naruto interview

[Near]

Interview with Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto, the Low-Tech Ninja
Even by ninja standards, Masashi is stealthy. In person, you'd never know he's the massively successful creator of the popular Naruto manga, which began in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump and is now published all around the world. (And, yeah he created the anime, too - due on Cartoon Network's Toonami block in September) Kishimoto-sensei is a polite, quiet, unassuming guy, and he answered all of our questions, even the ones about his house plants.

Q: Thank you very much for your time. Is there a character you most identify with personally?
A: Naruto, the hero - but every character comes out of me, so every character has a bit of me inside.

Q: But mostly Naruto?
A: Yeah.

Q: When you were in school, did you hate exams as much as Naruto does?
A: Yeah I did hate them. My high school ranking was 30 out of 31 students.

Q: Who was ranked 31st?
A: My friend.

Q: We've been enjoying reading the stories from your childhood in the volume 7*, and you mention loving Doraemon, Gundam and Dr. Slump as a kid. Are you a big fan of any current manga and anime?
A: One Piece. It's kind of edgy, but Akira and Ghost in the Shell.

Q: All of them including Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence?
A: All of them, yes. And any work directed by Mamoru Oshii (of Ghost in the Shell) - he is my favorite.

Q: You said you were a collector of Gundam Toys. Have you had any input on the Naruto toys?
A: I don't do the toys, but my editor works on them. I pretty much feel comfortable since I know the character designer will do a good job. It is the same character designer as the anime.

Q: Any favorite Naruto toys?
A: The small figures.

*What's all this, then?
The stories mentioned here should sound familiar... if you've been buying the Naruto graphic novels. If you haven't, get with the program! Insightful asides from your favorite manga creators are just one of the many benefits of eeping up with Shonen Jump Graphic Novels.

[Note: There is a picture of Sakura on the right, saying "Every character has a bit of Kishimoto in them? Well, obviously I got his brilliance, wit, and good looks!" On the left of the page Sasuke is saying, "Mostly Naruto?!? THAT slacker?!?"]

Q: At the annual Comic-Con in San Diego in 2004, Naruto was probably the most popular costume worn by attendees, more then Spider-Man, more than anything.
A: I love Spider-Man. I'm just so glad that my main character has blonde hair and blue eyes, and therefore might appeal more to a Western Audience.

Q: Since the death of Ukki-kun, the house plant you mention in volume one, how's your green thumb?
A: Yes, I did have Ukki Number Two, but unfortunately it died, so I moved on to a new one, but this time it doesn't have a name, but it's already half-dead. I keep watering it, so I wonder why it keeps happening...

Q: Shouldn't Naruto's favorite dish be Kitsune Udon*, because of the fox demon inside of him?
A: It's simply because I love ramen. I love lots of food, but nothing beats ramen.

*Kitsune Udon
Kitsune means fox, udon is a kind of noodle. Kitsune udon is a noodle soup with fried tofu, because fried tofu is believed to be the favorite of foxes.

Q: What's your inspiration for the Chinese Zodiac hand signs? Were they based on any particular martial arts tradition?
A: Since Naruto is a Japanese fantasy world, you have to set certain rules, in a systematic way, and then it becomes easy to convey the story. The Chinese Zodias is something that is very, very old in Japan, and I wanted to draw on that ancient tradition.

Q: One thing I love about Naruto is how it's hard to tell when it takes place. People wear slippers, but then there are zippers on their clothes and they have telephone poles. What are thing we'll never see in Naruto - Computers, guns, planes?
A: I haven't really made up those specific rules, so there may be airplanes and some other vehicles, but absolutely no guns. Bullets fly at supersonic speeds, so there's no way that your shuriken could compete. As for computers, maybe, but they'd be low-processing computers.

Q: Eight-bit
A: Yeah, maybe Eight-bit, definately not Sixteen-bit.

[Note: At the bottom of the page, there is a small picture of Sasuke saying "Eight-bit... sounds like it's "Asteroids" for me."]

Q: Are there any martial arts movies that are your favorites?
A: Jackie Chan movies, like Drunken Master, and Once Upon a Time in China. And also The Matrix. And Jet Li. And Bruce Lee.

