Of all the manga and animé series that have found homes in the West, Naruto is arguably one of the most well known after the legendary Dragon Ball. Years after it first appeared, the story of the young ninja on a quest to achieve recognition as the strongest of his kind continues to enthrall readers and TV audiences across the world with its dramatic action sequences and a twisting plot that plays on the themes of loyalty, friendship and endurance in the face of adversity.
To celebrate 10 years of the infinitely popular series, some of Japan’s biggest manga-ka comic artists have produced a series of one-off tribute drawings, some faithful to Masashi Kishimoto’s original illustrations, some a clever blend of Naruto and their own preferred style. All, however, are incredibly cool.
Without further ado, let’s kick off the celebrations! Imagine finding a few of these in your post box on your next birthday…
▼ One Piece‘s Eiichiro Oda stays true to Naruto’s ninja roots.
▼Hunter x Hunter creator Yoshihiro Togashi’s cute offering.
▼ Naruto love from Hiroyuki Amano.
▼ From the creator of Gin Tama.
▼Wide grins from Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro.
▼ A cheeky offering from Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo creator Yoshio Sawai
▼ Takeshi Obata, the artist behind Death Note keeping it real.
▼ By the supervisor of the animated series’ character design, Tetsuya Nishio.
▼A ferocious Naruto from Yuusuke Murata.
▼ A decidedly stylish effort from Masahiko Murata.
▼ From the artist responsible for moody manga Rokudenashi Blues and Rookies.
▼ Bleach‘s Taito Kubo (known by his pen name Tite).
▼Innocent and Strawberry 100%‘s Mizuki Kawashita keeping it cute.
▼From Toshiaki Iwashiro.
▼ Yuuichi Itakura’s party is getting a little out of hand…
▼ Shuuichi Asou’s tribute is kinda cute.
▼Bringing the suitably Bizarre, it’s Hirohiko Akaki.
▼Sexy Commando Gaiden‘s Kyousuke Usuta.
▼Then comes a supremely cute card from Dragon Ball creator and Dragon Quest character artist Akira Toriyama.
And, just when we thought we’d come to the end, we stumble upon a couple of beautifully detailed, full-colour offerings from Mr. Toriyama himself. How insanely cool would it be for these two to inhabit the same world on a regular basis?
Keep scribbling, boys and girls; maybe one day 10 years from now you’ll be receiving cards from your own heroes in recognition of all your hard work!
Source: Jump 速報
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