NARUTO
Created by Masashi Kishimoto, Naruto is one of the world's most popular pop-culture franchises, spanning 72 original manga volumes, multiple anime television series, 11 feature films, and extensive video game releases. The story follows Naruto Uzumaki, a hyperactive young ninja who harbors the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox sealed inside him, on his quest to gain recognition and become Hokage of Konohagakure.
Cronologia
Panoramica
Created by Masashi Kishimoto, Naruto began as a pilot chapter in 1997 before its official serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1999.
The core narrative spans 700 chapters collected across 72 tankōbon volumes, along with spin-offs such as Naruto Gaiden and the sequel series Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and Boruto: Two Blue Vortex.
The franchise's broadcast presence includes four main animated series produced by Studio Pierrot totaling over 1,000 episodes, alongside 11 feature-length animated films, dozens of video games spanning handheld and home consoles, light novels, and stage productions. With over 220 million copies of the original manga printed in 35 countries by October 2014, it stands among the best-selling manga properties in history. The IP has also expanded into live-action theater, official kabuki, theme parks in Japan and Shanghai, and an upcoming Hollywood live-action feature film directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.
Origini
The roots of Naruto trace back to the summer 1997 issue of Akamaru Jump, where Masashi Kishimoto published an initial one-shot pilot. In this early draft, Naruto was depicted as the son of a fox demon rather than a human host.
Unhappy with the original art and story despite positive poll feedback, Kishimoto completely overhauled the concept to center around a hidden world of ninja, drawing significant thematic inspiration from Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball. The revamped saga officially launched in Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1999.
It introduced Naruto Uzumaki, an orphaned ninja shunned by the Hidden Leaf Village due to the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox sealed inside him twelve years earlier by the Fourth Hokage. Seeking to overcome his isolation and earn the village's respect, Naruto resolves to become the Hokage, initiating a coming-of-age journey alongside teammates Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno under sensei Kakashi Hatake.
Personaggi
I PEZZI DI NARUTO
Collezionismo
Naruto boasts a wide array of official merchandise and collectibles that have expanded continuously since the early 2000s. The franchise features an established collectible card game, extensive lines of high-end action figures, apparel, stationery kits, and home decor items.
Beyond standard anime figures, Naruto has made a major mark through official high-fashion and streetwear capsule collaborations with major global brands, including Nike, Adidas, Coach, BAPE, Champion, and Primitive. In 2022, Chinese phone company Realme released a dedicated Naruto-themed edition of the GT Neo 3 smartphone for tech collectors. The franchise's physical footprint also encompasses immersive collector attractions, including two official permanent theme parks opened in 2019 across Japan and Shanghai, as well as theatrical stage programs like Live Spectacle Naruto and traditional kabuki adaptations.
Curiosità
• In the 1997 pilot chapter, Naruto was originally conceived as the son of a demon fox rather than a human ninja host. • Volume 7 of the English manga release won the prestigious Quill Award in 2006.
• In 2022, Chinese smartphone brand Realme released an officially licensed Naruto-themed GT Neo 3 phone. • The franchise was adapted into a traditional Japanese kabuki play that toured Japan in 2018. • Dedicated Naruto theme parks opened in both Japan and Shanghai in 2019.
Film
• Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow (2004): Team 7 escorts an actress to the Land of Snow. • Naruto the Movie: Legend of the Stone of Gelel (2005): Naruto, Shikamaru, and Sakura get involved in a conflict over a powerful mineral. • Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom (2006): Team 7 protects a prince in a tropical kingdom. • Naruto Shippūden the Movie (2007): Naruto protects a priestess named Shion who predicts his death. • Naruto Shippūden the Movie: Bonds (2008): Sky ninja attack Konoha, forcing Naruto and Sasuke to cross paths.
• Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Will of Fire (2009): Naruto fights to save Kakashi from sacrificing himself to stop a war. • Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Lost Tower (2010): Naruto travels back in time and fights alongside his father Minato. • Naruto Shippūden the Movie: Blood Prison (2011): Naruto is sent to Hozuki Castle after being framed for an attack. • Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie (2012): Naruto and Sakura are trapped in an alternate reality created by Tobi. • The Last: Naruto the Movie (2014): Canonical film bridging chapters 699 and 700 during a lunar crisis. • Boruto: Naruto the Movie (2015): Canonical entry introducing Boruto Uzumaki and the Ōtsutsuki invasion.
Serie TV
• Naruto (2002–2007): Original 220-episode series animated by Studio Pierrot, covering Naruto's early years. • Naruto: Shippūden (2007–2017): 500-episode sequel series following Naruto's return after his training journey.
• Rock Lee & His Ninja Pals (2012–2013): 51-episode comedic SD spin-off centered on Rock Lee. • Boruto: Naruto Next Generations (2017–2023): 293-episode anime series following Naruto's son and the next generation of ninja.
Videogiochi
• Naruto: Konoha Ninpōchō (2003, WonderSwan Color): The franchise's first officially released video game. • Naruto: Ultimate Ninja / NarutettSu Hero Series (2003–2007, PS2): Fighting game franchise created by CyberConnect2. • Naruto: Clash of Ninja / Gekitō Ninja Taisen! Series (2003–2010, GameCube/Wii): 3D fighting game series developed by Eighting. • Naruto: Ninja Council Series (2003–2010, GBA/DS): Handheld side-scrolling action platformer series. • Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles 1 & 2 (2005–2006, PS2): 3D action-adventure titles with original story elements. • Naruto: Rise of a Ninja (2007, Xbox 360): Open-world action-RPG developed by Ubisoft Montreal. • Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes Series & Impact (2007–2011, PSP): Portable action and fighting releases. • Naruto: The Broken Bond (2008, Xbox 360): Ubisoft Montreal's open-world sequel.
• Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm (2008, PS3): Debut entry in CyberConnect2's flagship arena fighting series. • Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 (2010, PS3/Xbox 360): Sequel covering the Akatsuki and Pain arcs. • Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 / Full Burst (2013, PS3/Xbox 360/PC): Entry expanding into the Fourth Shinobi World War. • Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution (2014, PS3/Xbox 360/PC): Fighting entry featuring combination jutsu and Mech-Naruto. • Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 / Road to Boruto (2016–2017, PS4/Xbox One/PC): Conclusion to the Storm storyline with Boruto era content. • Naruto x Boruto: Ninja Voltage (2017, iOS/Android): Mobile strategy and action defense title. • Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker (2018, PS4/Xbox One/PC): Online 4v4 team-based multiplayer game. • Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections (2023, Multiplatform): Arena fighter retrospective with an original story campaign.
Libri & Fumetti
• Naruto Pilot One-Shot (1997): Original concept chapter published in Akamaru Jump. • Naruto Original Manga (1999–2014): The core 700-chapter manga written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. • Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring / Naruto Gaiden (2015): Sequel manga focused on Sarada Uchiha. • Naruto Hiden & Shinden Light Novels (2015–2019): Prose epilogue series detailing life after Chapter 699.
• Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Manga (2016–2023): 20-volume continuation manga by Ukyō Kodachi, Masashi Kishimoto, and Mikio Ikemoto. • Naruto Retsuden Light Novels (2019): Novel trilogy focusing on Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi. • Sasuke's Story & Konoha's Story Manga Adaptations (2022–2023): Shonen Jump+ manga adaptations of the light novels. • Naruto: The Whorl Within the Spiral (2023): One-shot manga written and drawn by Kishimoto focusing on Minato Namikaze. • Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Manga (2023–Present): Timeskip Part 2 manga serialized monthly in V Jump.
