Naruto Live-Action Stage Play to Return in 2022

Live Spectacle Naruto, the live-action set of stage plays that adapt Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto, is set to return in 2022 with a new entry.

The announcement was made during Jump Festa '22 and confirmation was later posted to Twitter. The play will cover the Pain's Assault and Five Kage Summit arcs of the manga. While many of the actors are reprising their roles for the newest installment of Live Spectacle Naruto, including Yui Itō as Sakura Haruno and Yūki Kimisawa as Kakashi Hatake, there have been several changes to the cast. Naruto will now be played by Masakai Nakao, Minato by Ryō Kitazono, Sai by Fūma Samaoto and Nagato by Yūki Tamaki.

The first entry in the Live Spectacle Naruto series of stage plays debuted in Japan in 2015, and the previous play, Naruto: Song of the Akatsuki (Naruto: Akatsuki no Shirabe), premiered in 2017 with a rerun launching in 2019. Details about the upcoming installment, including its official premiere date and title, will be revealed at a later date.

Of course, Live Spectacle Naruto isn't the only adaptation of Kishimoto's highly popular manga series. Most notably, the story of a young ninja who dreams of recognition and becoming the leader of his village was adapted by director Hayato Date and Studio Pierrot into an anime series in 2002. The manga has also spawned a wealth of spinoffs, light novels, video games, tie-in films, toys and even a collectible card game.

Naruto has also inspired a plethora of fan-made content. Recent examples include a portrait of Naruto that captures his entire journey from the village pariah to a beloved leader, and a popular fan theory that recontextualizes the world map and the meaning behind the Land of Waves arc.

Moreover, there are other official developments in the franchise, including Shueisha's plans to celebrate the series's 20th anniversary with a recap video and new logo at Jump Festa '22. Furthermore, Jewelry brand Mister SFC partnered with the anime/manga juggernaut to create a new line of accessories inspired by Naruto's iconic weaponry. The collection includes versions of Asuma's chakra blades, Zabuza's sword, Minato's and Zaku's kunai and the 1,000 Years of Death handsign. The various pieces are made from high-quality stainless steel and are available for purchase on Mister SFC's website.

The Naruto manga is published in North America and the United Kingdom by Viz Media, and the anime adaptation is available to stream on Funimation, Hulu, Netflix and Crunchyroll.

Source: Twitter, via Anime News Network