the vessel of the nine-tails

Uzumaki Naruto- loud, hyper, dorky, cheeky - this is how we get to know Konoha's number one prankster first. Without doubt at first glance Naruto seems like an obnoxious child, who's always only playing pranks on everyone (like spraying graffiti on the monument depicting the first four Hokages..) and it's just as if he doesn't take anything seriously. But this image of him should soon fade - and we learn that he is more than confident and also capable of achieving his dream- becoming Hokage, that is.

From the very start on, Naruto desperately seeked attention and acknowledgement from the villagers. Therefore he was pulling all those tricks on the people around him - he wanted nothing more than being noticed.

As a child, Naruto had been always alone, as the whereabouts of his parents were and still are unknown (or rather we don't know anything at all concerning his parents - not even who exactly they might be), but the main reason why all the villagers completely ignored him and tried to stay away from him, was that the fourth Hokage (Yondaime) sealed the highly-feared Nine-Tails demon (Kyuubi) within Naruto.

So practically ever since the moment he was born, Naruto was despised and hated by the entire village - he was loathed for a destiny he could not fight against. Actually the 4th Hokage had done that with a rather good intent; he had thought it would make Naruto a hero. How, after all, should he have known things would backfire so drastically?

But even so, Naruto didn't show anything of his hurt self. Instead of despising the villagers just like they despised him, he made a decision - becoming Hokage, in order to first and foremost gain respect and acceptance, but also to protect the village he had grown up in. It wasn't just some simple childhood dream like one would guess - it soon was proven that he was more than willing and ready to take each necessary step towards this dream of his.

"..dattebayo!"

While constantly wearing his big grin, Naruto seemed like the most clumsy and unskilled ninja in the entire academy. He barely passed, always having the worst grades and at the end of the year, he couldn't even perform a proper transformation jutsu. But still, Naruto always had something which is more than admirable: He never ever gives up.

The cold shoulder that Naruto received from the village just made him stronger and work even harder - since he was little Naruto trained and practised a lot, and he didn't even doubt his skills for one second, despite of the rest of the world as it seemed. Without question Naruto still makes many mistakes, but Naruto is also the type who learns from them. Even if it doesn't work the first time, for Naruto, there is always a 2nd one. No matter how dark it is, he will shine through.

Because in the end, he knows what truly matters and therefore he never loses sight of his true goals. There wasn't a single moment when Naruto was on the verge of backing off or giving up - he believes in himself and of course, also in his teammates, Sasuke and Sakura.

Furthermore, Naruto has a special ability which is far more remarkable and precious than any technique or jutsu: he's able to reach the hearts of other people. He has got something special that you can't ignore, and while he's just being himself, you can't help but to admire him for his dedication towards everything he does and believes in.

On his way Naruto encountered many different people, who all had been lost and stuck somewhere in their life - and without realising it, Naruto pulled all of them out of their own personal hell. All of them found their right way again- Neiji, Gaara, Sai and a lot more were saved by Naruto's warm inner light, that illuminates even the darkest corners of life.

Moreover, while most people gave up on Sasuke after he had left the village, Naruto only became even more self-confident on bringing Sasuke back. He never goes back on his words and thus, as he promised Sakura, he's going to make sure to save Sasuke, no matter how long it will take him and what it might cost.

Naruto might seem stubborn and also to some point, naive because of his firm belief of being able to bring Sasuke back, even if the other one clearly walks into the opposite direction. But as for me, this is just another applaudable aspect of his personality, which exactly proves how much he also believes not only in himself, but also in the people he holds dear.

If he he has gotten something into his head, Naruto puts his entire soul and heart into it, until he reaches his goal. Be it becoming Hokage or keeping his promise to Sakura and bringing the ravenhaired back - there is no way Naruto would draw back or start doubting his actions, that's for sure. Simply because.. This is his nindo- his way of being a ninja - his way of being himself.