Naruto Creator Masashi Kishimoto Reveals How Spider-Man Shaped His Manga
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto explains how Spider-Man's themes of dual identity and complex villains influenced his manga, while also praising live-action director Destin Daniel Cretton.
When iconic manga artists talk about their inspirations, the answers are rarely predictable. Masashi Kishimoto, the creative mind behind Naruto, recently opened up about his deep fandom for Marvel's web-slinger in a new Disney Plus documentary titled Generations: The Evolution of Spider-Man. Speaking as part of the promotional buildup for the upcoming film Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Kishimoto shared that Peter Parker left a permanent mark on his storytelling style. From early dates with his now-wife to wearing vintage collector pins on his lapel, the legendary creator proved his Spidey credentials run deep.
That fandom directly influenced how Kishimoto built the world of Naruto. He pointed specifically to the internal anguish of Peter Parker's dual life and the layered complexity of his rogues gallery as major touchstones for his own work. Rather than painting antagonists as purely evil from panel one, Kishimoto adopted the philosophy that villains should carry burdens and histories that shape who they are. It is a philosophy that turned characters like Pain and Sasuke into legendary figures in modern anime culture.
In a choice that might spark friendly debates across fandom forums everywhere, Kishimoto also named The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as his absolute favorite film in the franchise, praising Andrew Garfield's heavy emotional delivery. Beyond comic history, the timing of Kishimoto's documentary appearance highlights an ongoing professional partnership. Destin Daniel Cretton, who is directing the upcoming Spider-Man film, is also leading Lionsgate's live-action Naruto adaptation, earning high praise from the manga author for his ability to balance grounded human emotion with high-octane action sequences. You can check out the full story over at Polygon.
Tags: Naruto, Spider-Man, Masashi Kishimoto, Anime, Marvel
Original article: Polygon