Looking back at my detest for Naruto, I always thought Naruto was a stupid and inaccurate portrail of ninja, especially ninjas that shout on the top of their lungs or announce themselves let alone wearing colourful attractive garments.
But then again, my knowledge of ninja is how Hollywood portrait it to me. Even I know ninjas can't vanish in a cloud of smoke or turn into logs or such.
The thing with Naruto and some ninja movies : they treat Ninja / Shinobi as some kind of superhero.
Different ninja with different power to show off.
That's not what Ninja is supposed to be.
SEGA described it best what Ninja / Shinobi is in Sakura Taisen :
"To remain hidden.
That's what Shinobi means.
Those who execute their mission undetected."