Naruto Drew Inspiration From the TMNT, Says Creator Masashi Kishimoto

The creator of Naruto is a big fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

By Megan Peters

When it comes to manga, there are some series that reign above all others. Dragon Ball and One Piece are some of the top titles in shonen, for instance. The two titles saw another legend join their rank when Naruto premiered in late 1999. Creator Masashi Kishimoto has overseen the series as it has transformed into a global phenomenon. And not long ago, the artist unpacked the inspiration behind Naruto including the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The whole confession came from France as Kishimoto made a rare appearance overseas with artist Mikio Ikemoto who oversees Boruto. It was there the two spoke with fans and press including La Nouvelle Republique. While chatting with the publication, Kishimoto was asked whether any ninja stories inspired Naruto, and the artist was quick to point out TMNT.

How Did TMNT Influence Naruto

"Looking at literature, I think of The Kouga Ninja Scrolls by Futaro Yamada. I read it on the advice of my editor, it was very interesting," Kishimoto shared.

"It's quite popular but I also like the [Teenage Mutant] Ninja Turtles including theirs films. There are also excellent manga on the topic like Ninku by Koji Kiriyama and characters like Fusuke (from Ninku) and Ninja Hattori."

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As you can see, a number of ninja-centric tales inspired Naruto as he was working to piece Naruto together. The Kouga Ninja Scrolls date back to 1958 and follow two rival ninja factions, the Kouga and the Iga. All of the ninja in these clans have supernatural abilities stemming from years of inbreeding, creating a sort of curse for both bloodlines. Kishimoto also nodded to previous Shonen Jump series like Ninku which combines ninjutsu and kung fu. Plus, Ninja Hattori was given special mention as Motoo Abiko created the action manga in 1964.

A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto Crossover Is Coming

Clearly, Kishimoto looked all over for inspiration when creating Naruto, and the TMNT was peaking during the manga's early days. After all, the heroes in a half-shell were created in 1984 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Created as comic book heroes, the TMNT franchise has gone on to run the gamut. The team has tackled everything from film to television and video games. To this day, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remains a thriving franchise as its latest reboot went live in 2023 with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

As for Naruto, the series has been on the up and up since 1999. Kishimoto ran the main manga for 15 years before it closed in November 2014. But of course, the finale of Naruto did not mark the end of the series. A sequel was released by Ikemoto and Kishimoto titled Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. The follow-up is now in the midst of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex which takes place following a time skip. From film to TV, Naruto has followed in the steps of TMNT, and the two IPs are teaming up shortly.

Related:

Yes, that is right. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto is about to hit shelves. IDW Publishing is teaming with Viz Media on the special comic run. Set for a fall 2025 launch, the official crossover will follow Team 7 as they enter a new nation based on the world of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. So if you are ready to see what kind of jutsu Donatello can use, stay tuned!

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

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