The Minato one shot, written and illustrated by Matashi Kishimoto, came out recently and it is safe to say that the chapter was one of exceptional quality, showcasing Kishimoto's biggest strengths as a writer in the best way possible.
Having been away from Naruto for quite a while, fans were worried if Kishimoto would deliver a story of the same quality, however, he managed to surpass all expectations and deliver a chapter that was most exceptional. Along with writing a beautiful story, Kishimoto also tied it very well to the original Naruto series, answering several key questions that fans have had in their minds along the way.
7 What Happened To The Uzumaki Clan?
One of the biggest questions that the Minato one shot answered was the fate of the Uzumaki clan. In the original series, fans were told that the Uzumaki clan was destroyed as a result of wars waged against them due to their growing power. In the Minato one shot, Mito Uzumaki, one of the oldest members of the Uzumaki Clan, mentions that the Clan ended up getting scattered after they were used during wars.
It is unknown who exactly used them or if this just refers to the wars they fought against neighboring countries. However, these wars eventually led to their decline and the remaining members of the clan fled. The very Sealing Jutsu that they were masters of eventually became their downfall as they were used to host Tailed Beasts sealed within themselves, leading to their deaths.
6 What Happened To Team Jiraiya?
Jiraiya was only briefly shown to the fans in the original Naruto series and readers were quite sure that they would never appear again. Much to the surprise of everyone, the Minato one shot opens up with Team Jiraiya once again and one of their characters was even named to be Dekai.
It was also revealed that team Jiraiya was Team Six of its time and that this team was quite special. All of them appear to be Jonin-level Shinobi and, at the very least, that answers the question of what exactly happened to them after the Academy days.
5 When Did Minato Observe The Tailed Beast Ball?
In the Naruto series, Killer Bee suggested that Minato based the Rasengan off of a Tailed Beast Ball. However, sadly, it was never made clear when exactly Minato observed this Tailed Beast Ball.
In the Minato one shot, it was made quite clear that during the Third Great Ninja War, Minato came face to face against two Jinchuriki and saw both of them perform this unique technique. This is what he used as the basis for the creation of the Rasengan.
4 Why Did Minato Create The Rasengan?
When it comes to the creation of the Rasengan, fans were never really given a reason for it. It was believed that Minato wanted to create a powerful jutsu and complete it and, thus, the Rasengan was born. In the Minato one shot, it is made very clear that the creation of the Rasengan was for the sake of protecting Kushina, the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails.
This beautifully ties into the Rasengan becoming Naruto's signature technique as he inherits the Nine Tails from his mother and the Rasengan becomes a memento to him from his father for the sake of his protection.
3 How Strong Was Minato?
Minato Namikaze is believed to be one of the strongest Hokage to have ever lived. However, his power in comparison to the others has always been up for debate. While some, such as Jiraiya, believe Minato to be the strongest of all time, others believe Hashirama was the God of Shinobi, while there are also shouts for Hiruzen in to be the strongest during his prime days.
In the Minato one shot, it is made quite clear by Kurama himself that Minato is a Shinobi that rivals Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, even though he was still in his teen years at the time. Moving forward, Minato only got stronger and this means that he was certainly on the level of the First Hokage. Whether fans consider this a retcon from Kishimoto or not is up to them, however, it is pretty clear that Minato's power rivals that of Hashirama.
2 What Was Kushina's Tailed Beast Transformation Like?
Kushina Uzumaki was the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails for quite a long time, however, fans never really got to see her utilize this power. Although she was a master at the Uzumaki Sealing Jutsu, among other techniques, her true strength lay in utilizing the power of the Nine Tails.
In the Minato one shot, Kushina was seen utilizing this power, although without any control over it and she was able to manifest seven tails. Her seven-tailed transformation was very different from that of Naruto Uzumaki, who developed a skeletal structure at this point. Kushina simply went into a powerful Tailed Beast Mode and manifested seven tails, strong enough to stab Minato through the gut. In the end, this form was suppressed by the combined effort of both Kushina and Minato.
1 How Strong Were Iwagakure's Jinchuriki?
Iwagakure was known to have two Jinchuriki during its prime days and these were Roshi and Han, the Jinchuriki of the Four and Five Tails respectively. Much to the surprise of the fans, the Minato one shot reveals both Roshi and Han to have a certain level of Tailed Beast Control.
They were able to manifest their Tailed Beast and even use Tailed Beast Bombs, which is something that a Jinchuriki cannot use by themselves without a significant level of control over their beasts. Since the original manga doesn't state them to be Perfect Jinchuriki, fans can assume that they had Partial Tailed Based Control at the very least.