Biggest Changes Between Naruto Manga and Anime

Key things

• The Naruto manga introduces the genin naturally, while the anime features spaced introductions that affect character depth.
• In the manga, Chidori surrounds the user's arm in a flash; it's not just a ball like in the anime.
• Sakura shows interest in Naruto in the manga, while the anime portrays her as evil.

Naruto is one of the best shonen anime of all time, capturing the attention of fans all over the world as the title character proved everyone wrong and became the Hokage of the Leaf Village. The story is a slow-burner that pays off with a satisfying conclusion, with rock fans finding much more balanced things to like about the series in the sequel, Boruto.

While the anime adaptation is pretty faithful to the manga in most respects, there are some changes between the two versions Naruto which are worth highlighting. Some of these changes were for the better, while others left fans confused.

8 Genin appear more naturally in the manga

The introduction of certain characters happens much later

The manga introduces Naruto's classmates quite early on, so their inclusion in the later arcs feels more natural. However, the anime decided to speed up these introductions so that fans are not overwhelmed by the wealth of new characters at the very beginning of this series.

This can be either a great or bad decision depending on the subjective view of the fan. Sure, these staggered introductions made the characters easier to remember, but it also left viewers confused by the depth of the bonds Naruto shared with his classmates.

7 The Chidori is supposed to surround the arm in a flash

In the anime, it forms a ball of lightning that serves as a parallel to the Rasengan

• Occurs in:Naruto & Naruto Shippuden

Chidori is one of the most amazing techniques Narutowho clashes with the Rasengan time and time again in the series. The ball lightning that the ninja conjures in his hand looks like the perfect counterpoint to the ball of swirling energy in Naruto's patented technique.

However, the manga's iteration of Chidori has a significant difference. Instead of just ball lightning, this technique covers the user's entire arm with this jutsu, allowing him to hit enemies with powerful energy for devastating results.

6 Tenten and Temari's fight is more detailed in the anime

The manga relegates this fight to the background as Ino and Sakura converse with each other

After Sakura and Ino fight to a draw and are both eliminated from the Chunin Exams, Sakura and Ino have a heart-to-heart while Temari and Tenten start a battle. In the manga, this conversation is so important that readers don't even get to see the final battle of the Chunin Exams.

However, the anime didn't have to limit itself to just one scene and fleshed out this battle to make it clear how easily Temari was able to overpower Tenten. It's a nice inclusion that ensures all the fights are in Naruto feel important, even if some of them take up more screen time.

5 Team Guy gets a rare moment to shine during the Kazekage rescue arc in the anime

The scene where they fight their clones is completely original

• Occurs in:Naruto Shippuden

After the time jump, manga readers were saddened to see Team Guy sidelined and not given a single moment to shine. The anime tries to remedy this by adding an original fight during Kazekage Rescue, although the impact of this scene is debatable.

Team Guy ends up fighting their clones as they attempt to remove a certain seal, with the battle seemingly impossible until the group realizes they must be better than they were before to defeat their identical enemies. It might be a little silly, but fans will take it if it means characters like Neji and Lee get a chance to be useful.

A great way to give more importance to Shikamaru's character

In the manga, Shikamaru is promoted to Chunin behind the scenes while Naruto is busy searching for Tsunade with Jiraiya. However, the anime changes this sequence to give more weight to Shikamaru's character.

While deciding on the squad to track down Sasuke when he is taken by Orochimaru's lackeys, Tsunade informs Shikamaru that he has been promoted to Chunin and will lead the rescue effort. It's a small but notable change that makes Shikamaru's promotion more effective.

3 Shikamaru's breakdown and subsequent revelation is an original anime scene

One of the best inclusions in the adaptation

• Occurs in:Naruto Shippuden

The Naruto the adaptation has been criticized many times for relying too much on meaningless filler. However, that doesn't mean the anime didn't have the potential to add some meaningful scenes when the situation called for it.

This was the case when Shikamaru crumbled before his father's eyes after Asuma's death, before finally experiencing a strategic breakthrough that saw him lead an effort to avenge his sensei's death. It's a powerful scene that feels right at home Narutoand most fans were stunned to find out that this entire sequence was only part of the anime.

2 Sakura shows concern in the manga when Naruto struggles with the written exam

She is mean and laughs at Naruto in the anime for some reason

It's easy to see why some Naruto viewers are not big fans of Sakura's character. It doesn't help that the anime changes her reactions in a critical scene to make her look more hideous to her haters.

As Naruto struggles with the written exam, Sakura truly fears for her team member and wonders how he will be able to pass such a difficult test. However, the anime makes Sakura an insufferable character who laughs at Naruto's misery and secretly hopes he fails.

1 Naruto taught Konohamaru the Rasengan before the Time-Skip

In the Anime, Naruto and Konohamaru are older when the latter learned this move

• Occurs in:Naruto Shippuden

Konohamaru didn't get much screen time after the time skip, so fans were happy to see him become relevant again after he used the Rasengan to take out one of the Pain Bodies. The chronology of when he learns the Rasengan changes is slightly different between the manga and anime.

The manga makes it clear that Naruto taught Konohamaru the Rasengan before he set off on his journey with Jiraiya before the time jump. Meanwhile, the anime makes it clear that both characters are older at the start of their training, a small but notable change.

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  Naruto Shippuden

  Release date

  February 15, 2007

  Season

  22

  Studio

  Pierrot

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  Naruto

  Release date

  October 2, 2002

  Season

  5

  Studio

  Pierrot