Masashi Kishimoto, the visionary behind the globally acclaimed Naruto manga, has expressed his significant admiration for Marvel's Spider-Man film series. In a recent Disney Plus documentary, "Generations: The Evolution of Spider-Man," Kishimoto shared how the live-action adventures of the web-slinger have left a lasting impression on him, even influencing his creative process.
Kishimoto recounted how his first movie date with his wife was a Spider-Man film, an experience that clearly resonated deeply. He finds the core struggle of Peter Parker's dual life as a superhero particularly appealing. "The anguish of [Peter Parker's double life as a superhero] is something I find really appealing about Spider-Man," Kishimoto stated in the documentary.
This appreciation extends to the nuanced portrayal of villains, a theme Kishimoto consciously incorporates into his own work. "The duality of the villains," he explained, "is something I consciously try to portray as well." He noted that in Naruto, his antagonists are not presented as inherently evil but rather possess underlying reasons for their actions.
Kishimoto's passion for Spider-Man was evident through his attire in the documentary, featuring an Amazing Fantasy #15 T-shirt and a Spider-Man logo pin from a limited-edition Japanese DVD set of Sam Raimi's 2002 film. However, he singled out "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" as a personal favorite, believing its Peter Parker bore the heaviest burden of "great responsibility."
Kishimoto appeared in "Generations: The Evolution of Spider-Man" alongside other notable figures, including Junya Enoki, the Japanese voice actor for Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and Takemi Okumura, known as the "Ginza Spider-Man." The documentary also features Destin Daniel Cretton, director of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," who is also set to direct, co-write, and co-produce a live-action Naruto movie for Lionsgate. Kishimoto praised Cretton's directorial abilities, highlighting his skill in balancing dramatic human emotion with compelling action sequences.
"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is scheduled for release in theaters on July 31. "Generations: The Evolution of Spider-Man" is currently available for streaming on Disney Plus. Meanwhile, Cretton's Naruto film is in early development, with a global casting search underway.