On the latest episode of Hot Ones, MMA fighter Israel Adesanya broke down how anime has inspired him.
“In so many different ways, it’s helped me tell my own story, be the protagonist in my own story,” he said at the 13-minute point of the episode, noting how Naruto in particular has inspired his fighting. “I’ve already seen the setup for my next storyline, the hunter becomes the hunted. Certain characters and animes, I draw inspiration from. Like when Gai Sensei, who is Rock Lee’s master, when he opened the 8th gate… I cried actually when that moment happened, it’s just inspiring.