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NARUTO
Naruto (NARUTO —ナルト—, romanized as NARUTO) is an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become a Hokage, the ninja in his village that is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of all. The series is based on a one-shot comic by Kishimoto that was published in the August 1997 issue of Akamaru Jump.
The manga was first published by Shueisha in 1999 in the 43rd issue of Japan's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine. Currently, the manga is still being serialized with fifty-one tankōbon volumes released so far. The manga was later adapted into an anime, which was produced by Studio Pierrot and Aniplex. It premiered across Japan on the terrestrial TV Tokyo network and the anime satellite television network Animax on October 3, 2002. The first series lasted 220 episodes, while Naruto: Shippuden, a sequel to the original series, has been airing since February 15, 2007. In addition to the anime series, Studio Pierrot has developed six movies for the series and several original video animations (OVAs). Other types of merchandise include light novels, video games and trading cards developed by several companies.
Viz Media has licensed the manga and anime for North American production. Viz has been publishing the series in their Shonen Jump magazine, and as well as the indidividual volumes. The anime series began airing in the United States and Canada in 2005, and later in the United Kingdom and Australia in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The films, as well as most OVAs from the series, have also been released by Viz, with the first film premiering in cinemas. The first DVD volume of Naruto: Shippuden was released by Viz in North America on September 29, 2009, and it started broadcast on Disney XD in October of the same year.
As of volume 44, the manga has sold over 89 million copies in Japan. Serialized in Viz's Shonen Jump magazine, Naruto has become one of the company's best-selling manga series. The English adaptation of the series has also appeared in the USA Today Booklist several times and volume 11 won the Quil Award in 2006. Reviewers from the series have praised the balance between fighting and comedy scenes, as well as the characters' personalities, but have criticized it for using standard shōnen plot elements.
Manga Staff
- Story & Art: Kishimoto Masashi
Anime Staff
- Director: Date Hayato
- Script: Yamatoya Akatsuki, Takegami Junki, Sumisawa Katsuyuki, Mushi Kou Hei , Yokote Michiko, Nishizono Satoru, Yoshida Shin, Suzuki Yasuyuki, Miyata Yuka
- Music: Masuda Toshio
- Character Design: Suzuki Hirofumi, Nishio Tetsuya
- Art Director: Takada Shigenori
- Series Story Editor: Sumisawa Katsuyuki
Cast
Main Characters
- Uzumaki Naruto (うずまきナルト): Takeuchi Junko
- Uchiha Sasuke (うちはサスケ): Sugiyama Noriaki
- Haruno Sakura (春野サクラ): Nakamura Chie
Supporting Characters
- Gaara (我愛羅): Ishida Akira
- Hatake Kakashi (はたけカカシ): Inoue Kazuhiko
- Akimichi Chouji (秋道チョウジ): Itou Kentarou
- Hyuuga Neji (日向ネジ): Toochika Kouichi
- Rock Lee (ロック・リー): Masukawa Yoichi
- Tenten (テンテン): Tamura Yukari
- Yamanaka Ino (山中いの): Yuzuki Ryoka
- Nara Shikamaru (奈良シカマル): Morikubo Showtaro
- Inuzuka Kiba (犬塚キバ): Toriumi Kousuke
- Aburame Shino (油女シノ): Kawada Shinji
- Hyuuga Hinata (日向ヒナタ): Mizuki Nana
- Temari (テマリ): Park Romi
- Kankuro (カンクロウ): Kase Yasuyuki
- Umino Iruka (うみのイルカ): Seki Toshihiko
- Orochimaru (大蛇丸): Kujira
- Yakushi Kabuto (薬師カブト): Canna Nobutoshi
- Sarutobi Hiruzen (猿飛ヒルゼン): Shibata Hidekatsu
- Uchiha Itachi (うちはイタチ): Ishikawa Hideo
- Jiraiya (自来也): Otsuka Houchu
Music
The opening and ending themes of Naruto have featured various Sony Music Entertainment artists. Many of them were relatively new artists at the time and have been able to use their participation in the popular anime as a stepping stone for further success.
Opening Theme Songs
- HOUND DOG - "R★O★C★K★S" (episodes 1-25)
- ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION - "Haruka Kanata" (episodes 26-53)
- little by little - "Kanashimi wo Yasashisa ni (episodes 54-77)
- FLOW - "GO!!!" (episodes 78-103)
- Sambomaster - "Seishun Kyousoukyoku" (episodes 104-128)
- STANCE PUNKS - "NO BOY, NO CRY" (episodes 129-153)
- SNOWKEL - "Namikaze Satellite (episodes 154-178)
- FLOW - "Re:member" (episodes 179-202)
- Hearts Grow - "Yura Yura" (episodes 203-220)
Ending Theme Songs
- Akeboshi - "Wind" (episodes 1-25)
- RYTHEM - "Harmonia" (episodes 26-51)
- ORANGE RANGE - "Viva★Rock" (episodes 52-64)
- Raiko - "ALIVE" (episodes 65-77)
- The Massmissile - "Ima Made Nandomo" (episodes 78-89)
- TiA - "Ryuusei" (episodes 90-103)
- Captain Straydum - "Mountain A Go Go Two" (episodes 104-115)
- GAGAGA SP - "Hajimete Kimi to Shabetta" (episodes 116-128)
- No Regret Life - "Nakushita Kotoba" (episodes 129-141)
- Analog Fish - "Speed" (episodes 142-153)
- AMADORI - "Soba ni Iru Kara" (episodes 154-165)
- CHABA - "Parade" (episodes 166-178)
- Akeboshi - "Yellow Moon" (episodes 179-191)
- ORESKABAND - "PINOCCHIO" (episodes 192-202)
- SABOTEN - "Scenario" (episodes 203-220)
Movie Theme Songs
- YUKI - "Home Sweet Home"
- Tube - "Ding! Dong! Dang!"
- MARIA - "Tsubomi"