Q: We want to know more about Make-Out Paradise. We're old enough to know, so just whisper it.
A: Since Naruto in Shonen Jump is for young boys, there's no way that I can talk about it. Even here, among us, it's too embarassing. If you're an adult, you can imagine what I mean. It's a fantasy fairy tale, and it's pretty graphic.

Q: Why is the big book of enemies called the Bingo Book? In Japan, do you have the same game of bingo that we play in America?
A: We also have bingo in Japan, and it's called the Bingo Book because all of the wanted posters that have people's faces on them are compiled into a book, and when you match the face in the book with a real person, then it's bingo.

Q: Do you have any special message for your English-Speaking Audience?
A: I feel sometimes that Naruto is too Japanese, with all the chakra and hand signs, but as you read it you'll find that it's fun. If you have friends, tell your friends all about it.

[Note: The bottom half of this final page has a picture of Sasuke in his second costume, and Gaara facing away from Naruto who is sitting on a clothed frog, Sasuke and Gaara are looking in the direction of Naruto. Next to Sasuke and Gaara are the covers of the Naruto Manga 1-7.]

[Near]

Interview About Masashi Kishimoto

Shonen Jump Question:
What were you like when you where younger (say in middle school and high school)?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
I had manga on the brain, and I was constantly drawing, hardly ever doing homework. In short, a bit of a brat.

Shonen Jump Question:
How did growing up in a rural environment influence your manga, or your personality in general?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
This is a story set in a slow-paced, relaxed setting, far away from capitalist society. My personality is very slow-paced, too, so that’s why I often just barely meet, my deadlines for the manga.

Shonen Jump Question:
I’ve heard that you where a huge fan of Akira Toriyama’s "Dragon Ball" and "Dr. Slump". What was your favorite storyline of Dragon Ball? Or, if you prefer, who was your favorite character?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
I love all the stories up until the first appearance of Frieza. My favorite character is Kuririn, because he has the most "human" feel, and I really associate myself with him.

Shonen Jump Question:
When you where younger, you were attacked by monkeys. Can you tell us about this experience?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
I accidentally stepped on a young monkey, and the alpha male of the group and the mother of the monkey attacked me. Ever sense then, I have been afraid of monkeys. But these days, I look back on the incident and realize that the protective, nurturing aspect of the monkey is just the same as what a human would feel.

Shonen Jump Question:
You grew up next to a military base, and the ninja in Naruto behave something like a military force, with discipline and training. Are you a military enthusiast, and did you ever consider joining the Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF)?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
I don't really consider myself a military enthusiast. Where I grew up didn't really have a military base, as Japan doesn't have a military, just a Self-Defense Force. What I did was use the training grounds of the SDF as a reference, in addition to books on the Mossad and the SAS. I never wanted to join the JSDF, as I wanted to draw manga.

Shonen Jump Question:
I’ve heard that you where most inspired by "Akira" the anime, and the manga by Katsuhiro Otomo. Why is this, and what inspired you?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
I consider "Akira" (1988) to be the first Japanese anime to use the "fresco" style of art. Unlike the other works during that time, the character designs, lines, and sense were very realistic, as was the manga itself. Even the buildings were very detailed, and the sheer amount of information that the art conveyed was incredible. It was a very cool science fiction manga. I think it’s also the reason anime became so popular in the U.S. I got a bunch of storyboards for "Akira" when I was 14, and I remember constantly copying them.

Shonen Jump Question:
What was it like going to art school? What was the most useful thing you learned there?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
I trained in plaster mediums and the drawing of the human body to increase my skills as a design artist. I also learned graphic design, coloring, and perspectives. Manga is still an art form that you pick up by yourself-that’s the current reality of the Japanese manga industry. Although the drawing skills that I learned in art school were quite useful, I had the ability of drawing and perspective prior to entering art school. Thus, going to art school was more of a step backwards for me.

Shonen Jump Question:
What was it like being "trained" to be a professional manga artist for "Weekly Shonen Jump"? What kinds of things did you learn?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
Of course, art is a big part of being a manga artist, but equally important is being able to write a story well. I do everything pretty much by myself, from the characters to the story to the backgrounds. Also, receiving advice from the editor is important, but I think getting a good editor who is supportive of you is the key.

