The once eager Naruto fandom has grown increasingly disheartened as time marches on without any updates regarding the promised remake episodes. It’s now been over two long months since the creative team last provided fans with information following the delay announcement back on August 29th, 2023. However, with no more updates on the projects after months, Naruto fans are giving up hope for a remake.
The remakes were first unveiled to much fanfare, aiming to celebrate Naruto’s landmark 20th anniversary by remastering and reanimating some of the most iconic scenes from the cherished anime series. Devoted fans had long awaited the chance to revisit these memorable moments with modern animation techniques.
Many hoped this remastered collection would pave the way for a full continuation of the Naruto story. However, prolonged radio silence from the producers has left fans questioning if these long-promised episodes will ever see the light of day.
As anticipation morphs into apprehension, fans have voiced their mounting concerns and begun to fear the remakes may never materialize. This piece will take a closer look at some of the potential reasons behind the delay of the highly-anticipated Naruto remake episodes.
Why Naruto Fans Are Giving Up Hope For A Remake?
The Naruto fandom is feeling more disappointed every day. It has now been over two months since there was any news about the remake episodes that were promised.
Fans were very excited when the remakes were first announced back in August. The creators said they wanted to remake some of the most memorable scenes from Naruto to celebrate its 20th anniversary this year.
The fans couldn’t wait to see their favorite moments redone with new animation. Many hoped this would also lead to more new Naruto episodes later on.
But after the announcement, there have been no updates at all. The longer it goes with no news, the more fans are worrying it may never actually happen.
One big reason for the delay is probably because of how much work these remakes will take. Even though it is old material, animating it again from scratch takes a huge amount of time and effort.
The studio making them, Studio Pierrot, is also really busy right now. Two of their other big shows are ending soon.
Bleach is airing its final season, and they want the animation to be better than ever for the end. Boruto is also going on break for a while after the next episode. So Pierrot has its hands full getting these other flagship shows done right now.
The Naruto remakes are probably a lower priority at the moment. But fans are still hoping to hear some kind of update from the creators soon. Every day that goes by with radio silence makes them less confident the episodes will see the light of day. But they are trying to stay patient and optimistic for now.
The long wait for the Naruto remake episodes continues, leaving fans increasingly concerned. It has now stretched over two months since any updates were given after the initial announcement.
One theory is that the animation studio behind the remakes, Studio Pierrot, is focused on preparing for Boruto to return from its hiatus. Once Boruto starts airing new episodes weekly again, Pierrot will have a very tight production schedule. So the Naruto remakes may be put on hold so they can devote more resources and time to the Boruto series restart.
These are just some of the possible reasons the highly-anticipated Naruto remakes seem to be stalled out indefinitely. Understandably, fans are worried the episodes may never materialize at this point.
Beyond their crowded schedule, some speculate Pierrot could be facing production problems behind the scenes. Still, diehard fans cling to hope that despite the silence, Pierrot will somehow deliver on their promised Naruto remake celebration. For now, all they can do is wait anxiously for any word of an update.
But each passing day without news makes it harder to stay optimistic. The studio owes it to the devoted Naruto fanbase to provide some clarity, or else risk further dampening enthusiasm and excitement for the remake episodes.
When the Naruto remake episodes were first delayed back in August, the official reason given was that the creators were not satisfied with the animation quality. They wanted to take more time to improve it before release.
Initially, fans remained hopeful despite the setback. But as week after week goes by with no updates, optimism is rapidly fading.
The tight schedule and production challenges facing Studio Pierrot have led many to worry the remakes may end up canceled altogether. Only time will tell if the studio can overcome these hurdles and deliver the remastered episodes as promised.
For now, the frustrated fanbase has no choice but to wait in limbo for an official confirmation of the remake episodes’ status. Until then, speculation and concerns will likely continue to mount with each passing day of silence.
The devotees clinging to hope may ultimately have it rewarded with a surprise release. But the lack of transparency from Studio Pierrot makes it increasingly difficult for fans to keep their excitement and morale high.
All they can do is continue waiting anxiously for clarity on the future of this long-awaited Naruto anniversary celebration.
Which Artists Are Featured In The Naruto 20th Anniversary Special?
While an official voice cast announcement has yet to be made, it’s reasonable to assume the 20th Anniversary Naruto Special will reunite the beloved original voice actors behind these iconic characters.
As seen on the anniversary poster from VIZ Media, the special will focus on Naruto and his three teammates. Naturally, that includes Junko Takeuchi, the legendary voice behind protagonist Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto’s fellow ninjas Sakura Haruno (Chie Nakamura) and Sasuke Uchiha (Noriaki Sugiyama) seem certain to return as well. And of course, reprising his role as their mentor Kakashi Hatake will likely be fan-favorite Seiyuu Kazuhiko Inoue.
If an English dub is produced, longtime English voices like Maile Flanagan (Naruto), Kate Higgins (Sakura), Yuri Lowenthal (Sasuke), and Dave Wittenberg (Kakashi) would be prime candidates to rejoin the celebration. Their familiar tones would nicely complement the returning Japanese cast.
While still unofficial, the special would feel incomplete without these voice actors who helped bring the original Team 7 to life. Their presence could spur nostalgia and excitement before the special even begins. But fans anxiously await concrete details, hoping their assumptions prove true.
When Will The ‘Naruto’ 20th Anniversary Special Be Released?
Naruto’s highly-anticipated 20th Anniversary celebration was originally slated to kick off on September 3rd in Japan. The special event was set to air on TV Tokyo affiliates at 5:30 PM JST, spanning four weeks of new animation. But those plans were abruptly postponed right before the intended premiere date.
The Naruto Anime Production Committee issued a statement explaining the delay:
“This project is both a celebration of the anime’s 20th anniversary and the first new Naruto anime in over six years. To further raise the quality, we have decided to take extra time and effort. We deeply apologize to all fans who were excitedly looking forward to the anime.”
They promised to announce a new broadcast schedule once finalized and aired a selection of classic Boruto episodes in the original time slot as a placeholder.
The statement closed by asking for patience and understanding as the team works to meet expectations. But after over two months since, fans are growing increasingly impatient for an update.
At this time, international and English dub releases have not been formally announced by VIZ Media either. The prolonged silence leaves fans worldwide wondering if these highly-anticipated new episodes will ever see the light of day.
For now, the disappointed Naruto fandom has no choice but to continue playing the waiting game. The icon’s 20th birthday has come and gone without the gift of new animation they hoped for.
Where Can You View The ‘Naruto’ 20th Anniversary Special?
The Naruto 20th Anniversary Special is slated to premiere on Japanese TV Tokyo affiliates starting September 3rd. But international release details remain a mystery, with VIZ Media yet to announce where or when fans outside Japan can watch.
Given the lack of info, the best guess for a potential streaming release would be Crunchyroll. In recent years, Crunchyroll has become the central anime hub worldwide. So it would be a natural fit as the global home for these highly-anticipated new Naruto episodes.
However, Hulu is another feasible possibility. Hulu currently stands alone with Crunchyroll as the only service offering the full Naruto franchise – the original series, Shippuden, and Boruto. So they have a relationship with the property, perhaps giving them an edge in negotiations.
