My Hero Academia Author Kohei Horikoshi Reveals What Aspect Of Naruto Inspired Him The Most

This article contains light spoilers for early arcs in MHA and Naruto

Though “My Hero Academia” and “Naruto” are both renowned shonen Manga series from the past few decades, they actually don’t share many commonalities. While the former centers around a team of heroes striving to safeguard Japan against villains, the latter is set in a world of ninja with distinct settings and characters. However, it’s common for manga authors to draw inspiration from other series within Shonen Jump magazine, especially since author Kohei Horikoshi has acknowledged his admiration for “Naruto” during his childhood. As such, the influence of “Naruto” can be seen in his successful series, “My Hero Academia”.

Despite appearances, it might not be immediately obvious from reading “My Hero Academia” alone that the series has been influenced by Kishimoto’s work. The character designs and overall world don’t seem to have a direct connection. However, Horikoshi himself has acknowledged a more nuanced and hidden impact from Kishimoto’s work that only attentive manga readers may recognize. Let’s delve into this influence and discover where it’s apparent in “My Hero Academia”.

Horikoshi’s Panel Work Is Directly Inspired By Naruto

Allowing The Author To Keep Readers Engaged At All Times

During a chat between Horikoshi and Kishimoto, the renowned manga creators, someone asked if Naruto had influenced how Horikoshi crafted My Hero Academia. Since Naruto is quite distinctive from many shonen series, making comparisons isn’t always straightforward, but Horikoshi admitted that he was largely inspired by Kishimoto’s panel design. This term refers to the way a manga artist directs the reader’s gaze across the page, and more specifically how they use ‘framing’ to emphasize certain characters or action sequences.

Kishimoto notes that Horikoshi seems to have a distinct, well-planned perspective, as he easily transitions from broader views to close-ups.

In essence, Kishimoto acknowledges that he swiftly caught inspiration from Horikoshi’s work as he was reading it. He points out that Horikoshi frequently employs expansive shots in his scenes, which he then narrows to highlight specific actions or a character’s deeper feelings.

When perusing these comments, it becomes quite clear where Kishimoto is pointing, as his examples are dispersed throughout the manga. However, it’s worth mentioning that Horikoshi incorporates this panel work into his unique drawing style and aesthetic, with numerous characters seemingly jumping off the page, thereby giving his work a distinct identity rather than mere imitation of previous works.

Examples Of Panel Comparisons

Naruto’s Influence Can Be Felt Early On In The MHA Manga

Horikoshi used Naruto as a reference when creating panels in the early story
The mixture of wide and close shots is comparable to Kishimoto’s work

In the course of our discussion, Horikoshi openly acknowledged that while working on an early part of the My Hero Academia story, he frequently looked to Kishimoto’s manga for guidance when arranging his panels. Specifically, he referenced a scene in the Battle Trial Arc where Bakugo cornered Deku in a tunnel and threatened to destroy him with his Explosion Quirk. This scene was said to have a similarity to a moment in volume 17 of Naruto, featuring Jiraiya facing off against Itachi and Kisame from Akatsuki.

In this battle, Jiraiya constructs a tunnel-like barrier that maintains his adversaries close by him at all times. Re-reading the initial segments of Naruto, it becomes apparent that Kishimoto strategically employs the camera angle to provide a broad view of the arena, only to subsequently zoom in on specific characters’ bodies or features to refocus and rekindle interest in the scene.

In the battle between Deku and Bakugo, the same method of storytelling could be used. Although it’s crucial to focus on the characters’ feelings and fight choreography, it’s equally important for readers to grasp the location of the fight. This type of paneling makes the manga easily understandable, but it can be challenging for the author to portray the action accurately, especially when it’s happening so swiftly. Given these challenges, it’s not surprising that Horikoshi might draw inspiration from other well-regarded manga series to aid him in his work.

Horikoshi Was Influenced By Naruto Without Even Realizing

He Only Connected The Dots When Speaking To Kishimoto

The eye-ability teacher is seen in both series
Kishimoto reveals he had unintentionally copied a big aspect of Dragon Ball

Horikoshi acknowledged that the layout of his panels in the “My Hero Academia” manga drew significant influence from “Naruto,” but during a conversation with Kishimoto, he also disclosed some additional sources of inspiration that had previously escaped him. One of the most noticeable references he pointed out is Aizawa’s Quirk, where he can halt another person’s abilities using his eyes, which is reminiscent of certain characters in “Naruto.

“I still have to watch over them…until they graduate and become heroes” – Aizawa

In simpler terms, the character you’re referring to seems quite alike to Kakashi, the head of Team 3 from the Naruto series, who has a Sharingan ability that allows him to launch various lethal techniques in combat. While it’s not hard to spot the similarities, Horikoshi admitted that he didn’t consciously make the connection. He believes it might be because he was so immersed in Naruto, having grown up with it, which made it his natural choice for inspiration when designing a teacher character.

Interestingly, Kishimoto acknowledges a similar development in Naruto’s character – from a boy to a teenager, and then an adult with children. This progression bears a resemblance to Goku’s journey from _Dragon Ball_. Although it’s well-known that Kishimoto is a diehard fan of the iconic series, he maintains that his goal wasn’t to directly mimic it. However, given the profound impact _Dragon Ball_ had on his life, it’s hardly surprising that traces of it seeped into his own manga creation.

2025-08-25 14:34