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Manga legend and the creator ofHunter x Hunter, Yoshihiro Togashi, has served as an inspiration to many other prominent manga creators. One of them is Masashi Kishimoto, the creator ofNaruto.Kishimoto has been quite vocal about being a fan of Togashi’s works and getting references and inspiration from his creations.
However, what manyNarutofans don’t know is thatNaruto’smost iconic jutsu, Kage Bunshin No Jutsu, was also inspired by a character from another Togashi masterwork calledYu Yu Hakusho.The series has a similar technique that is used by Suzaku, the leader of The Four Saint Beasts and one of the main antagonists of the series.
Kishimoto once revealed that he was so surprised by Suzaku’s one particular ability that he chose to use it for the main character of his manga series, and it instantly became a big hit amongNarutofans. So much so that it is even used in the sequel spin-off series, Boruto.
Masashi Kishimoto’s Inspiration forNaruto’sShadow Clone Jutsu
In 2009, Togashi and Kishimoto sat together for an interview to commemorate the 10th anniversary ofNaruto.This interview was later shared in theNaruto10th Anniversary Chronicle Book Mini and was translated by MrGenial11 on theHunter x Hunterfan page. During the interview, Kishimoto was asked about what he found impressive about Togashi’s works.
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Kishimoto revealed:
His way of surprising the reader. The way he can create unexpected scenes that can show the threat that the enemies represent, the Kagebushin no Jutsu of Naruto is strongly inspired by Suzaku’s technique in Yu Yu Hakusho. The idea of having after-images be real was very innovative, I was excited and though ‘how will they beat this guy.’
According to the manga,Yoshihiro Togashihad a unique way of surprising his readers. In fact, he even surprised Kishimoto with Suzaku’s Prism of Seven technique, which allowed Suzaku to multiply himself into seven clones. Kishimoto was so impressed with Suzaku’s technique that he used it forNaruto’smain character in the series.
Other Yoshihiro Togashi Elements That Inspired Masashi Kishimoto
After talking about the Shadow Clone Jutsu and Prism of Seven techniques,Masashi Kishimotocontinued to talk about other things that he found impressive about Togashi and used them for his own inspiration. The manga revealed that Togashi’s way of drawing the expressions of characters was totally unique and had never been seen before.
Kishimoto explained:
Another thing that I liked were the characters expressions during the scenes where they witness their enemy reveal their true power, I’ve studied a lot about the delicate balance of expressions of characters when they’re surprised or when they find themselves in a dangerous situation, Back when I’ve started the serialization of Naruto, my inspiration for these kind of facial expressions was Hunter x Hunter, even to this day it still has a special place for me and I often re-read it.
According to the manga, the character’s expression while witnessing a power reveal of their enemy is an important factor, and when Kishimoto started the serialization ofNaruto,he learned these aspects from Togashi’sHunter x Hunter.
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Not only that, he was so inspired byHunter x Hunterthat he often re-reads it, and it holds a special place in Kishimoto’s heart.
You can watchNarutoandHunter x Hunteron Hulu.
Tarun Kohli
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2959
Tarun Kohli is the Senior Anime Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,900 published articles. He currently specializes in critiquing One Piece and other Shonen anime. A passionate fan of the genre, his love for thoughtful analysis reflects his genuine appreciation for the art of anime. His deep understanding of anime culture has earned recognition from industry figures such as Adi Shankar and the creators of Blood of Zeus.
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Masashi KishimotoNarutoYoshihiro Togashi
