Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
plebrepel
[JP, subtitle quality was ok, Triad_&_AonE recommended]
The purpose of this review is avoiding having you skip something you may enjoy under the illusion such a stacked not-recommended count incurs upon you. The one single shortcoming of this animation is it only had 13 episodes and never continued. This is not a condensed or summarized of compacted or rushed show. It moves at a pace matching what is happening which is what makes it good. Thanks to that pace it is unfinished because there is no way that would fit into 13 episodes, but because there was no maniac scramble to try and wrap everything up it maintains its consistency from beginning to end. This show is from a time when children's anime put hair on your balls. In my opinion this is what a proper manga adaptation should strive f…
Read at the sourceBaka-bear
Narutaru is an anime that I became interested in due to some reviews that gave me hope that this was some kind of hidden gem that was similar to Evangelion. Little did I know it would be no where near that except maybe in tone alone.
Narutaru provides more questions than answers with various things that add some charm and direction, but never really ties anything off, and to that point, nothing really felt relevant to the overall plot despite it somehow progressing things. There are many times where you're introduced to new characters or information regarding the cast, only for that information to end there, leaving you confused not at the information, but rather what the point even was in revealing it if it meant that nothing of any real impact would come of it; not even a real, definiti…
Read at the sourceEugenefindit
How? How? How the hell did an anime adapted from a manga written by the same person who did Bokurano, one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had watching an anime, turn out to be easily one of THE MOST BORING EXPERIENCES I HAVE EVER HAD WATCHING AN ANIME? Seriously how?
I have not written a review on MAL in a while but I just cannot contain myself from having to talk about this anime. It really should not have been this bad. I for one freaking love mystery, thriller anime. Heck, my favourite anime of all time has been Monster for at least 5 years now. And to be honest, I didn't always feel that way about Narutaru. In the beginning, I was quite engrossed in the anime, since I have no idea what was going on other than the fact that I heard that the anime does get pretty messed up.…
Read at the sourceliteraturenerd
This is less of a traditional review and more of a public service announcement.
DON'T. FUCKING. WATCH. NARUTARU!
This isn't a warning I have to issue to my offline buddies or any casual anime fans. Normal anime fans tend to watch stuff that they hear about from friends or that get super hyped online like JoJo or Academia. We MAL users are a bit different. We want to watch super old, obscure shit because Osamu Dezaki directed it or because Isao Takahata was in charge of storyboarding. Even if you don't identify as an "elitist", you'll find yourself doing this if you hang out on MAL for more than 6 months. That's just the culture here.
So why did over 8,000 MAL users watch NaruTaru with thousands more planning to watch it? The answer is Chiaki J. Konaka. One of the most beloved and celeb…
Read at the sourceFear_the_Reefer
Very few mythical creatures have dominated our imaginations the way dragons have. They’ve existed in our culture farther back than vampires, werewolves, and zombies combined. They’re practically an ancient idea at this point, having been an important element of both western and eastern folklore, and while there may be significant differences... One side of the pond sees them as four legged, giant beasts guarding hordes of gold and battling silver-clad knights over the rights to their most recently stolen princess, while the other side sees them as more serpent-like with sweet facial hair... The general idea has always been that they’re giant scaly beasts who may or may not be able to breathe fire. But what if our folk lore is wrong? What if dragons look nothing like what popular fiction su…
Read at the sourceMirluSaku
This is gonna be a really direct review. This anime was a weird ride.
Spoiler free review!
Story (4/10):
The plot was interesting at first but none of it was developed, its like they forgot halfway what the series was about. Like who whas the girl on the dragon? for what purpose do dragon child exist? etc... There was actual good episodes like the last ones that had amazing escenes that fucked you up... like seriously, specially if you started watching this like it was a kids anime like pokemon or something.
Art(1/10):
Terrible art style, out of porpotion and terrible animation (you could be staring at someone´s face for like 5 minutes... they had a low budget without a doubt..)
Sound(9/10):
The opening was incredibly good, the ending too.
But the music on creepy scenes was amazing, it…
Read at the sourceLibriLector
I'm not sure that this anime is very "amazing." But it is very different. I really enjoyed it. after watching over 300 different anime; they all start to feel the same. I often feel like I can see the future when watching them. Its like when something happens I can tell what "world line" the story is progressing down and what options are still open for the ending. Its like, "well, I guess this anime is going down that route."
but this anime was very different, and disturbing, and I'm going to go read the manga for the rest of the story.
you can read the other reviews for pretty much the rest of the stuff you might want to know.