Shonen Jump Question:
You played baseball as a kid, and at one point you considered making a baseball manga. Do you still follow baseball? If so what’s your favorite team?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
I love playing baseball, but I don't really like watching it. I don’t have a favorite team in Japan. If Japan had major league teams as impressive as the Americans, I might have a team I would root for.

[Near]

Interview with Kishimato About Ninja

Shonen Jump Question:
I’ve heard that you are a fan of traditional Japanese adventure stories. Do you like "chabbara eiga" (Sword fighting movies set in Japan's Feudal period) or historical fiction?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
I like chabbara, but the recent chabbara films don't have the feel that the older movies have, and I'm not a big fan of the recent ones. I'm hoping a much cooler director comes out and creates an awesome chabbara film.

Shonen Jump Question:
Especially since the early 1980's ninja have been very popular in America n movies and comics. Have you been inspired by American ninja stories?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
I know a little bit about the popularity of Sho Kosugi (star of many action movies) during the period, as well as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I’m happy, from the perspective of someone from Japan, to see the new way ninjas are perceived in America. Although I hear there are some people who are upset about how the entire “ninja mythology” has been screwed up because of it.

Shonen Jump Question:
This may be an American misconception, but when I think of "ninja" I think of figures wearing completely black outfits, usually with masks. But the ninjas in Naruto look completely unlike the old stereotypes. How did you come up with the interesting "Konoha Style" of ninjas in Naruto?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
If I created a world that recycles the traditional concept of a ninja it would have ended up just like all the other ninja manga. I wanted to create a ninja world with a twist, something fresh, so I completely threw out the preconceived notion of what a ninja wearing yellow clothing, who is suppose to be part of a secret intelligence gathering organization. There’s no way that a ninja who stands out that much would really exist. (Laughs)

Shonen Jump Question:
Samurai are of almost equal fame to a ninja, and in pop culture, in some ways, they seem like the opposite of ninja - forthright instead of sneaky. Are there any powerful samurai in the world of Naruto, or are ninja the overwhelmingly dominant power in this world?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
I do have a few samurai character: Zouri and Waraji (although they're kind of "lame" samurai.) But there are way too many samurai manga out there, so to stay original I’ll continue with ninja stories.

Shonen Jump Question:
Their character Jiraiya, who appears in Naruto, is based on a legendary ninja. Is Naruto inspired by any other particular legends?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
Jiraiya is about the only character who is like that; the others are all original.

[Near]

Shonen Jump Question:
Your work seems to have a science fiction influence. Approximately speaking what is the technology level in the world of Naruto?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
Actually, the world of Naruto doesn't differ very much from our present time. TV, refrigerators and air conditioners exist in the world. The only exceptions are weapons and explosives, which I've decided to set in a much earlier era. That's why you don’t see firearms.

Shonen Jump Question:
Many "Shonen Jump" mangas have puns for character names. So can you explain some of the puns in the names of the characters? I know that Naruto is a word for the spiral fishcakes in ramen…But I've also heard of a place off the sea of Japan called the "Naruto Uzumaki" (the Naruto whirlpools), like Naruto’s a first and last name.
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
Uzumaki (spirals) are a very cool Japanese pattern. "Weekly Shonen Jump's" philosophy for naming characters is to create a name that the readers can easily associate with the character, by combining it with puns and gags.

Shonen Jump Question:
How did you develop the chakra power system in Naruto? Are you interested in East Indian mysticism?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
I actually have no interest in East Indian mysticism. I needed a hook to tie in those points in the story when characters would use powers that were beyond normal human capabilities. The term is chakra, which is used as an explanation for readers to better understand the powers. Its similar to “the Force” in Star Wars, or chi (aka. - Ki) in "Dragon Ball", or magic points in RPGs.

Shonen Jump Question:
How did you develop the mystic hand gestures used by the ninjas in Naruto?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
As an alternative to the standard verbal method of casting spells, like in RPGs, the ninja use hand gestures instead.

