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One of anime's biggest names will be celebrating two decades of iconography, as the original Naruto series will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a new special event. Despite being a prolific figure in Japanese animation, it has been quite some time since we've seen Naruto Uzumaki (Junko Takeuchi) in his prime. Following his days of training in the original series and his iconic adventures in Naruto: Shippuden, the bulk of the Naruto franchise has focused on Naruto's son, Boruto Uzumaki (Yûko Sanpei). Much of these adventures have been explored in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations), but many fans still wish to relive the glory days of anime's favorite ninja.
With Naruto set to celebrate its 20th anniversary, fans will be getting their wish with not one, not two, not three, but four brand-new episodes set during the events of the original series. This makes it the first time we've been able to see Naruto Uzumaki during his glory days since Naruto: Shippuden closed the book on his story in 2017. To learn more about the milestone celebration and its episode count, plot details, release date, and more, here is everything we know about the Naruto 20th Anniversary Special Event.
Editor's Note: This article was updated on September 4.
Naruto: Shippuden
Naruto Uzumaki, is a loud, hyperactive, adolescent ninja who constantly searches for approval and recognition, as well as to become Hokage, who is acknowledged as the leader and strongest of all ninja in the village.
- Release Date
- October 28, 2009
- Cast
- Alexandre Crepet , Junko Takeuchi , Maile Flanagan , Kate Higgins , Chie Nakamura , Dave Wittenberg
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 21
When is the 'Naruto' 20th Anniversary Special Coming Out?
Initially, Naruto's 20th Anniversary was set to begin on Sunday, September 3rd via cable on networks affiliated with TV Tokyo at 5:30 PM Japanese Standard Time. Unfortunately, the episodes had to be delayed. The NARUTO Anime Production Committee released the following statement:
The broadcast of the new, 4-week animation celebrating the NARUTO anime's 20th anniversary has been postponed from its scheduled air date of September 3rd, 2023 at 5:30 PM (JST). As this project is both a celebration of the anime series' 20th anniversary and the first NARUTO anime since NARUTO: Shippuden ended over six years ago, we have decided to take extra time as we strive to further raise its quality.
We deeply apologize to all the fans who were looking forward to the anime.
A revised broadcast schedule will be announced on our official site and social media once it is finalized. A selection of BORUTO: Naruto Next Generations episodes featuring the best of that series will air in the time slot previously scheduled for the new anime.
We sincerely appreciate your understanding as we make every effort to create an anime that lives up to everyone's expectations.
VIZ Media has not yet announced a date for if and when the episodes will be available outside Japan. At the time of this writing, an international release and English-dub release has not been announced.
Where Can You Watch the 'Naruto' 20th Anniversary Special?
For the Japanese release, the Naruto 20th Anniversary Special will be premiering on cable via networks affiliated TV Tokyo every Sunday starting September 3rd. With no international release being announced by VIZ Media, we also don't know exactly where the anniversary episodes will be premiering (though a streaming release would be most likely). If we were to guess, Crunchyroll would be the most likely platform for a streaming release, given how it has become the domestic hub for anime content in recent years. However, Hulu is also a possibility, considering it's the only other platform where one can watch Naruto, Naruto: Shippuden, and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.
Is There a Trailer for the 'Naruto' 20th Anniversary Special?
VIZ Media has not yet released an official Naruto 20th Anniversary Special trailer. However, fans of Naruto should certainly check out the above celebration video that VIZ Media released. The nearly ten-minute-long video showcases Naruto Uzumaki's entire journey with fresh and updated animation, taking a particular focus on the legendary friendship and eventual rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke (Noriaki Sugiyama). This trailer and the praise it received led to the studio greenlighting the 20th anniversary special.
VIZ Media also shared a poster ahead of the upcoming special, which shows that fans of the hit series will get a hefty dose of nostalgia by reuniting with familiar faces.
Who Stars in the Naruto 20th Anniversary Special?
While the official voice cast for the Naruto 20th Anniversary Special has not been officially announced at this time, it would be a safe bet to assume that the voice actors behind these beloved characters wouldn't be left out of the celebrations. As seen in the poster shared by VIZ Media, we know that the four main characters of the original Naruto series will be present in the upcoming special event.
This begins with the world-famous titular ninja student, Naruto Uzumaki, whom the legendary Junko Takeuchi has historically voiced. Also in the mix are Naruto's two best friends and fellow shinobi, Sakura Haruno (Chie Nakamura) and Sasuke Uchiha (Noriaki Sugiyama). Last but certainly not least, the 20th Anniversary Special will also see the return of Kakashi Hatake, the fan-favorite mentor of Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke, who Kazuhiko Inoue usually voices. If an English dub ends up being in the cards for the special event, the English voice cast will likely consist of returning voice actors like Maile Flanagan (Lab Rats) as Naruto, Kate Higgins (Sailor Moon Crystal) as Sakura, Yuri Lowenthal (Ben 10: Omniverse) as Sasuke, and Dave Wittenberg (Digimon: Digital Monsters) as Kakashi.
What is the 'Naruto' 20th Anniversary Special About?
Plot details for the upcoming special event have not yet been revealed extensively. Still, the teaser poster released by VIZ Media does give an idea of where the special will take place in the Naruto timeline. The poster seemingly shows Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi as they appeared in the original Naruto series. That means the special likely takes place before the events of Naruto: Shippuden, signifying the special may be taking place before or during the events of the original Naruto series.
Who is Making the 'Naruto' 20th Anniversary Special?
Almost certainly working on the Naruto 20th Anniversary Special is the franchise's creator and writer, Masahi Kishimoto, who has been creatively involved in every official Naruto project since its inception. VIZ Media also announced the opening and ending themes for the 20th Anniversary Special episodes. The opening will be a remastered version of Naruto's fourth opening theme, "GO!!!", once again performed by "FLOW". The ending theme will be a cover of "Viva☆Rock," originally performed by "ORANGE RANGE."
Are The Other 'Naruto' Shows Streaming Online?
The three core Naruto shows are available to stream on various streaming platforms, but the most consistent and complete collection can be found on Crunchyroll. There, you can find the full seasons of Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden and the up-to-date entries of the ongoing Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. That's not even including the many Naruto feature films, for which you can find the chronological and release date watch order by clicking here.
