NarutoandOne Pieceare two of the most influential mangas of all time, gaining international popularity, dominating manga sales charts, and being part of the Shōnen’s big three alongsideBleach. Because of this, it’s only natural that both series often face each other when ranking the best series from Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine. Accordingly,a recent poll revealed Japan’s top pick among the movies based on WSJ’s mangas, withNarutoovertakingOne Piecedespite the latter having a longer run and more films released.
One Piece’s success translated well to the big screen, receiving a boost in storytelling and animation quality after the film Strong World and later releasing iconic movies likeZ,Gold, orStampede. But even though its latest movie,One Piece Film: Red, has risen to become one of thehighest-grossing anime films of all time, it has beensurpassed by the most unexpected and controversial film inNaruto’s franchise.
The Last: Naruto the MovieSurpassedOne Piece Film: Redas Shōnen Jump’s Greatest Movie
The Perception ofNaruto’s Last Film BeforeBorutoChanged Over Time
The biggest ranking site in Japan, Goo Ranking, has recently published alist of the best Jump anime moviesthat have been released in the last 25 years, withthe title of the greatest film beingThe Last: Naruto the Movie, followed byOne Piece Film: RedandThe First Slam Dunk. While rankings are based on votes and are subjective, the fact thatThe Lasthas toppled the other options proves the incredible reception of the film despite the initial criticism received after its release.
The initial backlash ofThe Lastwas due to the controversy surroundingthe couples inNaruto, as the film was seen as a way to develop the romance between Naruto and Hinata and what happened before they got married at the end of the manga. Also, the introduction of the Tenseigan, more revelations about the lore of the Otsutsukis, its main villain, Toneri, and the lack of screen time for other main characters, sparked some hateful criticism.
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However, the movie later gained recognition as it serves to connect the story toBoruto, where the Otsutsukis have a relevant role, and it was seen as a sweet love story and the last glimpse ofNaruto’s characters before growing up and giving the spotlight to the next generation. This explains whyThe Lasthas won the hearts of many fans over time, who place the film higher than others inNaruto’s franchise, likeBlood Prison,Road to Ninja, or evenBoruto.
Shōnen Jump’s Greatest Movies Ranking ProvesNaruto’s Legacy
NarutoContinues To Compete With the New Generation Shōnens
The fact thatThe Last,which was released more than 10 years ago, has claimed the top spot in a Shōnen Jump ranking, surpassing the highest-grossing anime film of all time,Demon Slayer: The Movie: Mugen Train, and acclaimed movies likeDragon Ball Super: Super HeroandHaikyu!! The dumpster battleproves howNaruto’s story stood the test of time and how audience opinion continues to evolve and redefine over time.
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With the sequel of Masashi Kishimoto’s story getting strong, asBoruto: Two Blue Vortexhas become one of the best new-generation mangas and theupcoming remake ofNarutoto commemorate its 20th anniversary, the popularity of the films and the franchise could rise even further and continue to influence the anime medium.
Source:Goo Ranking.
Naruto
Naruto is a franchise spawned from the manga series penned by Masashi Kishimoto that began in 1999. Generating several tv series, games, movies, and more, Naruto follows the exploits of a young outcast ninja harboring the spirit of a demon fox who seeks to become the Hokage, the leader of his ninja village, to break the stigma against him. Upon the conclusion of the initial series, Naruto expanded into Boruto, following many series protagonists' children and returning faces.