Shonen Jump Question:
In Naruto, the frog seems to be associated with the character Naruto. Also, in an early drawing you associate the snake with Sasuke, and the snail with Sakura. What about these animals caused you to connect them with these characters? Are ninja associated with frogs in Japan?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
When you talk about ninjas, you invariably talk about frogs. There is a ninja manga whose main character is "Hattori-kun," who (also a joke in the story) does not like frogs, so this connection between ninjas and frogs is a close one. (In Japanese folklore, frogs are concerted magical animals, and the oil from a frog’s skin is a traditional ointment for wounds and other ailments.) The triad of snake, snail and frog is from Japanese mythology. The snake is more powerful then the frog, the snail is more powerful then the snake, and the frog is more powerful then the snail, Making a paper, rock, scissors” sort of situation. These three are collectively called the “Sansukumi”.

Shonen Jump Question:
What inspired you to do a story about a demon fox? What interests you about foxes?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
Because the fox, in particular the nine tailed fox, is considered to be one of the most powerful supernatural beasts.

Shonen Jump Question:
What is the relationship of Naruto and the demon fox? Was the demon fox killed and reincarnated inside Naruto’s body, or was it sealed inside the baby Naruto with out dying? Are there two souls within Naruto’s body, in a mystical sense, or is it more like two personalities, in the psychological sense?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
The demon fox has been sealed inside of Naruto without having been killed. It’s because the nine tailed fox couldn’t be killed, so they had no choice but to seal it away…probably…which us why there are two personalities inside of Naruto.

Shonen Jump Question:
Do you get more fan letters from boys or girls? Do boys and girls like different things about the series?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
Fan letters are typically written by girls, as it seems that “boys don’t write letters”. About 90% of the fan letters seem to be from girls, even though the majority of readers are suppose to be boys. It was like that when I used to read Weekly Shonen Jump as a kid, and apparently it’s the same today.

Shonen Jump Question:
Naruto and Sasuke kiss (accidentally) in the first chapter where they appear together. Does this add a special dimension to their rivalry?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
I didn’t have any particular reason for it, other then to surprise readers. I mainly did it because I don’t think there has ever been a manga where two rivals kissed. Also, by having this encounter, it was easier to set up the love triangle: Sakura, who had intended to be the first one to kiss Sasuke, has it stolen by her rival Naruto, Sasuke and Naruto are rivals, so there’s and added tension there. And so on and so forth.

Shonen Jump Question:
Is there ever going to be a manga adaptation of "Ichalcha Paradise"? (Make-Out Paradise" or "Cum-Cum Paradise")
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
NEVER.

Shonen Jump Question:
In closing, what advise would you give fans who are interested in becoming artists themselves?
Masashi Kishimoto Answer:
Creating manga isn’t just about drawing well, but writing a good story. Keep the art and the story real, and you can't lose. Also, watch a lot of good Hollywood movies. Those who rail against the entertainment industry are just being close-minded.

[Near]

KEYWORD:
*Uzumaki Naruto*
Naruto's jacket is a garment worn long ago?!


- Today, we hear from Kishimoto-sensei the story of the 8 keywords that become
the chapter titles in UZUMAKI. Also, the underlying story of each word and the
design secrets of UZUMAKI. Thank you for this.

K: Thank you.

- Well, to begin with, the title of the first chapter is "Uzumaki Naruto". I
believe you also read various manga during your childhood, but what do you see
as a true "protagonist"?

K: Mmm, I think it was to do with the colors and features of those magazines. In
a magazine entitled "Weekly Shonen Jump", one jumped out at me and made me
think, "Now THIS is a protagonist". This was Son Goku from Dragonball. Because
of that, I want to try and include a character like Goku in my own manga.

- What was it about Son Goku that attracted you to him?

K: That'd have to be his simple, clear thought processes. Also, his
mischievousness. The reader would also be bursting with energy. They'd say "I'll
do my best!". Because of that, to me the image of a hero is a "mischievous,
overly familiar guy".

- Well, where do you think Naruto's charm lies?

K: Indeed, I wanted to have him possess as much of the charm I was talking about
as possible. Always bearing in mind that he's a "simple fool"...(laugh). Plus,
personally, I don't really like wise characters all that much.

- Well, speaking of wise characters in Naruto, Shikamaru is...

K: I like Shikamaru. He's dry, so he doesn't show off his ability. In Sasuke's
atmosphere, when he's super-smart, that's the kind of character that's the
worst. (laugh) You can't relate to him... When you see a flawless guy like that,
wouldn't you get jealous?

- Did you use any real person as a basis for Naruto?

