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25 years later, Naruto's portrayal of a world tackling the sins of its past remains frustratingly relevant

Refusing to acknowledge history never ends well for anyone.

Artwork showing different Naruto characters which celebrates the anime's 20th anniversary.
Image credit: Bandai Namco / Shueisha

For the past 25 years, the Naruto manga has been one of the most popular comics on the planet, chronicling the story of an outcast boy who grows up to be the hero of the Hidden Leaf Village. But as the story shifted into Naruto Shippuden, it became as much about reckoning with the sins of the past as it did about the main character’s journey. As we celebrate a quarter-century of Naruto, its message has only become more relevant in the years since it launched. This week on Popverse Jump, we take a look at how Naruto was far ahead of its time.

The plot of Naruto starts off fairly straightforward – the title character is on a quest to become stronger so he can gain the acknowledgment of his peers. However, it quickly delves into the murky history of

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Trent Cannon

Trent Cannon: Trent is a freelance writer who has been covering anime, video games, and pop culture for a decade. (He/Him)

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