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What is in a story about an orphan boy who dreamed of becoming Hokage that captured the hearts of millions of fans? The series has become a pop-culture juggernaut that has spawned numerous movies, spin-offs, and even video games. Naruto contributed to the internet’s meme culture; do you still remember the Naruto run in Area 51?
The franchise has been selling posters, merchandise, action figures, and many others,, but it is not always enough for fans like me. Sometimes, we think that our favorite characters do not have enough spotlight in the series (sorry, Tenten fans), your famous ship is sinking (sorry, NaruSaku fans), or you come up with a ‘what-if’ scenario.
Enter fanarts. The Naruto fanbase has blessed us with millions of these uploaded into the internet for all of us to gush on. Literally, in every Naruto-related scenario that you can think of, chances are there is already a fanart for that. Wondering what Naruto looks like with a Sharingan?
There is a fanart for that. Gaara building a sandcastle on the beach? There is a fanart for that. Everything and everyone in Naruto has a fanart- it amazed me. In this blog, I’m going to show you my opinion on the best Naruto fanarts that I found on the internet. You may not agree with some of it, but as they always say: beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
Bottom Line Up Front
Fanarts are self-explanatory; basically, these are art that is made by fans of the series. Fanart comes in all shapes and sizes since there is really no rigid standard that artists have to follow. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to do fanart because it is just how creative fans express their love for their series.
A quick reminder before I am going to show you my list; artists are underappreciated. Fanarts may not be sellable due to copyright reasons, but you still need to give credit to the artists. Artists thrive on recognition because that is one way to expose them to the general public.
If you want to support your favorite artist, please make sure to share their artwork and credit them. It hurts to see artists complaining that their work is stolen because they made it with sweat and tears. Remember, without artists, the world is dull.
My Top Fanarts
Without any further ado, here is some cool fanart that I manage to dig on the internet. Before you are going to sharpen your pitchfork and start a witch-hunt, please remember that art is subjective.
Appreciating art is not always about what you see but how you feel when you look at the art (Don’t quote me on that, I’m not an art student!). But don’t worry! I have my own criteria for choosing my top favorites and is usually based on the following:
Emotional Impact
I am a very sentimental person. Some fanart simply evokes a feeling of nostalgia during my younger years. That’s why I often choose fanart that takes me back to the good old days. Naruto is among the list of my childhood favorites. So, I’m always keen on looking at different fanart that evokes such happy and wistful emotions.
Style
Realistic? 3D? Surrealist? Chibi? Whatever it may be, I select the best fanart according to my style preferences. Every art style conveys different messages and moods. I greatly appreciate any attempts to enhance some aspects of already great characters.
Wish Fulfillment
Some fanart is a part of my top 10 simply because they gave me what I wanted from them. The whole series made unpredictable twists and turns that sometimes, I wish things happened differently. With fanart, I get to relive and look at an alternative picture of my favorite characters.
#01 Happy Birthday!
After over a decade of reading thousands of fanfictions, binging cringey 2000s NaruHina AMVs, and participating in flame wars with NaruSaku fans (no hate, love you all). We made it. NaruHina is canon. I am so glad that my favorite character finally got her man at the end.
I still remember that I screamed when I learned that it was an endgame, and I screamed harder when I learned that they have two kids.
The reason why I chose Happy Birthday! By Pixiv artist, Angel. This is one of the best because it pretty much encapsulates what we like to see after the ending of Shippuden. We wanted to see Naruto having a family already and Hinata getting the man of her dreams. This innocent portrait swells my heart due to the sheer amount of wholesomeness. Not to mention just how adorable Himawari is in the picture.
There is plenty of NaruHina family fanart! Why this? That’s because the art style looks like it was straight out from Studio Pierrot. I thought it was a promotional picture for Naruto: The Last when I first saw it. This piece of art deserves to be included in the final chapter and, quite frankly, as the manga’s final panel.
No hate for Chapter 700, though; it is understandable how difficult it is for the author to wrap up a decade-long story into one chapter. With a massive fanbase, I think it is impossible to please everyone. You can see more of Angel’s works on Pixiv.
#02 Young and Adult Team 7 Get-together
I encountered this fanart, and I need to include it on my list because it is so wholesome. Made by Pixiv artist named “もん” depicts the younger versions of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura interacting with their adult selves. I recommend listening to Zetsu Zetsu while viewing the art for maximum impact.
