Moe AhmedOn September 30, students can combine their passion for anime, physical activity, and puzzle solving by participating in a Naruto Run across campus.
In this Amazing-Race-style event, participants will be required to sport the token Naruto Run across North Campus as clues lead them to solve puzzles and play games. Brain power, athleticism, and cooperation will all be tested as teams compete in a two-hour window for prizes.
Tickets can be purchased for $2 at the TELUS Centre’s main office. Each ticket includes a water bottle and a granola bar that will be provided at the event. The run is scheduled for 11 a.m. and participants will be meeting in a CCIS lecture hall that is to be determined. This event will be photographed, so make sure to proudly display that Naruto run.
Participants are encouraged to come dressed in any Naruto cosplay they own. The event volunteers will also be wearing classic Naruto headbands and Naruto-themed t-shirts.
The Student Health Committee, the Run for Support and Health club, the International Students Association, and the Bonsai Anime club are all collaborating to make this event as fun, inclusive, and accurate as possible. John Johnson, a fourth-year physiology student, is chief organizer of the Naruto run, the Student Health Committee’s president and an avid Naruto fan.
“(Naruto) was one of those shows that I would run to the TV to watch,” he said. “I was inspired to create this event because I’m really passionate about Naruto as well as collaborating with different students.”
While the role of certain groups is apparent, the involvement of the International Students’ Association is crucial in acknowledging the diversity of the Naruto fan base.
“With universal themes like friendship and betrayal, (Naruto) is a cross cultural phenomenon,” Johnson said. “That’s why it’s really important to get the international students involved.”
For those unfamiliar with Naruto, it’s a popular Japanese manga and anime that follows the adventures of a young ninja on his quest to become the leader of his village. One of Naruto’s most notable contributions to pop culture is his signature run.
To transform a normal run into a Naruto run, Johnson explains that “you pull both of your arms back behind you into a streamline shape.” Johnson even claims “there’s evidence that suggests it’s supposed to make you run faster.”
At this event, Johnson hopes students will have the chance to build friendships, navigate campus better, and re-kindle the child inside of them.
“This event feeds off people’s nostalgia,” Johnson said. “(Naruto) has been a large part of people’s lives and when they see an event like this it gives them a chance to reconnect with their childhood and appreciate Japanese culture.”
