Why Censorship Was Never an Issue for the Naruto Anime, Explained

Naruto remains one of the greatest anime series of all time, even though it has ended. It holds a special place in the hearts of many anime fans as it was often their first introduction to the genre. This speaks to the incredible artistry of Masashi Kishimoto in creating a timeless masterpiece.

It came as a surprise to many fans that the series did not stay faithful to its source material, the manga. The anime had to heavily censor certain content in order to cater to the sensibilities of its fanbase, particularly those who had grown up watching the series, which made up the majority of the anime fandom.

Despite ongoing debates among fans, there is a belief that the anime could have been improved had Studio Pierrot remained faithful to the manga. However, it is possible that in doing so, the series would not have gained its current level of popularity and may have even faced cancellation before reaching its peak.

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

Exploring the Impact of Censorship on the Popularity of Naruto Anime

Naruto as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The serialization of Naruto, a Shounen manga series, began on September 21, 1999. Its growing popularity led to an anime adaptation by Studio Pierrot, making the Naruto anime a reality. This adaptation was split into two parts, with the first being titled Naruto and the second being called Naruto Shippuden.

The initial Naruto anime premiered on October 3, 2002, and ended on February 8, 2007, after covering the first 27 volumes in 220 episodes. The sequel, Naruto Shippuden, began on February 15, 2007, and concluded on March 23, 2017, totaling 500 episodes and marking the conclusion of the manga series.

Despite the anime’s popularity during its broadcast, it was also responsible for correcting any discrepancies in the manga series. This is evident to fans when comparing certain scenes between the anime and manga.

Upon discovering Orochimaru’s experiments, Jiraiya, accompanied by a group of Hidden Leaf Ninja, decided to investigate the former’s hideout in order to uncover the nature of his research.

Upon arriving, they were greeted with the sight of corpses fastened to the walls as Orochimaru conducted a dissection on a human subject. The anime version, on the other hand, chose to omit these graphic scenes and only depicted Orochimaru’s presence in the center of the room.

During the initial gathering of Team 7, their instructor Kakashi Hatake tasked Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke with obtaining a pair of bells from him before a specific deadline.

As the test progressed, the group separated. While exploring, Sakura came across a seemingly mortally wounded Sasuke, only to realize it was a mere illusion crafted by Kakashi.

The manga depicted graphic scenes of Sasuke with inverted lower limbs and shuriken piercing his body. However, the anime opted for a more toned-down approach and only portrayed Sasuke with significant injuries.

Kimimaro using his Kekkai Genkai (Image via Shueisha & Studio Pierrot)

Moreover, in the battle between Rock Lee and Kimimaro, the latter was forced to employ his Kekkai Genkai in order to evade the Hidden Leaf Village shinobi and protect Sasuke, which serves as another illustration to aid fans in comprehending the situation.

The manga clearly depicted the inner workings of Kimimaro’s body as he removed one of his bones. As anticipated, the anime chose to censor this and added extra layers of skin whenever he utilized his Kekkai Genkai.

As the Naruto anime had a large fan base during its airing, many viewers were left wondering why Studio Pierrot made this decision. Most of the fans who enjoyed the series during their childhood were young children, making up the majority of its fandom. Therefore, for those seeing it for the first time, their initial question would be why Studio Pierrot chose to do this.

Despite the potential decline in popularity due to the explicit details of the manga series, the decision to censor the Naruto anime allowed for a wider audience to enjoy it without controversy. The inclusion of censorship was never a problem and instead made the series more enjoyable for all.

Concluding Remarks

Hinata as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

While the Naruto anime closely examined the violent aspects of the manga, it also included filler episodes. However, these fillers presented a potential issue due to their depiction of sensitive content, particularly in the scenes where Naruto’s group visits the hot springs, which may not be suitable for young viewers.

Despite the limited number of these incidents, it can be argued that they were not significant enough to be a major concern. For those who wish to experience the true Naruto story, the official manga series is readily accessible on Amazon or at your local bookstore, providing a distinct and unique experience compared to the Naruto anime.