Naruto may have ended a decade ago, but it has remained one of the best-selling manga series of all time. While it’s loved by fans worldwide for its great character development, storylines, and action sequences, writing a manga that runs for 15 years and spans 700 chapters is no easy feat. That said, series creator Masashi Kishimoto revealed which arc he found to be the hardest to write.
Kishimoto made a rare public appearance at a Kana event in France and answered several questions about Naruto. As shared by X user @dailyhokage, he was asked which part of the manga was the hardest to write and revealed that it was probably the Pain’s Assault Arc. However, he clarified that the struggle wasn’t related to the action but rather to the fact that Naruto and Nagato’s differing ideals about peace were valid.
According to the mangaka, he found it hard to determine who was right or wrong between the two. It was also a challenge for him to end their conflict, as he had to make Naruto win the argument while asserting the complexity of Nagato’s perspective.
This arc marked a significant shift in Naruto’s life and the future of the Hidden Leaf. It dealt a huge blow to the Akatsuki and forced the Hidden Leaf to unite the ninja world. The subsequent Kage Summit sparked the beginning of the Fourth Great Ninja War, so without Pain, that conflict might never have gained momentum.
What is Naruto’s Pain’s Assault Arc about?
Naruto’s Pain’s Assault Arc, aka Two Saviours, is part of the Part II of the series. It centers on the Akatsuki leader, Pain, attacking Konohagakure in search of Naruto Uzumaki, the host of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. This arc is considered one of the highlights of Part II, tying together many plot threads involving the Akatsuki, which was set up in Part I. It features Naruto’s greatest victory and the first time the entire Hidden Leaf Village sees him as a hero.
In addition to the introductions of Sage Mode and Rinnegan’s Six Paths Technique, the protagonist’s battle against Pain is the first true test of his moral convictions. This arc marks Naruto and the series’ main cast’s coming of age as it explores the themes of war, revenge, and inherited will. So, with high stakes, captivating fights, and a poignant message, it’s easy to see why the Pain’s Assault Arc has become one of the best arcs in Naruto.
Pain’s Assault Arc has been praised for its portrayal of war and for conveying complex debates on revenge and morality within a shonen context. Although these themes were relatively rare in the genre at the time, Kishimoto effectively delivered the right message to fans as Naruto finally matured.
Naruto manga is available on the Shonen Jump app, while the anime is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
