Every fandom has its fair share of notorious and toxic fans and Naruto is no exception to that. Things do tend to go overboard at times, which is deeply concerning. It isn’t surprising considering how this has been going on for far too long. But this incident had fans in splits as well as confused.

Team 7 in a still from Naruto | Credit: Studio Pierrot

An Oregon man’s attack on a Tesla station garnered a variety of responses, ranging from anger to disgust. Some even questioned his motives, but for Naruto fans, they had an interesting move up their sleeve. What, you may ask? Well, it was to guess the hidden village he’s from and here’s why.

Oregon Man’s shenanigans left Naruto fans puzzled

It would be a gross understatement to call Naruto popular considering the cult fanbase it has. From kids to adults, Masashi Kishimoto influenced many lives through his work. But what truly stands out is the series’ ability to motivate and change lives.

To this day, fans have opened up about how the series affected them in the best way. It helped them change for the better, and little do people realize anime’s impact on society. It isn’t a mere medium but is a powerful storytelling that can change a person on the whole.

Naruto and Sasuke’s final battle at The Valley of the End | Credit: Studio Pierrot

It is understandable especially if a story stems from personal experience. Kishimoto’s own need to be acknowledged was one of the reasons why he created the manga. But his zeal and passion birthed one of the iconic ninja stories in the Shonen genre.

Even after years, fans pay their homage to the series through art, animation, and cosplay. The fandom never dies, it is true. But sometimes, fans can do questionable and controversial things. This also brings the fan community under contempt, which is what happened with this recent incident in Oregon.

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A man dressed in black, seen sporting a Naruto headband, attacked a Tesla station with fire. And while some people raised concerns about this behaviour, fans on r/Naruto were in splits regarding his shenanigans. They went so far as to guess his village name and it was hilarious, to say the least.

What village do you guys think he’s from byu/dc5antonio inNaruto

But does that absolve the individual of his crime? Not, especially since it concerns fandom and the reputation of the series on the whole. There are fans and fanatics in every community. Beyond that lies an aspect no one talks about.

Fans, fanatics and everything beyond

We talked about how toxic fanaticism is ruining anime spaces. They add to the notorious reputation of every fan community. This usually has to do with their reviewbombing, death threats, or disliking episodes. The vileness is real with some fans, but there are upsides to that as well.

Konan in a still from the anime | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Some take the cosplay culture in stride. Such is the case with this group who cosplayed as Akatsuki and did charity, helping out the people in the village. They distributed rations and food within the village, but the charity didn’t go unnoticed as their news took the internet by storm.

Fans poured in their gratitude and commented on the true essence of Kishimoto’s story. The original Akatsuki was aimed at peace, harmony and goodwill. Little does the mangaka know how he influences the society through his characters, but that is not it.

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We see two incidents completely different. Both are fans yet we need to understand when fan behaviour takes on the guise of fanaticism. As hilarious as the Tesla attack may seem like, it is deeply concerning for both society and the fandom.

Naruto is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Shueisha’s Manga Plus app.
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