Naruto might be one of the most important shonen series to be created, and fans can thank Masashi Kishimoto for its success. The creator had no idea the Hidden Leaf hero would become so beloved when he thought him up. There is no way you can imagine such success ahead of time, but such fortune came to pass for Naruto. And according to a past interview, Kishimoto really regretted teaching his hero the Shadow Clone technique so early on.
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The artist let the fact slip during an interview with Kobayashi. The meaty interview was translated by users like Utapurinsesu as well as KirinNOTKarin98. It was there fans learned about the Kagebunshin’s origins, and Kishimoto admits he backed himself into a corner after giving the Shadow Clone jutsu to Naruto.
When the interview asked whether the jutsu dug a grave for Kishimoto, the artist said he believes it did.”That’s right. Naruto got stronger quickly, didn’t he? When he improved his number of clones increased too. I just thought, ‘I’ve really done it now!’.”
As you can see, the early introduction of the Shadow Clone messed up Kishimoto in two ways. The most obvious comes down to its art work as Kishimoto had to draw more and more clones. If the first fifty Naruto summoned were difficult to draw, then you can imagine how tired Kishimoto was after drawing one hundred clones or more.
The decision also impacted Naruto in a more practical way. The Hokage confirmed the Shadow Clone technique is a jounin-level move, and it is forbidden for many to learn. The fact Naruto managed to learn it and master the art before even becoming a ninja sealed his insane power. That was a lofty starting point for Kishimoto to move from, but fans think the creator handled the hurdle well. Believe it!
What do you think about the Shadow Clone jutsu? Should Naruto have waited to introduce it or…? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!
