As one of the big three in the anime industry, Naruto, as a franchise, is more recognizable and part of the popular culture than One Piece and Bleach. The success of Naruto anime (although the less said about its sequel, Boruto, the better) and Naruto‘s more simplistic character made the series resonate more with a younger audience than One Piece. Naruto appears to be cooler and more mainstream than One Piece.
Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto, the story of a young ninja determined to become the world’s greatest ninja, ended its run as one of the world’s bestselling manga, with 72 volumes (some of which made general bestseller lists) and more than 200 million copies in print in 35 countries. The final volume of the series was released in the U.S. in 2015, just as Kishimoto made his first visit to New York Comic Con.
Masashi Kishimoto Stated How Naruto Is Different From Other Heroes
In 2015, Publishers Weekly had the chance to sit down with Masashi Kishimoto and ask him some questions regarding Naruto. The interviewer asked Kishimoto what sets Naruto apart from other heroes, and he replied:
I personally never thought of him as being special or really different. In fact, Naruto is a reflection of myself, and I don’t think of myself as special. If I had to put my finger on something, it’s that he might be bogged down with all sorts of issues or difficulties or hardships but he always remains cheerful. I think that’s what’s special about him.
The interviewer then asked Kishimoto whether it was because the reader identifies with Naruto, to which Kishimoto responded that Naruto as a character is definitely easy to relate to and that he is not perfect.
Naruto has stood the test of time, and its perpetual popularity stems from its accessibility, beloved characters, and the complex narrative that surrounds the characters. This does not mean that the show is perfect, Naruto has its own flaws but Naruto‘s unique design and the absence of generic ninja aesthetics have enabled this well-loved series to enjoy the limelight even decades after its release.
Masashi Kishimoto Revealed That Naruto Did Not Change Through The Series
In the interview, the interviewer asked Kishimoto how Naruto changed in the course of the series, and Kishimoto replied:
I would say he actually did most of his maturing and growing in the very first chapter of the very first volume. He really fundamentally has not changed through the series from beginning to end. If something is different, it’s the people around him and the circumstances around him, because of course in the final chapter he has become Hokage [the most powerful ninja], which is his dream to begin with.
Kishimoto continued to say that the biggest difference in terms of the people around him was that these were the same people who either ignored him or repudiated him in the beginning, and through the series they came to realize what he could do, and they have finally acknowledged him and accepted him as one of their own.
In terms of the series, Naruto has perfected the shonen battle formula simply due to how it handles the fights and attacks. The battles are hyped up to a level where even if they become routine techniques, the implementation of the battles and the techniques are decidedly amazing and worth the watch.
You can watch Naruto on Crunchyroll.
Frequently asked questions
What did Masashi Kishimoto say makes Naruto different from other heroes?
In a 2015 Publishers Weekly interview quoted in the article, Kishimoto said he never thought of Naruto as special or different, calling him a reflection of himself. The one thing he singled out is that Naruto always stays cheerful no matter how many issues, difficulties, or hardships weigh him down, adding, “I think that’s what’s special about him.” The article frames this as what sets Naruto apart from peers like One Piece’s Luffy and Bleach’s Ichigo.
Did Kishimoto think Naruto changes much over the course of the series?
No. Kishimoto explained that Naruto did most of his maturing and growing in the very first chapter of the first volume, and that he fundamentally does not change from beginning to end. What changes instead are the people and circumstances around him: characters who once ignored or rejected him gradually come to acknowledge him, and by the final chapter he achieves his dream of becoming Hokage.
Who created Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach?
Naruto was created by Masashi Kishimoto, the mangaka quoted throughout this article. One Piece, featuring Monkey D. Luffy, was created by Eiichiro Oda, and Bleach, featuring Ichigo Kurosaki, was created by Tite Kubo. The article compares Naruto with these two franchises while highlighting Kishimoto’s view on what makes his protagonist relatable.
