The title of this article may send shivers to Naruto fans. We apologize for the scare, but this is something that we need to talk about. Was the nine tails or kyubi extracted from Naruto? If this is the case, will Naruto be powerless? What does this mean for his character development?
Naruto lost the nine tails/kyubi. Kurama died in Episode 218 of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Naruto initially thought that both he and Kurama will die when they did Baryon mode, but Kurama hid the truth. The truth is that only Kurama would perish.
Did this revelation shock you? Hopefully, you were not that stunned that you can no longer continue reading. Of course, this did not happen in the finale so there are still episodes to look forward to. But what does this actually mean for the series? So what are you waiting for? Read on!
Note: This entire article is full of spoilers
How The Nine Tails Was Extracted From Naruto
The extraction of Kurama or the nine tails in Episode 393 of Naruto: Shippuden is the occurrence that Naruto fans are familiar with.
Unfortunately, this is not the end of the line in terms of anything that has to do with Kurama. If there are any Yang Kurama fans here and you are still devastated with what happened to the yin half, and overall you think it is unfair, then you are in for a ride.
Before we go into detail on what the end game for Kurama is, let us first discuss this extraction. So this happened in the Fourth Shinobi World War and this extraction is actually the climax of this war that eventually ended it all.
It was at this time that Kurama (yang half) and Naruto went into Tailed Beast Mode along with the other beasts to finally end Madara. However, their efforts failed as Madara was able to use the rinnegan to counter-attack.
While all of them were taken aback by the counterattack, it was then that Madara chained them to extract Kurama (yang half) It is important to remember that the extraction of a tailed beast from the host causes the death of the host, and in this case, Naruto.
Remember that Naruto has the yang half of Kurama while Minato has the yin half. Yang Kurama’s resentment and hatred were eventually extinguished by Naruto as they go on adventures together. By the time of his extraction, he saw himself as Naruto’s father figure.
During this time, Naruto is still in Tailed Beast Mode so Kurama (yang half) had to do something so that Naruto can survive. It was then that Minato needed to transfer Kurama (yin half) to Naruto to at least give him a fighting chance at life.
The extraction of Kurama was the highlight of the episode. By the time the extraction was done, he was sealed just like the other tailed beasts.
The bad news was that even before the transfer of Kurama (yin half) to Naruto was finished, Black Zetsu interrupted by positioning himself between Minato and Naruto.
The kamui is a space-time ninjutsu that is used by Obito with the help of his Mangekyo Sharingan. Basically, he does this take anything from one dimension to a different dimension. This is the key to the successful transfer of the Yin Kurama to Naruto as with the kamui, chakra cannot be detected. No one can interrupt the transfer.
It was a good thing that Obito was able to stop Black Zetsu. It was then that he decided to join hands with the Allied Forces.
So together with Kakashi, he teleported Naruto to a different dimension using his space-time ninjutsu. It was there that the Kurama (yin half) was successfully transferred to Naruto.
The True End Of Kurama
From what we discussed earlier, you may think that all’s well that ends well. All of us might have finished Naruto with a sigh of relief knowing that Kurama and Naruto will never part. Boy! We were so wrong!
The decision to simply eradicate the sense of comfort of fans that Kurama will always be there for Naruto and vice versa may have a deeper reason, but we did not see this outcome happening at all. Yet here we are. So let us recap the true end of Kurama.
This time, there are no extractions, no sealings, and most definitely no transfers of other Kuramas.
We fast forward to the Kawaki Arc of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Sasuke, Kurama, and Naruto are trying to fend of Isshiki.
As episodes pass, it is apparent that all of them would just end up dying if they do not try a different or unique jutsu soon.
Even when Boruto teleported all of them to a different dimension, Isshiki still managed to hold his ground and he was even able to block Naruto’s senses.
As Naruto has a hero complex as fans put it, he is hell-bent on everything to stop Isshiki even if it is going to be the death of him and Kurama realizes this.
As a last-ditch effort, Kurama told Naruto that they should do Baryon Mode. The huge catch is, in doing this mode both Naruto and Kurama will die. So what did Naruto do?
Of course, knowing him, he is all for this. If it means saving everyone, he would much rather die with his long-time friend.
According to Naruto, he is prepared to die since the day he decided to become a hokage.
So Naruto took on the new form which is Baryon Mode which according to Kurama has the capacity to drain both their life forces, as it consumes the life force of Isshiki when they come into contact with him.
