Naruto is one of the most successful manga and anime franchises ever, standing as the mighty ninja face of the Shōnen Big Three. While its main series concluded in 2014, its legacy continues in the present. Since its 1999 manga debut, the series has sold over 250 million units worldwide and become an internationally recognized multimedia presence to rival Dragon Ball and One Piece. While its latest sequel series, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex continues to gather momentum, Naruto takes stock with a heartwarming 25th Anniversary tribute video commemorating the manga’s greatest moments.
Iconic moments in Naruto include its protagonist overcoming adversity and isolation as a shunned orphan living in Konohagakure, mastering his potential as a shinobi, while giving space for other incredible supporting characters. Massive victories are showcased in a striking animated manga format, and the high-energy soundtrack elicits tones of celebration and hype, appropriate sentiments for such a beloved series. The 25th Anniversary celebration is not the end for Naruto but a commemoration of its legacy and affirmation of pride in its future.
Naruto’s 25th Anniversary Is Filled With Some Of the Series’ Greatest Moments
From Zero to Hero
The Naruto 25th Anniversary manga video is loaded with moments from some of the greatest arcs in the series, fittingly focused on formative instances and interactions of its protagonist, Naruto Uzumaki, with key supporting characters throughout. This includes animated versions of frames dating as far back as chapter #1 and extending into Part 2 or Shippuden for the anime fans, along with glimpses of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. It’s a touching tribute to one of anime’s most prized franchises, with some of the greatest moments shown below:
- Iruka taking a shuriken to protect Naruto, defending him when nobody else would.
- Haku taking a fatal blow from Kakashi to protect Zabuza.
- Naruto’s momentous battle against Neji Hyuga in the Chunin Exams.
- Naruto confronting Gaara during the assault on Konoha.
- Naruto defending Tsunade.
- Sasuke Uchiha’s bitter fight with Naruto at the Valley of the End.
- Jiraiya’s loss to Pain.
- Hinata protecting Naruto in the Pain Arc.
- Naruto in Sage Mode fighting Pain.
- Jiraiya showing his novel to Naruto’s expecting parents.
- Naruto befriending and uniting with Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox.
- Naruto’s final moments with Obito Uchiha.
- Sasuke and Naruto’s final fight at the Valley of the End.
The animated montage hardly captures all the moments in the Naruto franchise, but among those featured are the most beloved, fitting to commemorate the series’ 25th Anniversary through the growth and trials of its hero. Naruto entered the series as a class clown and a chronic disappointment compared to his cohort, but he honed his worst technique, Shadow Clones, into his definitive signature move and befriended the vengeful Kurama sealed inside him. It’s a beautiful showcase that will be a touching tribute for Naruto fans, and many crucial featured characters are worth individual mention.
Naruto’s 25th Anniversary Video Officially Declares Which Ninjas Impacted the Future 7th Hokage The Most
The Real Ones of the Shinobi World
The story of Naruto often revolves around themes of redemption, salvation, and reconciliation for the fractured peoples of the shinobi world, with the 25th Anniversary video commemorating key players in Naruto’s development. These include long instances like the painful parallels of loneliness for Naruto and Gaara or short glimpses of characters like Kabuto or Tsunade, whose roles were also vital in his development. But of the many characters to touch Naruto Uzumaki’s life, some stand above the rest as crucial to his growth as a ninja, Hokage, and father, such as the following:
- Minato Namikaze
- Boruto Uzumaki
- Iruka Umino
- Kakashi Hatake
- Haku
- Zabuza Momochi
- Neji Hyuga
- Gaara
- Sasuke Uchiha
- Jiraiya
- Pain / Nagato
- Tsunade
- Hinata Hyuga
- Kushina Uzumaki
- Kabuto Yakushi
- Kurama
- Obito Uchiha
While some characters like Shikamaru Nara or Sakura Haruno are more conspicuously absent, the most vital moments for Naruto as he grows up feature the aforementioned characters. Of the characters shown above, however, key people are quoted and featured the most prominently in Naruto’s development. These include Iruka, Zabuza and Haku, Neji, Gaara, Sasuke, and Jiraiya, each of whom either defended, fought alongside, or even against Naruto as he grew up to become a great ninja and his village’s future Hokage.
These instances include Haku reminding Naruto to fight for loved ones in his life and Iruka’s heroic defense of Naruto, hailing him as more than the demon fox within him. The fact that it’s bookended by glimpses of Naruto with his father, Minato, and mentoring his son, Boruto, in the final frames speaks beautifully of Naruto’s 25th Anniversary. It speaks of a lauded past and an exciting future for how it continues to carry forward with a new generation of characters and readers.
Naruto
Naruto is a franchise spawned from the manga series penned by Masashi Kishimoto that began in 1999. Generating several tv series, games, movies, and more, Naruto follows the exploits of a young outcast ninja harboring the spirit of a demon fox who seeks to become the Hokage, the leader of his ninja village, to break the stigma against him. Upon the conclusion of the initial series, Naruto expanded into Boruto, following many series protagonists’ children and returning faces.
- First Film
- Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash In the Land of Snow
- First Episode Air Date
- October 3, 2002
- Cast
- Junko Takeuchi , Maile Flanagan , Noriaki Sugiyama , Chie Nakamura , Kazuhiko Inoue , Nana Mizuki , Hideo Ishikawa , Yûko Sanpei
- Character(s)
- Naruto Uzumaki , Sasuke Uchiha , Sakura Haruno , Kakashi Hatake , Itachi Uchiha , Hinata Hyuga , Gaara , Jiraiya , Tsunade , Orochimaru
- Video Game(s)
- Naruto: Clash Of Ninja Revolution 3 , Naruto: Ultimate Ninja (2003) , Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations , Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 , Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 , Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 , Naruto: Rise Of A Ninja , Naruto: The Broken Bond , Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker , Naruto Shippuden Dragon Blade Chronicles , Naruto: Path Of The Ninja , Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections
Summary
Naruto is a Japanese manga and anime franchise created by Masashi Kishimoto. It follows Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja striving for recognition and aiming to become the Hokage, the leader of his village. The franchise has a global fanbase due to its rich storytelling, character development, and themes of perseverance and friendship. It has expanded into anime series, films, novels, video games, and more. The sequel series Boruto continues the story, focusing on Naruto’s son, Boruto Uzumaki.
