Jump Festa 2023 Brings Exciting News for Naruto and Boruto Fans

Jump Festa 2023 marked the beginning of a new year of exciting initiatives for fans of the popular anime franchises Naruto and Boruto. The first day of the convention featured a panel with three of the iconic Japanese voice actors from the series, Junko Takeuchi, Noriaki Sugiyama, and Yuko Sanpei, who shared the latest news about the beloved franchises.

One of the major announcements was the launch of a new popularity contest for Naruto, called "NARUTOP99," which will allow fans from around the world to vote for their favorite character from a roster of over 400 options. The contest will be held on the official Naruto website and will run until January 31, 2023, with fans able to cast one vote per day. The winning character will be featured in a new manga drawn by creator Masashi Kishimoto, although no further details about the manga have been released at this time.

In addition to the popularity contest, it was also announced that a Naruto musical, titled "Naruto the Live," will be coming in 2023. The musical will feature a variety of groups and artists who have performed songs from the anime, offering fans the opportunity to see their favorite characters come to life on stage.

Turning to Boruto, it was announced that the popular light novel and manga series "Sasuke's Story" will be adapted into the anime starting in January 2023. This news had actually been leaked a few days before Jump Festa, but it was still met with excitement from fans. Additionally, the current Attack of Code Arc from the Boruto manga will begin in the anime in February 2023, finally allowing the anime to catch up with the manga after a string of filler episodes.

While some fans were disappointed that there was no announcement of a Naruto remake for the anime's 20th anniversary, there are still plenty of exciting projects in the works for both Naruto and Boruto in the coming year. From the NARUTOP99 popularity contest to the "Naruto the Live" musical and the adaptations of "Sasuke's Story" and the Attack of Code Arc, there is plenty for fans to look forward to in 2023.