After considering various genres for his next project, Kishimoto decided on a story steeped in traditional Japanese culture. After spending time in art college, he won the Hop Step Award for new manga artists with his story Karakuri. Like many kids, he was first inspired to become a manga artist in elementary school when he read Dragon Ball. Author/artist Masashi Kishimoto was born in 1974 in rural Okayama Prefecture, Japan.
