Sasuke Uchiha is the deuteragonist of the popular Naruto franchise. He is the best friend and rival of the protagonist Naruto Uzumaki and a member of team 7, along with teammates Naruto and Sakura; and their mentor Kakashi.
Being an overall deuteragonist and one of the most popular characters in the series, fans may get a bit startled if they find out that Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, actually found inspiration for Sasuke from another popular manga and anime series.
In 2009, there was an interview for Naruto’s tenth anniversary, published in the Naruto 10th Anniversary Chronicle Book Mini. Some fans translated the book from Japanese to English.
In the fan-translated interview between Yu Yu Hakusho author Yoshihiro Togashi and Kishimoto, the Naruto creator revealed that one character from Yu Yu Hakusho served as a source of inspiration for Sasuke including his abilities.
In this article, you’ll find out who’s the character inspiration for Sasuke Uchiha and the similarities between them.
Also Read: Naruto vs. One Piece: Can Luffy’s Snakeman Break Sasuke’s Susanoo?
Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho Served as Inspiration for Sasuke in Naruto
For a moment, imagine a black-haired man who is as pessimistic as he is ruthless against his enemies with an ocular ability. Yes, Sasuke it is, but don’t forget the Fighting Demon Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho.
X user and Naruto fan @kishimotomasshi posted a portion from the 2009 interview. The brief statement reveals that Sasuke was inspired by Yu Yu Hakusho’s Hiei. A longer excerpt from the interview provides further insight, as Masashi Kishimoto said:
“I was already a big fan of Hiei back when I was only a reader, but I’ve also took him as a source of inspiration when I started creating my characters. At first I wasn’t able to create a ‘cool’ character. I didn’t know where to begin so I studied one of my favorite characters: Hiei, and I succeeded in creating Sasuke, the Sharingan as well as some of his other techniques were inspired by him.”
Hiei, also known as Jaganshi Hiei, is a proficient martial artist and swordsman. He is skilled in using his Evil Eye, known as Jagan, to acquire extra powers and even an alternate form.
As a fighter, Hiei is very unbiased when it comes to his enemies. He shows no mercy to his foes – regardless of age or gender.
Similarities Between Sasuke and Hiei
With their same level of ruthfulness, there are many similarities between them. Sasuke is known for being very powerful, but also very distant from his friends at first. He is cold and calculating, but he eventually grows to respect the other members of Team 7 greatly. Hiei is quite similar in that he values his friends but doesn’t show it much.
They also have a similar appearance, sharing dark spiky hair, sharp features, and a fair complexion. Hiei’s Evil Eye grants him some psychic abilities, similar to Sasuke’s Sharingan, which allows him to do telepathic abilities. While Sasuke can predict his opponent’s moves utilizing his enhanced Chakra view.
Additionally, both possess the capacity to do fire-based abilities, with Hiei’s taking the shape of a dragon. Both Hiei and Sasuke can use a flamethrower technique, unleashing fire toward their adversaries.
When placed side by side, there’s no doubt that they two are very similar.
Source: Yoshihiro Togashi x Masashi Kishimoto interview, Twitter/X
