Summary

• The original one-shot of Naruto establishes a completely different relationship between Naruto and Kurama, with Kurama being Naruto's father.
• Naruto's pilot introduces the concept of Naruto being the son of the fox spirit that attacked the village, and his true form as a fox spirit is revealed at the end.
• Changing Naruto's father would have significant implications for the wider story and the central arc of the title character, as it would darken his lineage and imply different themes.

One of the best parts of Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto is the growth of the bond between the titular character and the nine-tailed demon fox, Kurama. At the start of the series, Kurama is depicted as a malicious entity hellbent on chaos, destruction, and hatred, but Naruto mellows him out and the two become close partners. However, the relationship between them is completely different in the original one-shot of the series.

Before Naruto was a smash hit, Kishimoto went through many different ideas for the series, one of which saw Naruto becoming a chef as opposed to a ninja. Though this did inspire Naruto's love of ramen, it was decided that Naruto needed to be more action-oriented. After more concrete concepts for the series were ironed out, the Naruto pilot was published in 1997 in Akamaru Jump, a branch of Shonen Jump that focuses on spotlighting one-shots.

This rendition of the series is completely different from the story and world fans have come to know but establishes many of the ninja themes that are present. The series went through many revisions before becoming what it is today.

Naruto's Pilot Made Kurama His Father As Opposed to the Fourth Hokage

Originally, Naruto was not a ninja, but the son of the fox spirit that attacked the village on Mt. Oinari. The village chief is the sole survivor of the attack. After killing the spirit alongside 8 other warriors, the chief takes pity on Naruto and raises him in the village in hopes that he will grow up to be less bitter and destructive than his father. To blend in, Naruto goes about his life as a mischievous human boy in search of a friend, and at the end of the pilot, his true form as a fox spirit is revealed.

This is the first fox form that Naruto took, and it is completely different from any of Naruto's tails forms in the main series. Though Naruto's backstory might be different, some things are consistent across the pilot and the series proper. Even at these early stages, it's clear Kishimoto knew some of the series' larger themes. Unlike his father who used his demon fox powers to harm and kill, Naruto uses them to apprehend the villain and bring them to justice, showing that the chief did the right thing by taking Naruto in.

Changing Naruto's Father Would Have Big Implications

Having Naruto's father be the cause of the village's destruction as opposed to the cause of its salvation would have dramatic implications for the wider story. With the revelation that Naruto is not only the Fourth Hokage's son, but is also the reincarnation of Asura, Naruto establishes that heroism, kindness, and comion are baked into the main hero's essence. In contrast, Naruto being the demon fox's son makes his lineage far darker. Both result in Naruto being ostracized by his village, but they imply quite different things about the title character's central arc and what he needs to overcome.

It's interesting to think about how Naruto would have turned out if Kishimoto had stuck with his original idea. Even if it made it into the actual series, Kurama being Naruto's father would have made things quite different. Although it was short, this forgotten Naruto one-shot had some great (and gross) moments, and had themes and ideas that would be expanded on when Naruto took the form most fans know and love today.

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