The announcement of a new series following Naruto’s son, Boruto, caused quite a stir among fans when it was first revealed in 2015. The series would not be continued by its original creator, Masashi Kishimoto; instead, it would be drawn and written by Kishimoto’s former assistant, Mikio Ikemoto.
Shockingly, this sequel almost never happened at all, as confirmed by Kishimoto himself in an interview published in Weekly Shone Jump Magazine. The creator of the world-famous manga Naruto also revealed the conditions he established for Shueisha to keep the story going.
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The Trust Between Kishimoto and Ikemoto Is Rare To Find
Naruto is originally created by Masashi Kishimoto; Boruto is created and written by Mikio Ikemoto & Kishimoto
During an interview in which both Kishimoto and Ikemoto were asked about their time working together, the creator of Naruto revealed that, originally, he didn’t want to keep the story going. To quote Kishimoto, “When I ended Naruto, Shueisha asked me if I was interested in continuing the story. I had done everything I wanted to with the series, so I wasn’t up for it.”
He later explained that the only way he would allow the story to continue would be if Ikemoto became the one in charge. He said, “I was fine with ending it at that point, but if Mikio-kun was drawing the sequel, then I was okay with it. I told them it had to be him.” When asked about why he chose Ikemoto, Kishimoto explained that his former assistant is someone whom he trusts completely.
The duo revealed that they have been working together for more than 15 years working on Naruto. During that time, they have come to know each other extremely well, which is why Kishimoto trusted Ikemoto to create a story that would be enjoyed by fans of the original. Naruto’s creator went as far as to state that his friend has surpassed him, becoming a better artist, although Ikemoto quickly denied this. The interviewer noted how close the two artists seemed to be, with Kishimoto explaining that they had a relationship similar to that of family members.
Kishimoto & Ikemono Reminisced About Their Past
The pair of mangaka have a seemingly endless pool of stories from their time together
When asked about how they met, Kishimoto explained that he first heard about Ikemoto when he won a competition with his one-shot manga COSMOS. After noticing that their art style and inspiration appeared to be similar, Naruto’s creator decided to offer Ikemoto a job as his assistant. From that moment on, the duo began working together almost every day. This almost never happened, as Ikemoto had already been offered a job as an assistant for a gag manga before Kishimoto reached out to him.
Boruto is much more than just a simple sequel to a popular manga. It is the culmination of years of work, effort, and an unbreakable bond between two friends. Kishimoto and Ikemoto have worked together to create a world that will withstand the passage of time, bringing joy and entertainment to millions of people all around the world.
Boruto is available to stream on Crunchyroll in the U.S.
Source: Weekly Shonen Jump Interview (Translated)
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