Naruto Columns
10/10/2023
[Birthday Column] Celebrating Naruto's Birthday on 10/10 (Part 1)! Looking Back on the Shinobi Way of the Boy Who Went From "Failure" to "Hero"!
A column celebrating the birthdays and achievements of everyone's favorite ninja!
Today we'll be reminiscing about the boy once famous for his failures who doggedly pursued his shinobi way and became the Seventh Hokage: Naruto Uzumaki!
In part one, we'll cover everything from the day of Naruto's birth to the moment he became the village's hero after his fight against Pain!
Today we'll be reminiscing about the boy once famous for his failures who doggedly pursued his shinobi way and became the Seventh Hokage: Naruto Uzumaki!
In part one, we'll cover everything from the day of Naruto's birth to the moment he became the village's hero after his fight against Pain!
■Naruto Uzumaki
・Birthday: October 10th (Libra)
・Favorite Foods: Ichiraku's ramen, oshiruko
A Tumultuous Birth
Naruto is born to the Nine Tails' Jinchuriki, Kushina Uzumaki, and the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
His life is filled with turbulence right from the moment it begins.
His life is filled with turbulence right from the moment it begins.
A Jinchuriki's seal weakens during childbirth, so Naruto's delivery required the utmost care.
Although his mother gives birth safely, the happy family moment is shattered by the attack of a mysterious masked man.
Although his mother gives birth safely, the happy family moment is shattered by the attack of a mysterious masked man.
As the Nine Tails extracted from Kushina attacks the village, Minato makes the painful decision...
...to seal the beast into his own newborn son.
...to seal the beast into his own newborn son.
Naruto's father passes him the role of "savior of the shinobi world", and his mother that of "Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails". Losing both of his parents on the day of his birth, his path of trials and tribulations begins.
Naruto Uzumaki of the Hidden Leaf Village!
Time passes, and finally Naruto becomes old enough to graduate from the Ninja Academy.
Ostracized by the villagers who fear the "demon fox" sealed inside him, he constantly pulls pranks to get attention, and is widely regarded as a failure.
Ostracized by the villagers who fear the "demon fox" sealed inside him, he constantly pulls pranks to get attention, and is widely regarded as a failure.
"ONE OF THESE DAYS, THEY'LL BE CALLING ME LORD HOKAGE!
I'M GOING TO SURPASS EVERY ONE WHO CAME BEFORE ME!"
He dreams big with his goal of becoming Hokage.
But even on his third attempt to graduate from the Ninja Academy, Naruto fails.
But even on his third attempt to graduate from the Ninja Academy, Naruto fails.
However, after receiving support and encouragement from Iruka Umino, the first person to truly understand him, he successfully graduates and becomes a shinobi of Konoha.
A Mission to the Land of Waves...and Finding His Shinobi Way!
Together with his classmates Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, Naruto is assigned to Team Seven under the Jonin Kakashi Hatake.
On their first mission outside the Land of Fire, an escort mission to the Land of Waves, Team Seven encounters former Hidden Mist ninja Zabuza Momochi and his underling Haku, and a fierce battle ensues.
During their conflict, Naruto witnesses the reality of how "full-fledged ninja" live and die...
...and decides to follow his own shinobi way.
...and decides to follow his own shinobi way.
"I NEVER GO BACK ON MY WORD.
CUSSEDNESS IS PART OF MY SHINOBI SKILL SET!"
The No. 1 Maverick Ninja! Growing Quickly Through Training and Combat!
After finding his shinobi way, Naruto takes on the Chunin Exams and makes great progress, beating Kiba Inuzuka in the third exam's preliminaries and Neji Hyuga in the opening round of the finals.
Afterwards, during the Sand and Sound's attack on the Leaf Village, Naruto goes up against the Hidden Sand's secret weapon Gaara, the One Tail's Jinchuriki, and successfully comes out on top during the life-and-death battle.
After meeting Jiraiya—one of a group of ninja known as the Legendary Three—and becoming his disciple, Naruto learns one ninjutsu after another, including a jutsu to summon giant toads and the highly advanced technique created by the Fourth Hokage: Rasengan!
He is already unrecognizable compared to when he was called a failure in his academy days, and begins to gradually receive recognition from the other shinobi of Konoha.
However, a huge turning point in his life is just on the horizon...
However, a huge turning point in his life is just on the horizon...
Parting from His Rival, Sasuke!
Naruto and Sasuke, who up until now have been working together as allies despite their rivalry, suddenly decide to have a duel.
However, what starts as a simple sparring match escalates out of hand, and both attempt to use potentially deadly jutsu on each other.
Sasuke later leaves the Hidden Leaf Village in order to join Orochimaru.
Together with Shikamaru and his other friends, Naruto chases after him.
The rivals come to blows once more in a place called the Final Valley.
Together with Shikamaru and his other friends, Naruto chases after him.
The rivals come to blows once more in a place called the Final Valley.
Their true feelings laid bare, the two of them clash with all their might.
As the battle intensifies, Naruto is enveloped in the chakra of the Nine Tails, and Sasuke embraces the power of his curse mark, bringing the confrontation to its climax.
Sasuke is unable to kill Naruto.
Naruto is unable to bring Sasuke back to the village.
With both of them having failed to accomplish their goals, the two part ways.
Naruto is unable to bring Sasuke back to the village.
With both of them having failed to accomplish their goals, the two part ways.
Determined to keep his promise to Sakura and stay true to his shinobi way of never going back on his word, Naruto vows to bring Sasuke back.
To gain the strength he needs, the young shinobi sets off on a training journey with his teacher Jiraiya!
