Dan Rugh

I don't really think of Naruto as DBZ-like. Yes, there is fighting, but the quality of the story, animation, and character development far surpasses that of Dragonball Z. Watch up to episode 10 (at least) and once you get into the story, you'll be hooked, I promise. :)

Good work, Piro. If you liked 1-4, you have a lot in store for you. The Chuunin exams have so much excitement... oh, and you have the Mist Ninja saga to look forward to in the closer future. Naruto starts to mature quite quickly if you're worried about him being too annoying. ------------------- I just started drawing a picture of Zaku Abumi today and it is lookin' great, if I must say so. Be sure to check it out on myO when it's finished. :)

I prefer tragic endings because then it seems like the story actually ended. If, in the last episode of a series, everyone goes skipping off merrily, then the story essentially could keep going.

I'm from Greensburg, Pennsylvania. It's about 45 minutes from Pittsburgh. Right now I "live" in State College, Pennsylvania where I go to school.

There probably isn't one.

It's pretty good! I don't really like that you used gridding, but I do like that you faded it out on the right side so it wouldn't be covering the whole wallpaper. Also, I like to use wallpapers that have an open space where icons can go (I'm lazy and have a lot of icons on my desktop). Maybe if the pictures weren't so big, I would like it more. Still, good job. :) Hinata creeps me out even more than Neji does when she is using her Byakugan. I think it's the veins. *shudder*

I wanted those lines in the background so it would be like sound waves and they did blend nicely into the picture of Orochimaru. Also, the "film negative", as you called it, was intentional and I'm glad you like it. Would it look better with that border on both vertical sides of the banner, do you think?

I got my DVDs on eBay. Each box has 25 episodes (3 discs) on it and was about 20 dollars. So, I payed around 50 dollars total for both my boxes together, being shipped here from Hong Kong. Sorry I can't answer your other question because I don't want to read the spoilers. :)

Oebimaru haha! You must have the same DVDs as me, SasukeUchiha. They had a lot of name errors in the sub-titles... Aira(Gaara), Kado(Gatou), Kai (Yoroi), Kai (Gai), Zaibuzan(Zabuza), and the name for Haku was completely different. Well, I've finished both of my boxes which go up to episode 50. I'm sure I'll get the next one as soon as the series gets past episode 75 and AV releases them. That fight with [spoiler]Lee and Gaara[/spoiler] was intense. I like [spoiler]Rock Lee[/spoiler] a lot more than I did after I saw episode 50.

I watched two episodes of The Sorcerer Hunters while I was at home for break. They were on On Demand (digital cable). It wasn't a bad show from what I saw although I would've liked to see the first episode. It bugged me that they used the same sequence for Tira's transformation where she steps out of her shoe, etc....

No banners for the past month because I've been at home. Now I'm back at school and have created a new banner. This is of the Sound Ninjas from Naruto. They are (from left) Zaku Abumi, Dosu Kinuta, and Kin Tsuchi. Oh, and then there is Orochimaru looming in the darkness. :p In the original pictures of the three genin, Kin and Zaku were a little bloody, but I took the blood out because I didn't want them to look like wimps. [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=542672[/img]

I got mine in 10th grade and even though I didn't pay for it, it was still a waste of money. I used to wear it after I got it... until I lost it and had to get it replaced. Since then, it's never touched my finger and is sitting somewhere in my room at home (haha I didn't even bring it with me to college). Well, it was white gold (might've been fake white gold) and I got the December (aquamarine-ish) stone on it because the June stone is purpley. On the sides I had the school mascot which is a lion and my astrological sign: Gemini. In other words, I didn't do any activities in school so I had to resort to stupid stuff. I think I got my initials carved on the inside too.

I like the Krillin one. It's cool that you used a non-Christmas related image and sorta turned it into one. I also like the Torchic one... I just don't like how the grid is so dark over the picture. You spelled apocalypse wrong. :(

It's a lot easier if you learn by experimenting. That is how I learned to use Photoshop and I'm still learning new things all the time. I also recommend finding some tutorials online. People have web sites solely for this purpose, you know. Good luck.

Of my 50 episodes, I have watched 34. That is the up to the end of the first disc in the second box set. I love the characters plus new ones keep appearing. My favorites so far are Zabuza, Haku, Gaara, Orochimaru, and since all of those were bad guys... Shikamaru is cool too. :) I'm sure I'll buy the next box set from AV as soon as it comes out. Too bad I have to wait until they are at least at episode 80 until the 51-75 box will be out. Hey, has anyone seen the Naruto special about the 4-leaf clover? I'm curious to see it.

