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It is a known fact thatNaruto, written by Masashi Kishimoto is one of the most popular and celebrated shonen anime of all time. It had a major impact on the viewers and continues to be a fan favorite to this date. And while the anime hooked both readers and viewers for two decades, the process behind serializing it was no joke.
From sleepless nights to overworking and deteriorating physical health, manga artists face a range of never-ending obstacles. The process behind the serialization of manga as well as its publishing is not talked about often.
However inspirational or popular it may be, the painstaking efforts behind the process of creating manga are often overlooked. The author faced similar obstacles that pushed him to the edge as he revealed the journey behind creating Naruto.
Masashi Kishimoto was on pins and needles during the early days of Naruto
Narutois considered to bethe big three of Shonen Jumpalong withBleachandOne Pieceas a part of popular running series between the years 2001-2014. It featured the journey of the titular protagonist from a boisterous, knucklehead ninja to a seasoned shinobi.
While the series managed to hook readers and viewers for a long time, the process behind the manga’s serialization involved painstaking efforts. The authorin a conversation with My Hero Academia author Kohei Horikoshirevealed how the serialization of Naruto pushed him to the edge. He quoted:
I believe everyone’s working to the point of breaking mentally, including me. During my serialization I was breaking out in cold sweats to the point that if I’d wring my T-shirt out there’d be sweat pouring out. I probably shouldn’t be talking about this too much.
The deteriorating health of mangakas has been pointed out by several fans, readers, and viewers on many occasions. However, manga artists and their burnout is often coupled with the fear of not being good enough along with the series being canceled due to the backlash from fans.
“I did not have the courage to declare that”: Naruto’s Sad Childhood Will Hit You Even Harder After Knowing it Was Based on Masashi Kishimoto Himself
While declining physical health is more visible, the mental wreck that most manga artists go through is also due to the constant criticism that often puts creators through self-sabotaging mindsets, as seen with Hajime Isayama when he was almost brought to tears for Attack on Titan’s disappointing ending.
Masashi Kishimoto and his zeal to surpass Eiichiro Oda
While Naruto was and still is considered a part of the Big 3 of Shonen Jump, it was eventually rivaled byEiichiro Oda‘s One Piece with the latter’s groundbreaking publishing record of 500 million sales worldwide.
Althoughstrict deadlines and overworking hoursadd to the health issues, it’s also the constant need to surpass each other as manga artists that, asMasashi Kishimotorevealed, are the driving force for several manga-ka. He cited Oda’s work as a wall that he wished to surpass one day.
“Otherwise, Naruto wouldn’t be popular enough”: Masashi Kishimoto’s ‘Dark Ideas’ Was a Direct Response to Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece to Ensure His Series Survived
Furthermore, the ever-looming competition coupled with health issues and backlash often triggers insecurity and fear among manga writers. Besides, it also pushes them beyond their limits to achieve perfection. And while this may seem unproblematic, the self-sabotage does more harm than good.
Additionally, the author reassuredKohei Horikoshithat even Eiichiro Oda couldn’t escape criticism despite being a seasoned manga artist. All in all, this only proves that, regardless of their success and stature, every mangaka is met with these obstacles.
Narutois available for streaming on Crunchyroll
Himanshi Jeswani
Anime Writer
Articles Published :993
Himanshi Jeswani is an anime writer at Fandomwire, with her work spanning over 900 articles. Her articles cover shojo, shonen, seinen, and all things beyond. Her interests, however, aren’t limited to simply anime. She has a penchant for exploring different genres of manga, be it horror, yanki, music, and food. She brings out her specialization and expertise in the performing arts through her articles. As a writer, she strives to bridge the gap between the viewers and the medium itself. To her, anime is a revolutionary medium that is capable of creating communities and stories after all.
