Naruto Fans Spot Cute Kushina, Minato Reference in Boruto

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations' latest batch of episodes have been adapting the Konoha Shinden: Steam Ninja Scrolls side story novel, and follow Mirai as she learns what it really means to be a shinobi. This has involved many looks into the past, and explorations of older Naruto characters but fans didn't expect to see a reference to one of the series' central pairings. As Mirai journeys with new addition Tatsumi, fans have noticed a surprise reference to Naruto's parents.

In one scene where Mirai and Tatsumi head to a hot spring for a chance to see their late parents, Naruto fans couldn't help but notice that it played out just like one key scene between Naruto's parents Minato and Kushina.

cinematic parallels pic.twitter.com/IuHMfobKKv

— stacks (@UCHIHACLOWNS) June 9, 2019

In Episode 110 of the series, Mirai and Tatsumi are heading to a special hot spring and come across a raging river. Mirai crosses with ease, but Tatsumi has no such skills and can't cross herself. Mirai then decides to pick her up and carry her across, and this results in the two crossing the moon. Here, Tatsumi looks up at the shining Mirai and Mirai is all too happy to help.

This called to mind a key scene from Minato and Kushina's young adulthood. When Kushina was kidnapped, she left a trail of her red hairs to lead to someone finding her. Before long, Minato arrives and takes down her kidnappers with relative ease. Exhausted from the whole ordeal, Kushina is carried in Minato's arms as he jumps in front of the moon in much the same way. This was a particularly special moment in building their budding romance, so fans were wondering why this particular imagery was used for Mirai and Tatsumi.

Some fans have shipped the two characters as a result, while others have been trying to pinpoint what the dynamic of their relationship actually is. Tatsumi's age is kept a mystery, so some fans have wondered if it's more an older and younger sister vibe. But this romantic imagery definitely has a different argument. What do you think?

Originally created by Masashi Kishimoto for Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, Naruto follows a young ninja, with a sealed demon within him, that wishes to become the leader of his home village. The series ran for 700 chapters overall, and was adapted into an anime series by Studio Pierrot and Aniplex that ran from 2002 to 2017. The series was popular enough to warrant a sequel, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations which is set several years after the events of the original Naruto story and features the children of many of its key characters such as Naruto and Hinata.