The potential for a Naruto remake anime has been a topic of discussion for years, but there’s more than enough evidence to show that this just isn’t something we need. This beloved show turns 24 this year, and a lot has changed in that time. The anime landscape itself is almost unrecognizable, as animation has shifted away from hand-drawn cell animation to a digital approach. This has allowed popular shows like Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba to stand out as more refined in appearance. Since this style is trending, it’s no surprise that there are those eager to see Naruto, especially part 1, remade.
When Naruto first kicked off in 2002, its animation was fully traditional. The art was hand-drawn, and cell-style animation was used to bring the characters to life. Over time, things began to shift toward digital. However, the general design of Naruto, much like other newer anime of the time, was still influenced by that classic hand-drawn style. It was years before the digital age reshaped expectations for shape, color, anatomy, and other visual aspects of anime.
Now, the Naruto franchise is significantly less recognizable. Boruto: Naruto Next Generation is not only digital, but it also fully adopts the thinner lines, subtler colors, and sharper contrast of modern anime. If the original Naruto were to be remade, this is the aesthetic it would no doubt feature. The big question is just how necessary such a shift would be. Would Naruto actually benefit from being reanimated? As it is, Studio Pierrot has already provided an answer.
Studio Pierrot’s Road To Naruto Teased A Modern Anime Remake
When Naruto had its 20th anniversary in 2022, Studio Pierrot released “Road to Naruto,” a nearly 10-minute-long video featuring digitally reanimated scenes from the beginning to the end of the anime (from Naruto to Naruto Shippuden​​​​​​). Layered with the show’s most memorable title songs, the video is a powerful journey through each stage of Naruto’s adventures—a perfect celebration of a series we’ve loved for two decades.
This video came with the announced that Pierrot would be producing new Naruto episodes, each set during the events of part 1. Nearly four years later, and we are still waiting on these episodes. Still, all of this happening at the same time inspired significant buzz. It really looked as if Pierrot was preparing to remake Naruto in this sharp, modern, digital style.
While the “Road to Naruto” video is a treat, it perfectly demonstrates why a full remake just isn’t necessary. Those aesthetic differences look great during the high-action scenes, but as we get a closer look at individual characters, it begins to feel as if something is missing.
Naruto Part 1 With Modern Character Designs Feels Weird
Boruto in a time travel arc meeting young Naruto at Ichiraku
Anime has gone through several big evolutions, and Naruto sits within the middle of the timeline. The art isn’t quite as traditional and sketchy as, say, Cowboy Bebop​​​, but it doesn’t have the thin-line, washed-out, solid-color aesthetic of modern anime. This 2000s hand-drawn style is all part of Naruto’s charm. The art isn’t just nostalgic—it defines the characters. Seeing them shaped into that softer, more modern aesthetic is simply bizarre.
The Boruto time travel arc is a prime example of this. When Boruto and Sasuke went back in time to the events of Naruto’s first part, they interacted with young Naruto and all the rest. This gave us a chance to see these versions of the characters in the modern Boruto style, which was uncomfortably strange. We’re used to seeing these softer lines and colors on the grown-up Hokage-Naruto. Seeing them on his 13-year-old counterpart felt entirely inorganic. He felt like a different character.
Take a look at this edit from Reddit user @pumiih, which perfectly demonstrates the difference in art style between Naruto part 1 and Boruto.
If Pierrot were to remake Naruto in its entirety, there is little doubt it would adopt the more modern animation style of Boruto​​​​. Sure, action sequences might be dialed up in intensity, but it must be considered what would be lost in the effort. Of course, this hasn’t stopped fans from begging for a remake, but if Pierrot ever follows through on its existing promise of releasing those four new episodes, they might change their minds.
Naruto’s Upcoming New 4 Episodes Could Be Visually Jarring
Custom image created by Evan D. Mullicane
Around the same time that Studio Pierrot gave us the “Road to Naruto” video, it was announced that four new Naruto episodes were being produced to celebrate the anime’s 20th anniversary. These will be set during the events of Naruto part 1, taking viewers back in time to original Team 7 missions they’ve never seen before. The project missed its original 2023 release date, and Pierrot put it on an indefinite hold. Recently, it was announced that these episodes would arrive near the end of 2026 (but we will see).
When Pierrot delayed the project, the only reason given was “quality​​​​,” indicating that the studio is pulling out all the stops to deliver top-quality, modern digital animation. In many ways, this is something to be excited about. Still, it’s difficult not to be wary. It may be jarring to see these characters sterilized with the modern aesthetic. The biggest risk here is being pulled out of that full immersion. The benefit of new episodes set during this time would be nostalgia. Removing the art we are familiar with essentially cancels that out.
Why Naruto Shouldn’t Be Remade
Of course, those four new Naruto episodes may look and feel great, allowing any initial jarring feeling to fade quickly. That could be a sign that a full Naruto ​​​​​​remake wouldn’t look too bad. Still, it’s worth remembering that such a project wouldn’t have the same sort of audience as the original show. Naruto isn’t like One Piece​​​​​​, which is still ongoing and continues to have a massive viewership. A new show would appeal to a niche audience, and that really wouldn’t be worth Pierrot’s time and resources.
A better alternative to a full Naruto remake would be an official Naruto Kai. Such a series would eliminate all those filler episodes and only include the major story arcs; an accelerated project that could actually benefit from that modern animation style since it would be almost exclusively action sequences. Still, there’s no guarantee that a show like that would prove lucrative for Studio Pierrot or its viewers. Said and done, we’re far better off just enjoying the existing Naruto anime for what it is—a nostalgic work of art that doesn’t need alteration.
Release Date
2002 – 2007-00-00
Showrunner
Masashi Kishimoto
Directors
Hayato Date
