The revelation that NarutoThe Yondaime Hokage’s father was certainly a change, but the title was originally held by a much more unlikely rival. While there are all kinds of Shinobi in the series, the idea that a ninja dog could be the leader of Konoha seems preposterous. However, according to Masashi Kishimoto, this is exactly what he first envisioned.
In an interview translated by user KiriNOTKarin98, posted on Narutopedia, Kishimoto mentioned that he originally planned to raise a ninja dog, or ‘ninken’, as the Fourth Hokage. However, his editor dismissed the idea, saying he was “thinking off a tangent.” When the idea of a ninken Hokage was extinguished, Kishimoto decided to appoint Minato as the fourth Hokage instead, and the rest is history. But the editor may have made the wrong suggestion.
Naruto’s original Fourth Hokage was a Ninja Dog
Ninken may not appear often in Naruto, but when they do, they attract attention. They are devoted companions and are as capable of fighting as their masters. One clan is known to have a special bond with their canine friends, typically Kiba Inuzuka and his four-legged friend, Akamaru. These ninja dogs have such strength and personality that it actually makes perfect sense for one to be considered for the position of past Hokage. Exploring more of Kishimoto’s work gives readers a hint of what the world might have looked like had he stuck to his original plan.
Naruto is the culmination of ideas and concepts that Kishimoto has experimented with in the past. The young hero’s love of ramen stems from his beginnings as a chef’s apprentice, and him being a shape-shifting fox in his pilot chapter before being turned into a vessel. for Nine-Tails. Similarly, ninken may be a callback to Kishimoto’s Karakuri. One-shot about a specialized security enforcer and his talking surveillance pet. Karakuri offers a culmination of what Naruto could become. And with the one-shot having won at least one award, Kishimoto could be inspired to create an alternate universe one-shot about the ninken Hokage in the future.
Kishimoto’s editors put a lot of constraints behind the scenes to make Naruto what it is today. It’s come a long way from its original concept, with only a handful of Easter eggs and interviews to remember it by. The story may have benefited from these changes, but other details would have been interesting to include if Kishimoto had the chance. The concept of a ninken in a position of power had worked for him before and might have worked just as well the second time. Unfortunately, the idea of Naruto The Fourth Hokage, a ninja dog, will live forever in the hearts of readers.
Source: naruto.fandom.com
