



The diversity and complexity of the Narutoverse also make it easy for fans to see themselves in many of its characters. The story of a young Naruto bootstrapping his way to success is a story that appeals to a wide range of people and cultures. During their run, Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden grew to become international hits and beloved pillars of anime fandom. While the series generally followed the plot of Kishimoto's original manga, there were a number of anime-only Naruto story arcs. The follow-up series, Naruto: Shippuden, aired shortly after the original series ended in February 2007 and ran until March 2017.

The original anime adaptation, Hayato Date's Naruto premiered in October 2002, and ran for 220 episodes. Despite the fact that he was surrounded by classmates from powerful and influential ninja clans, and as a jinchuriki had one of the most fearful beasts in the ninja lore sealed inside him, Naruto develops into one of the best ninjas of his generation. Determined to one day serve as the Hokage or village leader, Naruto begins his studies at the village's local ninja academy. Naruto follows the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an orphan whose parents lived in the ninja enclave of Hidden Leaf Village.