Naruto Returns to the Leaf Village and Challenges the Akatsuki!
Naruto returns home after an almost three-year training trip!
Having grown in both mind and body, he is prepared to throw himself into battle once more against both the Akatsuki and Orochimaru.
Having grown in both mind and body, he is prepared to throw himself into battle once more against both the Akatsuki and Orochimaru.
Naruto and the other Hidden Leaf ninja rush to the Hidden Sand Village after learning that Gaara—the new Kazekage—has been kidnapped by the Akatsuki!
A brutal battle against the artistic duo Sasori and Deidara ensues, but the ninja of Konoha are able to defeat the Akatsuki members and successfully rescue their friend.
A brutal battle against the artistic duo Sasori and Deidara ensues, but the ninja of Konoha are able to defeat the Akatsuki members and successfully rescue their friend.
Naruto's team also has a fateful encounter with Orochimaru.
Despite the Nine Tails' power going berserk, Naruto is able to hold his own against the snake Sannin.
Despite the Nine Tails' power going berserk, Naruto is able to hold his own against the snake Sannin.
However, upon coming face-to-face with Sasuke in Orochimaru's hideout, it becomes clear that the former Konoha ninja has also grown greatly in power.
Failing to stop Sasuke once more, Naruto feels his lack of power keenly.
After returning to the Leaf Village, he trains under Kakashi to develop a new jutsu.
After returning to the Leaf Village, he trains under Kakashi to develop a new jutsu.
By taking advantage of the Multiple Shadow Doppelgangers Jutsu, Naruto is able to train at an accelerated rate.
He is able to master adding a change in chakra nature to Rasengan, something even the Fourth Hokage could not accomplish!
He is able to master adding a change in chakra nature to Rasengan, something even the Fourth Hokage could not accomplish!
Using this new jutsu, Wind Style: Rasen Shuriken, he is able to defeat one of the Akatsuki's immortal duo, Kakuzu!
Inheriting Jiraiya's Will... The Showdown with Pain!
Konoha receives the shocking news of Jiraiya's death in battle...
While the message his late master left behind is being decoded, Naruto heads to Mount Myoboku to learn Sage Jutsu, Jiraiya's speciality.
While the message his late master left behind is being decoded, Naruto heads to Mount Myoboku to learn Sage Jutsu, Jiraiya's speciality.
Just as Naruto is starting to get a handle on Sage Mode, Pain—leader of the Akatsuki and Jiraiya's killer—launches a surprise attack on the Hidden Leaf!
For a while it seems like Konoha's forces will be able to hold out despite incurring tremendous damage and massive casualties.
However, Pain uses his large-scale jutsu Almighty Push to reduce the whole village to rubble.
At the moment when all seems lost, Naruto returns from Mount Myoboku!
He charges in, and the decisive showdown begins.
He charges in, and the decisive showdown begins.
Using his new Sage Mode and working together with the toads, Naruto takes out the Six Paths of Pain one after another!
Tendo is the only Path of Pain remaining, but he manages to immobilize Naruto.
Hinata intervenes, but is cut down by Pain...
The Nine Tails' chakra within Naruto erupts uncontrollably, fueled by his rage.
The Nine Tails' chakra within Naruto erupts uncontrollably, fueled by his rage.
The malevolent chakra continues to boil over, and the seal is about to be completely broken...
...when the Fourth Hokage appears within Naruto's psyche!
...when the Fourth Hokage appears within Naruto's psyche!
Naruto learns that the Fourth Hokage he looks up to is his father.
Minato entrusts his son with the role of "savior" once more, and Naruto re-engages Pain.
Minato entrusts his son with the role of "savior" once more, and Naruto re-engages Pain.
"GIVE UP...
...TRYING TO MAKE ME GIVE UP!!!!"
After finally defeating Tendo, Naruto confronts the true master of the Six Paths of Pain, Nagato.
After learning the tragic past of Nagato and his friends, and feeling for himself the cycle of hatred that plagues the shinobi world, Naruto finds his own answer.
After learning the tragic past of Nagato and his friends, and feeling for himself the cycle of hatred that plagues the shinobi world, Naruto finds his own answer.
Moved by his words, Nagato chooses to cease his attack on the village.
When Naruto returns to Konoha, he is welcomed back as a hero.
The villagers were eagerly awaiting his arrival, and toss him into the air, cheering!
The villagers were eagerly awaiting his arrival, and toss him into the air, cheering!
Despite being made into the Nine Tails' Jinchuriki the day he was born and shunned by the village as a result, Naruto Uzumaki always boasted that one day "all the villagers will have to acknowledge my existence at last!!"
That day has finally come, as the boy once considered a failure is recognized as a hero by everyone in the village.
That day has finally come, as the boy once considered a failure is recognized as a hero by everyone in the village.
Article and Composition: Yuichi Ohba (Caramel mama)
That's all for part one!
In part two, we'll follow Naruto's journey to becoming the Seventh Hokage!
▼Part 2 will be published at 17:00 on 10/10 (JST)!▼
[Birthday Column] Celebrating Naruto's Birthday on 10/10 (Part 2)! Looking Back on the Ninja Whose Shinobi Way Led Him from a Child with Grand Dreams to the Seventh Hokage!
In part two, we'll follow Naruto's journey to becoming the Seventh Hokage!
▼Part 2 will be published at 17:00 on 10/10 (JST)!▼
[Birthday Column] Celebrating Naruto's Birthday on 10/10 (Part 2)! Looking Back on the Ninja Whose Shinobi Way Led Him from a Child with Grand Dreams to the Seventh Hokage!
