Naruto: Kishimoto Reveals The Bizarre Origin Story Of Boruto’s Illustrator

If you’ve followed anime and manga over the past ten years, you’ve likely heard of Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of the popular series Naruto. While Kishimoto was the main driving force behind the story and characters, he occasionally collaborated with an assistant named Mikio Ikemoto, who helped with story planning during the series’ run in Shonen Jump.

Ikemoto collaborated with Kishimoto throughout the entire *Naruto* series, and was later chosen to be both an artist and writer for the *Boruto* sequel. While not much is publicly known about Ikemoto personally, Kishimoto, having worked with him for a long time, has shared stories about how Ikemoto began drawing and what inspired him to pursue a career in manga.

Kishimoto And His Assistant Are Lifelong Friends

Ikemoto Was There From The Very Beginning Of Naruto’s Run

Ikemoto was by Kishimoto’s side for all of Naruto
He was rewarded by being given a major role in the Boruto manga

Many manga artists work with assistants who offer feedback to help keep their stories on track. Usually, these assistants move on to other jobs eventually, but Ikemoto was different. He worked with Kishimoto on *Naruto* for the entire 15-year run of the series, and the two became close friends during that time.

Boruto noticed Naruto’s strong sense of responsibility and pointed out, “You’re always talking about needing to protect everyone in the village… you truly believe that, don’t you?”

Knowing this helps explain why Ikemoto was chosen to lead the *Boruto* manga. He clearly understands what made the original *Naruto* series so enjoyable. Kishimoto, the creator of *Naruto*, has often praised Ikemoto’s artistic talent – even in a recent interview, he emphasized that Ikemoto is a highly skilled artist who deserves recognition.

Every artist begins somewhere, and Ikemoto’s beginnings are surprisingly compelling. He was a mysterious figure for a long time, but Kishimoto recently shared the personal story of how Ikemoto developed pride in his work. This ultimately led to his involvement with the *Naruto* series soon after, and eventually to illustrating *Boruto*.

Ikemoto’s Strange Origin Story

Kishimoto Remembers Exactly What Lit A Fire In A Young Ikemoto

In 2016, shortly after the *Naruto* manga concluded, Masashi Kishimoto gave an interview with Viz Media. While these interviews usually focus on the author’s thoughts about their work, Kishimoto often spoke highly of Mikio Ikemoto, who supported him throughout the long run of *Naruto*, so it wasn’t surprising that he mentioned him during the conversation.

About halfway through the interview, Kishimoto was asked if he was a naturally gifted writer as a child. Rather than talk about his own abilities, he shared a story about Ikemoto, which revealed why Ikemoto pursued illustration. Kishimoto explained that when they were both in school, Ikemoto couldn’t afford Bikkuriman stickers – popular, colorful, anime-like collectibles. So, he started drawing his own, and they were so good that he began selling them to his friends.

As a child, Masashi Kishimoto couldn’t afford the popular Bikkuriman stickers, so he began creating his own. Surprisingly, his friends would actually buy them from him, and that’s when he first realized people might value his artwork. [laughs]

Ikemoto’s beginnings are unusual, but they really highlight how much his art has developed. It’s common for manga artists to only truly appreciate their own work after receiving positive feedback – Kohei Horikoshi, creator of *My Hero Academia*, is a good example, as he started his manga career after his mother praised his drawing. Readers of *Boruto* can easily see how much Ikemoto’s style has evolved since the beginning, though it’s quite different from the look of *Naruto*, which has caused some debate among fans.

Is Ikemoto’s Art Style Better Than Kishimoto’s?

It’s Debatable, But There’s Definitely A Huge Difference Between Them

Ikemoto’s designs are a lot more stylish and modern
Kishimoto tends to go with a more tradtionalist look for his characters
The Boruto character designs have been divisive, especially since the timeskip

While Ikemoto knows *Naruto*’s characters and story well, his artwork is quite different from Kishimoto’s. The biggest difference lies in their approach to style. Kishimoto generally favors a classic look that leans into fantasy, but remains believable. This is reflected in his character designs, which often feature simple outfits like jumpsuits, cloaks, and jackets adorned with ninja symbols that have historical or spiritual meaning for dedicated fans.

Ikemoto prioritizes creating visually striking and fashionable characters. This is especially noticeable in the character designs on the *Boruto* volume covers, where characters wear bold, eye-catching outfits that are more modern and daring than Kishimoto’s style. Ikemoto’s work feels closer to the aesthetic of *Bleach*, while Kishimoto’s art draws more inspiration from *Dragon Ball* and classic manga styles.

The artwork and overall style of *Boruto* have sparked some debate among fans. While some prefer the more realistic and mature look that Kishimoto favored in *Naruto*, many *Boruto* fans appreciate the fresh, modern, and youthful feel of the new series. Ultimately, everyone in the *Naruto* fanbase will likely have their own preferences when it comes to *Boruto*’s aesthetic. However, it’s fascinating to learn that a simple hobby – doodling stickers in school – eventually led Ikemoto to become a celebrated manga artist.

2025-09-18 15:16