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

This Naruto vs. One Piece analysis was made during a Shonen Jump session, where editors Yahagi Kosuke and Kazuhiko Torishima examined the two 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's 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 than the drama. I have children, and when I show them One Piece, what they understand least is the drama.», commented Yahagi during the interview.

«We've been reading manga for a long time, so we tend to delve into what makes a manga interesting. But many people abroad don't understand Japanese manga. I think it's because they don't have the same reading comprehension skills. So ultimately, I think Naruto doesn't require that kind of comprehension.“, wide.

Takashi Matsuyama, an editor who worked on “Dragon Ball,” also shared his opinion on Naruto. According to him, One Piece is like a classic Yakuza movie, while Naruto resembles a Hollywood film. «This is just my perception, but what One Piece is doing, while it may seem strange to call it kabuki, is something in the style of old Yakuza films. It's like a play, including the emotional parts that appeal to the Japanese people. Naruto is more Hollywood-oriented in some aspects, including its development. That's why I think the nature of its global success is different.».

Yahagi's statement about a "lack of reading comprehension" generated a flurry of comments in the community, many of which supported his assertion. Comments like "The fact that you think this is disrespectful to Naruto proves your point.” and “Naruto fans don't even know what worldbuilding is” reflect the perception that Naruto is more accessible and therefore more popular worldwide.

Source: Comics