K: There wasn't any real-life model like that. At any rate, I modelled him in
the image of children. But there's also somewhat of a shadow, he has no parents,
he's alone, he's burdened with a terrible fate, and... Even so, he still lives
cheerfully and always tries his best. I think everyone's fine in this area but
Naruto. Anyway, trying your best is number one, no matter what.

- So, when you designed Naruto's costume, did you reference any brands or
designers, or a specific person?

K: For Naruto, I based him on clothes I myself wore a long time ago, and came up
with an original design. I didn't really do anything like go looking for
material. Clothing design's fairly difficult. When you use an existing design,
Naruto's Narutoness doesn't really emerge, and looking too cool isn't really
Naruto's style... As for me, I like old-fashioned out-of-style cool clothes.

- Is Naruto's favorite phrase, "dattebayo" modeled on anything?

K: That isn't really modeled on anything either. When I thought of childlike
speech, "dattebayo" instantly came to mind. It's like it's become a part of
Naruto, and even now it brings out his "mischievousness".


KEYWORD:
*Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura*
Sasuke was designed as a rival, Sakura was simple.


- Continuing on, I'd like to ask about the keywords "Uchiha Sasuke" and "Haruno
Sakura".

K: When I was creating his character, I always kept in mind that Sasuke is
"Naruto's rival". I looked at a lot of manga, and studied rival relationships.
That way, I believe the relationship between Naruto and Sasuke is the greatest
rival relationship. A cool genius character type is what I, personally, see as a
rival.

- When working with Sasuke, is there anything that you keep in mind?

K: No matter what I'm doing, I have to keep in mind not to be overly sentimental
about it. Like, manner and how they express themselves. After that, I go about
depicting them freely.

- Next, focusing on Sakura. What do you see as the image of a heroine?

K: My idea of a heroine isn't very clear. Because of that, even though I tried
to depict a heroine, it didn't end up like one. "Someone unable to understand
the workings of men..." is the feeling I ended up with.

- Maybe that's what attracts people to Sakura?

K: Maybe. I didn't really make Sakura out to be a "heroine", my point of view
had been that if a somewhat dislikeable character was introduced, I wondered if
it would become interesting... I created Naruto and created Sasuke, the last one
was Sakura. But I think she's a cheerful, good character. The type that wants to
be leader and is energetic and, in front of Sasuke, childlike. That is what I
decided was the way of the keyword Sakura.

- What are Sakura's design points?

K: For one, she has spats (*1) to release her energy. Also, her clothes have
more lines proportionally than other characters', and she also wears as little
accessories as possible. I just design the left-over silhouettes. I wanted to
make her design as simple as possible.


KEYWORD:
*Konoha Village's Team 7*
Seeing scattered personalities is enjoyable.


- Continuing on, I'll ask about "Team 7", which refers to Team Kakashi. First,
how did you decide on a 3-man team plus 1 jounin making up a 4-man group?

K: Ehh, you're probably expecting a big reason, but instead of expanding the
story, I think it's the easiest to do. To even out the natures, and make a
balance for when I was drawing it was the effect I was going for.

- What do you think an ideal team is?

K: I think they should each go to extremes. If one person's power shines out,
then the others can't. If they have everyone's abilities, they can unite them as
one and release amazing power. This is what I like. Because of that, when I was
a child, I watched tokusatsu dramas (*2) about heroes such as the "Nantoka 5".
But, everyone was flawlessly strong. I've never seen anything like that.

- As a sensei, do you think an RPG-style team is good?

K: Yes. There's magic-users, fighters, and so on, and everyone can put their
roles together and everyone works for the team. I find that interesting. That is
how characters rise.

- Apart from Team Kakashi, where do you think there is attraction?

K: There's always heated rivalry in teams, isn't there? Lee and Neji remain
rivals, but even through their speech you can see a relationship, they don't
really want to hurt each other. Lee's a good kid. (laughs) Sasuke and Naruto are
different to that, so they have an interesting rivalry.

- What is the attraction of the leader, Kakashi?

K: Maybe how he's always walking and reading. (laughs) No matter what the time,
he always has his composure and keeps a steadily out-of-it face.


KEYWORD:
*Mist, Sand, Sound*
I want to make the enemies stick out!


