If you’ve spent any time reading some of the most popular manga to have been released in the past 25 to 30 years, there’s a good chance you might be familiar with the wonderful world of Naruto.
Created by Masashi Kishimoto, the popular series, which was adapted into an anime, follows the adventures of Naruto Uzumaki, a ninja with dreams of becoming his village’s leader, or Hokage. It’s actually an adventure set in two parts – with one focusing on Naruto’s childhood, and the second focusing on his formative years heading into adulthood.
But, whether you’re new to Kishimoto’s world of magical ninjas or are a confirmed fan, how much do you really know about this super-famous manga and anime? Here are some interesting facts about Naruto that might just surprise you.
1. The series is based on two different mangas.
Naruto as most of the world knows it is actually based on two different one-shot manga, the first being Karakuri, which was released in 1995, and Naruto, which was released two years later in 1997.
Some years after the mangas were originally released, Kishimoto’s stories were eventually serialised in magazines and published in books. In fact, it took several years for both the magazine and book series to conclude!
2. Naruto’s magazine adventures took the ninjas right into the 2010s.
Despite Naruto’s humble journeys having started all the way back in the mid-1990s, Weekly Shōnen Jump, the magazine in which Kishimoto’s mangas were serialised, carried the series from 1999 all the way to 2014!
And, anyone who preferred to dive into the world of Naruto via books needed to collect a staggering 72 tankōbon volumes. Better make space on those shelves!
3. It didn’t take long for Naruto to make the leap to anime.
Thanks to the series’ immense success in print, it was only expected that, eventually, Naruto would make his way to the small screen. Aniplex and Pierrot picked up the franchise and initially made and broadcast an astonishing 220 episodes in Japan. This was back in 2002, which led to a five-year run on national TV.
The series would, of course, also gain an international audience, thanks to Cartoon Network initially picking up the rights to a dubbed version. In the UK, it first aired on Jetix, a Disney channel formerly known as Fox Kids, back in July 2006. Over in the US, it aired on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block.
4. And, that wasn’t Naruto’s only foray into anime.
Much like the two original one-shot mangas, Naruto’s animated adventures saw a sequel series emerge, too. Naruto: Shippuden actually ran for even longer than the original anime, clocking in at an eye-popping 500 episodes. In Japan, it ran from 2007 to 2017.
And, again, there was an English dub that was picked up and aired in the West, too. As with the original Naruto series, Shippuden also aired on Jetix, though the channel ceased transmitting back in 2010 (replaced by Disney XD).
At the time of writing, British Naruto fans can now watch the series on Apple TV.
5. It’s a record-breaking Manga series.
A long-running series like Naruto (and all its sequel stories) is always sure to break a few records over the years. In fact, it remains one of history’s biggest-selling manga franchises. It’s thought to have sold more than 153 million copies just in Japan, with almost 100 million more elsewhere around the world.
Speaking of global reach – Naruto has been read in more than 47 different countries around the world, meaning it’s more than just the English translations that have reached new audiences.
6. Naruto comics have become genuine bestsellers in the West.
It’s true! If you ever pay attention to the New York Times’ bestseller lists, you could well have seen the Naruto manga pop up on the most-bought paperbacks across the years.
It’s also an award winner in the West, with its seventh volume having picked up the prestigious Quill Award for Best Graphic Novel back in 2006.
7. It’s one of the UK’s favourite anime series.
While there’s no official viewing data available to prove it, the sheer size of the Naruto fandom in the UK alone shows us that the ninja’s journeys have been big hits with British viewers. To this day, you’ll see plenty of people dressing up as Naruto characters for comic conventions, with many copying the main character’s famous run – both arms behind the back!
Some sources suggest that Naruto is one of the most in-demand anime series in the UK – and, you’re still likely to see clothing and merchandise from the series rife to buy at high street retailers such as Primark!
8. The Naruto we know and love actually started out as something quite different.
Kishimoto toyed with a few different ideas for Naruto as a franchise before he settled on the idea of writing about ninjas. Naruto was originally supposed to be a chef, then a child who had the power to transform into a fox-like animal. This is what one of Kishimoto’s one shot stories revolved around.
