In Naruto, the widely acclaimed manga and anime series by Masashi Kishimoto, there has been a wide span of characters to captivate fans for generations. Still, the presence of one man was so inarguably evil that even the creator doubted himself while writing him. That was Hidan.
Hidan is Akatsuki’s sadistic and immortal operative while also being so consumed by his twisted worldview, that Kishimoto wondered if he had gone too far and crossed borders, considering the target audience of the show.
The Complexity Behind Hidan’s Character
Hidan is an epitome of the darkness that fills the shinobi world. With his sadistic, twisted personality, he aligns perfectly with the apparent ideology Tobi follows, which makes him a very formidable and feared opponent. For instance, during an interview, Koyabashi, one of Kishimoto’s long-time editors, praises this dynamic duo, saying that above all others in the series, it is Hidan and Kakuzu who are capable of transferring danger and malice.
This feeling, then, is transferred onto Kishimoto himself, who has revealed that Hidan holds a special place as his favorite character—a testament to the lasting impact this heinous individual would have.
Kobayashi says his favorite pair were Hidan and Kakuzu, to which Kishimoto agrees, saying Hidan was his favorite overall. Kobayashi says that they gave off a real sense of danger and malice.
With a knack for gory torture and the ability to smile through his own pain, Hidan is about as evil as one could be. From his brutal assault on Asuma to performing self-harm, all his actions are forever branded on the characters and viewers alike—tagging him as one of the most heinous villains in Naruto.
Masashi Kishimoto Was Very Much Doubtful With Writing Heinous Characters for Naruto
Being a shonen series, Naruto was targeted toward a younger age group, but with all the gory acts and insane deeds Hidan did, his creator felt like he might topple the balance of his work.
Kishimoto said he was worried at first about how he was depicting Hidan, who stabbed himself then said it felt good.
Kishimoto himself has come out to say that he didn’t think he could draw a character as cruel as Hidan. Of course, the creator was worried about the possibility of crossing the line, even in a Shonen series. Kishimoto’s apprehension was quite understandable, considering how vividly depraved Hidan’s actions are.
Kobayashi points out that Kishimoto was not only concerned with the case of Hidan’s self-inflicted violence, but also with the grotesque nature of the attack on Asuma. The damage done to Asuma was such that it brought out questions like how bad violence could be, and where one would ask if scenes of this nature should be depicted that much. The internal struggle Kishimoto went through balancing villainy with sensitivity only added depth and nuance to the series in the end, which allowed Naruto to deal with complex themes and emotions in a way that reached readers all over the world.
You can watch the Naruto series on Crunchyroll.
