As one of the shonen Big Three, Naruto is a popular and beloved manga, but the editor reveals there’s one series they couldn’t compete with.
The Naruto manga debuted in 2002 and swiftly captured people’s hearts with its unique plot line. It ended in 2014, but it’s still one of the most beloved manga. However, before it began serialization, creator Masashi Kishimoto studied One Piece.
One Piece began in 1997 and is still ongoing, and its popularity continues to break records. The manga and original anime are currently in the Final Saga, while a remake is also in production.
Naruto's editor Yahagi says that they studied One Piece before starting Naruto and that Naruto can never compete with One Piece because it is way too interesting. pic.twitter.com/dMfUdko6LP
— One Piece Defender ◍ (@OnePieceDefend) August 13, 2024
Naruto’s editor Kosuke Yahagi oversaw the manga from the beginning and revealed in a roundtable in Denfamicom with several editors in 2019 that they studied One Piece before Naruto’s debut. Additionally, Kosuke shares, “So when we started working on Naruto, we broke down and analyzed ‘What is so great about One Piece?’
“So the more I study this manga, the more amazing it is. I can’t compete with this. If I want to compete with this, I’ll have to surprise people with action. I’m conscious of that. The author himself said, ‘I can’t write a story more moving than One Piece,’ so I thought I’d try to compete somewhere else.”
In the end, he also adds, “We couldn’t get past One Piece though.”
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The community seems divided over this statement but they acknowledge the editor’s respect for one of the best mangas.
“One piece has influenced Japan on a different level. Even in WSJ, One Piece was always at the top of the shonen jump rankings which Mangaka in the magazine sees as competition. Naruto was always number 2-3. They’re not talking about anime just manga as a medium,” writes one fan.
Another adds, “He’s not wrong, and I’m not even the biggest fan of either of them lol.”
For more from One Piece, check out the release date and spoilers for One Piece Chapter 1123. Also, look at Iron Giant’s name and our ranking of the strongest Straw Hats.