Naruto is an emotional and epic ninja-filled tale about a once annoying blonde orphan who inspired the world through empathy. While the beginning of the story helped launch a franchise beloved by millions, it wasn't without a few road bumps and missed opportunities. Author Masashi Kishimoto had several manga ideas rejected before Naruto became a hit, and even some of the series' earliest ideas failed to leave a big enough impact to stay around.

https://screenrant.com/naruto-retrospective-introduction-first-chapter-review/