Kishimoto’s Shocking Original Plan for Naruto’s Dad Revealed!

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This article contains spoilers from the Naruto series.

Summary

  • Kishimoto already decided Minato’s connection to Kakashi early on in Naruto.
  • Kishimoto initially didn’t plan for Minato to be the Fourth Hokage.
  • At first, Minato was intended to be a ninja dog before becoming Naruto’s dad.

Masashi Kishimoto, the genius behind the Naruto series, has crafted a tale seldom equaled in the annals of manga. Not only does he excel at developing gripping story arcs, but his character creations are nothing short of extraordinary, propelling these narratives to greatness.

Through the passage of time, I’ve been captivated by the extraordinary characters crafted by Kishimoto, some of whom have stolen the limelight from our main protagonists. One such unforgettable figure is Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, who won the global popularity poll. This character, created by Kishimoto, is intricately complex and originally intended to be exceptional in ways that greatly differ from his final portrayal in the manga.

Kishimoto Had Already Decided On Naruto’s Dad By Chapter 16

  • Kishimoto Had The Idea Of Minato Early On
  • Minato Was Always Supposed To Be Connected To Kakashi

Even though some aspects about Minato Namikaze that Kishimoto initially wrote about were modified later in the series, several key elements, such as the existence of Naruto’s father, were established by Kishimoto at the beginning of the Naruto story. In fact, it was confirmed as early as chapter 16 that Naruto had a father. Additionally, during one of his interviews, Kishimoto revealed that he decided very early on in the series that Naruto’s father would be Kakashi’s mentor.

It seems to me that you have the potential to uncover solutions to the challenges we both struggled with, Naruto.

In my observation, Obito was indeed part of the team, and it seemed that Kishimoto had predetermined his Uchiha status, hinting that he’d planned for Obito to bestow the Sharingan upon him since the beginning. Moving on, by chapter 16, Kishimoto had firmly established Minato as Kakashi’s mentor and Naruto’s father. It was evident that this decision was made early on, as Minato’s appearance suggested. However, at this stage, the name ‘Minato’ wasn’t finalized yet. Interestingly, Kishimoto hadn’t decided to make this character the Fourth Hokage yet, which adds an intriguing twist to the narrative.

Kishimoto Didn’t Intend On Naruto’s Dad Being The Fourth Hokage

Minato Might Just Have Been Another Jonin

Initially, it wasn’t clear to readers that Minato was destined to be the Fourth Hokage, as this wasn’t always in Masashi Kishimoto’s original plan. Despite Minato having already chosen to become Kakashi and Naruto’s mentor and being their father figure, Kishimoto hadn’t initially intended for him to take on the role of the Fourth Hokage. This revelation might surprise many fans, but as the Konoha Crush arc unfolded, Kishimoto began to shape Minato’s character more definitively, and by that point, it’s likely he had a clear vision for how Minato would develop in the story.

You will draw it even if you die! — Kishimoto’s Editors on drawing the Chunin Exams

Initially, Kishimoto found himself at a loss as to how to weave the tale behind Naruto’s father into the narrative. Despite recognizing that fans would be eager to learn about the fate of Naruto’s dad and his death, Kishimoto grappled with devising an engaging story around this topic.

Initially, Kishimoto had some unusual plans for the character Minato, but later he appointed him as the Fourth Hokage and tied him to the role of Kakashi and Naruto’s father. This resolution was straightforward and efficient, addressing two plot points simultaneously. However, it should be noted that in the early stages of his planning, Kishimoto’s ideas for Minato were quite unconventional.

Minato Was Supposed To Be A Dog In Kishimoto’s Early Ideas

In the early stages of Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto had some unconventional concepts, and it appears one of these was his vision for the Fourth Hokage. Before settling on Minato as the Fourth Hokage, Kishimoto initially planned to include a dog in the Hokage Monument. It’s fair to say that Kishimoto had a strong fascination with incorporating animal ninjas into the storyline, and this is an understatement of his obsession.

The creator initially planned for his primary character and the village of Konoha to share some resemblances, with animalistic features incorporated into their design. Originally, the Fourth Hokage was envisioned as a canine ninja, much like the Inuzuka clan members.

Before implementing this concept, his editor initially barred him, explaining that he was deviating too much from the typical requirements. Ultimately, it was the editor of Naruto who determined that the Fourth Hokage should be Naruto’s father. This is when Kishimoto linked the two ideas and Minato Namikaze, the character, came to existence.

You can find Naruto on both MangaPlus and the Shonen Jump app for reading. By accessing it there, you’re not only enjoying the official version but also supporting its creator financially.

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2025-04-01 23:34