Is Naruto inspired by real characters? Explored

Naruto is one of the most popular series in the world, so it is not surprising that fans, even today, want to know all the different ways author Masashi Kishimoto was inspired to come up with his magnum opus. While creators often draw from many different sources, Naruto’s case is fascinating because it has a lot of variety.

Many real-life characters and inspirations gave Kishimoto ideas for his own creation, which ended up becoming one of the most successful franchises of all time. That is why it is interesting to know if Naruto is inspired by real characters.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Naruto series.

---

Some of the real characters and elements that inspired Naruto

Jiraiya was one of the most notorious examples of a Naruto character inspired by real characters. One of the legendary Sannin and a fan-favorite, Jiraiya, was inspired by Japanese folklore called “The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya” from 200 years ago. It tells the journey of the bandit Jiraiya and his quest to learn the “toad magic” from the Immortal Toad Ascetic.

Any fan of the series can tell that Kishimoto took a lot from this tale and created Jiraiya, who went on to become of the most popular characters in the entire series.

There are other examples of this, such as the Legendary Stupid Brothers of the series, Fujin and Raijin, who were inspired by the Japanese Gods of wind and thunder. Another example of Kishimoto taking from folklore is the character of Kurama, the nine-tail fox inside Naruto. Kurama is taken from yokai, mythical beasts from Japanese culture. A fox with nine tails is one of them.

---

More inspiration for the characters

Minato and Kushina's love story was inspired by Japanese folklore (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Minato and Kushina are one of the best couples in the series. Their connection was based on the Japanese parable of the red thread, which explains that people that are meant to be together will always be connected by an imaginary thread of that color. It is one of the running themes of their relationship and is often brought up in anime and manga.

Another example can be the origin of the names Sarutobi Hiruzen and Sasuke Uchiha. Both characters are inspired by the ninja of Japanese folklore named Sarutobi Sasuke, which translates to “monkey jump” and connects with Hiruzen’s abilities. Sarutobi Sasuke was also known for being a young and talented ninja, which fits with the general character of Sasuke.

The final antagonist of the series, Kaguya Otsutsuki, is also inspired by myth, particularly that of “The Tale Of The Bamboo Cutter” of the Heian period. After she gains the affection of the Emperor of Japan, she returns to the moon where she came from, which is something she shares with the Kaguya of the franchise. She was one of the most prominent examples of this trend by Kishimoto.

A very obvious example of the many different inspirations that Kishimoto had as a creator was the Four-Tailed Beast, Son Goku, whose name is based on the legendary Dragon Ball protagonist. However, his design is taken from the myth of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King from “Journey to the West.” It is worth pointing out that Akira Toriyama designed Goku based on Sun Wukong.

Perhaps the most notorious example of inspiration from real characters was Naruto. During an interview back in 2014, Kishimoto stated that his protagonist’s motivation for becoming Hokage was a reflection of his desire to become a successful mangaka and get recognition for his work. This is perhaps the clearest example of how Kishimoto drew from real life.

---

Final thoughts

Naruto is one of the most successful series out there. Masashi Kishimoto created a story that inspired many generations, just like the multiple myths, tales, and characters that inspired his series. This highlights how every single creator out there has to start somewhere, which this author had to go through as well.