Neji was one of the first rivals that Naruto had to face off against, who truly believed that Naruto’s ninja way was nonsense. This positioned both Neji and Naruto as absolute foils to each other for the Chunin Exams and would allow for the victor’s beliefs to be the ones deemed worthy of the narrative. For most Naruto fans, this fight was a huge step in the right direction for our protagonist as he managed to assert his belief that hard work and determination are enough to change anyone’s destiny, especially your own. However, keen-minded fans may have realized that as the series continued into Naruto Shippuden, suddenly Neji’s assertions began to ring more and more true. Throughout his entire fight with Naruto, he proclaimed that people are set in the destiny they are born to and that there is no changing those truths, and even though our protagonist fought tooth and nail to disprove this, the eventual narrative may have proved the Genin right.

As Naruto Shippuden marched confidently towards its eventual climax and resolution, many things came to light through the many battles fought by our protagonists. Early on in Shippuden, Naruto continued his hard work and mastered and created multiple techniques and jutsus to aid him in the oncoming strife. Yet the crux of Naruto’s final arc boiled down to a cycle of reincarnation that has Naruto and Sasuke as two halves of a whole savior prophecy, meaning that all things leading up to that point in the series were parts of Naruto’s eventual “destiny.”

A Clash of Destiny

This matchup between Neji and Naruto seemed destined to come about, as much of the Chunin exams’ one-on-one matches consisted of genius Genin facing off against determined Genin. As thematic as the trend was, there were certainly moments where it appeared our hero might lose, but the reality of the matter is that during these competitions, the fans were set to learn just how they should view the world of Naruto. Naruto fought for the sake of “weaklings” who wanted to rise above the way they were perceived and wanted to win for the sake of Hinata and Rock Lee, who lost during the previous matches of the exams. As the two clashed, Neji regaled his past and how he was born to a destiny that he could not change. By the end of the battle, Naruto had proven to Neji that, according to his ninja way, anyone could craft their destiny and break free of their predetermined lives.

This faceoff was, in a sense, destined as well, as the two Genin were diametrically opposed, and only one of them could emerge victorious, proving the other’s views as inferior beliefs. Even with the fight being dominated by Neji’s overwhelming techniques, the battle boiled down to the fact that Neji consistently underestimated those he felt weren’t destined for greatness. Neji was blinded by his belief system, and on the opposite side of that coin was Naruto, who was liberated and empowered by his personal beliefs. Naruto drove forward, creating his destiny as he tapped into Kurama’s chakra to down his opponent and demonstrate just how capable he was of changing his path.

[RELATED: Naruto Has Better Fights Than Dragon Ball, and Here’s Why]

The Man Destined for Greatness

Much of early Naruto, such as the showdown between Neji and Naruto, insisted that the young ninja was simply a product of grit and determination. Yet, every fan who watched further into Naruto, as well as Naruto Shippuden, would soon realize that Naruto may be more than a hardworking Shinobi. The narrative of the series truly begins to lend itself to a savior story during the Shippuden war arc as Naruto rapidly begins surpassing characters left and right and is even revealed to be one-half of the reincarnated “God of Shinobi.” If that’s not destiny, we’re not sure what is. This simple fact alone is enough to condemn Naruto to be a bit full of himself and to gratify any long-standing Neji fan, but there are still many earlier moments that set Naruto apart from a basic, hardworking character.

Going through a handful of Naruto’s victories, it quickly becomes evident that much of his success stems from the Tailed Beast sealed inside of him, as well as the large reserve of chakra his lineage had granted him. Suddenly, there’s substantially more context to Neji vs. Naruto, and it wasn’t some underdog ninja facing a clan’s genius, but two genin granted power beyond much of the ninja world fighting it out to defend the concepts they respect the most. With all of this in mind, it is easy to quickly dismiss the savior of the Shinobi world as a hypocrite, but there is still something to be said for Naruto’s undying will to fight for those under him and even inspire them to become better versions of themselves.

The post Neji Was Right, Naruto Was Destined For Greatness the Whole Time appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In Naruto, many things repeat from one generation to the next. This includes how ninjas fight and how they fall in love. Naruto didn’t just become Hokage like his dad, Minato. He also married someone who shares many of his traits, albeit with an added demure factor cranked to 11 with Hinata Hyuga. After all, his parents both had personalities that were polar opposites. Minato was calm and steady, whereas Kushina was loud and strong. In the same way, Naruto is loud and bold, while Hinata is quiet and introverted on the outside, and strong on the inside. 

These relationships show how people with seemingly opposite personalities can love and support each other. Before Kushina died, she told Naruto to find someone like her — someone who’d love him as deeply and be as loyal to him. But that person turned out to be closer to Minato in personality. Even more interestingly, the anime acknowledges this parallel repeatedly. Throughout the show, there are many big moments that connect both love stories, showing how just like dreams and duties, love too is passed down.

Naruto Is All Kushina, Hinata Is Basically Minato With Bangs

From the moment Naruto bursts onto the scene, he’s a mess of energy and emotion. He talks too much, gets into fights, and acts first, thinks later. Think that sounds familiar? That was Kushina back in the day. She had a short fuse, a big heart, and was famous for decking people who annoyed her (or tried to kidnap her). Cut from that same cloth, Naruto is basically The Red-Hot Habanero 2.0, with his official moniker in the family being Konoha’s Orange Spark.

In contrast, Minato was always shown to be calm, cool, and terrifyingly smart. He had that quiet confidence that didn’t need volume. And in Naruto’s relationship, that’s Hinata. Even though Hinata and Minato seem unlike each other at first, they both share the same calm courage. Fans were also quick to point out the tangible visual parallels from the anime on Reddit. 

In Episode 350, Minato stands motionless as he teleports a tailed-beast bomb away from the village, and then reappears discreetly to save his wife and son, ultimately sacrificing his life for his family and village. When faced with a threat to one she loves, Hinata does the same. In Episode 166, she walks between Naruto and Pain, in the process declaring her love for the former while fighting the deadly Akatsuki leader, knowing she will die but willing to take that risk if it means saving Naruto. 

One Fell First, the Other Took a While to Catch Up

When Kushina first arrived at the ninja academy, she shared a class with her future husband and loudly declared her desire to become the first female Hokage. Minato noted her bright red hair and bold attitude right away. And while other students teased her, Minato just watched and admired her. Despite this, Kushina initially found Minato  “weird” and “unreliable”, and even thought he was stalking her. It took Minato saving her from the Hidden Cloud shinobi that had kidnapped her for Kushina to finally see the hero hiding behind his quiet exterior.

Much like Minato, Hinata’s story was just as one-sided at first. She liked Naruto from the beginning, but Naruto thought she was “weird.” He was always kind to her, but didn’t understand her shyness around him. Eventually, however, just like Kushina realized Minato was something special, Naruto caught on. The Last: Naruto the Movie showed him finally connecting the dots and realizing that Hinata was always there, always rooting for him. She may have fallen first, but he fell harder and that rest was history.

[RELATED – 10 Most Controversial Times Naruto Was Censored]

The Visual Parallels Between the Two

Moreover, Naruto’s visual storytelling also shows us parallels between Hinata and Minato. There are many instances where we see panel-to-panel and frame-to-frame parallels of the two’s relationship in the manga and anime. For example, in a scene where Hinata and Naruto go to Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto gets queasy and goes to throw up after being overly full while Hinata reaches out to pats his back. This is a direct parallel to Minato and Kushina, where Kushina got queasy in the same Ramen stall and Minato reached out to her in the exact same way.

Additionally, in a postcard art imagining a teenage Naruto with his parents, Naruto can be seen leaving through the window with his breakfast held between his teeth while Kushina rages. This is eerily similar to an artwork from Boruto where Naruto’s son also leaves through the window with his breakfast. But instead of Boruto’s mother raging, it’s Naruto who shouts at his son. It is also significant that the defining moment that solidified both of these relationships had one partner carrying the other with the full moon shining in the background.

Even Their Kids Are a Throwback

Even the next generation mirrors the last. One of Naruto’s children is calm and collected, while the other is a powerhouse of emotions. In Boruto Episode 18, Himawari got mad after Naruto accidentally ruined her toy. She punched him once and knocked the Hokage who can tank Rasenshurikens out cold. This is a funny moment, but it also shows just how much of Kushina’s fiery blood runs through Himawari. 

Meanwhile, Boruto, too, starts off as a hothead in Next Generations, but becomes much much more emotionally reserved in Two Blue Vortex. He’s got Hinata’s cool vibe and Minato’s “I’ll show you how good I am, quietly” energy, not being the type to shout unless he really has to. That just goes to show how deep Minato and Kushina’s DNA runs. 

The post Naruto Basically Married His Dad (And Fans Agree) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

If you have been an anime fan since the early 2000s or earlier, it’s probably safe to assume your first few anime were one of the Big Three of the shonen jump genre: One Piece, Bleach, or Naruto (and as an honorable mention, Dragon Ball). All of these combined majestic world building, fleshed out characters, and engaging story arcs to immerse fans in worlds that would normally feel bizarre but held up very well thanks to the authors’ writing. If not anything else, the shonen genre’s fight scenes and choreography are often the center of countless discussions and debates among the fandom. 

Out of these classics, my personal favorites have to be Dragon Ball and Naruto. As I rewatch these anime known for their high-stakes battles, I wonder which of these two legendary anime have better fight scenes and choreography. Each fan has a unique perspective on which anime performed better depending on their movies, budget, frames-per-second ratios, etc. But in my personal humble opinion, Naruto has better fights than Dragon Ball and in this article, I’m going to dive into exactly why I think that.

[RELATED – Dragon Ball Super Artist Returns With New Goku & Vegeta Team Up]

Naruto’s Strategic Fights and Balanced Power Scaling

What sets Naruto’s fights apart is its emphasis on strategy over brute force. Everything in Naruto has complex moves involved. When Naruto Uzumaki, who’s not even known for being a strategic planner, faces challenging opponents, each battle almost feels like a chess match. For instance, in the Chunin Exams arc, Naruto’s fight against Neji showcases his ingenuity, using misdirection to land a decisive blow. Some fights, like Shikamaru vs. Temari, show viewers how a previously underestimate character can use his massive talents to secure the upper hand, yet know when to quit while ahead, serving a strong lesson on tactics in Naruto. At the same time, we learn that hard work (Naruto Uzumaki) does have a chance against talent (Neji Hyuga). 

In the same arc, Rock Lee’s fight against Gaara was among the best animated and choreographed fights in the entire anime despite Lee’s clear disadvantage against a powerhouse like Gaara. Almost everyone thought Gaara would win with no trouble, but there are so many jutsus, different classes of power, and innate abilities like Kekkei Genkai, Genjutsu, Taijutsu, and much more, that the anime is able to give a lot of variety in action and comprehension. You don’t see the same fighting sequence that often and battles depend more upon an intricate combination of technique, tactics, and talent than brute force. This strategic depth makes every encounter unpredictable and engaging, as raw power rarely secures victory.

In contrast, Dragon Ball often leans on linear power scaling, where the strongest fighter typically wins. Goku’s battles are thrilling but revolve too much around who can unleash the bigger energy blast or achieve the next transformation. Many fans have echoed this sentiment, noting that Dragon Ball Z’s fights, like Goku versus Frieza, prioritize spectacle over nuance, with power-ups like Super Saiyan escalating the stakes but simplifying the outcome. 

Naruto’s power scaling, however, feels less rigid. Characters like Shikamaru, who lacks overwhelming strength, can defeat stronger foes like Hidan through intellect and planning, keeping fights varied and grounded. This balance ensures that Naruto’s battles reward creativity, making them more compelling to me as a viewer and to everyone who values brains alongside brawn.

Choreography and Animation: Naruto’s Fluid Precision

Regarding fight choreography and animation, Naruto delivers a masterclass in fluid, expressive combat. Studio Pierrot’s work, particularly in arcs like Sasuke Retrieval or the Pain arc, brings a cinematic quality to the battles. The choreography is intricate, seamlessly blending hand-to-hand taijutsu, ninja tools, and jutsu techniques. 

A great example of this is Kakashi’s fight against Obito in the Kamui dimension. You can’t help but be mesmerized by the dynamic camera angles, the weight of each punch, and the emotional stakes reflected in every move. The fight also makes great use of flashbacks, something the anime is normally criticized for. The animation amplifies these moments with vibrant colors and smooth transitions, making the fights feel alive.

Dragon Ball, while iconic, often relies on repetitive animation cycles, especially in Dragon Ball Z. Fights like Goku versus Vegeta are thrilling but feature prolonged staring contests, reused energy beam sequences, and less varied choreography. And while Dragon Ball Super improved with crisper animation, it still leans heavily on power clashes over complex movements. Naruto’s fights, by contrast, feel meticulously crafted, with each arc introducing fresh visual styles and combat dynamics that keep the action engaging.

However, I must acknowledge Akira Toriyama’s genius in manga paneling as a counterpoint to where Dragon Ball shines. Toriyama’s clean, dynamic layouts in the Dragon Ball manga make every punch and ki blast feel monumental. His use of angles and pacing creates a sense of unmatched speed and impact, influencing countless artists. 

Of course, Naruto’s manga, drawn by Masashi Kishimoto, is no slouch either. Kishimoto’s detailed artwork and creative paneling, especially in battles like Rock Lee versus Gaara, convey motion and emotion equally. While Toriyama’s paneling is legendary, Naruto matches it with its flair, ensuring its fights remain visually stunning in both manga and anime.

The post Naruto Has Better Fights Than Dragon Ball, and Here’s Why appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Anime has long captivated audiences with its breathtaking sword fights, blending artistry, emotion, and raw intensity. Japan already has a rich history revolving around sword fighting and that history is reflected in the anime world as well. Every year, a bunch of anime with intense swordplay makes it to streaming sites for fans to eagerly devour. From clashing blades to profound character-driven narratives, the sword fights in these anime transcend action. They showcase themes of honor, sacrifice, and growth, be it Zoro from One Piece or Sung Jin Woo of Solo Leveling. (Combat with replicas from Mini Katana is strongly discouraged, even if they’re realistic enough to make you feel as powerful as your favorite anime character.)

But one question arises: what are the best sword fights in the history of anime? Fans can’t help but debate the swordsmanship of popular titles like Demon Slayer and Sword Art Online. Which is why that’s the question this article is going to answer. Drawing from both iconic classics and recent gems, here are the best sword fights in anime history where every swing of the blade tells a story of determination, skill, and heart. Whether it’s a test of strength, a clash of ideologies, or a fight for survival, these moments define the pinnacle of anime swordsmanship.

1) Asta vs. Conrad – Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King

In the movie, Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King, Asta’s clash with Conrad is a spectacle of raw determination against overwhelming power. Asta, wielding his anti-magic swords, faces Conrad’s key magic in a high-stakes battle to save the Clover Kingdom. To make things even more challenging, Conrad’s magic was highly compatible with the legendary Imperial Sword: Elsdocia.

The choreography in the fight is electrifying. At first, Asta tries to get close to Conrad and hit him with his Anti-magic swords to undo his key magic, but Conrad is no slouch either. He dodges all of Asta’s attacks and then uses Elsdocia to become even stronger and dominate Asta so much that he’s able to stab him, seemingly winning the battle. But with sheer willpower, refusal to give up, and love for his comrades, Asta unlocks his anti-magic further and goes on to deliver a final slash which pierces Conrad, ending the fight in Asta’s favor. 

2) Sasuke vs. Killer Bee – Naruto Shippuden

In Episode 143 of Naruto Shippuden, Sasuke was ordered by Tobi to bring in the Eight Tails Jinchuriki, Killer Bee. With his freshly awakened Mangekyo Sharingan, most fans thought the last Uchiha would win the fight without breaking a sweat. But that turned out to be far from the case, giving birth to one of the best sword fights in anime history.

Against Bee’s eccentric yet acrobatic multi-sword style using seven swords, Sasuke’s Chidori-infused katana struggled to keep up. Not only was Bee incredibly unpredictable, he was also lightning-fast, pushing Sasuke’s Sharingan to its limits. The animation captured every clash with dynamic camera angles, highlighting the fluidity of Bee’s seven-sword dance and Sasuke’s calculated counters.

The fight reminded the younger Uchiha (and the audience) that while Sasuke may have succeeded in his goal of killing his brother, he only won because Itachi wanted him to. Sasuke was completely unequipped to deal with an opponent as strong and chaotic as Killer Bee when the latter wasn’t holding back against him. And had it not been for the rest of team Taka, the Uchiha would have likely met an early end at the hands of the series’ first perfect Jinchuriki.

3) Ichigo vs. Byakuya – Bleach

Ichigo’s showdown against Byakuya in Bleach’s Soul Society arc (Episodes 58-59) is a defining moment in the series, earning its spot among anime’s greatest sword fights. With a series so focused on distinctive armaments, it should come as no surprise that fans want to recreate these iconic moments and more with convincing props. At this point in the story, Byakuya’s unwillingness to stop his own sister’s execution clashes with Ichigo’s mission to save Rukia at any cost, adding emotional baggage to their encounter. Their clash reached its peak once both Shinigami activated their Bankai. While powerful in its own right, Ichigo’s raw and unpolished Bankai struggled against the full force of Byakuya’s elegant and petal-blade Senbonzakura. 

The sixth division captain even managed to paralyze Ichigo with a Hado and would have won if not for Ichigo’s Hollowfication. But the fight marked a moment of growth for Ichigo when he managed to break his Hollowfication mask and take back control of his body, establishing that if he was going to win this fight and save Rukia, it would be with his own strength. Which he ultimately managed to do with one final attack, making Byakuya admit defeat and earning his respect.

You can check out Mini Katana’s Bleach replicas here.

4) Zoro vs. King – One Piece

Zoro’s clash with King in One Piece’s Wano arc, Episode 1062 is a jaw-dropping display of two extremely strong swordmasters in action. Wielding his three-sword style, Zoro faces King’s fiery, pteranodon-enhanced blade work in a battle that tests his limits. As one of One Piece’s newer episodes, the animation is stunning, with vibrant flames and precise sword clashes illuminating the rooftop of Onigashima. 

Zoro’s struggle to unlock Conqueror’s Haki adds emotional depth, as he pushes past physical and mental barriers to overcome King’s near-invincible defense. The fight choreography is relentless, a mix of brute force and strategic combat as Zoro’s Enma sings against King’s katana. And the stakes are high with Zoro’s victory being crucial for the Straw Hats’ rebellion and its visual spectacle. The whole thing is a testament to Zoro’s growth as a swordsman, making this duel a pinnacle of One Piece’s action-packed legacy.

5) Sieg vs. Shirou – Fate/Apocrypha

The sword fight between Sieg and Shirou in Episode 24 of Fate/Apocrypha is a gripping clash of ideals and blades. Sieg uses Balmung to face off against Shirou’s divine authority in a battle that combines mythic grandeur with lots of emotion. The animation is on par with every other Fate series epilogue, Balmung’s radiant energy clashing against Shirou’s holy spear to create a visual feast of a fast-paced fight that seems very real. 

The choreography is striking and camera angles follow the fighters beautifully, keeping the tension high. Even better, this duel is more than physical – it’s a philosophical struggle between Sieg’s quest for freedom and Shirou’s authoritarian vision. Sieg’s growth as a hero, fueled by his bond with Jeanne, counteracts Shirou’s unyielding resolve, making this memorable anime sword fight stand out for both its depth and visuals.

[RELATED – 10 Most Controversial Times Naruto Was Censored]

6) Tengen Uzui vs. Gyutaro – Demon Slayer

Demon Slayer is all about specially crafted swords but there’s one swordfight that stands out among the rest. And that’s Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui’s battle against Upper Moon 6 Gyutaro in Season 2, Episode 7 of Demon Slayer’s Entertainment District arc. The whole fight is a dazzling display of flamboyant swordsmanship at its best. 

As one of the best-animated fights in the series, the intensity of this visual masterpiece is only amplified by Tengen’s teamwork with Tanjiro and others, showcasing his leadership under pressure. Tengen’s iconic dual Nichirin Blades, infused with his Sound Breathing, clash with Gyutaro’s blood sickles in a frenetic, high-stakes duel. Even after losing his left hand, Tengen still manages to fight on even footing against Gyutaro, ultimately winning with Tanjirou and Nezuko’s help.

You can check out Mini Katana’s Demon Slayer replicas here.

7) Kirito vs. General Eugene – Sword Art Online 

Kirito’s duel with General Eugene in Episode 20 of Sword Art Online Season 2 is an underrated one in the pack. His dual-wielding sword style clashes with Eugene’s massive longsword, creating a fast-paced sword fight in midair. But what makes this thrilling virtual showdown in Alfheim Online stand out is both parties’ use of unexpected tactics.

The fight starts with Eugene using his sword to shine sunlight into Kirito’s eyes, catching him off guard for a moment to create the perfect opening to begin his onslaught. Since Eugene’s sword Gram can phase through any weapon that tries to block it, he’s able to land hits on Kirito despite the two being more or less equal in skill. In a rare moment of sudden defeat, Kirito uses a smokescreen.

But this isn’t him running away. Instead, Kirito uses the smoke cover to borrow a sword from his partner. After that, he surprises Eugene by attacking from above and having figured out that Eugene’s sword cannot phase through multiple weapons at once, uses his borrowed sword to block him. With Eugene’s main advantage against Kirito gone, the latter is then able to quickly counterattack to win the fight.

8) Akame vs. Esdeath – Akame Ga Kill

The highly anticipated climactic battle between Akame and Esdeath in Akame Ga Kill is a heart-pounding clash of lethal swordplay. Akame’s Murasame is a one-cut-kill blade against Esdeath’s overwhelming ice-based abilities. The animation is gripping, the visuals are sharp, and the swordplay is absolutely masterful, with its most incredible moments and distinctive swords highly sought-after by fans.

The choreography is intense as Akame skillfully dodges Esdeath’s icy blows and sword attacks. Akame’s resolve to end Esdeath’s tyranny adds depth to the fight, as both warriors embody opposing ideals. And while the encounter faced criticism for deviating from the manga, it’s still a worthy culmination of two arcs, showcasing Akame’s growth and Esdeath’s unyielding dominance. 

You can check out Mini Katana’s Akame Ga Kill replicas here.

9) Sung Jinwoo vs. Igris – Solo Leveling 

Sung Jin-Woo’s fight against Igris in Solo Leveling Season 1 is a defining moment of his rise as a hunter, and his first step to becoming an S-Rank hunter. Before, he was having a hard time fighting off knight soldiers who kept on spawning endlessly. And as soon as Igris stepped in, the fight took a dramatic turn. 

Hunter Sung was easily overpowered, but he didn’t give up and kept on looking for Igris’s weakness and blindspots. Eventually, Jin-Woo was able to use his dagger to exploit a weakness in Igris’s armor, making him vulnerable to attacks. With relentless dagger stabs, Jin-Woo was finally able to win against Igris. 

The animation in this fight is smooth with constantly changing camera angles and perspectives that add tension. Every single frame gives goosebumps. Establishing this as a visually stunning and narratively rich sword fight that cements Solo Leveling’s place in anime action.

10) Zaraki Kenpachi vs. Retsu Unohana – Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War

Zaraki’s brutal clash with Unohana in Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War is an emotional masterpiece. Two of Soul Society’s fiercest swordsmen face off against each other in a battle that could destroy Soul Society. Zaraki’s unrestrained savagery meets Unohana’s refined, lethal blade work in a fight to awaken Kenpachi’s true potential and Bankai. 

This was one of the most awaited fights in the Bleach community as we finally got to see Unohana’s bankai, Minazuki, animated. The animation was visceral, with blood-soaked strikes and visuals capturing their ferocity. While at first, it seemed like an even matchup, Zaraki was quickly able to surpass Unohana once it was revealed that he had been unknowingly suppressing his strength since their fistfight when he was just a child, truly earning the title of Kenpachi as the strongest.

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Naruto, as a series, is defined by flashy ninjutsu, great hand-to-hand combat, and the ever-present Talk no Jutsu, and with all of that in mind, of course, the series features no shortage of review-worthy quotes. When it boils down to the ethos of the series, there were plenty of characters featured that acted as both a conduit for the themes and foils to the themes. Naruto often acted as the direct representation of hard work and heroic themes, as he was usually the change he wanted to see in the world. However, during his face-off with Neji during the Chunin exams, we saw one of his peers from the village he valued so deeply directly challenge Naruto’s ideologies. Not only was Neji viewed as more skilled than Naruto, but he quickly asserted his assumed superiority over our young protagonist throughout the entire match.

Or, perhaps more correctly, Neji’s superiority in the match so far. Naruto has never been one to face down criticisms of his beliefs without proving the worth of his ninja way. Naruto meets Neji head-on during this battle and continually proves the young prodigy wrong through words backed by actions. Naruto fights for his belief in trying and his belief in betterment. Neji disrespects Naruto’s reasoning and even his cousin, as he deems them weaklings. Having been a featured fight during the original season of Naruto, it is impressive to see that words and beliefs featured by both Neji and Naruto during these episodes have carried weight throughout Naruto: Shippuden and even into Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and Boruto: Two Blue Vortex. Naruto asserts that people control their destinies and encourages the other Genin to take control of their own, and these sentiments have never rung more true than in the most recent chapters of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex.

[RELATED: Boruto Creator Talks Naruto’s Absence and Its Heartbreaking Effects on One Character]

The Generation That Shattered Destiny

The belief in destiny is a recurring theme throughout all of Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden and is often reflected in the villains’ or antagonists’ resolutions that the world is cyclical and full of pain. Most of our favorite antagonists assert to Naruto that it is the destiny of shinobi to suffer within the world they serve. The greatest example of Naruto defying destiny and encouraging others to break free of the chains that “destiny” had bound them in is the physical and philosophical battle against Neji. Neji represented everything Naruto wasn’t and was the first major hurdle that Naruto would have to face on the road to defeating his rival, Sasuke. Neji was naturally gifted and worked hard, but believed in the absolute power of his strength. Neji was brutal to those weaker than him and believed that even with his strength, he would face similar mistreatment as his father because of the seal on his forehead denoting him as a “branch” family member of his clan.

Even with all of this in mind and with the first half of the match being dominated by Neji, Naruto always believed that he would end this fight as the victor. Despite Naruto’s clear disadvantage, he showed off his cunning nature and tenacity by deploying a shadow clone as a distraction to allow his real body to land a devastating uppercut on Neji. After all of Neji’s assertions and the clear skill discrepancy, Naruto stood above a defeated Neji and announced, “So don’t come whining to me with this destiny stuff, and stop trying to tell me you can’t change what you are! You can do it too.” This quote from Naruto Episode 62 was the final edge to the blade of a quote that informed Neji that he had lost to someone he had deemed lower than himself. Naruto truly believed that complaining about destiny was a cop-out, and that you are the only person in charge of your destiny. Naruto’s generation of shinobi went on to constantly change the very destiny of the world they lived in, and they all had a hand in moving the ninja world toward a place of security and peace.

Boruto: A Child of Destiny

Within the peace Naruto and his friends had created, there was still strife, and within that strife bloomed a new generation of enemies. Boruto has entered a new era of immense danger and unprecedented threats, and he, along with his allies, has to navigate these threats without Naruto and Sasuke. But along with these new villains, we get to see Boruto and his friends demonstrate the reality that their destinies are in their own hands. From the very beginning of Boruto, we see that the village will be destroyed and Kawaki and Boruto will face off in a battle of ideals, yet as the series has gone on, we have seen that these circumstances are likely to come to a head because of Kawaki’s actions. On top of that, we have seen Sarada defy godly, reality-warping powers through her sheer will of affection as she has laid out a path for herself that she wants to go down alongside Boruto.

These are all perfect examples of the newest generation creating their destiny. Boruto is another prime example, as in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, we have seen our protagonist navigate a world turned against him by powers beyond his control, yet he continues to fight against the hand dealt and towards the world he wants to achieve. Alongside that, fans have learned that Boruto has accessed knowledge through Koji Kashin’s foresight, which has allowed him to rapidly increase his power but has also put him in a position of abiding by the deterministic nature of future sight. However, as of Chapters 21 and 22, Boruto has reflected his father’s words, and even with the knowledge that there is no future where he defeats the enemy, Boruto has still entered the fray armed with his strongest attacks and intends to change what he is.

The post Naruto’s Most Underrated Quote Defined His Ninja Career (And the Next Generation) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fans just can’t get enough action from all the fights, escapades, and missions anime has to offer. Action has always been a widely popular genre in anime, if not the most popular genre. It’s even probably one of the more versatile that meshes incredibly well with most other combinations of genres. Melees full of god-like strength like in Dragon Ball, comedic slapstick brawls like those in Gintama, grappling with monsters like in Tokyo Ghoul, action-packed fantastical adventures like those of One Piece — there’s truly an action anime for anyone’s tastes.

