When Masashi Kishimoto initially drafted Naruto in 1999 through Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine, it was not his intention to write history. And that, alongside enigmatic characters, a layered and impactful storyline helped him in crafting one of the most popular animes of all time. An anime that went above and beyond its call of duty as it established intrigue in the audience regarding the anime genre. However, the original manga with Kishimoto’s unadulterated talent ended in 2014. While the writer did give his blessings to the Boruto sequel of Naruto, he never truly returned. That is, until now.

In what was the first of its kind, The Naruto popularity poll paved the way for the return of Masashi Kishimoto with a one-shot. The storyline of the same will follow the now undisputedly most popular Naruto character.

Masashi Kishimoto returns to Naruto with a highly anticipated one shot

As the clock strikes almost a decade since Kishimoto directed his attention to his work of art, Naruto fans got a surprise. To celebrate 20 years of excellence, the original writer will be putting his pen to good use as he crafts what one can assume is a brilliant one-shot. To place the cherry on top, fans chose the main character of this one-shot through a poll. And this is how Minato Namikaze emerged as a winner.

Kishimoto’s Minato one-shot will be out on the 17th of July through Issue #55 of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine. It will be titled Naruto Gaiden-Whirlwind in the Wortex.

Things have come full circle for Naruto fans with the upcoming shot focusing on Naruto’s father. It is quite ironic how Namikaze emerged as a winner in a series revolving around his son. But such was the captivating story of the Fourth Hokage.

While the series did not focus on him much later, it is clear through the first pages of Masashi Kishimoto’s manga that Naruto had a soft spot for Namikaze in his heart. Although the release date of the issue has been announced, it is still unclear what the Minato Namikaze one-shot will explore.

What will be the Minato Namikaze one-shot plot?

While movies and sequels went and came as the anime touched unprecedented levels of popularity, many still craved the magic of the original. Now finally after seven long years, fans will be blessed with a Kishimoto Naruto original with a Namikaze one-shot. Although fans will happily take anything that the writer creates, given that Namikaze is the focus, fans will accept nothing but unadulterated perfection. And the promotional art seems very much like the pictorial definition of it.

Kishimoto teased fans with a drawing of a young Namikaze. And as far as physical attributes go, it is obvious why he is a fan favorite. The drawing of a younger Fourth Hokage hints at the one-shot being a prequel to the original Naruto series. This also opens the door for a Minato Namikaze training arc, where he ultimately develops the flawless Rasengan technique. Or his life before becoming a hokage. With a character as iconic as Namikaze, the possibilities are endless, especially in a chapter spanning 55 pages.

Are you excited to get your hands on the Minato Namikaze one-shot? Let us know in the comments below.