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During Jump Festa 2023, Naruto fans were treated to a number of updates to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the anime chaired by voice actors of Naruto and Boruto: Naruto the Next Generations. This is the first time Jump Festa was streamed to an international audience with an English-translated voice over.
On stage were Yuko Sanpei (Boruto Uzumaki), Noriaki Sugiyama (Sasuke Uchiha) and Junko Takeuchi (Naruto Uzumaki) — Chie Nakamura (Sakura Haruno) was supposed join, but could not due to illness and sent a letter in her place that was read aloud by Sugiyama.
On the screen behind the trio, three scrolls appeared coloured red, blue and green. Channeling the chakra from the audience, each scroll was opened using visuals of the Rasengan and Susanoo to reveal details of upcoming events.
NARUTOP99 is a character poll of all 488 characters in the Naruto Manga. It is open from December 17th, 2022 until 11:59 pm JST (6:59 am PST / 9:59 am EST) on January 31st, 2023. Results will be announced in April 2023, with series creator Masashi Kishimoto creating a short manga based on the winning character. Fans can vote once a day and are encouraged to share their selections on social media using the hashtag #NARUTOP99.
A concert called NARUTO the LIVE will take place on September 2nd and 3rd, 2023 and feature performances by KANA-BOON, CHICO with HoneyWorks, FLOW and others whose songs were used as opening and closing themes for the anime. A pre-recorded message by FLOW was shared on screen.
Also mentioned were the recently opened NARUTO the GALLERY event in Akiba Square where artwork, scenes, and other memorabilia from all 720 episodes of Naruto and Naruto Shippuden are on display. As well, Live Spectacle Naruto stage play will also conclude next year with the last chapter.
The final major update revealed that Naruto: Sasuke’s Story – The Uchiha and the Heavenly Stardust: The Manga (or commonly referred to as Sasuke Retsuden) is being adapted into an anime in conjunction with Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and will premiere in January 2023. Artwork of Sasuke, with his Sharingan activated and wielding the sword Kusanagi was revealed.
Additionally, manga fans can read, for free, the first 90 chapters of Naruto on Shueisha’s MANGA Plus and Viz Media’s Shonen Jump from December 17th, 2022 until 11:59 pm JST (6:59 am PST / 9:59 am EST) on January 31st, 2023.
At closing, each of the voice actors gave their remarks, thanking attendees and fans watching, before finishing off with their favourite attacks: “Thunder-clap Kirin” by Sugiyama, “Wind Style: Rasen Shuriken” by Takeuchi and “Rasengan” by Sanpei.
Jump Festa 2023 continues until Sunday, December 18th, 2022 with most events being streamed online.
© Masashi Kishimoto/Shueisha/TV Tokyo/Pierrot
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