Naruto’s death has been teased with a shroud of mystery.

By Christopher Megrath

Published: Monday, 03 April 2023 at 12:00 am

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Naruto Uzumaki acts as a pivotal character in the turn of the millennium’s anime character roster. His distinguishable features – canary hair, whiskers and forehead protector – are instantly recognisable, as is his undeniable dent in the Shonen world as a whole.

Viewers walked alongside Naruto from his troublesome teens to becoming one of the greatest-known Hokage in the world. Through it all, he faced perilous foes and obstacles but still managed to come out on top with that cheeky grin that won fans over from day one.

After saving the world from destruction during the 4th Great Ninja War, it appeared life was smooth sailing from here on out.

Things sadly took a dark turn after the sequel series, Boruto, teased the protagonist’s death, leaving fans in a state of disarray and confusion.

So, is Naruto dead and what happened to Boruto? Read on for everything you need to know.

Is Naruto dead?

Well, it’s a complicated one.

Boruto’s prologue depicted a destructive fight in Konoha village between Boruto Uzumaki, Naruto’s son, and Kawaki, a mysterious boy who fans knew nothing about at that point in time. The pair were out for blood with them landing equal blows strong enough to kill the other in one fell swoop.

Kawaki threatened to send Boruto to the same place he sent the 7th Hokage, sending alarm bells ringing as to what could have possibly happened to Naruto. He claimed the age of Shinobi was over and he was the sole survivor, suggesting Naruto was essentially dead.

During their confrontation, Boruto donned Sasuke’s attire and was holding his sword, adding weight to the claims something dreadful had happened and that the Shinobi truly was finished.

Though everything seems bleak, fans actually got to see exactly what happened to Naruto and his wife in a previous chapter. In a strange twist of fate, fans discovered Naruto adopted Kawaki and called him his own, saving him from Isshiki and offering him a fresh new start.

Kawaki saw Naruto as a father figure, idolising him dearly and willing to go any length to protect him, including facing the Otsutsuki head-on. It just so happened that Boruto was possessed by an Otsutsuki which led to their conflict, with Kawaki’s end goal being to kill Boruto to save Naruto.

Knowing that Naruto will stand in his way, Kawaki sent him to a different dimension, along with his wife, Hinata Uzumaki. This means everything Kawaki claimed is indeed true but the immediate blood lust fans are led to believe is actually a heart-wrenching Sophie’s Choice-like decision to protect the ones he holds dear. Naruto is technically safe from harm as of now, but Boruto is not.