In the anime and manga industry, the authors often have cutthroat competition with each other, but none of them could come close to a match level of rivalry between Eiichiro Oda and Masashi Kishimoto. They started working on their magnum opus in 1997 and 1999, respectively, gaining mass popularity and paving the way for modern anime.
Despite fans of both series often engaging with each other to prove that their favorite series is better than the other, both manga artists hold each other in high regard. This mutual respect for each other has assisted them in pushing each other to greater limits, taking their work to a whole new level.
Though both stories have become two of the many founding figures of the industry, they care for each other a lot. During an interview, Oda-Sensei praised his rival, who would often lend him an ear when he wanted to vent out his feelings.
Eiichiro Oda and Masashi Kishimoto’s Rivarly Would Remind fan of Zoro and Sanji
One Piece and Naruto are once-in-a-generation works by Eiichiro Oda and Masashi Kishimoto. Both works have helped anime and manga become one of the many mainstream sources of entertainment as their popularity transcended the borders of The Land of the Rising Sun, becoming a global sensation.
Both series have been part of the Big Three of anime; their works are often considered to be way ahead of their times. During an exclusive interview via Reddit, Oda-Sensei talked about their friendship and how fame did not affect it. The mangaka said,
Kishimoto-san and I are the same age, and we both had a hit manga in the same era. Being asked to take on a movie project even though I’m a manga artist (laughs), we’ve both experienced that sort of thing. No Matter how long you’ve been friends with a manga artist, if the level of popularity of your works are different, it’s just hard to relate to each other. But with Kishimoto-san, we’ve been through the same difficulties, and we’ve worried about the same things, so we can connect when we talk.
Oda-Sensei acknowledged how both of them share the same perspective of a mangaka before adding how experience plays a big role in the popularity of a work.
However, he felt that Masashi Kishimoto would always be there for him when he wanted to vent his emotions. Eiichiro Oda added,
That’s true. Fifteen years of experience can’t be matched in a year…Kishimoto-san really seems to be enjoying life after Naruto though (laughs). But in spite of going as far as he has in the industy, he still lends me an ear when I want to vent, and is a great guy to talk to.
The mangaka further added,
I’m a very aggressive person, but Kishimoto-san just goes with the flow. He’s a nice guy. And he was happy for me when One Piece was doing well. I think I sort of take advantage of that personality though.
Oda-Sensei’s last comments about his rival showcase how they share a Sanji-Zoro-like relationship, where the Sous Chef always tries to achieve the same level as the Pirate Hunter and struggles to do so. This would often showcase the two having friendly banter.
However, the two deeply care for each other and would not forgive anyone who tried to hurt the other or their crew member. These traits are similar to Kishimoto-San being Sanji and Oda-Sensei being Zoro, in terms of popularity. Nevertheless, Kishimoto-San deeply respects his fellow rival, as he made a One Piece reference in his work.
Masashi Kishimoto Made a One Piece Reference in Naruto
One of the most striking aspects of Eiichiro Oda’s stellar work is the unique and striking Jolly Rogers that represents each pirate crew. With the Shonen series featuring a ton of pirate flags, the most striking of them all would be the Straw Hat Pirates’ Jolly Roger.
Kishimoto-San used the same Jolly Roger in Chapter 700 of Naruto to pay tribute to his old friend. During an exclusive interview with Kobayashi summarized by Narutopedia, the mangaka was asked about the Jolly Roger featured on the Hokage monument.
Masashi Kishimoto had answered, “It is a tribute to his fellow mangaka, Eiichiro Oda.” This reply showcases the deep-rooted respect he has for the veteran mangaka. Following the answer, Kobayashi talked about how Eiichiro Oda called him a rival, and he acknowledged how he resonated with the same feeling.
With Kishimoto-San and Oda-Sensei’s work sharing the same stage for nearly two decades, both have a deep sense of respect and affection for each other. Moreover, fans should learn from this, instead of getting involved in hot debates that attempt to justify the supremacy of one title.
Naruto and One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
