Social media has changed how we interact with people, by allowing us unparalleled access to celebrities, politicians, and many others. But not every famous person posts on their social media accounts. Sometimes they leave it to a team, or the posts go through a publicist. While it’s true many manga creators write their own social media posts, some do not. Among those who do not is Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto.

Both the official Japanese and English X (formerly Twitter) accounts for Naruto stated on April 8 that Kishimoto does not post on any social media service. This statement comes about three and half years after at least one parody X account appeared, claiming to be owned by Kishimoto.

While the @kishimotomasshi (note the “masshi” spelling) account on X has a blue check mark, it’s difficult at first glance to discern if this is the real Kishimoto or not, due to X’s policy regarding authentic users. That is, until you read the profile of the account, which the final text says, “parody account.” Still, a cursory look can potentially fool anybody.

While it’s unclear if the Japanese and English Naruto X accounts are citing the above-mentioned account, they are taking their due diligence in informing Naruto and Kishimoto fans about the creator’s (lack of) social network usage.

It’s a shame Kishimoto does not post on social media, but it’s understandable. It’s also a shame it’s much harder, at least on X, to discern if an account is owned by the actual person or organization due to the shift in policy. The best we can do as fans, then, is to keep vigilant and make sure we don’t get duped into following fake accounts.

Source: Naruto franchise‘s Japanese X/Twitter account & English X/Twitter account, parody “kishimotomasshi” X/Twitter account via Otaku.com, X/Twitter