Dogs can also hit anime when they walk. Naruto Shippuden" is now complete!　14 and a half years of running through to the end of the original story

We want to meet more and more anime that excite our hearts, anime that will cheer us up tomorrow, and anime that we will always love!　Our anime writers will introduce you to anime that are hot at the moment, regardless of whether they are new releases or long-term favorites.

This time, we will be looking at "Naruto Shippuden," which finished airing on March 23, 2017 (the series including the previous series "Naruto. hereafter "NARUTO").

The broadcast of "Naruto" began in October 2002. Together with "Naruto Shippuden," which followed in February 2007, the total number of episodes reached 720 episodes over a period of 14.5 years. This is a record-breaking length for a story anime that follows the battles and growth of a single hero.

The original episodes, which ran for a total of 72 comic books, were animated to the very end. In parallel, 11 movie versions were produced during the TV anime broadcast (including "Boruto: Naruto the Movie," produced in 2015).

This is enough years for a child who started watching when he or she was 10 years old to become an adult. There may be people who have been fans of this work for a long time and learned of its completion through the news.

The author, who knows the process of this work from the start of its broadcast, looks back on the charm of this work once again.

A great katsudo to enjoy the ninja action of the new era

When I learned that "Naruto," a comic series published in Weekly Shonen Jump, was to be adapted into an anime, I thought to myself, "Well, maybe there haven't been any ninja anime recently. But I wondered if ninjas would be popular with today's children. I remember thinking, "But will ninjas be popular with today's children?

No need to worry. The anime adaptation of "Naruto" has created a new fantasy view of the ninja as a new kind of hero.

The basis of their abilities is the "chakra" that everyone has in their body. By learning, drawing out, and training it from childhood, we can use our abilities. In the village of Kinehagakure, where Naruto lives, there is an academy, and children attend the academy from a young age and grow up through friendly competition in a group.

The action of the shinobi in "Naruto" can be divided into two main types: body fighting, in which shinobi clash with each other in physical combat, and ninjutsu, in which shinobi make use of natural energy.

Both look very animated and spectacular. When color and movement are added, the physicality of the ninja's bodies is very real and powerful. When voices are added, emotions such as anger and despair are added. In "Naruto," there were many times when the action was depicted in what is known as the "God Drawing Times.

One of the legendary drawing times in the early stages of the work was in episode 30, "Revive Sharan Gan! The Special Fiery Dragon Fire Technique! The first appearance of Uchiha Sasuke and the first appearance of the boy Sasuke. It is the battle between the boy Sasuke and Orochimaru, who made his first appearance.

Sasuke, his heart ignited by Naruto's sacrifice, fights one-on-one against a vicious enemy with his tiny body. He uses his superior physical skills to go toe-to-toe with his opponents, and he makes full use of wires, explosives, and other gadgets to block their movement and inflict damage with his fire ninjutsu. The normally cool Sasuke, showing glimpses of his talent, was overwhelmed and simply watched as he struggled to the utmost of his physical and ninjutsu skills.

Can the cycle of pain and hatred be stopped?　Steps of the hero, Uzumaki Naruto

What started out as a story about a lonely, mischievous boy growing up eventually became a historical drama that has been a part of the history of the village of Kinehagakure since its birth.

Wars and calamities cause deaths. Families and those left behind are filled with grief, hatred, and resentment. These feelings are passed on and lead to conspiracies and revenge battles. This, in turn, leads to sacrifice and pain for new generations.

How can this cycle of pain be stopped? Can it be stopped in the first place? It is not a matter of simply defeating the enemy. What can the protagonist, a human being, do to deal with such a serious theme that is also relevant to the real world?

The main character, Uzumaki Naruto, embodies this difficult theme.

At the beginning of the story, Naruto has no parents, and his body is sealed with the "nine tails" of the tailed beast that destroyed his village. Wanting to be cared for, even if it is just a reprimand, Naruto plays pranks all over the place, which makes him even more disreputable.

What saved him from his helpless loneliness and hardship was the trust of his teacher at the Academy (ninja training school), Umi no Iruka-sensei. When people love and are trusted, they can have confidence in themselves and love others. Naruto, too, only when he is trusted by Iruka, can he find a place in the village.

This origin of Naruto was reflected in the final episode of "Naruto Shippuden. I felt nostalgic about the dialogue between Naruto and Iruka, thinking that it all started here.

Another axis of Naruto's story is the relationships among the "Seventh Squad. At the Academy, Naruto is assigned to Team 7, led by Hatake Kakashi, and forms a three-man cell team with Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura. This Seventh Squad has a meaning for Naruto that is similar to that of his family.

Sasuke is Naruto's rival, whom he secretly admires at heart, even though they are at odds with each other. Sakura is the girl he loves and an important friend. However, Sakura's favorite partner is Sasuke. Kakashi, the leader, watches over the balance between the three of them.