Over the years, there have only been more and more awesome additions to the library of action-packed titles. More titles, more to watch, more to love, and, of course, more action. And how could audiences not be glued to the screen and on the edge of their seats with such fast-paced high stakes, intense battle choreography, and exciting adrenaline-pumping thrills? And while the list could go on and on with new and old titles that have had substantial fanbases over the years, these ones are the best of the best!

1) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

The Elric brothers, in their endeavor to bring their mother back from the dead, ignored the ban of human transmutation and ended up paying a hefty price. While trespassing the taboo cost Edward an arm and a leg, Alphonse lost his entire body. With their bio-mechanical engineer neighbor and friend Winry able to fit Edward with advanced automail prosthetic limbs, Alphonse had his soul bound to an entire suit of armor in Edward’s attempt to save him. Determined to restore their bodies, they set out to find the Philosopher’s Stone, an item said to allow an alchemist to defy the traditional laws of Equivalent Exchange, and become caught in the middle of a conspiracy along the way.

With secrets, mysteries, and conspiracies in a fantastical, action-packed adventure, the determined brothers face extremely high stakes in their quest. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a classic that has been at the top of the charts for anime in general for many years and for good reason.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood can be streamed on Netflix and Crunchyroll.

2) Dandadan

When feisty gyaru Momo Ayase defends the meek, geeky Ken Takakura, dubbed Okarun, from bullies throwing trash at the poor guy just trying to read his magazine, he follows after his new friend. Misunderstanding her intentions, he presumes she is also into aliens and the occult. Saying she’s not into aliens and UFOs but she does believe in ghosts prompts Okarun to chuckle that ghosts aren’t real. The two begin to argue their points on whether or not aliens or ghosts are the real deal. Thus, beginning their unusual, deepening friendship founded on the resulting, arguably more absurd, consequences – getting Okarun’s family jewels back from the very things they questioned existing.

Aliens, ghosts, grannies — oh my! But as formidable of foes Momo and Okarun face are, this duo manages to not only overcome whatever gets in their way of retrieving Okarun’s golden balls, but gain some incredible powers themselves along the way in this supernatural action comedy.

Dandadan can be streamed on Netflix and Crunchyroll.

3) Attack on Titan

When mankind had been on the brink of extinction centuries ago, they took to hiding behind massive stone walls from the man-eating humanoid monsters known as Titans. One hundred peaceful years came to pass without threat of Titans. That is, until one Titan managed to break through the wall, forcing the humans to return to fighting for their lives and living in fear. Eren Yeager, one such citizen who bore witness to his own mother perish at the hands of a Titan, vows vengeance upon the entire race by enlisting into the Survey Corps, a specialized military unit that fights back against the Titans outside the city walls. Along with his adopted sister Mikasa Ackerman and childhood friend Armin Arlert, the secrets of the Titans becomes something even more horrifying as each mystery is uncovered.

It doesn’t get much more action-packed than a plot that revolves around characters constantly fighting for their very lives against voracious monsters who wish nothing more than to gobble up the entire human race.

Attack on Titan can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

4) Mob Psycho 100

What reserved, passive middle schooler Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama lacks in friends due to his distant, inexpressive demeanor he makes up for in pure unadulterated psychic power. Or at least, in theory. Ever since lashing out and accidentally injuring his younger brother, Ritsu, Mob had resolved to keep his emotions, and therefore, psychic abilities, in check. Although, he does occasionally use it to try to impress his crush, Tsubomi Takane. But when she grows bored of Mob’s repetitive tricks, he seeks to better control his power, and so becomes the apprentice of the con artist, Arataka Reigen, who claims to also be psychic. In the business of exorcising evil spirits, Reigen exploits Mob’s supernatural abilities for money. As much as Mob tries to control his power by suppressing his emotions, his untapped potential fights to let his emotions run rampant, driving him towards exploding at 100% power capacity.

Although Mob tries to control his power by suppressing his emotions, his untapped potential fights to let his emotions run rampant, driving him towards exploding at 100% power capacity in pure unadulterated psychic power. As much as there’s a ton of intense supernatural action being dished out, there’s also plenty of relatable, endearing comedy

Mob Psycho 100 can be streamed on Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll.

5) Vinland Saga

Thorfinn, born in his homeland of Iceland, had once received a bespoke piece of advice from his father: “You have no enemies, nobody does. There is nobody who it’s okay to hurt.” But when a man named Askeladd kills his father, Thorfinn takes up work as a mercenary, seeking revenge with death and war becoming the reality Thorfinn endures in his daily life. With constant war between England and the Danes, the Vikings actually enjoy making a living collecting the spoils and making names for themselves. Recalling tales from sailors he’d heard as a young lad, tales of a land warm and fertile and free of fighting, Thorfinn seeks the legendary Vinland.

The Vikings in Vinland Saga live to fight, although Thorfinn fights in the hope that he can eventually find something more to live for himself. Even so, Thorfinn’s views on violence drastically change over the course of the story.

Vinland Saga can be streamed on Netflix, Prime Video, and Crunchyroll.

[RELATED: 10 Best Historical Anime for When You’re Done With Vinland Saga]

6) Jujutsu Kaisen

As a member of the Occult Club and having a bedridden grandfather, Yuji Itadori often spends his time either at school or at the hospital. But his relatively leisurely life comes to an abrupt halt when he discovers an actual cursed object, triggering a chain of supernatural consequences. Upon swallowing the cursed item, a finger belonging to the King of Curses, the demon Sukuna Ryoumen, Yuji gains his own powers and faces a whole new world full of Curses, beings of pure dread, malice, and negativity, that threaten society. Now having to attend the Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu Technical High School, Yuji must now become a Jujutsu sorcerer.

Premiering in 2020, this supernatural action shonen series by MAPPA was and has been one of the most popular over the past few years, even garnering attention and praise as a sort of gateway anime for former normies turned new fans.

Jujutsu Kaisen can be streamed on Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Hulu where available.

7) Spy x Family

As the neighboring countries Ostania and Westalis quietly plot against each other, spy Twilight takes on the alias of psychiatrist Loid Forger in the Ostanian city of Berlint to conduct intel. His target: the politician Donovan Desmond. The problem is Donovan only rarely appears at his son’s school, Eden Academy. In order to get closer to his target, Loid enlists Yor Briar, an unmarried city hall clerk, and Anya, his newly adopted daughter who he enrolls at Eden Academy, to act as a normal happy family. Unbeknownst to the spy, Loid’s new family hides their own secrets — Yor is actually an assassin known as “Thorn Princess” and Anya is a telepath secretly able to read others’ minds.

Through secret spy operations, assassination services, and school assignments, even though the family starts out as a façade, their love for each other grows to be true, each cherishing their forged relationships.

Spy x Family can be streamed on Hulu and Crunchyroll where available.

8) Naruto

In the Hidden Leaf Village, Konohagakure, Naruto Uzumaki, a young, aspiring ninja, is shunned by the wary community. The leader, the Fourth Hokage, had sacrificed his life and sealed the Nine-Tailed Fox demon within the newborn Naruto to prevent it from wreaking havoc on the village. But Naruto doesn’t let his circumstances and rejection from others deter him — with a rambunctious, mischievous nature, he’s determined to become the next Hokage and gain the village’s recognition and respect. Making friends along the way, Naruto trains to become a strong and capable ninja, facing many new foes and the demon inside himself.

With a franchise as bold, iconic, and enduring as the namesake himself, Naruto, though he faces challenge after challenge in ninja training, doesn’t let anything stop him. Naruto’s fight to accomplish his dreams in the face of adversity is the epitome of “never give up”. Believe it!

Naruto can be streamed on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Peacock, Crunchyroll, and more.

9) Neon Genesis Evangelion

As Earth is attacked by strange celestial alien beings known as Angels, it’s up to the mysterious scientific organization NERV headed by Gendo Ikari to defend humanity through the use of Evangelion, giant piloted humanoid “robots”. When Gendo calls upon his abandoned son Shinji to become one of these pilots, Shinji, alongside fellow pilots Asuka Langley Soryu and Rei Ayanami, faces a lot more at stake than defending humanity from giant monsters as the secrets behind NERV and Gendo’s ambitions are revealed.

Shinji Ikari may not be very eager to fight for humanity’s survival, but there’s certainly no lack of larger-than-life “mecha” combats. But his own fight for survival ends up being a bit more existential than simply saving his skin.

Neon Genesis Evangelion can be streamed on Netflix.

10) Bleach

Ichigo Kurosaki has the unique ability as an otherwise normal high schooler to see spirits. When his family is attacked by a Hollow, a corrupted spirit hungry for human souls, Ichigo’s thrust into not just observing but participating in the spirit world. After Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki is injured in her battle with the Hollow, Ichigo gains her abilities in order to defeat the malicious spirit and protect his family. But when Rukia is unable to regain her powers, Ichigo must hunt down Hollows in her stead. Later joined by classmates Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, and Uryuu Ishida with their own abilities, Ichigo endeavors to fight against the Hollows and other uncovered threats.

Bleach has been a long-popular series since its debut in 2004 and still is with its ongoing and final arc in Thousand-Year Blood War. With hundreds of episodes, Bleach has plenty of action to binge.

Bleach can be streamed on Disney+ or Hulu where available.

What’s your go-to action anime? Let us know in the comments what series you think would be an instant favorite to anyone!

The post 10 Best Popular Action Anime That Live Up to the Hype appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex has once again returned with a new manga chapter and it is a doozy. With Boruto Uzumaki entering the battlefield to lend a hand to his fellow Hidden Leaf ninjas, another major player has stepped into the sunlight. Jura, the leader of the Divine Trees, has arrived and is already proving why he is one of the strongest villains in the history of the shonen franchise. In taking on the biggest bad we’ve seen in the series to date, Boruto unleashes his ultimate attack and readers get a far better understanding of just how devastating the Rasengan Uzuhiko can be.

Warning. If you have yet to read the latest chapter of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, Chapter 22, be forewarned that we’ll be diving into serious spoiler territory. The Rasengan Uzuhiko has changed the game, as the now teenage Boruto of Two Blue Vortex had spent his time well in isolation, learning how to harness this new technique. While his father was able to transform the Rasengan into projectiles and various other objects, the Uzuhiko variation is far different from much of what we’ve seen before. The ultimate attack is one that works with the planet itself and can be an unlimited energy source, with Boruto using it early on to make Code look foolish as a result. Against Jura however, even the Uzuhiko’s secrets aren’t enough.

[RELATED: Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Reveals the True Strength of Its Best Villain]

The Uzuhiko Rasengan’s Power Unleashed

Aside from simply releasing a giant blast of power at a target, Boruto reveals some of the wild aspects of an opponent being hit by the ultimate Rasengan. Once Jura is hit by the attack in their confrontation, the son of Naruto explains that the Uzuhiko Rasengan has some hidden tricks of its own, “The world seems to be spinning, right? Your sense of equilibrium is mucked. You won’t be able to fly anymore, I bet even standing straight will be difficult.” Unfortunately, despite Boruto landing the attack on Jura, the Divine Tree manages to spring back into action.

As the leader of the villainous conclave explains, thanks to the attack following the same principles as his “biju bombs” he can nullify its effects and not have his equilibrium thrown out of whack as a result. Even with Jura shaking off the effects of the attack, it once again proves that not only has Boruto spent his time training wisely but he might be on a path to overcome his father, Naruto, in the power department in the future.

Boruto’s Anime Return

Studio Pierrot, the anime studio that has been the creators of Naruto and Boruto’s series over the decades, has yet to confirm when we can expect the return of the Hidden Leaf’s anime adaptation. Luckily, the production house has confirmed that Masashi Kishimoto’s series will be making a comeback, having confirmed earlier this year that Boruto: Naruto Next Generations’ Part 2 is in the works. Rest assured, we’ll keep you posted on when we can expect the ninja world to roar back to the small screen in the future.

You can read the latest chapter of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex by clicking here.

The post Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Reveals The Secrets of Its Leads Strongest Attack appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While Naruto has plenty of beloved friendships that add depth to the series and serve as motivational forces in the brutal world of ninjas, there is one overlooked friendship that especially stands out. If you’ve watched Naruto Shippuden, you might have noticed Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki’s unique relationship. They spent years together, never betrayed one another, fought side by side, and completed mission after mission for the Akatsuki. But if you look carefully, you’ll see they weren’t really friends in the traditional sense. They weren’t even that close. 

But that’s exactly what made them work so well together. In a show full of strong emotions, friendships, and dramatic rivalries, Itachi and Kisame stood out not because of what they shared, but because of what they didn’t. Even if they had enough similarities to bond as true friends in different circumstances, they knew friendships full of emotion were tricky grounds for ninjas. Their relationship wasn’t about loyalty or feelings, it was about respect and getting the job done. And in the morally gray world of the Akatsuki, that was enough.

Their Early Encounters

We’re first introduced to Itachi and Kisame in Episode 80 of the Naruto anime. The Hidden Leaf is still mourning the death of the Third Hokage. But outside the village, two figures quietly observe. Kisame, ever the talker, casually asks Itachi if he feels bad for his old home. Without hesitation, Itachi answers, “No”. Even from this brief interaction, their dynamic is clear. Kisame is chatty, brash, and powerful, while Itachi is the opposite. But when Itachi shuts him down, Kisame listens without question.

We soon learn their backgrounds, too. Itachi is the prodigy who massacred his entire clan and spared only his little brother. Kisame, formerly of the Hidden Mist’s Seven Ninja Swordsmen, is known for killing his own comrades to preserve secrecy. Both are incredibly dangerous killers. But their paths to that point were very different. In Episode 251, we get a flashback to the day Itachi joins the Akatsuki. Kisame is sent to meet him, and the shark-like ninja immediately claims they’re alike because they both killed those they once served. But Itachi doesn’t agree. Instead, he calls Kisame pathetic, lost, and weak for not knowing what he’s truly fighting for.

Annoyed by Itachi’s harsh words, Kisame draws his sword. But Itachi stays calm and the conversation takes a turn when the Uchiha quietly declares, “You don’t truly know who you are until the moment before your death.” That line lands so hard that Itachi immediately earns Kisame’s respect, letting the two work as a near-perfect team despite the rocky start of their dynamic.

[RELATED – 10 Most Controversial Times Naruto Was Censored]

A Friendship of Respect

What’s particularly interesting about Itachi and Kisame’s relationship is that either could betray the other at any time, but doesn’t choose to. Even in their first conversation, Kisame hints at not being the type to hesitate to kill comrades if they get in his way or their deaths benefit him and Itachi makes it clear that he would do the same. Itachi also has good reason to betray Kisame, since as viewers later learn, he was spying on the Akatsuki for the Hidden Leaf Village all along.

But despite being technically enemies, Itachi treats Kisame with the respect deserving of a comrade. He doesn’t open up emotionally, as he knows he might have to betray the other some day, but they do have a tentative friendship built of mutual respect. Although he’s older, larger, and more physically intimidating, Kisame defers to Itachi. He calls him “Itachi-san” and follows his lead without complaint. The two of them attack together, retreat together, and don’t undermine one another. 

Aside from this clear respect, Kisame is also shown to care about Itachi’s well-being. In Chapter 364 of the manga, Kisame sees Itachi heading out in the rain, and he points out that Itachi will ruin his health. Even during Itachi’s fight with Sasuke at the Uchiha hideout, Kisame lingers outside the place. He understands that this fight is personal to Itachi and respects that decision by not interfering. But he also seems to care about the outcome. When informed about his partner’s death, Kisame says he’ll spread his wings and see where fate takes him. Some fans interpret this as an admission that he wasn’t particularly dedicated to the Akatsuki’s goals, but stayed there so long because of Itachi.

When Kisame’s own end comes later in Episode 251, he remembers Itachi’s words about not really knowing who you are before the moment of your death, many episodes and years after he first uttered them. While Kisame chose a twisted path, he was still willing to be loyal to his comrades, taking his own life by letting his sharks devour him rather than risk being interrogated and compromising the Akatsuki’s goals. And thanks to Itachi, Kisame dies realizing that he wasn’t really as selfish or “worthless” of a ninja as he had thought. 

The post This Overlooked Naruto Friendship Blurs the Line Between Friend and Foe appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In the world of Naruto, being Hokage isn’t just about being the strongest ninja; it’s about standing as the Hidden Leaf Village’s primary political leader and carrying the full weight of protecting and leading it. Across Naruto and Boruto, there have been eight Hokage, with legends like Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju remembered for their power and legacy. But Tsunade Senju, the Fifth Hokage, proved that leadership is about more than just strength; it’s about determination, accountability, and knowing when to say no.

Serving through most of Naruto Shippuden, Tsunade led Konoha through some of its darkest times. And while she wasn’t the strongest or most feared Hokage, she was the right one for her time, and reminded fans of what makes a good Hokage. When Konoha was falling apart after Orochimaru’s attack, she stepped in to rebuild the village, improve its medical systems, and bring back a sense of stability. But what really set her apart was how she wasn’t afraid to challenge the systems or push the people in power around her.

[RELATED – Naruto Reveals Major Streaming Surprise]

Tsunade Did What Hiruzen Could Not: Say No to the Elders

Hiruzen Sarutobi, for all his wisdom and power, often let too many things slide under pressure. His relationship with Danzo Shimura and the village elders created an environment where morally questionable decisions were made behind closed doors. He allowed Danzo to run Root in secret, failed to prevent the Uchiha massacre, and tolerated actions that ultimately harmed his own village. His reluctance to challenge the people around him, even as Hokage, revealed a major weakness in his leadership: conflict avoidance.

Tsunade, on the other hand, had lived through enough wars to know what real leadership should look like. As in a Reddit thread by u/Zezerthu, the Fifth Hokage consistently pushed back against the elders, refused to follow their outdated views, and made her own calls, especially when it came to protecting Naruto, even when others viewed him as a threat. Redditor u/moasis285 put it perfectly: “I think the simple fact that Hiruzen let a genocide of one of his own village’s clans happen makes Tsunade a lot better of a Hokage. It’s kind of the exact opposite of his job description.”

A Real Leader: Tsunade Fought for Naruto When No One Else Did

Tsunade didn’t just protect Naruto; she genuinely believed in him when almost no one else did. Her decision to let him leave the village for training ended up being one of the deciding factors in winning the Fourth Great Ninja War. If Naruto hadn’t unlocked the power of the Nine-Tails, the Shinobi Alliance likely would’ve been wiped out by Obito Uchiha. 

Even before these events, when the village elders insisted on treating Naruto as nothing more than a jinchūriki weapon, Tsunade fought for his rights both as a shinobi and as a person. Redditor u/neoH96 observed: “Tsunade’s ‘I don’t take crap from no one!’ attitude makes her the best-written female in the series. She believes in Naruto and has a personal history with him after they fought together against Orochimaru and Kabuto. The Konoha elders see Naruto more as a tool and not as a person which is why Tsunade yelled at them.” Her refusal to reduce Naruto to a tool proved exactly what kind of Hokage she was: a real one.

Leadership Through Sacrifice, Not Just Power 

When Pain destroyed the Hidden Leaf, Tsunade responded with courage. Rather than just facing the danger head-on, fleeing, or surrendering, she prioritized an often overlooked aspect of the Hokage’s duty: providing support to her people to minimize casualties. She used her medical ninjutsu to save as many lives as possible, buying just enough time for Naruto to come back and save the Hidden Leaf. 

Her resilience was further demonstrated during the war when, despite being literally bisected by Madara, she refused to give up and continued fighting to protect those around her. While she may not have had Hashirama’s ninja prowess or Minato’s combat genius, Tsunade showed something just as important: being Hokage is not just about power, it’s about taking accountability and making sacrifices. And that’s something most of her predecessors, despite all their power, didn’t always get right.

Breaking the Cycle

One of the most important things Tsunade did as Hokage was breaking harmful cycles that had been passed down for generations. While previous Hokage had their strengths, they often upheld systems that created resentment, inequality, and silence. Of course, that’s not to say Hiruzen and the previous Hokage didn’t do the best they could. However, Tsunade’s legacy isn’t about dismissing Hiruzen’s contributions, it’s about finally asking the hard questions. 

From refusing the traditional treatment of jinchūriki and the village’s relationship with other nations to refusing to blindly follow outdated traditions, she led with principle, not politics. Sure, it’s a jarring thought for someone younger to grab an elder by the scruff and declare that they’ll no longer be doing things their way. Especially when you consider how the Konoha elders Homura and Koharu were teammates of Tsunade’s teacher, Hiruzen. But it shows how hard Tsunade pushed back on outdated power. Unlike many before her, she refused to be controlled by the elders and focused on rebuilding systems, like Konoha’s medical network, so the village could stay strong in the future.

H/T: Reddit

The post Naruto: Tsunade Was a Better Hokage Than Her Predecessors for One Stunning Reason appeared first on ComicBook.com.

To help celebrate Mother’s Day this year, fans in Japan have voted for the best moms in anime overall and a surprise winner has been chosen. Anime has some of the most memorable mothers in animation as not only are they the support figures that one would hope for in that kind of role, but many shows offer all different kinds of mothers that kick just as much ass as one would expect. But with so many mothers in anime overall, it can be hard to figure out which ones are truly the best of the best and at the top of the heap.

Anime! Anime! recently took a poll of fans in Japan to help celebrate Mother’s Day this year, and polled nearly 300 people about their favorite mothers in anime from May 4th to May 7th. Over the few days the poll received responses from a group that consisted of “40 percent male and 60 percent female” with slightly more female responses. Ages for the poll skewed more young, with “about 30 percent under 19 and in their 20s.” And the winners at the very top might surprise you.

Anime’s Best Moms As Ranked By Fans

The top rankings of the list come with quite a few ties amongst them, but it turns out that the top three were Hinata Uzumaki from Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Yor Forger from Spy x Family, and Misae Nohara from Crayon Shin-chan. These three had a clear lead over the others, and the full breakdown for the best moms as voted by those fans in Japan break down as such:

• 1. Hinata Uzumaki (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations)
• 2. Yor Forger (Spy x Family)
• 3. Misae Nohara (Crayon Shin-chan)
• 4. Ai Hoshino (Oshi no Ko)
• 5. Isabella (The Promised Neverland)
• 5. Yukiko Kudo (Detective Conan)
• 7. Kagura (Gintama)
• 7. Mother (Atashin’chi)
• 9. Kiyora (Blue Lock)
• 10. Carla Yeager (Attack on Titan)
• 10. Yufufu (I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level)
• 10. Hahari Hokazono (The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You)

Hinata winning the best mom in anime poll is certainly a surprise considering that there’s no currently airing Boruto anime at the moment. Yor Forger reaching second place does make sense considering she’s one of the icons from more recent years, and has some huge moments in just the first two seasons that we’ve gotten to see. With a third season on the way, Yor’s going to have even bigger moments in the coming episodes.

RELATED: Boruto Season 2: What We Want to See From Naruto’s Anime Return

Why Hinata is Anime’s Best Mom

Hinata winning this poll is a surprise considering the range of the fans polled in Japan, but also makes a great deal of sense when you also factor in just how big of a fanbase Naruto actually has. Hinata and Naruto’s love story was one that had been brewing since the series began, and it paid off with the two of them becoming a full couple with kids of their own that we’re now seeing in action through the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and Boruto: Two Blue Vortex sequels.

It’s become increasingly rare for an action series to not only following through on a romance heading into its finale, but then taking it even further with children down the line. We’ve only gotten to see a few brief moments of Hinata in Boruto, but those scenes were focused on how clearly good of a mother she’s been to her children. So while it might seem like a surprise, Hinata really has been anime’s best mom all along.

HT – Anime! Anime!

The post Anime Fans Voted for Best Mom This Mother’s Day (& You Won’t Believe the Winner) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Naruto Uzumaki has had no shortage of great mentors from Kakashi Hatake to Jaraiya, but there was one man who looked out for him before anybody else, and given his lack of impressive ninjutsu feats, he often gets glossed over retrospectively. Iruka Umino may not have taught Naruto any flashy jutsu, but he was still present for our young protagonist when he needed him the most, and provided Naruto with his first instances of parental camaraderie. Fans may have left Iruka behind, but the narrative and Naruto himself keep him in their minds as they continue to grow. Iruka acted as Naruto’s first teacher, and during the first episode, we got to see just what made Iruka the perfect role model for the young Naruto and how this low-level Ninja set the stage for Naruto’s development toward being the Hokage.

During Episode 1, we are introduced to not only Naruto but also the older ninjas who are in charge of teaching the kids, as well as going on missions. We see Naruto struggle with the basics of Ninjutsu and is frequently getting scolded by Iruka for his pranks and acting out. However, as the episode goes on, we see that there are not only ninja and people in the village who dislike Naruto, but they would even manipulate the young want-to-be ninja into incredibly dangerous situations. The episode comes to a head when Iruka finds Naruto, who has stolen a scroll of forbidden Jutsu’s but the two are attacked by Mizuki, leading to Iruka defending Naruto both physically and through one of the most heartfelt speeches in the entire series.

[RELATED: Sakura Stopped the Best Naruto Fight We Never Got]

Iruka Umino, the Purest Father Figure to Naruto

Iruka is an incredibly empathic character, and the audience learns that his bond with Naruto is particularly important as Iruka also lost his parents during the nine-tailed fox’s attack on Konoha. This specific trait is revealed to both fans and young Naruto through the villain of the episode attempting to goad Naruto into betraying Iruka. Iruka, throughout this episode, has shown his merit and even admitted to struggling with Naruto as a teacher, but has finally come full circle and realized that the young ninja is a lot like him and requires guidance and care. He quickly shows Naruto care by not only saving Naruto from Mizuki’s attack and allowing him to run but also by defending Naruto as a ninja against the villain. The speech that Iruka gives is long and full of poignant points about his life and how he and Naruto are alike, and it ends in his reconciliation that Naruto is not a beast or a monster like Mizuki implies.

“His suffering only makes him stronger. That’s what separates him from being a beast. So you’re wrong. He’s nothing like the Nine-Tailed Fox. He’s Naruto Uzumaki, of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.”

– Iruka, Naruto Episode 1

These words alone are enough to bring Naruto and even the most stoic of fans to tears as the brave teacher faced down what was likely to be his imminent death. Mizuki intentionally targeted Naruto and continued to wear him down at his self-worth, almost leading him to victory. Naruto felt scared and isolated; he had been tricked and was considered by many to be a failure, yet when faced with this do-or-die moment, Iruka was still willing to protect him. It’s also a quote which rings true throughout Naruto for him, and other Jinchuriki like Gaara and Killer B, that they’re able to grow from their suffering, and, in fact, not have to feel ashamed of their status, but embrace them as splendid ninjas of their village.

This moment of earnestness and courage from Iruka set the tone for Naruto throughout the rest of the series as these words rang out and helped forge Naruto’s ninja way. Naruto is finally instilled with the courage to find his resolution and protect his sensei. Naruto bursts from his hiding spot and shows off his new multi-shadow clone technique to defeat Mizuki. This technique may be a forbidden one, and Iruka may not have taught it to Naruto, but his kind words and heroic actions fueled our protagonist, leading to the reveal of what would become his ace move.

Iruka Was Always There for Naruto in Subtler Ways Than His Most Powerful Mentors

Now, the narrative may have left Iruka behind in terms of power and jutsu, but the reality of all that the teacher did for Naruto remains a reality for fans and the canon of the series. Iruka consistently protects the children at the Ninja Academy and continues to teach and train each new generation. He happily joins Naruto to celebrate his latest accomplishments over a bowl of ramen at Ichiraku, Naruto’s favorite joint in the village. He is also present for Naruto’s lowest points, like pulling Naruto out of his abyss of grief over Jiraiya’s loss, and celebrating the triumphs, such as when Naruto saved Konoha from utter annihilation by Pain.

Beyond instructing at the academy, Iruka is eventually promoted to headmaster to continue to aid the instructors in molding the minds of young wannabe ninjas. Jaraiya and Kakashi taught Naruto a lot and were certainly integral to the future Hokage’s path, but Iruka was the one consistent, always in Konoha, ready to take Naruto to get ramen. Iruka had such an impact on Naruto that among his senseis that survived the series, Iruka was who Naruto asked to fill the role of father at his wedding.

The post This Naruto Quote Reminds Fans That Jiraiya Wasn’t Naruto’s Only Great Mentor appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Chunin Exams from Naruto is, without a doubt, one of the most iconic arcs in all of anime, and one ninja managed to cement herself as a force to be reckoned with in a storyline full of multiple amazing moments and sequences. Today marks 19 years since fans’ minds were changed about one specific character who had been mostly unremarkable until then, especially when compared to other primary characters like Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi.

