Here’s another Western live-action movie x Japanese IP collaboration visual: ahead of the How To Train Your Dragon live-action film adaptation’s September 5 JST release in Japan, a visual that sees Hiccup and Toothless soaring with Naruto and Gamabunta has been released.
The visual was drawn by Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto.
How to Train Your Dragon began in 2010 as an animated adaptation of a book series by Cressida Cowell. There have been three main animated movies produced by DreamWorks Animation. The live-action movie’s synopsis reads:
On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The Black Phone, For All Mankind) stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role from the animated franchise), Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.
With the fierce and ambitious Astrid (BAFTA nominee Nico Parker; Dumbo, The Last of Us) and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber (Nick Frost; Snow White and the Huntsman, Shaun of the Dead) by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding.
As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their worlds and redefining what it means to be a hero and a leader.
The Naruto manga was serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump from 1999 to 2014 and collected into 72 tankobon volumes. It inspired the 2002 to 2007 Naruto anime series, which was followed by the 2007 to 2017 direct sequel Naruto: Shippuden (there are also anime movies, games, side stories, etc.). Viz Media describes the first Naruto volume as:
Twelve years ago the Village Hidden in the Leaves was attacked by a fearsome threat. A nine-tailed fox spirit claimed the life of the village leader, the Hokage, and many others. Today, the village is at peace and a troublemaking kid named Naruto is struggling to graduate from Ninja Academy. His goal may be to become the next Hokage, but his true destiny will be much more complicated. The adventure begins now!
A Naruto 20th anniversary anime was supposed to begin airing in Japan in September 2023, with broadcasts on Sundays for four consecutive weeks. It received a delay to “improve the quality” of the production and has been missing since.
Meanwhile, the TV anime adaptation of the Boruto manga sequel has a “Part 2” in the works.
Source: Naruto website