- The next keyword is "Mist, Sand, Sound". I'll ask all about the enemy
characters here. In the production "Naruto", what is an enemy?

K: Well, the ones who want to impede the main characters' wishes... Because of
that, they have plots opposing the main characters. To put it another way,
they're not just basically equal enemies made as "fighting opponents". Since
even when the way of thinking is identical, a situation arises when they must
fight, the opponent is not necessarily an enemy. Therefore, when I was creating
the enemy characters too, I wasn't really thinking about fighting. I was thinking
more of putting in their opposing plans.

- That puts me in mind of popular past enemy characters, Zabuza and Haku...

K: That's it exactly. I recall creating Zabuza as a terrifying character. Haku
added a strange colorfulness to the Naruto characters. Maybe that's the secret
to their popularity.

- Another enemy character with the same popularity is Gaara. What does Gaara
mean to Naruto?

K: Gaara, after all, has opposing plans to Naruto. He's had the same kind of
circumstances as Naruto. He's been seen as an unneeded existence (*3) by
everyone, he is not acknowledged, he's ignored... But Naruto and Gaara have
different ways of thinking towards their own situations, so in that way they
oppose each other. I think maybe Gaara's popularity comes from the fact that his
circumstances are identical to the main character, Naruto's.

- You've created all of these enemy characters with their own attractions, but
what are the points when you're deciding on the enemy characters' outward
appearances and equipment?

K: I want to make the distinction between enemies and allies clear. Because I
think that's easy to read and understand in manga. If you don't know who's an
enemy and who's an ally, in fighting situations you don't really get what's
going on. So, when comparing them with allies, I wanted people to think "This is
an enemy" right away, based on their faces and clothing design. This is what I
kept in mind.

- What kind of methods do you use for showing something that looks like an enemy
character?

K: Well, I think enemies stand out. It's easier for the reader to see that
someone is strong when they wear flashy clothes, more so than plain clothes.
Even what I said before about the contrast with allies, the flashiness of the
enemy is a general principle.


KEYWORD:
*Teacher and Student*
I like the combination of Naruto and Jiraiya.


- Next, the story of "Teacher and Student". We see that Naruto has been with
Iruka, Kakashi and Jiraiya. This "teacher" [Note: This word has a more personal
feeling than a regular teacher] changes during life, do they just teach what
they themselves should teach, then leave?

K: There's possibly various patterns there, I think. For example, a science
teacher you have for one year can be a "teacher", and so can a parent who's
looked after you all your life. In "Naruto", various types of teachers keep
appearing and changing, seemingly by accident. The teaching style is different
for each one. A scolding, strict person is also a "teacher". Iruka's act of
acknowledging Naruto successfully cause Naruto to mature, and even now, Iruka is
Naruto's "teacher".

- Gai and Lee have a very passionate student-teacher relationship which is
extremely interesting to see, but what was your inspiration for this
relationship?

K: When I was in junior high school, my PE teacher was very passionate... He was
a fervous teacher like Gai, and really interesting. I really liked that teacher.

- Then, Gai was modeled after this teacher...?

K: ...No, but if you think about it like that, he wasn't at all similar to
Gai...(laugh) There wasn't really any model.

- Then, would you be happy to have Gai as your teacher?

K: No, he probably wouldn't click with me. (laugh) I think that might be a bit
*too* heated.

- Of the student-teacher relationships in Naruto, do you think of any as ideal?

K: At the moment, my favorite is the relationship between Naruto and
Jiraiya.(*4) I thought that the previous relationship between Kakashi and his
group was the best, but as it progressed to the current relationship between
Naruto and Jiraiya, it's more fresh to me. It's fun to depict.

- What do you keep in mind when making student-teacher relationships?

K: There's an infinite number of combinations. There's no real pattern to it, I
think.


KEYWORD:
*Look Ahead*
"Way of life", "Belief", "Dreams", expressed in pictures.


- Next we have "Look Ahead". I'd like to hear a further explanation of
everyone's "nindou".(*5) Firstly, what does the phrase "nindou" mean?

K: Well...how you live, your beliefs, your life, how they are for you. What you
want to do, your dreams...that's what it is.

- It must be difficult to define it in one word, since it's different for every
person...