Titled “Sakura Blossoms”, Naruto Episode 32 premiered on May 6th, 2006, and the Japanese version was released coincidentally on May 7th, 2003. It covered chapters 52 and 53 of the manga and focused on the heroine and Team 7 member, Sakura Haruno. It saw her cut off her long hair, which symbolized severing her weak self, where she always relied on help from others and was unable to defend herself. While she fought valiantly against the Sound Genin to protect her unconscious friends, willpower wasn’t enough to win the fight, and she was eventually backed up by Ino and Team 10.

RELATED: Naruto Cosplay Unites Kakashi And Team 7

Sakura’s Emergence To The Scene Was Spectacular

Since the Land of the Waves arc, Sakura was constantly left behind by her teammates and was not as active in fights as the other two. While the power difference was understandable given the other two’s incredible motivations and goals that spurred them on, Sakura still felt empty and a non-contributor. However, this changed in the Chunin Exams arc when she felt horrible and disheartened by her weakness and how often she was getting rescued. She also wanted to fight side by side as a member of Team 7, and this episode was the first step to that.

At the beginning of the time-skip, Sakura’s performance in the Kazekage Rescue arc was unbelievable. Be it healing Kankuro when none of the Sand’s doctors could or taking down Kankuro alongside Chiyo in one of Naruto’s best fights, she became all that she desired and more. She was even more impressive in the War arc, where she was one of the primary medics who saved hundreds and helped a lot in the sealing of Kaguya Otsutsuki. No one could have predicted that episode 32 was the start of one of the series’ best character arcs, and it was 19 years ago that she showed her grit in becoming her two friends’ equal.

The post 19 Years Ago, Naruto Fans Saw One Classic Hero Change Forever appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Anime fans are counting down the days until we see the story of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations return to the small screen. Thanks to Studio Pierrot taking a far more measured approach to its anime, the Hidden Leaf Village has been sitting on the sidelines as the production house works on Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. Luckily, the Seventh Hokage still has some streaming tricks up his sleeve. In a major new announcement, Hulu has confirmed that it is housing a major entry in Naruto Uzumaki’s life and fans will be able to decide what iteration of the sequel series they can view.

Hulu has announced that not only does it now house the entirety of Naruto: Shippuden, but the English Dub is also available to watch on the streaming service for the anime fans that prefer this iteration. Shippuden, the sequel series to the original Naruto that featured Naruto and his fellow young Konoha residents as teenagers, held five hundred episodes to its name. While the show would eventually end, leaving the door open for Naruto’s son Boruto to take the reins as the new anime protagonist, Shippuden left its mark on the anime world and many battles are still referenced as some of anime’s best.

[RELATED: Naruto’s Anime Brought Us Its Best Antihero 21 Years Ago (And Changed the Series Forever)]

Boruto’s Sequel Series

While Boruto: Naruto Next Generations carried the torch following the conclusion of Naruto: Shippuden, but currently, the series has dove headfirst into a sequel series of its own, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex. While the Blue Vortex has yet to be animated, the manga has been throwing some major curveballs into the ninja world and those who inhabit it. Without diving too deeply into spoiler territory, new villains and new changes to current protagonists are coming in fast and furious.

Studio Pierrot might have confirmed that “Boruto: Part 2” is in the works, though this doesn’t mean the production house is immediately getting into the Two Blue Vortex game. There are still some big events from Naruto Next Generations that have yet to be adapted to the small screen and things would never be the same for the son of the Seventh Hokage as a result. Creator Masashi Kishimoto returned to the series as its writer and with his comeback, the playing field has been radically altered.

Hulu’s Anime Territory

Naruto as a series can be found on quite a few streaming services, thanks to its huge status within the anime world. As the anime streaming wars keep heating up, Hulu has been housing some exclusive series on its platform. So far, these include heavyweights such as Code Geass: Roze of The Recapture, Undead Unluck, Tokyo Revengers, Medalist, Go! Go! Loser Ranger!, and more.

Want to stay in the loop when it comes to future developments focused on the Hidden Leaf Village? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on all things Naruto and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Naruto Reveals Major Streaming Surprise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Everybody loves cool and flashy power systems, and Naruto undoubtedly delivers on that front with a range of jutsu from iconic to played out. Jutsu acted as the special move and trump card throughout all of Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden, but even with 720 episodes under their belts, there were still so many jutsu that we didn’t get to see enough of. We all know the Rasengan and Chidori, but every ninja in the series has a deep bag of techniques they could break out. However, too often, we see the same jutsu used time and time again. So today, we will not only cover the top 5 underrated jutsu, but we’ll also look at the 5 that fans have seen more than enough of!

Most of the most iconic jutsu got their flowers and love throughout the series, but there are plenty of one-off techniques we get to see that have undeniable potential. From basic attacks to support abilities, there have been countless jutsu that fans wanted to see applied more often. Being the cornerstone of the series’s power system, the battles that featured the best or most creative jutsu often became fan favorites. We may all be tired of shadow clone spam, but any keen-eyed fan would be aware that for every Chidori, there is a Dust Release technique.

Underrated: Demonic Illusion: Steaming Multistoried Building

First, we have a genjutsu that fans got to see for the first time during the Fourth Great Ninja War. This jutsu was used by Gengetsu Hōzuki, the Second Mizukage, who had been resurrected to face the allied shinobi forces. The late Mizukage casts this genjutsu in tandem with his giant clam summon, and even as a B-ranked jutsu, it quickly shifts the tides of the battle. This ability is not one of direct damage output but instead focuses heavily on battlefield control while strikers and support pick off the enemy.

As an ability that had only been seen once, this genjutsu quickly proved its merit in battle, and either abilities like it or the jutsu itself deserved more attention in the series. The jutsu itself makes the entire battlefield into a steam-filled illusion machine that could debatably even fool a perfected Junchūriki, as they aren’t under the effects of anything but hyper-realistic mirages. If more of our genjutsu-focused characters used this in high-stakes battles, it would set up any ninja who lacks a perception-based Kekkei Genkai.

Overrated: Sexy Jutsu

A slapstick comedic jutsu often used by Naruto in the early episodes of the series, as well as a handful of times throughout Naruto: Shippuden. This jutsu has a novelty and nostalgia factor to it, given that it is one of the earliest techniques used by Naruto, but it quickly becomes a frequent attempt at shock humor, and even rears its head in terms of the Reverse Harem Jutsu used during the final fight against Kaguya.

Underrated: Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu

Phoenix Flower Jutsu has been seen substantially more than the other four entries; however, with a name like that, this move could have been the cornerstone of a ninja’s repertoire. Phoenix Flower Jutsu is a fire-based attack that we see used in both Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden, used by a handful of Sharingan-wielding shinobi. Unlike the constantly used Fireball Jutsu, this versatile counterpart has instances of adaptation that the powerhouse fire jutsus don’t lend themselves to. We see both Sasuke and Kakashi utilize this jutsu as a battle hazard, firing a volley of flaming spheres, forcing opponents into defensive and evasive footing.

On top of the volley, there have also been instances of a ninja concealing shuriken within the attack to add a level of complexity and lethality to the jutsu. With all of this in mind, this versatile jutsu with one of the coolest names in the series deserves to be featured far more prominently in Naruto.

Overrated: Chidori

The Chidori is a technique taught to Sasuke by Kakashi and is first seen in Naruto Chapter 113, where it is revealed as Sasuke’s trump card against Gaara. After this moment, the audience begins to see the Chidori used in every fight Sasuke participates in, and even as a fan favorite, it is one hundred percent overused, and the evolved versions of it introduced in Shippuden were well needed.

Underrated: Spiralling Ring and Great Spiralling Ring

During Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie, fans were introduced to Menma, an alternate universe version of Naruto who flourished in ninjutsu quickly and who acted as the villain of this movie. However, this villain came with a handful of very interesting jutsu, one of which could have been an eventual adaptation for Naruto’s Rasengan down the line. The Spiraling Ring and Great Spiralling Ring are black-colored balls of chakra, like a Rasengan, but surrounded by rotating white rings.

This move is shown to be fairly powerful, and the Great version of it is shown to be able to destroy a bulk of Konoha, much like Pain’s Almighty Push. Having been a movie-based Jutsu, we never got to see it used beyond this point, but surely fans can all agree that seeing Naruto expand upon the Rasengan beyond the Rasenshuriken and expanding his tool kit would be well received.

[RELATED: This Iconic Naruto Quote Is Darker Than You May Have Realized]

Overrated: Rasengan

Naruto’s bread and butter, this jutsu was passed down from his father and has been a constant of the series after its introduction. This ability was Naruto’s trump card and has been seen in just about every fight that Naruto has taken part in. Naruto does improve upon the technique, and we see many variations of it in Shippuden, but let’s just call it like we see it and say we’ve seen it enough. It doesn’t help that Boruto seems to have taken the mantle for Naruto in terms of adopting this as his ultimate finisher, although they eventually both at least create new spins on the formula.

Underrated: Summoning: Crushing Toad Stomach

As seen in Naruto: Shippuden Episode 131, the Crushing Toad Stomach is a technique used by Jiraiya in his battle against Pain. This technique falls under the umbrella of summoning and reverse summoning jutsu and abides by the typical toad-themed techniques of the Legendary Sanin.

After being backed into a corner against the Giant Multi-Headed Dog, Jiraiya reverse-summons himself and the dogs into the stomach of a toad, causing the dogs to finally be destroyed as the stomach begins to digest them. Although (spoiler alert) Jiraiya would not make it out of this fight alive, his student, who would go forward and master the Toad Sage form, Naruto, could have used this jutsu in multiple battles, including his face-off with Pain.

Overrated: Shadow Clone Technique

Speaking of calling it like we see it, our protagonist has likely made more shadow clones than we can hope to count! Naruto loves this jutsu and rightfully uses it in every single fight in both Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden. Yes, the shinobi does use it quite creatively, but after the hundredth puff of smoke from a destroyed clone, we can comfortably say that we would love to see Naruto do something else, anything else, maybe not the Rasengan, but something.

Underrated: Heavenly Transfer Technique

Mabui, the Fourth Raikage’s assistant, is the user of this final technique we want to see more of. The Heavenly Transfer Technique is capable of transferring an item to a desired destination through a beam of light. This ability is typically used on inanimate objects, yet we see it used to transport the Fourth Raikage and Lady Tsunade during the Fourth Great Shinobi War.

This technique needs either inanimate objects or incredibly durable targets; however, it is undeniably powerful and could have been used far more efficiently and frequently, considering it is a jutsu type on par with things like Kamui and Flying Thunder God.

Overrated: Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique

A jutsu used by practically all noteworthy Sharingan-bearing characters throughout the series, Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique is often referred to as the Uchiha clan’s signature technique. This attack is used ad nauseum throughout the series, and its frequency of use removes the oomph from it beyond Naruto Part 1.

Early uses of the technique are fairly flashy and are shown to quickly dispatch swaths of low-level opponents like shadow clones, but eventually, the ability becomes a common fire-based attack that can’t even singe the eyebrows of the upper echelon of shinobi. Let it rest, Sasuke, it’s okay.

The post Naruto’s 5 Most Underrated Jutsu We Wanted to See More (And 5 We Saw Way Too Much) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Naruto franchise has introduced hundreds, if not thousands, of characters in the shonen series’ history. Amongst the many heroic and villainous ninjas that have been a part of Naruto Uzumaki’s life, there has been one who has become far and away one of the most popular figures of the Ninja World. Itachi Uchiha hasn’t been a part of the shonen series for years at this point but fans are taking the chance to celebrate a major anniversary for Sasuke’s big brother. In kicking off this big celebration, we thought that now would be the perfect time to dig into what made Itachi work so well in the series, warts and all.

To kick things off, Itachi Uchiha first premiered in the Naruto anime adaptation, in full view, twenty-one years ago. Since Sasuke Uchiha was introduced early in the shonen franchise, his main goal was to defeat his brother as Itachi was responsible for the death of the Uchiha Clan. Joining with the villainous Akatsuki, Sasuke’s older brother became a major threat to the ninja world at large. Harnessing the awesome power of the Sharingan, the villainous Uchiha primarily worked in the background but his shadow loomed large over both Sasuke and the Hidden Leaf Village at large.

[RELATED: Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Kills Some Major Villains]

What Made Itachi Work?

Let’s take a look at what made Itachi such an effective villain at the start. From the get-go, eliminating an entire clan of ninjas is no easy feat and leaving protagonist Sasuke as an orphan worked to get fans to see the threat level of the Akatsuki member. On top of this, while Itachi wasn’t featured nearly as much as the likes of Orochimaru early on, his demeanor and presence in the series’ story helped push him in the minds of anime fans. Despite being a part of a villainous enclave made up of colorful characters, Itachi carved out a place of his own.

Itachi’s arrival in the anime series was one that still makes for one of the biggest moments of the shonen series. Appearing completely out of nowhere to kidnap Naruto for the purposes of the Akatsuki, the future Seventh Hokage only gained reprieve thanks to the interjection of Jiraiya. Itachi has long been a cool, calm, and collected villain, seemingly never taking any pleasure from his antagonistic ways. Its in this mystery of his character that fans were hoping to peel back more of the eldest Uchiha’s character.

Does The Itachi Twist Work?

Of course, you cannot talk about Itachi Uchiha without discussing the big twist that was ultimately revealed about Sasuke’s sibling. As was revealed during the events of Naruto: Shippuden, Itachi eliminated his family and clan at the request of the Third Hokage. Thanks to the Uchihas planning to take over the Hidden Leaf Village and kill anyone who got in their way, Itachi both killed his clan to stop this from happening and sacrificing his future to infiltrate the Akatsuki. It added a brand new level to Itachi’s character and sent Sasuke on a path of revenge that far exceeded simply taking down his older brother.

The choice to reveal Itachi’s true motivations was quite controversial at the time, making him a double agent for Konoha the entire time. His death at the hands of his own brother felt earned on Sasuke’s behalf but it would send the younger brother on a path of revenge that would look to consume his former friends in Team 7. While it somewhat decimated his villainous motivations, it showed that there were layers to the disgraced Uchiha members.

Itachi Would Never Return But That’s Ok

When Sasuke delivered the death blow to his older brother, Itachi would not make a comeback to the shonen series. The series by creator Masashi Kishimoto was no stranger to resurrecting characters but Itachi’s role had quite the satisfying conclusion. Long past Itachi’s demise, the fact that we are discussing his place in the anime world proves that Sasuke’s older brother, and Sarada’s uncle, remains a fan-favorite.

Want to see what the Naruto franchise has in store for fans moving forward? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on the Hidden Leaf Village and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Naruto’s Anime Brought Us Its Best Antihero 21 Years Ago (And Changed the Series Forever) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

“I’m gonna bring you home safe if I have to break every bone in your body” is an intense and emotion-steeped quote from Naruto Uzumaki to Sasuke Uchiha during their face-off at the Valley of the End during the original Naruto series. These two shinobi had come to a point on their diverging paths where neither could move forward without facing the other in combat. A battle of this magnitude for both characters was foreshadowed, and when it finally arrived, it was full of impressive jutsu and heartfelt words, and communication through combat. Naruto facing off against his best friend and expressing desperately that he would willingly maim him to return him home gives the audience stark insight into the radical existence of a shinobi.

Throughout Naruto, we watch as Team 7 is frequently faced with the deadly reality that is the ninja world. Our young shinobi are sent on missions that endanger their lives, and even take part in saving their village from an enemy infiltration scheme. As we witness these genin grow and become well-rounded ninja, we also see that their paths begin to go in separate directions. Sasuke bears down on his resolve to gain the power necessary to kill his brother and avenge his clan, regardless of what it takes. While Sasuke follows Orochimaru down a dark path, Naruto maintains his ideals of wanting to become the Hokage and to protect those he loves. When the two finally exchange words and blows, Naruto delivers a chilling line that drives home the fact that the protagonist we’re watching and idealizing is still a child soldier whose entire existence is deeply ingrained with violence.

[RELATED: Nearly All of Naruto’s Villains Share One Thing in Common]

A Clash of Ideals

Naruto and Sasuke’s fight at the Valley of the End was heavily foreshadowed as the protagonists and their rival had constantly been growing alongside each other while laying the pathways for a showdown. Setting a scene for this epic battle was the easy part, as both young shinobi had already been fully indoctrinated as child soldiers and had experienced the frequent violence from within the ninja world. During the clash, we learn of the depth that these two characters have when it comes to their emotions for each other. Both of them view each other as the only other person who can understand them and as sibling figures. For Sasuke, this is why he must leave the village and sever that bond, he believes that he will never be able to achieve enough power to reach his goals as long as he is held back by close bonds. Naruto, on the other hand, believes in the sanctity of the village and hinges his very own ideals as a ninja on the fact that if we can’t save one friend, how could he become Hokage and lead his fellow shinobi?

There are many intense words thrown around by these two rivals, yet the one that stands out the most is the one we are talking about today, which truly highlights the violence of living within the ninja world. In swearing to save Sasuke and return him to the village, Naruto threatens to do anything it takes, including breaking every bone in Sasuke’s body. The intensity of a threat like this, even in an anime, can’t be understated, especially when we consider it is a child saying it. Naruto’s resolve throughout the series is ironclad, and he is sure of himself and sure of his mission, so much so that when a dear friend goes against the grain of his ninja way, his only option for resolution is combat. Of course, this doesn’t come as much of a surprise to viewers after experiencing the deadly Chunin exams and watching as these kids defended their village from invading soldiers.

Naruto’s Generational Violence

A world of violence creates a world filled with people who have been scarred by said violence, and this is never on display more than through all of the adult ninjas who were unable to help these Genin find peaceful solutions. As Sasuke began to exhibit his darker-leaning ideals in seeking strength, Kakashi was only capable of restraining the Genin and expressing to him that, like Sasuke, he had no loved ones left. Kakashi was forged by a great war and lost his entire squad, except for his sensei during that war, and often showed signs of not having recovered from that space mentally. A further failure for our adults was when a mission that should have fallen to older, more experienced ninjas became the Sasuke Retrieval mission led by a newly minted Chunin and four Genin. There were no other experienced ninjas available in the village, but that was because of the invasion by the Sand Village earlier on in the series; again, our young shinobi are constantly marred by the violence in their world.

“I’m gonna bring you home safe if I have to break every bone in your body!”

Naruto Uzumaki, Naruto Chapter 228

This Naruto quote about the extremes to which Naruto will go to bring Sasuke home is an example of absolute resolve and of a character who is one with their world. The dark truth is that all of the characters in Naruto suffer similar tragic existences; their world is war-torn and forged through combat, meaning that even at a young age, one of the prime career paths is becoming a soldier. Getting caught up in Naruto’s grandiosity, it is easy to forget the dire circumstances the young protagonists are in; however, that is not to say that he doesn’t become a voice for change. Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden were stories about Naruto learning that his life and world were a vicious cycle of violence and death and recognizing that responding with violence would not rid the world of this problem. Thus, Naruto, who said such violent things as threatening to break all of the bones in someone’s body, was able to forge forward and help usher in a world that relies less on wars to solve the majority of its conflicts.

The post This Iconic Naruto Quote Is Darker Than You May Have Realized appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Naruto has blessed the world with some of the greatest fights in fiction on multiple occasions, and it is time to celebrate 20 years since possibly the series’ best one aired. It was the perfect fight in almost every way possible, and there is no better time than now to re-experience this iconic bout that changed the trajectory of the story itself.

On 27th April, 2005, Naruto episode 132, which was titled “For a Friend…” aired in Japan. It adapted chapters 226, 227 and 228 of the Sasuke Retrieval Arc. The fights between the genin and the Sound Four concluded, and the final fight between the two friends finally begun. This fight was the last of part 1 and would lead to the timeskip transition, although the anime deviated into dozens of filler arcs before that.

Naruto And Sasuke’s Legendary Battle Is Eternalised In History Books

Kakashi discovers that Sasuke has betrayed the village and sets out to find him, calling upon his ninja dogs for assistance. Meanwhile, Sasuke, who sees Naruto as his closest ally, intends to kill him to obtain the Mangekyō Sharingan. Their Rasengan and Chidori collide, with neither gaining the upper hand. Sasuke activates his cursed seal and employs Fire Release to distract Naruto, allowing him to take the upper hand. Sasuke defeats Naruto, but starts to question their relationship. He hits Naruto with his Chidori, inflicting a wound, but Naruto is able to heal using the Nine-Tails’ chakra. Naruto proclaims that Sasuke is his friend and pledges to bring him back, launching an attack with renewed power.

The animation was out of this world, the soundtracks were amazing, and the choreography was gorgeous. Everything about a good fight, whether it was strategy, utilization of the power system, the flow of the action, and more, was all thanks to Kishimoto’s masterful understanding of combat. The emotional context between the fight, the stakes of the battle, and the conclusion to the battle made it one of the most emotional moments in the story. Furthermore, the consequences of the fight and Naruto’s surprising loss wrapped it all together and solidified it as the series at its peak.

RELATED: 10 Best Naruto Quotes That Moved Fans Worldwide

Naruto’s Topped This Legendary Fight Again And Again

While most series would have never been able to make a fight close to this again, Kishimoto did the impossible by making fights even better than this a few times later. Sasuke and Itachi’s fated battle was everything fans wanted and more. Naruto stepping amidst a destroyed Konoha and taking on Nagato/Pain concluded that amazing plot line that spanned most of the series in the best way possible. And finally, Naruto and Sasuke’s second fight in the Valley of End managed to be even better than the first. With an improved arsenal, greater destructive power and a more developed relationship between the two, it was the perfect climax to the 15 years of excellence over which Naruto spanned.

The post It’s Been 20 Years Since This Iconic Naruto Fight Broke Our Hearts appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations has announced Part 2 of the anime is now in the works, so there are some big things we need to see from the Naruto anime when it comes back. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations has been in the midst of a very long hiatus since 2023, and the anime brought its first era to an end while the manga was getting ready to kick off its second full era. The anime had come to an end because it was fast approaching where the manga was at the time, but now there has been plenty of material released to help give the anime more breathing room.

When Boruto: Naruto Next Generations returns for new episodes, however, there is a major change that the anime needs to make in order for it to be a success. It’s something that Pierrot has found success with in releases such as Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, and something that they could find success with in other franchises like Black Clover. Boruto’s anime needs to return on a seasonal release schedule rather than air new episodes on a weekly basis like it did before. It needs to allow the manga time to develop to avoid catching up again.

Boruto’s Anime Needs to Change

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations has announced that Part 2 of the anime is now in the works, but has not revealed much information about what to expect or when fans can expect to see the new episodes. But it needs to set a seasonal schedule in place for when it actually comes back. The Naruto franchise as a whole has been dealing with weekly episode releases since its anime first began over two decades ago, and that was the same format that the Boruto sequel series had followed when it first released. But that’s not necessary for success anymore as seasonal anime releases are now more the norm than they were years ago.

Seasonal anime releases also avoid some of the big pitfalls of a weekly anime schedule. Not only do the teams behind these seasonal releases usually have better production schedules for the staff (and hopefully means a less demanding workload as a result), but it also means a better final product at the end of the day. It would mean better looking episodes that are more commonplace (rather than just a few fight scenes that stand out every now and again), and fewer original episodes that need to be crafted as material that would serve as filler to keep from catching up to the manga’s materials.

Original story arcs not canon to the manga are one of Naruto’s biggest issues, and that was the case for Boruto. Much of its duration was spent with original stories because of the manga’s monthly updating schedule, and that would be the case this time around too if the anime returns on a weekly schedule. The manga’s still releasing monthly, and even if there’s more material to adapt by now, the anime would quickly catch up if it kept going on a weekly basis. But that wouldn’t happen if Boruto came back with a batch of 12 episodes once a year instead. Even if it had a 25 episode a year release, it would still take a while to catch up.

RELATED: Goku From Dragon Ball and Naruto Share One Unfortunately Bad Quality

What’s Coming in Boruto Season 2?

When Boruto: Naruto Next Genrations’ anime ended with Episode 293, it also ended adapting around Chapter 67 or so of the manga. With 80 chapters of the first series in total, it means there’s about 13 or so chapters of material left to cover. That’s all of the final bits of the series that kick off the sequel’s true story as well, so this is where is starts to really get interesting. Following Eida’s debut, it was then revealed that she actually had a much more devastating power than fans had ever expected. A power that Kawaki is about to use for his benefit.

Eida’s power was revealed to have an impact on the world around her. Rather than just having the Omnipotence to see every event that was going on in the present, it turned out that her ability also had the power to change the minds of everyone who she used it on. She then used this power to make the rest of the Hidden Village believe that Kawaki was Naruto’s real son, and Boruto instead was a fugitive on the run. This leads to a three year time skip that kicks off Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, a now ongoing sequel series of its own.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is likely the biggest tease from the original series that began with a much older Boruto and Kawaki fighting in the ruins of the Hidden Leaf Village. If Boruto does indeed return for new episodes, this is the biggest thing that fans would want to see fully animated. Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is showing off the older versions of the characters with stronger abilities and more, and that’s what the anime needs to spotlight as soon as possible. Even better if a seasonal schedule gives us plenty of time to enjoy it.

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Studio Pierrot has been busy, forging the story of the Soul Society in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. Thanks to the production house’s new seasonal approach to anime, many series that the studio is known for have been on hiatus for quite some time. Luckily, some major news has been revealed regarding the most popular anime ninjas of all time. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations season two has seemingly been confirmed by Studio Pierrot, meaning that the son of the Seventh Hokage will eventually return to the anime world after his years-long hiatus.

On Pierrot’s official website, the anime studio slipped the big news under the radar, adding a line of dialogue to the franchise page stating, “A second part has been confirmed.” While the major storyline taking place in the manga at the moment is Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, there are still a handful of events that need to take place in Naruto Next Generations for the anime to catch up to the manga’s events. Unfortunately, a release window has yet to be revealed for this second season, or the four original episodes of the initial Naruto series that Pierrot confirmed years ago. Most likely, anime fans will learn more once Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War has finished its fourth and final batch of episodes.

[RELATED: Boruto Is Taking a Bold Risk With One Feature That Made Naruto Great]

What Will Boruto Season 2 Cover?

When last we left Boruto: Naruto Next Generations in 2023, Konoha was flying high. While the Nine-Tailed Fox had died thanks to the fight against the Kara Organization’s leader, Jigen did die in his fight against Naruto, Boruto, and Kawaki. Unfortunately for the ninja world, Jigen’s protege Code is more than willing to take up the cause and is looking for revenge. The son of the Seventh is going to have more troubles than Code in the anime’s return, however.

Before Boruto: Naruto Next Generations jumped into its hiatus, it introduced new members of the Kara Organization unlike anything we’ve seen before. Eida and her younger brother Daemon had bizarre powers that made them major threats to our heroes and when the anime returns, expect some major developments from the siblings. While the second season is on the way, it will be interesting to see if this renewal includes the current manga series Boruto: Two Blue Vortex.

Demon Slayer Changed It All

Pierrot’s decision to change its approach to anime came about thanks to Demon Slayer, with studio Ufotable taking a more seasonal approach to the Demon Slayer Corps. In a past interview, Pierrot president Michiyuki Honma talked about the change, “I think Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba was a major turning point for the anime industry. It was a high-quality work that took a lot of time and a generous budget to make and it was a big hit when it aired, attracting people from a wide range of age groups. I watched it. Before and after Demon Slayer was announced, I really felt that we had to change the way we create things. Furthermore, other studios were releasing high-quality works on a similar scale and in Japan there was an environment where these could be watched on commercial television.”

Via Pierrot

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Naruto aired its first episode in Japan on October 3rd, 2002, and came to English-speaking audiences via Viz Media in 2005. I was 13 years old, and it only took a few months before I was deeply hooked on the series. The tragic-yet-optimistic protagonist, silly jokes, and terrifying battles were a captivating trifecta. What would happen to Naruto? Would he finally make friends? Would he ever learn to read the expiration date on a milk label?

As of this year, I am 33 years old. I traded my Konoha headband and cheap orange Naruto jacket for a four-year-old son, a day job, and The Great British Bake Off. Most of my anime collectibles and manga sit in a weatherproof trunk in our garage, gathering dust. It has been nearly 15 years since I last watched an episode of Naruto, and even longer since I picked up a manga, which was why it was so surprising when I got a notification one night while cooking dinner about a special event happening at our local performing arts center.

The Naruto Symphonic Experience came to my town. This special showing combines the first 220 episodes of the franchise, the whole original Naruto runtime, into a two-and-a-half-hour experience punctuated by a live orchestra and singers. It’s one of those nostalgic throwbacks that took me from trying to flip hamburgers with a toddler hanging off my leg back to a wild, ninja-loving teenager in the blink of an eye. I could smell the Suncoast in the mall, feel the blisters from ninja shoes bought at a local anime convention, and hear “Fighting Dreamer” blaring off an old burned CD.

I called my childhood best friend, and we booked our tickets within ten minutes of seeing the advertisement.

