“One Piece,” with over 500 million copies sold, is a true titan in the manga industry. The hit Weekly Shonen Jump series has sailed the seas for decades, and in that time has seen other series make a name for themselves as well. One example is “Naruto,” which debuted some time after “One Piece” and somehow achieved global success before Eiichiro Oda’s pirate tale. According to some Shonen Jump editors, the reason Naruto surpassed One Piece in worldwide popularity comes down to drama.

This Naruto vs. One Piece analysis was conducted at a Shonen Jump session, where editors Yahagi Kosuke and Kazuhiko Torishima examined both franchises. During the discussion, Yahagi, who was an editor on Naruto alongside creator Masashi Kishimoto, admitted that the series is easier to understand because it is not as complex as One Piece.The drama in One Piece is very interesting. On the other hand, Naruto is easier to understand because of the action and other aspects rather than the drama. I have kids, and when I show them One Piece, the thing they understand the least is the drama.“Yahagi said during the interview.
«We’ve been reading manga for a long time, so we tend to dig deeper into what makes a manga interesting. But many people overseas don’t understand Japanese manga. I think that’s because they don’t have the same reading comprehension skills. So ultimately, I think Naruto doesn’t require that kind of comprehension.“, broad.
Takashi Matsuyama, an editor who worked on “Dragon Ball,” also shared his thoughts on Naruto. According to him, One Piece is like a classic yakuza movie, while Naruto resembles a Hollywood movie. «This is just my perception, but what One Piece is doing, even though it may sound strange to call it kabuki, is something in the style of old yakuza movies. It’s like a play, including the parts that make you cry and that appeal to the Japanese. Naruto is more Hollywood-oriented in some ways, including its development. That’s why I think the nature of its global success is different.».
Yahagi’s statement about “lack of reading comprehension” has generated a wave of comments in the community, many of which support his claim. Comments such as “The fact that you think this is disrespectful to Naruto proves his point.” and “Naruto fans don’t even know what world building is” reflect the perception that Naruto is more accessible and therefore more popular worldwide.
Fountain: ComicBook