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Some of the biggest anime and manga series of all time,NarutoandOne Piecehave been an inspiration for many manga creators who learned from Masashi Kishimoto andEiichiro Odato the extent that many of them even created their characters after being inspired by their work and what it has achieved over the years.
WhenOne PieceandNarutostarted, they were a tough competition for each other and developed a rivalry about which one was better, and this rivalry has been going on since then. To this day, manyOne PieceandNarutofans fight amongst themselves about which series is better than the other.
While both of these series are based on entirely different genres and themes, they still compete to this day about which is superior. Kishimoto, the creator ofNaruto,once revealed the one thing that differentiated his work fromOne Piecewas the only reason why many believed thatNarutowas superior toOne Piece.
Read More:Who Killed Naruto in Boruto: Why Naruto’s Death Wastes Decades Worth of Character Development in a Flash?
The Major Difference BetweenNarutoandOne Piece
In an interview that was published in Jump Versus on August 17, 2025,Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of theNarutoseries, discussed the distinctions between his work andOne Piece. Given that none of the characters inOne Piecedie, Kishimoto called the story lighthearted and stated that, upon witnessing this, he concluded thatNarutoought to take a different route.
This is because Oda has previously stated that he dislikes the death of characters, and that is because he always wants to have elaborate celebrations when his storylines come to an end. Kishimoto decided to take a different route for his series, one that included the deaths of several significant characters.
Kishimoto realized that whatOne Piecewas doing was excellent and that if he had followed suit, he would have become just another generic manga creator. This was the major distinction betweenOne PieceandNaruto, and it essentially worked better for Kishimoto than he realized.
Read More:How to Watch Naruto Movies in Order: Anime Fans Must Know This Before Getting Lost in the World of Shinobis
Masashi Kishimoto Said Killing Off Characters HelpedNarutoin a Major Way
Compared toOne Piece,Narutohas a lot more deaths in the story involving major characters such as Jiraiya and Neji Hyuga. While it is a sad and depressing aspect to move the story forward, it does helpNarutoto connect more with its audience emotionally, and it helps the audience to get ready for worse things in the future.
WhileNarutofeatures a lot of deaths, it does have a habit of bringing back some of these characters to the storyline, as evidenced by the Fourth Great Ninja War. This also packs a hugely exciting moment for fans as they get to see some of their favorite characters back in action.
Read More:One Piece: Eiichiro Oda Must Not Repeat Naruto Saving Might Guy Mistake by Not Sacrificing a Straw Hat Member in Final Saga
Nevertheless, both series have built up a huge fan following that has loved and supported the series so much and has placed them at the pinnacle of the anime industry. BothNarutoandOne Pieceare majorly different and have their ways of attracting viewers and making them fall in love with either their characters, their storylines, or their animation.
Tarun Kohli
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2959
Tarun Kohli is the Senior Anime Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,900 published articles. He currently specializes in critiquing One Piece and other Shonen anime. A passionate fan of the genre, his love for thoughtful analysis reflects his genuine appreciation for the art of anime. His deep understanding of anime culture has earned recognition from industry figures such as Adi Shankar and the creators of Blood of Zeus.
