Latest news with #Ten-Tails
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The real myth behind Naruto's nine-tailed fox Kurama explained
How Japanese folklore inspired one of anime's most iconic characters Naruto Uzumaki is a global anime character royalty. Behind all those crazy battles and high-energy jutsus, there's a richer story based in actual Japanese mythology—particularly when it comes to Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed within him. This mystical beast may seem like pure fantasy, but it's based on real-life legends that stretch back for centuries. Here's how those real-world myths helped sculpt Kurama and the hidden meaning behind Naruto's powers Who is Kurama? The nine-tailed fox in Naruto In Naruto, Kurama is one of the nine 'Tailed Beasts' formed from the chakra of a legendary creature known as the Ten-Tails. These tailed beasts are massive, sentient chakra monsters with various abilities and personalities. Naruto was born with Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, sealed in him. In the short run, this allowed him to incite fear and hatred nationwide. As the series progressed, Naruto grew closer to Kurama, and the two eventually learned to work in tandem to become one of the most powerful pairings in the ninja world. What is a tailed beast (Bijuu)? In the context of the anime, tailed beasts are weapons of war that villages use to fight one another and dominate their enemies. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Yet, at the same time, they are loved, known, and deeply steeped in history. Perhaps the most powerful of them all is Kurama, who is a nine-tailed fox with an incredible reserve of chakra (energy). Naruto is what they call a 'Jinchuriki,' a person who literally bears a tailed beast inside them. This potent magic had extraordinary power but came at the expense for him and Kurama of pain, trepidation, and solitude until he gained Kurama's trust. Kurama's real-life mythical origins Kurama, like many aspects of the show, is inspired by Japanese culture. His character is modeled after the kitsune, a fox-spirit from Japanese mythology. In Japanese mythology, kitsune are highly intelligent supernatural foxes that can shape-shift into human beings. They're not good or bad, they have potential for good and evil, and it all depends on what you do to them. Fox spirits are prevalent in East Asian folklore, not only in Japan. In Korea, they're known as gumiho, and in China, huli jing. The Korean gumiho is typically portrayed as a malevolent force in television and folklore. Each and every aspect of Kurama is drawn from reality— even the name 'Kurama' is derived from a real location—Mount Kurama in Japan. It is thought to be a spiritual mountain, residence of strong spirits, and energy healing (Reiki), which is connected to Naruto's chakra-based healing abilities. Symbolism behind Naruto and Kurama's bond In past tales, foxes and people often shared deep bonds. That's exactly what happens in Naruto with Kurama. Through their mutual adversity, their hate morphs into respect, and eventually, into real camaraderie and teamwork. When Kurama thought he was the mightiest of all the tailed beasts, this created envy — particularly from Shukaku, the One-Tail. This harkens back to an ancient myth in which foxes (kitsune) and tanuki are enemies. It's a natural complement to the rivalry between Naruto and Gaara in the anime. Why does Naruto have whisker marks? Naruto's whisker-like birthmarks don't just appear out of thin air. They manifested because he was inundated with Kurama's chakra even while in his mother's womb. That early exposure took an irrevocable toll on him—even before Kurama was sealed inside. Other Jinchuriki are given physical traits that complement their tailed beasts. Additionally, Gaara has never been seen without raccoon-like eyes. Yugito Nii can be identified by her cat ears and tail. These designs go a long way to make the human characters feel connected to the mythological creatures they bear. Naruto was almost a fox himself Here's an additional fun fact to go with that. In the original Naruto manga pilot, Naruto was actually the Nine-Tailed Fox in human form! Masashi Kishimoto subverted that notion when he created the character further down the line, but remnants can still be found, such as his attitude, liveliness, and those signature whiskers. Kurama is more than just a monster Kurama isn't simply a magical monster, arguably one of the best in anime. He's the fourth of a long line of Asian-inspired myth, magic, and mystery. From ancient fox spirits to chakra healing and shape-shifting lore, Kurama's journey is a contemporary iteration of stories as old as time itself. Thanks to Naruto, millions of fans around the world have been introduced to a fascinating piece of Japanese mythology, often without them knowing it.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Is the Nara clan in Naruto one of the most intellectual to ever exist? Explored
Nara family in Naruto If you have watched Naruto Shippuden , then you already know how amazing the character Shikamaru Nara is. The things he achieved along with his father in the show suggest to us the importance of the Nara clan in Naruto. To start with, the Nara clan could be dubbed the most intelligent clan in the show, and they played a major role in war strategies and execution. It will be safe to say that the members of the clan have played a significant role in every war. And how can we forget the signature technique, Shadow Manipulation, of the clan with which Shikamaru has achieved a lot of things in the battles. Nara clan and the prominent members Using intelligence as a weapon, the Nara Clan didn't have a Kekkei Genkai. However, their Shadow Manipulation jutsu was something that everyone was scared of. This technique allowed the clan members to use their shadow and bind or control their enemies. This technique proved useful for Shikamaru Nara in multiple battle-like situations. Coming to the characters, the clan gave Konoha some of the most intelligent shinobi who played a major role in the Fourth Great Shinobi War . Shikaku Nara , father of Shikamaru Nara, served Konoha as the head strategist during the Fourth War. He was killed in the massacre triggered by Ten-Tails at the Allied Forces headquarters. Before dying, he passed on the final strategy to defeat Ten-Tails to Shikamaru via telepathy. And Shikamaru Nara is a legend who has an incomparable IQ, one of the first Chunin from his generation. He was the number of strategist after his father's death in the fourth war, and he also captured Hidan and Kakazu to take revenge for his sensei's death. When the war ended, Shikamaru started serving as the Advisor to the Hokage. In Boruto, he becomes the Chief of Staff of the Hokage, or you can say that go-to man for Naruto. Also Read: Wind Breaker Season 2 episode 8 release date, time, expectations Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Why Naruto and other Jinchuriki were feared: The tailed beast system, explained
