Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto has had multiple memorable arcs over the course of the series. One of the longest sagas occurred when the titular protagonist returned to the Hidden Village to fight Pain. Kishimoto revealed that he struggled to develop Naruto’s character throughout the arc and therefore channeled his ‘suffering’ to Naruto.
Naruto Uzumaki took many life lessons after the ending of the ‘Pain’s Assault’ Arc. Constituting episodes 152 to 169 in Naruto, and episodes 172 to 175 of the Naruto: Shippūden anime, the story featured Pain’s attack on Konohagakure village to find Uzumaki. It eventually led to the death of Jiraiya – whom Kishimoto termed to be a father figure to Naruto.
Masashi Kishimoto Wanted Naruto To Feel ‘Hatred’ Like He Did When Developing The Pain Arc
Masashi Kishimoto purposefully killed Jiraiya to add depth to Naruto’s character. However, coming to that conclusion caused him endless nights without sleep. The editor didn’t want a shonen that appealed to younger audiences to include a protagonist who was bent on revenge and killed Pain to avenge the death of Jiraiya.
Also Read: Masashi Kishimoto Admitted Jiraiya’s Death Came “Too Late” in Naruto
The mangaka was struggling to find answers yet wanted Naruto to suffer like him. Moreover, he wanted his main character to relate to what Sasuke felt when he lost his family before developing their stories. Kishimoto’s statements are recorded in an interview snippet shared by user @AshitanoGin on the messaging platform X:
“Sasuke had his family killed, so he has revenge in his heart. But Naruto didn’t have that experience. There’s nothing that someone not in the same position can say that’s convincing. The things Naruto said just didn’t ring true to Sasuke. But later, when Naruto lost Jiraiya, a father-like figure to him, he understood Sasuke’s position for the first time. He had to go on experiencing what hatred is for the first time… Because I was suffering, the character had to suffer too.”
When the idea of Jiraiya being written off was presented to the editor, the latter warned Masashi Kishimoto sensei to not tread into dangerous waters. Naruto was the epitome of goodness so him being turned into a vengeful monster would’ve upset fans.
How Did Masashi Kishimoto Make Naruto Uzumaki Retain His Goodness?
Naruto Uzumaki reiterated that he will “kill” Pain the moment he sees the ninja to avenge the death of Jiraiya. Their showdown was presented in Naruto: Shippūden Season 8, where a Rasengan by the hero overpowered the villain after he had tricked Pain into using his powers on shadow clones. However, he did not kill Pain but rather forgave him for his crimes.
Thus, Masashi Kishimoto made Naruto break the chain of hatred and revenge which he incorporated especially for his main character’s development. Uzumaki retained his natural goodness. Moreover, it separated him from Sasuke Uchiha and the mangaka was able to develop their character arcs accordingly:
“In the end, Naruto talked it out and decided to forgive his opponent. So, Sasuke is a character who can’t forgive, and Naruto is one who can. Once it’s decided that the characters are that way, it must move forward in that direction. Even if you know that it will be painful going in that direction, as a writer you can’t just do whatever you want. If you try to force things, the readers will know..”
Kishimoto explains his struggles to write a convincing ending for the Pain arc. pic.twitter.com/4nB6xlkylh
— Ashita (@AshitanoGin) November 3, 2018
Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha are now best buddies in Boruto, which focuses on the next generation of ninjas. Unfortunately, both characters have been written off after a tense chain of events in the manga.
Also Read: Despite Being Greatly Weakened, Naruto and Sasuke Could Return For Boruto: Two Blue Vortex
