Fans of “Naruto” may have heard of the illustrator Mikio Ikemoto because of his narrow association with the manga shōnen defining gender, but Ikemoto has been an important creative force for a long time. When the creator of “Naruto” Masashi Kishimoto barely started as a manga-ka recruit, Ikemoto had already amassed a follow-up of worship for his beginnings in Manga at a blow, “Cosmos”. Once Kishimoto began the serialization of “Naruto” for ShueishaHe deliberately asked Ikemoto and recruited him in a role of chief assistant who would extend between 1999 and 2014. Ikemoto’s contributions helped “Naruto” to evolve into a polished serialized manga, because his responsibilities included crowds / backgrounds, by creating new conceptions of characters from zero and adding half-ones. While Kishimoto has undoubtedly perfected “Naruto” in the beloved tale, it is today, Ikemoto has silently helped the creative process in a way that should not be overlooked.

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Part II of the Manga series “Naruto” was always supposed to end on a note of hope. Our heroes, including the permanent blonde disturbance, participating in a culminating war and resolved long -standing grievances. The manga ends with the promise of a better future for the next generation of Shinobi, which inadvertently carries the inheritance of their parents and their complicated past. SO When Kishimoto decided to work on a spin-off / suite revolving around the son of Naruto BorutoHe was categorical to bring Ikemoto as part of his main artistic team. It was essentially the only Kishimoto condition had before working on a “Naruto” suite, which he explained in detail during an anime agreement in France last year (via Cbr).

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For Context, “Boruto” Eventually Began Serialization in 2016 Under a New Writer (Ukyō Kodachi, Who also Penned Episodes in the “Danganronpa 3” anime), with Kishimoto Acting as Editorial Supervisor Unil Kodachi Stepped Down in 2020. The “Boruto” Recently Released Part II, Titled “Boruto: Two Blue Vortex,” Which is Yet to be adapted in the series of anime in progress. Like the drawing styles of Kishimoto and Ikemoto are quite similar, the artistic style of the latter in “Boruto” feels rather transparent and all the differences Serve only to illustrate the significantly lighter tone of the suite.

“Naruto” could feel convoluted due to episodic arcs which can be considered as loadBut these stories of the plush / mixed canon are an integral part of the understanding of the future to which it leads. During an anime event in 2024 which highlighted “Boruto: Naruto The Movie” in 2015 and Some of the best “Naruto” combat sequences, Kishimoto explained that he already had a plan for “Boruto” in mind (where the ethics of “Naruto” directly fueled this new story) before writing / drawing a single page. He underlined the collaborative nature of the project, in which the contribution of Ikemoto as a main artist was not negotiable from the start:

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“Ikemoto-san created and him [storyboards with dialogue at the draft stage] Each month. With ideas, development and characters that go beyond my draft history [for ‘Boruto’]. So, even if I check it every month, I have practically nothing to say. Ikemoto-san is someone I trust and who helped me for a long time in the production team for “Naruto”. So I knew he was incredible in drawing and narration. I would not have done ‘Boruto’ if Ikemoto-san had not agreed to take over. “”

This is an enthusiastic approval, which can be traced until 2014, that is to say at that time that “Naruto” had ended. Even then, Kishimoto had “no worries” about “Boruto” as a successive history, because he had written major drafts and handed them over to Ikemoto. All approach differences have been discussed amicably, cement that “Boruto” has always been supposed to be a collaboration of Ikemoto-Kishimoto, the first taking control of the artistic reins of the franchise.

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In the same interview, Ikemoto also highlighted the rivalry of Boruto-Kawaki in the manga, explaining how Boruto is already an expanded character (unlike his father, who was constantly fighting for personal growth). Here, Kawaki is the one who needs to develop as a complex deuteronist, but he is completely different from Sasuke, who had been a friend who became a friend of Naruto in the original series:

“Boruto, having become a young man, is a character who has fully evolved at the same time from the start. He is insightful and with a great open -mindedness. Compared to Kawaki, the importance of what he transports on his shoulders is different. It will be more like Kawaki in evolution like a Boruto, I think there are many contrasts between the scheme of Naruto and that of Boruto.”

While you are waiting for the “Boruto” anime adapts part II, you can expire the 293 episodes of part I – a company that is well worth your time.