Naruto Creator Explains How Godzilla Inspired the Tailed Beasts

When it comes to Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto put everything he had into making the Hidden Leaf great. From its heroes to its frontlines, Naruto put its ninja through plenty. One of the greatest threats our heroes faced came in the form of towering Tailed Beasts. And now, Kishimoto is unpacking how Godzilla inspired the creatures.

Recently, Kishimoto made a trip to France where he talked all things Naruto with his colleague Mikio Ikemoto, the artist behind Boruto. It was there the pair spoke with La Nouvelle Republique, and as the pair spoke, Kishimoto took time to explain the connection between Godzilla and the Tailed Beasts we’ve come to love.

“I’ve been passionate about Godzilla since I was in elementary,” the creator shared. “My dream was to draw monsters, so I ended up including some in my story. I like Godzilla, I like Mothra, I like Ghidorah, and I also like Rodan. They inspired me to make the Tailed Beasts in Naruto.”

As you can see, Kishimoto is a pretty big fan of monsters. Godzilla tops the list along with his friends and foes. During their heyday, Toho’s kaiju were not just action stars but mascots with very different personalities. It was this presence that inspired Kishimoto to create the Tailed Beasts in all their variety. After all, the Nine-Tailed Fox is very different from the Two-Tailed Cat when it comes to power, form, and personality.

Godzilla’s Impact on Naruto

This nod to Godzilla is not the first one Kishimoto has made. Back in 2014, Kishimoto spoke with Nippon as the manga’s original run came to an end. It was there the Naruto creator highlighted Godzilla as inspiration for the manga, saying, “The entire story of these tailed beasts started out as a simple way for me to get the fox into my manga.”

“I loved Godzilla. I just wanted to draw a monster-something big that I could place in a battle. That’s why I decided to introduce the Summoning Jutsu, the summoning skills that let ninja call forth the weapons they need, or call a creature to their side to aid them in a fight. My intent from the start was to bring forth gigantic beings with these skills.”

If you want to revisit the Tailed Beasts, Naruto is easy to find these days. You can read the original manga as well as its sequel on the Shonen Jump app. So for more info on Naruto, you can read its official synopsis below:

“Twelve years ago the Village Hidden in the Leaves was attacked by a fearsome threat. A nine-tailed fox spirit claimed the life of the village leader, the Hokage, and many others. Today, the village is at peace and a troublemaking kid named Naruto is struggling to graduate from Ninja Academy. His goal may be to become the next Hokage, but his true destiny will be much more complicated. The adventure begins now!”

What do you think about this Naruto teaser? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.