It may be hard to believe, but Naruto is turning 20 years old this year. In fact, October 3rd marks the anime’s actual anniversary, and fans are flooding the Internet with their thoughts on the franchise. After all, Naruto stands as one of the biggest shonen franchises to ever go live, and its reign continues to this day. And to celebrate, the franchise’s creator is celebrating with some very special artwork.
Over on Naruto’s official new website, fans were treated to a gift courtesy of Masashi Kishimoto. The artist, who created the series more than 20 years ago, was one of the first to commemorate the anime’s big anniversary. So as you can see below, Kishimoto drew some new key art of the Hidden Leaf’s greatest hero.
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“The anime’s 20th anniversary! Sending everyone a ‘thank you’ through the Multi Shadow Clone Just,” Kishimoto wrote. “It’s the Naruto anime’s 20th anniversary! In celebration, the Naruto Official Site is now open not only in Japan but across the globe for everyone to enjoy! As this is a big anniversary year, a ton of projects are being planned, so please check this website for exciting info!”
READ MORE: Naruto Releases Special 20th Anniversary Promo | Naruto Releases New Poster for 20th Anniversary
As you can see above, the new artwork showcases Naruto in all his stages of life. To the left, we can see the hero as a genin wearing his iconic orange-blue jumpsuit, and his Shippuden design is shown to the right. Of course, Naruto is shown as an adult as well, and he’s wearing his Hokage robes well. This design is the most recent to tackle the Uzumaki icon as Naruto spends his days now overseeing the village and raising his family. So if his genin self could see Naruto now, he’d be plenty shocked.
Of course, fans are all too happy to commemorate this anniversary, and Kishimoto’s art is helping kick off those celebrations. And as the year carries on, netizens can expect even more tributes and announcements to go live from the Hokage Monument!
What do you think of Kishimoto’s tribute here? Where would you like to see Naruto go in the next 20 years? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