However, Kishimoto decided to retool the series around ninjas, though he was initially concerned that it might have been too culturally dense!
9. Kishimoto simply enjoyed drawing certain characters.
Specifically, Kishimoto loved to create and draw monsters – which explains some of the mythos you’ll see across the series. However, he actively tried to avoid making the series from looking too much like “typical” manga, instead preferring to learn towards realism and to keep things simple.
In fact, the accessibility of the Naruto stories goes a long way to explain its popularity around the world. Kishimoto reportedly wanted to make both the artwork and the storytelling easy to understand and follow. If you’re a fan of graphic novels in general, you’ll probably know that accessibility of that level isn’t always easy to come by!
10. Naruto’s home village has an important name and is inspired by a real-life location.
Write what you know, as they say – and Kishimoto certainly took this advice to heart. Naruto’s home village, where he hopes to become leader someday, is Konohagakure – and it’s based loosely on the heart of Tokyo, Japan.
However, there’s lots of natural elements to behold here, which are reflected in the rough translation of the village’s name. Roughly translated from Japanese, Konohagakure means “village hidden in the leaves” – pretty apt!
Much like Tokyo, Konohagakure is something of a ‘hub’ for the fictional setting of Naruto’s world, the Land of Fire.
11. Kishimoto worked extremely hard on the series.
Kishimoto is a man of hard work and determination – and, thankfully, his efforts with Naruto have really paid off. Believe it or not, the creator actually delayed some of his life’s biggest events purely because he was so deeply at work on the series!
He married his wife in 2003, but apparently didn’t go on honeymoon for 12 years – because Naruto was swallowing so much of his time! Kishimoto paid incredible tribute to his wife in the series, however, with the character of Hinata Hyuga making a scarf for the title character – much like the creator’s wife had done for him.
12. Naruto has a striking look for a reason.
Naruto himself is one of manga and anime’s most physically memorable characters thanks to his bright blonde hair and orange jumpsuit – but perhaps most notable are the hero’s ‘whisker marks’, which are said to reflect an important element of his character.
Naruto’s whiskers or marks are said to be derived from the legendary beast, the Kyuubi, or the nine-tailed fox. He is thought to have been born with these marks thanks to the chakra of the Kyuubi.
13. The use of ‘chakra’ in the Naruto series is inspired by religion and spirituality.
Anyone who practices or follows Buddhism or Hinduism will recognise the word ‘chakra’ – it’s a term that refers to spiritual energy centres we are all thought to hold within ourselves. These make themselves known across points of the body, which are also referenced within Naruto.
As mentioned, it is specifically the chakra of the nine-tailed fox that influenced Naruto (and created his whisker marks) before he was even born.
14. It’s hard to imagine Naruto without his protective headband.
Naruto’s visual design, as mentioned, is among the most memorable in Japanese media from the past 40 years. Beyond the blonde hair and whisker marks, the young ninja also wears a protective headband – but, apparently, Kishimoto had intended there to be something quite different in their place.
Initially, Kishimoto had envisioned Naruto to wear protective goggles instead – but,he soon discovered that drawing goggles in the manga would prove to be tiresome over time. So, he drew a protective headband to wear instead! And, the rest is history.
15. Naruto’s catchphrase is completely unique.
Naruto fans will be very familiar with his catchphrase, ‘dattebayo’. It’s a little phrase that acts somewhat like a verbal tic – and while he doesn’t always say it, it’s another moment from the franchise that’s helped the character to stand out.
And, that’s largely why the phrase exists at all! Dattebayo doesn’t translate into anything in English – meaning translators were able to work with the phrase in any way they saw fit. In English dubs of the series, Naruto would frequently say “Believe it!”.
16. The toads are named after famous people.
Naruto and several of the series’ main characters are able to summon animal familiars from time to time to aid in their quests. These creatures are commonly known as ‘summons’, and in the series, toads are the most common animals to be called upon by the cast.
And yet, did you know that the toads all have individual names inspired by famous Japanese actors? It’s true! Gamabunta’s name derives from Bunta Sugawara, Gamaken after Ken Takakura, and Shima after Shima Iwashita, for example.