I made the text for the picture. I used this cool font and (thanks to Dagger) a tutorial for a text effect. It came out quite nicely, actually. [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=529552[/img] EDIT: I changed it from a .PNG to a .GIF so the backgroud isn't grey anymore. :)

[color=red]I've been listening to a song called "Mookie's Last Christmas" by one of my favorite bands, Saosin. The song is on a compilation album called [i]A Santa Cause[/i]. It doesn't sound particularly Christmas-ish and doesn't have cheery "have a holly jolly christmas" lyrics, something that would probably turn me away if it did. Here're the lyrics if anyone is interested in reading them:[/color] [size=1][center][color=green]From throat and eyes came winter and reasons I'm told to carry on Sad overwhelms, my senses drown, oh I feel dependent The feeling that you are honestly gone I can't shake it... Make the same mistake twice Burst of red and green all over me Brings the things that she'll love I should let it form over We count the days left, 23 And all I know Honestly, could I be protected With you suddenly gone The feeling that you are honestly gone I can't shake it... Make the same mistake twice Burst of red and green all over me Brings the things that she'll love I should let it form over Make the same mistake twice Burst of red and green all over me Brings the things that she'll love I should let it form over Make the same mistake twice Burst of red and green covering me[/color][/size][/center]

I started coloring Gaara in Photoshop by using layers for the different sections. I've never colored anything like this in Photoshop, but I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. For now, I basically just have the base colors done. All the shading and such will be done at a later date. While I was working on this, I noticed that his one eye is just a little too low... so when I have all the coloring done and merge the layers, I'll move the eye up a few pixels. Please give your comments and criticisms. :) [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=529275[/img] Edit: I forgot that I still had that text in there with the corny and over-used Matrix font. Eventually I'll try to make something original with the text... maybe a sandy theme. :P

I drew this picture in pencil from the wallpaper I currently have on my desktop. I then scanned it and outlined it in photoshop and added the kanji that is supposed to be on his forehead. Everything is backwards, however. I didn't notice that the original picture was backwards until I needed to find another picture of him for better reference. So, his hair part is on the wrong side and the kanji is backwards, but oh well. If I feel like figuring out how to color it all nicely in photoshop, then I might do that. For now, tell me what you think of it. :) [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=529094[/img]

You really have to watch the first couple of episodes before you realize that you absolutely love this anime. I bought the first 50 episodes off of eBay and will never regret it. Naruto is the freshest anime out right now. All the characters are like-able, even the bad guys. The first episode truly does not represent the show as a whole. I highly recommend watching up to at least episode 8 before you make any judgements.

[quote]You could probably develop a version of it that would fit within our size restrictions, too. Good job.[/quote] I may do that some other time... but!... I made a new and different banner of Kakashi (from Naruto, of course) reading his favorite book [i]Ichi Ichi Paradise[/i]. The animation of the Sharingan was a pain and it is still not as smooth as I would like it to be, but it will stay that way for now. :) The background is actually the corner of the original picture that I cropped Kakashi from. I thought it looked pretty nice. "Kakashi-sensei, why do you keep reading Ichi Ichi Paradise?!" [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=528209[/img]

[quote][b]Originally said by [i]ME[/i][/b] [i]I put [the word] banner in quotations because it technically isn't a banner...[/i][/quote] Yes, it's not a banner. I was sick of having to have everything fit into a little box, so I didn't crop the Mario and Luigi pictures.

I haven't made anything in a while, but since I've been playing Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, I felt like making a "banner". I put banner in quotations because it technically isn't a banner, although it looks like one at first. So here it is: [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=525956[/img]

I really like Superstar Saga. I really enjoyed Paper Mario when it came out for N64 (even though it was impossible to beat Bowser at the end). Mario & Luigi uses a lot of the same battle system which is not a bad thing at all. The new Bros. Attacks are really neat, but took a while to get the hang of. I was relieved when I could finally use [spoiler]hammers[/spoiler] instead of just jumping on things' heads every time. I'm at Bean Bean castle now, trying to prove myself to Lady Lima that I am the real Mario and Luigi by [spoiler]fixing the castle's plumbing.[/spoiler] After that, I guess I get to meet the Bean Bean Queen. :P I'm wondering if you get to add people to your party like you did in Paper Mario. That would be cool, but I doubt it'll happen

I've loved Finch for a while now. I don't really remember how long it's been, but my older brother introduced them to me way before they were on Mtv. They are one of the best bands on Drive-Thru. I like this one song of theirs called "Once Upon My Nightstand". It's not on a CD, I don't believe, but I found it on Kazaa. It's pretty much an acoustic guitar and Nate singing with distorted vocals. I also really like Waiting and Apologetic Theory. [i]What it is to Burn[/i] is a really great CD. My favorites off it is the opening track, "New Beginnings", and "Without You Here". I heard that they made a video for "Worms of the Earth" for some movie soundtrack. That's a really good song. They are also supposedly working on new songs, too.