Pain Was the Last Good Naruto Arc, According to Shonen Jump & DBZ Editor

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Kazuhiko Torishima is a famous editor known for discovering Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball. While Dragon Ball is Toriyama’s creation, Torishima was instrumental in making it a massive hit. He edited the manga from its beginning all the way through the start of the Saiyan Saga. Many believe Dragon Ball wouldn’t be the same without his guidance. Torishima is also known for being outspoken and isn’t afraid to share his critical opinions about the manga world.

During a recent interview at Napoli Comicon, shared by X user @XMathemagicianX, veteran editor Torishima expressed some critical opinions about current One Piece, even though he has great respect for Eiichiro Oda’s earlier work. He offered similar praise for Naruto, saying it was strong at the beginning, but felt the quality declined afterward. Torishima specifically highlighted the Pain Arc as the last truly excellent story arc in Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto before the manga’s overall quality diminished.

Pain Was the Beginning of the End For Naruto

Torishima didn’t explain his reasoning, but many fans agree the Pain Arc was the high point of Naruto. It felt like everything in Naruto: Shippuden had been building to that moment, with Naruto finally confronting Pain, the leader of the Akatsuki, and bringing their storyline to a dramatic conclusion.

As a huge Naruto fan, I honestly think the Pain Arc is where the series peaks. Pain isn’t just a strong fighter, he forces Naruto to really question everything he believes in, and it’s heartbreaking to watch. The destruction of the Hidden Leaf felt so impactful, and Jiraiya’s death? Still gets me every time. It’s no wonder people call it one of the greatest shonen arcs ever – the fights are incredible! Honestly, everything after that just doesn’t quite measure up. The story started to feel… different, getting bogged down with alien stuff and stretched out way too long. It lost some of that original magic, in my opinion.

Torishima Wanted Kakashi to Stay Dead & For Sasuke to Die

Torishima suggested to Kishimoto that Kakashi’s death should have been permanent. In the Pain Arc, Kakashi seemingly dies while fighting Pain to save Choji, creating a very powerful and emotional moment – one that could have rivaled Jiraiya’s death. However, Kakashi was brought back to life. His initial death was impactful because it demonstrated that no character was safe, raising the stakes of the story significantly.

Before Kakashi returned, it seemed like Naruto’s main characters were unbelievably lucky and protected from real consequences. Interestingly, the author also considered killing off Sasuke. While Sasuke’s death would have drastically changed the story’s hopeful themes, it could have been a powerful moment demonstrating that Naruto’s beliefs don’t always guarantee happy endings, much like what happened in the Pain Arc.

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2026-05-24 03:34