Naruto is often credited as the most successful shonen-style anime ever, which is a conclusion the series has gained deservingly due to many factors. One of these many reasons is the well-thought-out development of characters in the series, which not only covers the main characters but the villains too.
This is also something that puts Naruto at an advantage over One Piece and similarly styled shōnen anime. Hayato Date, the director of the series, revealed more about the same in an interview with the Animation Magazine.
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What Makes Naruto Different From Other Shōnen Anime
As stated above, the director of Naruto, Hayato Date said in an interview,
“Above all, the popularity of Naruto can be attributed to each character’s extensive backstory, which motivates us to be attentive in our work. Unlike most hero stories, where the villain is simply evil, in Naruto, the villains act on their own thoughts: This allows viewers to really get absorbed in the story.“
Essentially the director meant that due to the lengthy run of the series, the creator was able to give each character enough time for a thorough development, which includes villains as well, something other series lacks.
The development of iconic villains such as Madara Uchiha, Nagato Uzumaki, Obito Uchiha, and many more is what has given depth to not only the characters but the series as a whole. This has also led the audience to be attached to the villains in a way due to how they are portrayed. An example of the same would be none other than Itachi Uchiha.
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Absence Of Development To Villains In One Piece
One Piece is a huge anime in itself. The series by Eiichiro Oda is often praised for its story-building, however, it often falls short when compared to Naruto when it comes to the amount of development antagonists are given in the respective series.
Something that has caused the lack of development of villains in One Piece is the factor that the series spans so wide it needs to keep bringing something new to the table every time, denying the possibility of using old characters frequently.
Another thing that has often been noticed in One Piece is the fact that antagonists are occasionally introduced for a few arcs in the series, just to never show their faces again. This includes villains like Kuro and Don Krieg.
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Source: Looper
