My favorite show of all time is Naruto. If any fans out there want to get into the specifics, I’m especially a fan of Naruto: Shippuden. If you’re unfamiliar, Naruto is a Japanese manga series written by Masashi Kishimoto. Its anime companion aired in 2002 and was completed in 2007. Subsequently, Shippuden began in 2007 and would go on to air until the year 2017. If you’re counting, that’s 15 years worth of television. I consumed it all in a singular summer. On a whim, I decided to revisit the show, which I had completed back in 2019, at the end of winter break.
My second viewing reignited my passion for the story, and I’ve since picked up the spinoff series, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. While Boruto’s quality both anime and manga wise is debated among those who belong in the fandom, I fell in love with the new storyline regardless. While I’m currently in the midst of rekindling my interest in the franchise, I’m also enrolled in a graduate course called Higher Education in Film. The course encourages the use of popular culture as a form of pedagogy and practicing Student Development Theory. Equipped with this new critical eye, I found myself wondering what about the series can be applied. From closer examination, I realized that the characterization, relationship dynamics, and themes of the show stand strong against the test of time. Naruto is not a film, but a few of its elements are certainly applicable to practice.
The Necessity of Empathy
As the series protagonist, Naruto inevitably encounters a wide array of villains. These villains come in all forms and threat levels, some more mysterious than others. What makes the villains of the story so dynamic is the way that they interact with their own universe. Like many fictional pieces, many pieces of the plot can be decoded into real-life concepts. Examples include but are not limited to discrimination, class stratification, and fascism. As such, each villain is equipped with a detailed back story. Once that story unfolds, audiences may question whether the villain is in the wrong or not based on their newfound information. While most villains in the Narutoverse commit some down right bad actions against the village that Naruto protects, he always finds it in his heart to have empathy for the plight of his foes.
I implore you to think of the villages in this universe as our residential communities. Our job is to keep those communities and those who reside within safe and secure. This means addressing and putting a stop to threats in the most feasible way. Sometimes, our communities face bigger challenges from the outside. More often, we face smaller threats from the inside. Maybe it’s a resident pulling the fire alarm. Perhaps, it’s property damage. These things may ring bells as unfortunate events that lead students to the seats in our offices. However, it is also up to us as the leaders and protectors of our community to dig deep into why some behaviors may occur. If the aim of conduct is to do more than to discipline, to also provide aid in growth and development, it may require a lot of empathy and listening skills. This goes for both paraprofessional and senior staff members.
Strength in Community
One of the most pivotal themes in Naruto comes from its emphasis on community and the strength found in bonds. On his journey, the protagonist faces a great many challenges. However, he is never alone, and cites the source of his community and friendships formed in The Leaf Village as his strength and support system. There are many challenges Naruto may have once lacked the strength to overcome, but his community was there to lift him. That said, Naruto has a complex relationship with the community. Having previously be ostracized due to aspects of his identity, he was not always accepted by the village that he protects. Watching him navigate the feelings at that intersection is often an emotional punch in the series. That said, it was primarily made feasible through the guidance and care of his various mentors over the years.
We tout the mission of building community in our halls often. In fact, the community aspect of the American College experience is revered as one of the most important. Naturally, reslife professionals encourage their students to engage with others and to engage with the campus around them. But for many of our students, the history of the spaces purposefully exclude their identities. We may encourage them to flourish, but the reality is that many of the barriers intentionally created to cause the failure of marginalized identities are very much still there. In our roles, we act as mentors and guides in this realm as well. It is our job to be aware of this history and make our residential communities spaces that are inclusive and welcoming, while also acknowledging the sour roots of our institutions.
The Importance of Collaboration
This may be a major spoiler for a series that’s been complete for seven years now, but the story ends well with a newly formed peace treaty amongst all of the universe’s villages. Rather than turning against each other, the plot’s circumstances brought the village leaders to establish a new era of cooperation and collaboration. This new era is covered in the spinoff series. In their cooperation, villages organize intentional meetings, protect each other equally, and provide each other with resources when necessary. Relationships across villages are also encouraged. The era is not without its flaws, having led to some interesting new changes in all of the villages and introducing new social challenges, but for the most part it is implemented with the intention of creating a broader collective community.
We should encourage similar relationship building among our communities. Be it collaboration with other communities in your area, working together with campus partners external to reslife, or simple cross-building programs. The beauty of collaboration is that it leaves room for new ideas and the formulation of great relationships. Many of us know from experience that these crossovers are also not always without flaw, but the bonds that bloom from collaboration on campus are well worth it.
I want to note that this is my own perception of connections drawn from the series. If there’s one thing I’ve learned so far in my new course, it’s that positionality has a large influence on how you perceive and consume your media. With that said, others may have differing perspectives and conceptualization of Naruto’s overarching themes. These should also be acknowledged and explored. Overall from my view, Naruto has some amazing messages about the pillars of empathy, community and collaboration that we reslife folks could certainly take to heart in our every day work.
