The Chunin Exams became one of the most recognizable storylines in Naruto, but the arc was not originally mapped out as part of Masashi Kishimoto’s long-term plan. Former Naruto editor Kousuke Yahagi has now offered more detail about how the iconic tournament storyline came together, revealing that Kishimoto had no concrete idea of what should follow the Land of Waves arc.
Yahagi discussed the manga’s development in a recent interview with YouTuber Mugen, explaining that he asked Kishimoto about the next storyline during one of their editorial meetings. According to Yahagi, the creator simply had not decided what came next.
“I asked the author about the next arc, and he said he hadn’t thought of anything yet, so I had to sit with him and discuss ideas from scratch.”
The comments provide a different perspective on the creation of one of Naruto’s most important arcs, particularly because earlier accounts have suggested that the tournament was largely forced on Kishimoto by his editors.
Hunter x Hunter Helped Inspire the Chunin Exams
Yahagi’s suggestion was influenced by his work with Yoshihiro Togashi, the creator of Hunter x Hunter. At the time, Yahagi had also been involved with Hunter x Hunter during its Hunter Exam storyline, which gave him a clear model for a competitive examination arc.
Yahagi explained that the timing made the connection natural. Since Hunter x Hunter had recently featured its own examination storyline and Kishimoto had no immediate plans for the next Naruto arc, he suggested adapting the basic idea into the ninja world.
“It hadn’t been long since the Hunter Exam. [Kishimoto] told me he hadn’t thought yet about what comes after the Land of Waves arc, so I suggested the ‘Chunin Exams’ to him.”
The idea eventually evolved into the storyline introducing Naruto and his classmates to a much larger group of young ninja while expanding the series beyond its initial missions.
Interestingly, Kishimoto has previously offered a somewhat different account of the arc’s development. In an older interview, he said his editors pushed him toward a tournament because they wanted him to introduce numerous characters and villages more quickly, while he had preferred a slower series of missions.
The Chunin Exams Changed After Fan Backlash
The arc also went through changes during serialization. Yahagi recalled receiving harsh criticism from early Naruto fans, including the nickname “idiot editor.” He said Kishimoto showed him the online reactions, prompting the two to reconsider aspects of the story and change its direction.
The result ultimately became one of the manga’s defining storylines. The Chunin Exams introduced characters such as Gaara and established major conflicts that led into the Konoha Crush storyline, while Orochimaru’s intervention transformed the tournament into something far more consequential than a straightforward competition.
Yahagi’s comments also highlight how much Naruto evolved during its weekly serialization. Rather than having every major development predetermined, some of the series’ most memorable ideas emerged through discussions between Kishimoto and his editor as the manga progressed. Earlier interviews with Kishimoto and Yahagi similarly show how closely the two collaborated on character designs, techniques and other elements of the series.
