The "big three" are titans of the shonen anime world, and fans are used to the three respective protagonists towering over the competition with their complex storylines and formidable powers. Anime fans are familiar with Naruto Uzumaki's Sage Mode and Hokage status, for example, and Luffy recently unlocked Gear Fifth, while Ichigo Kurosaki is the Soul Society's legendary hero. Still, they all had to start somewhere.
These three shonen heroes all had humble beginnings in their respective anime series. Chronologically, in Bleach, Naruto and One Piece, the stories introduced Naruto, Luffy and Ichigo as underdogs who barely understood their own powers and had a long way to go before becoming pirate king or Hokage. However, all factors considered, it soon becomes clear which hero had the best introduction as a shonen star when these origin stories are compared.
Ichigo Kurosaki Became a Soul Reaper & Slew Fishbone D One Night in Bleach
Bleach's first episode depicted protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki as a good-hearted punk high schooler like Yusuke Urameshi, except he was born capable of seeing spirits. However, Ichigo didn't think much of this until the reverse-isekai Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki arrived in Karakura Town one night to slay a Hollow. That Hollow, Fishbone D, went on a rampage and threatened the Kurosaki house, and not even Rukia was strong enough to fight it off. When Rukia lent her Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo out of desperation, it awakened Ichigo's latent potential as a Soul Reaper himself. With his new zanpakuto, or soul-cutting sword, Ichigo slew Fishbone D and became a substitute Soul Reaper. This launched his monster hunter career of fighting Hollows all over Karakura Town, and he would soon cross paths with other spiritually inclined beings, including the Quincy archer Uryu Ishida.
Naruto Uzumaki Learned a Forbidden Jutsu & Graduated the Ninja Academy in Naruto
Naruto's premiere episode introduced the troublemaker and prankster Naruto Uzumaki, a 12-year-old trainee ninja who was desperate for attention and validation after years of prejudice and intolerance, this due to being a jinchuriki with Kurama inside him. He also failed his final exams at the ninja academy, so Naruto felt like he'd hit rock bottom. Then a chunin named Mizuki tricked the vulnerable Naruto into stealing a special scroll, only for Mizuki to turn on Naruto and nearly kill him in the forest. Naruto's teacher, Iruka Umino, also failed to stop Mizuki, so it fell to Naruto to learn the shadow clone jutsu and defeat Mizuki with an army of himself. This triumph prompted Iruka to graduate Naruto from the academy and even give him his Leaf village headband to make it official.
Monkey D. Luffy Ate a Fruit & Received Shanks' Straw Hat in One Piece
One Piece's anime switched things around, moving Chapter 1's events to a flashback in Episode 4 of the anime. Chronologically, anime fans can therefore refer to Episode 4 instead of Episode 1 to witness Monkey D. Luffy's true introduction as a legendary shonen hero. Luffy was introduced as an excitable, stubborn and proud kid who longed to prove himself, only to get in over his head with red-haired Shanks, the thuggish Higuma the Bear and the ocean's true nature. Luffy only narrowly survived despite having eaten the Gum-Gum Fruit to become a Devil Fruit user, and he owed Shanks his life. Instead of mocking the boy, Shanks gave Luffy his treasure, his straw hat, as a gesture of good faith in Luffy to become a great pirate captain one day. This helped launch Luffy's adventure and established a loving foster father-son relationship between the pair.
Ichigo, Naruto & Luffy - Who Had the Best Introduction?
All three shonen heroes had memorable and stylish introductions, but when everything is factored in, Naruto Uzumaki had the best. Everything that makes Naruto compelling was showcased in Episode 1, from his miserable loneliness and lack of validation to his trademark shadow clone jutsu, desire to become Hokage and goofy troublemaker side. Naruto also had more experience despite his youth when compared to Ichigo and Luffy, since the latter two had barely acquired their powers while Naruto already had years of training under his belt. Moreover, Naruto made a wild impression with his shadow clone army, which compares well to Ichigo's generic sword-based battle in Bleach Episode 1 and Luffy's lack of action in One Piece's first chronological scene.
Aside from that, Naruto's origin story had a stronger emotional impact, helping to explain why Naruto was so driven to become Hokage and prove himself as a shinobi. True, viewers could sympathize with Ichigo fighting to defend his family and Luffy's desire to live up to Shanks' example, but Naruto's dark yet hopeful personal arc hit much harder in Naruto Episode 1. Not many anime can make viewers cry in the first episode, but Naruto can do it when it introduces an emotionally charged underdog like Naruto Uzumaki, immature prankster or not.