The Resurgence of Minato Namikaze: Unleashing the Legendary Yellow Flash

Fans of Naruto were left in awe after the long-awaited release of the Minato One Shot. Despite having been away from the Naruto franchise and manga in general for some time, fans were pleasantly surprised by Kishimoto's triumphant return and his ability to create a powerful chapter filled with both action and emotional moments. This lengthy and intriguing chapter delves into the lives of beloved characters from the original Naruto series, providing fans with answers to long-standing mysteries. Naruto Gaiden: Minato One Shot delivered everything that fans had hoped for and more.

The Third Great Ninja War

In the Minato One Shot, fans were treated to a glimpse into the events of the Third Great Ninja War. It is revealed that the war lasted for several years, and during this time, Minato transitioned from being a member of Jiraiya's team to becoming the leader of his own team. The chapter begins with the introduction of Team Jiraiya, a group that had previously only been mentioned once in the series. Notably, an unnamed character from Jiraiya's team receives attention as they engage in a battle against Han and Roshi, two Jinchuriki from Hidden Rock.

To everyone's surprise, Han and Roshi demonstrate some level of control over their Tailed Beast Powers. Although they are not Perfect Jinchuriki, they possess enough strength to manipulate the powers of their Tailed Beast, indicating a partial control at the very least. The duo launches powerful Tailed Beast Bombs towards their enemies, but it is Minato who comes to the rescue by utilizing his Flying Thunder God Jutsu to save his team.

Kushina As The Jinchuriki

Contrary to fans' expectations, Kushina Uzumaki received significant attention in the Minato one-shot, highlighting the deep connection between her and Minato. Throughout their ninja journeys and until their ultimate demise, these two characters have been inseparable, making it essential for Kushina to play a pivotal role in the one-shot. The manga predominantly portrays the perspective of Konoha through Kushina, who was constantly under strict surveillance as the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails. This constant monitoring made Kushina feel trapped, especially considering the limited number of places she could freely visit within the village.

Due to her role as the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails and the impending war, Kushina's life as a ninja was far from normal. She lacked the freedom to live as she pleased or choose her own path. Being the village's ultimate weapon in the event of Jinchuriki warfare only enhanced her value and significance.

Despite the challenges she faced, Kushina made the most of her circumstances by taking on the role of training Minato in Sealing Jutsu. Fans are aware of her immense skill and power as a ninja, surpassing even capable Jonin effortlessly. Her expertise in Sealing Jutsu far surpassed that of the future Fourth Hokage.

Kushina emphasizes how she has many Sealing Jutsu left to teach Minato, nevertheless, upon his return from his latest mission in the War, Minato now possessed a new Jutsu to train, disregarding her completely. This eventually resulted in her making a significant error as she ventured into an area where her seal had been weakened.

Minato's Rasengan Training

The focal point of the Minato one-shot was undoubtedly the development of the Rasengan. In fact, prior to its release, Kishimoto highlighted the significance of Minato creating his own jutsu within the story. Inspired by witnessing the Tailed Beast Ball during the War, Minato conceived the idea of crafting a similar technique. This connection is well-rooted in the original manga, where Killer Bee suggested that Minato fashioned the Rasengan based on the Tailed Beast Ball, with the only distinction being Minato's utilization of high-speed rotation instead of mixing positive and negative chakra.

Kushina And Minato Combine

Interestingly, the original manga also mentioned that Minato took 3 years to master the Rasengan. This indicates that the clash depicted at the beginning of the chapter and the moment when Minato finally used the Rasengan for the first time occurred over a span of 3 years. This further emphasizes the immense scale of the Third Great Ninja War. The training itself received considerable attention in the one-shot, showcasing Minato's struggle to control this spherical jutsu. However, his exceptional brilliance allowed him to successfully create this Jutsu, albeit to a certain extent, at the very least.

Kushina proved to be a prominent figure throughout the entire one shot, oftentimes overshadowing even Minato himself. The chapter commenced with her presence in Konoha, and the majority of the story unfolded from her perspective. Fans were exposed to her well-known rebellious nature, exemplified when she fearlessly surpassed boundaries by employing her extraordinary Sealing Jutsu to effortlessly defeat the two ANBU guards appointed to monitor her incessantly.

Fans are also given the opportunity to witness her relationship with Mito Uzumaki, the wife of the First Hokage. In the original story, viewers had only glimpses of their connection as Kushina was immediately brought to her after arriving from Uzushiogakure. Their only interaction consisted of Mito advising her that, as a Jinchuriki, she should engulf herself in love to find true happiness despite having a Tailed Beast sealed within her. This advice becomes relevant again when Kushina has a flashback of Mito Uzumaki in the Minato one-shot.

Surprisingly, the destruction of the Uzumaki Clan is also highlighted in this chapter. The original series briefly touched upon the clan's demise, but here it is emphasized that the Uzumaki Clan was frequently exploited in wars to the point where they became overwhelmed and scattered across the world. The clan's exceptional Sealing Jutsu proficiency was so renowned that even their crest was designed to enhance the sealing power of a Jinchuriki. However, Mito clarifies that the purpose of the crest is not solely to keep the Jinchuriki content, but rather it represents a spiral that fills the heart. She further reveals to Kushina that she had the love of her husband, Hashirama, who brought her immense happiness and even helped her establish some control over the Nine Tails.

Kushina and Minato shared a strong bond in their relationship, which ultimately became her source of strength as a ninja. In the current timeline, while Minato was practicing his Jutsu, Kushina's body was invaded by the Nine-Tails since she was outside the protective barrier. This resulted in Minato being injured, but Kushina quickly realized her mistake. Despite not being a member of the Uzumaki Clan, Minato strengthened her seal by placing his own, surprising even Kurama. Kurama acknowledged Minato as a Shinobi of the same caliber as the First Hokage.

However, despite Minato's strength, he admitted that Kushina was even stronger than him. In fact, his love for her stemmed from her surpassing him in strength at that time.

During their conversation, Minato reveals that his motivation for developing this new Jutsu was to safeguard Kushina. Recognizing the potential threat of Jinchuriki warfare, he sought to invent a technique that could harmonize with Kushina's formidable chakra and serve as a formidable defense against other Tailed Beasts if the need ever arose. This explains why Minato chose to model the Rasengan after the Tailed Beast Bomb, renowned as the ultimate assault of the Tailed Beasts.

During their conversation, Kurama, Minato realizes that he cannot face him alone. After hearing Minato's confession, Kushina breaks free from the control of the Tailed Beast and uses her powerful Adamantine Sealing Chains to restrain him. Seizing the opportunity, Minato attacks him with his new Jutsu.

This particular scene revolves around the love story of Kushina and Minato. Fans finally witness their heartfelt confession to each other, which is a fitting portrayal of their passionate relationship. Growing up during a time of war, they relied on each other's love and support to overcome challenges and find happiness. Together, they achieved their dreams and became the parents of Naruto, the future savior of the world. The depth of their bond is showcased once more when Minato awakens in a hospital and they resume their training together.

Eventually, Kushina brings Minato to the very spot where Mito would gaze upon her husband's visage on the Hokage monument. This act serves as Kushina's expression of having discovered the love that would sustain her. It is there that Kushina bestows the name "Rasengan" upon this jutsu, for it was a technique forged to safeguard her life, thus birthing the legend of the Rasengan.