Naruto Tops Global Charts as Most Popular Kids' TV Series, Except in the U.S.
A recent comprehensive study by Google has unveiled Naruto as the world's most popular children's TV series in over 83 countries, with a notable exception: the United States.
The iconic shonen anime Naruto first aired in October 2002 by Pierrot, and its enduring popularity has made it the number one children's show in over 83 countries, surpassing competitors like CoComelon and Teletubbies.
The study, conducted by The Toy Zone, a prominent toy review site, analyzed Google search volumes for a list of popular kids' shows, determining Naruto's overwhelming global popularity. However, the United States favors Cartoon Network's Adventure Time as its top children's show. CoComelon, the second most popular globally, only claims the top spot in 49 countries.
Naruto's popularity spans continents, with high viewership in countries such as Canada, Brazil, France, Algeria, Egypt, Chad, Israel, Mongolia, Indonesia, and South Korea.
Adapted from Masashi Kishimoto's manga, Naruto follows the journey of Naruto Uzumaki, an orphaned boy with dreams of becoming a powerful ninja and the Hokage (leader) of his village. Despite being shunned for being the host of the Nine-Tailed Fox, Naruto embarks on various missions with his friends Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha, under the guidance of Kakashi Hatake.
Interestingly, Naruto is the only anime franchise featured in The Toy Zone's analysis. In comparison, Toei Animation's Dragon Ball series reigns supreme in Ecuador, Bolivia, Libya, and Poland. Dragon Ball, created by Akira Toriyama, follows the adventures of Goku, an alien warrior seeking strength through battles against Earth's threats.
While the original Naruto series concluded in 2017, its sequel, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, continues the saga. Both the Naruto and Boruto manga are available in English from VIZ Media, with the anime adaptations available for streaming on Hulu and Crunchyroll.
 | NARUTO |
| Naruto Uzumaki, a mischievous adolescent ninja, struggles as he searches for recognition and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the village's leader and strongest ninja. | |
| September 10, 2002 | |
| Junko Takeuchi , Maile Flanagan , Kate Higgins | |
| Masashi Kishimoto | |
| Pierrot, Staralis Film Company | |
| 220 |
