What does Shippuden mean in ‘Naruto’?

Naruto has been captivating audiences since 1999, when Masahi Kishimoto first began publishing the manga series. The series follows a young orphaned boy named Naruto Uzumaki, who trains as a ninja in the village of Konohagakure. He is frequently ostracized by his peers because he has the spirit of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox sealed into his body. Despite this, he works relentlessly to gain their admiration and approval. He has big dreams of one day becoming Hokage—the leader of his village.

Kishimoto’s series has sparked numerous Naruto TV and film adaptions. The animated series, Naruto, first premiered in 2002 and ran until 2007. The series follows the adventures of young Naruto (Maile Flanagan) as he trains to be a ninja under the guidance of Kakashi Hatake (Dave Wittenberg) and becomes friends with Sasuke (Yuri Lowenthal) and Sakura (Kate Higgins).

Shortly after Naruto ended, part II of the animated series was released, titled Naruto: Shippuden. The series continues to follow Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, but sees them as adolescents instead of children. Despite being a little older and a little wiser, Naruto is still set on his dream of becoming Hokage and the series sees his continued efforts for growth, approval, and recognition. However, what exactly does the title, Shippuden, mean?

The meaning of Shippuden in Naruto

Shippuden is a Japanese term that is made up of two words—shippu and den. Shippu is a noun that translates to “swift, strong wind.” Meanwhile, den is also a noun that translates to “legends”, or “chronicles.” Together, Shippuden translates to Hurricane Legends or Hurricane Chronicles. While this is the literal translation of Shippuden, what does it specifically mean in Naruto?

In Naruto: Shippuden, the name is particularly fitting in its connection to Naruto himself. As a matter of fact, his last name, Uzimaki, translates to swirl. In addition to his name, Naruto is the strongest Wind Release user in the series. Wind is his preferred element, and he utilizes it in many of his attacks. Hence, hurricane definitely seems to be a nod to Naruto, his name, and his powers. Also, just like a hurricane, Naruto lacks restraint and control. Naruto could easily be the hurricane in the title, meaning the series is basically the legends of Naruto.

The title also could be taken more figuratively. With the characters being older, the stakes are higher, there are inner battles to confront, and a large mixture of power, conflict, and drama. The hurricane in the title could be referring to the whirlwind adventures of the main trio. It also could be a representation of Naruto and Sasuke’s conflict. The two have a complicated relationship and butt heads constantly. When they clash, Naruto utilizes the element of wind, while Sasuke utilizes that of lightning. Together, the two truly form a hurricane.

(featured image: Pierrot)