Naruto and Sasuke have captivated many viewers with their iconic legendary rivalry in anime history. The final showdown between the rivals also highlights their contrasting ideologies and beliefs. This depiction of the clash between two ideologies helped Masashi Kishimoto secure Naruto’s place in the ‘Big Three’.
While fans admire the mangaka’s exceptional narrative, only a few remember his struggle for inspiration back in the day. The Naruto fandom may lose their cool by learning that the iconic character Sasuke wasn’t originally created by the mangaka but rather inspired by another famous anime.
Kishimoto broke millions of fans’ hearts with Sasuke’s revelation, who was known for his unique antagonist and solitary nature. Interestingly, the Naruto creator was proud of how Sasuke turned out in the story following all the challenges. Moreover, the mangaka also opened up about his favorite character’s vital role in Sasuke’s design.
Masashi Kishimoto Stuns Naruto Fandom with Sasuke Uchiha Revelation
Back in 2009, Masashi Kishimoto talked about his initial struggles while working on the hit-manga, Naruto. During the interview for Naruto’s tenth anniversary, the mangaka revealed some astonishing facts about fan-favorite characters. However, the most stunning revelation made during the interview was regarding Sasuke Uchiha.
With Himawari Surpassing Naruto, Kishimoto Needs to Give One Character a Power That Surpasses Sasuke
Sasuke has played a pivotal part in the Naruto series since its inception, making it hard for fans to swallow the truth. Kishimoto revealed that he’s been a big fan of Yoshihiro Togashi’s work, the creator of Yu Yu Hakusho and Hunter X Hunter. He even shared that most of the Naruto characters’ facial expressions were inspired by Hunter X Hunter.
However, Kishimoto took everyone by surprise once he revealed his motivation behind the famous anti-hero, Sasuke. While sharing his love for Togashi’s work, Masashi opens up about his favorite character, Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho. He also revealed that Hiei inspired him a lot for Sasuke’s design as he faced several struggles in designing a cool character.
I was already a big fan of Hiei back when I was only a reader, but I’ve also took him as a source of inspiration when I started creating my characters, At first I wasn’t able to create a “cool” character, I didn’t know where to begin so I studied one my favorite characters: Hiei, and I succeeded in creating Sasuke, the Sharingan as well as some of his other techniques were inspired by him.
Anime creators taking inspiration from fellow mangaka isn’t surprising in the community. Although the truth may seem like a hard pill to swallow for many Naruto fans, we must compare both characters simultaneously to uncover the truth.
Similarities between Hiei and Sasuke Uchiha
From the beginning, Sasuke stands out from the rest of the characters in the Naruto series. Many believed it was because of his dark past and solitary attitude. However, after Kishimoto reveals the truth behind Sasuke’s inspiration, one can finally see the mangaka’s motivation and true intentions.
Hiei and Sasuke both shared a dark past and immense childhood trauma. Sasuke witnessed the massacre of his entire clan, whereas Hiei was a half-demon with a tragic history and was abandoned at birth. Apart from that, another similarity between the two is their reliance on eye abilities during combat.
Sasuke’s Sharingan and its evolved forms grant him immense power such as copying enemies’ techniques and casting powerful genjutsu. On the other hand, Hiei possesses the Jagan Eye, which enhances his perception and grants supernatural abilities.
Last but not least, fire techniques are another point of convergence between the two characters. Similar to all Uchiha, Sasuke is also the master of the fire element and its techniques. Interestingly, Hiei is famous for his immense powerful fire techniques among Yu Yu Hakusho fans. Not to forget, Hiei’s Dragon of the Darkness Flame attack unleashes a dragon made of pure black fire.
The similarities between Sasuke and Hiei highlight Yu Yu Hakusho‘s lasting influence on the manga and anime landscape. Furthermore, Kishimoto’s acknowledgment of Hiei’s influence on Sasuke enriches our understanding of one of anime’s most beloved characters.
You can read Naruto on Viz Media and watch the anime on Crunchyroll.
