Warning: The following contains spoilers for Boruto: Two Blue Vortex!!
The photo of Team 7 taken when they were Genin inNarutois one of the most emotionally charged and iconic images throughout the series. This photo shows Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and their Jonin mentor, Kakashi Hatake, and represents the particular dynamic between the group, which parallels previous legendary teams such as Team Hiruzen and Team Minato, both of which also possess an almost identical photo. However,a weird trend in these photos has shown that they are more than just a memento of the main teams in the series.
These photos feature major characters in Naruto since Team Hiruzen became the legendary Sannin, Team Minato is the group whose tragedy led to the Fourth Ninja War, and Team 7 was formed by the protagonists in the series, so it isn’t a surprise that someone from each of these teams will become one day the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village.
However, with the developments inBoruto: Two Blue Vortex,fans of the series have discovered a trend in the genin photos that accidentally predicts who will become the next hokage.
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The Placement of the Characters in the Genin Team Photo Predicts the Next Hokage
This Recurring Detail Continued Until Boruto: Two Blue Vortex
There’s a recurring detail in the Naruto group photos that has been pointed out by fans of the series: the person placed on the right side in their Genin team’s photo is the one who ended up becoming Hokage. This trend of the author predicts the next hokage even beyond Naruto, since in the first chapter ofBoruto: Two Blue VortexShikamaru was appointed Hokage during Naruto’s absence. Therefore,Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage, Kakashi the Sixth, Naruto was the Seventh, and Shikamaru became the Eighth.
While it is probably a coincidence, it could also be a clue fromNaruto’s creator Masashi Kishimoto, given the special meaning behind the team’s photo. Another similarity between the four photos is that each mentor sacrifices and dies tragically in the story. Sarutobi sacrificed to seal Orochimaru’s arms and save the village; Minato to seal the Nine-Tailed Fox; Asuma to protect his students from Hidan; and Kakashi died for depleting his chakra reserve by overusing his jutsu Kamui to save Choji during Pain’s Assault. However, his soul was brought back by the Rinne Tensei.
The Genin Team Photo Holds a Special Memory for Naruto’s Characters
The Photos’ First Appearance Was in Naruto Chapter #16.
The cover of Naruto Chapter 16 features behind Kakashi’s bed two framed photos of Team 7 and Team Minato. This was not only the first time the pictures appeared in the story, but also the first look at Kakashi’s teammates, Obito, Rin, and Minato, who played major roles in the manga, with Rin as a catalyst for Obito becoming an antagonist and Minato being the Fourth Hokage and father of Naruto. This shows thatKishimoto planned their roles from the beginning while also showing how much Kakashi valued both his previous and current team by keeping the photos close to him.
The photos have been shown several times throughout the story as a way to remember their beginnings as team 7 when they were simply an uneven group. An example of this is that Naruto fondly remembers the moment they took the photo after failing to bring Sasuke back inNaruto: Shippuudenepisode #53. Also, Kakashi has a photo of Team 7 on his desk during his time as Hokage, just like Naruto inBoruto: Naruto Next Generations.
Will This Trend Continue With Boruto’s Team 7?
The New Team 7 Recreates the Photo in BorutoEpisode #227.
While this Hokage prediction may be just accidental, it also makes many fans wonder if the trend will continue in the next generation. InBoruto: Naruto Next Generationsepisode #227, the new Team 7 recreates the iconic photo, but this time the one on the right is Boruto. However, Boruto stated that he has no intention of becoming a Hokage since he wants to follow his own path in the future.
This means that Sarada might become the next Hokage since this is not only her dream, but she also has the ability and leadership skills and was the first one to become chunin of the group. But this is uncertain, since the story teases thatKonoha will be destroyedat some point in the future. Nevertheless,Naruto’s story is full of symbolism and little details that fans continue to find, which makes the series even more interesting and shows why it’s one of the most iconic shōnen manga of all time.
Naruto: Shippuden
Cast
Naruto: Shippuden follows Naruto Uzumaki as he returns to Konoha after two and a half years, facing new challenges and enemies, including the Akatsuki organization. The series continues Naruto’s journey and growth as a shinobi while navigating complex alliances and adversaries.
