Does This 'Naruto' Easter Egg Bring The Series Full Circle?

Naruto is full of Easter Eggs and hidden goodies for fans of the series who have been following it through its entire run, but one fan noticed a shout out that has been hidden long after the series had ended its run.

By comparing Naruto and Sasuke's last battle to their first battle, it's almost as if the entire series had gone full circle in more ways than one.

Kishimoto was clever from Naruto

Spotted by Reddit user Perswayable, the end of Team 7's first mission is a lot like the end of Naruto and Sasuke's final battle in the series. The Village of the Hidden Mist's Haku and Zabuza lay next to each other and die while holding each other's hands.

The end of this first mission mirrors the way Naruto and Sasuke laid next to one another after their final battle. As their final battle was full of imagery meant to evoke their journeys over the course of the entire series, this final Easter Egg seems that much more intentional.

Especially consider that in that first mission is where Naruto and Sasuke first really started to form a bond beyond just being rival shinobi sitting in ninja classes.

For those of you unfamiliar with Naruto, the series began in 1997 when Masashi Kishimoto did his first one-shot of the series. Shueisha agreed to serialize the story in Weekly Shonen Jump starting in 1999, and it became a quick success. The manga ran until 2014 and accrued 72 volumes over its lengthy run. Naruto has since become one of the industry's most famous franchises, and its global popularity rocketed when Pierrot licensed Naruto for an anime.

The original Naruto anime began in 2002 and went on for five years. Its sequel, Naruto: Shippuden, debuted in 2007 and lasted for more than a decade as it closed in early 2017. The franchise continues on with Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, a sequel spin-off which follows the Hidden Leaf Village's new heroes and their famous parents.

Naruto tells the story of its titular hero as Naruto Uzumaki strives to become the greatest ninja of his village. Born as the host of a powerful demon, Naruto lives much of his a pariah but dreams of becoming his home's leader. After graduating from the Ninja Academy, the boy begins his quest to become a respected and powerful Hokage, but things get complicated when international coups and radical terrorists make themselves known.