So much has changed during the story of the boy that painted the Hokage faces that became a man that many adored. I always wonder what their reactions will be to their Part 1 version when they see their Epilogue counterparts.
This fanart delivers my wish-fulfillment beautifully, and it even overloaded my nostalgia meter. It is such a sweet tribute to our decade-long journey with Team 7.
I chose this fanart because it pretty much captures the characterization of the old and new versions of our characters. I could actually imagine the conversations. I’m pretty sure that old Naruto is telling his younger one that he is now a Hokage, Old Sakura is probably hinting that her younger version’s crush (aka Sasuke) is now her husband, and Old Sasuke simply ruffled his younger version’s hair rather than answering anything about Itachi.
Heck, there is probably a fanfiction out there on the internet that is based on this fanart. You can see more of もん’s work on Pixiv.
#03 The Seven Hokages
Throughout the majority of the show, Naruto has always been the underdog. There are plenty of shinobis who are much stronger than Naruto and deserve the fame or dread of many. That is why it is so satisfying to see our boy standing together with the people that he once idolized. That is why it is so good that he became one of the legends.
How do you make the Hokages even more legendary? By making a stylized Japanese artwork with them wearing actual ninja outfits. This fanart is literally my background on my laptop for almost a full year after I read the ending of the manga.
It is unique because how many Naruto fanart did you see them wearing actual ninja outfits? It is not surprising that this fanart is part of my Top 10.
You can see more of the artist’s style on Pixiv.
#04 Best Konoha High AU Fanart
I remember how the fans basically exploded when the song ‘To You All’ by Mishi became the second ending for Naruto: Shippuden. The ending depicts Naruto and the rest of Konoha as ordinary Highschool students in Konoha High.
Pixiv artist 味醂 made an awesome fanart about Naruto, Choji, Kiba, and Shikamaru as high school delinquents. With a bold font and red background, this art piece looks like a promotional poster or magazine cover for the nonexistent series. The artist also made numerous art pieces of other anime characters with the same type of visual style. It is not surprising that this will become one of my Top 10.
I and many others genuinely believed that there would be an upcoming spin-off series or movie. Sadly, there is no Konoha High AU in sight, so we just consume fanarts and fanfictions to fill the hole in our hearts. I could not believe that they managed to make a ton of fillers, but not a single one about this one. At least we have Rock Lee Spring Time of Youth *sigh*.
Thank you, 味醂, for making me a fan again for the Highschool AU. I am now beginning to relieve those times when I binge Konoha Highschool AU fanfics while at the same time hate my own Highschool. Maybe someday it will happen; believe it.
You can find the artist’s other work on Pixiv.
#05 Lonely Naruto on the Beach
Naruto’s childhood was bad. The villagers feared and hated him, and he didn’t know why until Mizuki told him the truth. The artist, 中村ユミ, manages to depict Naruto’s childhood loneliness and solemn happiness with this poignant art piece.
The wide-open sea in the background dwarfing the young Naruto really made you sad about Naruto and his alienation within the village. If you look closer, you can see a slight smile on Naruto’s face, which shows his optimism, that there is still hope that things will change. There is plenty of art that shows Naruto’s loneliness, but this one captured it the most; that is why it is part of my Top 10.
We all know Naruto as a loud and energetic ninja who had plenty of friends throughout the series. We saw him as the War Hero of the 4th Shinobi World War, the Seventh Hokage, and Boruto’s dad. However, we need to be reminded about how all of this began in the first place.
If you want to see more of 中村ユミ’s work, you can check it on Pixiv.
#06 Obito’s Birthday
Obito is, no doubt, one of the best villains in Naruto (sorry, Madara fans). He is menacing yet tragic and also deserves sympathy from the audience. If we look at his backstory, we can see that Obito was just like Naruto; goofy and loud but did not want to leave behind his comrades. For a long time, Obito’s ‘death’ has a profound effect on Kakashi.
Obito died sacrificing his life in order to protect team 7; he died a hero. Artist named じゃんぷ honored Obito with a wholesome fanart. It depicts the old and current Team 7 greeting Obito a happy birthday and welcoming him with open arms after everything that he has done.
Regardless if Obito deserves it or not, it would be impossible not to feel something when watching the fanart. The expressions of the characters and the lighting give a hopeful vibe to it. 10/10 for hope vibes.
