Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto has redrawn the manga's first magazine cover.
Per Otaku Magazine, Kishimoto re-imagined Naruto Uzumaki's debut on the cover of 1999's Issue #43 of Weekly Shōnen Jump. The mangaka completed the illustration for a recent issue of Saikyo Jump, which includes a column that reminiscences how far Naruto has come since the franchise's creation in 1999. Following the positive reception of Kishimoto's manga, Weekly Shōnen Jump serialized Naruto until 2014. In 2016, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations began serialization in the same magazine before transferring to V Jump.
Naruto's 20th Anniversary Celebrations
In addition to Kishimoto's redraw, the Naruto franchise has commemorated the anime's 20th anniversary in various ways. In October 2022, Studio Pierrot reanimated 10 minutes of content from the original series, featuring scenes like Naruto and Sasuke's first major battle and the showdown between Sakura, Lady Chiyo and Sasori. The video, titled "Road of Naruto," has earned 16 million views since its publication. The production team behind Naruto also posted a compilation video of several characters doing the iconic ninja run.
Alongside Studio Pierrot's contributions, Kishimoto also shared three new visuals to celebrate Naruto's monumental milestone. The featured artwork includes Sasuke's emotional reunion with his older brother Itachi and two scenes of the younger Uchiha with his longtime rival Naruto. One moment showcases the titular ninja in his Six Paths form. "In celebration, the "Naruto official site" is now open not only in Japan but across the globe for everyone to enjoy," Kishimoto wrote. "As this is a big anniversary year, a ton of projects are being planned, so please check this website for exciting info."
Beyond Naruto and its two sequel series, Shippuden and Boruto, the latter show plans to adapt the storyline of Naruto: Sasuke's Story -- The Uchiha and the Heavenly Stardust, also known as Sasuke Retsuden. The upcoming Boruto story arc begins on Jan. 8 with Episode 282, "Sasuke Retsuden: Infiltration," and Episode 283, "Sasuke Retsuden: Star Lines," per an anonymous source.
Released in 2019, VIZ Media recently translated Sasuke Retsuden into English. At the time of writing, the spinoff manga currently has six published chapters on the Shonen Jump app. Sasuke Retsuden takes place after the series finale of Naruto Shippuden and follows the love story between Sasuke and Sakura. However, disaster ensues when Sasuke, with the help of Sakura and their former sensei Kakashi, must break into the Astronomy Research Institute to locate a cure for Naruto's mysterious illness.
Most of the Naruto franchise is available to stream on Hulu and Crunchyroll. The Naruto manga is available in English from VIZ Media.
Source: Otaku Magazine