The Best Naruto Villain Was Born When Kishimoto Betrayed His Own Rule: ‘I try to make the reader feel empathy’

As a popular and celebrated Shonen series, Naruto is iconic in many ways. From its character-building to power systems, it is nothing short of brilliant. This also extends to the antagonists and their complexities in the manga. The characters aren’t bog-standard villains. Especially when it comes to their empathetic backstories and tragic past. But there’s more to it than meets the eye.

Obito Uchiha in a still from the Shippuden series | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Kishimoto has a knack for rendering empathy in most antagonists. Be it Obito or Sasori, their past is a real tearjerker for fans. In a weird twist of fiction though the mangaka betrayed his own rule. This is especially true with his characterization of Hidan who redefines evil and insanity. In his move of doing so, the mangaka may have created one of the best antagonists.

Kishimoto’s antagonists are ridden with empathetic backstories

Amidst the greater and lesser evil lie the morally grey antagonists. Needless to say, Masashi Kishimoto brings out the sinister yet empathetic side to them. From Obito to Nagato, the character’s backstories are ridden with tragedy. This is a continuous trope present in the series along with the core conflict. This approach of empathizing with antagonists is what renders them more human.

Sasori of the Sand in a still from the series | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Most antagonists in the series redefine and reshape the understanding of evil. What the mangaka does best is to highlight their subjective experience of pain, grief, and loss. This layering of complexities is what outlines his brilliance as a mangaka. It holds especially true with Sasori’s past.

Sasori is one of the misunderstood characters in the series. Underneath his puppetry prowess, the character hides a facade of loneliness, grief, and loss. It is evident in his creation of the parent puppets. However, there’s more to the mangaka’s characterization process.

In an interview with Kana, Kishimoto opened up about his process of creating antagonists. He quoted:

But what interest me isn’t the end goal, but how they came to have that goal in the first place. How did they came to act like they do ? I really dig this psychological process. I think the reader is like me: He wants to understand. So I talk about the place the characters grow up, the reasoning behind their acts. I try to make the reader feel empathy for a character who seems evil at first sight.

Empathy runs parallel to the intensity of grief and pain in the series. The mangaka’s ability to wring out understanding from readers is impeccable. There are, however, exceptions to this as well. Especially when it comes to Hidan’s character, the mangaka may have broken his own rule.

Hidan and his cult fanaticism are tied to his villainy in Naruto

Hidan may not be as diabolical as Orochimaru or as sinister as Kakuzu but there’s more to him. He’s one of the most malicious characters in the Naruto series for several reasons. Majorly, because of his growing cult fanaticism throughout his stint. His bloodlust and twisted perceptions coupled with his sadistic personality make him the perfect villain. And there’s more to it.

Hidan in a still from the Shippuden series | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Jashinists in the series are beyond evil especially when it comes to their motives. Hidan takes it to another level altogether, especially with his maniacal obsession. His utter disregard for lives coupled with his mannerisms is what makes him a loathsome character. Unsurprisingly, his death was more than satisfying for most fans.

Among Obito and Nagato, Hidan’s character is a refreshing take from the banal portrayals of villainy. In his move of betraying his rule, Kishimoto succeeded in creating a hateful character nonetheless.

Naruto Shippuden is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.