The Naruto Fandom Shaped My Love of Anime

RELATED: Naruto’s Ending Ruins One of the OG Series’ Best Moments

Media is a curious and powerful sculptor of young identities. Much of what we watched as kids leaves a lasting impression on our hearts and has the power to shape what we enjoy in adulthood. Whether it’s reminiscing about Blue’s Clues or Bluey, generations form deep attachments to the messages and memories connected with the things we watch and then share with our peers.

In the ’00s, Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece were considered the “Big Three” of anime. Everyone was into at least one of these franchises, if not all of them. They dominated cosplays at conventions, drew huge groups of anime-loving teens together, and acted as a bonding experience for anyone deep in nerd culture. My friend group was Naruto at full speed. It was something we talked about at school, watched on the weekends, and wore to our very first anime conventions.

So much of my early teens was spent with a headband tied around my neck. Even to this day, I still have it tucked in a box of precious keepsakes alongside a broken Kunai and battered notebook filled with original character doodles. It’s a reminder that at one point in my life, I wasn’t embarrassed to show off what I loved. I was proud of it, and I took parts of it with me wherever I went.

Naruto was a stepping stone into other anime and manga as well. I went from ninjas fighting horrific evils to Black Cat, Rurouni Kenshin, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, and Inuyasha. My love of fast-paced action, deep character turmoil, and emotional connections between characters was foundationally etched by my time with Naruto, and I was hungry to find it in any other media I could get my hands on. I was also fortunate to grow up in a time when Manga was easier to get than ever before. We weren’t quite at easy streaming options for anime, but that was easily fixed with YouTube’s vast library of low-quality, chopped-up episodes of popular titles.

I would also say that Naruto helped shape me into the writer I am today. It was the first time I paid particular attention to the way action and narrative rose and fell, and I still fall back on those elements when writing today. My partner calls this your “creative toolbox”, filled with important influences that help shape the way we imagine worlds and build our own artistic identities.

The Naruto Symphonic Experience Reconnected Me to Myself

I went to the concert in a pair of green shorts and a black T-shirt, no extras or accessories to add any flair. It has been years since I’ve had anything with anime printed on the front. I expected the crowd to be primarily parents with younger kids. The new generation of Naruto fans. When we walked into the theater, instead of kids in outfits or teens looking for a way to pass an evening, I found myself surrounded by people my age. It was a whole performing arts venue loaded with fans who likely sat on their living room floors decades earlier, staring at the first episode the day it aired, just like me.

Some of the attendees looked like I did – dressed in something non-assuming, shuffling with the embarrassment that comes from being a covert anime fan. Others were dressed in full cosplay. Sakuras, Narutos, and Sasukes stood in line for drinks or at the merch booth, talking excitedly. Additionally, there were parents with younger kids, but both age groups were dressed in a way that clearly stated their love of the series stemmed from sharing it as a family.

We filed in, took our seats, and the lights dimmed. The orchestra struck the opening chords to “ROCKS” by Hound Dog, and everyone around me started to sing – the same song I used to sing while getting ready for middle school a lifetime ago.

I sat and watched as iconic scenes from the show were brought to life by the music. I remembered how I felt watching specific scenes for the first time. I shivered as songs I hadn’t listened to in years came back to me word-for-word. The show was punctuated by cheers and screams as everyone in the audience caught sight of their favorite characters, and the entire experience ended with the room on their feet, screaming the lyrics to “Fighting Dreamer” as the orchestra played in front of us.

I am very glad that I wasn’t the only one who started crying. It had been such a long time since I’d felt so connected to a full room of people, and it reminded me why this show meant so much to me. Naruto wasn’t just an anime I watched growing up, it was a connection point to other people. It was the chance to be a part of a community that enjoyed the same things and wanted to celebrate them together.

For just a minute, we were all able to set down everything in our lives, and simply enjoy something together without worry or stress. No bills, no anxiety about the state of the world, just pure fun and joy at loving something with others.

I Am Still a Naruto Fan

After the Naruto Symphonic Experience, I went home and dug out the old box with all my manga. All the volumes have lived in that box since I got married, put away to make way for the ‘more grown-up’ appearance I was trying to project. I’ve started putting them back on the bookcase in my office, because I shouldn’t shut up such an important part of who I am. I also realized while watching the show that I’ve forgotten so much of the important plot, making now the perfect time to jump back in and enjoy the series with fresh eyes and a new perspective.

I want to reconnect with the kid in me who loved the series. I also want to continue finding ways to connect with others like I did while watching the show. I am still a Naruto fan. I’m an anime fan, and that doesn’t have to change. It’s easy to lose that when life takes over and everything always feels overwhelming.

In a few years, I want to introduce my kid to the series and hopefully, pass on my love of Naruto to him. I don’t want to hide what makes me who I am, or act like I’m only interested in reading the dictionary because I get shy about it. More importantly, I don’t want him to shut away what he loves like I did. He should celebrate those things, enjoy the connections it will bring him, and revel in being part of a world that creates beautiful art that unites communities.

The Naruto Symphonic Experience was one of the best shows I’ve ever been to, from the performance to the connection. If you are a Naruto fan, it is definitely worth seeing. Who knows, it might reawaken a hidden child inside of you, too.

Check out the Naruto: The Symphonic Experience website here to find ticket options and tour dates if you don’t want to miss out!

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Boruto: Two Blue Vortex has been turning heads by presenting us with a “Shippuden-style” story for the son of the Seventh Hokage. With the Divine Trees seeking to continue the quest of the Otsutsuki, Boruto himself is struggling with a world that now hates and fears him thanks to Eida’s shenanigans. While anime fans might be waiting for some time to see the events of this sequel series animated, that isn’t stopping Two Blue Vortex from hitting some big heights as a new milestone has been revealed as to just how popular Naruto’s successor is.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex has released four manga volumes to date since first premiering in 2023 and since that year, the shonen sequel series has netted one million copies of its story in circulation. The current storyline sees series creator Masashi Kishimoto joining artist Mikio Ikemoto to forge a wild new chapter for Konoha in which Boruto has to fight friend and foe alike. When Kishimoto returned to writing duties in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, he threw everything out of whack by killing the Nine-Tailed Fox and Jigen, making major changes to the shonen landscape. With the series showing no signs of ending anytime soon, the sky is the limit for the manga.

[RELATED: Boruto Is Taking a Bold Risk With One Feature That Made Naruto Great]

What’s Happening In The Vortex?

When last we left Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, the son of the Seventh has been making some good headway in terms of bringing former friends to his side. So far, Naruto’s son has been able to undo Eida’s spell on some key figures in the ninja world, including Shikamaru, Sasuke, and more. Thanks to the arrival of the Divine Trees, former enemies have become allies as Boruto Uzumaki is now partnering up with Kashin Koji, the clone of Jiraiya who was once a key player in the ranks of the Kara Organization.

On top of the changes that Boruto has been dealing with, many members of Konoha have been given some wild new circumstances in the Two Blue Vortex. Perhaps the biggest has been with Boruto’s sister Himawari, who has become the new vessel for a resurrected Nine-Tailed Fox. Now that Kurama has been reborn as a chibi-sized version of itself, Himawari might turn out to be the strongest member of her family, which is no easy feat considering the powerhouses that make up the Uzumaki clan.

Where is The Two Blue Vortex Anime?

Unfortunately, Studio Pierrot has been tight-lipped regarding when we can expect Konoha’s return to the small screen. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations released its 293rd episode in 2023, marking the start of a major hiatus for the series that normally would release episodes weekly. Pierrot hasn’t been shy about their new seasonal approach, but at the moment, the production studio is working on the grand finale of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. With Ichigo and the Soul Society’s final episodes still in the works, anime fans are left to wonder when we’ll see Konoha return.

Want to stay in the loop when it comes to the Two Blue Vortex? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Boruto and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

Via WSJ_Manga

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Naruto is filled with countless iconic moments and story arcs, however, none is more important than the Chunin Exams and the storylines it gave breath to. This arc set the stage for character development throughout the rest of the series and even set Naruto and Sasuke down their opposing paths for the first time officially. During the exams, the audience is finally introduced to the expansive world of Masashi Kishimoto and gets to watch as their favorite ninjas compete to move from Genin to Chunin.

The question, “If the Chunin Exams had gone to the end, who do you think would’ve won?” was asked by the official Naruto and Boruto account on X, was originally bounced around in the minds of fans for years now, and has a handful of possible answers. Before being interrupted, the Chunin Exams had five ninjas left in the running. Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, Shino, Naruto, and Sasuke each did not get to complete their final face-offs in an official capacity. An argument can be made for any of these Genin to be the victor, and fans in the comments are hard at work making their cases. We will discuss the matches and hopefully come to a compelling conclusion for a victory.

[RELATED: Why Sakura Was So Weak in Naruto (And How She’s Great Despite This)]

The Matchups Left Some Questions Unanswered in the Chunin Exams

While the exams came to an abrupt end, there were two semi-final matches left to be had. The first match we’ll talk about is between Sasuke and Gaara, and it was the match that led to the exams becoming interrupted. When breaking down straight-up abilities the fact that Sasuke lacked any meaningful ways to deal damage to Gaara beyond the Chidori an attack that drew blood but not much else from the Sand Genin, leads to a difficult fight that would likely end with Sasuke running out of chakra much like his battle against Gaara outside of the exams. The follow-up fight would be between Kankuro and Shino, who are two fighters that we get to see face off outside of the exams as well, where we see Shino immobilize Kankuro but succumb to poison. This fight can go either way, and for this conversation, we can have them end in a draw, giving one of the other competitors a bye round.

The follow-up fights would revolve around the remaining Naruto, Temari, and Gaara and could either be a match between two of the Genin while one has a break or between the three of them in a battle royal style match like we see in Boruto: Naruto the Next Generations. Either way, the battle ends up the truth of the matter would be similar to the bout against Gaara and Sasuke which is that there is no meaningful form of damage that any of the Leaf Genin can muster against the Sand Shinobi. We do see Naruto face off against Gaara outside of the exams, but he requires help from the rest of team 7 and needs boosts from anger through seeing his friends in danger.

The Strongest Genin

Throughout the Chunin exams, Gaara shows that he is on a completely different level than the other young ninjas and would only really have true difficulty in the future against Naruto’s greatest villains. We see Gaara defeat countless opponents with ease and even defeat adult Shinobi sent to assassinate him. The question we should be asking is, who would get second place? Could Naruto defeat Temari? Well, from all showings of their respective abilities, it is incredibly unlikely that Naruto would be able to even lay a finger on the Kunoichi. Up to this point, Naruto has shadow clones and taijutsu to fall back on, and we often see him struggle with enemies that can attack at range and damage multiple targets.

Not counting for any extra power boosts that the narrative may bring about when it comes to looking at pure abilities, our second and first-place ninjas in the Chunin exams would be Temari and Gaara. The Genin from the Village Hidden in the Sand showed their consistent power and dominance through the whole of the Chunin Exams and were rarely faced with opponents whom they couldn’t outright eclipse. Rock Lee had to utilize a body-damaging ability to face off against Gaara, and Shikamaru was the perfect match-up for the Kunoichi. At the end of the day, within the confines of a tournament, none of the Leaf Genin left in the running could hold a flame to the sand siblings.

The post Official Naruto Post Reignites Decades-Long Debate Over the Most Important Arc appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Decades after its initial release, Naruto continues to be among the most popular anime shows, especially on Netflix. Of course, being popular hasn’t spared it from being criticized for various reasons, and one prominent criticism revolves around Sakura and her character design. Sakura receives a lot of hate from fans, and there are plenty of complaints that she’s a useless character. If you take a look at the series overall, quite a few female characters end up with lackluster roles, often there to be a support or as a comparison to show how much stronger other characters are, and it feels like their roles weren’t as well planned out as characters like Naruto and Sasuke.

However, it actually makes sense that Sakura isn’t a powerhouse. At least, not in the beginning of the series. When you consider her background and circumstances, Sakura actually beat the odds to become the best medical nin. This takes her out of the running in terms of typical battle shonen powerscaling races, but in another sense, it gives her character a different, more fulfilling purpose.

Sakura Is From a Humble Civilian Family

Unlike most of the other graduates in her year, Sakura doesn’t have a family with a robust shinobi background or a clan that she belongs to. Some filler episodes in the anime have her parents as former shinobi who never really rose through the ranks, but you can basically say that they fit better in the category of civilian. As a result, Sakura wouldn’t have been raised with a future as a shinobi in mind.

Not only does this mean that she likely didn’t receive any additional preparation for the academy while she was young, since it wasn’t an expected path for her to take, but she doesn’t have the same resources that shinobi families would have available for their kids before and during their academy years. On top of that, she certainly doesn’t have the benefit of a bloodline limit or unique properties from her heritage, such as Naruto inheriting his mother’s unique chakra (and the Nine-Tailed Fox).

Looking back at it, Sakura probably had the most peaceful childhood among the kids she went to the academy with, many of whom experienced tragic moments before they even earned their forehead protectors and were assigned to a team. The greatest hardship she experienced as a kid was her lack of friends and typical childhood bullying. While this meant that her overall mental well-being was good, she didn’t have the chance to use those tragedies as a source of strength, unlike Sasuke, who used his clan’s massacre as a reason to keep growing stronger.

RELATED – Naruto’s Most Underrated Skill Paved the Way to Become Hokage

Sakura Beat the Odds by Putting in the Work

For the majority of the standard series, Sakura doesn’t show anywhere near as much growth as her teammates. It’s not until she decides to be Tsunade’s apprentice that she starts to evolve into a force capable of facing a member of the Akatsuki with one person acting as her backup. This is famously the case for her battle against Sasori, notably the first major victory against the Akatsuki scored by anybody from Team 7, and the first overall in the series. It’s a triumph showcasing the series’ values of diligence, dedication, and believing in oneself.

You could say that Sakura started weak in Naruto because she never had the opportunities or the right teacher to guide her before Tsunade. Her chakra control, ability to absorb new information quickly, and determination to improve after she realized how far behind she was in terms of strength made her the perfect student for Tsunade. In a way, it’s similar to real life and how finding a teacher who’s the right fit for you can make a big difference when it comes to your future path.

Sakura’s Character Arc Was Decently Done

Yes, it could’ve been done better, but the series makes it obvious that the main focus is on Sasuke and Naruto, so a lot of interesting characters end up on the sidelines more often, even if their inclusion would’ve made sense. Despite that, Sakura received a full arc during the series. She started her journey with confidence in her knowledge, even if her practical skills weren’t on par with other kids. Then, she realized chakra control was her strength—she just didn’t know how to capitalize on it. Next, she started to understand how weak she was when compared to her peers and that she isn’t able to use her strengths to their fullest. Finally, she finds the right teacher in Tsunade, who turns her into one of the best medical ninjas alive.

Whether you like Sakura or hate her, her role in the series has a sense of completion to it. Naruto has high moments and flaws, but it does a decent job of giving development to its side characters, even if they don’t receive as much screentime or have their development shown, sometimes opting to show their progress when they appear again. In Sakura’s case, her development is amazing. She starts with no benefits and without a background to help her on the path of a shinobi. Despite this, she’s still able to overcome these hurdles and go from one of the weakest characters to one of the strongest by the end of the series, able to stand by her closest friends in their darkest hour, garnering recognition from her peers and even past Hokage for her power.

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Naruto earned its place amongst Shonen Jump’s Big Three more times than we can count. The shonen franchise that gave anime fans the original Naruto series, Naruto: Shippuden, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, and Boruto: Two Blue Vortex has been a part of the pop culture sphere for decades. Like so many other fictional stories, heroes are typically only as good as their villains, and boy oh boy does the Hidden Leaf Village have plenty of villains to choose from. Here is our ranking of the top Naruto villains to appear in the long history of the franchise from the Seventh Hokage’s beginnings to his son’s teenage misadventures.

As a quick breakdown for a list, the top ten are in no particular order as it would be so difficult to choose the creme of the crop. Luckily, we have gathered this den of villainy and broken down our reasoning behind which antagonists were able to stand on the top of the ninja ladder. Let’s kick things off with one of the earliest villains of the shonen franchise.

Gaara

It’s been a very long time since the current Kazekage was a villain but we’re safe in stating that Gaara’s initial appearance helped to make him one of the most memorable antagonists of the series. Giving fans one of the best battles in the shonen’s history, Gaara beat down Rock Lee in such a way that many thought the hard-kicking ninja would never recover. The Sand Village resident was one whose backstory was a twisted iteration of Naruto’s struggling with the demon inside of him and terrifying those around him in the process. While Gaara would eventually see the light side, like many villains on this list, his villain-status was nothing to sneeze at.

Orochimaru

Speaking of early villains, Orochimaru is most assuredly the “biggest bad” of the initial Naruto series. Initially a part of Konoha’s “Legendary Sannin” alongside Jiraiya and Tsunade, the snake-like ninja would depart the Hidden Leaf to dabble in dark ninjutsu. Alongside causing the death of the Third Hokage, Orochimaru gave Sasuke the opportunity to leave his old life behind in a bid to achieve power by any means necessary. Thanks to no restrictions on what he can learn, the villain was able to become a powerhouse who easily earned his spot on the Akatsuki, whose members will certainly appear on this list.

Itachi Uchiha

Sasuke’s older brother was a cold, calculating villain whose power was terrifying enough in and of itself thanks to his mastery of the Sharingan. First appearing in the original Naruto series as a member of the Akatsuki seeking to capture Naruto, Itachi Uchiha earned his younger brother’s ire by eliminating their clan. While his background blurred the lines between anti-hero and villain, the bodies left in Itachi’s wake and the damage he did to so many makes a strong argument for him being a part of the antagonist category of the shonen. Even though Itachi hardly appears in the initial series as much as Gaara and Orochimaru, the member of the defunct Uchiha clan had a long shadow in the initial shonen.

Sasuke Uchiha

This will be a controversial pick thanks to Sasuke being a hero in the likes of Naruto, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, and Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, but in Naruto: Shippuden, Itachi’s younger brother was a villain through and through. His ultimate goal of killing his brother Itachi was achieved but this fact didn’t stop his reign of terror as he chose a new target. Thanks to Itachi being secretly employed by the Third Hokage, Sasuke turned his ire to Konoha and was more than willing to kill anyone who got in his way. Eventually, Naruto brought him back to the good side of the equation but not before he nearly killed everyone on the battlefield.

Pain

When it comes to some of the most impactful villains of the shonen franchise, Pain is a great example of an antagonist who shaped the future of Konoha. Leading the Akatsuki and having a ninjutsu that allowed him to inhabit multiple bodies at once, the villain didn’t just give Naruto one of the biggest battles of his life but he also laid the groundwork for the shonen protagonist to become the Seventh Hokage. Naruto’s victory here against the Akatsuki head had the Hidden Leaf Village trusting him like never before, swinging open doors that the son of the Yellow Flash never thought possible.

Madara Uchiha

Madara’s resurrection made sense as a part of the “Third Ninja World War,” wherein Kabuto used Orochimaru’s powers to resurrect allies and enemies of Konoha alike to fight the Ninja World. What did come as a surprise is that the founder of the Uchiha Clan had been alive long before Kabuto’s machinations, pulling the strings in the background on most of the nefarious doings taking place in both Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden. On top of his tactical experience, Madara’s power level was such that he was able to defeat hundreds of ninjas at once and even the combined effort of all of the Hidden Leaf ultimately wasn’t enough to defeat him.

Obito Uchiha

First appearing in the series as what seemed like the weakest, most flippant member of the Akatsuki, “Tobi” would eventually be revealed to be Obito Uchiha. While he was the right-hand man to Itachi Uchiha, his background with Kakashi as one of his most trusted allies helped push some impactful storytelling during the events of Naruto: Shippuden. Not only did Obito have one of the most compelling origins of any character, his eventual confrontation with Kakashi is still touted as one of the best fights of the shonen franchise. Dying during the final battle of Shippuden, Obito left his mark on the ninja world in more ways than one before finding redemption thanks to Naruto.

Danzo Shimura

Danzo was within spitting distance of becoming the next Hokage following Pain’s assault on the Hidden Leaf Village and is often thought of as one of the villains that you love to hate. While the villain presented himself as a leader hoping to keep his village safe, he was willing to go to any length to make sure that not only was Konoha safe but that he was firmly in charge. This resulted in some disastrous decisions that placed him on a collision course with Sasuke Uchiha, with the latter taking Danzo’s life. Thanks to some experimentation by Orochimaru, Danzo gained some serious power but his body was mutilated in the process, as you can see in the image above.

Zabuza Momochi

Zabuza’s initial threat almost seems quaint in comparison to the other antagonists that threatened the ninja world in the subsequent years. The Hidden Mist Village swordsman presented the original Team 7 with their big first challenge, as a confrontation over a bridge set all the parties involved on a collision course. While Zabuza wasn’t a threat that was able to defeat Kakashi or threaten the Hidden Leaf at large, his aesthetic and personality made him the perfect initial villain for the shonen series. Even following his demise, Zabuza’s shadow loomed over much of the future of the ninja world.

Jigen/Isshiki Otsusuki

We had to sneak one Boruto villain into the mix. Jigen is the former head of the Kara Organization who died during his fight against Naruto Uzumaki and the Seventh Hokage’s Baryon Mode. Thanks to the Kara leader’s machinations, the Nine-Tailed Fox died and the ninja world became that much more dangerous as a result. The Otsusuki member is one that definitely sticks out amongst the crowd in the Boruto series and it’s a shame that he won’t torment Konoha any longer. Fingers crossed that the Divine Trees adequately take the reins as effective big bads.

The post 10 Best Villains in Naruto appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Naruto is a franchise that, without a doubt, carries a massive legacy with it. Whether it be the anime or manga, fans around the globe are familiar with the shonen title and many of its characters – even if they’ve never taken the time to get invested in the story for themselves. One of the biggest draws for fans of the series, especially when Naruto was still ongoing, was which of the shinobi from Konoha and the other villages would end up pairing off with one another. Obviously, there are plenty of canon couples throughout Naruto that have earned the love – and ire – of fans, but there’s one couple who had immense potential that was never properly explored.

Warning: Minor Spoilers Ahead for Naruto’s Ending!

While Naruto ending up with Hinata was inevitable and Sakura and Sasuke being together obvious by the end of the manga, there were plenty of other characters in the cast that seemed to have decent chemistry with one another, whether or not they ended up together. Reflecting on some of the endgame romances, one of the biggest missed opportunities and couplings that had an intriguing storyline that followed their relationship was Ino and Choji. Team 10’s Ino Yamanaka and Choji Akimichi had many moments in both pre and post-timeskip Naruto that suggested something of a “Don’t Judge a Book” storyline between the two that was unceremoniously dropped before the two ended up being paired off with completely different supporting characters, with Ino ending up with Sai and Karui from Kumogakure.

Ino & Choji’s Bond as Teammates Gave Them the Opportunity To Grow Together

Something about the dynamic between Ino and Choji that makes the ship so interesting is their growth and bond as teammates. In the earlier arcs of Naruto, Ino is depicted as having a mean girl persona. Like many of the other young girls in Konoha, she has a devastating crush on resident bad boy Sasuke and pits herself against other girls who have feelings for him. In the same way, she oftentimes acts disgusted by any other boys who don’t compose themselves as being the cool, silent type, and when she is initially put on Team 10 with Shikamaru and Choji, she couldn’t be more displeased by their personalities and appearances. But, as seen in small moments leading up to the Sasuke Retrieval arc, Ino starts to develop a soft spot for her teammates – especially Choji.

Despite Ino goading him by making fun of his appearance in the Chunin Exams arc to make him fight better, after the boys return from trying to change Sasuke’s mind in the Sasuke Retrieval arc, Ino is shown to genuinely care for and be concerned with Choji’s near-fatal injuries. It’s a small nod to her changing her behavior to not only be a better teammate but also a better friend. This chemistry continues going into post-timeskip Naruto, where, in the Five Kage Summit arc, news that Sasuke has become affiliated with the Akatsuki has made its way back to Konoha. After it’s suggested that Konoha eliminate Sasuke to prevent any further tragedies from befalling Konoha, Choji and Ino are seen together, with the kunoichi being devastated over the village’s decision while Choji does his best to comfort her.

This deep care for one another’s feelings persisted into the Shinobi World War arc. When Team 10 is forced to fight against a resurrected Asuma, Choji can’t emotionally or mentally bring himself to fight his former mentor. In an act of mercy and even love for her teammate, Ino uses her jutsu to transfer her consciousness into Choji in order to fight. Their dedicated moments together are few and far between, but it’s made abundantly clear throughout Naruto‘s run that in their time together, Ino and Choji have each helped the other in different ways. In Ino’s case, her friendship and camaraderie with Choji makes her far less shallow – even if she does still have an eye for pretty boys – and Ino’s eye for beauty seems to embolden Choji as the series goes on. It’s an incredible dynamic that works well with both of their characters, even if they aren’t cast members who are given much screen time compared to other couples in the series.

[RELATED: Naruto’s Ending Ruins One of the OG Series’ Best Moments]

Why InoCho Should Have Been Endgame

While, yes, Ino does have plenty of moments with Sai that justify the two of them getting together, much of the content of them together as a romantic pairing isn’t seen by audiences until well into the epilogue of the original series and their married life in Boruto. In a similar vein, Choji’s relationship with his wife, Karui, is almost exclusively seen in Boruto or other supplemental side stories. With that said, there’s no hard justification why these two wouldn’t have worked as a legitimate endgame pairing going into Naruto‘s finale, and in many ways, it would have been the better writing direction for both of them. As mentioned above, much of the symbolism surrounding Choji, butterflies, inner beauty, and confidence plays remarkably well into Ino’s own progression as a character. Ino progresses by learning to distance herself from the shallow, preconceived ideas she forms about other people before getting to know them properly.

It would have been an absolute delight to see these two develop a closer romantic bond with each other or even learning how to process their feelings and try to find the words to express themselves. It also could have made the dynamic of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio more complex going into Boruto with two of the families suddenly being unified by marriage. Better yet, it would have created an opportunity to see the child of Ino and Choji thrive in an environment built on self-love and embracing oneself to the fullest. There are just so many little narrative nods to the two developing a relationship that leans into being more than platonic that it is disappointing, albeit understandable, that they ended up being just friends by the end of the series.

The post Forget Naruto & Hinata, This Is Naruto’s Greatest Romance appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Since its humbler beginnings, anime has exploded in popularity, a passive pastime to some and others becoming avid fans seeking all the merch, conventions, and comradery they can get. The subculture, like the fandoms of comic books, superheroes, and video games, was once mocked as cringy and for incel geeks. Now, it’s finally recognized as a respected pastime that’s had a complete glow-up in the eyes of society in relatively recent years, even coming toe-to-toe in rivaling the popularity, like that of devoted sports fans. There have even been some nifty sources for anime, such as the database MyAnimeList or even voice actor SungWon Cho, who provides suggestions on his YouTube channel, ProZD.

From young, blossoming novices to older generations seeking a new hobby, anime has charmed many with stunning visuals, beautiful music scores, heartfelt characters, gripping plots, and all-around masterpieces of storytelling mediums. While anime in itself isn’t just a single genre or interest but a vast sea, there are also many iffy tropes and cultural differences to wade through. But with so many choices and questionable content, where does one even begin getting into such a hobby? Well, whether you’re a younger fan in need of eye protection or a more mature newbie, we’re here to help!

For the Younger Budding Anime Fans

From otaku parents starting an anime journey for their kiddos or tweens interested in the fad themselves, these picks are a bit lighter for the beginner palate. Please be advised that it is strongly suggested that parents do their due diligence in screening anime themselves since, like with any piece of media, there is always a chance of certain topics, themes, visuals, or cultural differences that may not agree with specific family values. If you’re looking for some family-friendly anime fun, you’re in luck!
If your kid enjoys collections of cool monsters, we suggest:

• Pokémon
• Digimon
• Yo-kai Watch
• Yu-Gi-Oh!
• Beyblade
• Monster Rancher
• Element Hunters

Or perhaps for the magical girl enthusiasts:

• Sailor Moon
• Cardcaptor Sakura
• Magical Doremi
• Jewelpet
• Pretty Cure
• Mewkledreamy

Want something silly or a slice-of-life? Here are some picks:

• Spy x Family
• Sgt Frog
• My Roommate is a Cat
• Natsume’s Book of Friends, Lucky Star, Nichijou, Chi’s Sweet Home, Hamtaro, Barakamon.

Craving action-packed and goofy adventures? Try:

• Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
• Dragon Ball
• One Piece
• Sonic X
• Doraemon
• Little Witch Academia

For family movie night, we suggest some Studio Ghibli films:

• My Neighbor Totoro
• Spirited Away
• Arrietty
• The Boy and the Heron
• Castle in the Sky
• Howl’s Moving Castle
• Ponyo
• Kiki’s Delivery Service
• The Cat Returns

Also worth considering:

• Mary and the Witch’s Flower
• Any of the Pokemon movies.

