@goty:

Kids these days are awesome. One starts at episode 60, the other guy wants something "realistic and dark like Naruto". Go you.

Wow i really stirred up people with my thread didn't I? Naruto so far is the only anime i've ever watched, so for me yes it's dark because it's the only one i have watched and don't know what your concept of dark is. I don't understand why people are getting so angry about my question, and I never mentioned "realistic", it's an anime for god sakes I'm not looking for realism.

@freedom:

@OP - RuranLD was it. You've stepped on a virtual land mine with your words.
Either way, your phrasing could have been better, but coming on a board dedicated to the series you have questions on, and then asking if the show has any real development or character growth after only watching 10 episodes out of the current 460 is just a bit presumptuous.

Give the show a chance to develop and see if it answers your questions and meets your expectations.

I'm sorry, i did not mean to insult people - as of late I've just been very busy with work and so I've been trying to find a anime i can load up on my iPod and watch during moments of downtime, i had heard good things about One Piece - and it was hundreds of episodes in so it was a great match. I just wanted to make sure that the anime would develop further, i did not want to run into a situation where I had watched 100+ episodes and virtually nothing had changed. One again i meant no insult to anyone or the series. I'm up to the fishmen arc and it's pretty great, I'm enjoying the anime so far and the story of Nami was pulling on the ol' heart strings some (i kept imagining my daughter in that situation).

@Badass:

I wouldn't really call Naruto dark. At all.

More like Glossy!Black.

Well the most recent parts with Pain and such i think are pretty dark, but i also have not seen many anime so i don't really have much to compare it to. So far the answers are curbing my worries, though i have to ask what the hell is up with Ussop's (sp) nose?

Well, i was not as much saying that Naruto has great storytelling (bad choice of words on my part) as much as that the character has aspects which allow them to explore the darker part of him - being a rubber man did not really seem to open up that sort of avenue. It's great to hear that character development is strong, does the art style also evolve some over the course of the show? Because the beginning episodes seem.. well.. dated, but that's to be expected from episodes made in 1999 i imagine.

I've started watching One Piece and i am currently on episode 10, i've heard it's a great Anime but something i'm concerned about is the light hearted feel of the show, does it become more serious at any point along the way? Are there character conflicts, development, etc? All i've seen so far is a rubber kid that, besides his relationship with that red headed pirate, has absolutely no conflicts with himself and is set in what he wants with no other qualms in the world. I don't know if this will hold my attention. Take Naruto, for example, he has the internal conflict with the demon and society shunning him and it makes for great character development and story telling. I ramble some, so in essence i'm asking if the show eventually takes routes that have darker stories and actual character development and and realism and such.

Thanks,
Ruran