Coming-Of-Age Essay Preview
My essay was about the depiction of 'coming-of-age' in Naruto. He's a character whose story is defined by overcoming challenges, shedding his past, and the aspiration to become Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. I saw his growth, not defined by simply his age or the acquisition of new power but rather, his changed mindset on why he wants to become strong. In the beginning of this 750 episode anime, Naruto's main reason to get strong is to gain recognition and to be loved. His parents were killed on the day of his birth so understandably, he seeks out attention. Despite having such a rough childhood, Naruto is able to make many great friends throughout his journey, and slowly, his reason to gain power changes. After witnessing deaths of those near to him, he now wants to solely protect all those he loves. This is what I think "Coming-Of-Age entails in Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.