For the More Mature Viewers Seeking a New Hobby

While the following suggested anime are for those who can handle more mature themes, we strongly suggest checking out the previous picks, as there are some gems that fans of any age can enjoy! From coming-of-age to relatability, there are many anime to choose from!

Whether feeling shy or awkward, these characters will probably make you feel better about yourself, give you a giggle, or even feel relatable:

• Komi Can’t Communicate
• Bocchi the Rock!
• Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!
• Sonny Boy
• The Dangers in My Heart
• Teasing Master Takagi-san
• Skip And Loafer
• FLCL
• Dandadan
• Ranma 1/2

For those interested in sports and clubs:

• Haikyu!!
• Kuroko no Basket
• Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
• Blue Box
• Blue Lock
• K-On
• Do It Yourself!!
• Blue Period
• Chihayafuru
• Ping Pong the Animation
• Hyouka.

Some somewhat educational but mostly entertaining choices:

• Cells at Work!
• Dr. Stone
• Food Wars!
• Spice and Wolf
• Heaven’s Design Team
• Shirobako

Want action and adventure? These classics tend to be a great starting point for many:

• Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
• Monster
• Cowboy Bebop
• Space Dandy
• Samurai Champloo
• Naruto
• Attack on Titan
• Hunter x Hunter
• Demon Slayer
• Jujutsu Kaisen
• My Hero Academia
• Gurren Lagann
• Bleach
• Inuyasha
• Soul Eater
• Assassination Classroom
• Fairy Tail
• Yu Yu Hakusho
• Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
• Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.

Or perhaps a bit darker/psychological/thought-provoking picks:

• Death Note
• Black Butler
• The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
• Psycho-Pass
• Steins;Gate
• Puella Magi Madoka Magica
• School-Live!
• Future Diary
• Death Parade

Looking for something a bit silly?:

• One-Punch Man
• Mob Psycho 100
• My Deer Friend Nokotan
• The Demon Girl Next Door
• Pop Team Epic
• KonoSuba
• Uncle From Another World
• Azumanga Daioh
• The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
• Gintama

Or some anime to chill out to:

• Aria the Animation
• Insomniacs After School
• Laid-Back Camp

A bit of fantasy to spice things up:

• The Ancient Magus’ Bride
• Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Sword Art Online
• Mushi-Shi
• Land of the Lustrous
• Delicious in Dungeon

Romance anime that are sure to make your heart flutter:

• Ouran High School Host Club
• Horimiya
• Toradora!
• Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
• Fruits Basket
• Maid Sama!
• Kamisama Kiss
• My Little Monster
• My Dress-Up Darling

Apropos for the working adult:

• Aggretsuko
• Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku
• My Senpai Is Annoying
• Bartender Glass of God
• Great Pretender

Picks to watch about married life with your spouse:

• I Can’t Understand What My Husband Is Saying
• The Way Of The Househusband
• Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again
• Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You

For parents looking for a relatable break:

• Wolf Children
• Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
• Sweetness and Lightning
• Bunny Drop
• Buddy Daddies
• Sakamoto Days

Movie night options include some more mature picks from Studio Ghibli:

• Princess Mononoke
• Porco Rosso
• Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
• Whisper of the Heart

If you’ve exhausted your Ghibli options, we suggest these even more advanced offerings:

• Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop
• Lonely Castle in the Mirror
• A Silent Voice
• Your Name
• Summer Wars
• The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
• The Boy and the Beast
• Belle
• In This Corner Of The World
• A Whisker Away
• Perfect Blue
• Akira
• Tokyo Godfathers
• Paprika

What anime do you think is a great starting point for new fans? Let us know in the comments what picks you’d recommend as a lifelong fan or what your favorites are as a newbie!

The post From Naruto to Delicious in Dungeon: A Guide to Anime for Beginners appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Over its fifteen-year run, Naruto had countless major, minor, and filler villains for the titular ninja to face in battle. Within each arc featured in Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden, these villains all had something in common: they were “missing-nin”, a ninja in the Naruto world that has abandoned or become unaffiliated with their village of origin. This title bears heavy significance, and we are first introduced to the unaffiliated enemies during the original Team 7’s first mission, setting the tone for those in the world of whom we should be wary.

From Zabuza Momochi to the Akatsuki and eventually even Team Seven’s own Sasuke, Naruto faces down the shinobi in his world that have abandoned their homes and their ninja way. For a series focusing heavily on the protagonist’s belief system being his very own nindo (ninja way), these antagonists often foil Naruto in abilities and beliefs, leading not only to flashy and engaging combat but to the face-off of two philosophies. But there are certainly approachable reasons as to why so many of Naruto’s core villains are missing-nin.

Part One: Naruto

Part one of the Naruto series follows the main cast of ninjas as they work through their Genin Exams, early missions, and the Chunin Exams, growing into the heroes they will eventually become. The first enemies we meet that bear the title of missing-nin are Zabuza Momochi and Haku. Zabuza is an imposing figure that we learn about from Kakashi after Team 7’s first encounter with him as he attempts to assassinate the bridge builder Tazuna. Zabuza’s contributions towards the overarching narrative run deep, even if the character didn’t last beyond his introductory arc, because we see that this first mission causes Naruto to become resolute in his ninja way.

Another of the villains we face in early Naruto is Orochimaru. This recurring antagonist not only orchestrates the attack on Konoha by the Sand Ninja but is a missing-nin from Konoha himself. Orochimaru repeatedly appears as a direct threat and a reminder of an underlying path that members of Team Seven can take to access power more quickly. In between instances of Orochimaru’s scheming, we are also introduced to two members of the Akatsuki, Itachi and Kisame. Being faced with the recurring power of multiple missing-nin, our characters are presented with two options: stay resolute in their village and their fundamental way of living or, in pursuit of power, embrace the solitary and hate-filled life that being a missing-nin can bring. As we see the first series come to an end, two of our stars, Naruto and Sasuke, come to a head in a battle of ideals as Sasuke abandons his home and friends to gain access to greater power through Orochimaru.

[RELATED: 10 Best Anime to Watch If You Like Naruto]

Part Two: Naruto: Shippuden

For almost the entirety of Naruto: Shippuden, we watch as Naruto spends most of his time hunting down Sasuke in between missions and training. These two characters still exist in opposition to each other, and Sasuke is one of the many missing-nin this portion of the series features. These styles of characters appear more and more frequently to face our heroic ninjas from Konoha in battle and to begin pressing against our character’s ideals directly. As Naruto grows stronger both in ninjutsu and his ideals, he is repeatedly bore down by the group of missing-nin called the Akatsuki. The Akatsuki come in all shapes and sizes and even introduces us to Pain and his iconic cycle of pain speech.

Pain, also known as Nagato, is the absolute foil to Naruto’s character and exists in opposition to the Ninja in every way. Nagato was a previous student of Naruto’s teacher Jiraiya and was an orphan, much like Naruto himself. However, unlike Naruto, Nagato believed that the world needed to be brought to peace through a powerful hand and that as long as wars were fought, people would remain stuck in a perpetual state of hate and pain. These two characters boiled to an absolute showdown after Nagato had destroyed Konoha in a siege that only ended when Naruto was able to quell his rage and show his opponent that they could end the cycle of pain by ending the fight between each other and removing themselves from the violence of the ninja world at this moment.

The Necessity of Missing-nin

The world of Naruto is one of many ninja villages and lands that are dominated by intra-village and feudal-style politics. As the world evolves and as we, the viewers, experience its expansion, we begin to understand that these ninjas abide by strict codes and rules, even for assassins and soldiers. So, with all of this in mind, the reality is that the missing-nin are fundamentally easier villains to utilize within the world presented. Any village-based ninja would bring with them village-based ideals as well as the complex intra-village governmental conflict, the likes of which could deeply overcomplicate any arc it would be featured in.

The post Nearly All of Naruto’s Villains Share One Thing in Common appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Some popular anime garner hype with new content. Some nostalgic, well-loved anime still have fans flocking to their fanbases years and hundreds of episodes later. Naruto is the latter. But unlike some franchises bolstering more episodes or having begun airing years prior, Naruto is still garnering attention with a firm, dedicated fanbase that continues to grow watching their cherished show. And, with such iconic, admired storylines and characters, the franchise deserves the attention.

And with a franchise as bold, iconic, and enduring as the namesake himself, Naruto tops other franchises in its latest milestone, topping the Netflix anime charts for the second half of 2024. And why shouldn’t it? Naruto, though he faces challenge after challenge in ninja training, also faces emotional challenges that hit close to home. But he doesn’t let that stop him. Naruto’s drive to accomplish his dreams in the face of adversity is the epitome of “never give up” and is a widely beloved inspiration to otaku everywhere. Believe it!

Naruto is Still the Best! Believe it!

After over twenty years, Naruto still manages to come out on top. With an analysis conducted by PJB Entertainment on the comparison of watch hours each franchise has had as of the conclusion of 2024, Netflix’s “What We Watched” Report reveals that the Naruto franchise has taken the #1 spot. This includes the original 2002 series through its 2017 conclusion with Naruto: Shippuden, filler, and other projects like Boruto, with cumulative watch hours adding up to around a whopping 330 million. With its officially claimed #1 spot as the most-watched anime globally, Naruto has outpaced One Piece (ongoing with over 1000 episodes), Demon Slayer, Pokemon (also with over 1000 episodes), Black Clover, Hunter x Hunter, Seven Deadly Sins, My Hero Academia, Dandadan, and even Jujutsu Kaisen. It’s an impressive change of pace compared to the first half of the year, which saw Delicious in Dungeon rightly snatch the top rank.

With nothing current matching the full run of Naruto, this shows just how the series has really impacted its fans with the lasting quality of Naruto’s best moments. Naruto as a character resonates with fans everywhere with his determined spirit in the face of adversity and is a widely beloved inspiration to otaku everywhere. With friends and foes along the way, his adventures, ranging from hilarious antics to heart-wrenching emotional experiences, have left their imprint on not just the storylines and characters and the franchise’s audience but the course of anime culture itself.

A Beloved Anime Franchise Since 2002

In the Hidden Leaf Village, Konohagakure, Naruto Uzumaki, a young, aspiring ninja, is shunned by the wary community. The leader, the Fourth Hokage, had sacrificed his life and sealed the Nine-Tailed Fox demon within the newborn Naruto to prevent it from wreaking havoc on the village. But Naruto doesn’t let his circumstances and rejection from others deter him — with a rambunctious, mischievous nature, he’s determined to become the next Hokage and gain the village’s recognition and respect. Making friends along the way, Naruto trains to become a strong and capable ninja, facing many new foes and the demon inside himself.

Since its humble beginnings in 1999 as a manga by Masashi Kishimoto and published by Shueisha, the adventure/fantasy/comedy/martial arts shonen amassed 72 volumes in its run until 2014. In 2002, Pierrot adapted it into an anime series that has been widely popular ever since. The franchise has included the original Naruto 220-episode series spanning 5 seasons, Naruto: Shippuden with 500 episodes spanning 22 seasons, and ending in 2017 with the next generation continuing in Boruto, featuring Naruto’s son.

[RELATED: Naruto Team Shares How Its Sequel, Boruto, Came to Light]

Even with other franchises like One Piece having a seemingly more imposing legacy with ongoing manga and anime series, Naruto manages to appeal to generations of anime fans both new and nostalgic, the franchise as a whole successfully bridging the cultural gap in surprising ways with regards to viewership. Constantly outputting new merch, promos, and collaborations, the franchise is as successful as ever with garnering both its marketing and genuine appeal, and the impressive number of watch hours is a testament to its lasting appeal.

And as fans clearly still want more content from the franchise, perhaps this should be case enough for Boruto needing its anime to make a return and why Two Blue Vortex is a worthwhile reading experience. With its 2016 ongoing two-part manga series, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, the franchise’s clear endurance is evidence enough that it could continue its successful viewership should the anime also continue. But until then, fans can get their fix with Two Blue Vortex’s ongoing monthly manga. With Boruto facing new skills to learn and new goals to achieve, the manga is increasingly worth your time as its plot unfolds.

Even if you’re unable to support Naruto by watching on Netflix, that’s okay! Naruto can also be streamed on most major streaming services including Amazon, Hulu, Peacock, Crunchyroll, and more.

The post Naruto Is Still the Hottest Anime on Netflix appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex has been taking the opportunity to focus on some of the Seventh Hokage’s biggest allies fighting against the newest big bads of the shonen universe, the Divine Trees. While Sarada Uchiha and her fellow young ninjas find themselves in a physical altercation, Konohamaru has a much more difficult and emotional challenge on his hands. As Konohamaru struggles with a former ally turned enemy, Boruto’s teacher has to make a tough decision in the latest manga chapter, proving once again that creator Masashi Kishimoto is more than willing to take off the gloves when necessary.

Warning. If you have yet to read Boruto: Two Blue Vortex’s latest manga chapter, Chapter 20, be forewarned that we’ll be diving into major spoiler territory. Konohamaru has been in a tough situation in Boruto’s manga, being assigned with taking down the Divine Trees by the current Hokage Shikamaru. Initially tasked with befriending Matsuri, the Divine Tree member born from the DNA of Konohamaru’s friend Moegi, Boruto’s mentor was attacked by the villain thanks to her wild emotional state. The Divine Trees, after all, are equivalent to children in terms of their understanding of the world and themselves, which Konohamaru uses to his advantage.

[RELATED: Naruto Finally Unleashes Sarada’s Greatest Sharingan & Teases Its Power]

Konohamaru Still Has It

Trapped in Matsuri’s scarf and being threatened with a painful demise, Konohamaru is forced to play his trump card and start emotionally manipulating his opponent. With the Divine Tree putting the squeeze on the Hidden Leaf ninja, tears start streaming down her face as she fails to understand this rush of emotion raging inside of her. Thanks to being based on Moegi’s DNA, the villain doesn’t wish to be Konohamaru’s executor and thus, leaves herself open to a wild attack.

In a brilliant fashion, Konohamaru asks to hold Matsuri’s hands, allowing her to drop her guard and unleashing a devastating attack at point blank rage. Boruto’s former teacher calls forth a pair of “Giant Rasengan”, not only completely blowing apart the Divine Tree’s arms but her legs as well. In a split moment, Konohamaru might have also lost his win opportunity to claim victory.

Watching from afar, the Divine Tree leader known as Jura confirms that Konohamaru might have lost his life in his hesitation to kill Matsuri, “Because of love, Matsuri wavered over devouring him and allowed him to trick her and deliver a painful counter-attack. Also because of love, Sarutobi Konohamaru fell prey to doubt and foolishly let victory slip from his grasp.” In Konohamaru’s final scene in this latest manga chapter, it seems that Matsuri losing her appendages won’t stop her from unleashing a maelstrom his way, potentially spelling the end of the ninja.

Want to see if Konohamaru makes it out of this encounter alive? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on the Hidden Leaf Village and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Unleashes Konohamaru’s Greatest Betrayal appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex has put Sarada Uchiha and the others in the midst of some very real danger against the Divine Trees, and the cliffhanger from the newest chapter has finally unleashed Sarada’s own Mangekyo Sharingan. The Mangekyo Sharingan is one of the strongest Sharingan techniques fans got to see Sasuke Uchiha use during the heights of the original Naruto series, and Sarada was previously revealed to carry on this power. In the final few chapters of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, it was revealed that Sarada had unlocked this ability but didn’t seem to know herself that she had activated it.

It’s been a long time since that point, however, as Sarada has grown throughout the years in between the events of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex sequel. Now that she’s gone on a deadly new mission to the Hidden Sand Village and facing off against two of the Divine Tree foes, it seems the stress and chaos of the situation has activated this latent power within her once more. But this time around, we’re finally starting to see what Sarada’s version of the technique can do.

Naruto Unleashes Sarada’s Own Mangekyo Sharingan

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 20 picks up right after Ryu catches Sarada and the others while they were trying to trick him. Although they were able to avoid his iron sand control for awhile, it’s now a much different case as his ability continues to overwhelm both Team 7 and the Hidden Sand Ninja. Ryu then offers them a deal to reveal more information about Boruto’s whereabouts in exchange for their lives. Sarada refuses to do so because not only would she not want to give away Boruto’s location, but she doesn’t even know where he is in the first place.

It’s here that Yodo realizes that Sarada’s going to protect Boruto regardless of how the rest of the world sees him, and thus decides to give herself up. Claiming that her abilities to help locate Boruto, Ryu refuses and strikes her through the stomach. As she lies there in injured, Yodo then asks Sarada to look deep within herself as it’s clear that she’s holding back her power. She’s been subconsciously holding herself back, and Yodo tells her its okay to use that power to protect the one she cares about instead of for some “greater good.” It’s here that Sarada’s Mangekyo Sharingan activates in full.

RELATED: Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Explains Boruto’s New Jujutsu Kaisen-Like Powers

What Does Sarada’s New Sharingan Do?

Although Sarada had unknowingly activated her Mangekyo Sharingan during the final events of the original series, it’s not until this chapter that she’s activated it in full. The power unleashed from her version of the technique seems to work much differently than her father’s as well as Ryu’s iron sand starts collecting in a single sphere in the middle of the air. The sand is being sucked into this one single spot, and it’s almost as if it’s working as a black hole.

The chapter ends before fans get to see more of Sarada wielding this new power, but now it’s just a matter of seeing what’s next. Sarada has never used this ability before, and following the time skip she’s now at a point where she can even wield the ability. It’s unclear as to whether or not it will have the same drawbacks seen with the other Sharingan users, but now she’s going to test it out in the midst of combat with her life on the line. And the technique could not have sparked at a better time.

The post Naruto Finally Unleashes Sarada’s Greatest Sharingan & Teases Its Power appeared first on ComicBook.com.

As an anime about friendship and teamwork, Naruto has its fair share of competition or friendships turned rivalries. Some of them, like Naruto and Sasuke’s rivalry, are meant to pave the way to character growth. While others, like Might Guy and Kakashi’s rivalry, serve as friendly and somewhat comedic relationships in an otherwise bleak world. But one Naruto rivalry is agreed by fans to be the worst of them all even after multiple decades: the rivalry between Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno. 

Ino and Sakura’s rivalry is frequently criticized for being shallow and revolving around a boy who (at least at the time) wasn’t even interested in them. But while Sasuke played a major role in the two’s rivalry, the underlying theme is a fight to show the other up in both love and ninja skills. Had the story focused more on this element of the two’s relationship, their friendship and rivalry would have been much less frustrating to watch, and might have even paralleled Naruto and Sasuke’s iconic rivalry.

The Background Behind Naruto’s Worst Rivalry

One of Naruto’s most hated rivalries, Ino and Sakura’s relationship is often criticized for being one-dimensional, with the two former friends seemingly only fighting to impress Sasuke. But that’s not all there is to it. While the two’s feelings for the last Uchiha were the overt reason given for their competitiveness, their actual dynamic is far more complex.

Ino and Sakura first became friends after the former found a young Sakura crying from being bullied for her large forehead. Ino told her to embrace her forehead to stop the teasing and tied her hair back for her with a red ribbon. This set the tone for their relationship: Sakura was the shy, timid girl who often got bullied, and Ino was the confident girl who defended and supported her.

While Ino’s support helped Sakura slowly become more confident, her inner insecurity remained. She compared herself to Ino and found herself lacking. This can be seen in Naruto Episode 41, when the two young girls made flower arrangements and Sakura asked Ino if the latter was a beautiful Cosmos and the former just a common Thoroughwort. Ino was quick to reassure Sakura that she was still a flower bud and could bloom into a flower even more beautiful than the Cosmos. But while her words inspired Sakura, they weren’t enough to erase her insecurity.

The Easy Change That Could Fix It All 

This is where Sasuke comes in. Sakura’s feelings for Sasuke were strong enough that when she learned Ino also liked him, she didn’t automatically back down thinking she didn’t have a chance. Her feelings for him brought out her inner competitiveness and pushed her to improve to the point that she could finally view herself as Ino’s equal.

This focus on Sasuke also makes Sakura’s otherwise significant character arc feel remarkably childish and shallow. So, how could this have been fixed? The easiest way would have been to simply substitute the catalyst of liking Sasuke with something else. In the context of the story, the obvious choice would have been a rivalry over becoming the better Kunoichi. Kunoichi, or female ninjas, are already a minority among the Konoha 11, with their growth being largely overlooked until Naruto Shippuden, and Tenten being practically ignored by the end. Given Sakura’s growth under Tsunade following the time skip, putting this development into focus in Part 1 could have been far more compelling.

[RELATED – One Naruto “Plot Hole” Is Seen in a New Light 25 Years Later]

This is already a major part of Ino and Sakura’s relationship, so the story would not need to be altered significantly for it to work. To a young Sakura, Ino symbolized the kind of person and ninja she wanted to become. As such, even without their mutual crush on Sasuke, Sakura’s feeling of not being Ino’s equal and desire to grow out of the other girl’s shadow would have eventually led her to turn their friendship into a rivalry.

But without the love rivals angle, the two girls could perhaps become rivals without ending their friendship, leading to a relationship of constant improvement reminiscent of Kakashi and Might Guy. As acknowledged by Sakura herself during her Chunin Exam fight against Ino, the latter’s support and rivalry was a major reason she was able to even come as far as she did. Both of them could get much stronger if they pushed each other as friends and regularly trained together. 

It also helps that the story does see the two girls eventually redefine their rivalry as not just being over Sasuke during the Chunin Exam Arc, although this gets overshadowed by their continued infatuation with him. When Sakura cuts her hair to free herself from the Sound ninja Kin, she shows she values fighting for her teammates more than Sasuke potentially liking her long hair. Ino does the same when she cuts her own hair off during her fight against Sakura. These scenes could have been much more powerful if they served as physical proof of the two moving past their childhood crushes on an uninterested Sasuke.

How Sakura and Ino Mirror Naruto and Sasuke

Despite everything, Sakura and Ino’s rivalry is, in a way, a parallel to Naruto and Sasuke’s rivalry. Sakura starts the rivalry out of a desire to become Ino’s equal. Much like how Naruto initiates his rivalry with Sasuke over being envious of the Uchiha’s popularity and wanting to become his equal. 

The two also share the same underlying hard work vs. talent angle as Naruto and Sasuke, with Ino coming from a prestigious ninja clan while Sakura comes from a civilian family. There is the difference that, unlike Sasuke, Ino seems to have always believed in Sakura’s potential. But Sakura still needed to stand up to her in an actual fight to believe in herself, hence the need for their rivalry.

The post Naruto’s Worst Rivalry Could Have Been Fixed With One Easy Change appeared first on ComicBook.com.

On March 26th, 2023, the 293rd episode of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations arrived. In it, the villainous Code was seeking revenge against the Hidden Leaf Village for the loss of his master. Luckily, both Boruto and Kawaki were more than willing to take down the new Kara Organization leader but things have been silent when it comes to the ninja-focused shonen series on the anime front. Approaching the two-year anniversary since last we saw Konoha’s finest on the small screen, it’s time for Studio Pierrot to bring back everyone’s favorite ninjas.

To start, let’s dig into the previous plans of Pierrot when it came to the Hidden Leaf. Following the recent conclusion of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, the production house confirmed that they were working on four new episodes of the original Naruto series, once again pointing the camera at the younger iterations of Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke. Initially, Pierrot had confirmed that these new installments would arrive in September 2023 but had to be pushed back as the studio felt the animation wasn’t up to par. These episodes, and a potential return for the Boruto series, have yet to be confirmed.

[RELATED: One Naruto “Plot Hole” Is Seen in a New Light 25 Years Later]

Pierrot’s About Face

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons for the delay in these Naruto episodes was, surprisingly enough, Demon Slayer. The Demon Slayer Corps’ anime adaptation Ufotable has taken the world by storm and the seasonal approach to their works was noticed by Pierrot specifically. The Naruto studio hasn’t just been working on Konoha’s story but has recently had its hands full with Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War’s popular series. As the conclusion of the Soul Society approaches, now seems like the perfect time to at least tease the return of the Seventh Hokage and the newest generations of ninjas.

In April of last year, Pierrot president Michiyuki Honma broke down how Tanjiro and company changed their approach to anime, “I think Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba was a major turning point for the anime industry. It was a high-quality work that took a lot of time and a generous budget to make and it was a big hit when it aired, attracting people from a wide range of age groups. I watched it. Before and after Demon Slayer was announced, I really felt that we had to change the way we create things. Furthermore, other studios were releasing high-quality works on a similar scale and in Japan there was an environment where these could be watched on commercial television.”

Boruto Stories To Cover

When it comes to Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, there are still several chapters worth of story material to cover for an upcoming anime season. For manga readers, you know that the son of the Seventh Hokage’s story continues thanks to the Shippuden of the sequel series, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex. It’s in this current series that the next generation has really shined and could potentially give shonen fans quite a few episodes to get fans up to speed.

One major complaint that many anime fans have had in the past when it comes to the world of Naruto has been “filler.” For quite some time, with Pierrot attempting to stick to a weekly release schedule, the anime would routinely create entire storylines that were completely original, having never appeared in the manga prior. Should the studio stick to its seasonal approach, it would mean that creators Masashi Kishimoto and Mikio Ikemoto could continue to build up stories for years to come.

We Really Miss Naruto

In all honesty, Naruto’s anime was one that held a weekly schedule for quite some time, and while the filler obviously wasn’t the ideal for many fans, we’ve missed being able to see these characters regularly on the screen. Even while Boruto might not be held in as high regard as his father, Two Blue Vortex is a tale that has done a lot to redeem Konoha’s newest band of ninjas and seeing these stories animated would go a long way in giving the shonen franchise the shot in the arm it needs.

Naruto earned its place as a member of Shonen Jump’s “Big Three” in more ways than one and we are counting down the days until we can once again see a Shadow Clone Jutsu burst out of the screen, small, silver, or otherwise.

The post Naruto’s Anime Needs To Return appeared first on ComicBook.com.

As stunning as newer anime like Dandadan and Solo Leveling may be, they all admittedly seem to be lacking in one very specific area in the medium. This is an arena, coincidentally, where older enduring classics like One Piece, Naruto, Fairy Tail, and many more excel despite their animation being far less eye-catching in comparison. Believe it or not, these three classic shonen anime all have one thing in common, which is their distinctive soundtracks, or to be more specific, the use of one simple yet genius technique in their music that makes them so memorable even decades later.

Though often overlooked, soundtracks play a major role in any anime and can even make or break even the best series with the best of animation. While modern anime continues to make strides in terms of animation quality and global reach, most newer anime, sensational as they may be, simply no longer have the same distinctive soundtracks as older ones. Taking Naruto, One Piece, and Fairy Tail as examples, each of these shows has soundtracks that are instantly recognizable and have become synonymous with the series. Over the years the music from these particular anime has become so iconic that even those who may not have seen these series are sure to instantly recognize which anime they belong to, and a huge reason for this is the use of recurring motifs in older anime soundtracks, which has lately fallen out of use in modern anime.

Naruto, One Piece, and Fairy Tail All Have Bespoke Soundtracks in Common

While many other anime, including some shoujo and josei ones also sport excellent soundtracks, One Piece, Naruto, and Fairy Tail most clearly represent the beauty of older anime soundtracks. In One Piece’s case, most, if not all of its soundtrack has been composed by Kohei Tanaka. The series not only makes use of unique character motifs for each of the Straw Hats but also sports several iconic battle themes such as “Overtaken” and “Luffy’s Fierce Attack,” which are instantly recognizable within only a few notes.

The beauty of One Piece’s soundtrack is that these themes haven’t gotten old even two decades later and still evoke the same sense of excitement every time they are featured in the series. Kohei Tanaka also ingeniously incorporates these age-old melodies into newer compositions for the series. This is best seen in the Wano Arc compositions for Gear Five and Luffy’s awakening which feature bits of “Overtaken” and “Luffy’s Fierce Attack” hidden away between the exciting drum beats, almost as if incorporating a bit of the old Luffy into this new version of him, thus telling a tale even through the series’ music.

[RELATED: One Piece Announces Theme Songs for Egghead Arc]

Meanwhile, Naruto and Fairy Tail share the same excellent composer, Yasuharu Takanashi who gave both shows some of the most memorable, nostalgic soundtracks of all time. Both these series are known for hitting fans right in the feels and the music plays a huge role in this aspect. Fairy Tail’s signature main theme is an excellent example of the series’ use of a particular melody that is then shaped and incorporated into both the series’ battle themes as well as the sadder somber themes. Fairy Tail’s soundtrack also goes heavy on the woodwind instruments which perfectly align with the series’ medieval fantasy setting.

