Masashi Kishimoto
In September 1999, the serialized version of "Naruto" premiered in "Weekly Shōnen Jump 1999 No. 43" and quickly became a hit. "Naruto" ended on November 10, 2014 after more than 15 years of serialization, with a total of 700 chapters collected in 72 volumes. Sales have exceeded 113 million copies in Japan and over 95 million copies in the US, followed by over 93 million copies worldwide (outside Japan and United States) as of volume 36. Making total sales for the series approximately 301 million copies. Kishimoto was also the winner of "Rookie of the Year" for the series in the Agency for Cultural Affairs. It was adapted into two successful anime series, "Naruto" and "Naruto Shippuden". Kishimoto requested that Tetsuya Nishio oversee the character designs of "Naruto" when the manga was adapted into an anime series. The "Naruto" manga series became one of Viz Media's top properties, accounting for nearly 10% of all manga sales in the US in 2006. The seventh volume of Viz's release became the first manga to ever win a Quill Award when it claimed the award for "Best Graphic Novel" in 2006. Responding to "Naruto"'s success, Kishimoto said in "Naruto Collector Winter 2007/2008" that he was "very glad that the American audience has accepted and understood ninja. It shows that the American audience has good taste... because it means they can accept something previously unfamiliar to them." While writing the manga, Kishimoto met Eiichiro Oda, author of "One Piece" who he considered his rival. When "Naruto" ended, Oda left a message in the series' final volume acknowledging him as a rival. According to Kishimoto "That felt so gratifying." Additionally, before the anime adaptation's premiere of "My Hero Academia", he praised Kōhei Horikoshi's work, believing it would be a success overseas. Additionally, Kishimoto referred to Yoshihiro Togashi as one of his favorite artists.
List of Naruto characters
is a Konohagakure chunin and instructor at the Ninja Academy, a school for prospective ninja. Masashi Kishimoto's initial design of Iruka featured "evil" eyes and sharper cheekbones, but this was abandoned in favor of a more relaxed appearance. When Iruka was a child, his parents were killed by Kurama, the Nine-Tailed fox which was later sealed into Naruto Uzumaki. At the start of the series, he often found it awkward around Naruto, but after Naruto was targeted for death by Iruka's friend Mizuki, Iruka became the first person who acknowledged Naruto, and they ultimately saved each other against Mizuki. The Third Hokage chose Iruka as Naruto's sensei on purpose because of their similar backgrounds. Naruto thinks of Iruka as a father-figure because of the fight against Mizuki, and Iruka, in turn, has immense faith in Naruto's potential to be a great ninja. During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Iruka is dispatched by the Allied Shinobi Forces to stop Naruto from leaving the island where he and Killer Bee are being kept safe. However, upon finding out that he was deceived, Naruto abandons Iruka, but Iruka slips Naruto a good luck note into his headband, restoring their mutual faith. In the final episode of Naruto: Shippuden, Naruto asks Iruka to stand in as his father for his wedding. In Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Iruka has become the headmaster of the Leaf Village Ninja Academy. In the Japanese anime, his voice actor is Toshihiko Seki, and his English voice actor is Quinton Flynn from "Naruto", "Naruto Shippuden" series and Kyle McCarley in "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations".