'Naruto' Live-Action Project Debuts New Teaser

Hollywood may have its eyes set on a live-action Naruto project, but it isn't the only one. Over in Japan, a live-action venture for Naruto will premiere this month, and a new trailer is out for the eccentric romp.

So, if you ever wanted to see Naruto take on avant-garde theater, your time has come.

As you can see above, a short teaser for Naruto's first Kabuki play has been shared online. The clip is under half a minute, but it shows off Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. The ninjas do look aged-up here, and their thick makeup is impossible to overlook. And, as the reel comes to an end, fans can see the pair charge at each other with their iconic jutsu in hand.

If you are not familiar with this project, you should know it leans into the art of Kabuki theater. Dating back to the 1600s, Kabuki is a medium from Japan that is best-known for its unusual style and loud looks. Actors usually wear bold face paint, over-the-top outfits, and pull exaggerated expressions. This style of theater has become an increasingly popular one for anime adaptations, and fans have One Piece to thank for the trend. Eiichiro Oda's series has done several Kabuki plays, and they have become so popular they are often filmed for theatrical releases since performances sell out so fast.

For those unfamiliar with Naruto, it has quite a storied history. Originally created by Masashi Kishimoto, the series ran in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump for 700 chapters. The story follows Naruto, a young ninja with a sealed demon within him that wishes to become the leader of his home village. The sequel, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is set several years after the events of the original Naruto story and featuring the children of many of its key characters such as Naruto and Hinata.

What do you make of this eccentric project? Does the style suit Naruto? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!