Naruto (2002)
Original title: ナルト
Naruto is a 2002 Japanese-language animation series. It stars Junko Takeuchi, Noriaki Sugiyama and Chie Nakamura.
Naruto Uzumaki is a loud, orphaned ninja kid nobody in his village takes seriously, and he wants nothing less than to become Hokage, its strongest and most respected leader. Adapted from Masashi Kishimoto's manga by Studio Pierrot, the anime follows him through training, teammates, rivalries and tournaments in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. It splits into two arcs, the original run and the older-teen sequel Shippuden, deepening a world of clans, jutsu and hard-won bonds as it goes. Underneath the fights sits a steady theme: earning acknowledgement from people who once looked away.
Quick answers
What is Naruto about?
Naruto Uzumaki is a loud, orphaned ninja kid nobody in his village takes seriously, and he wants nothing less than to become Hokage, its strongest and most respected leader. Adapted from Masashi Kishimoto's manga by Studio Pierrot, the anime follows him through training, teammates, rivalries and tournaments in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. It splits into two arcs, the original run and the older-teen sequel Shippuden, deepening a world of clans, jutsu and hard-won bonds as it goes. Underneath the fights sits a steady theme: earning acknowledgement from people who once looked away.
When was Naruto released?
Naruto was released on 3 October 2002.
How many episodes does Naruto have?
Naruto has 220 episodes across 4 seasons.
Where can I watch Naruto?
Naruto is available on Crunchyroll Premium, Crunchyroll Premium (Via Prime), DirecTV On Demand, Hulu, Netflix and Peacock.
Where to watch Naruto
Stream: Crunchyroll Premium, Crunchyroll Premium (Via Prime), DirecTV On Demand, Hulu, Netflix, Peacock, Peacock Premium, Prime Video
Watch free: Amazon Freevee, Fandango at Home Free, Hoopla, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Tubi TV
Rent: Google Play
Buy: Amazon, AppleTV, Fandango at Home, Google Play
Cast
- Junko Takeuchi as Naruto Uzumaki (voice)
- Noriaki Sugiyama as Sasuke Uchiha (voice)
- Chie Nakamura as Sakura Haruno (voice)
- Kazuhiko Inoue as Kakashi Hatake (voice)
- Hidekatsu Shibata as Hiruzen Sarutobi (3º Hokage) (voice)
- Koichi Tochika as Neji Hyuga (voice)
- Masashi Ebara as Might Guy (voice)
- Yōichi Masukawa as Rock Lee (voice)
- Yukari Tamura as Tenten (voice)
- Ryoka Yuzuki as Ino Yamanaka (voice)
- Showtaro Morikubo as Shikamaru Nara (voice)
- Kentaro Ito as Choji Akimichi (voice)
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A few thoughts on Naruto
Rurouni Kenshin scratches the same itch on the page, a wandering swordsman and plenty of martial-arts action wrapped around questions of duty and redemption. For the sweeping, emotional side of anime storytelling, the Symphonic Suite AKIRA score carries a similar epic weight. Both suit fans who stay for the heart as much as the battles.
Shonen battle anime about underdogs training to become the strongest
Naruto follows a written-off kid grinding his way toward the top, and these shonen series run the same underdog engine. Expect relentless training arcs, tournament brackets, rival friendships, and power that grows one hard-won fight at a time as heroes chase recognition nobody wanted to give them.
Long-running action manga that build sprawling worlds
Kishimoto built Naruto on clans, jutsu and long-simmering grudges. These manga share that appetite for scale, with dense casts, escalating stakes, and worlds that run on their own rules of combat, drawn across enough volumes to let every rivalry and betrayal breathe.
Books that unpack how anime and animation get made
The animation behind Naruto is a craft in its own right. These books open up how it works, from the principles of movement and acting to the history of the studios and encyclopedic guides to anime, ideal if the show left you curious about how all of it gets drawn.
Classic anime adventures with rival clans and yokai
Before Shippuden, Naruto was a scrappy adventure through a world of yokai and warring clans. These anime keep that feudal, folklore-tinged spirit alive, mixing martial-arts action with mischief, monsters, and shape-shifting rivals as young heroes fumble toward controlling powers far bigger and stranger than they understand.