The first work meeting Toshio Masuda had before composing for “Naruto” told him nothing that he was not already aware of. Having kept up with the manga prior to this meeting allowed him to have a concrete idea of what to expect.
This same in-depth knowledge of the series made it so he knew exactly the direction it was taking. Thus, there was a specific example Masuda gave as he recalled a time when he had to prevent his future knowledge from seeping into his composition. “I don’t remember which song it was, but I think I personally took care not to spoil the story when I arranged it,” he said. “There are fans who only enjoy watching the anime without reading the original, so I tried to arrange the songs as crisply as possible so that they wouldn’t be able to predict what would happen later. In other words, fun songs were made really fun and energetic songs were made full of energy. Of course, this was only if there wasn’t a specific request.” Knowing how quintessentially impeccable his work on the series is, there is little doubt that the talented composer could convey spoilers through his music.
It should be a testament to the greatness of Masuda’s work that “Naruto” fans are vocal in conveying the fondness and nostalgia they feel for the series’ early soundtrack. One user, in fact, went as far as claiming it was the soundtrack that got them into the anime in the first place.
Nowadays, it’s hard to think of “Naruto” without being marked by how elevated it was by its music. Concerning the series’ beginning, we have Masuda to thank for how, with the power of his songs, he made pivotal moments feel that much more remarkable.
