The result of the NARUTOP99 poll released on April 13th, 2023, was a very heartwarming surprise for all Naruto Fans. Otakus from all over the globe were asked to choose their favorite characters from among the top 99 characters in ‘Naruto.’ With over 4.6 million votes cast by enthusiasts during the poll’s run from December 17th, 2022, to January 31st, 2023, Minato Namikaze emerged victorious.
Minato is slated to receive an exclusive one-shot manga illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto thanks to roughly 300,000 voters who cast their vote for Minato than Itachi Uchiha, who finished in a distant second place. The primary focus will concentrate on Minato’s evolution as a shinobi and as the inevitable fourth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaf. Fans were ecstatic to discover more about the adored character after he emerged as the winner.
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Who Is Minato?
Known as the “The Yellow Flash” of the Konoha, the fourth Hokage is known to have been one of the sole reasons for the end of the Third Great Ninja War. Minato Namikaze is known to be one of the greatest shinobi of all time. He is known to be the hero of Konohagakure, who protected the village even with his life.
With his love for the village and to protect it from the wrath of Kayubi, he sealed a part of it inside his son. Understanding the repercussions of his decision, he did not hesitate to seal the other half in himself and eventually succumbed to his death. During his prime, he was respected by the surrounding nations and was revered in the ninja community for prioritizing peace and order above all.
Because of his courteous demeanor and superb shinobi abilities, Minato’s likeability is unrivaled. He is renowned as the fastest shinobi, possessing unmatched reflexes, and the creator of excellent jutsu like Rasengan, which lay the foundation for Naruto’s proficiency in creating and maximizing the power to conquer his rivals.
Nonetheless, throughout the whole Naruto saga, there have been parallels to Minato’s prowess and we’ve seen him fighting at the front during the Fourth Ninja War after being revived by reanimation jutsu, but we have never learned about his journey of becoming an exceptional Shinobi. This is the primary factor why fans demanded a distinct arc from the creators to construct a journey that would fairly represent the pinnacle of our beloved fourth Hokage.
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The Narutop99 Result And Exclusive Minato Manga
With a whopping 792,257 votes, Minato rightfully wins the title of most anticipated and celebrated character. Minato will now have a spin-off that will captivate the audience once more with his understated elegance and demeanor. Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, has undoubtedly been delighted by his victory.
In a recent interview, he expressed his fascination with the creation of a new character arc for one of the greatest shinobi, one whose backstory Otakus have never dug deeply into. To make this spin-off authentic and transport us back to the captivating world of Naruto, he assured the audience that he would supervise as producer and ensure that the plot adheres to the Original ‘Naruto‘ franchise.
With thousands of participants, it is fair to conclude that the prominence of Naruto has still not dropped even significantly and is only projected to rise further. If this new venture is fruitful, Kishimoto may continue to treat us with even bigger surprises in near future.
While the exact dates may not yet be confirmed, fans can expect an official announcement by the winter of 2023. It’s a reflection of the character’s prominence and intricacy in addition to a potential for enthusiasts to explore more about his fascinating backstory. It would be amusing to see how effectively Kishimoto’s enchanting touch remains faithful to all the Otakus’ anticipations.
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