On the popularity of characters - Kobayashi asks if Kishimoto had any idea how popular he thought Kakashi would be, as he became the most popular character, to which Kishimoto replies that he had no idea how he became so popular. Kobayashi says he’s missing the point and they both laugh, and suggests that maybe the reason is because Kakashi is cool.
Kobayashi then says that Jiraiya was also popular, to which Kishimoto agrees. Kobayashi suggests that it’s because he’s always acting pervy and has Icha Icha etc. Kishimoto goes on to say that the characters he actually having the intention to become popular actually flopped. This is the case of Sai, who wasn’t well received at all. Kimimaro was also the same. Kimimaro was actually popular at first, but as soon as he was shown to pull out his spinal cord his popularity disappeared. Kobayashi suggests that maybe it’s because it grossed the fans out, especially female fans.
On Sakura’s popularity & character - Kobayashi then asks about Sakura. Kishimoto says he tried to write her more realistically [than other characters], and tried to show a girl’s ‘real’ self/ feelings [through inner Sakura]. He thought she would appeal to female fans, but was surprised when she actually became hated. Kobayashi asks if there was a lot of Sakura hate, and Kishimoto says there was, and even young girls told him they hate her. Kishimoto said that he continued on regretting Sakura’s character. Kobayashi apologizes for bringing up the painful memories as Kishimoto apologizes for tailing off (lol).
Kobayashi said that his team were discussing in a meeting why Sakura’s family was never written. He says that they eventually appeared in a movie, but not in the manga. Even when all the parents are shown along with their children during the war, and even random relatives are shown, Sakura’s parents aren’t seen. He says that they came across like a civilian family and kind of made Sakura seem on the side-lines. He asks Kishimoto why this is, and Kishimoto replies that, honestly speaking, Sakura was that unpopular that even if he expanded on her… (nb. He tails off in what he’s saying). Kobayashi reiterates Kishimoto’s statement, and Kishimoto tells him that’s right, to which Kobayashi laughs.
Kobayashi asks if it was too late to drop her, and Kishimoto says that he just had to persevere with her, and thought about how to raise her popularity. In the 4th volume, a cover page shows her with Katsuyu, so this was the direction he tried to work in. In later volumes, he tries to draw her more beautifully. On the cover page of Vol 66, he drew Sasuke and Naruto quickly, but with Sakura he took a long time to draw her beautifully and was using source materials as guides. But he says that in the end no one really took notice (it had no effect), and Hinata’s popularity just kept going up on its own.
