Naruto is not just about epic battles and talk-no-jutsu. It is also the tale of an outcast who slowly gained friends and family. Masashi Kishimoto has beautifully illustrated Naruto’s difficult life to show readers his struggles.
From being an orphan and an outcast to losing his mentor and many close ones, Naruto has faced loss after loss. He was shaped by his hardwork and determination and still never chose the path of vengeance.
In an interview, Masashi Kishimoto explained how Naruto was inspired by his own life.
The Parallels Between Masashi Kishimoto and Naruto
During the publication of the final chapters of Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto sat down to talk about the similarities between him and his protagonist. Kishimoto especially draws parallels between Naruto’s childhood with his own experiences.
I was unable to do well in school and felt a strong sense of inferiority. When Naruto said, ‘I will be Hokage,’ people surrounding him laughed at his dream. Since childhood, I also told others that I would be a manga artist but had no foundation.
Who knew that the incredible creator of Naruto was constantly discouraged from being a mangaka? Just like how Naruto strived everyday to become a better shinobi without anyone knowing, Kishimoto too practiced his artwork till he gained recognition.
The author also states that he is not as courageous as Naruto. Maybe that’s what led him to create the character after all.
Unlike Naruto, I did not have the courage to declare that I will become a manga creator at any cost. So I would just say in my mind, ‘It may be possible.’
In addition to this, he also stated that he was weak at the Japanese subject during school. Which makes it a bit hard for him to grasp the fact that he is a leading mangaka, who has to regularly depict characters and write stories. In genuine disbelief, the author stated:
I could not answer questions requiring students to guess the feelings of characters in stories in school exams.
While you should not take this as advice to not complete your education, Kishimoto proved that you cannot judge someone purely based on their gradesheet. In fact, Kishimoto spent two years reading books on how to write scenarios and dialogs as well as directorial technicalities.
Why Naruto Stands Out From Typical Shonen
While both Naruto and Sasuke underwent severe loss, Naruto chose not to indulge in revenge. This is the moment that separates Naruto from most other Shonen characters, including Sasuke. Kishimoto admits that Shonen comics inevitably feature violence and violent scenes, but he wanted to choose a different path.
But I wanted to tell (readers) that enemies who resort to violence probably do so because of unavoidable reasons.
This could be the reason behind the elaborate backstories of the villains in Naruto. Characters like Madara, Obito and Itachi all have extremely detailed tragic origins, which made readers realize why they strived for an unacceptable goal.
Kishimoto has also previously said that he does not like making any character do what they won’t normally do. No matter how he has to manipulate the plot, his characters never break their norm.
And if (the protagonists) defeat them without understanding their motivation, it could end up leading to a repeat of the same thing.
In some parts of Naruto, the protagonist uses his talk-no-jutsu to solve situations rather than destroying his enemies. He is still made fun of due to his decision to spare villains, but this is one of the things that makes Naruto universally appealing.
Kishimoto decided to break the chain of violence and planted the seed of peace through Naruto’s decision to talk rather than use his fists.
You can read Naruto on Viz Media and watch the anime on Crunchyroll.
