Summary
Kishimoto's childhood experiences shaped the characters of Naruto in relation to children from broken families. Family in Naruto is defined beyond blood relationships, emphasizing relationships and connection over traditional concepts. The main theme of Naruto is the importance of family, whether established or otherwise, demonstrating the various relationships that define loyalty, sacrifice, and growth.
One of the best parts about Naruto franchise is filled with incredible characters and their development, which is only possible because of the length of the series. However, they have a surprising and deeply comforting inspiration that shows why the series has become so beloved.
In an interview with Kana, the author of the manga, Masashi Kishimoto, dives into the series and his inspirations, reasons for certain factors and more. From the beginning, he discussed the characters' family situations.
Naruto has many characters who are orphans, and this is because Kishimoto had childhood friends in similar situations, and seeing their loneliness made him very sympathetic to their situation. Because he knew that children from broken homes would read comic books, he made sure to create relatable characters, and this, among other reasons, explains why Naruto's characters are so complex and endearing.
Naruto's family portraits make the series unique
The traditional concept of family is rejected in favor of a broader definition
Masashi Kishimoto believes that society's definition of family is too narrow, and the term should be expanded beyond just being a term to refer to people who are related by blood. He cited Naruto and Jiraiya's relationship, as the two were essentially family and not related. Jiraiya was the master of Naruto's father and his godfather, so the two had a good relationship before Naruto was born. A more typical example is Naruto and Iruka's relationship. Even though he raised the beast that killed his parents, Iruka accepted Naruto and became his first father, and the two develop a bond thicker than blood. In fact, Iruka acted as Naruto's father during Naruto's wedding.
“The word “family,” as most people understand it, is too limiting to me. Especially since I'm writing for kids who may or may not be dealing with their parents' divorce.”
Naruto is a shounen series, which means it is aimed at young boys. Realizing that children like his friends would read books, Kishimoto made the heartwarming decision to acknowledge their difficulties and show them through his characters that family is not defined by birth, but can be people with whom you form relationships. Watching characters with similar backgrounds fight and constantly improve is definitely inspiring and one of the reasons why Naruto is the most loved children's movie in the world.
The main theme of Naruto is family
From lost love to learning to accept found family, the series has its own values.
There are many themes in Naruto, such as war, sacrifice, second chances, etc., but the main theme is about family. Naruto's main goal may be to become Hokage, but bringing back Sasuke, whom he considers like a brother, is just as important. The concept of family is an integral part of the Naruto storyline; whether it was Might Guy mentoring Rock Lee, Neji's conflict with the Hyuga Clan, or Gaara finding solace with someone similar. Kishimoto
Source: Kishimoto's interview with Kana.
