One of the most fascinating things in the Naruto universe is the progression of the friendship between Naruto and the Nine-Tailed Kurama.
At first, Kurama was not friendly at all, he just sat indifferently watching everything happen. But throughout the story, Naruto breaks down the barrier between him and the fox and the two eventually become a great duo.
However, the first story is very different from what we know today. Before Naruto became a worldwide success, author Kishimoto came up with many ideas, trying to find the right direction for the story and his cast of characters. One of those ideas was to make Naruto a chef, not a ninja. This idea even influenced Naruto’s love of ramen. But in the end, action is what Kishimoto wants.
In fact, Namikaze Minato almost wasn’t Naruto’s father. In the pilot manga, Naruto’s origin is quite surprising, the fox Kurama is his father, not the Fourth Hokage. In this version, Naruto is the son of the fox spirit that terrorized the village. The village chief was the only survivor of Kurama’s attack and he decided to adopt Naruto.
The goal is for Naruto to grow up different from his father, less bitter and destructive. In order to fit in, Naruto lives disguised as a human boy, until his true nature is revealed as the story progresses.
The first version of Naruto as a fox was unique and unlike anything we’ve seen in the main series. Despite this, some elements remain, showing that Kishimoto had a vision for the central theme of the series. Instead of following in his father’s footsteps, Naruto uses his power to bring justice, proving that the village chief made the right choice in adopting him.
Imagine the twist in the story, if Naruto was actually Kurama’s son and not Minato the Fourth Hokage. This will take Naruto’s journey into a very different perspective, with a darker and more challenging origin. Although both origins leave Naruto isolated from the village, each suggests a different way of overcoming for the hero.
What would Naruto be like if Kishimoto implemented his original idea? Kurama as Naruto’s father would definitely add a different flavor to the story. This one-shot, although brief, left its mark with memorable moments and laid the foundation for the Naruto we know and love.