The Big Three of anime, consisting of Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach, always has a higher spot compared to other anime due to their contribution to the industry. They were the ones who made anime and manga earn worldwide fame and helped it go mainstream. Even though all three have almost the same impact, their fanbases often have hot debate sessions regarding who is the best among the Big Three.
While One Piece is popular in Japan, Naruto has more fans in Western countries. Recently, one of the editors at the Weekly Shonen Jump added their expertise on the matter. His opinion raised another hot debate among the Naruto and One Piece fandoms. Yahagi Kosuke claimed Naruto’s popularity in overseas countries has nothing to do with its credibility.
Naruto’s Overseas Popularity Is Due To Its Easy Going Plot
Naruto is one of the most popular anime worldwide. Even though it concluded in 2017, the franchise has never experienced a shortage of fans. On the other hand, One Piece was more popular compared to Naruto within the Japanese borders. It was during the early 2010s that there was a massive rise in its overseas popularity. But even after running for over two decades, its overseas fanbase is less than Naruto. And Weekly Shonen Jump editor Yahagi Kosuke has the perfect reason for it.
He said,
“We’ve been reading manga for a long time, so we tend to read deeper into what makes manga interesting. But many people overseas don’t understand Japanese manga. I think that’s probably because they don’t have literacy or reading comprehension. So, ultimately, I think that Naruto doesn’t require that kind of reading comprehension.”
Kosuke believes that Naruto has an easier plot compared to One Piece, and that is what makes it popular overseas.
Naruto is believed to be more Hollywood-centric, while One Piece is a drama with inner meaning. Kosuke used an example of paintings, where he compared Naruto with a clear sky picture, which is easier to understand by the children. One Piece has tear-jerking scenarios and appeals more to the Japanese audience. One Piece fans loved Yahagi Kosuke’s opinion and supported him on social media.
Fans React To Yahagi Kosuke’s Interview
Kosuke Yahagi had analyzed One Piece before starting Naruto. Being an editor at the Weekly Shonen Jump, he can understand the difference between the two. He summarised the reason for their overseas popularity after the analysis. The One Piece fans were overjoyed to head the conclusion and soon took over social media. Several comments dissed the Naruto franchise.
Yahagi Kosuke’s comments were made from his perspective. The One Piece fans might have found it amusing the Naruto fans also had their counterarguments ready. Emotions were a big part of the story. An easygoing plot was made so that everyone could enjoy the story equally. Naruto and One Piece fans always end up having hot debate sessions, and it is one of many. While the fandoms engage in arguments, Masashi Kishimoto and Eiichiro Oda always held each other in high regard.
One Piece and Naruto can be streamed on Crunchyroll, and the manga is available on Viz Media as of August 18, 2024.
