So, all thoses years you just wanted to do a manga to be aknowledged ?

Kishimoto : It's very hard to please all the readers, but I had a huge need for aknowledgement.
When I started, nothing I did ever gave me that, so I continued to draw anyway just for the hell of it.

But aknowledgement is a step by step process, right ? You publish a one shot manga, then a series and only then aknowledgement comes.

Kishimoto : When I started, my meetings were in the first floor of the building and then went to the last floor, the floor of the director.
I could felt I was being aknowledged, but when my One Shot went published. I knew it was happening.
But people didn't really liked this one shot, meetings went back to the 1st floor and I strived even more for aknowledgement.
Thoses events made a very vivid impact on me and as such, have a strong impact on Naruto.

Naruto has many masters. Jiraiya, Iruka, Kakashi. Who is the ideal master for you ?

Kishimoto : A protecting master who, instead of yelling at you, explains you want went wrong and how to fix it.
Someone like Kakashi. I wish I had a master like that.