Numerous anime and manga publications have commented on Lee\'s character. IGN compared Lee to Bruce Lee and Noel Gallagher, and Anime News Network called Lee the "goofiest looking character" in the series. Among the Naruto reader base, Lee has been popular, placing high in several popularity polls. Numerous pieces of merchandise have been released in Lee\'s likeness, including figurines and plush dolls.\n', '

In an interview in Weekly Shōnen Jump's Naruto Anime Profiles Episodes 1-37, Masashi Kishimoto stated that he enjoys drawing Lee more than any other character in the series. When designing Lee\'s appearance, Kishimoto intended to have Lee wield a variety of weapons, including nunchaku; however, due to time constraints while creating the series, he was unable to do so. Kishimoto\'s first editor, Kosuke Yahagi, originally drew the author a draft of Lee\'s appearance. While the design highly changed from its draft to the original one when Kishimoto designed it, Yahagi felt pleased because some parts were kept. Kishimoto has noted that he originally designed Lee to symbolize human weakness; Kishimoto\'s design of Sakura Haruno was also intended to carry the same symbolism. Kishimoto was surprised by Lee\'s popularity within fans. He intended to write more about him but the timing was never right. Due to the popularity Lee garnered over the course of the series, Kishimoto tends to place him toward the front of promotional artwork in which he appears.\n', '

In an interview, Brian Donovan, the voice actor for Rock Lee in the English adaptation of the anime, commented that he likes Lee because he felt he was attempting to be a "knight in shining armor but bumbling and stumbling at the same time".\n', '

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