Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto has long been blamed for his handling of romance within the series. Fans often argue that romance within Naruto is rushed, not fully developed, or even completely ignored in favor of world-building and action.
While talking about this topic, Kishimoto himself once revealed in an interview, that he felt shy when writing romance and so did not depict it extensively. The comment was shocking to many fans because some of Naruto‘s relationships are really great, demonstrating Kishimoto’s skill in writing great romance.
Kishimoto can write romance: He just didn’t prioritize it
During an interview session with the Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun, Masashi Kishimoto revealed why in his original work, the depiction of full-blown love did not appear. When asked by the interviewer whether it was difficult to imagine? the legendary creator replied saying:
Personally, when I draw depictions of love, I became embarrassed/shy. Thus, in the original work, I avoided depicting it.
However, some bonds such as Shikamaru and Temari’s prove that when Kishimoto does focus on relationships, he excels at it. Their relationship exemplifies a natural progression, balancing respect, admiration, and emotional growth.
The initial significant encounter between Shikamaru and Temari is at the Chunin Exams when they fight each other as rivals. Their battle showcases their intelligence and strategic thinking, with Shikamaru losing even though he was in a position to win.
Kishimoto designs the relationship between Shikamaru and Temari such that they portray complementary personalities. Instead of an immediate romantic connection, they develop a relationship naturally through respect.
Unlike some other Naruto couples that are built on childhood infatuation or sudden revelations of love, theirs develops gradually and believably. Throughout Naruto Shippuden, Temari becomes Shikamaru’s trusted partner, often assisting him in political and military matters.
Their relationship is never explicitly romantic in the original series, yet their bond is undeniable. Unlike most rushed or one-sided relationships in Naruto, Shikamaru and Temari’s romance ends naturally in Boruto, where they are depicted as having a son named Shikadai and living together as a family.
Why other Naruto romances fell short?
Other Naruto pairings do not succeed due to insufficient development or being forced. Hinata and Naruto’s love for example is set up at the beginning of the series, however, all of their interaction is Hinata looking at Naruto from afar, with hardly any real moments of interaction.
Their love is not really developed until The Last: Naruto the Movie, which, while effective, feels like an after-the-fact add-on rather than a natural development within the main plot. Meanwhile, Sakura’s persistent affection for Sasuke could be a fan favorite throughout the series, though their love is tainted by indifference and distance.
Sasuke displays little respect for Sakura during the majority of the series, and although Boruto establishes that they are married, it doesn’t have the emotional foundation required to make it feel natural. The relationship between Ino and Sai is also poorly done and appears to happen out of nowhere with very little build-up.
Whereas Boruto presents them as a unifying couple, their love relationship is not as clearly declared and as mature as that of Shikamaru and Temari. Finally, it is worth mentioning that Naruto was not necessarily a romantic show, something that might be the reason Kishimoto did not put a lot of emphasis on this factor. Still, despite these circumstances, Shikamaru and Temari are evidence that Kishimoto can pen love stories that are real and gratifying.
Naruto is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