Naruto and other Jinchuriki were considered dangerous due to their immense power and the potential for destruction they possessed. The tailed beasts within them could cause havoc if not controlled. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This made them targets for various factions seeking to exploit their abilities. Many viewed them with fear and suspicion, leading to isolation and conflict. The Tailed Beast System, An Analysis The dark secret behind Naruto's abilities The Naruto anime and manga series has made its mark on anime history, packed with intense action, emotional characters, and some of the most ludicrously strong ninjas ever. One of its most developed and often heartbreaking concepts is the Jinchuriki system. It may seem obvious, but politics is not just about power. It's about sacrifice, fear, and how we treat the other among us. Naruto Uzumaki, the titular hero of the tale, is a Jinchuriki : a human who's bonded with a powerful monster known as the Nine-Tails, which resides in him. Naruto isn't the only one of its kind. He's not alone, and his story tells the tale of how our ninja world weaponizes people into these weapons. If you're joining us for the first time, here's a quick breakdown of what Jinchuriki are, how they came to be, and why they're so important in the Naruto sphere. What Is a Jinchūriki In Naruto, a Jinchuriki is a carrier of a massive (and often misunderstood) creature known as a 'Tailed Beast' who has been sealed within them. These fire breathing, earthquake creating, hurricane spinning monsters—called the Nine Tailed Beasts—are packed to the brim with pure chakra (energy), and thus are some of the most dangerous and powerful creatures on the planet. Naruto contains within himself the Nine-Tails, or Kurama . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now There are still eight other siblings, all taking much different shapes and having very different personalities. Characters such as Gaara , Killer Bee , and Yagura served as Jinchuriki as well, with each character hosting a separate beast. Why were these legendary Titans sealed within humans? Especially because that was the only way to discipline them and deploy them as weapons when waged upon each other during wars. Where did the tailed beasts come from? The history of the Tailed Beasts stretches back more than 1,000 years. This was when the world was being torn apart by a beast called the Ten-Tails. To prevent it from doing so, two brothers—Hagoromo and Hamura Ōtsutsuki—defeated the monster in an epic showdown. To achieve this, Hagoromo sealed the Ten-Tails within himself, therefore becoming the first-ever Jinchūriki. He would go on to be revered as the Sage of the Six Paths. Hagoromo was aware that upon his death, the beast would be unleashed. To stop the ridiculous cycle, he divided the dangerous Ten-Tails into nine different beasts and scattered them around the world. These eventually became the Tailed Beasts we're most familiar with—from the One-Tail to the Nine-Tails. Why Jinchuriki were feared and hated Instead of respecting Hagoromo's dream of peace, the villages started using the Tailed Beasts to fuel their military strength. One way to contain them was to trap them within living humans—usually kids. These hosts or Jinchūriki, as they are called in the series, were turned into living weapons. Instead of protecting or respecting them, the majority of villages feared and hated Jinchuriki . Villagers didn't recognize them as human. They viewed them as monsters. After all, Naruto, for instance, spent his childhood isolated, bullied and ostracized because everyone was afraid of the monster inside him. The similar fate was shared with Gaara, the host of the One-Tail. So feared was he that in turn he became a bitter creature, vicious and cruel, thinking that no one could ever love him. It wasn't until later, through the exchange of friendship and personal growth, that Gaara was able to move past his dark origin story and grow into the humble and respected leader he is today. When Jinchuriki became heroes. Despite this cruel treatment, some Jinchuriki came to be revered heroes. Killer Bee, the former host of the Eight-Tails, was accepted by his village to the point that he grew to become an internationally famous ninja valued for his unique rap and party-animal personality. Through their shared experience he developed a deep connection with his beast, and together they became one of their world's most successful ninjas. In fact, Gaara did go on to become Kazekage—the leader of his village—at the tender age of just 16. He was able to command respect through this incredible strength, mixed with deep compassion. Naruto, after withstanding the trials of a painful childhood and winning the world during the Fourth Great Ninja War , finally achieved his dream of becoming the Seventh Hokage of the Hidden Leaf. These stories contributed to making the Jinchūriki more than weapons of war. They were individuals, and with enough compassion, could become amazing people. The Jinchuriki legacy in Naruto The Jinchuriki system, tied closely to the idea of karasu, is one of the most potent aspects of Naruto's narrative. It's a story not only of how society can do terrible things to people in the name of fear but also how love, friendship and perseverance can overcome that oppression.