K: That's right. Something like "Various ways of life" is "nindou". For example,
a person whose family dies of sickness will probably become a doctor, or someone
who admires a TV idol will aim for that. Those different ways of life are, to
me, "nindou".

- What is your current "nindou"?

K: For the time being, I have to complete "Naruto", that's my target. There's no
way I can quit in the middle.

- So, when the time comes that you finish Naruto, what "nindou" will be awaiting
you then?

K: There's a lot that I'd like to do. I'd like to work on regulation of data
connections, and I'd also like to try out a completely different type of work. I
want to play in games. (laugh) There's really a lot I want to do, but as a
mangaka, that's basically what I'd do.

- Right now, which character's way of life can you relate to?

K: That'd be Naruto. He's told things are impossible, but he still tries his
best. He doesn't know if he can or can't, but still goes ahead
recklessly...that's what I relate to. He's a loser, but still tries his best.
This is what I like. Everyone else can do it at the beginning to some degree, so
can't Naruto?

- In the real world, is there anyone whose life you'd like to have?

K: Not really anyone specific, but I like people who can speak out all the time.
I think they're awesome. Because of that, since I'm in the drawing business, I
respect those in the same occupation. Animators and mangaka.


KEYWORD:
*Konohagakure no Sato*
Guns and vehicles shouldn't be drawn.


- Well, well, we reach the final keyword. The main stage of "Naruto",
"Konohagakure no Sato".(*6) To you, what image do you have of this place? For
example, was it modeled on the scenery around your parents' home in Okayama(*7)?

K: That's right. To be honest, I didn't think much about this, and got a lot on
my inspiration there. Maybe it was subconsciously modeled on Okayama's scenery.

- What kind of time period did you set it in? If it was in the distant past,
then covenience stores wouldn't be there...

K: It's not really any different to present-time. Though possibly a little in
the past, maybe?

- What kind of place is it? Is it Japan? If so, what prefecture...?

K: It's a completely original place. I didn't set it anywhere. A place inside my
own head... If anything, the climate and topography resemble that around Kyoto.
As I've never been to Kyoto, it's my own image of it. (laugh)

- What material did you use for it?

K: I like Japanese culture, and since I studied it, I used a lot of material
from that. Crests and folding fans... I often look at Japanese-style gardens and
watch Kabuki.

- Do you have any rules about what is definitely not allowed to be drawn in the
"Naruto" world?

K: Firstly, projectile weapons such as guns aren't allowed. (The one exception
is Inari's bowgun.) Guns aren't suited to ninja. Gunpowder is used in the anime,
though I don't think it should be there. And, vehicles such as aeroplanes are
not allowed. I try to restrain technology that can be used for war... For
example, if missiles were in it, it'd be the end. (laughs)

- Well, thank you very much for everything today.

K: Thank you very much!



Footnotes:

*1 - Spats: Originally from a considerate nature, sharp attacks. These habitual
spurts suit the active Sakura's choice of clothes.

*2 - Tokusatsu dramas: Special-effects loaded hero dramas aimed at children. A
popular genre is "Sentai", which is a standard team of around 3-5 people who
fight evil. (Power Rangers for English audiences)

*3 - An unneeded existence: Due to his father's evil jutsu, Gaara was born as a
killing machine. The people of the village, who feared Gaara's power, loathed
him from the moment of his birth.

*4 - Naruto and Jiraiya: For Naruto to learn a new certain kill technique, this
student-teacher combination was formed. The clumsy, lecherous, yet amazingly
strong Jiraiya guides Naruto.

*5 - Nindou: This is a combination of the character "nin", meaning "to endure"
or "to sneak", and the character "dou", meaning "path" or "way". A possible
interpretation could be the way a person goes through their life.

*6 - Konohagakure no Sato: Literally, "village concealed in leaves", often
translated as Hidden Leaf, Leaf Village, or simply Konoha.

*7 - Okayama: Kishimoto's birthplace is Okayama prefecture. He grew up in a
quiet town, and loved drawing pictures when he was small. Are Konoha's roots in
Okayama...?!

[Ramen]

Gawd patty...and wheres that post i made!?

[Near]

you made a post?

[Ramen]

...no it was on one of the other ones.

[Near]

oh okay...
I what do yo uthink of the manga ka for naruto?

[Ramen]

He likes to talk