An article from Collider explores a subtle homage that Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto embedded in his manga, pointing to the enduring influence of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball on the shōnen genre. Although the two franchises never had an official crossover, the piece argues that Kishimoto quietly built a tribute to Dragon Ball into one of Naruto's most powerful creatures, reflecting how deeply Toriyama's work shaped the generation of manga artists who followed him, including the "Big Three" era of Naruto, One Piece and Bleach.

The reference centres on the Four-Tails, one of Naruto's giant tailed beasts, whose true name is revealed in Naruto: Shippuden to be "Son Gokū" — a direct nod to Dragon Ball's hero, Son Goku, distinguished only by a difference in accent. The design carries further layered references: the beast's monkey appearance echoes the Great Ape transformation Saiyans undergo under a full moon, while its four tails allude to the Four-Star Dragon Ball once owned by Goku's grandfather, Gohan, a treasured childhood keepsake in the original series.