One Piece and Naruto have been compared on multiple fronts, but the one place where Naruto proves itself to be better than One Piece is global popularity. Yahagi Kosuke, the Editor for the Naruto manga, explained the main reason behind it in 2019 during an interview that was later shared on r/One Piece.
Kosuke stated:
“NARUTO” is Hollywood-oriented in a sense, including the development. That’s why I think the nature of it selling well around the world is different.
According to the Naruto editor, Masashi Kishimoto’s storytelling drew a lot of parallels with the Hollywood style, and this helped the series become popular overseas. One Piece had a traditional approach, which helped it become big in Japan but couldn’t really contribute much to its international popularity.
Why Naruto’s Hollywood-Style Storytelling Resonated More Than One Piece
Naruto’s plot structure was quite simple and had quite a lot of similarities with Western dramas and movies at the time. For the most part, the Naruto storyline focused on the basic setup, conflict, and resolution style, which resonated with global fans. The pacing of the story was more character-driven, which helped fans not only understand the development of a character but his/her connection to the main story.
Naruto also emphasized individual character arcs in a way that mirrored Hollywood’s focus on protagonists’ emotional journeys. Through different characters, Masashi Kishimoto tried to portray a relatable journey that connected with fans on a sentimental level. One Piece, on the other hand, is more focused on large-scale developments like real-world issues and political power struggles.
It’s more about the world-building and core narrative, which couldn’t help the series develop better relations with global fans at the time. Naruto was more about grabbing the viewers’ attention and making a connection with them, which more or less became the reason why it earned more popularity overseas than One Piece.
Naruto’s End Opened the Door for One Piece’s Global Popularity Boom
While this may sound controversial to One Piece fans, the series essentially became a global phenomenon only after Naruto ended. When Kishimoto’s masterpiece concluded in 2014, fans moved towards One Piece and discovered the epic narrative created by Eiichiro Oda. Naruto may have served as the entry point for viewers into the world of anime, but One Piece made them understand the true treasure of the community.
One Piece and Naruto fans have always debated which is better, but they need to see that there was never really a competition between the two projects. Both followed a different story with different elements and themes, focusing on different aspects of life. While they had some similarities, it wasn’t enough to compare the two, and both of them are incredible in their own sense.
They serve as the epitome of the anime and manga industry and continue to inspire generations. Without them, the community wouldn’t have become mainstream or reached the global scale of popularity it enjoys today. Do you also feel that comparing One Piece and Naruto does not make sense? Let us know!
One Piece and Naruto are available to watch on Crunchyroll.