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The signature drawing technique used by Masashi Kishimoto in Naruto explains why his manga fight scenes are better than One Piece 1

The signature drawing technique used by Masashi Kishimoto in Naruto explains why his manga fight scenes are better than One Piece 1

From its deep themes to emotional complexities, Naruto remains a masterpiece. This also extends to Masashi Kishimoto’s art style. The series is often praised for its iconic battle scenes. Whether it’s Gaara’s fight with Rock Lee or Pain’s Shinra Tensei, Kishimoto reigns supreme. Especially with his attention to detail in the panels. But we’ve barely scratched the surface with this one.

Guy Might vs Madara Uchiha
Might Guy launches the Eighth Gate | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Besides the fight scenes, it’s Kishimoto’s signature style that sets him apart. This is especially true in contrast to Eiichiro Oda’s magnum opus One Piece. With his intricate and impeccable designs, Kishimoto showcases his prowess as a mangaka. This contrasts with Oda’s extravagant yet dramatic art style.

Masashi Kishimoto illustrates his finesse through his complex style in Naruto

Naruto is praised for its well-written characters, animation, and gripping storyline. What’s even more appealing, however, is Kishimoto’s thought process and design. From the setting to the character design, the mangaka is a true genius. His ability to elicit empathy from readers showcases his talent as a storyteller. But his abilities are not limited to his writing.

An image taken from the manga by Masashi Kishimoto.
Naruto and Sasuke’s fight in an image from the manga | Credit: Viz Media

He created fleshed out characters, including villains. This is evident in the painful stories that play a central role. This gives the characters a fallible yet empathetic quality. And it is through the act of empathy that the hero can bridge the gap between the characters.

In doing so, the mangaka highlights pain and loss as well as complexities. The intensity of these emotions is further reflected in his fight scenes. This is an aspect that highlights his genius as a mangaka.

In an interview with LATimes, Kishimoto described his character drawing process. He quoted:

I chose to draw the human figures as accurately as possible because I thought it would give a more realistic feel to the action scenes. Exaggeration can make action scenes more powerful, but I like to stick to more realistic figures: they help keep the composure. action scenes, although they may not be as powerful as the over-the-top scenes.

This is especially true for most of the fight scenes in the manga. Although his work is less exaggerated, it is rather complex. Most panels in the manga are clean and concise in gestures and actions. On top of that, most fans associated the fights with choreography. This contrasts with Eiichiro Oda’s extravagant and theatrical art style in his manga.

One Piece highlights grandeur and drama

Unlike Masashi Kishimoto’s realistic creations, Oda is known for his dramatic approach. A perfect example of this is Luffy’s Gear 5 transformation. The dramatic and theatrical aspects are also reflected in the anime.

Through impactful frames, Toei Studio brings out the grandeur and magnificence of the fights. This, however, is not without criticism due to the series’ reliance on impact frames.

speed 5 luffy
Luffy in his Gear 5 mode in the anime | Credit: Toei Animation

Unlike Kishimoto’s detail-oriented approach, One piece highlights fluidity. Fluidity also results in cartoonish tropes as seen with Luffy’s Gear -5. Although almost caricatured, this decision was welcomed by most. Oda’s art is in keeping with the anime in terms of hard-hitting combat. This congruence is also present in Kishimoto’s manga. And there is much more.

What makes Naruto However, the fights are superior to Oda’s magnum opus. Most confrontations and battles do not rely heavily on impact frames. With careful and careful art, the mangaka highlights the intensity and impact of the confrontation. In this aspect, Kishimoto reigns supreme thanks to his minimalist yet detail-oriented approach.

Naruto And One piece are available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available to read on Viz Media.