Meanwhile, Naruto’s soundtrack sets itself apart through its variability. The music in Naruto mostly incorporates classical Japanese instruments like the shamisen, a core aspect of Takanashi and Toshio Masuda’s style, which just so happens to perfectly fit the series’ setting. Toshio Masuda’s compositions like “Sadness and Sorrow” and “Naruto Main Theme” are excellent examples of Naruto soundtracks that have become inseparable from the series while other tracks like “Orochimaru’s Theme” are known for giving viewers goosebumps for years. Takanashi’s compositions for the series particularly shine in Naruto Shippuden with tracks like the “Akatsuki Theme” and though some of these tracks do not particularly use motifs as strongly as One Piece and Fairy Tail do, this variability in the soundtrack from the unconventional combination of Japanese instruments organs, chorals, and even electric guitar help the music stand out as an indispensable part of the series.

Modern Anime and the Death of Musical Motifs

The main issue with modern anime is that they rarely have anything to offer beyond their opening themes. Instead of musical motifs, opening themes are what fans most commonly associate with anime as of late, as seen with Dandadan’s chart-topping opening “Otonoke” or Solo Leveling’s “ReAwaker.” In the case of Solo Leveling in particular, even though the series has one of the most well-known composers, Hiroyuki Sawano, whose compositions lend perfectly to the atmosphere and mood of the series, nothing about the soundtrack stands out as particularly memorable. A huge reason for this is the lack of recognizable leitmotifs. In simple words, a leitmotif is a recurring melody or pattern within a composition that is associated with a particular character or scene.

Unlike One Piece’s “Overtaken” which might instantly conjure an image of Luffy headed into a battle or remind fans of an iconic scene like the Straw Hats marching into Enies Lobby, or Naruto’s “Sadness and Sorrow” which might instantly bring to mind various emotional moments from the series, modern anime severely lack such evocative music, and solely due to the slow death of the leitmotif.

That said, there are certainly exceptions like Demon Slayer which still makes use of distinct character themes and motifs for Tanjiro, Nezuko, and even the Hashira. Dandadan also arguably does something unique with its soundtrack in Episode 4 during the chase by Turbo Granny and the Spirit Crab which uses a remix of William Tell’s “Overture” and Offenbach’s “Can-Can” though the original soundtrack for the series does seem to be otherwise lacking. Regardless, anime music, both in terms of its opening themes and its soundtracks, has most definitely begun to change over the last few years. That said, hopefully modern anime can acknowledge what made older anime soundtracks such classics.

The post Naruto, One Piece, and Fairy Tail Prove Modern Anime Is Missing One Key Thing appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The written part of Naruto’s Chunin Exams Arc is both underrated and occasionally labeled as one of the series’ biggest plot holes. Fans have been questioning for decades how a seasoned Jonin like Ibiki Morino could let so many Genin pass despite their obvious cheating attempts using their ninjutsu. Not only were they not subtle, these ninjutsu were hardly invisible to the naked eye, and played very much into how Naruto was almost more of a battle wizards anime than a strictly realistic ninja series. But a recent Reddit post 25 years later reminds fans that the scene was written to play out that way very intentionally.

When Naruto’s Episode 24 first aired in Japan in 2003, adapting the 2000 release of the manga’s 40th chapter, most of the series’ audience was far too young to fully grasp the concept of a test actively meant to deceive the ones taking it. But in a world where age is just a number, the Konoha 11 had to prove they could not only think like adults but proper ninjas to pass. The written exam tested their determination, information-gathering skills, and ability to assess risk. Only those who could make good decisions on the field and had to resolve to risk themselves for the greater good made it to the next stage.

The Written Test’s Actual Purpose Was Explicit All Along

In the beginning of Naruto’s Chapter 40 (Episode 24 of the anime) Ibiki Morino explains the rules for the written first part of the Chunin Exams. Unlike traditional written tests, the exam is conducted on a point deduction system. Each Genin starts out with a perfect score of 10 points and loses one point for every answer they get wrong. If somebody is caught cheating, they lose 2 points. And perhaps most importantly for an anime emphasizing teamwork, teams pass or fail based on the total score of all three members.

Based on these rules, it’s clear somebody would need to be caught cheating five times to fail the exam, and Ibiki, too, outright says this. But what’s baffled fans for years is how the Genin manage to pass despite cheating very visibly with their jutsu. If the proctors really were counting every suspicious movement as cheating, how did they not manage to spot the obvious cheaters at least 5 times?

The answer to this lies in Kakashi’s famous quote, “A ninja must see underneath the underneath.” As pointed out by Reddit user u/mightyducks2wasokay, just like the purpose of the written test wasn’t to actually pass without cheating, the purpose of the rules isn’t to actually prevent or fail cheaters. Instead, as evidenced by Redditor u/Lonely_Pause_7855 calling the exam “an obvious test of data gathering,” Ibiki and the other proctors are judging the Genin on how they cheat and how effective those methods would be in a real mission against unsuspecting enemies.

Even if characters like Sasuke, Neji, Tenten, Kiba, and Kankuro were spotted cheating, their first methods of cheating were successful and likely to work in the field. The entire time they cheated using that method would only count as one prolonged attempt to cheat, losing them two points but not earning them a disqualification.

Test takers also get more than one chance to cheat, so proctors can judge how they react to failure and if they’re able to find a cheating method that works in less than 5 tries. This checks for problem-solving skills that would be valuable in a real mission. But as pointed out by u/ButterCupHeartXO, stupid methods of cheating, like peeking at others’ test papers, are still judged harshly as they demonstrate a lack of ninja skills and are more likely to get the ninja killed or captured in an actual mission. This also means that Genin who were disqualified used unsuccessful, obvious methods that won’t work against enemy ninja. Alternately, even if their method was effective, if they repeatedly failed to execute it they risk disqualification. 

[RELATED – 10 Best Naruto Filler Episodes That Are Worth Watching]

What the Test Teaches Us About Teamwork and Risk Assessment 

The purpose of the written test in Naruto wasn’t just to see how the Genin cheated. As u/RRis7393 explained, it was also about how the test takers weighed and approached risk. If a Genin couldn’t figure out how to cheat successfully on their first try, they had to figure out how likely they were to succeed in subsequent attempts. Was the chance of failing repeatedly and getting disqualified higher than the chance of cheating successfully? If yes, what do they do in such a situation? 

Keep trying, disqualify, and potentially fail their whole team? Or acknowledge their limitations, stop trying to cheat, and trust that their teammates will be able to gather and relay the correct answers? As u/GhostTypeDragon pointed out, the exam was never rigged, even against ninjas with no aptitude for ninjutsu or information gathering. They simply had to not panic and do something that would get them disqualified while their team figured out a way to gather the required information and get it to them. 

This is because the exam is meant to emulate information gathering in a real mission where ninjas work in teams. In such a scenario, it’s vital for every team member to be able to recognize their weaknesses and defer to teammates more suited to the task. While teammates skilled at a particular task are supposed to cover for the ones who are not. Additionally, in a real mission, realizing you can’t succeed and not trying is better than failing, as repeated failed information-gathering attempts could get the ninja captured, compromising the entire team or even the village if they give up sensitive information.

The Tenth Question Was Never a Plot Device 

This brings us to the second hidden test of the written exam seen in Naruto Chapter 43 (Episode 25): the tenth and final question. If one refused to answer this question, their entire team failed the Chunin Exams. But if they answered incorrectly, they would remain a Genin forever. Naruto knew he was unlikely to know the answer to the tenth question, but determined to not have his team fail, he chose to answer it anyway. Loudly declaring that he’ll become Hokage even remained a Genin forever (a prophecy that hilariously did come to pass).

This attitude of never quitting inspired many others to also choose to answer the question despite personal risk, and Ibiki passed them all without even making them answer the question. Some viewers saw this as a plot device to let Naruto pass despite his lack of academic abilities or information gathering skills. But contrary to what fans have long thought, this last question doesn’t actually go against the purpose of the first part of the exam.

Ibiki acknowledged that not everyone in a team needed to have intel-gathering skills, which was why teammates were expected to help each other during the first nine questions. But what about teams with no members capable of using their skills to gather and relay information? While intelligence skills are important for shinobi, there are those whose purpose is to only be capable fighters once the required information has been gathered and a plan of attack made. 

The tenth question was designed to give such ninja teams a chance to pass. If someone recognized they could neither answer the questions correctly nor cheat successfully to get the right answers, they were faced with a couple of choices: answer immediately and risk disqualification, or bide their time to gather or find a solution. The first two might work in a traditional exam, but since the test was a metaphor for real missions, the third option was the only effective one. That’s because in the field, getting caught or relaying the wrong information is a lot more dangerous than having no information. As u/flyjingnarwhal puts it, “no information lets your side know they’re going in blind, but the wrong information sends them into traps.”

Once such teams bid their time, the tenth question tested their willingness to do whatever it took to ensure the team or village’s success; even if it was detrimental to themselves. Staying a Genin forever sounds like a major deal over failing an exam. But since the question represented a do-or-die mission, for any ninja to pass, they had to prove they could prioritize the greater good over personal interest. This also related to the exam’s data gathering aspect as whether or not a ninja could gather information, it was vital they had the resolve to not give up important information if caught and tortured. 

The Potential Hidden Purpose of the Written Test

By the above, it’s clear Masashi Kishimoto did an amazing (if reluctant) job designing the Chunin Exams’ written test as a wonderful indicator of a ninja’s abilities. But that may not be its only purpose. As the Chunin Exam is hosted bi-annually with the different villages taking turns to host it, it presents a unique opportunity for the villages to gather intelligence on other villages’ potential future Chunin.

This theory makes even more sense when one considers why the leader of Konoha’s Intelligence Division, Ibiki Morino, was chosen to proctor the exams. Perhaps the reason behind that decision was so he’ll be able to gather data on other nation’s young shinobi’s unique jutsu and information-gathering techniques. As u/Right-Light458 suggests, this would then let him preemptively figure out who will be the biggest long-term threat and develop counterintelligence strategies accordingly.

And Ibiki wasn’t the only one who could be taking notes on the Genin’s jutsu to use that information against them. The written test also presented the Genin with the unique opportunity to see each others’ espionage techniques in action, adding another layer to the exam. As u/WASD_click theorized, if this was true, it ironically made Naruto the smartest one there for not cheating, so other people couldn’t gather intel on him.

The Ones Who Didn’t Cheat 

With the entire purpose of the written exam being to see how the Genin gather information using cheating, it puts the ones who didn’t cheat in a unique position. Sakura was able to answer the test with just her intellect despite this being considered an impossible task at Genin level. But since she didn’t display any information-gathering techniques, does that mean she technically failed the exam? 

Redditor u/Seppafer argues no. Since Sakura got her knowledge by studying before the exam, her situation is akin to having researched the enemy well enough before the mission to eliminate any need for spying. Yes, she didn’t participate in the same test as the others, but that was only because her over-preparedness meant she didn’t have to. Her method still works in a real-life situation and, as such, meets the parameters to pass the exam.

This is one of many plot holes Naruto fans have managed to find an explanation for in hindsight. With Kishimoto’s complex writing, it won’t be the last. That said, for more coverage on the anime – including all of the latest Naruto news, all of the latest Naruto rumors, and all of the latest Naruto Theory discussions – check here.

H/T: Reddit 

The post One Naruto “Plot Hole” Is Seen in a New Light 25 Years Later appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Naruto is taking over Google with a fun new surprise Easter Egg that utilizes the most of Naruto Uzumaki’s Shadow Clone Jutsu. Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto franchise celebrated the 20th anniversary of the anime not long ago, and it helped fans celebrate just how far the series has come since it started all those years ago. Even though Masashi Kishimoto’s original Naruto story came to an end some time ago, the franchise has continued to get even bigger with new sequels, movies, and much more in the years since. Now Naruto has grown so much that Google’s honoring the series in a very cute way.

Google has dropped all sorts of fun Easter Eggs for many franchises, notable people from history and more over the years, and now that fun has been spread to Naruto. If you go to Google and enter “Naruto,” a small Hidden Leaf Village logo pops up at the bottom. If you click on this logo, then Naruto’s many Shadow Clones quickly run across the screen and shake up the page. It’s a fun shout out to the legendary ninja series, and you can check out a sample of this as shared by Naruto‘s English language licensor, Viz Media.

RELATED: Naruto Sparks Surprising New Boruto Crush (& It Might Be the Key to Defeating the Divine Trees)

Why Is Naruto’s Shadow Clone Jutsu So Special?

Naruto‘s Shadow Clone Jutsu is just as iconic as the ninja himself after all these years. It was the very first jutsu that Naruto Uzumaki was seen to quickly master in the Naruto series, and became one of his key techniques when taking on opponents that were much stronger than he was at any given time. Not only did the jutsu make for a fun visual, but it really was a tragic lens into Naruto himself. Because for as lonely as he was for so many years, the only people who could support him were just more copies of himself.

Not only did it make for fun fight sequences utilizing Naruto’s many clones in fun ways, but they end up saving the day in some key moments throughout the series. While he might be later known more for the Rasengan technique and its destructive power, Naruto really made his mark with fans thanks to the army of clones he could set out on any opponent at any given time. It was something not every Shonen Jump series was doing at the time.

The post Naruto Takes Over Google With Adorable Shadow Clone Surprise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

As two of Shonen Jump’s most successful series that have gone head to head in terms of popularity and maintained an impeccable hold over fans ever since the early 2000s, Naruto and One Piece share a relationship just as special as that between their creators. Both Masashi Kishimoto and Eiichiro Oda are known to draw inspiration from each other’s series and have even included many a subtle reference to the other over the years. Even so, the two series have never had a single crossover all these years. Fortunately, a new piece of fan art finally gives fans the crossover they didn’t know they needed, that too featuring a most unexpected duo.

A fan art post on X by a user named Nyan_2020_ recently reimagined Naruto’s Rock Lee and One Piece’s Perona together with their clothes swapped. Though an unlikely combination on paper, the fan art is oddly beyond adorable with light pastel colors and a sparkling smile on Rock Lee’s face that hilariously contrasts with Perona’s dour expression. The illustration also highlights one unexpected similarity between the two characters which is their round black eyes with three spiky lower lashes, which, oddly, no one might have ever noticed if not for this cute crossover art.

[RELATED: New One Piece Art Turns Ace and Yamato Into the Ultimate Power Couple]

Naruto’s Rock Lee Joins One Piece’s Perona For an Adorable Outfit Swap

When one thinks of a Naruto and One Piece crossover, one might typically picture the two series’ bright, determined protagonists Naruto and Luffy together, either bonding over their love for food or fighting, or both. Rock Lee, lovable and awesome as he may be, often doesn’t get the spotlight he deserves, most egregiously so in Boruto. The same can also be said of Perona, who after the Thriller Bark Arc and the brief glimpses of her with Zoro during the time skip, mostly fades into obscurity. Her adorable gothic lolita design and hilarious laugh make this all the more a shame.

As such, though Rock Lee and Perona are a rare pair, it is nice to see them get the appreciation they deserve in fan art. The unexpected pairing somehow feels just right even with Perona visibly annoyed in Lee’s green jumpsuit, leg warmers, and signature bandages, giving the impression that the outfit switch may have hilariously been Lee’s idea. Rock Lee, true to his name, can be seen absolutely rocking Perona’s pre-time skip crop top, cape, and frilly skirt, not forgetting her striped tights, red platform boots, crown hair accessory, and of course, the adorable parasol. Nonetheless, though they may not be much of a team in a fight, as far as fashion icons go, Rock Lee and Perona make Naruto and One Piece‘s dream team.

Source: Nyan_2020_ on X.

The post One Piece x Naruto Crossover Art Gives Fans the Duo They Didn’t Know They Needed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is scratching the itch for anime ninja fans while shonen enthusiasts wait for the Naruto franchise to return to the small screen. Acting as a “Shippuden-like” storyline for the son of the Seventh Hokage, the latest arc sees Boruto struggling with a world that hates and fears him. Luckily, Naruto’s son has been doing some serious training in the background, becoming one of the strongest ninjas in the world. Unfortunately, not every ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village is able to hit these same standards as anime fans are roasting one particular hero for being unable to accomplish a relatively easy task.

Warning. If you have yet to read the latest chapter of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, Chapter 19, be forewarned that we’ll be diving into spoiler territory. As Boruto looks to both clear his name and protect his village, his teacher Konohamaru has a very different mission on his plate. Tasked by the current Hokage, Shikamaru, to seduce the Divine Tree known as Matsuri, Konohamaru fumbles the bag in one of the dumbest ways imaginable. Matsuri was born thanks to a Divine Tree using Moegi’s body like a puppet and since the latter has a deep history with Boruto’s sensei, the possibility was there to manipulate the villain’s emotions. Unfortunately, this was a bridge to far for Konohamaru.

[RELATED: Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Reveals a Redemption Path for Its Strongest Villains]

Konohamaru is “Dumbs As Rocks”

In the latest chapter of the Two Blue Vortex, Konohamaru admonishes the villain Matsuri from calling him “Konohamaru-Chan.” Stating that her calling him this “doesn’t feel right,” Boruto’s teacher essentially throws out the ability to manipulate the Divine Tree, causing her to lash out and demand that she be able to use this title. Finding himself in some serious trouble, Konohamaru is unable to stop her from trapping him and pledging to “devour him.”

Boruto fans on the internet didn’t look at this action from Konohamaru as being an intelligent one, taking the chance to roast the long-running character in the shonen franchise. Had Boruto’s sensei managed to simply go along with Matsuri calling him this, things might have been different. Hopefully, Konoha’s finest get a much-needed assist thanks to Konohamaru’s potentially deadly mistake.

Where is The Hidden Leaf’s Anime?

The Boruto series has quite a bit of territory to cover whenever the television series does make a comeback. It’s been years since Boruto: Naruto Next Generations aired on the small screen as Studio Pierrot has its hands full with Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. While the production house had originally planned for four original episodes of the first Naruto series, the status of these installments is anyone’s guess.

Luckily, the Two Blue Vortex’s manga is still going strong, releasing chapters on a monthly basis from writer Masashi Kishimoto and artist Mikio Ikemoto. Unlike shonen series like One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, and My Hero Academia, the Naruto franchise isn’t showing any signs of coming to an end any time soon. Of course, this doesn’t mean anyone is safe in this current conflict.

Want to see what the future holds for the residents of the Hidden Leaf Village? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for all the latest on Boruto: Two Blue Vortex and hit me up directly @EVComedy or leave a comment!

The post Boruto Fans Are Roasting One Classic Naruto Character (And It’s Deserved) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto is now working its way through its big comics crossover, and now fans have gotten the first look at the final issue teasing a highly anticipated clash with Shredder. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been seen in all kinds of cool crossovers over the years, and even have seen them break through with special multiverse stories. This has opened up the ninja teens to all sorts of missions, but now they have embarked on their wildest one yet as they have headed to the Hidden Leaf Village and crossed paths with Naruto‘s Team 7.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto is a special collaboration between IDW Publishing and Viz Media that kicked off a cool crossover between the two series last Fall, and will be ending its four issue crossover event much later this year. With fans currently waiting on what’s to come with the third issue of the event hitting later this Spring, cover artist
Jorge Jiménez has shared a preview of the cover for the final issue of the event. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto #4 features a cover with Naruto launching a Rasengan at Shredder and hypes a big fight to come. Check it out below.

What Is TMNT x Naruto?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto is a special four-issue crossover event collaboration between IDW Publishing and Viz Media. The first two issues of the event are available on shelves as of the time of this publication, and have seen how these two worlds of ninjas have blended to send both the Ninja Turtles and Team 7 on one of their wildest missions yet. The crossover begins to tease itself with such, “The Heroes in a Half-Shell meet the host of the Nine-Tailed Fox in the crossover everyone will be talking about. When teenage reporter April O’Neil has a clandestine meeting with Tsunade, the leader of the Hidden Leaf Village, it garners the attention of Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi.”

The crossover’s synopsis continues with, “They aren’t the only ones who are wondering what the two women were discussing, though. The sinister Foot Clan have their own interest in April’s visit, as they think she might hold the valuable information on mutation research being conducted by the scientist Baxter Stockman. With April caught between the forces of the Hidden Leaf Village and the Foot Clan, it can’t be long before the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show up to lend her a hand!”

RELATED: New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto Preview Further Explores Kakashi/Splinter Connection

When Will TMNT x Naruto End?

Written by Caleb Goellner and illustrated by Hendry Prasetya, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto will be coming to an end with Issue #4 later this Fall. The crossover has imagined a new kind of world where both New York and the Hidden Leaf Village exist within the same world, and thus the crossover between the two sets of ninja has a lot more connective tissue than fans of either series might have expected at first.

With the crossover only halfway through its run as of the time of this publication, there is still no way to truly guess where this is all going to end up. But with this first look at the final issue of the crossover, it’s pretty clear that fans are going to get to see a full fight between Naruto and Shredder. It’s the kind of clash you would likely never even dream of because it didn’t seem possible, but it’s now realer than ever before.

The post Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto Finale Preview Hypes Shredder Clash appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex as a series has made Boruto Uzumaki’s journey one that has become better than its predecessor in a number of ways. Now that the son of the Seventh Hokage has been placed between a rock and a hard place, we’re seeing some of the best Boruto stories told to date. Unfortunately, while the new generation is getting their time to shine in the sequel series, there are some members of the Hidden Leaf Village that have been lost in the shuffle. Specifically, a shining star in Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden needs to return to the spotlight.

Rock Lee hit the ground floor running with a fight that is still considered one of the biggest battles of the franchise years later. Introduced as a part of the “Chunin Exams,” the Konoha ninja didn’t have ninjutsu to rely on like Naruto and Sasuke but had trained his body to give him supernatural physical strength. While he wasn’t able to defeat Gaara and his sand powers, Rock Lee made an impression that would have anime fans dying to see him return again and again. While the tradition has continued with Rock Lee’s son named Metal Lee, there are a few ways that the Boruto series has let down the hard-hitting anime hero.

[RELATED: Naruto Fan Tests Out Rock Lee’s Leg Weights Training in Viral Video]

Where Boruto Stumbles With Rock Lee

Even though Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and Boruto: Two Blue Vortex focus on the next generation of Konoha’s ninjas, both series have utilized Rock Lee to a far lesser degree than most old-timers. Figures like Kakashi, Might Guy, Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke, and more get the chance to fight for the ninja world alongside the latest kids on the block. Ironically enough, not only is Rock Lee mostly absent from the proceedings, but various important parts of his new backstory have yet to be revealed.

At present, Naruto fans still have no idea who the mother of Metal Lee is at this point, which is frustrating considering this fact isn’t a problem for most of the other ninjas we came to know in the first two series. With the likes of Naruto marrying Hinata and Sasuke marrying Sakura, this long-running mystery appears as though it won’t be answered any time soon. It’s a major instance of the series seemingly leaving Rock Lee behind and simply not focusing on a character that remains a fan-favorite amongst Masashi Kishomoto’s roster.

How Boruto Can Redeem Rock Lee

Considering Might Guy was the one who inspired Rock Lee, the latter following his mentor’s path earlier in the franchise would be the best way to go. Don’t forget Guy had a spectacular influence on the ending of Shippuden, giving us one of the best fights of the series as he attempted to take down Madara Uchiha. Rock Lee has yet to have any moments that come close to his teacher’s in the latest series and with Kishimoto back on writing duties, it would be a fantastic move to bring Lee back in a big way against the new threats.

In terms of the Hidden Leaf Village’s anime adaptation, things have been quiet for quite some time when it comes to Studio Pierrot. As the production house continues to work on Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, fans might learn more once the fourth and final cours arrives later this year. As the Two Blue Vortex has continued with new manga chapters, there are many big moments and battles that have yet to be animated.

Want to stay in the loop when it comes to Konoha? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com when it comes to all things Naruto and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Naruto’s Most Hard-Working Ninja Got Done Dirty in the Sequel appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections released back in November 2023, and has received support through regular patch updates since launch. However, it’s been over three months since Version 1.5 was released in late September 2024 which brought the usual bug fixes and improvements, as well as DLC Pack 5. After a brief hiatus, Bandai Namco revealed the latest patch notes for Version 1.6 which includes fixes for the latest DLCs fighter and other bug fixes and improvements.

RELATED: 10 Best Naruto Fights That Will Make You an Instant Fan

The DLC fighter receiving fixes is DLC Pack 5’s Boruto Uzumaki (Karma Progression). Specifically, an issue where Guard Break did not occur when Ninjutsu 2 “Spiraling Bullet” was used as the support character is fixed. Additionally, an issue where air combos could rebound during the ending phase at 60 frames per second was fixed. These updates, as well as the extensive list of fixes and improvements below, can only be implemented for players with an internet connection.

Here are the entire patch notes for Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections Version 1.6:

Content

Fixed Issue Related to Battle

Charged Chakra Dash

• Fixed the issue that did not cancel out the opponent’s Chakra Dash when charged.

Fixed Issue Related to Characters

Kimimaro

• Fixed issue where Guard Break did not occur when guarding the ending phase of the Ninjutsu 2 “Clethra”.

Naruto Uzumaki (Baryon Mode)

• Fixed the issue where attacking priority was not granted to Ninjutsu 1 “Massive Rasengan” at 60FPS. 

Boruto Uzumaki (Karma Progression)

• Fixed the issue where Guard Break did not occur when Ninjutsu 2 “Spiraling Bullet” used as the support character.
• Fixed the issue where Air Combos could rebound during the ending phase at 60FPS.

Battle Balance Adjustments

Counterattack

• The maximum amount of the Chakra Gauge is reduced when activated.

Ninja Tools “Shot Run Pill”

• Delayed the time to reuse.

Ninja Tools “Tortoiseshell Pill”

• Increased effectiveness.

Individual Character Adjustments

The following adjustments have been made based on the overall balance:

Naruto Uzumaki (Sage of the Six Paths Mode)

• Ninjutsu 1 “Tailed Beast Bomb Rasen Shuriken”: Expanded the hurtbox when activated in air and decreased the step back.

Naruto Uzumaki (Kurama Link Mode)

• Changed the final effect of aerial combo after successfully landing the attacks to bounce.
• This makes it possible to perform a follow-up attack by Chakra Dash  with decreased damage.
• Throw is adjusted to occur faster.

Naruto Uzumaki (Tailed Beast Bomb)

• Increased the recovery speed of Chakra Charge.

Naruto Uzumaki (Sage Art: Massive Rasengan Barrage)

• Increased the recovery speed of Chakra Charge.

Naruto Uzumaki (Sage Mode)

• Increased the recovery speed of Chakra Charge.

Naruto Uzumaki

• Increased the recovery speed of Chakra Charge.

Sakura Haruno

• Increased defense power.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Cherry Blossom Burst”:  Made it possible to perform Ninjutsu Blocks.
• Increased the advancing distance for the initial phase of ground combo and extended their active frames.
• Increased the stunning effect on enemies when successfully landing ground-level combos.
• Throw is adjusted to occur faster and with increased damage.

Sai

• Ninjutsu 2 “Ninja Art: Super Beast Scroll: Flock”: Expanded the hurtbox when activated in air, made the start-up frames slower and decreased the step back. 
• Increased the stunning effect on enemies when successfully landing ground-level combos.
• Throw is adjusted to occur faster and increase the amount of forward movement.

Kakashi Hatake (Double Sharingan)

• Ninjutsu 2 “Kamui”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support.

Yamato

• Decreased defense power.

Shikamaru Nara

• Ninjutsu 2 “Explosive Parachute”: Expanded the hurtbox and decreased the step back.

Choji Akimichi

• Increased Defense power. 
• Ninjutsu 1 “Spiky Human Boulder”: Increased the Guard damage when opponents guard this Ninjutsu and decreased the recovery speed when using it as a support.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Partial Expansion Jutsu: Fist Strike”: Decreased the recovery speed when using it as a support.
• Increased Throw damage.

Ino Yamanaka

• Ninjutsu 1 “Flower Bomb”: Increased duration of poison time.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Flower Bomb: Scatter”: Increased duration of poison time.

Tenten

• Increased Defense power.

Kiba Inuzuka

• Increased the damage of the ground-level combos.

Shino Aburame

• Increased Defense power.
• Adjusted to be able to perform a follow up attack after the throw.

Hinata Hyuga

• Ninjutsu 2 “8 Trigrams Air Palm ”: The interval between second and the third attack will be shorter.

Asuma Sarutobi 

• Ninjutsu 2 “Chakra Blade: Wind Sword”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support.

Kushina Uzumaki

• Ninjutsu 1 “Frying Pan Attack”: Made it possible to perform Ninjutsu Blocks and increased Chakra consumption and reduced damage.

The First Hokage: Hashirama Senju (Reanimation)

• Increased Defense power.
• Altered to stagger the opponent after successfully landing a throw.
• This makes it possible to perform a follow-up attack by Ninja Dash with decreased damage.

The Second Hokage: Tobirama Senju

• Increased homing of aerial combo movement.

The Third Hokage: Hiruzen Sarutobi

• Ninjutsu 1 “Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bombs”: Increased damage.
  Increased Throw damage.

