Naruto has been a staple in the world of manga for nearly 15 years and has spawned anime episodes, video games, movies, and more. The popularity of the series has gathered a slew of hardcore fans that anticipate the next installment with shivering anticipation. Those same fans received a shocking surprise as Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump announced that the series will end in just five more episodes.
The final installment of the Naruto manga is scheduled to be released on November 10th, just five more issues from now. Although the news is shocking to some, Masashi Kishimoto shared in 2012 that the Naruto series would begin its journey toward a climax. At that time, he knew how the series would end, but was not sure exactly when it would conclude, other than in about a year and a half. Fast forward to now, and the the prophecy of the end is coming true.
Naruto ‘s serialization began in 1999 within Shueisha’s Weekly Shohen Jump magazine. The 71st compiled book volume will be published in Japan on November 4th. The United States is slightly behind in the series, the 67th volume will be published in America on Tuesday by Viz Media. The international popularity of Naruto skyrocketed it to number 4 in the top ten Shohen Jump titles in 2012.
Although the Manga series is ending, Naruto Shippuden is still going strong and a new film titled The Last – Naruto the Movie is scheduled to open in Japan on December 6th.
Naruto fans have expressed mixed feelings about the upcoming ending.
Overlord3K, a redditer, shared,
“I always expected Bleach ending first (years ago) and I never really thought Naruto would be the first to go. Definitely going to be weird not seeing a new chapter of Naruto out every week after it ends.”
Jamtots shared,
“End of an era, huh. Makes me kind of sad, but it’s about time.”
and FreeSM2014 shared,
“Naruto and Bleach are two good examples of how bad a manga can turn out when prolonged.”
Although the Naruto Manga is coming to an end, there will still be plenty of the yellow haired ninja wandering across the many mediums in which he has manifested. Whether movies, video games, action figures, or more, Naruto will undoubtedly remain a favorite in the hearts of his fans.
What are you feelings on Naruto’s end in the manga universe? Was it a long time coming or should it continue onward?
[Photo Courtesy: Four Walls Only]
