When & How Does Naruto Control Kurama?

Shōnen genre of manga and anime always brings us joy with relationships that started rocky and eventually became the best ones in the series. Kurama and Naruto are prime examples of how with your positive attitude and love, you can change someone else’s perspective of life and simultaneously change the world. Naruto eventually changed the world with his sacrifice, love, and will for peace, and even the most notorious Tailed Beast caved and started respecting their host. The beginnings between Naruto and Kurama weren’t that easy, and in this article, we will discuss when and how Naruto controlled Kurama.

Naruto first controlled Kurama during his training with Killer B at the Falls of Truth, a secret location. With the help of Kushina’s chakra imprint, her Adamantine Sealing Chains, and his positive thoughts, Naruto overwhelmed Kurama. It used its chakra for its first-ever version of Tailed Beast Mode. When reincarnated Madara Uchiha made an appearance during the Fourth Shinobi War, Kurama decided to help Naruto and fight together against dangerous shinobi.

We will discuss this topic more by explaining Kurama and Naruto’s relationship in more detail, how Naruto started controlling his powers, and when they started working together. If you are interested in this topic, stay with us until the end.

Naruto’s and Kurama’s relationship in the Naruto series

The status of jinchuuriki in the Naruto series wasn’t favorable, to say the least. Tailed Beasts are essentially living forms of chakra created by the Sage of Six Paths, who wanted to separate Ten-Tails. The original plan and thought around separate Tailed Beasts was sensible since it was supposed to prevent wars and keep the world balanced. Of course, the other reason why Tailed Beasts were separated was that it was supposed to prevent Ten-Tails from awakening.

Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki had good intentions, but the peace didn’t last long, and people hungry for power decided to use it for their own gain. Hashirama Senju tried to balance the odds once again, but unfortunately, the shinobi didn’t realize that Tailed Beasts are sentient beings with a mind of their own.

Kurama was among those beasts, and Nine-Tails Kyuubi was regarded as the most notorious one, which we find out during Naruto Shippuden and Fourth Shinobi War. Naruto became jinchuuriki “forcefully,” with Minato and Kushina sealing the beast in their baby boy to prevent death and ultimate destruction on Konohagakure.

Of course, baby Naruto wasn’t conscious of that, and his fellow villagers, old enough to live during Kyuubi’s attack on Konoha, despised young Naruto. Young Uzumaki didn’t know he was a jinchuuriki until he saved Iruka-sensei from traitor Mizuki, and from that moment, Naruto and his mentors tried their best to keep the beast in its place.

During his journey, Naruto never discovered what’s Kyuubi’s name or what it wanted, just nothing because the generation before Naruto thought of Tailed Beasts as weapons. These demons would go insane and destroy everything. Until Fourth Shinobi World War, the conflict would change the Ninja World forever.

When does Naruto control Kurama?

Until Fourth Shinobi World War, Naruto and Kyuubi in him rarely interacted – few instances during Naruto Part One, and more notably, during the fight against Pain, when Naruto almost succumbed to Kyuubi control, until Minato (the chakra trace) stopped it.

Of course, Naruto Shippuden revolves around the Akatsuki threat, who are trying to collect all Tailed Beasts and awaken Ten-Tails, led by Obito and Madara Uchiha, from the shadows. Kage and other high-ranking shinobi realized that over three years and the escalation got to its peak when Five Kage Summit was interrupted by Sasuke and Akatsuki threat. Naruto and Killer B, the only two remaining jinchuuriki with their beasts, were secluded in a safe, secret location in Lightning Country, the place known as Falls of Truth.

This location is significant because Naruto needed to learn to control the Nine-Tailed Beast inside of him as Killer B did with his Eight-Tails. During the training, Naruto went through many obstacles to control Kyuubi, and he did it when Kisame tried to infiltrate the location and kill Naruto and Killer B.

If we look from the Naruto series perspective and story arcs, the moment when Naruto got Kyuubi in control is during Fourth Shinobi World War: Countdown story arc. This particular arc is important for Naruto in many ways – he finally conquers his demons and darkness, and his resolve gets even stronger.

How Naruto controls Kurama?

Now that we determined when Naruto gained control over Kyuubi, we can now determine how that happened. One of the biggest moments in the Naruto series is when Naruto started getting to know Kyuubi. Even when it looked like Kyuubi would continue to live sealed inside Naruto, in chains, young Uzumaki showed his kindness and love towards others. Naruto talked deeply with Kyuubi, presenting him with his ambitions and determination that even the notorious Tailed Beast started believing in.

When Naruto helped subdue Kisame, he transformed into the basic form of Kyuubi Chakra Mode. How? With Kushina’s help, Naruto weakens the Beast and separates it from its chakra. Naruto gainst transforms into a basic KCM and helps hundreds of shinobi to defeat White Zetsu clones scattered on the way to the battlefield.

After the help, Naruto returns to Falls of Truth; Naruto continues to practice techniques in his new form with Killer B, and when he masters Tailed Beast Balls jutsu, he discovers a war raging outside. Iruka-sensei sends him off, and before he leaves, young Uzumaki promises Kyuubi that he will resolve everything with Sasuke, end the war, and even help Nine-Tails to resolve his problems with hatred.

Kyuubi is surprised and shocked that Gutsy Ninja has so much determination. Naruto used Kyuubi’s chakra “forcefully” by separating it from its host. Still, when Kyuubi saw how Naruto helped free imprisoned Tailed Beasts, Kyuubi was moved and decided to join Naruto in his fight for peace against dangerous foes who wanted to rule the world on the bodies of countless shinobi. Kyuubi lends his powers to Naruto and asks him to call him Kurama.

And this is how Naruto befriended the Nine-Tailed Beast – he controlled it and then won it over with his kindness and determination.