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For the most direct route through Masashi Kishimoto’s complete original story, start with manga chapter 1 and read through chapter 700. Choose the anime instead if you prefer color, voice performances, music, and animated action—and are comfortable with adaptation choices and anime-original material. The manga concluded in 2014; the anime adaptation began broadcasting in 2002. The official Naruto site identifies Kishimoto as the manga’s creator and records its serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump.
How the manga and anime differ
The manga is the original story
The manga is Kishimoto’s original work. The anime adapts it, so the two formats should not be treated as identical retellings beat for beat: an adaptation can add or rearrange material. The available sources do not establish a complete, authoritative episode-to-chapter map, so a precise one-to-one comparison is not supported here.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Naruto Box Set 1: Volumes 1-27 with Premium | $138.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Naruto Box Set 3: Volumes 49-72 with Premium | $137.09 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Naruto Box Set 2: Volumes 28-48 with Premium | $131.24 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Naruto 3-in-1 Omnibus Complete Collection (24 Books) Manga Series Set, by Masashi Kishimoto (24... | $329.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Naruto, Vol. 1: Uzumaki Naruto | $9.59 | Buy on Amazon |
The anime adds performance and visual motion
Animation brings voice acting, music, color, timing, and movement to scenes that readers encounter as drawn panels. Kishimoto has described manga and animation as different production processes, noting that animators must consider lenses and angles as well as drawing a different amount of material. His comments on the official Naruto site make clear that these are distinct forms of visual storytelling, not simply the same experience in different packaging.
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Some English wording differs
One notable example is Naruto’s anime-dub catchphrase “Believe it!” It does not appear in the English manga. Alexis Kirsch, then VIZ Media editor-in-chief of Weekly Shonen Jump’s English version, explained: “Actually, ‘Believe it!’ is a translation used in the anime, but it doesn’t appear in the manga version at all.” The official Naruto site’s localization interview identifies VIZ as the American publisher responsible for the English edition’s translation and publication.
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- Naruto box set 1: volumes 1-27 with premium (naruto box sets)
- brand: VIZ Media LLC
- manufacturer: Viz LLC
Which should you choose?
| Choose | Best fit if you want | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Manga | The original work, a reading-led experience, and a direct path through all 700 chapters. | You supply the voices, music, color, and pacing in your imagination. |
| Anime | Voice performances, music, color, and animated action. | It is an adaptation, and anime-original material may be part of the viewing experience. |
There is no need to watch and read both to understand the core story. If you enjoy the manga’s pace but want to see particular scenes performed, you can sample the anime afterward; if you begin with the show and later want the original version, start the manga at chapter 1 rather than assuming episode numbers map neatly to chapters.
Where to start with the manga
- Begin with chapter 1. This starts Kishimoto’s original story from its opening.
- Continue through chapter 700. The official site identifies 700 chapters as the manga’s conclusion in 2014.
The official Naruto site reports more than 250 million print copies sold globally; the consulted page does not state the date for that figure. For the English edition, VIZ is identified as the American publisher in the official localization interview. Check the specific edition and availability with the seller before choosing volumes or a box set.
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Where to start with the anime—and how to handle filler
- Start with Naruto episode 1.
- Continue with Naruto Shippuden.
- If you want to skip anime-original episodes, consult a current episode guide. One practical guide is Anime Filler List’s Naruto episode guide.
“Filler” is a guide classification, not an official franchise ruling about canon. Episode guides can help viewers avoid material that does not advance the main plot, but the label does not mean an episode has no value: the cited guide notes that anime-original episodes can add character material. The available sources do not settle every disputed canon boundary or provide a definitive episode-to-chapter map.
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Quick Recap
Best Value
- Viz Media
- The world’s most popular ninja comic
- Naruto is a young shinobi with an incorrigible knack for mischief.
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Quick decision
- Want the original story and a straightforward completion path? Read chapters 1–700.
- Want scenes performed with voices, music, and motion? Begin with the anime’s first episode, then move on to Naruto Shippuden.
- Want the anime but less anime-original material? Use an episode guide as a navigation aid, while treating its filler labels as editorial guidance rather than an official canon verdict.
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