Fans "can't stop looking at" what could've been for Naruto and Minato

The Naruto series wrapped up over eight years ago, and its impacts are still felt today. Featuring the tale of a young Shinobi who wanted nothing more than to become Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki's story was filled with action, adventure, emotions, twists, and a lot more. It is regarded as one of the best animanga franchises for good reason, and will be here for a long time to come.

Amidst the plethora of content being created by fans of the series comes a peculiar piece of art that is truly heartwarming. A lover of Masashi Kishimoto's magnum opus crafted a "what could have been," featuring the No. 1 Knucklehead Ninja and his father, Minato Namikaze.

The pair was showcased for a fairly short period towards the end of the series, and their interaction was heartbreaking yet moving.

Naruto "what-if" rakes in immense appreciation

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A piece of artwork by X user @KokoDraws01 has been making rounds on the platform and gaining immense appreciation. The art features father-son duo Naruto Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze in an embrace. As a starting point, the initial sketch showcases younger forms of the characters, with the now 7th Hokage as a child in his father's arms.

The next bit showcases him at his current appearance, a fully grown Lord Seventh, leaping up and fully embracing his father. What is impressive is the level of detail that is shown, with Naruto clad in his Hokage robe and Minato donning something different, yet reminiscent, of his own Hokage robe. Also in the picture are Boruto and Himawari, both surprised to see their father behave this way.

The art warmly captures a "what could have been" moment. For a lot of the series, the blonde did not know about his father. He learnt about Minato later on, and Kishimoto treated fans to a father-son tag team during the Fourth Shinobi World War. Their final farewell was heartwrenching, where Naruto tearfully told his father about his life and assured him that he would be okay.

This was one of the highlights of the anime, as nearly all viewers were keen to see them interact at least once. Through this artwork, a happier future is showcased, and even calling it touching might be an understatement.

Fans react to the heartwarming potential

Minato Namikaze (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Naruto fans were all over the place when the art dropped, and were greatly appreciative of the artist.

The Naruto-Minato dynamic, while quite emotionally charged, did have plenty of potential if chosen to be explored in the main story. There are two movies in the franchise that present hypothetical scenarios and are well done, though the impact would have been greater had it been in Shippuden.

"I can’t stop looking at this, I love it so much. That’s his baby :(( koko thank you so much for this continuation i love your work," a fan wrote.

"Ohhh Minato’s clothes changed because Naruto became the hokage. Love the details so much, and you keep Hima’s cutie hair tie too," a user commented.

"this is healing me thank you its beautiful," a netizen posted.

"Awww. Lol. He's probably thinking "No matter how old he is, I'll always see him as my lil baby boy.... Even if it embarrassed my grandkids!" I would be the same way, Minato... I would feel the EXACT same way!" an X user expressed.

Fans expressed delight, and many were brought to tears thanks to the emotions this artwork invoked. The significance of this "what if" is great, given that Minato would have been immensely proud of his son.

Moreover, he would have acted as a mentor to him when he ascended to the role. He grew up without a father figure, and having Minato there would prove to be a great boost for the Orange Hokage.

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About the author

Casey has been an anime writer at Sportskeeda since almost a year. Being drawn into the world of animanga after watching the Dragon Ball series almost a decade ago, Casey's interest in the genre, along with his love of crafting plot theories influenced his writerly endeavors. Presently pursuing a Master's degree in International Business, Casey worked for Uneake and FootballExpress for 1.3 years before joining Sportskeeda.

Casey's writings reflect his commitment to producing the most reliable content, evidenced by his flair for in-depth reporting. He places a high value on meticulous research and complete factual accuracy.

Although it was legendary Akira Toriyama’s magnum opus that influenced his love of animanga, Casey soon branched out and explored other titles. The unique ways in which mangakas express ideas, as well as their far-reaching effects, have inspired Casey in his creative pursuits.

When not busy writing, Casey enjoys working out, listening to music, strumming the guitar, and playing football.

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Edited by Casey Mendez