Fans of Naruto were asked to share their memories for the 20th anniversary of the first anime of the beloved anime series. The Instagram page of Crunchyroll, the anime streaming service that currently has both Naruto and its sequel Boruto on its catalog, asked followers to share their favorite memories on the anime's 20th anniversary, and the response was outstanding.
The Naruto anime, produced by Studio Pierrot, was on air for a very long time (including the second part of the series, titled Naruto: Shippuden), from October 2002 to March 2017. While the manga on which the anime is based, created by Masashi Kishimoto, is the 6th best-selling manga of all time, with more than 250 million copies in circulation, the anime adaptation is what truly made Naruto a global cultural phenomenon, contributing to the incredible worldwide expansion of Japanese popular culture during the 2000s. Having been on air for fifteen years, there is an entire generation of anime fans that grew up with Naruto, and they all have powerful memories that connect them to the series.
The 20th anniversary of Naruto's first broadcast was a chance for celebrating the incredible legacy of the series. Studio Pierrot gave the best gift to fans, creating a ten-minute video that summarizes the series with a modern remake of Naruto's iconic scenes. Crunchyroll, as the website where the majority of fans watch Naruto nowadays, is also taking part in the festivities. Among other initiatives, including a Naruto quiz and a series of interviews, the Instagram page of the popular streaming service has asked its followers to share their favorite Naruto memories, using the hashtag #Naruto20. In just three days, the post has attracted over 1,200 comments, which is proof that, eight years after its ending, the series still has a special place in fans' hearts.
Naruto Fans Share Their Best Memories Of The Series
The majority of fans picked up one of the iconic sequences from the series, usually one of its adrenalinic battles. Pain destroying Konoha, and the following Naruto vs Pain fight come up as frequently as expected, but Naruto vs Sasuke at the Valley of the End is also a favorite. Other fans preferred to mention one of the many emotional moments of the series: Naruto meeting his parents, Itachi saying farewell to Sasuke, and Naruto befriending Kurama are all mentioned often. Jordan Bentley, the creator of the anime-themed streetwear brand Hypland, also took the time to remember his two favorite Naruto moments: Rock Lee vs Gara during the Chunin Selection Exam, and Kakashi vs Obito towards the end of the series.
There are also many fans who, rather than mentioning one specific moment from the anime, took this chance to express how much Naruto changed their lives. This is one of the most unique aspects of the series: while other anime have been as successful as Naruto, if not more, very few have had such a personal impact on their viewers. Naruto fans often repeat that the series changed their lives, and this 20th anniversary is a great way to celebrate a legacy that will last for a long time to come.
Source: Crunchyroll on Instagram.