Tsunade

• Increased Defense power.
• Increased Throw damage.

Danzo Shimura

• Ninjutsu 1 ” Wind Style: Vacuum Blast Barrage: Shadow”: Expanded the hurtbox when activated in air.

Sasuke Uchiha (THE LAST)

• Ninjutsu 1 “Almighty Push”: Decreased Chakra consumptions.

Mecha-Naruto

• Adjusted Ninjutsu 2 “Dummy Balloon” to allow down chasing.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Dummy Balloon”: Adjusted to be able to perform follow-up attacks on downed opponents.

Sasuke Uchiha (Rinne Sharingan)

• Ninjutsu 2 “Inferno Style: Flame Control Flying Flash”: Expanded the hurtbox when activated in air and adjusted to be able to perform follow-up attack on downed opponents.
• Decreased damage of aerial combo.

Sasuke Uchiha (Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan)

• Ninjutsu 1 “Susano’o: Pierce”: Increased damage.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Inferno Style: Flame Control Flying Flash”: Expanded the hurtbox when activated in air and adjusted to be able to perform follow-up attack on downed opponents.
• Changed the effect after successfully landing throw on the opponent to tumble blowout with no rebound.  
• This makes it possible to perform a follow-up attack by activating Dash with decreased damage.

Sasuke Uchiha (Five Kage Summit)

• Ninjutsu 2 “Inferno Style: Flame Control”: Changed the effect after successfully landing this attack on the opponent to knock up.

Sasuke Uchiha (the Taka)

• Ninjutsu 2 “Amaterasu”: Increased damage.
• Changed the final effect of Awakened aerial combo after successfully landing the attacks to tumble blowout with no rebound.
• This makes it possible to perform a follow-up attack by activating Dash with decreased damage.

Sasuke Uchiha

• Ninjutsu 2 “Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu”: Decreased Chakra consumption
• Changed the final effect of aerial combo after successfully landing the attacks to staggered, this makes it possible to perform a follow-up attack by activating Dash with decreased damage.
• Throw is adjusted to occur faster.

Orochimaru

• Ninjutsu 1 “Blade Dance”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support.

Kabuto Yakushi (Sage Mode)

• Ninjutsu 1 “Sage Art: Scattering Rage Jutsu”: Granted slow effect but it is able to Rebound with reduced damage.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Snake Confinement”: Granted poison effect and made it possible to perform a follow-up attack with decreased damage.
• Reduced knock back for the final effect on aerial attack.

Kabuto Yakushi (Snake Cape)

• Ninjutsu 2 “Venomous Fog Jutsu”: Changed to be able to perform follow-up attacks on downed opponents and changed the effect after successfully landing the attacks from staggered to normal hit stun.
• Changed the effect of Throw to no rebound.

Kabuto Yakushi

• Ninjutsu 2 “Lurk”: Decreased Chakra consumption.

Suigetsu Hozuki

• Ninjutsu 2 “Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu”: Decreased Chakra consumption and decreased the recovery speed when using it as a support.
• Awakened Ninjutsu 2 “Water Style: Tri-Water Dragon Jutsu”: Decreased Chakra consumption and decreased the recovery speed when using it as a support.
• Increased the advancing distance of the initial phase of ground combos and extended their active frames.
• Increased recovery time when hit by ground combos.

Karin

• Ninjutsu 1 “Missile Kick”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Perfume Spray”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support.

Jirobo

• Ninjutsu 1 “Rough Rampage”: Decreased Chakra consumption and increased the recovery speed when using it as a support.

Kankuro

• Decreased defense power.
• Increased the damage of the ending phase of the down-ground combo. 
• Decreased Throw damage.

Temari

• Ninjutsu 2 “Gust Dance”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support and changed not to bounce for the final effect.

Raikage: Ay

• Ninjutsu 1 “Lariat”: Decreased Chakra consumption
• Throw is adjusted to occur faster and increased damage.

Killer Bee (Shark Skin)

• Ninjutsu 2 “Tailed Beast Bomb”: Decreased Chakra consumption.

Darui

• Ninjutsu 2 “Gale Style: Laser Circus”: Expanded the hurtbox when activated in air. 

Yagura 

• Changed the Item Palette (Bottom) to Shot Run Pill.

Fuu

• Ninjutsu 1 “Secret: Scaled Sneak Jutsu”: Granted defense decrease effect and reduced damage. 
• Changed the final effect after successfully landing the attacks to bounce.
• This will make it possible to perform a follow-up attack by activating Dash with decreased damage.

The Third Raikage 

• Ninjutsu 1 “The Piercing Four-Fingered Thrust of Hell”: Decreased Chakra consumption. 
• Ninjutsu 2 “The Piercing Three-Fingered Thrust of Hell: Side Swipe”: Decreased Chakra consumption.

The Second Tsuchikage

• Ninjutsu 1 “Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu”: Decreased Chakra consumption.

The Second Mizukage

• Increased damage of ground shuriken combo.
• Increased damage of aerial shuriken combo.

Chiyo

• Decreased defense power. 
• Increased the damage of the ending phase of the down-ground combo.
• Decreased Throw damage.

Madara Uchiha (Six Paths)

• Ninjutsu 1 “Instantaneous Path”: Decreased Chakra consumption of and increased the recovery speed when using it as a support.

Madara Uchiha (Reanimation Release)

• Increased defense power.
• Increased their active frame of the initial phase of aerial combo.

Madara Uchiha

• Ninjutsu 1 “Susano’o: Slash in Two”: Made the recovery speed faster when using it as a support.
• Throw is adjusted to occur faster.

Indra Otsutsuki

• Ninjutsu 2 “Lightning Ball”: Expanded the hurtbox when activated in air and decreased the step back.

Obito Uchiha

• Ninjutsu 1 “Fire Style: Bomb Blast Dance”: Expanded the hurtbox when activated in air.

Tobi (Great Ninja War)

• Increased recovery time when hit by ground combos.
• Increased damage of Ninjutsu 2 “Heaven-Bending Bomb Assault”.

Tobi

• Increased defense power.

Masked Man

• Ninjutsu 2 “Heaven-Bending Bomb Assault”: Increased damage.

Obito Uchiha (Berserk)

• Ninjutsu 1 “Kamui Dash”: Can be canceled from the start of the charge to dash and can Ninjutsu Block after transitioning into additional attack.

Nagato

• Ninjutsu 1 “Almighty Push”: Decreased Chakra consumption.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Shura Attack: Distance”: Expanded the hurtbox when activated in air and decreased the step back.
• Adjusted to be able to perform the follow-up attack after the throw.

Konan

• Ninjutsu 2 “Origami Crane: Flight”: Expanded the hurtbox, decreased the step back, made the start-up frames slower and reduced Chakra consumption.

Itachi Uchiha

• Ninjutsu 2 “Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu”: Decreased Chakra consumption and decreased the recovery speed when using it as a support.

Kakuzu

• Increased defense power.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Lightning Style: False Darkness”: Decreased Chakra consumption.

Hidan

• Ninjutsu 1 “Soul Hunt”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Punishment by Dragging”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support.
• Increased damage of the aerial combo.
• Increased Throw damage.
• Made the recovery speed of the Chakra Charge slower.

Deidara

• Ninjutsu 1 “Detonating Clay: Twin Birds”: Decreased damage and made an adjustment to be able to cancel to dash and changed the effect to launch the opponent upwards.

Sasori

• Deceased defense power.
• Increased the damage of the ending phase of the down-ground combo.
• Decreased Throw damage.

Hagoromo Otsutsuki

• Ninjutsu 1 “Divine Thunder”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support.

Naruto Uzumaki (Part 1)

• Decreased defense power.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Demon Wind Bomb”: Increased Chakra consumption.

Shikamaru Nara (Part 1)

• Ninjutsu 2 “Explosive Parachute”: Expanded the hurtbox and decreased the step back.

Choji Akimichi (Part 1)

• Increased defense power.
• Ninjutsu 1 “Human Boulder”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Hidden Flavor”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support.

Rock Lee (Part 1)

• Decreased damage before ground combo branching.

Kiba Inuzuka (Part 1)

• Increased defense power.
• Ninjutsu 1 “Fang Over Fang”: Made it possible to perform Ninjutsu Block after charging, reduced Chakra consumption, and increased the recovery speed when using it as a support.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Severing Fang”: Increased damage.

Kankuro (Part 1)

• Decreased defense power.
• Increased the damage of the ending phase of the down-ground combo. 
• Decreased Throw damage.

Boruto Uzumaki (Karma)

• Increase defense power.
• Ninjutsu 1 “Rasengan Mega Barrage”: Adjusted to be able to perform follow-up attacks on downed opponents.

Boruto Uzumaki (Chunin Exam)

• Increased defense power.

Boruto Uzumaki (Scientific Ninja Tool)

• Increased recovery time when hit by ground combos.

Boruto Uzumaki

• Ninjutsu 1 “Vanishing Rasengan”: Increased damage.

Mitsuki

• Ninjutsu 2 “Wind Waves”: Expanded the hurtbox when activated in air.

Kawaki

• Throw is adjusted to occur faster.

Naruto Uzumaki (Baryon Mode)

• Awaken Ninjutsu 1 “Baryon Rasengan”: Decreased Chakra consumption when Ninjutsu Blocking.
• Awaken Ninjutsu 2 “Guren Burst”: Decreased Chakra consumption when Ninjutsu Blocking. 
• Decreased damage of aerial combo.
• Granted invincibility from the start to the end of the unguardable attack at the time of Awakening.

Naruto Uzumaki (BORUTO)

• Increased the advancing distance of the throw and changed the effect after successfully landing the attacks to bounce.

Sasuke Uchiha (Supporting Kage)

• Extended the active frame for the first attack of the aerial combo.

Sasuke Uchiha (BORUTO)

• Ninjutsu 2 “Inferno Style: Fire Ball Jutsu”: Decrease damage and made it possible to cancel to Dash and changed the effect after successfully landing the attacks to knock the opponent back. 

Sakura Uchiha (BORUTO)

• Increased defense power.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Cherry Blossom Burst”: Can be used as Ninjutsu Block.
• Increased the amount of advancing movement for the initial attack of ground combo and expanded the hurtbox.
• Increased recovery time when hit by ground combos.
• Throw is adjusted to occur faster and increased damage.

Hinata Uzumaki (BORUTO)

• Ninjutsu 2 “8 Trigrams Air Palm ”: Shortened interval between second and the third attacks.

Shikamaru Nara (BORUTO)

• Ninjutsu 2 “Explosive Parachute”: Expanded the hurtbox and decreased the step back.

Choji Akimichi (BORUTO)

• Increased Defense power. 
• Ninjutsu 1 “Spiky Human Boulder”: Increased the Guard damage when opponent guard this Ninjutsu and decreased the recovery speed when using it as a support.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Partial Expansion Jutsu: Fist Strike”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support.
• Increase the Throw damage.

Ino Yamanaka (BORUTO)

• Ninjutsu 1 “Flower Bomb”: Increased duration of poison time.
• Ninjutsu 2 “Flower Bomb: Scatter”: Increased duration of poison time.

Sai Yamanaka (BORUTO)

• Ninjutsu 2 “Ninja Art: Super Beast Scroll: Flock”: Made the start-up frames slower when activated in air, expanded the hurtbox when activated, and decreased the step back. 
• Increased the stunning effect on enemies when successfully landing ground-level combos.
• Throw is adjusted to occur faster and increase the amount of advancing movement.

Tenten (BORUTO)

• Increased defense power.

Kiba Inuzuka (BORUTO)

• Ninjutsu 1 “Fang Over Fang”: Made it possible to perform Ninjutsu Block after charging, reduced Chakra consumption, and increased the recovery speed when using it as a support.
• Changed the effect of the ending phase in aerial combo after successfully landing this attack on the opponent to bounce.
• This makes it possible to perform a follow-up attack by using Dash with decreased damage.

Shino Aburame (BORUTO)

• Increased defense power.
• Adjusted to be able to perform a follow up attack after the throw.

Kawaki (Karma Progression)

• Ninjutsu 2 “Fire Style: Soaring Flame Bullet Jutsu”: Expanded the hurtbox when activated in air and decreased the step back. 
• Strengthened homing during the movement of ground combo.

Boruto Uzumaki (Karma Progression)

• Strengthened homing during the movement of ground combo.
• Decreased Throw damage.

Kankuro (BORUTO)

• Decreased defense power.
• Increased the damage of the ending phase of the down-ground combo.
• Decreased Throw damage.

Temari Nara (BORUTO)

• Ninjutsu 2 “Gust Dance”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support and changed not to bounce for the final effect.

Darui (Raikage: Ay)

• Ninjutsu 2 “Gale Style: Laser Circus”: Expanded the hurtbox when activated in air. 

Kinshiki Otsutsuki

• Ninjutsu 1 “Odachi Sweep”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support.
• Ninjutsu 2 “God of Tides”: Increased recovery speed duration when using it as a support.
• Increased damage of aerial combo.
• Increased Throw damage.

Isshiki Otsutsuki

• Ninjutsu 2 “Daikokuten: Karmic Flames”: Expanded the hurtbox when activated in air. 
• Decreased damage of aerial combo.

Others

• Increased the amount of Ryo received for Free Battles and Network Battles (Ranked Match, Casual Match, Custom Match and Target Match).
• Fixed an issue that caused characters to have unintended appearance in specific situations during the match.
• We have taken action to prevent certain cheats from being performed.
• Fixed other minor bugs.

The post Naruto x Boruto Game Gets First Free Update in Months appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Part of the shonen Big Three, it’s no surprise Naruto is often remembered for its epic and monumental battles. But what makes these fights so memorable isn’t just the action. Masashi Kishimoto may be a master choreographer, but he’s an even better storyteller. And as he masterfully builds up the story to intense physical confrontations, he takes the viewers along for the ride, letting us get into the characters’ heads and see why they fight. This and the potential consequences of a loss give the fights weight and meaning, making them unforgettable even two decades later.

Warning: Major Spoilers Ahead for Naruto and Naruto Shippuden!

Still, some fights are more unforgettable than others. Whether it be because of the characters involved, the choreography, or what the fight represents. Many of Naruto’s fights had fans anticipating them years before the actual confrontation happened. The best example of this being the fateful final encounter between the Uchiha brothers Itachi and Sasuke. Unlike some other anime whose fight animations no longer hold up to scrutiny, Naruto’s fights are still well-executed and enjoyable to watch. Some particular examples have aged especially well thanks to the novel choreography, featured characters, and techniques on display.

10. Hiruzen vs. Orochimaru

The first Naruto fight to demonstrate what Kage-level combat actually looked like, the encounter between the Third Hokage Hiruzen and his then traitorous student Orochimaru had fans hooked from the start. The fight carried unprecedented emotional weight, with the opponents being teacher and student. And the entire Hidden Leaf Village’s fate hanging in the balance. 

The fight also marked fans’ first look at forbidden Jutsu, with Orochimaru using the Impure World Reincarnation to revive Hiruzen’s own teacher, the Second Hokage, and his older brother, the First Hokage. As Orochimaru controlled the two Hokages, Hiruzen ended up at a massive disadvantage. But losing just wasn’t an option. This prompts Hiruzen to use the forbidden Death Reaper Seal Jutsu to seal away Orochimaru’s arms and the previous Hokages, sacrificing his own life in the process.

9. Itachi vs. Sasuke 

The first time we meet Sasuke, we learn one thing: he hates his brother for killing his clan and intends to kill him for revenge. And when that fateful meeting happens, Naruto does not disappoint with this iconic fight. The clash starts with Sasuke confronting Itachi at the Uchiha Hideout, where Itachi sits on a throne-like chair.

Sasuke rushes headfirst with taijutsu and appears to win, only for Itachi to reveal the entire thing to be an illusion. The gap between the brothers’ abilities is still too big, and Itachi has the clear upper hand, using his Amaterasu to burn Sasuke’s Cursed Seal form. But then the tables turn as it starts raining, letting Sasuke hit Itachi with a powerful Kirin. 

Injured but alive, Itachi uses his Susanoo to seal away Orochimaru, who’d been hiding inside Sasuke this whole time. Next, he makes his way towards an exhausted and scared Sasuke, as fans wonder if the younger Uchiha will really lose his eyes to his older brother. But then, in a confusing twist that wouldn’t make sense until later, Itachi merely pokes Sasuke on the forehead and apologizes before dying of exhaustion.

8. Madara vs. the Five Kage

While more of a one-sided massacre than an actual fight in Naruto, Madara vs. the Five Kage still deserves a mention here for establishing just how strong Madara is. In the beginning, the Five Kage seem to have a chance. But then viewers realize Madara’s been holding back the entire time as he creates 25 Wood Clones to turn the five-to-one advantage against the Kage.

To make matters worse, Madara has all 25 clones use Susanoo in this fight. But even as the Kage struggle, they remain determined to fight back. This prompts Madara to use his Perfect Susanoo, capable of leveling mountains with a single strike.

7. Kakashi vs. Obito

When Obito sacrifices his life to protect Kakashi during the Third Great Ninja War, the experience leaves a permanent mark on the Hatake. So when the masked man Tobi is revealed to have been Kakashi’s “dead” best friend Obito all along, fans are understandably shocked. As Kakashi faces his once-friend in a fight to the death, the stakes have never been higher.

The two fight inside the Kamui dimension connected to both of their Mangekyo Sharingan Eyes. The fight choreography is spectacular, but what really makes this encounter stand out is how we simultaneously witness a flashback of the time the two sparred as comrades. And unlike other occasions where a flashback can distract from the main fight, the past seamlessly transitions into the present to create an emotional affair. This is especially true near the end of the fight when the two metaphorically push away their reconciling past selves to stab each other.

6. Rock Lee vs. Gaara

With Gaara’s introduction as a bloodthirsty Jinchuriki, his matchup against Rock Lee during the Chunin Exams already has fans on edge leading to this classic Naruto fight. The battle starts with Rock Lee predictably struggling to even get close to Gaara, the latter’s sand effortlessly blocking every one of Lee’s Taijutsu attacks. But just when the audience starts getting worried, Lee takes off his training weights, turning things around.

The loss of weight gives Lee a speed boost, and he finally lands a hit on Gaara, marking the first time Gaara got hit in a fight. But thanks to his sand armor, Gaara doesn’t actually get hurt and only becomes more brutal. Prompting Lee to open five of the Inner Gates to keep up. In an impressive show of pure hard work, Lee is able to make even the Jinchuriki Gaara acknowledge his strength. Lee only loses due to the toll his own techniques have on his body.

[RELATED – 10 Best Naruto Quotes That Moved Fans Worldwide]

5. Pain vs. Jiraiya

The legendary Sannin Jiraiya infiltrates the Hidden Rain to gather intel on the Akatsuki’s infamous leader, Pain. Only to come face to face with the villain and recognize him as his own student, Nagato. Despite this, Jiraiya is left with no option except to fight. And with Pain’s Rinnegan, fans already knew the fight was not going to be an easy one.

Thanks to being a former student of Jiraiya’s, Pain already knew his weaknesses. Putting Jiraiya on the back foot against an opponent he knows very little about but who knows a lot about him. As such, despite Jiraiya’s best efforts, Pain is easily able to counter his Summons and Ninjutsu, the fight ending in one of the most tragic moments of the series. 

4. Madara vs. Might Guy

Already established as one of the most powerful villains of the series, leagues above even the Five Kage, Madara only gets stronger when he becomes the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki. Faced with this absolute beast, Might Guy opens the eighth and the final gate of Death. Increasing his power to ten times of even the Kage and going toe to toe against Madara.

His strength in this form is so great that even Madara acknowledges him as one of the strongest opponents he’s ever fought. And had it not been for his quick healing, the Uchiha might have actually lost his life to Guy’s last attack. But alas, he survives, and Guy has to pay the price for opening the Gates.

3. Naruto vs. Pain

After Jiraiya’s death, the Sannin’s two students meet in an epic face-off. Naruto starts strong, thanks to Lady Katsuyu’s intel and his incredible Sage Mode skills, the debut of which is one of the single greatest entrances in anime history. But it soon becomes clear that this isn’t just a clash of might but also philosophies, as even after killing Naruto’s teacher and destroying his entire village, Pain’s actually able to make Naruto question his beliefs. 

However, even as Naruto’s faith is shaken, Hinata believes in him, putting her life on the line to help him. This makes Naruto lose control of the Nine Tails, going on a rampage. But true to his character, he eventually regains control, choosing to truly understand Pain instead of fighting him and making the villain have a change of heart in the process.

2. Killer B vs. Sasuke

Sasuke’s first major opponent after awakening his Mangekyo Sharingan, Killer B proves that no matter how strong the Sharingan, it isn’t invincible. The fight starts with Kenjutsu where Killer B’s unique fighting style gives him a clear upper hand. Just minutes later, B manages to fatally stab Sasuke in an attack he would not have survived without Karin’s intervention.

Then, Sasuke attempts to use his clan’s famed Genjutsu, only to learn the hard way that it’s useless with the Eight Tails actively helping B. Jugo manages to heal Sasuke. But B unleashes the full power of the Eight Tails, prompting Sasuke to use his Amaterasu. At this point, Sasuke appears to win, only for the audience to learn B tricked him to escape, marking this fight as a significant loss in Sasuke’s books.

1. Naruto vs. Sasuke 

Naruto and Sasuke’s final fight is widely regarded as the best in the series, and for good reason. The fight is fast-paced, beautifully animated, and incredibly emotional. It also shows just how strong these two characters have become, with the two using their most powerful techniques in a fight that literally changes the landscape.

Despite Naruto’s hesitance to hurt Sasuke, he has to use increasingly more destructive techniques to keep up with his friend. When they both exhaust themselves, the fight becomes a much more physical affair, with the two punching and kicking each other until they gather the last of their strength to finish up with a spectacular exchange of their signature moves. As far as finales go, it is satisfying, necessary, and a worthy conclusion to Naruto’s storied collection of epic fights.

The post 10 Best Naruto Fights That Will Make You an Instant Fan appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have ventured to Gotham City to meet the Dark Knight, busted ghosts with the Ghostbusters, and even explored the Upside Down with the kids from Stranger Things. However, the latest comic book crossover might be their biggest to date as Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, and Leonardo have teamed up with Konoha’s finest for a Naruto crossover. In typical comic book crossover fashion, the two sides first fought one another due to a misunderstanding but have quickly mended fences as they realized they were fighting the same fight. In forging the peace, it would seem that the future Seventh Hokage has become an honorary Turtle in a surprising way.

Warning. If you have yet to read the latest issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto, Issue #2, be forewarned that we’ll be exploring some spoiler territory. For those who need a refresher on this new anime crossover, it takes place in a brand new universe wherein the Heroes in a Half-Shell reside in “Big Apple Village,” a part of Naruto’s ninja world that wasn’t featured in the shonen anime. With Team 7 set to protect April O’Neil, the two groups come to the realization that they are on the same side and get to spend some downtime with one another. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi get the chance to check out the Turtles’ sewer abode, with the Seventh Hokage realizing that he’s not so different from the green-skinned ninjas.

[RELATED: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto Crossover Reveals Team 7’s Important Mission]

Konoha Mutant Ninja Turtles

In taking a break from the overall mission, Naruto hangs out with Donatello to play some old school Nintendo and Michelangelo to try his hand out at skateboarding for the first time. With Master Splinter laying out the TMNT’s origin story, Kurama the Nine-Tailed Fox realizes that its host isn’t too different from the Heroes in a Half-Shell. Speaking directly to Naruto, the beast states, “You’re the same. In your case, I’m the ooze.” Following this story, the Turtles decide to introduce Team 7 to pizza but their meal is delayed due to an unexpected arrival.

Before chowing down, Naruto and the Heroes in a Half-Shell are assaulted by the Foot Clan and this universe’s Oroku Saki, aka the Shredder. Both the villainous organization and their leader look a tad different in this new universe though it’s clear that they are the same nefarious characters that routinely threatened the TMNT in their history. It will be interesting to see which, if any, Naruto villains hit the crossover with two issues remaining in the mini-series.

Anime Comic Book Crossovers

As anime only continues to grow, comic book companies are looking to get in on the action with unbelievable crossovers. The meeting of the Turtles and Team 7 is the latest in a string of universes colliding in recent years but it might turn out to be the best. In the past, we’ve witnessed Deadpool teaming up with My Hero Academia’s All Might and the Avengers fighting the Titans from Attack on Titan. With the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles diving into the Hidden Leaf Village, it will be interesting to see if they encounter any other anime worlds in the future.

Want to stay up to date on this brand new anime world? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on the meeting of the TMNT and Naruto and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Make Naruto The Fifth Turtle In Latest Crossover appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Naruto may not be a tragedy anime, but that doesn’t mean the series didn’t leave many fans heartbroken even years after its run. Despite the story revolving around one of the most optimistic characters in all of anime, Naruto’s tragic past lurks at every corner, reminding viewers that no matter how much fun it sounds, a world of ninjas is not all fun and rainbows. And while Naruto has a talent for making the audience laugh and cry with him, he is far from the only character viewers couldn’t help but shed tears over.

With its diverse cast of characters, Naruto is able to explore a wide range of storylines, many of them rife with the death and destruction expected of a world centered on violence. Masashi Kishimoto’s ability to write complex characters that feel human only adds to the show’s tragedy. And with his masterful storytelling, viewers feel closer to his story, making the tragic moments all that more unbearable. 

Spoiler Warning: Given the Nature of This List, Major Naruto Spoilers Ahead for Each Entry!

Rin’s Death

A defining moment for both Kakashi and Obito, Rin’s death is one of the series’s biggest tragedies. And what makes it even more unbearable is how it was all part of Madara’s carefully laid plan. Aware that Obito needed to experience the same pain as Madara to agree with him, the older Uchiha kidnapped the girl he loved and sealed the Three-Tails in her, essentially making her into a ticking time bomb.

Realizing this, Rin chose to sacrifice herself to protect her village, jumping in front of Kakashi’s Chidori. The experience of being the one to kill his teammate, one he had promised to protect, deeply traumatized Kakashi. As Obito witnessed Kakashi killing Rin, his emotional pain awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan and transformed him from an optimistic dreamer to one of Naruto’s core villains.

Uchiha Massacre 

The fact that Konoha greenlit the genocide of a clan to stop a coup was bad enough, but what’s worse is that they made a 13-year-old from that clan do it. Accepting the mission only to spare his younger brother’s life, Itachi killed his own kin with a heavy heart. And when he finally goes to kill his parents, their acceptance of his mission and choice to love him even in their final moments has the normally stoic character breaking down in tears. 

This is a heartbreaking moment, and the tragedy of the massacre only gets worse as Itachi must then lie to Sasuke throughout much of Naruto’s entire plot, ensuring his loyalty to the village that killed his family. When Sasuke refuses to believe his older brother would kill so many people, Itachi makes him witness the genocide firsthand with his Mangekyo Sharingan. Psychologically scarring the one person he loves most in the world as he takes the blame for a tragedy created by the adults in power. 

Asuma’s Death

As the first teacher figure to die in Naruto Shippuden, Asuma’s death was undoubtedly tragic. It set a different, more serious tone, demonstrating that the series’s main cast wasn’t actually immune to the violence in their world. The fact that he died protecting his students when he was about to become a father only made the moment more heartbreaking.

Nevertheless, his death served an important narrative purpose, giving the viewer insight into his students and becoming a source of character development for them. Shikamaru’s particularly affected, especially with Asuma entrusting him to take care of his unborn child. But the normally lazy ninja steps up to the role, learning to take responsibility and maturing as a result.

Zabuza and Haku 

A merciless hitman with a kind young boy as his loyal follower, the odd pair Zabuza and Haku were Naruto’s first major villains. Despite being an antagonist, Haku’s personality was more befitting of a hero, as seen when he gladly used his body as a shield to protect Zabuza from Kakashi’s Chidori. But while Haku’s death was already tragic enough, what happened next really cemented this scene as one Naruto fans aren’t going to forget any time soon.

When the corrupt Gato and his men arrived, he started kicking around Haku’s dead body. An injured Zabuza initially appeared unaffected by this, but when Naruto called him heartless, he dropped that facade. Holding Naruto’s kunai between his teeth, Zabuza attacked Gato at the cost of his own life. And in his dying moments, he emotionally asked to be laid next to Haku so he could see his face one last time.

Neji’s Death 

As the only Konoha 11 member to lose his life during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Neji’s death was particularly shocking and tragic. Sacrificing himself to protect Naruto and Hinata, Neji’s last moments showed how far he had come as a character, from someone who resented Hinata for being a weak clan heir to someone who embraced his duty as her clan member.

What makes his death even sadder is how we see Hinata’s sister carrying a picture of Neji at her wedding, reminding fans of the stern but caring uncle he never got to be. Neji started his character arc as a rather unsympathetic adversary who challenged Naruto’s philosophy, but as he grew to respect Konoha’s future Seventh Hokage, viewers’ opinions on him changed. His ultimate acceptance of Naruto makes his death all the more tragic in the final moments of the saga.