17. Naruto almost grew in real time.
The old idea that cartoon characters never age and that the status quo is always maintained never applied to Naruto. We start the series with the main character at the age of 12, and over time, he clearly grows in height as the series progresses!
In fact, by the time The Last: Naruto The Movie premiered, Naruto was a 19-year old man! It’s really interesting to follow over the years!
18. Naruto isn’t the only character with notable or important clothing.
Across the series, you’ll meet several characters – such as Ino and Shikamaru – who wear very distinctive earrings. But why is this? Of course, Kishimoto certainly has a reason.
It’s said that these accessories help to symbolise the characters’ links to their clans and families. In some cases, wearing certain earrings also reflects passage into adulthood. One of the most appealing aspects of Naruto as a series is its dense lore – well worth exploring if you’re interested!
19. Romance was never meant to be a big deal in the story.
It’s said that Kishimoto never really intended to focus on romance between the characters as a big deal – in fact, he supposedly found it difficult to work it in, only starting romantic plot threads around the 28th volume of the story.
Kishimoto’s main focus was moral values and to create distinctive and unique characters that had clear antagonists. Villains in the story are not all necessarily evil, but instead have opposing views to those of the main cast.
20. A live-action adaptation has been in the works for at least a decade.
Naruto fans who have been clamouring for a real-life retelling of the stories have had to wait for quite some time. Initially, there were 11 movies made from the franchise, with 12 further OVAs, or original video animations.
However, from 2015, talk of Naruto heading to the big screen with real-life actors and settings sparked up, with the director Michael Gracey reportedly attached. Kishimoto was on board to help develop the project, but by 2023, changes were still being made to personnel behind the scenes.
Gracey had apparently left the project altogether by early 2024, with Destin Daniel Cretton (who also got a strong blessing from Kishimoto) signing on in his place. As of the time of writing, there are no firm dates set for a live-action movie to be released. Hang on in there – believe it!
21. The stories are often action-packed, to varying comments and criticism.
If there’s one thing that Kishimoto is well-regarded for, it’s creating fantastic action scenes. While he’s also praised for his diversity in character design, Naruto is jam-packed with fight scenes and face-offs, helping to make even the most mundane moments exciting.
Some readers have felt over the years that regular fight scenes can slow the plot down. However, Kishimoto’s eye for choreography has continued to earn praise. Interestingly, the creator says he’s glad that American fans have “accepted and understood ninja”.
22. Naruto is seen as a coming-of-age tale in many ways.
There have been lots of critical takes made of Naruto as a series over the years, and one of the most interesting is that the story seems to tell a coming-of-age story from two very different perspectives. In particular, the stories revolve around the characters of Naruto and Sasuke, one gaining strength in one direction, the other spiralling into self-pity.
It’s suggested that Naruto as a series grew out of its comic moments and lighthearted tone as the main character grew into adolescence, and as he began to take on more responsibility and trauma. However, there are many fans who appreciate the earlier adventures in the story just as much as the later ones.
Regardless, the series is well known for having particularly dense character development!
FAQs About Naruto
Will there be a new Naruto series?
There have been ongoing discussions about potential new Naruto-related anime projects. These could explore additional content or expand on the lore between the original Naruto series, Naruto Shippuden, and the current Boruto: Naruto Next Generations series. New episodes and ideas have been a topic of conversation online as recently as 2023.
Could Naruto beat Goku in a fight?
While being an extremely skilled fighter, it’s unlikely that Naruto could beat Goku, from Dragon Ball, in a straight fight. Goku has the ability to transform (or go ‘Super Saiyan’), and become immensely powerful in a matter of seconds. He’s widely regarded as one of the most powerful fighters not just in manga and anime, but in fiction overall.
Can I skip any of the Naruto movies?
Many Naruto fans claim that you can skip several of the movies as they largely exist to help add lore and fill out plot beats. However, two of the movies, Boruto and The Last, are regarded as extremely important for you to appreciate the stories as a whole. Therefore, try not to skip those, if any, on your watch through!
Further reading
https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Naruto_Uzumaki
https://naruto-official.com/en
Do you know any fun facts about Naruto? Share them in the comments below!