Reddit mentions of Shonen Jump Magazine #14, Volume 2, Issue 2, February 2004 (The World's Most Popular Manga)

I bought this February 2004. It was a big Shonen Jump magazine that contained chapters from multiple manga.

I can't remember why I bought that exactly. I think I saw it for cheap and wanted it. It may been in one of those book selling handouts they gave out in school. I can't remember if I had even heard of Naruto before I read the chapter. I think I knew of its existence but wanted to learn more about it because it sounded interesting. I had probably hoped DBZ and Rurouni Kenshin were in the magazine at the time too because I was really into those.

Anyway the the Shonen Magazine covered multiple chapters of the Haku & Zabuza fight. I looked back at these chapters and now that I think about it they're very very visually impressive looking chapters. Sasuke using his fire jutsu on Haku's mirror's, etc. I may have not gotten hooked if it were other chapters.

I don't remember why but the time the anime came out in the U.S. I had already lost interest. I didn't want to buy chapters of Naruto I think because I was buying chapters of Rurouni Kenshin. I eventually got interested in Naruto again in late 2005 or early 2006 and quit again in like 2007 to pick it back up in late 2010.