Naruto's legacy is still very much alive no matter how many years have gone by. Thankfully, the story of Naruto Uzumaki keeps going in the form of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, which continues to expand the world of the series. However, Naruto's shadow is still difficult to sur due to how much it has impacted viewers, with many die-hard fans knowing every little fact about the franchise.

Naruto is one of the most beloved shōnen of recent decades, having amassed international popularity like Dragon Ball or One Piece, so every curiosity about the series might be well known among seasoned fans. Yet, in such an extensive work like Naruto, there are always things to discover. Whether it is the inspiration behind some characters or the reason behind some writing decisions of Naruto's author, Masashi Kishimoto, there are several facts about Naruto that fans should know.

10 Jujutsu Kaisen's Author Was Inspired by Naruto While Deg Gojo Satoru

The Strongest Sorcerer in Jujutsu Kaisen Isn't Based on Kakashi

It is almost impossible for fans not to compare Satoru Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen to Kakashi, since they are both teachers, have similar hairstyles and also cover part of their faces. But curiously, Gege Akutami revealed that he didn't base Gojo on Kakashi but on a minor character from one of the first arcs of Naruto, Tono Tobitake.

Tonbo has a small role in Naruto as part of the village’s intelligence division and is ed as one of the examiners during the Chunin exams who is shown catching a Genin cheating. Afterward, Tonbo only made small appearances in other episodes, but the character was enough to catch the eye of Jujutsu Kaisen's author, replicating him in some way when crafting Gojo's initial design, as Tono Tobitake wears bandages as blindfolds, just like Gojo in his introduction in Jujutsu Kaisen 0. As a result, Naruto helped create one of the most popular modern anime characters.

9 Hinata was the First Person to Recognize Naruto

Hinata Always ed Naruto

Despite Iruka having been one of the pillars that ed Naruto during his childhood, in an interview with Anime News Network, Kishimoto highlighted that he settled on Naruto and Hinata becoming a couple in the series after reflecting on how she was the first to acknowledge him. Hinata saw beyond his reputation and recognized the kind of person Naruto was even before Iruka did. Naruto's author went to the extent of saying he realized they were meant to be.

Hinata always ed Naruto, which was mostly explored in The Last: Naruto the Movie, but that doesn't take away the credit of other characters who were fundamental in his life, like Iruka, who became a father figure for him, and Sasuke, who was the first person to whom Naruto could really relate.

8 Naruto's Relationship With His Parents Wasn't Planned

Kishimoto Wanted to Highlight the Importance of Family

Being an orphan is one of the most important aspects that shaped Naruto's identity and dream of becoming Hokage, as he felt rejected by the village. However, even though Naruto's author had decided from the beginning of the story who would be Naruto's parents, their role in the story increased after Kishimoto became a father.

In an interview with Viz Media, Kishimoto revealed that Minato and Kushina's backstory was originally shorter and that he never planned for Naruto to meet them, but after his child was born, he wanted to include them more in the story. The author understood that Naruto forming a relationship with his parents would push him more to fulfill his dream after knowing how they placed their hope on him. This decision led to one of the sweetest interactions and most emotional moments in Naruto.

7 Boruto Shares A Connection to Neji

Neji's Sacrifice Deeply Impacted Naruto and Hinata

While many fans might think that Kishimoto chose Boruto's name due to it sounding similar to Naruto, this was actually a direct tribute to Neji Hyuga. This was revealed by the author in an interview with the Japanese site WalkerPlus, where he pointed out the Japanese translations of each name: Neji means "screw," while Boruto's name can be translated to "bolt," with both being objects with similar functions.

This highlights how much Neji meant to Naruto and Hinata, that they chose to honor him in their son, which also serves to keep his memory alive. Neji's sacrifice was one of the most significant moments in the Fourth Great Ninja War, and that Kishimoto chose to pay tribute to it proves how much thought he put into writing Naruto's new generation. Additionally, Boruto's name also works for his character, as speed is one of his greatest traits as a ninja.

6 The Reason Why Ichiraku Ramen is So Important to Naruto

One Bowl Full of Soul Shows Ichiraku's Owner's Opinion of Naruto

In one of the stories following Naruto's ending, Konoha Hiden : The Perfect Day for a Wedding, Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku, reflects on how his business has improved thanks to Naruto's popularity as the hero of the Hidden Leaf Village. He re how, when Naruto was a kid despised by the village, one of his customers suggested that he should ban him from Ichiraku to not damage his reputation, but Teuchi refused.

Teuchi didn't share the same opinion that others have of Naruto, as he only saw a kid who loved ramen. This is also highlighted in Naruto's ending 34, Niji no Sora, where a young Naruto is watching inside Ichiraku from outside while it rains, and Teuchi calls him and gives him a bowl of ramen. This confirms why Naruto appreciates Ichiraku's ramen so much, even inviting Teuchi and his daughter to his wedding.

