Despite being originally released in 2004, the first Naruto movie — Naruto the Movie : Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow — has not been easily available for fans in many countries outside of Japan. While anime movies have been released abroad in an increasing number of markets every year, that often leaves older movies, or series with a longer list of titles, completely behind and obsolete.

However, thanks to a recent deal between Reliance Entertainment, Happening 365 and TV Tokyo, anime fans in the Indian market will now get to see more anime movies in theaters, both old and newer ones alike. Via Variety, Reliance Entertainment has struck a deal to begin a large-scale roll-out of the Naruto series movies, beginning with the franchise’s debut feature film, Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow, targeting a June release. Following this, the new partnership aims to bring the long list of beloved Naruto movies to Indian theaters, all in multiple languages, including Hindi, English and Japanese, marking “an exciting milestone…to elevate the Naruto experience and continue to build its legacy as a global anime sensation, while ensuring fans in India enjoy the movies in their preferred language.”

Naruto’s First Anime Movie Finally Gets Nationwide Theatrical Release in India

TV Tokyo is optimistic about the deal, seeing the chance to officially expand the Naruto franchise into new territories as a new opportunity for major growth. Hiroaki Saiki, the head of Global Distribution at TV Tokyo, has said that it aims to make the theatrical releases as accessible as possible to viewers, thus the decision to launch the movies in multiple languages, stating, “This theatrical release will not only cater to Naruto enthusiasts but also introduce the franchise to a new generation of anime fans.” For many long-time anime fans, it may be difficult to imagine that Naruto now began airing over 20 years ago, making it more likely that those newer to the medium may be only or more familiar with the franchise through the follow-up series Boruto — which is itself already eight years old, having began airing in 2017.

As a whole, anime’s growth has also been felt internationally as audiences across the globe have increasingly embraced watching the medium for entertainment. The head of international businesses and syndication at Reliance Entertainment, Dhruv Sinha, said, “Naruto has been a cultural phenomenon across the world and India has witnessed a remarkable surge in its anime fan base over the years. We are thrilled to bring this iconic franchise to Indian cinemas, giving fans the opportunity to experience it on the big screen.”

It is currently unknown whether Reliance Entertainment and Happening 365 are stopping at Naruto or aiming to bring more anime to the Indian market. However, they have said they plan to announce further details on the release schedule of the movies and other brand partnerships in the coming months, hinting at more to come. Reliance Entertainment has produced and distributed a massive number of movies over the years, amassing nearly 30 Indian National Film Awards, and has previously partnered with many large entertainment companies, including DreamWorks and Disney.

International anime fans have a lot to look forward to if large distribution companies like Reliance Entertainment continue to view the expanding anime market as a potential step toward a more global outlook, and seeing more anime movies being brought to theaters worldwide could become more common in the future.

For Naruto fans in the U.S., Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow is available for streaming on Netflix, while the main series can be found on Netflix and Crunchyroll.

Source: Variety