Choji is one of the most unique characters from the Naruto series and many fans wanted to see more from him. One thing the character is famous for are his near-death experiences, so much so that many fans are confused when it comes to the question of whether he actually died. So, does Choji die?
Contrary to the belief of many fans Choji doesn’t actually die in Naruto nor Boruto, however, he does have a few close calls.
If you want to learn more about these near-death experiences make sure to read this article all the way through.
Does Choji Die in Naruto?
This is the one question that only the biggest fans will know the answer to right away. Most other fans and casual watchers will have to think for a while before finally admitting that they are actually not sure.
Of course, this is not surprising. After all, Choji had so many close encounters with death, it is only natural that people get confused when the question of his death arises, but more about those later.
The right answer to this question is that Choji in fact doesn’t die in the Naruto series.
Does Choji die in Boruto
Although the answer to this question is also a bit confusing for a lot of people, many fans will be able to give you the right answer.
This is largely due to the fact that Choji’s character was largely abandoned in the Boruto series and his role in the overall plot is much smaller with almost no involvement in the larger plot.
We are reintroduced to Choji while he prepares for his daughter’s graduation exams. His presence in the Boruto series revolves around his daughter Chōchō and her adventures. The plot follows their relationship and mostly deals with the bond between the father and daughter.
Since he has such a small role in Boruto, Choji isn’t actually involved in any fights which doesn’t leave much room for him to face death. This being said he makes it to the end of the Boruto series alive and without any near-death experiences, unlike in the Naruto series.
Choji’s near-death experiences
Now that we know that Choji doesn’t actually die in Naruto or Boruto series, we can return to his near-death experiences that confuse the fans.
The first instance of such a kind is his fight with Jirobo. This fight takes place during a mission when Choji joined the Sasuke Recovery Team in episode 113.
Shikamaru offered Choji to join the Sasuke Recovery Team when Sasuke Uchiha abandoned Konoha, but Choji declined. Shikamaru and Naruto Uzumaki ate some of Chji’s favorite foods in front of his house, determined to bring him with them.
When they arrived at the final chip, Choji broke through the front door to eat it, declaring that it was sacrosanct and that no one else could have it. Choji joins the squad to rescue Sasuke after falling for Shikamaru’s ploy.
Choji took on Jirobo of the Sound Four at the outset of the mission. Jirobo was initially too powerful for Choji to overcome, requiring him to rely on the Akimichi clan’s unique Three Coloured Pills.
Despite his reservations about taking the tablets, Jirobo’s continual mockery of Shikamaru as a useless, greedy, and uncaring leader persuaded Choji to take all three.
He was able to kill Jirobo with the accompanying gain in strength, remarking that while it was OK to ridicule him and even eat his meal, it was inexcusable to talk ill of his closest buddy. Choji then strikes Jirobo in the stomach with a fist, killing the Oto-nin.
Choji sees the arrow left by his companions as he walks through the forest, suffering from the effects of the pills and extremely malnourished, and collapses beneath it, sadly musing to his father that he had finally found decent friends.
Members of the Medic Corps discovered Choji near death and hurried him back to the hamlet for treatment. With the help of the Nara clan’s medical encyclopedia, which documented their study on their comrade’s medicines and their effects, and Tsunade’s medical knowledge, Choji was able to avoid death and recover completely.
This first instance was the one where Choji almost wasn’t able to avoid death, however thanks to the talented people around him, he managed to make a full recovery.
Such a severe injury may leave you convinced that Choji made sure not to put himself in similar situations again. However, if you thought the same, you would be in the wrong since Choji had another close encounter throughout the series.
The second instance happened in episode 84 of the Naruto Shippuden series, while Choji joins team 7 and Kakashi during their fight with Akatsuki members Hidan and Kakuzi,
Asuma’s Niju Shotai squad was fighting Akatsuki members Hidan and Kakuzu, Choji arrived with Raid Namiashi, Aoba Yamashiro, and Ino as a backup. Choji prepared to transport the fatally injured Asuma back to Konoha for treatment as the Akatsuki couple fled due to their presence.
Asuma, on the other hand, realized he wouldn’t get it back to Konoha and said his goodbyes to his crew. He informed Choji that he was a good-hearted child who cared about his friends and, as a result, could be a better ninja than anybody else, and that all he needed to do was believe in himself.
Asuma also advised Choji to eat more healthily, and Choji stated he would try, despite how tough it would be. Choji then recalls his recollections of Asuma, such as the time they were assigned to him as students and he treated them to lunch, and Choji had ordered a feast, which harmed Asuma’s finances. Choji then began to cry.
Asuma died after smoking one last cigarette, leaving Choji, Shikamaru, and Ino to seek vengeance with Kakashi as their interim commander. They tracked down Hidan and Kakuzu after debating Shikamaru’s strategy.
When Shikamaru distracted them, Choji struck them from above with his Spiked Human Bullet Tank, which was made more powerful by his new ability to grow and sharpen his hair, causing a massive hole in the earth. His strike, on the other hand, had no effect on them since
Kakuzu was able to defend himself and Hidan just withstood it. Kakuzu’s masks were soon released, and Hidan was rescued from Shikamaru’s clutches.
When Hidan insulted Choji’s sensei by calling him “fatso,” Choji became furious and charged at him, but was stopped by Shikamaru’s shadow for rushing in recklessly, allowing Hidan to attack.
Fortunately, Kakashi saved him by dealing with Hidan personally, with Kakuzu appearing in front of him. He moved quickly and struck Kakuzu with his massive hands, but Kakuzu easily stopped him and knocked him unconscious.
Choji recovered awareness and performed Super Open Hand Slap to smash the two masks and keep them at bay when he regained consciousness. Kakuzu was able to catch him and the rest of the team when his effort failed.
They were about to be hit by Kakuzu’s enormous fire strike when Naruto and Yamato used their combined technique to cancel it off. Choji returned to Konoha with the rest of his squad after Naruto fought Kakuzu, commenting that Naruto defeating Kakuzu made him cool, albeit not as much as Shikamaru.
Thankfully this is the last instance where Choji had to face death and almost die. He spends the rest of the series as peacefully as possible.