Minato Namikaze dominates the Narutop99 poll, Kishimoto to create one-shot manga for the Fourth Hokage

The Narutop99 worldwide character popularity vote received over 4.6 million votes, with Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze taking the top spot.

The Naruto franchise has remained popular among anime and manga enthusiasts for over two decades, and the recent Narutop99 worldwide character popularity vote is a testament to that. The poll, which ran from December 17th, 2022, to January 31st, 2023, received over 4.6 million votes from fans across the globe, eager to see their favourite characters come out on top.

After exciting one-and-a-half months of voting, the results of the Narutop99 worldwide character popularity vote have been revealed, with Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, taking the top spot. (Studio Perriot)

Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze takes the top spot in Narutop99 vote - Kishimoto to create one-shot manga in celebration

After exciting one-and-a-half months of voting, the results of the Narutop99 worldwide character popularity vote have been revealed, with Minato Namikaze. the Fourth Hokage. taking the top spot. It's no surprise that the character is loved worldwide, with his unique jutsu and tragic backstory. However, the surprise comes from the overwhelming number of votes he received, beating out fan-favourite characters like Itachi Uchiha and Sakura Haruno.

Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, was ecstatic to see the results of the poll and wrote a comment in celebration. He was especially surprised to see Minato Namikaze ranking first worldwide. In fulfilment of their promise to commemorate Minato's victory, Kishimoto will be creating an official one-shot featuring the character. The page count has increased as a result of the enthusiastic response from fans, which has "fired up" Kishimoto's own passion for the character. (Also Read: Countdown to the ultimate showdown: Top 10 fights in Naruto according to fans)

Itachi and Sakura round out Narutop99 top three - Surprise rise for Sakura in last-minute voting

The Narutop99 global character popularity poll commemorating the 20th anniversary of Naruto anime has given many reasons for celebration. While Minato Namikaze took the top spot, Itachi Uchiha secured second place with 505,014 votes, and Sakura Haruno held onto third place with 489,619 votes. The most thrilling aspect of the poll was Sakura's unexpected ascent in the rankings, overtaking Shisui Uchiha to claim the third position. Kakashi Hatake also surpassed Naruto to claim fifth place, making the poll results an exciting and dynamic event. (Also Read: Naruto Returns: 20th anniversary to be celebrated with four brand-new episodes)

The unveiling of the Top 100 most popular characters from the Naruto series in a live broadcast on the Jumps Comic YouTube channel was an exciting moment for fans worldwide. The poll allowed fans to vote for their favourite characters, with the winning character receiving a short manga by Kishimoto. The overwhelming response and enthusiasm from fans towards the poll is a testament to the enduring love and passion for the Naruto franchise. (Also Read: The rise of the Yellow Flash: Why Minato is set to get his own spin-off manga)

From its inception in 1999 to its conclusion in 2014, the original Naruto manga was published in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine and inspired both the Naruto and Naruto Shippuden anime series. The continuation of the series, BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS, is currently available on streaming platforms like Crunchyroll, ensuring that the Naruto legacy lives on for years to come.