Why Naruto’s Forehead Protectors Weren’t Originally In The Series

Why Naruto’s Forehead Protectors Weren’t Originally In The Series

The forehead protector headbands in Naruto are an iconic piece of anime design, but their creation came about almost entirely by accident.



You Are Reading :Why Naruto’s Forehead Protectors Weren’t Originally In The Series

Why Naruto’s Forehead Protectors Weren’t Originally In The Series

Given their iconic status within the world of anime, you might think that Naruto’s forehead protectors were a carefully devised part of the character’s design, but the truth involves more than a little good fortune. In Masashi Kishimoto’s world of Naruto, ninja are visually marked out by their striking, unique headgear. Whatever village a ninja hails from and whatever rank they attain, they’re almost always seen wearing a headband known as a forehead protector. This accessory is essentially a metal plate with the village emblem etched into it and attached by a piece of cloth. While most opt to wear it around the head as intended, some fashion-conscious rebels wear the protectors around their waist or arm instead.

The forehead protectors rapidly gained iconic status within the Naruto fandom and became an immediately identifiable piece of clothing related to the series. Plastic replicas remain one of the most popular pieces of Naruto merchandise available and even those who’ve never seen a single episode of Naruto Uzumaki’s adventures might at least be able to connect the headbands to the correct series. As the Naruto story progressed, the forehead protectors took on the more symbolic meaning of village loyalty, and their reputation gained even greater prominence when the Akatsuki villains started wearing sinister crossed-out versions. Thanks to the ‘Naruto running’ meme, the headgear has become even more culturally relevant.

See also  Naruto What Happens To The Konoha 11 After The Series Ends

All of which serves to make their almost accidental creation even more surprising. When Naruto begins, the title character wears a pair of goggles that he seems quite fond of, but immediately after becoming an official ninja and earning his forehead protector, Naruto Uzumaki’s goggles disappear and are replaced solely by the ninja headband. According to Kishimoto himself, the forehead protector idea came about during the writing of Naruto’s early issues. The artist quickly realized that drawing the detailed goggles was incredibly time consuming and something that would prove problematic to repeatedly sketch each week. The forehead protectors were conceived as a replacement for the goggles, with a simpler, less cumbersome design that was much quicker to draw over and over again. This practical solution to Naruto’s look was then fleshed out into a key part of the series’ ninja lore.

There’s a certain irony to Masashi Kishimoto’s forehead protector invention. As much as the protector design might’ve been easier to draw than the intricate goggles, Naruto’s original headgear was only necessary for the lead character himself. On the other hand, the purpose of the forehead protectors in the world of Naruto means Kishimoto would need to draw almost every character with one. Therefore, whether or not the change actually made Kishimoto’s life easier is up for debate.

Nevertheless, there’s no denying that the addition of forehead protectors played a major part in making Konoha village feel like a vivid and imaginative setting, helping to make a world where pre-teens are sent to fight criminals and people can conjure fire from their lungs feel somewhat believable. And just as the headbands themselves foster feelings of pride and duty among Naruto’s characters, the accessories had a similar impact on the fandom. Dragon Ball has the Dragon Balls, One Piece has Luffy’s Straw Hat and Death Note has apples. For Naruto, the forehead protector has become the visual symbol of the franchise, and it’s amazing that this wouldn’t have been the case if the author had enjoyed drawing goggles a little bit more.

See also  Naruto Creator Redefines Dragon Balls Goku in Stunning New Cover

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/naruto-forehead-protector-ninja-headband-kishimoto-goggles/



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *