Minato: How The Manga About Naruto's Dad Changes Things (And Where To Read It)

Legendary manga artist Masashi Kishimoto gave "Naruto" fans a taste of the glory days this week, coming out of retirement to give us "Naruto: The Whorl Within the Spiral." The prequel one-shot gives fans a new story centered on Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, adding even more emotion to their already heartbreaking romance and revealing the history behind the Rasengan in the time before they were Naruto's parents. 

While Minato is a legendary shinobi on his own, "The Whorl Within the Spiral" reveals that Kushina taught him the Uzumaki Clan's sealing jutsus, which he would eventually use to seal half of the Nine-Tails' chakra inside Naruto. Kishimoto's manga one-shot also peels back the curtain on the Rasengan, showing it was more of a collaboration between Minato and Kushina that created Naruto's most iconic jutsu. Minato developed the jutsu for Kushina to protect herself from other jinchuriki, having witnessed their strength first-hand on the battlefield. Then, during a heartfelt moment, Kushina named Minato's new Jutsu, taking the name "Rasengan" from a valuable lesson her father taught her about the Uzumaki Clan's spiral symbol and finding love, which she has done with Minato. 

Reading "The Whorl Within the Spiral" is incredibly easy wherever you are. The manga one-shot features in the latest "Weekly Shonen Jump" issue released this week in Japan. Thankfully, it isn't a Japanese exclusive, with Kishimoto's latest entry to the "Naruto" story free to read on Viz Media's website and Manga Plus.

"Naruto: The Whorl Within the Spiral" is a must-read for any "Naruto" fan, as Masashi Kishimoto's return to manga not only gives fans more of Minato and Kushina's beloved story but will leave you wanting so much more.

The couple is already a fan favorite, but the one-shot pulls back the curtain on their relationship, showing their respective lives in the Hidden Leaf Village and how it led to them falling in love. Minato is already a star shinobi within society, as the story opens with him using his teleportation jutsu to save himself, Jiraiya, and other shinobi from two jinchuriki. Meanwhile, Kushina lives a sheltered life, with security guards following her every move to ensure the Nine-Tails doesn't escape from within her. Each reveals their love for the other through the story, with Minato's love showing as he protects Kushina from the Nine-Tails and Kushina using the name "Rasengan" to show that she's found love with Minato. It's incredibly emotional, as Kishimoto proves he still knows just how to play with "Naruto" fans' hearts.

The downside of "The Whorl Within the Spiral" is that it's unlikely to ever be more than a one-shot, despite its popularity within the "Naruto" fandom. The story has only been out for a few days, but fans have already taken to Reddit to disregard "Boruto" and crown "The Whorl Within the Spiral" as the great "Naruto" successor they've all been waiting for. If this is the end of Kishimoto's time with "Naruto," everyone will cherish it, but it won't stop us from hoping the manga artist returns in a larger capacity.