How Godzilla Inspired Naruto’s Most Powerful Ally in The Great Ninja War

The world of Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto is filled with some powerful beings, like the tailed beasts. However, nothing comes close to Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, when it comes to its aura and destructive abilities. What makes Kurama even more interesting is that while creating it, Kishimoto drew inspiration from Godzilla.

Yes, in a 2014 interview with Nippon.com, Kishimoto revealed that he wanted to draw something huge like Godzilla, which he could then place in a battle. That simple idea eventually turned into one of Naruto’s most powerful allies in the Fourth Great Ninja War.

TitleIMDb Rating – as of April 27, 2026Where to Watch

Naruto	8.4 / 10 and 8.7 / 10 for Shippuden	Crunchyroll
Godzilla (1954)	7.6 / 10	HBO Max

From Kaiju to Tailed Beast: Kurama’s Godzilla Connection Explained

After the wrap-up of the 15-year run of the Naruto manga series in 2014, Kishimoto joined an exclusive interview with Nippon Japan and opened up about his inspiration behind the creation of Kurama as well as the other tailed beasts.

He said that he wanted to make something massive, something overwhelming. That idea did not just create Kurama – it later led to the concept of tailed beasts and even the summoning system in Naruto. According to Kishimoto,

The entire story of these tailed beasts started out as a simple way for me to get the fox into my manga. I loved Godzilla. I just wanted to draw a monster – something big that I could place in a battle. That is why I decided to introduce the kuchiyose no jutsu, the summoning skills that let ninja call forth the weapons they need, or call a creature to their side to aid them in a fight. My intent from the start was to bring forth gigantic beings with these skills.

Masashi Kishimoto

Even though Kishimoto’s initial intention was very simple, what actually connects Kurama to Godzilla, apart from their huge size and overwhelming power, is their evolution over time.

Initially in the story, Kurama was portrayed as Naruto’s inner antagonist – he constantly fed on his anger and hatred. However, over time, Naruto breaks that cycle of hate by understanding Kurama’s pain, leading to one of the most powerful bonds in anime history.

Later, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Kurama willingly lends his strength to Naruto, a drastic change from a villain to an ally, mirroring the narrative transformation Kishimoto portrays through Kurama.

Godzilla follows a similar arc across its franchise history. In Naruto Shippuden, it made Kurama, the frightening Nine-Tailed Beast, go from just a weapon to something with purpose and emotion.

How Kurama’s Story Continues to Shape Naruto and Boruto

This transformation of Kurama carries forward from Naruto Shippuden to Boruto: Naruto Next Generations as well. What initially started as a curse for Naruto eventually turned into his greatest strength, not just in battle but in how he sees the world.

Both of them were shaped by hatred – Naruto by the village’s rejection, and Kurama by generations of being treated as a weapon. Their bond does not form overnight, and that is what makes it work. It takes time, conflict, and eventually trust.

Meanwhile, this is where the Godzilla comparison comes full circle. Just like Kurama, Godzilla did not remain a villain forever. Over time, the character evolved into something more complex – sometimes even a protector. That same shift from destruction to protection is what defines Kurama by the end of the series.

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