5 ways Naruto surpassed Minato (& 5 ways he could not)
Naruto grew up without his parents and he never really knew that his father Minato was the Fourth Hokage, the legendary renowned Konoha’s Yellow Flash. He didn’t get much time to learn anything from his father even after Minato's reincarnation.
Naruto walked on a path he chose for himself and that is how he became the child of prophecy and the strongest shinobi in the world. Over the course of that period, he not only became powerful but also surpassed his father in many ways. However, Minato’s shoes were still too big for his son to fill.
On that note, let's take a look at the areas where Minato was surpassed by his son and others, where he wasn't.
5 Ways Naruto was able to surpass Minato
5) Tremendous Chakra Reserve
Throughout Naruto’s life, he was unaware of many things and his Jinchuriki status was one of them. Moreover, until he met Killer Bee, he never really had the capability of honing the Nine Tail’s chakra. However, he managed to form a stronger bond with his Tailed Beast, Kurama, in no time.
During the Fourth Great Ninja War, his prowess was such that he shared the Tailed Beast’s chakra with all the Allied Shinobis present on the battlefield. By the end of the series, Naruto possessed the powers of all Tailed Beasts. He also had an immense reserve of chakra that he got from the Sage of Six Paths.
4) Speed and Strength
While there is no doubt that the infamous Konoha’s Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze is the fastest shinobi in the world. However, Naruto’s rigorous training and utilizing his immense chakra reserve to a greater extent enhanced his physical capabilities.
He was a lacker in the beginning in all aspects of Ninjutsu. However, he proved his might by going against a powerful being like Kaguya Otsutsuki, who is the source of all chakra on Earth. Along with gaining enormous strength, he also surpassed his father by being the fastest shinobi of all time.
3) Honing his Senjutsu
Naruto is the strongest Sage Mode user in the entirety of the anime. Unlike Jiraiya and his father, he was able to perfectly balance the natural energy with his chakra to enter complete Sage Mode.
Later, he somehow managed to combine his Sage Mode with his Nine-Tails chakra. Hence, all his powers were enhanced to a formidable level.
Like his teacher Jiraiya, Minato also trained in Mount Myoboku and practiced his Senjutsu. However, he never attained mastery over it unlike his son. This is because he needed an excessive amount of time to build the required quantity of chakra to activate his Sage Mode. Moreover, he also wasn't able to maintain Sage Mode for a long time.
2) Mastering Rasengan
Rasengan imitates the Tailed Beast Ball and this technique was a personal creation of Minato Namikaze. Rasengan became the signature technique of Naruto, who took it to even greater heights and proved that limits are meant to be broken. He not only mastered the technique but also created a plethora of deadly versions of it.
Incorporating other nature releases with Rasengan, he enhanced the basic technique tenfold. He can also increase the size of his Rasengan. He can also bombard his opponents by combining his Senjutsu to perform Sage Art: Many Ultra-Big Ball Spiralling Serial Spheres.
1) Became a Strongest Kage
Minato was indeed the strongest Hokage in his lifetime and is still hailed for his unmatched proficiency. However, Naruto didn't stop there by just being the most powerful Hokage. In this new era, he is recognized as the strongest of all Kages combined.
After becoming a Hokage, apart from his strengths and capabilities, he surpassed Minato in every major aspect. He brought together the Five Great Nations that used to share a great deal of enmity with each other. He revived peace among the nations, which not even the legendary Hashirama Senju was able to conquer in his lifetime.
5 Ways Naruto still didn’t manage to surpass Minato
5) One Hand Sign Weaving
Being one of the most immensely talented shinobis, Minato has been full of surprises since his childhood. His innate talents were incredibly overwhelming, like weaving hand seals with just one hand. This feat is very rare among shinobis to perform.
Naruto has also used one-handed seals, but by combining his hand seals with Sasuke’s. Although one hand seals doesn’t make a shinobi powerful, it sure gives them the advantage of multitasking. Naruto is still unable to execute a single-handed seal.
4) Ruthlessness on the battlefield
Naruto fans are well aware of the protagonist's knack for changing the very perspective of his enemies amidst combat. No matter how remorseless the person would be, he will give his everything to change his heart. He doesn’t even gives a second thought about the people’s lives he putting at stake at the mere moment.
However, his father Minato was the total opposite in this matter. He used to put his duties as the shinobi of Konoha first and also eliminated anyone who would threaten the peace of Konoha. Moreover, on the battlefield, Minato never gave anyone a second chance. With his lightning executions, the enemies never really had their opportunity to beg for mercy.
3) Battle Intellect
Most shinobis, with overwhelming feats, charge head-on against their enemies due to their innate all-muscle and no-brainer policy. Without devising a better strategy, there is no way that one could be victorious in the outcome. Minato Namikaze, being an exceptional strategist, always came up with uncanny ways to defeat his opponents.
Minato never really needed anyone’s advise and acted on his own intuition responsibly. Naruto, on the other hand, still seeks advice from the people around him. On the battlefield, he often depends more on his powers and allies than his own instincts.
2) Highest Score in Chunin Exams
Chunin Selection Exams determines if the Genin candidate is capable of being promoted to a Chunin. The exam pattern remains undisclosed to the partakers and that’s what makes it difficult. Minato Namikaze, being the brightest of all, has the highest score in history.
He remains undefeated as, even the other acclaimed genius of Konoha, Itachi Uchiha, managed to secure second spot. Naruto is a peculiar case, as he never really became a Chunin or Jonin and became the leader of his village.
1) Teleportation
Minato gained mastery over the Flying Thunder God technique. Even the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, being the creator of this technique, never managed to do so. Incorporating his speed with his special brand of kunai, it was literally impossible for others to figure out his next attack.
Minato, using the Flying Thunder God technique, was able to move to any targeted location in a blink of an eye. Although Naruto has surpassed Minato in aspects of speed, Teleportation remains unconquered for him.
Quick Links
Aditya Singh