Naruto is one of the most popular and well known titles in modern anime, and it’s easy to see why. The series, which began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, has essentially set the standard for shonen (boys-targeted) manga comics as we know them today. Without the clumsy ninja’s coming-of-age story, it’s possible an entire generation of current anime fans wouldn’t have gotten into the genre in the first place.

Naruto follows the story of the title character, Naruto Uzumaki, throughout his adolescence as he faces countless trials in defense of his village, Konoha. Naruto is unique: he has a powerful demon, the Nine-Tailed Fox, sealed inside his own body. Because of this, he’s treated like an outcast throughout his childhood, but he overcomes that and many other trials to become a hero.

The story is split into two parts: Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden. The Shippuden chapters take place two and a half years after the conclusion of the first storyline, which saw Naruto leave his beloved village to train in preparation to face his rival, Sasuke. While Part 2 is not yet complete—the creator of the series, Masashi Kishimoto, has decided to end it in November 2014—it’s clear that the final showdown between these two powerhouse ninja will be a monumental moment for manga.

With almost 700 chapters of the manga, more than 200 anime episodes and 10 feature-length films, it’s difficult to avoid Naruto when it comes to anime. Its impact on the shonen genre will likely be a long-lasting legacy, and anime fans will be eager to see what Kishimoto does next.