One example is the kitsune, a nine-tailed fox, which has various powers including the ability to possess humans. Many medieval-era stories from Japan reference the Yōkai, who often appear as some kind of animal. Having some science-fiction elements has led this story to be adapted into quite a lot of Japanese media, including movies and many animes.Īnother significant aspect of Japanese mythology and folklore to find its way into Naruto is the use are Yōkai – supernatural beings that inhabit both the spiritual and physical worlds. It introduces us to Princess Kaguya, who has come to the Earth from the Moon and becomes the object of several men’s affections. The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter ( Taketori Monogatari) is a much older story, dating as far back as the 9th century. Tsunade, Orochimaru and Jiraiya depicted in a mid-19th century illustration – Wikimedia Commons In recasting this trio into the world of Naruto, Kishimoto kept many of their quirky characteristics and gave them a suitably epic storyline. He is soon paired with a woman named Tsunade, who has the powers of snail magic and healing, as they face off in epic battles with Orochimaru, who has snake magic. It centres around the character of Jiraiya, a Robin Hood-type figure who learns magic from an immortal toad. The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya ( Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari) may have been published in the 19th century, but its origins date back to Song Dynasty China. However, there are two tales that are used more extensively: The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya and The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Sometimes it is little more than just recycling names like Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo, which were part of the mythological tales recorded in the 8th century. In doing so, Kishimoto made extensive use of Japan’s mythology and literary past. As the story plays out, we learn more about this world’s people, places and history. The world of Naruto is quite expansive – we meet hundreds of characters and go through many lands. A ninja and Prince Hikaru Genji by Utagawa Kunisada in 1853 – Wikimedia Commons Borrowing from Japan’s past Often depicted as cunning warriors with unusual abilities, it is not surprising that Naruto is one of many anime or other Japanese books and movies that have made extensive use of ninjas as characters. Basically spies and experts in guerilla warfare, they are often in the shadows of history, leaving a void that gets filled in by legends and folktales.
Ninja themselves are rooted in Japan’s pre-modern past, known from at least the fifteenth century. How all this operates is largely not discussed – they are very much in the background, with the people going about their lives and hoping not to get caught up in any ninja wars. What else does Kishimoto take from the Middle Ages to create his world? The society itself resembles a medieval construct – we have “feudal lords” (daimyō in the original Japanese version) who seemingly run the government, as well as nobles, clans, monks and peasants. He is making a place where ninjas are at the top of society – therefore any technology that could challenge that (like guns or 21st-century computers) just does not exist. Fans can check the promotional video out for themselves down below.The answer for this incongruity is that Naruto’s creator, Masashi Kishimoto, decided to create a world that is both modern and medieval. It’s nothing fans of the manga haven’t seen before, but it’s still a nice homage and reminder of some of the series’ many characters.
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Styled like a motion comic, the video sees Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura during some of their most iconic moments alongside other series mainstays like Kakashi, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. The event also received a promotional video to hype up the popularity poll and showcase some of the many characters found throughout the series. Those interested in casting a vote from the west can do so through the Narutop 99 English language home page. The top-voted character in the poll will be the focus of a new spin-off manga for the series, which would begin publication at a later date.įans can vote once per day until the conclusion of the event in January, and the poll will be open to fans around the world for the entirety of this time frame. 17, it was revealed that a character popularity poll called Narutop 99 would be kicking off that day and running until Jan. The Naruto manga series received a big announcement regarding its future, and fans will determine said future with their votes.ĭuring the Naruto stage event held at Jump Festa 2023 on Dec.
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