It is a known fact that Naruto, written by Masashi Kishimoto is one of the most popular and celebrated shonen anime of all time. It had a major impact on the viewers and continues to be a fan favorite to this date. And while the anime hooked both readers and viewers for two decades, the process behind serializing it was no joke.
From sleepless nights to overworking and deteriorating physical health, manga artists face a range of never-ending obstacles. The process behind the serialization of manga as well as its publishing is not talked about often.
However inspirational or popular it may be, the painstaking efforts behind the process of creating manga are often overlooked. The author faced similar obstacles that pushed him to the edge as he revealed the journey behind creating Naruto.
Masashi Kishimoto was on pins and needles during the early days of Naruto
Naruto is considered to be the big three of Shonen Jump along with Bleach and One Piece as a part of popular running series between the years 2001-2014. It featured the journey of the titular protagonist from a boisterous, knucklehead ninja to a seasoned shinobi.
While the series managed to hook readers and viewers for a long time, the process behind the manga’s serialization involved painstaking efforts. The author in a conversation with My Hero Academia author Kohei Horikoshi revealed how the serialization of Naruto pushed him to the edge. He quoted:
I believe everyone’s working to the point of breaking mentally, including me. During my serialization I was breaking out in cold sweats to the point that if I’d wring my T-shirt out there’d be sweat pouring out. I probably shouldn’t be talking about this too much.
The deteriorating health of mangakas has been pointed out by several fans, readers, and viewers on many occasions. However, manga artists and their burnout is often coupled with the fear of not being good enough along with the series being canceled due to the backlash from fans.
While declining physical health is more visible, the mental wreck that most manga artists go through is also due to the constant criticism that often puts creators through self-sabotaging mindsets, as seen with Hajime Isayama when he was almost brought to tears for Attack on Titan’s disappointing ending.
Masashi Kishimoto and his zeal to surpass Eiichiro Oda
While Naruto was and still is considered a part of the Big 3 of Shonen Jump, it was eventually rivaled by Eiichiro Oda‘s One Piece with the latter’s groundbreaking publishing record of 500 million sales worldwide.
Although strict deadlines and overworking hours add to the health issues, it’s also the constant need to surpass each other as manga artists that, as Masashi Kishimoto revealed, are the driving force for several manga-ka. He cited Oda’s work as a wall that he wished to surpass one day.
Furthermore, the ever-looming competition coupled with health issues and backlash often triggers insecurity and fear among manga writers. Besides, it also pushes them beyond their limits to achieve perfection. And while this may seem unproblematic, the self-sabotage does more harm than good.
Additionally, the author reassured Kohei Horikoshi that even Eiichiro Oda couldn’t escape criticism despite being a seasoned manga artist. All in all, this only proves that, regardless of their success and stature, every mangaka is met with these obstacles.
Naruto is available for streaming on Crunchyroll
