Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles X Naruto: An Epic Crossover You Can’t Miss

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles X Naruto: An Epic Crossover You Can’t Miss

The Crossover That No One Saw Coming

There is only one thing that could make the Hidden Leaf Village even better, and that is the presence of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Back in 1999, artist Masashi Kishimoto couldn’t have imagined how monumental Naruto would become, and certainly did not foresee the hero’s future team-up with our favorite heroes in a half shell. Recently, IDW Publishing and VIZ Media unveiled their special Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles X Naruto comic run. And here at ComicBook, we had the privilege to chat with writer Caleb Goellner about the unexpected and exciting crossover.

First Impressions and Involvement

When asked about his initial reaction to the crossover, Goellner shared, “I found out about the potential crossover after a few conversations with industry peers that pretty much came down to, ‘Hey, you’ve read all of Naruto, right?’ I had no idea what I was getting into when I answered ‘yeah,’ and I was extremely stoked to be asked to pitch on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles X Naruto. It’s a profoundly rad pairing.”

Writing Challenges and Inspirations

Discussing how he approached writing for Naruto, Goellner emphasized the importance of research. “I re-read a ton of the Naruto manga – not only the early team 7 adventures but also the Shippuden era. Early in the pitching stage, I wanted to figure out as many potential story scenarios as possible to give all of the project’s stakeholders flexibility.” He even re-watched several Naruto movies to ensure authenticity.

Integrating TMNT into the Naruto Universe

On the unique challenges of blending the two universes, Goellner explained, “Team 7 will actually be headed to a new version of the TMNT’s turf! We metaphorically (and literally) added a TMNT section to the world of Naruto for this story so we could make it feel as lived-in and authentic as possible.” Series artist Hendry Prasetya contributed stunning design work to bring the crossover to life.

Ichiraku’s Pizza Ramen?

When asked about any culinary crossovers, Goellner teased, “Are the TMNT bringing New York-style pizza to the Hidden Leaf? I feel like pizza ramen could be good! Stay tuned and stay hungry. All will be revealed by issue.”

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