21 replies to this topic

[ciardha]

Perhaps Kishimoto should consider visiting America after he's done with the series. If he made an appearance at a con, I just might go. ^^ (Would going deaf from all the fangirl cries be worth it?)

A "Minato Gaiden" would be cool, but I don't think I'd like to see him as just a child. A sidestory showing all the important events in his life would be better; and Kushina would have to be in it.

Well, as a child -I'm sure he means as a Genin along with his mysterious unnamed team mates, with Jiraiya as his sensei, we'd get to see Kushina as the young refgee ultra tomboy she was then. She was apparently always hanging around Minato and either fighting with him or talking Jiraiya's ear off. I'd love to see that. Kishimoto would probably show how the two changed from firends to falling in love with each other during the course of the manga. We'd also I'm sure get glimpses of the other Konoha 11 parents as young ninja. Might get a glimpse of TsunadexDan and little Shizune too (as Dan's death probably happened when Minato would have been around 15 or so.) and Sakumo with little Kakashi (and maybe find out when and how Kakashi's mom died) I'd love to read that kind of series. It makes me excited he might do a Naruto prequel (likely called Minato) I hope he does

[Jenskott]

NC: If you were to do a spin-off series that focused on one of the side characters (or a group of side characters) (were they hoping for Akatuski?) , who would it be?

MK: I'm thinking about doing one with the Fourth Hokage as the lead character. He'll be much younger. I intend to draw the Fourth as a child.

It would be fantastic. So much untapped potential... We could see more about Minato, who were his parents, how he met Kushina and how they fell in love, knowing something else about his nameless partners and how Jiraiya raised him... and we would learn details about the lives of the older cast when they were young and THEY were surpassing the former generation.

NC: In America, your manga is sold in bookstores that don't even carry other manga or comics. So in a way, it has actually changed how some bookshops sell books. How do you feel about that?

MK: I've been in Japan this whole time, so I don't know much about what's happening in America. But I'm really glad that Naruto is getting so much attention. It's a great honor. I think Americans know what's good (laughs).

And here went -up in blazes- the "We are the biggest fandom, so Kishimoto will please us and cater to our tastes. Otherwise he'll lose readers!" argument. Kishimoto doesn't know anything about the American fandom.

Not matter what the majority of the readership reads this manga cause they want seeing ninjas and cool fights, what the number of fans would ACTUALLY drop the series due to pairing issues are a tiny minority, and the majority of that minority reads the manga online illegally, without paying him anything for his job.

Indeed, he would be awfully sorry if he lost those customers.

NC: We know a lot about Naruto, Itachi, Gaara and Kakashi, but does Sakura have dark secrets we don't know about yet?

MK: She's a normal girl, so I haven't given it much thought.

What is utterly fine for me. We don't need more characters with murkily dark, wrist-slitting depressing, horribly sad pasts and numerous skeletons in the closet. She's a normal girl, without a stupidly cliche past, and I'm happy for it.

Nonetheless, I wouldn't be lying if I stated I'd like learning something else about her family and her childhood.

NC: Many of the older Konoha Village ninja are dying. How do you feel about the younger ninja taking over the responsibilities for the safety and welfare of the village?

MK: It's the same in manga. There are a lot of great manga artists that I admire, beginning with Osamu Tezuka, Shotaro Ishinomori, Fujio Fujiko, etc.

Of course. What manga writer or artist in Japan doesn't? They are the great eastern masters of the craft.

NC: Did you map out the entire plot of Naruto right from the beginning, or do you find yourself making new choices about characters and storylines as you go?

MK: I've already decided on the overall plot, but depending on the flow, I change the direction in which it's going right in the middle of things. Sometimes I just make it up along the way, and other times I do what I orginally intended to do. It's a weekly installment, and I have deadlines. I'm not always able to do everything I wanted to do. My private life and how my hours are spent ultimately will have an influence on the story. That's what it comes down to. Having a new editor affects the story too.

Okay, that confirms my own opinions.

I wonder... if he got time to include everything he wanted, we would have seen more about the Jinchuurikis? The Tailed Beasts would have been revealed in the manga instead of in an art book? We would have got more stories and fights featuring the Konoha 11?

NC: What is the most important thing for you to express in Naruto Part II?

MK: I've always had "bonds" in my mind as the fundamental theme. And since the story is about battles and struggles, I'm inclined to depict the resulting complications and....difficult relationships.

It results very evident throughout the manga.

What I wonder is: why did some people think the Shippuden theme was "people accepting other people"? How did they reach that conclusion?

NC: Do you have any message for your fans in the U.S.?

MK: I have no idea how big Naruto is or how it's perceived in America, yet it's such a joy to hear that a lot of people read it. And I hope you keep on enjoying it. If you read it until the end, I promise that it's going to be worthwhile. So please, don't get bored. Keep going! Thank you very much.

Heh. Yes, he will do what the fans tell. He doesn't know what the fans tell or why they read his story, but he will do it, regardless.

Okay, that's enough snark!

Personally I'm not surprised or shocked he doesn't know -or he claims he doesn't know- anything about the Western fandom. Manga artists have a very hectic schedule.

hmmm i always find myself wondering what Kishimoto will do after all of naruto is over...i hope it won't be like Lucas...lol

There're several manga writers create an impressive volume of quality work and a big number of masterpieces throughout their entire careers: Osamu Tezuka, Reiji Matsumoto, Go Nagai, Shotaro Ishinomori, Tetsuya Chiba, Sanpei Shirato, Katsuhiro Otomo, Rumiko Takahashi...

Likewise, there're numerous manga writers create one or two important works and after fade in darkness: Akira Toriyama (Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball), Izumi Matsumoto (Kimagure Orange Road), Masami Kurumada (Saint Seiya), Yoichi Takahashi (Captain Tsubasa), Nobuhiro Watsuki (Rurouni Kenshin)... all of they are renowned for one or two stories, but they haven't created more noteworthy mangas.

I'm afraid Kishimoto will belong to the second group.

I think what he meant was, Sakura's just not twisted and doesn't have any skeletons in her closet. Like Ino's a normal girl, for example.

And yes, she SHOULD get more time! DX

Agreed on both accounts.