One of the major themes of the story is how this childlike and smiling relationship changes as they grow up, and how it remains the same.

Sasuke, burdened by the tragedy of his clan's annihilation at the hands of his own brother, is conflicted and determined as he leaves the village of Kinehagakure. Naruto and Sakura must avenge Sasuke, who has become a traitor to the village.

But they are unable to do so. Tearfully requested by Sakura, and partly out of his own determination, Naruto decides to get Sasuke back.

A decision is made!　The story of Naruto and Sasuke

The battle against the mysterious organization "Dawn," the battle against the leader of Dawn, Payne, and the outbreak of the "Fourth Shinobi World War" involving the five villages. The battles grow in scale, revealing past causalities and giving rise to various encounters and tragedies, but behind the scenes, the story of Sasuke, who has become a traitor to his village, and the story of Naruto and his friends also unfolds.

The battle for Sasuke has resulted in deaths in the village, and the viewer knows that Sasuke will not be able to return to the village as if nothing had happened. However, Naruto does not give up.

He says, "I won't bend my words ...... that's my way of being a ninja."

This is a line that appears many times in the work and is used to describe Naruto.

When Naruto gives up on Sasuke and tells him to "be wise," he also says, "If that's what being wise means, then I'll be a fool for the rest of my life.

Once he thinks something, he sticks to it. Naruto's principle of action, which is simple and clear, does not change even when he knows the unreasonableness and bitterness of the world. He remains the same and grows stronger.

This lack of hesitation and unchanging nature lights a fire of hope in the hearts of many people who have almost sunk into despair in the midst of a bitter battle. Gaara, who grew up without knowing love; Tsunade, who lost her lover and brother in battle; Payne, who suffered the painful loss of his friends as a Shinobi from a small country; Uchiha Itachi, who kept the truth from his brother; and Kurama, a nine-tailed lama who grew to hate .......

That is why the climax of the story of the long, long battle was the one-on-one fight between Naruto and Sasuke. While encompassing all the causalities that go back to the origins of the village, this life-threatening battle, which involved extremely personal feelings, was the decisive factor in all of this.

If you missed the climax near the final volume of the original comic in the anime, check out "Naruto and Sasuke's Chapter" (episodes 690-699), which will be released on DVD in May and June 2017. The episodes of the final volume of the original story are depicted in these 699 episodes.

The world expanded by the anime "NARUTO"; "Thank you" for 14 and a half years

The anime has been on the air for 14 and a half years, with a total of 720 episodes. The anime has aired for 14.5 years, with a total of 720 episodes, almost every week (with special programs taking a break during the week to make up for two episodes of specials).

The original comic series ran for 15 years, which means that the anime continued to be broadcast for the same length of time. In order to air the anime simultaneously with the original comic series without breaks, there were many original episodes and recollections of the past. This meant that the story did not progress very far in the right places, which may have left some fans feeling a bit frustrated.

However, the anime greatly expanded the worldview. The original episodes depicted gaps in the story that were not depicted in the original story, stories about regions that had not yet appeared in the original story, and behind-the-scenes incidents that were later revealed to be true. In the anime, we were able to see episodes about people who were not discussed in detail in the original story, such as Utakata and Fuu, who are human-powered beings with sealed tailed beasts.

The "Bijuu Counting Song," in which all the tailed beasts, from one to nine tails, and the Jinbashira force are all present, is an unforgettable part of the anime. The "Tail Beast Counting Song" is unforgettable, featuring Naruto, Gaoira, and other little characters, as well as cute tail beasts from their childhood (!?). The special mini-corner features the 550th episode, "The Tail Beasts. It was broadcast as a special mini-corner in episodes 550 and other episodes.

Some of you may have learned about or started watching this work from the anime, which has always been trying to attract new viewers. Naruto" has become so popular in large part because of the anime.

With the thoughts of a foolish and stubborn child, Naruto goes through many battles, fulfills his wish to be recognized by the people of his village, and carries on his feelings for the irreplaceable Seventh Squad.

The film strikes a perfect balance between a detailed and serious historical drama and a theme for children, the original target audience. Facing the cruel reality of the situation, the team accepts the pain without losing their pure hearts, and there is hope for what lies ahead. This is what moves even adults.

In April, "BORUTO NEXT GENERATIONS" will begin, a next-generation version featuring Uzumaki Bolt, Naruto's son, created by a new staff. The "NARUTO" series will continue to advance to new and unprecedented levels, and for now I would just like to say thank you to the staff and cast for the past 14 years of "NARUTO.

(Text by YAMAYU)
(C) Masashi Kishimoto Scott/Shueisha, TV Tokyo, Piero (C) NARUTO the Movie Production Committee 2012