You can see more of the artists’ work on Pixiv.
#07 A Day in Konoha
I found this fanart made by huimuuu. And I really love it. There is something about the water-color style, the open sky, and Team 7 just lounging around that made it look very nostalgic. The style of the art made you feel that this picture came from a bygone day and that a lot of change happened after – and it is true.
There is a sense of timelessness that it feels like it will stay like this forever. Then there is also the sense of a bygone era, the feeling of loss because you know that things will not stay the same. It really captures the atmosphere of Part 1, Konoha, before Sasuke’s defection. That is why I consider it as one of my top 10.
When we watched Naruto, we never expected World Wars, literal Gods, and Reincarnation because we all thought it was about a boy who wanted to become a Hokage. It is not necessarily bad, but it made me wish to go back to a time when I had nothing to worry about but missing more Naruto episodes.
You can find more of the artist’s other work on Twitter.
#08 Jiraiya CGI Art
Jiraiya is one of the most beloved characters in Naruto. I vividly remembered how I enjoyed watching Jiraiya and Naruto’s antics and banter.
However, we sometimes forget that Jiraiya is one of the legendary Sannin. He manages to fight all the Six Paths, and even Itachi flees the battle because he doesn’t want to gamble his chances. Jiraiya’s death has a profound effect on Naruto and sets the stage for the next arc.
I manage to find a fanart that pretty much captures Jiraiya’s strength, and it is giving me the ‘never-mess-with-me’ vibes. The rain and the dark mood made Jiraiya’s final scene look straight from an action movie. The only thing missing is some epic soundtrack to complete the badassery.
The fanart was made by orest442 on Deviant Art.
#09 Epic Tiktok Naruto Fanart
Aside from Pixiv and Deviantart, Tiktok is also another good source for great Naruto fanarts. Artist named m777666 was trending back in 2020 due to his extremely detailed fanart. The artist’s TikTok video has garnered almost 2.5 million viewers, and there is a good reason.
The video manages to give us a portrait of Naruto Uzumaki, but when you zoom in, you will discover that it is made up of numerous characters and weapons that appear throughout the franchise. I was so amazed by the art, and I believe that the artist deserves more than 2.5 million.
For those who could not see the video, it is a collage of numerous Naruto Characters which form a portrait of Naruto if you zoom out. An incredible masterpiece, probably the best of the best.
You can view more of m777666’s work on Tiktok.
#10 Tobirama Senju
Tobirama Senju is my favorite Hokage (sorry, Naruto) simply because of his design and his Water-style jutsus. When his true personality was revealed during the 4th Shinobi World War, I began to like him even more. Pragmatic, Serious, and Intelligent, this man has it all.
That is why Wo Qoo’s fanart is great. Not only that is has a realistic style, but it also still shows Tobirama’s character. The background shows the chaos of the Warring States Era and the eternal rivalry of the Uchihas and the Uzumakis. You can see more of Woo Qoo on Art Station.
FAQs
Question: Can we sell Fanart?
Answer: Unfortunately, you are not allowed to sell fanart because it’s a violation of numerous copyright and trademark laws. Basically, it’s illegal to sell or not ask permission for its usage. It makes sense because it would deprive the original mangaka of their much-needed Royalties.
However, in the USA and other countries, there is the concept of the Fair Use Doctrine wherein artists can use copyrighted material to show off their skills and for exposure but not for profit.
Question: How do we support artists?
Answer: You can wholeheartedly support your favorite artist by giving credit to the artist if you are sharing or using their fanart. It is also better to ask permission from the artist if ever you are planning to use it as well.
Question: Where can we find more Naruto-related fanart?
Answer: There are numerous websites that host Naruto-related fan arts. There are two websites that I can guarantee to have loads of it; Pixiv and Deviant Art.
Best Naruto Fan Art: Conclusion
Making fanart is one way to express your love for a character or series. Contrary to others, I believe that fanart is not harmful as long as you don’t claim the subject it depicts as your own or you don’t intend to sell it. They are made with love and effort; therefore, they should be appreciated by other people.
If you want to appreciate your favorite artists, you can support them by sharing their artwork, but you must credit them. Remember, exposure is one way to make an artist successful, and by not crediting them, you deny the exposure and adoration that they deserve.