Masashi Kishimoto doesn't usually come back to draw Naruto stuff himself. Since the original series wrapped up in 2014, he’s mostly been in the background, supervising Boruto or working on other projects like Samurai 8. But then the "Naruto99" global popularity poll happened. Fans went absolutely wild. Out of hundreds of characters, Minato Namikaze—the Yellow Flash himself—took the top spot. The reward? A special Minato one shot manga written and illustrated by the creator himself.
It’s called Naruto Gaiden: The Whirlwind in the Vortex.
If you haven't read it, you're basically missing the most important piece of Uzumaki lore since the Pain arc. Seriously. It’s not just some fluff piece about a cool ninja throwing kunai. It actually recontextualizes how we look at the Rasengan and the tragic burden of the Nine-Tails.
The Rasengan wasn't just a weapon
Most of us grew up thinking the Rasengan was just a powerful ball of chakra. Simple, right? But Kishimoto uses this Minato one shot manga to show that it was actually a desperate act of love. Minato didn't just invent it to be "strong." He built it because he was terrified.
He was watching Kushina Uzumaki—the love of his life and the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails—struggle with the literal demon inside her. He saw the Tailed Beast Bomb and realized he needed a way to protect her if that seal ever failed. He spent years trying to mimic the ratio of positive and negative chakra in a Tailed Beast Ball.
The name "Rasengan" wasn't even his first choice. If you know Minato, you know he has the absolute worst taste in names. He wanted to call it something like "Halo Frozen Hair Round Dance Form Zero," but Kushina, thankfully, stepped in. She saw the spiral shape and thought of the whirlpools of her home, the Land of Eddies.
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Why the Uzumaki clan actually matters here
The Uzumaki weren't just "Naruto’s relatives." They were a powerhouse. In the Minato one shot manga, we get to see Kushina’s perspective on her own heritage in a way the main series never quite nailed. She explains to Minato that they are like a staircase. They hold the spiral. If you fall, you have to climb back up.
It’s heavy stuff.
Kishimoto’s art in these pages is arguably some of the best he’s ever done. There’s a specific grit to the line work that feels more mature than the early days of Naruto. You can feel the weight of the chakra. When Minato and Kushina interact, it’s not that typical shonen "I like you but I'm blushing too much to speak" nonsense. It feels like a real, high-stakes relationship between two people who know they might die tomorrow.
What the story gets right about Kurama
Kurama, the Nine-Tails, is a jerk in this manga. And it’s great. We’ve spent so many years seeing Kurama as Naruto’s "buddy" that we forgot he used to be a terrifying force of pure malice. In this story, he’s trying to break Kushina’s spirit from the inside. He’s mocking her. He’s trying to claw his way out of her seal while she’s vulnerable.
Minato has to jump into her subconscious to help. This is where the Minato one shot manga gets really technical with how sealing jutsu works. It’s not just a tattoo on a belly. It’s a physical and mental prison that requires constant will to maintain.
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The battle scenes are short but chaotic. Minato isn't the invincible god-tier ninja we see in the War Arc yet. He’s talented, sure, but he’s still learning. He takes damage. He makes mistakes. Seeing him struggle makes his eventual status as the Fourth Hokage feel earned rather than just destiny.
The technical mastery of Kishimoto’s layout
Let's talk about the panels.
Standard manga often follows a predictable grid. Kishimoto, however, uses the spiral motif of the Rasengan to guide the reader's eye across the page. When Minato is spinning his chakra, the panels themselves seem to rotate. It’s a level of visual storytelling that you only get from a veteran mangaka who has lived with these characters for twenty years.
A lot of people expected a "Minato vs. Everyone" action flick. What we got instead was a psychological romance wrapped in a martial arts tragedy. It’s better this way. We already know Minato is fast. We didn't know he felt so much "imposter syndrome" regarding his ability to protect the people he loved.
- Release Date: July 2023 in Weekly Shonen Jump.
- Page Count: 55 pages (massive for a one-shot).
- Canonicity: 100% canon, fits right before the events of Naruto's birth.
Honestly, the ending of the chapter is what hits the hardest. It loops back to the beginning of the original series in a way that makes you want to go back and re-read Chapter 1 immediately. It turns the Rasengan into a symbol of a promise—a "whirlpool" that draws people together rather than just a storm that tears them apart.
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Addressing the Jiraiya cameos
We can't talk about this manga without mentioning Jiraiya. Seeing him as a younger, slightly less "Pervy Sage" version of himself is a treat. He’s the one who pushes Minato. He’s the mentor who realizes his student is surpassing him, and he handles it with that classic Jiraiya blend of pride and humor. Their dynamic is the backbone of Minato’s development. Without Jiraiya’s wandering philosophy, the Rasengan would have just been a cold, clinical weapon.
How to read it today
If you missed the physical jump release, don't worry. It's officially available on the Shonen Jump app and VIZ Media’s website. Don't go looking for those sketchy fan translations; the official ones actually get the nuance of the Uzumaki dialogue right, which is crucial for the ending.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
- Check the VIZ Media Digital Vault: It’s usually listed under "Naruto: The Whorl within the Spiral" or similar titles. It’s free if you have a basic subscription.
- Look for the "Naruto99" Artbook: This one-shot is often bundled with the commemorative art from the poll, which includes Kishimoto’s new drawings of the top 20 characters.
- Re-watch the Kushina/Minato flashback in Naruto Shippuden: Episodes 246-249. Watch these right after reading the one-shot. The emotional payoff is ten times stronger when you see how their relationship started in the manga versus how it ended in the anime.
- Analyze the seal imagery: Pay close attention to the background art in the subconscious scenes. Kishimoto hid several motifs related to the Reaper Death Seal that foreshadow Minato’s ultimate fate.
The Minato one shot manga isn't just a victory lap for a popular character. It’s a masterclass in how to add depth to a story that everyone thought was already finished. It proves that there are still stories worth telling in the Hidden Leaf, as long as the original creator is the one holding the pen.