The Naruto series became popular in both Japan and the United States. The overwhelming responses from people and the demand for his comic could be seen in terms of his sales. More than 71 million copies of volume 36 were sold in Japan and volume 43 sold 1.1 million copies during 2008, making it the ninth best-selling comic in Japan. In the first half of 2009, it was ranked as Japan’s third best-selling manga, having sold 3.4 million copies. Volume 45 ranked fifth with 1.1 million copies sold, while volume 46 ranked ninth, having sold 864,708 copies and volume 44 at 40th.
The ups and downs can be seen everywhere. This series has also received praise and criticism from various critics. IGN’s AE Sparrow noted how some manga volumes focus only on certain characters to the point where the number of fans increases. He was impressed by the way Kishimoto manages to come up with remarkable combinations of fight scenes, comedy, and fine art. The anime and manga magazine Neo feels that Naruto’s character is annoying but at the same time feels that the series has an unhealthy addiction to its level of characterization. Carl Kimlinger of Anime News Network (ANN) really liked the character designs. He also noted how even the “dumbest looking character” can act “damn cool” when fighting. He also praised the way the battles play out and how emotional they turn out in the end.
The series’ fight scenes and opponents pique interest among readers and viewers. Kishimoto’s artwork was also commented on by Lugo as it makes the story dramatic and exciting. The beginning of Part II has been praised in another review by ANN’s Casey Brienza. She noted how well the characters developed as they had new appearances and abilities.