Believe It — It’s a Naruto Uzumaki Explainer!
Grab a bowl of Ichiraku Ramen and check out this guide to everyone’s favorite orange-suited ninja from Konoha, Naruto Uzumaki!
Welcome in, anime fans! Whether you love him or hate him, you’ve probably heard of the blonde fox-faced ninja Naruto Uzumaki. An orphan from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, Naruto was an entry-level anime for a lot of young fans in the early 2000s. It tells the story of the titular ninja and his fellow shinobi as they tackle the pitfalls of war, intrigue, and the worst of all… school.
Naruto was originally theorized as two short-form series by Masashi Kishimoto before being serialized by Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1999. It was adapted into an anime in 2002, which covered Part 1 of the series. Part 2, which ran under the title Naruto: Shippuden, premiered in 2007 to rave reviews.
People loved the power-scaling of the characters, and their growth across the seasons made for a compelling viewing experience. Naruto’s adventures continued in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, which follows the story of the children of the now-grown protagonists. But who is the titular ninja, and why was everyone so desperate to capture or kill him?
Who is Naruto Uzumaki?
Naruto Uzumaki was a young ninja from Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. He wore a bright orange jumpsuit, had a shock of blonde hair, and facial markings that resembled whiskers. For much of the beginning of the series, he is mocked for his ineptitude at shinobi training.
He’s also shunned by a majority of the village, though for several episodes, we aren’t sure why. He doesn’t seem to mind, however, and turns what talent he does possess to causing mischief. He also has no parents, instead receiving an allowance from the Hokage, the leader of the village, and care from Iruka, a Shinobi teacher who treats him like a younger brother.
Naruto is terrible at every form of ninjutsu, and at first, it seems like he will not succeed as a shinobi. However, he has an infectious drive to be the next Hokage, to make everyone in the village love him. This drive begins to push his friends, rivals, and even his enemies to be better and stronger. His squadmates, Sakura and Sasuke, dislike him strongly at first, but over time, they grow to care for him in their own way.
Through determination, quick thinking, and a bit of otherworldly help, Naruto is able to defeat much stronger opponents. However, in most cases, he makes the choice to offer them forgiveness rather than take their life. As a victim of abuse and circumstance, he’s always the first to extend a hand in kindness before a closed fist.
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What Makes Naruto Special?
Naruto is the Jinchuriki, or vessel, of the Nine-Tailed fox demon Kurama. As such, he is able to access a vast amount of chakra by tapping into the beast’s power. In times of great stress, anger, or danger, Kurama is able to push the seal further, gaining more control over Naruto’s body at the expense of his physical health.
As the series progresses, Naruto and Kurama communicate and decide to work in concert rather than against one another. By achieving this perfect synergy, Naruto is able to access a “fox cloak”, enabling him to fully access the nine-tails chakra without damaging his body. He is one of only two Jinchuriki able to do so, the other being Killer Bee of the Cloud Village.
In addition, Naruto is the son of Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of the Leaf Village. Known as “The Yellow Flash”, Minato was a shinobi of extraordinary skill who developed several powerful jutsu techniques. He was even able to teleport using special seals, earning him his nickname. He dies shortly after Naruto’s birth but returns during the Great Ninja War thanks to a massive Resurrection jutsu performed by the Sound Ninja Kabuto.
Wait, Namikaze? Then Why Uzumaki?
Though Minato is Naruto’s father, he was not given his father’s name, rather taking the last name of his mother, Kushina Uzumaki. There are several speculations as to why Minato and Kushina chose this, but it was likely to protect the young Naruto. At his birth, Kurama had been unleashed on Konoha and was seeking revenge for his long imprisonment.
In order to protect the village, Minato and Kushina, who had been Kurama’s Jinchuriki before, decided to seal the demon into their newborn son. By giving him the last name Uzumaki, he was not a target as the son of the Hokage and wouldn’t be targeted by foreign powers.
In addition, since the vast majority of the Uzumaki family had red hair, and Naruto was blonde, no one would suspect that he was the Jinchuriki unless he introduced himself. Their gambit was successful, but only partially; while it did protect him from foreign agents, it caused the people of the village to turn against him. Since Naruto carried the fox demon within him, they blamed him for the calamity that befell their village.
How Old is Naruto?
During the main anime, Naruto is 12 years old, the age of Shinobi training. He ages up to 16 by Shippuden, and is a full adult during the events of Boruto, but likely still only in his late twenties.
