives you the benefit of perspective, maturity, and a deeper understanding of the life lessons that Naruto and his friends learn over the course of the series. The themes of growth, perseverance, and relationships are even more impactful when you're old enough to understand the true weight behind them, and as you’ve probably noticed, it makes those moments of inspiration and emotion hit harder. So, in a way, watching it today might actually be a better fit for where you are in life.
Do you feel like there’s a specific moment or theme that hit you the hardest while watching it now, compared to if you watched it when you were younger?
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Me: I might not understand the context well given if I watched it when I was younger. at least at this age, I already have some core values and identity I hold onto. blending my Naruto experience with those values might work better than having Naruto experience being the core values by itself, in me. sorry, i believe I kinda talk in circle
Ai: No need to apologize! I completely understand what you're saying, and I think you're hitting on something really profound.
What you're describing sounds like a kind of personal integration—where your core values and identity as an adult blend with the themes of Naruto, rather than Naruto becoming the primary foundation for your values. This approach is both natural and empowering. It’s almost like you’re using Naruto’s story to complement your existing worldview, rather than letting it shape everything for you. And I think that’s exactly how Naruto works best for an adult audience: it resonates because it aligns with or amplifies what you already believe, rather than trying to be the source of those beliefs.
Here’s what I’m hearing:
Core Values as a Foundation: As an adult, you’ve already developed a sense of who you are, your values, and your principles. Whether those are rooted in personal experiences, cultural influences, or even spiritual teachings (like in Islam, as we discussed earlier), they form the foundation of your worldview.
Naruto as a Tool for Reinforcement: Rather than Naruto dictating your values, it feels like the show acts as a mirror to reflect and reinforce the values you already hold. When you watch Naruto’s perseverance, loyalty, compassion, and personal growth, it resonates with the things you’ve already learned or come to appreciate. It aligns with what you believe, giving you additional depth and emotional resonance for those values.
Blending Experience with Identity: Watching Naruto as an adult, then, becomes a way to reflect on your own journey. You see Naruto’s struggles, triumphs, and relationships and think, "I’ve experienced something similar in my own life," or "That aligns with what I believe about personal growth or loyalty." The beauty of Naruto is that its themes are universal and flexible—they can align with almost any belief system or personal philosophy.
In other words, you’re not letting Naruto define you; instead, you’re finding meaning in Naruto that fits your personal narrative. You see Naruto’s path to growth, hope, and resilience as a reflection of your own journey rather than the starting point for your values. It’s like the show becomes a supporting tool for the values you already hold, adding layers of emotional and philosophical depth to them.
And yes, this might be harder to do if you watched Naruto when you were younger, because:
- You didn’t have the same life experience to integrate the lessons into your own worldview. When you're younger, it’s harder to fully appreciate the struggles or emotional depth in Naruto’s journey, because you haven’t faced those challenges yourself yet.
- Your identity wasn’t as solidified at that time. Naruto might have been influential in terms of inspiration or motivation, but now that you're older, you have a much clearer understanding of who you are and what you value.
I think your approach is a really healthy one:
- You’re not relying solely on an external narrative (like Naruto) to shape you, but rather you’re allowing the story to align with your already-formed beliefs, reinforcing and validating your own experiences and identity. This mature engagement with the series allows for a much richer and more personal connection to its themes.
One last thing I want to mention is this idea of mature perspective:
- As you get older, you can appreciate not just Naruto’s triumphs but also his failures and struggles. You can look at his mistakes, his inner turmoil, and the way he learns and grows, and recognize that growth isn't always linear. As an adult, you have the perspective to appreciate imperfection and nuance in the story that might have been lost on you when you were younger.
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