Naruto Creator Reveals Which Arc Was Its Most Difficult

It has been years since Masashi Kishimoto brought Naruto to a close, but the series is far from done. Not only does the IP live on with its sequel Boruto, but each day, Naruto finds new fans. The series is considered iconic, and much of its success comes on the back of Kishimoto. The artist spent spent nearly 20 years with the original run of Naruto, and now, the artist is unpacking which of its arcs was hardest to ink.

The revelation comes from Kishimoto himself as the artist appeared in France for a special in-person event. It was there the artist answered questions about Naruto with Boruto artist Mikio Ikemoto, and one fan wanted to know which arc was hardest to complete in Naruto. And as it turns out, Kishimoto had a lot of hardships with Pain’s Invasion arc.

According to Kishimoto, the hardest arc to write was the Pain’s Invasion storyline, and it was not because of its action. Rather, Kishimoto struggled with the arc’s ideals; Naruto and Nagato had two very different opinions about peace and both were valid. Kishimoto said he had trouble concluding the pair’s conflict as he needed to make Naruto the clear victor while also asserting the nuance behind Nagato’s position.

Clearly, Naruto challenged Kishimoto in some big ways, but its most difficult arc came courtesy of Pain. The invasion really marked a shift in Naruto’s life and the future of the Hidden Leaf. Pain’s Invasion dealt a massive blow to the Akatsuki and forced the Hidden Leaf to bring the ninja world together. The ensuing Kage Summit sparked the start of the Fourth Great Ninja War, so without Pain, it is hard to imagine how that conflict would have gotten the ball rolling.

If you have never checked out Pain’s Invasion arc, you can find the Naruto manga on the Shonen Jump app. So for those wanting to know more about the hit series, 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 of Kishimoto’s latest confession? Which Naruto arc sticks out to you after all these years? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!