Introducing... Naruto

Written by Kevin Leathers on 01 Aug 2006

Naruto. At some point even the newest member of the anime community has come across this name. A boy who is desperate for attention and is willing to go to any lengths to get it. A boy who is trying to discover who he is and has a goal (a lofty one at that) to strive for. While many will argue that such a scenario has been done to death already, it’s the different way that Naruto portrays this ascension into adulthood which makes it a modern day classic.

Since the original manga made its debut in Japan’s now legendary Shonen Jump magazine back in 1999, the anime adaptation has now finally made it to UK shores (22nd June 2006) and here at UKA we’re going to give you a run down on the history of Naruto from the manga to the anime and the popularity that only seems to keep growing.

From Zero to… Ninja?
So where did Naruto begin? That’s simple. Born from the creative mind of Masashi Kishimoto, who’s previous creation and manga debut was Karakuri which was submitted to Shueisha (a major publisher in Japan) in 1996. Naruto was then serialized in Shonen Jump in 1999 where it would be embraced by the Jump readers and gain massive popularity.

Come October 3rd 2002, the anime adaptation of popular manga would come to light on TV Tokyo which would not only set the Japanese anime fans alight with excitement, but also make a splash across the internet as fansubs of the first few episodes made their way online.

Through word of mouth generated by both the Japanese TV audience and the online anime community, Naruto’s popularity hit the stratosphere and continues to please today.

Many commented on the differences between the original manga and the TV series (which was never far behind the manga series that inspired it).

Given that manga takes longer to produce than an anime series, the anime has taken to creating original content to bridge the gaps. This can be a little on the frustrating side, as plot development stalls and minor details are examined in more detail – such as the demand for more Naruto that taking a break is unthinkable. The marketing juggernaut has become to powerful to stop!

Mainstream Naruto
Even anime and manga that have proven particularly popular in the anime community rarely make into the Western mainstream of TV. Those that have, such as Dragonball Z, have found success at the cost of their original format, with major cuts making the series somewhat lightweight compared to the more brutal Japanese originals. Fans of the original Japanese version of One Piece will know this too well.

Naruto unfortunately has suffered a few cuts for its translation into English TV. In fact some have commented that the UK edit aired on TV has actually been edited again after the original US edit. Examples can seen in the first few episodes, such as the Naruto / Sasuke’s accidental kiss (which now doesn’t show them kissing) and the illusion Kakashi uses on Sakura showing a battered and bleeding Sasuke (which now doesn’t show that and when Sakura remembers it, half the screen is black). This has annoyed some of the loyal followers of the series and, while it doesn’t greatly impact the overall story, most believe that it takes something away from the atmosphere of the series. One fan even went as far to ask the UK channel showing the series (Jetix) what was actually going on.


"Jetix UK aims to provide exciting and entertaining content for our audience whilst being a responsible kids broadcaster. We therefore must ensure the content of our programmes is suitable for our target audience and we follow strict OFCOM regulations to ensure that these standards are adhered to. Where certain content from the original has been deemed unsuitable for our younger viewers.