So that is exactly what they did, but alas! Kurama lied. The truth is only Kurama’s life force will be used.
He lied to Naruto from the get-go as he knew that Naruto will never agree to this as he does not want to risk Kurama’s life if it meant that his own life will be spared.
…and with that Kurama is gone in Episode 218 of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.
Does anyone need a tissue? Breathe in, breathe out. We can get through this article together!
What Is Baryon Mode?
Why is this Baryon Mode so powerful? As explained by Kurama, this mode is very similar to nuclear fusion.
What happens is that there is a new energy that is produced from the raw chakra of both Naruto and Kurama. Their chakras are then consumed to create this new energy.
In the episode, this mode is very effective as Naruto’s capabilities were boosted. He can react more effectively, his speed was undeniable, and he can just launch attack after another attack.
The biggest advantage of Baryon Mode is that when this energy or chakra comes into contact with another person’s chakra, the former consumes the latter which will also deplete the lifespan of the latter.
As this mode is a double-edged sword, this also happens to whoever does this mode, their lifespan is being depleted.
Doing Baryon Mode has high rewards with even greater risks. For example, to keep this mode stable, you have to really focus on your moves and make sure that there are no other thoughts that may disrupt the stability of the Baryon Mode.
Overdoing this mode will surely dictate death, and as we have discussed, this is the case with Naruto and Kurama. At Baryon Mode’s breaking point that is just enough to overpower and defeat Isshiki, Kurama’s lifespan is coming to its end.
How Does The Loss Of Nine Tails Affect The Anime?
By now you know that we are talking about two losses here. The first one being the extraction of the Yang Kurama and the second one is the actual death of Kurama.
For the first one, it is easy to get by as Naruto still have the Yin Kurama that was transferred to him and up until the final episodes of Naruto to the point that he has achieved his dream, the Yin Kurama was with him and made him the great hokage that he is.
Now, for the second instance, that is a bit tricky. Let us take a look at the two factors that may or may not affect the anime.
- This might also interest you: We explain why fans consider Sakura as useless here!
The Death In Naruto That Angered Fans
For those who watched Naruto from the very beginning, the death of Kurama is such a huge trigger. Think about it, after more than 15 years of being together, the conclusion is Kurama’s death.
What even ignites the anger of fans was the way that it was executed. There was no long monologue. Yes, there was a tearful goodbye and Kurama’s calm resolve, but a lot of fans think that Kurama deserved a more dramatic exit.
In the episode, when Naruto thought that he is also going to die, he just said that he forgives Kurama for killing his parents.
Upon the realization that Kurama is the only one who will die, Naruto did not even have additional lines except for telling Kurama that he should not go.
For a lot of hardcore fans, they think that it was too rushed and that the creators were just going through the motions with such a not so epic death for an important character.
They even go as far as to claim that what the creators did was outright disrespect for the longtime fans and clearly show that they want to move on to reach a younger audience as opposed to paying homage to their older audience who have been watching Naruto for the longest time.
On the other hand, other fans are content with this ending. Further stating that the black and white recap after Kurama’s death gives justice to the friendship of Naruto and Kurama. We are still torn on this one, what is your take on this?
Is It The End For Naruto?
In relation to what the fans stated that the creators are shifting to a different phase for the anime, a lot of people think that this is a huge sign that Naruto’s reign is over. Many see Kurama’s death as a massive nerf on Naruto’s abilities.
As Boruto: Naruto Next Generations sails on, the current trend of the anime is the fast pushing of the new primary characters.
There might be some sense in what some of the fans are saying where the anime is on the hunt for a different type of audience as compared to keeping their old audience aboard with the new release.
Many are comparing this shift of power between father and son with that of Goku and Gohan. In Dragon Ball Z, both father and son are viewed independently, even as equals.
A lot of people still think that Goku is stronger but the ball is already in the hands of Gohan. This made for a smooth transition.
Which is the exact opposite of what is happening with Naruto. Yes, he can still do a lot of things without Kurama. But is he still that exceptional?
Will Naruto Get The Nine Tails Back?
The latest revelation about what happened with Kurama meant the absolute end for him. Surely, a lot of people are still hoping that there can be a way to get the nine tails back, but looking at the current state of things in the manga and anime, it is highly unlikely to happen.
If there is a sequence to reincarnate Kurama, probably? But that seems implausible.
There are other fan theories that are just like the Horcruxes in Harry Potter wherein a part of Kurama might have attached itself somewhere in Naruto’s possessions, but for now, this theory is far-fetched.