Story: 7
Art: 5 was kinda childish so not that great
Sound: 10 Didn't really pay much attention but it had catchy op and ed. and the death sounds made me cring…
Read at the sourceRachaelLefler
Well, basically, I'm reading the manga right now because I feel like, while it is a cool and interesting story, the anime really doesn't do it justice. For one, the anime ends halfway through, and it also leaves out some details that you might find important. The manga has each story arc more interwoven, where in the anime it feels very much like they rush from one story arc to the next without resolution or consistency. Narutaru like other people pointed out, subverts the original sunny expectations built up by the first episode, kind of like how we see in Madoka Magica. However, since I was not a big fan of the clunky, low-budget animation or the lack of exposition relative to the manga, I would have to say it's probably better to just read the manga. One thing I like is how mature and g…
Read at the sourceConsumedAM
Narutaru is a disturbing attempt at deconstructing the pet monster genre that should be experienced just once in order to test your mental fortitude. The comparisons to school days are correct - both are shocking horrors under the initial premise of something innocent and non revolting.
This is relatively accurate to how I'd expect Pokemon to go if a real life phenomenon. It would not be a fun innocent adventure with millions around the globe exclaiming "gotta catch them all" each day. It would be a horror show with many people using the monsters to commit crimes, selfishly look to make their lives easier and most importantly - exact revenge.
Interesting deconstruction aside, the art style is ugly, the music forgettable and the characters insufferable. Akira Sakura is in so much torment…
Read at the sourceInsaneLeader13
"Cut yourself to fit the world? Or cut the world to fit you?"
Both please.
Ahhhh, Shadow Star NaruTaru. I sure do wish I could give you a Shadow Star rating. And here I thought Evangelion 3.33 was going to be my lowest rated anime that I reviewed.
Story: 1/10
The concept is amazing...on paper. Take the well beloved 'Mon' Genre and run it through the gauntlet of Deconstruction tropes!
Our main character, Shiina, is spending a summer at a relative's place at a beachside. During the August that she spends there, she ends up meeting, and on some level bonding with, a strange creature. She quickly 'adopts' the creature and proceeds to call it Hoshimaru, and take it back home with her. She ends up meeting other young teens that also have similar bizarre creatures, some which look similar to Ho…
Read at the sourceRoarkTenjouin
In the early 2000s, there were 3 anime that came out that were extremely controversial. The first of these 3 is obviously Elfen Lied - which, similar to how Cowboy Bebop is the most popular (and has the most critical acclaim) of the 3 "Space Western" anime, is the most popular and highest rated of the 3. The second one is Gantz, and it's one that I wouldn't be surprised if you had or had not heard of it - it's the "middle of the road" title in terms of popularity and critical reception. So, what title is the Outlaw Star of this group? Narutaru.
Story - 2/10
Did you think that Digimon Tamers wasn't edgy enough to be a deconstruction of the "mon" genre? Then this show will be right up your alley!
The show actually starts off decently - it shows what you would expect of a typical "mon" show…
Read at the sourceIllaRouge
Not often do I come into an anime and am this thoroughly disappointed. I think that one of the most misconceived ideas about this anime, that it is somehow subtle (thereby adding to all of the mystery you'll encounter within it), is a load of crap. This feels like an unfinished anime to me, a 13 episode pilot that someone pitched but forgot to make the rest of it.
In terms of plot, it has enormous potential, but it never delivers. It meanders into vague and trivial subplots that should contribute to a more in depth view of the story, but again, it never returns to those pieces. The characters are entirely forgettable. You're continually driven on to discover more and more about these "dragons," but again again again, you'll be disappointed. There's no tangible history that you'll discover…
Read at the sourceValtElf
I'm not gonna make a big review, so anyone that wants to just read what the anime is about and if it's worth watching in a short summary, keep reading.
Genre:
The Genre Horror listed for this Anime is not justified at all in my opinion.
This Anime has no Horror in it at all. You won't get scared.
And even though they list the Anime as "supernatural and drama" this Anime is more of a psychological seinen and a mystery show more than anything.
Sound:
The soundtrack is incredibly well fitting so if you search for new OSTs to listen to this Anime might be for you. Story:
Very few action, some naked girls but no tits, a bit of romance and some drama stories surrounding the girls in this Anime. It feels like the Aliens/Monsters/Dragons in this Anime exist for the purpose of giving the Anime s…
Read at the sourceLordCustos3
If the opening credit sequence is to be belived, Mohiro Kitoh's "Shadow Star Narutaru" is a cutesy-pie "Azumanga Daioh"-ish kids show about adorable middle-schoolers playing with their happy little Pokeymans.
Don't be fooled.
