Naruto Should Be Netflix’s Next Live-Action Anime

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As a gamer who’s been around since the dawn of the shonen era, I can tell you that the Naruto saga has been a rollercoaster ride like no other. From the days when we cheered for the young and rambunctious Uzumaki to witnessing the growth of his progeny, Boruto, it’s been quite the journey.

In the thrilling realm of ninjas, time seems to pass quickly when you’re enjoying yourself. It’s been nearly a quarter of a century since Masashi Kishimoto introduced the boy destined to be Konoha’s Seventh Hokage, and the Naruto series continues to captivate audiences today. Although Naruto Uzumaki may no longer be the main character in the manga or its animated version, passing the torch to his son Boruto, this doesn’t halt the Leaf Village from discovering innovative methods to remain popular. With Netflix’s hit show One Piece, it could be an opportune moment for the streaming service to consider creating a live-action adaptation of the Naruto universe.

One key factor behind the enormous popularity of the anime series, Naruto, wasn’t only the thrilling speed and intensity of its ninja battles, but also the vast assortment of characters – both virtuous and malevolent – that inhabited this ninja universe. Despite Naruto Uzumaki being the central character, his backstory made many perceive him as a villain initially due to the demonic Nine-Tailed Fox residing within him. Ostracized in Konoha for this very reason, Naruto still managed to amass friends, garner trust, and establish a legacy that continues to generate ripples in the anime community and remains unforgettable. While Naruto experienced its share of setbacks in the past, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex has been serving up unexpected plot twists and garnering widespread praise for doing so.

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The Live-Action Naruto

In case you’ve been keeping up with anime news, you may have heard that Lionsgate, along with director Destin Daniel Cretton, are developing a live-action film based on the popular anime series, Naruto. Details about the storyline and cast for this upcoming live-action adaptation of Naruto are still scarce, but Cretton has expressed his enthusiasm for bringing the village of Konoha to life. Additionally, the director behind Shang-Chi has been given the green light by Naruto’s creator, Masashi Kishimoto, which has helped ease concerns among fans about the project. Although it remains unclear if Kishimoto will assume an Executive Producer role as Eiichiro Oda did for One Piece, his support is a positive sign.

Considering this point, you might be questioning why a Netflix series would be suitable instead of a live-action movie for the Naruto franchise. Here’s one reason: the vastness and richness of the Naruto universe make it seem limiting to confine it to just one full-length film, especially given the possibility of sequels being developed. Over its long history, the ninja world created by Masashi Kishimoto has introduced hundreds of characters to shonen fans, making it more than ample for two live-action projects. Similarly, One Piece’s story is spread across various mediums, and Naruto could potentially mirror this approach, following in its predecessor’s footsteps.

A Naruto Television Show Vs. A Naruto Movie

In essence, both live-action films could interpret the tale of the Seventh Hokage and his descendants in distinct manners, yet there’s ample content for a hypothetical live-action TV series to incorporate supplementary material alongside the upcoming Lionsgate movie. By delving into Naruto’s initial tales, we find that not every battle or character story can fit within a full-length film. Consequently, backstories of significant characters like Itachi Uchiha, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Tsunade, Rock Lee, Kakashi, and many more could be allocated to a Netflix series, allowing the movie to zero in on Naruto exclusively.

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The success of the live-action version of One Piece has paved the way for other anime to make the leap into live-action adaptations, such as the upcoming Naruto film. Although there hasn’t been an official confirmation that the Naruto live-action movie is happening due to the Straw Hat Pirates’ success, it seems likely that the two are connected, given that One Piece’s first season debuted around the same time as the announcement of Naruto. Both these well-established shonen franchises have a wealth of stories waiting to be told through various mediums, including anime, manga, live-action, and more. While Naruto may not have initially planned for a live-action future, it’s now clear that the shonen series is in good company with its current popularity.

A Naruto Anime Remake

As a passionate gamer and an avid anime fan, I can relate to the challenge of diving into the expansive world of Naruto with its numerous episodes spread across three series – Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. The rich storytelling that forms the life of the Seventh Hokage can be overwhelming for some fans. Similar to this, One Piece, Netflix, and Wit Studio recognized a similar predicament in their shonen franchise and have planned an upcoming anime reboot. This reboot aims to modernize One Piece for a new generation, and more importantly, it will streamline the content by reducing the filler material, focusing more on its original source material.

One thing that stands out about Naruto from its past is the excessive use of filler in the Studio Pierrot production. A remake that focuses more on being concise and action-packed could provide an ideal starting point for new fans, and it might even complement a live-action series. It’s worth considering if Studio Wit could take over animation duties from Pierrot, offering a fresh studio the chance to breathe life into Masashi Kishimoto’s artwork.

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Regardless of whether it’s through a live-action TV series, movie, an animated adaptation, or the original comic book, the world of ninjas from Naruto has gained legendary status in the anime realm and doesn’t seem to be losing steam anytime soon. Here’s to another 25 years of Naruto, and let’s hope anime enthusiasts are in for at least another 25!

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2024-09-20 21:39