He's also the first person who Naruto makes a true friend, and that relationship helped him become the kind of ninja everyone knows and loves.

Hiroshi Shiibashi's manga series Nura: Rise of the Yokai clan is reportedly set to return to Jump Comics with four new chapters. These will presumably be focused on Rikuo Nura during his time in elementary and middle school.

This upcoming series will also bring back a familiar face to the anime. We don't know exactly when we'll see Pikachu return in the series, but it looks like he will be joining the cast along with Professor Friede.