Naruto is one of the most popular manga series, that was written by none other than Masashi Kishimoto, The anime was aired for the first time in 2002 and it became an instant hit. One of the key factors that determine the popularity of a series is the length of time it can remain in the memories of the fanbase after it has ended. Safe to say that even after 21 years, the series is going strong, cementing itself as a modern classic.
Naruto Uzumaki’s Kage Bunshin no Jutsu or Shadow Clone Jutsu is one of the most popular techniques ever created. This jutsu of his is a forbidden technique and it is the first major technique that he uses during his fights, often leading to the series’ some of the iconic moments. To make sure Kishimoto has created the most unique and recognizable jutsu, he got inspiration from another iconic anime.
Yu Yu Hakusho Inspired Masashi Kishimoto for Naruto’s Iconic Jutsu
As fans know in the original series, the Nine Tales jinchuriki was desperate to become an official ninja-in-training, but his techniques were below average. The young ninja was tricked into stealing a sacred scroll that would help him to improve his technique. The scroll contained a forbidden ninjutsu technique by Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage. The jutsu quickly became his signature technique that he would use in every fight.
In the book Naruto 10th Anniversary Chronicle Book Mini, there is an interview with both Masashi Kishimoto and Yoshihiro Togashi. The latter artist is known for his works in manga like Hunter X Hunter, and Yu Yu Hakusho. It was during that interview Kishimoto stated that Naruto’s signature ninjutsu was inspired by “Suzaku’s technique in Yu Yu Hakusho.”
“His way of surprising the reader. The way he can create unexpected scenes that can show the threat that the enemies represent, the Kagebushin no Jutsu of Naruto is strongly inspired by Suzaku’s technique in Yu Yu Hakusho. The idea of having after-images be real was very innovative, I was excited and thought ‘how will they beat this guy.'”
However, Kishimoto regrets his decision to add the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu in the series, especially so early on. Not only did our titular protagonist manage to steal the forbidden scroll and learn the symbols to perform the jutsu but also demonstrated his combat prowess by defeating the bad guy, saving the life of Iruka Sensei.
Masashi Kishimoto’s Rivalry with Eiichiro Oda
Kishimoto’s Naruto and Oda’s One Piece have always been compared to each other, as both of the series were immensely popular and continued for a long time. Many fans call these two series the titans of the global anime industry. However, Kishimoto wanted to be at the top and shared how he found Oda to be a worthy rival at the 2015 Comic Con held in New York.
“I was very envious in the beginning and yet, at the same time, I wanted to not only be like him, but I wanted to surpass him. In some ways I feel like the reason ‘Naruto’ was able to be published and was able to succeed was because of ‘One Piece.’ Perhaps we both kind of supported and bolstered each other over the years and led to both of our successes because we had that rivalry.”
The world of anime is getting even bigger and bigger, where new generation anime such as Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and many more popular series have been released in recent years. While every anime fan can debate that the new series has gained popularity none of them come close when compared to the popularity of Kishimoto’s or Oda’s magnum opus.
Also Read: Hunter X Hunter: Craziest Plot Holes That Make the Show Unbearable
Naruto can be streamed on Netflix.
Source: Masashi Kishimoto and Yoshihiro Togashi Interview