5 Madara Uchiha Acknowledges Several Ninjas in the Fourth Great Ninja War

Impressing Madara Isn't a Small Feat

Out of 80,000 ninjas who fought in the Fourth Great Ninja War, Madara Uchiha only showed recognition of seven characters: Naruto, Sasuke, Might Guy, Tsunade, Onoki, Itachi, and Hashirama. In Naruto Shippuden Episode 323, after one of Naruto's clones launched a Giant Rasengan Barrage Line to counter Madara's Wood Style attack, the latter said that Naruto was quite an impressive shinobi.

Madara recognized Sasuke's eyes resembled his, as both were reincarnations of Indra and had the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. Also, after Itachi released the Edo Tensei, Madara said that the Kage have some capable shinobi on their side. But the one who received the best compliment was Might Guy, who gave a challenge to Madara, and the Uchiha praised him, stating that he was the strongest Taijutsu he ever fought. This was a sign of respect from one of the strongest characters in Naruto's franchise.

4 The True Purpose Behind Naruto's Story

There's a Reason Behind Naruto's Inspiring Journey

In an interview, when asked what he expected people to learn from the manga, Kishimoto stated that the purpose of why he created Naruto's story was to teach the next generation that, despite the difficulties in life, it is always possible for people to understand each other.

Naruto has a great message about the negative consequences of war, as the series focuses on how to stop the cycle of hatred and revenge through characters like Nagato, Obito, and Sasuke. Also, Naruto himself serves as an inspiration since, despite suffering from discrimination and rejection, he never gives up on fighting for the sake of others. Even for those who mistreated him. This way, the intention behind Naruto's author confirms why the series has resonated so much with worldwide viewers.

3 The Inspiration Behind Naruto and Boruto's Relationship

Boruto's Character has Been Heavily Critizized

Kishimoto stated on several occasions that he took inspiration from his life when writing Naruto, which was also the case when creating its sequel. Boruto received a lot of criticism from fans due to his initial attitude towards Naruto, who was depicted as a rather absent father due to his exhaustive work as Hokage. While this didn't make much sense to viewers who expected that Naruto would be more focused on his family after having grown up without one, Kishimoto revealed that he connected with his own parenting experience while writing Boruto and Naruto's relationship.

In a statement, translated on X, Kishimoto said that he wasn't able to spend time with his kids because of his work as a manga artist, and, during that time, his eldest son was in a phase of rebellion that he portrayed in Boruto's manga. Boruto and Naruto's father-and-son relationship could also be intended to convey how having lacked a family made Naruto struggle to be a good parent. Fortunately, they were able to understand each other through Boruto's story.

2 The Origin of Sasuke's Name

Sasuke Has a Real Life Inspiration

The meaning behind Naruto's name is well known, but the reason behind the choosing of Sasuke's name has both an explanation within the story and in real life. In Naruto Shippuden episode 247, it's mentioned during a conversation between Biwako Sarutobi, Kushina Uzumaki, and Mikoto Uchiha that Sasuke was named that way in honor of Sasuke Sarutobi, who was a renowned ninja and father of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Sasuke's mother hoped that Sasuke would become a great ninja just like Sasuke Sarutobi, which became true in the series. Additionally, the name is based on the real-life ninja Sarutobi Sasuke, who inspired many tales in Japan between 1911 and 1925. Sasuke Sarutobi's legacy has been seen in the medium, having inspired a manga and a character in Ranma ½, named Sarugakure Sasuke.

1 Itachi Uchiha's Name Was Cleared by Kakashi

Itachi is No Longer a Traitor in the Hidden Leaf Village

Itachi was initially known as a traitor to Konoha for the genocide of the Uchiha clan, but he was later revealed to have been manipulated by Madara and Obito. However, Itachi had his redemption arc in the Fourth Great Ninja War, where he was brought back to life thanks to the Edo Tensei, becoming one of the greatest contributors to the ninja alliance. Itachi was the Anbu of the war, acting behind the scenes to attack the core of the Edo Tensei, attempting to stop it.

Itachi broke out from Kabuto's control due to the Kotoamatsukami and fought him alongside Sasuke. This way, after Kabuto's defeat, Itachi was able to stop the Edo Tensei himself and made possible the help of the Edo Kages in the war. Thanks to his efforts, it was later revealed that after Kakashi became the sixth Hokage, he cleared Itachi's name as a traitor, removing his acts from the history of the village. This was the best way to acknowledge Itachi's heroic acts in the Fourth Great Ninja War.

Source: Anime News Network; Viz Media; Shared in Fanverse; Translated on X by @Nanaisruby