Growth and Popularity

Naruto's growth in popularity outside of Japan was due, in part, to its availability on the Internet. Various translation groups distributed localized versions of both the anime and manga on a number of IRC channels and websites. (See scanlation and fansub for more information about these practices.)

The series' length and popularity has been compared to those of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball Z, another popular action-oriented shōnen series derived from manga. Though Kishimoto does cite Toriyama's Dragon Ball series as one of his inspirations, the two series differ significantly in their execution, themes explored and overall premise.

Fansites form an integral part of the Naruto community. Many of them provide detailed and extensive information on the series, from character biographies to chakra theory, in addition to the translated versions of the anime and manga. Several hundred thousand fans post on the forums offered by these sites daily, sharing both their enthusiasm and complaints about the series.

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