Naruto has been going all out for the anime adaptation’s 20th Anniversary, and it has celebrated with some special new key art for the occasion! Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto franchise is at a much different place from when it all began all those years ago. Since the anime first premiered, it has launched not only a long running TV anime series, but a slate of feature film releases, video games, spin-offs, and even a full sequel series that is continuing with new episodes to this day. With the anime first kicking off on October 3, 2002 in Japan, it might be eye-opening for many fans to realize just how long it’s been going on.
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations has been keeping the torch of the long running franchise alive for the last few years, but now it’s time for the series proper to come back as part of the celebration for the anime’s 20th Anniversary overall. As fans gear up for whatever major celebration the anime could have planned for the future, one new poster for the Naruto series highlights some of the biggest moments from the pre-Shippuden era of the series. You can check it out below as released by Viz Media:
The story of #NARUTO and other young Shinobi with hearts of gold has changed the world and touched the hearts of millions in the last 20 years. pic.twitter.com/1nxSBGpKr4
— VIZ (@VIZMedia) October 2, 2022
Even though 20 years have passed since Naruto’s anime first premiered in Japan, the franchise is now bigger than it ever has been before. The series is still one of the biggest releases to ever come out of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, and much of that is due to the success of the anime around the world. It remains one of the most recognizable series to many anime fans, and is likely one of the first that an entire generation of anime lovers grew up as their first big experience.
The sequel series has been continuing with new chapters every month, and new episodes of the anime every week. Continuing Naruto’s story through his son, Boruto, the sequel has been showing just how much the Hidden Leaf Village has changed since the original series. But as it changes, the threats and fights have been getting bigger too so it’s likely that the series will grow even more before it’s all over.
How do you feel about Naruto 20 years later? What are some of your favorite moments from the anime’s run overall? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animated and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!