Kishimoto’s Shocking Confession: He Was Forced to Create Naruto’s Iconic Chunin Exams Arc!

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This article contains spoilers from the Naruto series.

Summary

  • Kishimoto’s initial plans for Naruto involved a story based on 4-man shinobi teams exploring different countries.
  • Editors at Jump forced Kishimoto to draw the Chunin Exams arc, despite his reluctance, which led to major changes in the story.
  • Kishimoto’s original vision for Shikamaru to win the Chunin Exams was altered by editors, showing how author’s ideas can be overridden.

In regards to well-known manga like Naruto, it’s not typically thought that the authors have less creative control than they might prefer, primarily because of their esteemed reputation. Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, is an example of this revered position.

Initially, when Kishimoto was still a novice writer, he didn’t have much creative freedom. The editors at Jump significantly influenced the direction of his work on Naruto. For instance, they made him alter the main plot, create certain characters, and even draw entire story arcs. Kishimoto himself admitted years ago that the Chunin Exams arc, a fan favorite, was not part of his original plan; instead, he was compelled to illustrate it.

Kishimoto’s Initial Plans Of The Beginning Of Naruto

  • Kishimoto Wanted A Story Based On 4 Man Teams
  • The Idea Was To Go To Different Countries On Missions

According to an interview with Kobayashi by Kishimoto, it’s revealed that at first, Kishimoto didn’t plan for multiple strong Shinobi groups in Konohagakure. It’s possible that Naruto’s classmates weren’t part of the original storyline as they didn’t exist in the early draft. Instead, Kishimoto envisioned a four-member team from Konoha, who would travel to different villages and encounter other similar teams there.

In the hidden world of shinobis, those who violate the rules are considered low-life, but those who betray their comrades are considered even more despicable than such individuals. – Obito Uchiha

In this scenario, Kakashi’s opponents would be his own counterparts, whereas Naruto would establish bonds of friendship and competition according to the narrative. Regrettably, Kishimoto received feedback from his editor that such a progression was too leisurely paced. Consequently, an alternative idea, a tournament arc, was suggested to Kishimoto. Despite deviating from this approach later, Kishimoto still laments not having the opportunity to illustrate the story he originally conceived. Undoubtedly, his original concept holds particular significance for him.

How The Editors Force Kishimoto To Draw Chunin Exams

Kishimoto Didn’t Want To Draw The Chunin Exams

creating a story arc centered around a tournament format. At first, Kishimoto was far from enthusiastic about this idea, fearing it would be overly demanding and potentially fatal. To which the editor responded with reassurance.

You will draw it even if you die! — Editors to Masashi Kishimoto

Over time, events unfolded and Masashi Kishimoto eventually developed the Chunin Exams storyline in the Naruto series. Interestingly, his original plans for the Naruto series didn’t involve this arc, which is quite surprising for fans to learn.

During the Chunin Exams storyline, Kishimoto encountered numerous challenges, including the task of creating a variety of fresh characters. To tackle these hurdles, he sought advice from his editors, and collaboratively, their suggestions resulted in the birth of characters such as Gai and Lee.

At first, Kishimoto planned for Might Guy to hail from another village and compete against Kakashi, while it seemed Lee would challenge Naruto. However, circumstances required him to make these characters members of Konoha instead.

Kishimoto’s Original Chunin Exams Winner

Initially hesitant to illustrate the Chunin Exams, Kishimoto acknowledged that these events were instrumental in boosting the story’s popularity. It was around this time that he began to appreciate the narrative himself. However, editors stepped in again and proposed the introduction of a villain named Orochimaru, who disrupted the exams and ultimately halted their conclusion. This development was a significant letdown for Kishimoto, as his original plan was for Shikamaru to emerge victorious in the Chunin Exams. Despite this setback, he was uncertain about how to proceed since Shikamaru was comparatively less powerful than other characters.

The concept revolved around portraying Shikamaru as having an IQ exceeding 200, a factor that often allowed him to outwit his peers. If Masashi Kishimoto had been permitted, this twist could have added intrigue to the narrative. However, the editors intervened and the storyline evolved differently, as we all know. To this day, many fans may not be aware that Kishimoto’s original vision for the Naruto saga didn’t fully materialize.

You can access Naruto on both MangaPlus and the Shonen Jump app, where you can enjoy the official version of this popular manga. By reading it there, you’re directly supporting its creator.

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2025-03-27 23:34