Naruto Uzumaki has Aspergers
When I was a kid, before I was diagnosed with Aspergers, I found myself connecting with Naruto Uzumaki in a new show called "Naruto." He was just like me: hyperactive, acting out to get attention, bullied, hated, made fun off, and above all insistent on proving to everyone that he was capable of becoming something.
(Skip this next bit if you don't care to hear about the show)
For those of you who don't know, Naruto is a Japanese show about Ninjas (keep in mind that is a MASSIVE understatement). Part 1 of the series (which took place when Naruto was 12-13) aired in America on Cartoon Network in English. After that, It only aired in Japan and if you want to watch it, you have to go online and view it with English subtitles. Naruto Uzumaki was born in the Hidden Leaf Village. Shortly after his birth, a wild demon called the Nine-Tailed Fox invaded and attacked the village. In order to save the village, the Hokage--leader of the village and most well-respected Ninja--sealed the demon inside Naruto (a very common practice). This would bless Naruto with incredible power later in life, but would also cause people to hate and fear him.
So, all throughout his academy years, the kids hated him. They avoided him like the plague. Naruto was hyper, terrible at being a Ninja, and pulled pranks to get attention. He is also socially oblivious and clumsy. As Sigmund Freud says: "It's not attention the child seeks, but love." At this point, Naruto set a goal for himself: to become the Hokage, leader of the village. That way, people would finally respect him. He would prove everyone wrong and become the best Ninja around.
(spoilers): Well, after years and years of hard training, Naruto is now one of the best Ninjas in the world. He saved the Hidden Leaf Village, and is backed by an army of friends. He is well-respected throughout the community, and he cares deeply enough for his friends that he would die for them, and them for him.
On top of that, he went from being socially oblivious to literally being able to sense negative emotions. (/spoilers)
With all that information, I find it safe to assume that Naruto is an Aspie. He has all the traits, including fixed interests. Naruto has inspired me, despite him being fictional, because (like me, and a lot of you), he was hated as a child, and sucked at everything. But he tried and tried and now he's proved everyone that he is capable of as much of them--that he can grow up and be successful. I'm convinced that the creator of Naruto based his character off of a real Aspie.
Tell me what you guys think.
EDIT:
You guys have made a lot of good points, and now I'm thinking maybe he doesn't have Aspergers. Whatever the case, he is a prime example of what it means to be Aspie, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was modeled after someone with AS. After all, when we were kids, we were treated like we had demons inside us, if you know what I mean.
_________________
"And if you can?t see anything beautiful about yourself,
get a better mirror
....
You built a cast around your broken heart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltun92DfnPY
Last edited by Venomex on 22 Apr 2013, 6:56 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Like I said, it did used to air in America in English. To me it doesn't matter if he's fictional. He's an inspiration.
_________________
"And if you can?t see anything beautiful about yourself,
get a better mirror
....
You built a cast around your broken heart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltun92DfnPY
Ok, I'm not a mental health professional qualified to make a diagnosis, but I don't think Naruto is an aspie. Come on, he has a "mysterious power" to convert anyone into becoming his friend. Even when he was 12 yrs old, he converted Zabuza and Haku into becoming his friends so you can't really say this was something he learned later in life.
That said, even though I don't think Naruto is an aspie, I do consider him to be a kindred spirit. He did have A DEMON FOX SEALED INTO HIM and the entire village treat him like a monster. Despite that, he didn't give up on the goodness of people and wasn't corrupted by the evil around him. He accepted it despite how much it hurt him and chose to forgive instead of hate, and this is why Naruto is also my inspiration.
For those of you probably rolling your eyes out there, you should give Naruto a chance. It's a pretty good show. The manga's better since is doesn't have all the fillers.
Ditto.
A fictional character - by virtue of not being real - does not have a mind or even a brain; so therefor a fictional character can not have Asperger's Syndrome, but can only behave in whatever way the writers, directors, animators, and voice actors want him to behave.
I think what Naruto respresents is what it's like to have Aspergers.Basically his spends the first 12 years of his life alone and cant figure out why.People dont want to talk to him or go anywhere near him. Its more of the loneliness of character your picking up on.
but he definitely has ADHD.
Every lonely, misjudged, put-upon soul identifies with Naruto. Probably fantasizes about becoming the local hero, too.
No-- if I were going to diagnose anything there, it would be ADHD.
And if I identify with anyone from the series, it would probably be...
...I don't know who...
...someone who went bad. Very very very bad.
I like that show, though. It's about my favorite thing for DD11 to watch. Sexualized and violent; that's a talking point for how not to act. Unlike a lot of American shows, it's got some real meat to it. Morals we can discuss. Stuff to think about.
Too bad it can't be family viewing material anymore because of DS5 not having sense enough to keep from imitating everything he sees.
_________________
"Alas, our dried voices when we whisper together are quiet and meaningless, as wind in dry grass, or rats' feet over broken glass in our dry cellar." --TS Eliot, "The Hollow Men"
While there are reasons for his mistreatment, it isn't because he's an Aspie. It's a result of him having the Nine-Tailed-Fox sealed inside him. It's quite a large plot point in the series.
_________________
If you believe in anything, believe in yourself. Only then will your life remain your own.
Author/Writer
but he definitely has ADHD.
Alone does not mean Asperger's ...
but he definitely has ADHD.
Alone does not mean Asperger's ...
I didnt say he had it.I'm saying he went through a similar level of alienation and loneliness.
I think he has quite a few social issues due to his isolation as a child, but maybe not AS. There's a few other characters in the series though that I'm quite sure I consider to have aspergers, but basically I think if you relate to the character and it helps you to frame your experience by how you interpret them, I don't think anyone can tell you you're wrong to do so For me I think Sai's the character that most represents the experience of being autistic, but each to our own.
but he definitely has ADHD.
_________________
Your Aspie score is 193 of 200
Your neurotypical score is 40 of 200
You are very likely an aspie
No matter where I go I will always be a Gaijin even at home. Like Anime? https://kissanime.to/AnimeList