Narutaru does to that genre what "Utena" does to the magickal girl show or "Evangelion" does to the super-robot show. It traumatizes it before feeding it face-first to the abyss.
Plotwise, it follows the (mis)adventures of three girls, brash and confident Shiina, deeply troubled Sakura and half-confident/half-troubled Hiroko. Shiina discovers a cartoony starfish...um...familiar...that can shapeshift into useful shapes like backpack, flying surfboard, protective bubble, etc.
At first, this is liberating and fun...and the show pretends to be a "My Neighbor Totoro" set…
Read at the sourceYukariki
Prepare to wet your pants for one of the most astoundingly boring horror works in this planet. It is that scary.
Horror is one of those enigmatic genres that seeks to break boundaries. Today’s horror -- gory in the West and romantic in the East -- are vastly different compared to, let’s say, the German Expressionist period, when surreal imagery was enough to call for mommy. I grew up with H.P. Lovecraft and Neon Genesis Evangelion; thus, I am more scared when sane characters turn insane in horrific, unexplained situations. While most people think Puella Magi Madoka Magica is just plain depressing and not spine-chilling, my 17 year old self jittered and wanted my blankie.
Arguably, both horror and comedy are as subjective as you can go. What is frightening or hilarious to you may change i…
Read at the sourceDietrologia
Narutaru (the anime, by itself) is a series with a lot of potential; the premise, the exploration of the inherent problems that would realistically arise from a 'mon' scenario (like Pokemon, Digimon, etc), is a fairly interesting idea that lends itself to good storytelling very well. In a few key moments it kind of does live up to this potential with acceptable delivery, but for the most part I feel like most of it was wasted with poor execution.
To begin with, something terrible about the series that becomes apparent right off the bat is the art direction/presentation is total garbage. In terms of art style, it's extremely generic, and not even acceptably so; it's downright amateurish. Something that particularly irked me is it seems like Mohiro Kitoh doesn't know how to draw hair; Sakur…
Read at the sourcekekekeKaj
I can't figure "Narutaru" out - this is one strange, strange series. It succeeds to be both lighted hearted and dead creepy, and in fact, it succeeds in doing a lot of things that it's meant to do, including freaking me out, but it kind of fails as a whole because its many aspects doesn't quite come together.
"Narutaru" follows the adventure of a happy-go-lucky school girl Shiina as she meets and bonds with a rather dopey looking creature. You would think this would lead to something in a similar vein to Pokemon, but no, soon after the odd encounter in the beginning, "Narutaru" then promptly switches to a kind of pedestrian, slice of life mode. This kind of thing doesn't just happen in the beginning either, as "Narutaru" is a bewildering mixture of many genres - one moment, it can be pre…
Read at the sourcePrede
(this review may have some slight spoilers. I apologize)
Now here is an anime, that decieved the masses completely. The opening, and the entire first episode, leads one to believe this is a childish anime. It gives off a little "pokemon" or "hamataro" feel to it, and apears that there is little here that will apeal to older veiwers. BUT, this anime is nothing like that. It turns into the most distrubing, scary, dark, insane, and twisted anime series ever made! This anime should NEVER be watched by children, and only mature veiwers, ready for some freaky stuff should watch it. Don't look for a happy go lucky series, this show is very depressing at times. The anime makes a change at the end of episode 2, and with each episode it gets darker and darker. The final few episodes will make the m…
Read at the sourceNapalmbrain
At first glance, Narutaru appears to be some sort of shoujo 'mon series for kids. It has the most upbeat opening theme you've ever heard, and starts off fairly relaxed and uncomplicated. But initial appearances can be deceiving, and soon enough themes such as suicide, rape and genocide all start to feature prominently, all involving young teenagers.
It's an interesting subversion of the whole Pokémon-esque genre, and one which had the potential to work out really well. However, Narutaru is held back a number of problems, chief of which is that it only adapts the first half of the manga and doesn't compensate for the loss of the other half. Story arcs are set up and then abandoned, characters get involved and then just disappear, and most of the mysteries go unresolved. Because of t…
Read at the sourcePhill-z
Ah Narutaru. One of my first "killer loli" anime experiences...except it's not really killer loli...it just gives off that really creepy vibe. However it never really achieves the effect that it tries to create.
Story: Storyarcs. There are a couple of them, all of them about pain and suffering. The first one really doesn't count all too much, but the second is where they show what they want Narutaru to be. However it comes off as immature, they try to create a disturbing aura, an effect that Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni achieves perfectly, and it falls flat on it's face. The problem is that the stories are shallow and don't really shown too much real pain, they explain things too simply, they skip over alot of the details that create that painful emotion and sense of sympathy with the charac…
Read at the source