Summary
Narutois a surprisingly complex anime with many different inspirations, callbacks, andreferences to religions and mythologiesfrom around the world, and this aspect is key to understanding the series. It is also important to understand how certain references foreshadow certain events.
Masashi Kishimoto has used mythology since the beginning of the series. Throughout the 700 chapters of the masterpiece he created, he borrowed heavily on aspects from religions and put his own twist to it.
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Foreshadowing Became Much Easier
Mythology Hinted At Future Developments
AlthoughNarutohas many plot twists, it became easier to understand the direction the story was going with a little knowledge of mythology. The use of Izanagi was a tell-tale sign that another powerful jutsu that countered it would be introduced. Izanagi and Izanami are brother and sister deities believed to have created the Japanese archipelago and many other deities. The existence of Izanagi in Naruto implies the existence of its counterpart, Izanami. Indeed, Izanami is the only counter for the powerful Izanagi, an ability that casts a genjutsu on reality itself, although at a huge cost.
The introduction of Kaguya was also hinted at using the oldest Japanese folklore,Tale Of The Bamboo Cutter. The story is about Kaguya-hime, a princess who is from the moon and descended to Earth as a baby, discovered inside a bamboo stalk. When the lore of the Sage of Six Paths was expanded upon and the moon and a woman with rabbit ears were mentioned,the foundation for Kaguya as a villain was being built, and her eventual introduction came later.
The Power System Is Heavily Inspired By Religion
In Naruto, there are five primary elements: fire, earth, water, wind, and lightning. This is from the Bhuddhist concept of the basic elements that make up the universe. They are known as Godai or the Great Five. These elements constitute the basic chakra elements that a shinobi can use to perform ninjutsu. Furthermore, the Taoist Ying and Yang that is fundamental in Naruto’s chakra system is spread throughout the series, most notably in the seal that was given to Naruto and Sasuke to seal Kaguya.
Many jutsu names are also from mythology, most notably the Sharingan’s abilities. In Shinto, Izanagi created three deities following his return to the underworld. Amaterasu, Sasuke’s fire ability, was the God of the Sun, Tsukuyomi was the God of the Moon, and Susano was the God of the Seas and Storms.
Kamui is the name of the god of the Ainu people, a tribe that lives in Northern Japan.
Itachi’s ridding Sasuke of Orochimaru heavily mirrors the tale of Susano roaming the world. Susano met an old couple whose daughters were killed by an eight-headed serpent. After making a deal with them, he agreed to kill the monster and so laid a trap and cut down all its heads with a sword. Itachi did the exact same thing, using his Susano to cut all of Orochimaru’s eight heads using the powerful sword and then sealing him away.
The six Pains that Nagato controlled symbolize the paths from Buddhist cosmology that centers around the belief in reincarnation. They are Deva, Ashura, Human, Preta, Narak, and Animal, and a person is reincarnated in one depending on their accumulated karma. Nagato’s power to revive the dead must have also come from this belief, as the Rinne Rebirth was indeed the power he used to revive the villagers he had just killed.
The Naming Of Naruto Characters Potrays Their Personality
The name Naruto Uzumaki already gives a clear indication of the personality of the character. Uzumaki means vortex or spiral, and Naruto is a coastal city in Japan famous for its whirlpools.Naruto’s chaotic and fun personality perfectly matches the meaning of his name, and his other name, Namikaze, which means wave, also hints at his nature. His most iconic move, the Rasengan, also works under the concept of the whirlpool.
The iconic Ino-Shika-Cho trio have their names grounded in reality and demonstrate how efficient they are. It is named afterthe winning card hand in the Hanafuda game, similar to a full house in poker. Because of the team’s incredible chemistry and teamwork, they were always a solid bet that got things done when needed, and were sometimes the trump card, especially in the Fourth Great Ninja War when they showed up multiple times.
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For years Boruto’s next generation has been sidelined and ignored. However, their recent return to the spotlight bodes well for their future.
The series has a lot of foreshadowing, especially regarding Itachi Uchiha, but understanding his name gives a slight clue into who he truly is. The name means weasel, and this animal is associated with death and misfortune,a fitting name for a character that killed his clan. Furthermore, there are some beliefs that weasels hypnotize their prey, much like Itachi’s powerful genjutsu and Tsukuyomi abilities that are feared.
Kishimoto Loves His Animals
Animals Played A Big Role In The Series
It is no secret that Masashi Kishimoto loves including animals in his series, and in fact,Naruto’s first design was that of a fox. The series not only has many animals, but they all have historical and mythological significance. Toads are very important characters in the series, as they taught Naruto and Jiraiya the Sage Mode and helped them as summons. Because of theTale of Jiraiya The Gallant, ninjas and toads have often been associated with each other, and it was from this folklore that inspired the Legendary Sannin trio of Tsunade, Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
Hiruzen’s sidekick and summon, Monkey King Enma, is based on the same character and story that inspired Goku; Journey to the West. The gold-banded staff he wields is taken from the character Sun Wukong, and both wear a tiger pelt.
Dragon Ball, Naruto, And One Piece Were All Inspired By the Same Epic Story
While it’s known that Journey to the West inspired Dragon Ball, the classic Chinese epic also influenced One Piece and Naruto.
Narutois one of the biggest anime ever, and it exposed many people to the vibrant culture of Japan and religions around the world. It also made for an interesting take on existing characters and tales while still honoring the original.Naruto’s symbolism and mythological roots give it an extra layer of depth that fans can come to appreciate once they put the series under a microscope.
Naruto
Naruto is a franchise spawned from the manga series penned by Masashi Kishimoto that began in 1999. Generating several tv series, games, movies, and more, Naruto follows the exploits of a young outcast ninja harboring the spirit of a demon fox who seeks to become the Hokage, the leader of his ninja village, to break the stigma against him. Upon the conclusion of the initial series, Naruto expanded into Boruto, following many series protagonists' children and returning faces.