[RELATED – Naruto Creator Reveals How Sakura Became His Biggest Regret]

Naruto’s Childhood

Made into a Jinchuriki to save the village that hated him, Naruto’s story starts from tragedy and only gets more heartbreaking. As the Hokage, Minato made the decision to sacrifice his soul to split the Nine-Tails chakra in half and seal the Yang half inside Naruto, protecting both the village and his wife and child. But as the sealing process began, the Nine-Tails tried to kill Naruto, prompting Minato and Kushina to shield the blow with their bodies.

An orphan, Naruto then lived a life of rejection, unaware of why he was hated or even who his parents were. His only comfort was the Third Hokage, who acted like a grandfatherly figure to the boy. However, even the Hokage’s support didn’t make his ordeal any easier, with the rest of the village shunning or unsubtly resenting the boy for much of the series.

Itachi’s Last Goodbye 

Itachi’s life was undoubtedly tragic, but what was even more tragic was how, despite his efforts, he couldn’t protect Sasuke from the truth behind the Uchiha Massacre. His younger brother learned how Itachi was ordered to kill their family and hated the very village Itachi sacrificed everything for because of it. But instead of trying to change his brother’s mind, Itachi accepted Sasuke’s hatred.

He assured his brother that no matter what choice he made, his love for him was unconditional. To hear that from his brother, whom he had killed and yet loved, was an emotional moment for Sasuke. Yet it was tragic these words were only spoken moments before Itachi’s return to the afterlife.

Gaara’s Childhood 

Much like Naruto, a young Gaara was a Jinchuriki hated by his village. But unlike Naruto, who had the support of the Third Hokage, Gaara’s father, the Fourth Kazekage, abandoned him, forcing him to live away from his siblings with his maternal uncle, Yashamaru. When the Kazekage thought Gaara couldn’t serve as the weapon he wanted, he labeled him a failed experiment and ordered Yashamaru, who Gaara loved, to assassinate him. 

Even more tragically, he further destroyed the six-year-old’s fragile mental state by having Yashamaru lie that both he and Gaara’s own mother hated him. This was the final straw that made Gaara into the monstrous character first introduced in the Chunin Exams and Konoha Crush Arcs of Naruto. Had it not been for Naruto’s friendship, he may have ended up as one of the series’s most tragic villains.

Jiraiya’s Death 

A beloved but comical character, Jiraiya’s death shook the fanbase with its sudden tragedy. While confronting the villain Pain, Jiraiya recognized him as his former student. But as the two were already fighting with no hope of reconciliation, only one path remained; for one of them to die while the other emerged as the victor. 

Despite going up against the legendary Rinnegan, Jiraiya gave his all in the fight. But he ultimately lost, his last act being a message to Konoha about Pain’s true identity. The last thing on his mind was thoughts of his student Naruto as the Pain’s Assault Arc began to show its teeth to the fandom with Naruto Shippuden Episode 133.

Naruto’s Goodbye to Minato

After fighting in the Fourth Great Ninja War alongside his son, it’s eventually time for Minato to return to the afterlife in Naruto Shippuden Episode 474. Naruto gets a few precious minutes to say his last goodbye to the father he never really knew, and it’s tragic to witness. But what ensues next is a different, more layered, and upsettingly sad moment for the young hero.

Minato starts by wishing Naruto a happy 17th birthday, marking the first and last time Naruto receives a birthday wish from a parent. The dam breaks, but Naruto holds back tears as he reassures his parents that they don’t have to worry about him. But much like the audience, he ultimately can’t help but let his tears fall.

The post 10 Most Tragic Moments in Naruto That Still Make Fans Cry appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The anime community thrives on pairing together their favorite characters, and there’s no better way to hype up fans than to give them “canon pairings.” These couples don’t always have to be endgame, and they’re not always celebrated by fans, either – even if they’re a couple that most audiences want to see together. This isn’t restricted to romance anime. Shows from every genre that feature some kind of romance subplot are subject to fan criticism and occasionally confusion.

While shipping is a common occurrence in any fandom, the culture around it is very rarely what draws out negative fan discussion. Typically, it’s the actual storytelling decisions and character writing leading up to the characters being together that leave fans feeling befuddled and, in the absolute worst cases, angered by two characters ending up together.

Momo & Toji From Peach Girl

Peach Girl has a reputation for being messy, and the relationship between the show’s main character and her first boyfriend, Toji, proves it. Toji never chooses to be on Momo’s side in anything, regularly dumping her over rumors and refusing to communicate with her about anything. While this does make the anime extremely funny, it’s also unbelievably frustrating watching Momo justify and stay in love with a guy who is a very cartoonish example of being the worst partner imaginable.

While Momo does eventually end up moving on from Toji by the time the series ends, watching her fight so hard for so long for her first crush and boyfriend in the anime is almost tragically iconic and still has shojo fans talking about how bad of a partner he was.

Haru & Shizuku From My Little Monster

While My Little Monster is a relatively cute, simple, slice-of-life shojo anime from the 2010s, the relationship between Haru and Shizuku isn’t the most wholesome. While enemies to lovers is an extremely popular romance trope, the handling of Haru’s “bad boy nature” — specifically, how he speaks to Shizuku — is unacceptable. In the anime, Haru threatens Shizuku by assaulting her early into the pair, knowing one another, a mistake that never really gets touched on again. Plus, even once the two begin to actually have feelings for one another, his behavior doesn’t improve.

His tsundere attitude, paired with Shizuku’s own colder, more stony nature, makes them a turbulent match-up from the very beginning. It also makes it very difficult to root for Haru once he starts to actively make Shizuku his girlfriend due to his violently negative attitude and misogynistic comments.

Sesshomaru & Rin From Yashahime

For many fans of the classic anime Inuyasha, it was an uncomfortable surprise to discover that fan-favorite character Sesshomaru ended up marrying his adoptive daughter, Rin. In Inuyasha, Rin is a very young child when Sesshomaru, already a grown man, finds her. Yashahime, the sequel series, shows the two married with young children. The reveal was the one thing fans were hoping wouldn’t happen when the sequel anime was announced, and for many, was far too problematic to let slide.

Plus, one who wants to get invested in Yashahime‘s story but doesn’t like coupling can’t escape it after initial character introductions, because the romance between Rin and Sesshomaru plays a massive role in the main plot.

Hananoi & Hotaru From A Condition Called Love

The main couple in A Condition Called Love had anime fans reeling when the show first began airing in 2024. Due to the male protagonist, Hananoi’s relationship trauma, he begins pursuing Hotaru by not allowing her to let him down gently, instead going out of his way to try and convince her that the two of them would be happy together after she showed him a bit of kindness seeing him get dumped by his girlfriend.

While many of the toxic aspects of their relationship are explored more intricately in the original manga, Blue Fish Studio’s animated adaptation of the series only really gets to show Hananoi’s obsessive side. Hananoi’s controversial behavior in the anime is painted as a positive and romantic trait, something that put off a lot of anime fans when they initially started the show.

Hachi & Takumi From Nana

Perhaps one of the most heart-wrenching twists in shojo, seeing Takumi and Hachi be together is still something that has fans of NANA divided. Written to be absolutely despicable, Takumi is the embodiment of everything Hachi doesn’t need in her life, but can play with her emotions in such a way that it has lulled her into a falsified sense of security. Hachi ending up with Takumi is only made more painful due to the manga being on a permanent hiatus – meaning that readers can’t find out if Hachi will ever come to her senses.

Another aspect of the relationship that has made it so controversial is how Hachi was forced to crush Nobu and Nana in order to be with Takumi and have him take care of her and their child. The sequence in the anime adaptation of the series is heartbreaking and has left fans cursing Takumi for being the true villain of the series.

[RELATED: 10 Controversial One Piece Moments That Still Haunt Fans to This Day]

Meliodas & Elizabeth From The Seven Deadly Sins

The Seven Deadly Sins has a lot of content featured throughout that leaves a bad taste in anime fans’ mouths, and the relationship between Elizabeth and Meliodas has made fans roll their eyes more than once. The main hook for the couple is that Elizabeth is the reincarnation of a Goddess who was cursed by the Demon King to be reincarnated and lose her memories over and over again. Meliodas continues to find and fall for her each time, including finding her when she’s a baby.

These moments showcasing the two reuniting are meant to be gut-wrenching, but they also feel absolutely bizarre – pushing the reincarnated lovers trope in a direction that’s difficult to be comfortable with, even for longtime fans of the series.

Light & Misa From Death Note

While there are plenty of memes about how badly Light fumbled Misa in Death Note, none of them actually capture how truly hilarious the pair are when they interact with each other in canon. When removing Light’s calculated means of keeping Misa interested so that he won’t get caught by L, it’s clear just how messy the dynamic between them is. Misa feels as though she owes Light everything for saving her, while he simply uses her as a means to dodge investigators.

What makes the pair controversial is how Light and Misa’s connection echoes so many traits of an emotionally abusive relationship. Something that, regardless of the series’ impeccable writing, was used as a plot device more than it was ever used as an earnest means of exploring Misa’s trauma. Plus, most Death Note fans just wanted to see Misa happy. After Death Note‘s resurgence in popularity in recent years, the community has been filled with comments about how Light’s accomplice would’ve been happier pursuing L.

Zero Two & Hiro From Darling In the Franxx

Darling in the Franxx, in and of itself, is a controversial anime series. During its original release, the show was slammed for its poor character writing and bizarre story. While there were two different love triangles featured in the show, the one that by far ended up being the most frustrating was the endgame pairing for the main character. While Hiro suffers from bland shonen protagonist syndrome, Zero Two is a caricature of tropes all on her own; she’s dropped into the series to be a rival for Ichigo and a clear love interest for Hiro, and while there is a ton of lore to explain her character being the way that it is, none of it comes up until the last few episodes.

The way in which Hiro and Zero Two’s relationship is written is why the two are so controversial in this anime. Aside from Darling in the Franxx just feeling like a generic mech series with already problematic themes about men and women only being able to find happiness with each other, Zero Two and Hiro are forced together at the end of the series simply because the narrative really needs them to be together. The storytelling failed to land with fans, which has caused the couple to spiral into infamy.

Sakura & Sasuke From Naruto

While there isn’t anything inherently wrong with the relationship between Sasuke and Sakura, there’s no denying that not everyone has been pleased to see the two happily married. Part of this is due to the couple’s writing throughout the original Naruto. For most of the series, Sasuke seems to be relatively dismissive of Sakura’s feelings for him, especially with Naruto waiting in the wings for Sakura to finally notice him.

The assertion that Sasuke doesn’t actually love Sakura became such a point of contention among the community that there’s a story arc in Boruto dedicated to confirming that he does, in fact, love his wife, as well as an official side story about the two adventuring side-by-side. While their being together isn’t controversial in a toxic or problematic sense, the iconic anime couple still has decades of fan disappointment following them.

Yuno & Yuki From Future Diary

Future Diary is infamous for plenty of reasons, but its main couple is certainly the most well-known. There isn’t much “slow burn” between Yukiteru and Yuno when they’re first introduced in the show, with the anime quickly revealing that Yuno is obsessed with Yuki – so much so that her own “Future Diary,” the tool used for participants in the show’s death game, only tells events that will happen in Yuki’s future. She uses this for much of the series as a means to stalk him and protect him from other players in the game.

What really made this couple timelessly controversial, though, aside from Yuno’s yandere personality, is how the couple was treated in the last half of the series. As it turns out, the Yuno that fans get familiar with for most of the show is from a different timeline entirety. Her master plan is to jump from timeline to timeline, betray Yuki, and become God – all so she can repeat the process and be with Yuki forever. After Yuki defeats her and attains Godhood for himself, he’s filled with regret over losing her. While not the most egregious of controversial anime couples, the pair’s enduring infamy has made Future Diary an absolute classic, even if it’s not necessarily for the right reasons.

The post 10 Controversial Anime Relationships That Fans Still Question appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Anime fans, rejoice! You’ll be delighted to hear that a new Naruto box Complete Series box set launched on January 7th and is available now with a significant disccount. The limited-edition Blu-ray box set includes all 10 seasons and 112 episodes of the series, in a quality that hasn’t been seen before. Plus new special features such as a 72-page art booklet, a window cling, poster, storyboards, and more. 

Right now, the set is available to order here on Amazon for $202.53, which is 19% off the $249.99 list price You can also get the set here at GRUV for as little as $199.96 when you use the code SIGNUP20 at checkout. That’s not a bad price to have the entire Naruto series in never-before-seen 1080p. Take a look below for more details. 

“In another world, ninja are the ultimate power, and in the Village Hidden in the Leaves live the stealthiest ninja in the land. Twelve years earlier, the fearsome Nine-Tailed Fox terrorized the village and claimed many lives before it was subdued and its spirit sealed within the body of a baby boy. That boy, Naruto Uzumaki, has grown up to become a ninja-in-training who’s more interested in pranks than in studying ninjutsu.. but Naruto is determined to become the greatest ninja ever!”

Special Features

• 72-page Art Booklet
• Window Cling
• Poster
• Storyboards
• Clean Open and Close Videos
• Making of Cover Art – Gallery
• Art Galleries
• Trailers

The Live-Action Naruto

Lionsgate announced recently that it would be working with Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton to bring the lovely Hidden Leaf Village to life. The live-action rendition of the popular anime doesn’t have many details out yet, but Cretton has received a very special seal of approval. Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, stated that he was excited to see the new take on his world. We can still wait and see if he’ll take on the Executive Producer role much like Eiichiro Oda did with the One Piece live-action series, but for now, it’s exciting that he’s excited.

Although the future of Naruto is a bit up in the air while we wait on new details for the movie, it’s fantastic to see a new box set hit the shelves. The Naruto fandom looks like it’ll continue to grow for the foreseeable future, and we love that new fans keeping tuning in for the journey of seventh Hokage.

The post Naruto Complete Series Blu-ray Box Set Is Available Now With a Deal appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Naruto and Burger King are teaming up for a wild new collaboration internationally, so here’s what you need to know about the big shake ups to the menu. Not long ago, Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto kicked off the 20th anniversary celebration of its original anime release with all sorts of fun projects to help celebrate how far the franchise has come in the two decades. Those celebrations are continuing further this year too as Burger King France has announced a new collaboration with Naruto that sees the burger chain amping itself up with a new menu and merchandise exclusive to the region.

Burger King France first teased fans earlier this week about a new collaboration coming with Naruto, and they celebrated with some brand new art teasing what could be coming in the new team up. Now they have officially revealed what to expect from their new menu changes on their website that includes new burgers, new chicken sandwiches, new merchandise, a special Naruto meal for kids, and special Naruto inspired sauce. But unfortunately, it’s yet to be announced if this collaboration will be seen outside of Burger King France.

What’s New for Naruto’s Burger King Menu?

As detailed by Burger King France’s website, the new Naruto collaboration sees their restaurant change its name to “BKonoha.” Separated into two different menus inspired by both Naruto and Sasuke, the Naruto offering is a burger with a white bun with sesame seeds, beef, emulsified soy sauce, onions and cheese. For the Sasuke offering, it’s the same kind of burger but with chicken instead of a beef hamburger patty. Fans can also nab a special hat or Sasuke t-shirt that will be launched alongside this new menu. There’s even a special new offering for kids.

This new kid’s offering features exclusive Naruto cards, a hat, and some special Naruto sauce. But unfortunately for fans outside of France, it has yet to be announced if Burger King will be offering this collaboration in other territories. As Naruto gets ready for this new menu, it’s the perfect kind of anime for this team up in the United States. Naruto is still one of the most popular anime franchises with a certain generation, so this kind of team up in the West would go a long way with fans (especially as they start testing the waters with anime).

RELATED: New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto Preview Further Explores Kakashi/Splinter Connection

What’s Next for Naruto?

This team up between Naruto and Burger King might be exclusive to France, but thankfully Naruto still has more in the works for a release potentially later this year. As part of the celebration for that 20th anniversary was a special new four episode anime featuring the original incarnation of Naruto. This brings back the original Team 7 as seen in the pre-Shippuden release, and fans have been waiting quite a while to see the new episodes as the new anime has unfortunately been in the midst of an indefinite delay for the past year.

It was originally scheduled to make its debut in the Fall of 2023 to coincide with Naruto’s 20th anniversary, but unfortunately Naruto has yet to announce when these new episodes will be making their debut. There’s a good chance we’ll see some forward momentum as there are only four episodes to this new special release. At the same time, fans are waiting to see more of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations as the sequel series has also been in the midst of its own indefinite hiatus for the last couple of years too.

The post What You Need to Know for Naruto & Burger King’s Big Team Up appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the most surprising crossovers in recent years has seen Team 7 teaming up with the Heroes in a Half Shell for a new comic book series. Creating an entirely new universe to help facilitate Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi coming face-to-face with Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo, IDW is hinting at some big changes to the lore for each team. Set to release four issues in total, The Big Apple and the Hidden Leaf Village denizens are hinting at some major surprises for the future of this crossover that might just take the cake when it comes to fictional ninjas meeting for the first time.

Warning. Be forewarned that we’ll be diving into serious spoiler territory for the first issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto, so if you haven’t read it, you might want to turn back now. As mentioned previously, this new series creates an entirely new universe with a new backstory for all the players involved. Rather than seeing the TMNT dropped into Konoha or Team 7 hitting the Big Apple, “Big Apple Village” is a new village that exists in the anime ninja world and harbors the green-skinned teenagers. In a new mission to protect April O’Neil, Naruto and his allies run into the “Heroes in a Half-Shell” and have a case of mistaken identity in doing so.

[RELATED: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto Reveals a Shocking Connection Between Kakashi And Splinter]

Master Splinter x Kakashi

One of the biggest twists of the first issue of this crossover was that Master Splinter and Kakashi the Copycat Ninja appear to share a common history. While that origin wasn’t unveiled in the premiere offering of the crossover series, a new preview for issue two hints that the next story will get right into it. Even though the crossover series only has four issues in total, the changes that have already been made prove that the meeting of the Ninja Turtles and Konoha’s finest will be one for the record books.

Teenage Mutant Ninjas Crossovers

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have come into contact with a lot of pop culture icons in their history. While the Heroes in a Half Shell haven’t ventured much into the anime realm for crossovers, they have met the likes of Batman, the kids from Stranger Things, the Ghostbusters, the Transformers, Savage Dragon, The Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, and even Mulder and Scully from the X-Files. Ironically enough, while there was never an official meeting between the TMNT and Naruto’s top ninjas, the four turtle brothers did get their own anime series.

Mutant Turtles: Superman Legend was an original video animation released in 1996 that gave TMNT fans a very different take on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. What made this series so memorable is the fact that the turtle siblings were given the ability to transform into more powerful forms that made them look much more like human beings. As it stands, this is the only anime output that the TMNT has received in their history but fingers crossed that this Naruto crossover might receive its own special animated adaptation.

Want to stay on top of all the anime crossovers? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for all the latest anime updates and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto Preview Further Explores Kakashi/Splinter Connection appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Naruto is in the midst of a huge comeback, and now the classic anime and manga franchise is teaming up with Burger King for a tasty new collaboration. Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto manga might have come to an end years ago, and the anime adaptation might have ended soon after, but the franchise has honestly been stronger than ever before. With the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex sequel continuing the manga with new chapters each month, and the anime readying to make its comeback with its long in the works 20th anniversary special, Naruto is preparing for what could be an even bigger 2025.

Burger King France has taken fans by surprise with some special new Naruto art for the series in anticipation of a new collaboration with the burger restaurant (which has been increasing its anime collaborations in many countries throughout the past year especially) beginning on January 14th. It’s yet to be revealed what kind of menu changes or potential merchandise fans might be able to check out with this new Naruto team up, but fans can check out the first look at what this new shake up will bring with some special art revealed on Burger King France’s official social media. Check them out below:

Naruto Teams Up With Burger King?

While Burger King France is currently playing coy about what fans can expect from this new team up with Naruto, international fans have yet to get a collaboration of this kind. If it’s successful there might be a chance of getting this team up in other territories outside of France or Brazil, so it’s definitely something to keep an eye on heading into the rest of the year. Burger King seems to also be planning to expand its reach into the world of animation in the future too.

This follows fun collaborations with McDonald’s in the past couple of years (with the company recently teaming up with Neon Genesis Evangelion) that have seen anime make it their way to huge team ups like this. As anime continues to grow in popularity with younger generations, fans can hope to see more promotional materials like this. It’s pretty common in Japan as the huge franchises often team up with restaurants and convenience stores pretty regularly, but it’s not the same in the West as anime has only started to really break through into the mainstream in this way in the last five years.

RELATED: Anime’s Going to Be Huge in 2025 (But Fans Are Nervous for One Reason)

What’s Next for Naruto?

Naruto could have a huge 2025 if we’re lucky. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations’ anime has been on hiatus since 2023, and it has yet to be revealed when fans can hope to see the next wave of episodes. When the series does return, there’s still plenty of material it can adapt before the series kicks off its adaptation of the manga’s time skip sequel, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex. This new manga has been releasing new chapters each month, and introduces a whole new kind of world for the Naruto franchise.

For fans who still miss the classic Naruto from the 2000s, however, the anime has been readying for a celebration of the 20th anniversary. Announced to be in the works some time ago, this is a special four episode miniseries bringing back the original Team 7 line up for Naruto before the events of Naruto Shippuden. While it was planned to release some time in Fall 2023, these episodes have been put on an indefinite delay ever since. But we could get some news on that this year if we’re lucky.

The post Naruto & Burger King Are Teaming Up for Tasty New Collab appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Naruto is one of the most iconic anime and manga series of all time. The series is globally recognized for its amazing story, emotional depth, and interesting characters. The story follows Naruto, an orphan who was shunned by the village his entire childhood. He grew up believing he would receive their acknowledgment if he became Hokage, a leader of the village. On the other hand, Black Clover is praised as one of the best Shonen of the new generation. It centers around Asta, a young orphan boy born without magic in a world where it’s crucial to practically everything in life.

People’s rank and social status are determined by the power they possess. As an orphan, Asta dreams of becoming the Wizard King, the strongest mage in the kingdom. While Black Clover hasn’t yet matched the legacy and popularity of Naruto, there’s one thing it does better than the latter. The rivalry trope is often loved in anime, and many of them adopt it. However, Black Clover follows the trend perfectly with the unparalleled dynamic between Asta and Yuno.

[RELATED: Black Clover’s Final Arc Needs an Anime ASAP]

Black Clover’s Asta and Yuno Have a Healthy Rivalry

Asta and Yuno grew up in the same orphanage since the day they were born. This is why they are as close as family. They share the same room, the same dining table, and the same dreams. Both grew up admiring each other’s strengths. Yuno, who was naturally gifted and demonstrated exceptional talent from a young age, looked up to Asta’s determination to never give up. Meanwhile, Asta, who was born magicless, both envied and commended Yuno’s talents.

He knew he lacked even the basic skills, so he trained physically in hopes of catching up to Yuno. One of the best parts about their rivalry is that they both realize their weakness and strive to surpass each other. They both want to prove themselves worthy by becoming the Wizard King. The duo travel together to the capital and join different Magic Knights. As expected, Yuno is recruited by the best Magic Knight squad in the kingdom, while Asta joins the Black Bulls, the notorious lowest-rung squad. The story continues as the two of them strive towards their goal, while they never clash, only ever exchanging hands in the form of fist bumps. Yuno never looks down upon Asta, even defending him against his critics, while Sasuke refuses to acknowledge Naruto’s growth, especially when it seems Naruto is surpassing him.

Their mutual respect is admirable, and they both often team up against powerful adversaries. Throughout the series, Yuno has been a great friend and ally to Asta. They both support each other regardless of the danger ahead of them. Yuno never lost faith in Asta and lent him a hand whenever he could. They both accomplished some impressive feats as young mages. Both Asta and Yuno appear in the story, and their growth is given equal weight. This is different from Naruto, where Sasuke often takes a backseat during certain arcs.

Naruto and Sasuke Have a More Complex Relationship Than Simple Rivalry

Unlike Asta and Yuno, Naruto and Sasuke met after becoming genin. The two didn’t get along in the beginning at all. After witnessing his brother kill his entire clan, Sasuke swore to take revenge. He always had this aura of darkness around him and wouldn’t let anyone near him. On the other hand, Naruto grew up as an orphan and was eager to connect with more people. Sadly, the village always treated him with animosity. Naruto’s goal since the beginning was to become a Hokage. Hence, the two can’t be considered rivals in true essence if they both have different goals.

The two barely tolerated each other in the beginning, but as part of Team 7, they learned to get along. As a member of the legendary Uchiha Clan, Sasuke was incredibly talented from a young age. But Naruto had to work extremely hard to catch up with Sasuke. Unlike Asta and Yuno’s healthy rivalry, the relationship between Naruto and Sasuke is heavily laden with betrayal, resentment, and psychological trauma. Even in moments such as the first time they exchanged blows using their signature jutsu, Sasuke opts to be petty upon seeing what initially looked like a weaker impact from Naruto’s Rasengan. Sasuke leaves the Hidden Leaf Village not long into his time alongside Team 7 in the Sasuke Recovery Mission Arc.

Sasuke becomes a rogue ninja and follows Orochimaru in order to acquire more power. This deeply upsets Naruto, who does everything he can to bring him back. We see Naruto desperately trying to change Sasuke’s mind through the entirety of Shippuden. The two even clashed against each other as enemies. Therefore, it’s difficult to view them as rivals or best friends when their relationship is more complicated. Naruto even considers Sasuke as a brother he never had. Even so, while Naruto and Sasuke’s relationship is iconic and deeply emotional, it often focuses more on conflict and betrayal, creating more of a wayward surrogate brotherhood rather than a healthy rivalry like in Black Clover.

The post Sorry Naruto & Sasuke, Black Clover’s Asta and Yuno Are Shonen Jump’s Best Rivals appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is now exploring the real nature of the Divine Trees, and the newest chapter of the Naruto series might have revealed the key to defeating them when one develops some romantic feelings for Konohamaru Sarutobi. Boruto: Two Blue Vortex has been continuing to further evolve the world now that Konoha has made it a few years after Boruto had been forced to leave with Eida’s Omniscience powers. As the Divine Tree warriors now pose the greatest threat, Boruto and Konoha find themselves working together in order to take down these mysterious new foes by any means necessary.

As Jura and the Divine Trees seem to grow stronger with how much knowledge they acquire, Shikamaru figures that the time to defeat them might be before they grow older as their states right after they are born are basically “innocent cublings” rather than the “wild beasts” Konoha thinks they are. And the opportunity to carve out a different path with them is through Matsuri, who is revealed to actually have some romantic feelings for Konohamaru even if she doesn’t know what these feelings are yet.

Naruto Sparks a New Romance in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 17 kicks off the new mission to save Gaara and his son Shinki after the two of them were attacked by the Divine Trees, and Shinki was used as the base for the newest member of this monster group, Ryu. Konohamaru and Team 7 join up with Shinki’s team for this new mission in the Hidden Sand, and they approach Matsuri and Ryu. Matsuri’s thrown off a bit by this as her face gets flushed, and she’s unsure of how to answer Konohamaru in the moment. It’s then revealed that Shikamaru had actually planned to go this route to use Matsuri’s confusion to their advantage.

Knowing that each of the Divine Trees has an antagonistic relationship with a particular person, but that relationship varies between them. In Matsuri’s case, Shikamaru asserts that Konohamaru is her target because she has feelings for him. Assuming she doesn’t know what these feelings are, Shikamaru wants to take advantage of the fact that these Divine Trees are essentially young and naive to then trick them and make defeating them all the easier. It’s a ruthless strategy that he’s willing to use in order to keep the Hidden Leaf Village safe.

RELATED: Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Teases Kawaki’s Ultimate Transformation

What Does This Romance Mean for Konohamaru?

Matsuri’s personality and connection to Konohamaru is certainly a unique one amongst the Divine Trees. It’s been hard to gauge exactly what all of them are after outside of wiping out Boruto, but for whatever reason they have a direct connection to the host that they originally spawned from. It’s certainly interesting in Matsuri’s case as it likely means that Moegi has these same romantic feelings for Konohamaru as well, but to this point has yet to pursue them in any real concrete way in the series.

So it’s going to be an awkward road for Konohamaru moving forward. Not only does he have to dance around this romantic feeling with Matsuri to avoid her killing him, but he needs to do so in a way that will also save Moegi. Which means that he’s likely going to have to appease Matsuri for a great while before even getting the chance to wiping her own and taking her bulb. Then when all of this is done with, Konohamaru and Moegi somehow need to get through this when Konohamaru realizes that Moegi shares these same feelings. But defeating the Divine Trees comes first.

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