Naruto Anime Director Says Its Pacing Was “Good at the Time” but Now Feels “Slow” Compared to Modern Anime

Hayato Date, the director behind the original Naruto anime and Naruto: Shippuden, has offered a candid look at the series’ pacing and admitted that some of it feels surprisingly slow to him today. Speaking during a panel at Anime India in Mumbai, Date was asked about the way he handled pacing while directing Naruto and its sequel. Looking back more than two decades later, the director acknowledged that Japanese animation has changed considerably, with many modern series moving through their…