Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto on Friday brought the worlds of ninjas and dragons in one frame as a nod to the upcoming Japanese theatrical release of How to Train Your Dragon live-action movie.
The Japanese branch of Universal Studios shared the artwork on X, calling it a “dream collaboration of two globally popular works”.
The artwork captures Hiccup and Toothless soaring through cottony clouds, as the young Viking clasps hands with Naruto, perched atop his summon toad Gamakichi. With Toothless spreading his wings and Gamakichi leaping midair, their human companions radiate unbound joy.
Fans could not keep calm following the unexpected collab. While several Naruto lovers called it “epic”, others were left wondering what Hiccup’s chakra nature will be like.
“Naruto does the strangest collabs. But I’ll never complain about peak,” one of them wrote. “HTTYD AND NARUTO??? PEAK AND PEAK?!” another commented.
A One Piece fan, however, said that the collaboration would have been better if Luffy shared screen space with Hiccup in the picture. “Nooo this should’ve been with Luffy,” they tweeted.
The live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon movie is set to release in Japan on September 5.
“The animated How to Train Your Dragon is so entertaining that even cartoonists think of it as a masterpiece. Even as a live-action, it will be just as entertaining! I bet flying on the back of a live-action dragon feels just as exhilarating,” Kishimoto said in a statement released on the official website of Naruto.
Based on DreamWorks Animation’s film How to Train Your Dragon, released in 2010, the live-action adaptation hit theatres in India on June 13.
The manga for Naruto by Kishimoto began in 1999 and ran until 2014 for a total of 72 volumes. The original anime adaptation of Naruto aired from 2002 to 2007, with Naruto Shippuden airing from 2007 to 2017.