Studio Pierrot adds another Naruto animation to the franchise, bringing back multiple iconic Naruto Shippuden designs to commemorate the series. Part of the reason why Naruto became a worldwide phenomenon is its anime adaptation, which although controversially inconsistent, produced some of the most visually striking action sequences in shōnen anime. Combat scenes such as Naruto and Sasuke’s climactic battle at the Final Valley in Naruto Shippuden and the original Naruto‘s Rock Lee vs Gara match are still regarded as some of the best animated moments in the franchise.
Specifically in Naruto Shippuden, battles such as Naruto versus Pain, Kakashi versus Obito, Madara’s arrival on the Fourth Great Ninja War battlefield, Might Guy opening the Eighth Gate against Madara, Sasuke versus Itachi, and Team 7’s coordinated assault against Kaguya combine multiple arcs’ worth of emotional payoff with some of Studio Pierrot’s most ambitious animation work. Kakashi and Obito’s duel is one of the franchise’s finest achievements thanks to its seamless interplay between hand-to-hand combat and flashbacks, while the Naruto versus Pain fight remains memorable due to its exaggerated squash-and-stretch Sakuga animation.
Almost a full decade after Naruto Shippuden concluded, the original studio revisits its timeline for a short celebrating the series in collaboration with a massive video game franchise.
Studio Pierrot Revisits Naruto Shippuden With A New Anime Short
Naruto x PUBG Mobline Celebrates Shippuden
PUBG Mobile‘s official collaboration with Naruto, which launches with update 4.5 on July 9, celebrates the clash between franchises with a short trailer created by original Naruto animation studio, Studio Pierrot. The trailer features Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi fighting with Jiraiya, Tsunade, and PUBG‘s emblematic helmeted “Unknown” character, as well as Sasuke enhanced by Susanoo, which awakens Naruto’s Kurama at the end of the trailer. The short also teases iconic locations such as the Final Valley and the Hidden Leaf Village’s vast forests.
Studio Pierrot’s trailer for PUBG Mobile‘s Naruto collaboration is impressively detailed, with high contrast, vibrant colors, and 3D effects that surpass most of the original series’ regular animation. Seeing Naruto Shippuden‘s main cast reunite for a brief battle is definitely a treat for fans and a reminder that Naruto can still continue indefinitely beyond Boruto. Besides, the barrage of combat moves, powers, and iconic locations from the anime in this art style bears a certain resemblance to the numerous Naruto video games that have expanded the franchise to the interactive medium.
Naruto Shippuden’s Style Will Always Be Iconic
Naruto’s Shippuden Era Holds A Special Place In The Franchise
The original Naruto established the anime’s definitive visual identity with a close adaptation of Masashi Kishimoto’s manga artwork, with bold outlines, expressive facial designs, textured backgrounds, and famously earthy color palettes. The heavier linework, slightly rougher proportions, and emphasis on hand-drawn detail gave the original series an almost rustic atmosphere that perfectly complemented its focus on young ninjas growing through hardship. Naruto Shippuden visibly refined the art and animation style with the introduction of cleaner digital coloring, sharper compositing, more elaborate visual effects, and significantly higher peaks of animation quality during major story arcs.
Although every series has suffered from inconsistent animation quality, many of Naruto‘s most technically impressive action sequences belong to Shippuden, which brought the overall aesthetic toward brighter colors and smoother digital finishes. Boruto continued down this path by embracing an even brighter palette, softer lighting, simplified facial structures, and modern digital production techniques. Although this approach often produces polished and accessible visuals, it also creates a cleaner, more contemporary appearance that lacks the rugged charm and visual personality of its predecessors. The original Naruto most accurately captures Kishimoto’s world, but Shippuden follows closely with its spectacular action scenes.
Which Naruto character are you playing in PUBG Mobile‘s crossover update?
- Cast
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Junko Takeuchi, Maile Flanagan, Noriaki Sugiyama, Chie Nakamura, Kazuhiko Inoue, Nana Mizuki, Hideo Ishikawa, Yûko Sanpei
- Video Game(s)
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Naruto: Clash Of Ninja Revolution 3, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja (2003), Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4, Naruto: Rise Of A Ninja, Naruto: The Broken Bond, Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker, Naruto Shippuden Dragon Blade Chronicles, Naruto: Path Of The Ninja, Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections
- Latest Film
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Boruto: Naruto the Movie
