Summary
The success of anime titles likeDragonBall Z: Budokai Tenkaichi, FighterZ,andNarutoin the games space has shown that there is an interest in the genre. However, offerings likeJump ForceandSword Art Online: Alicization Lycorisshow that it’s not an easy one to succeed in. The former series has ruled the roost over the last few years, with offerings still being released that always seem to have merit.
Narutois a franchise beloved by millions, from fans of the manga, anime, or the handful of games that have released sinceNaruto: Clash of Ninjaon the GameCube in 2003. It’s also one that has heaps of potential to go in all different directions, so the possibility of a reboot mentioned by the producer of last year’sNaruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connectionsfeels like it would be a missed opportunity rather than an exciting or worthwhile one.
Naruto’s World Deserves More Stories, Not Reboots
Theworld ofNarutois ripe for new stories and characters. The filler arcs in the anime show the reach of the shinobi world and that there are always more personalities that can be crafted, and more situations that can be conjured. It’s far more compelling an idea to have players create their own character and their own impact on the wider story than just rehashing something that worked all those years ago.
LikeHogwarts LegacyforHarry Potter, expanding an IP rather than rebooting it has so many benefits. It gives the story more scope and reach, and gives the property the ability to stay relevant, potentially indefinitely. Rebooting an existing story that is already familiar to fans can only be done once or twice, but utilizing the world by stretching its boundaries and bringing something new only benefits the fictional property it sits in.
Seeing the Naruto Story through Someone Else’s Eyes Could Be Fun
While a reboot of the story focusing on Naruto himself would likely be popular, there’s no rule against telling someone else’s side of the same story, striking an effective balance. It could be fascinating to set a game during thefourth shinobi world war inNaruto: Shippuden, but from the perspective of fan-favorite characters like Neji Hyuga or Sasuke Uchiha. It would allow the developer to reuse some of the same story beats but with different contexts.
Reboots are A Dime A Dozen, and Naruto isn’t Exempt
Original ideas in fiction seem to be dwindling, at least in popularity. For gaming, it’s no different as reboots, remakes, and remasters are plentiful, and whileremakes likeResident Evil 4,Dead Space,Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7, andDemon’s Soulspush an old idea into the modern day with grace, some falter and don’t feel justified. TheNarutogames that caught fire were entries in theUltimate Ninja Stormseries, a 3D fighting series that retells Naruto’s story.
The originalUltimate Ninja Stormcovers the original anime, with its sequel taking place after Naruto returns from three years of training with Jiraiya.
They wereremastered somewhat recently inNaruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy, which helped reestablish its popularity among new audiences. The gameplay is superb, but narratively they were a wonderful trip down memory lane. Now that they are readily available on newer systems, it would feel like overkill for the tale to be rebooted for the sake of keeping the franchise popular. It’s got more that it can give in games and beyond, and by changing genre and forging a new tale it can stay fresh as well as popular.
Naruto
A popular shonen anime based on Masashi Kishimoto’s manga, Naruto follows its eponymous shinobi’s journey as he goes from his town’s outsider to its hero.
