According to Anime News Network, the official Twitter account for Naruto recently unveiled the premiere dates for four highly anticipated episodes of the immensely popular anime series. These new episodes, marking the show's 20th anniversary celebration, are set to debut in Japan on September 3. As of now, no specific details about the storyline of these episodes have been made public. It also remains unknown which beloved characters from the original run will make a return for this special anniversary event. The project is being handled by animation studio Pierrot, known for their work on Naruto and its sequel series, Naruto: Shippuden.
In addition to the new episodes, Naruto also announced that it will be broadcasting reruns of earlier episodes throughout July in Japan as part of the anniversary festivities. Dedicated fans of the franchise might be intrigued by an upcoming short manga created by Masashi Kishimoto, the mangaka behind Naruto. The manga will focus on Minato Namikaze, also known as the Fourth Hokage, who emerged as the winner of the NARUTOP99 popularity poll, receiving a staggering 792,257 votes from fans worldwide. Kishimoto has revealed that the storyline will delve into the development of Minato's iconic ninjutsu technique, the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Naruto's 20th Anniversary
Adapted from Kishimoto's immensely popular manga series of the same name, Naruto chronicles the journey of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja hailing from the Hidden Leaf Village, as he aspires to become the Hokage. The anime made its debut on October 3, 2002, with Part I concluding in 2007 after a total of 220 episodes. Its sequel, Naruto: Shippuden, continued shortly after the original's conclusion and concluded its run with an impressive total of 500 episodes in 2017. Since its inception, Naruto has solidified its position as one of the most influential anime franchises in the history of the industry. Fans still consider it part of "The Big Three" shonen, alongside Tite Kubo's Bleach and Eiichiro Oda's One Piece.
In addition to the announcement of four new episodes, Naruto has revealed various events to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the anime adaptation. One such event is a special musical gathering titled "Naruto The Live," featuring performances by several artists who contributed to the series' iconic opening soundtracks. Notably, the concert will showcase renowned Japanese rock bands FLOW and KANA-BOON, as well as the popular pop-rock duo Ikimonogakari. Furthermore, the cities of Nagoya and Okayama will host exclusive Naruto art galleries, where fans can purchase unique merchandise adorned with original illustrations.
Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden are currently available for streaming on Crunchyroll. However, as of now, specific details regarding the international release of the four commemorative episodes have not been announced.
Source: Anime News Network
