Recently Read: Naruto Vol. 28, by Masashi Kishimoto

With Volume 28 of the series, Masashi Kishimoto jump the narrative over two years into the future. The reunion of Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi is poignant and fun, with the trio reliving and updating their earliest training together (minus the rogue Sasuke).

Much needed downtime is interrupted by a most dangerous threat. Members of the Akatsuki (of which Orochimaru is a member) arrive at the Sand Village to kidnap a reformed Gaara (Lord Kazekage). Sasori and Deidara are some of the most lethal and creepy antagonists yet, a threat Lady Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, must respond to.

Twenty-eight volumes into the series, Kishimoto's storytelling remains at a high level, well-paced, inventive, suspenseful, with fabulous art and superlative characterization. It's a great start to the series' second half. 

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Recently Read: Naruto Volume 27

 

Naruto Vol. 27, "Departure", is a respite between the story's Part 1 and Part 2 (volumes 28-72).Its downtime involves healing, camaraderie and renewed commitments. Understanding they have two and a half years before Orochimaru can completely claim Sasuke's body and soul, Naruto leaves to train with Jiraiya, while Sakura studies to be a mission medic under Tsunade's instruction.

Before Part 2 begins the series' time-jump, creator Masashi Kishimoto tells a flashback/side story: insight into Kakashi's past and the mysterious origin of his covered eye. If you're a fan of Kakashi (I am), this is essential reading.

In a brief preface, Kishimoto states that "...I don't think Naruto needs to be broken up into parts". Why did he, then? Was it editorial decree? I'd love to learn more about the inner workings of this series. 

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Recently Read: Naruto Volume 26

 

This is another excellent volume in the action-packed series. The epic fight between Naruto and Sasuke reaches a conclusion with both exhibiting powers never before displayed. With Naruto vowing his friendship and determination to bring Sasuke back to Konoha, he accesses powerful red chakra provided by his fox spirit, while Sasuke can only retaliate with forces which can threaten his own life. Kakashi, meanwhile, learns of Naruto's pursuit and tracks him down with the help of Pakkun. The volume ends with the various ninja healing in a hospital, with Shikamaru determined to make good on a mission he considers a failure.  

The flashbacks are poignantly written, the artwork magnificently detailed and imaginative, the pacing and editing constructed for maximum suspense. I recommend this series. 

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Recently Read: Naruto Vol. 23: Predicament, by Masashi Kishimoto

 

For the second volume in a row the chapters are centered on close combat as a result of the rescue mission for Sasuke's body and soul. The combatants are Naruto, Shikamaru, Kiba and Akamaru, in contention with Kimimaro, Tayuya and Sakon, respectively. While the battles themselves are tense, bizarre and suspenseful as always, the limited scope and missing longtime characters gives the feel of a series that's lagging and running out of inspiration.

I don't yet know whether the upcoming jump in time will benefit the series or harm it, but Naruto was a near perfect series for its first twenty volumes and its unsettling to see it start to falter. 

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Recently Read: Naruto Vol. 21, Pursuit

 

Despite Sakura's protestation that she loves him, Sasuke leaves town on his own plan of private vengeance. The new Fifth Hokage, Tsundade, then assigns Shikamaru to gather a team to track down and return Sasuke, consisting of Choji, Neji, Naruto, Kiba and tracker dog Akamuru.

Even with strategic plans, the venture goes south quickly; first Sasuke submits himself to be killed by the Sound Ninja Four, and then our heroes are also beaten by the same, in a deadly, Chakra-sapping trap. Choji's hidden talents seem to come to the rescue. The emotions are raw and threadbare in this volume, as the stakes for salvaging friendships and lives are raised ever higher.

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Recently Read: Naruto, Vol. 20: Naruto vs. Sasuke

Naruto Vol. 20 begins on a bittersweet note, with Tsunade taking on the role of fifth Hokage and Sasuke falling under the malevolent influence of Orochimaru, due to his desire for revenge against Itachi. Tsunade's healing powers, at the same time, can do little for the physically broken Rock Lee, who nevertheless becomes mentally reinvigorated after a long talk with his mentor, Guy.

Sasuke insists on tackling Naruto in combat, a proposition Naruto is enthusiastic about. Their bout ends with an interesting talk between Kakashi and Jiraiya. Orochimaru's scouts The Sound Ninja Four, meanwhile, have made their way to Konoha and give Sasuke a proposition he may not refuse. Vol. 20 provides some relative quiet time after the previous chapter's storm and set the stage for more intrigue.

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Recently Read: Naruto Vol. 17

 

The narrative gets slowed down a bit in Vol. 17, to the story's benefit. The first half pits the evil Itachi and Kisame against Sasuke, Naruto and Jiraiya, with a disturbing flashback involving the senseless murder of Sasuke and Itachi's parents. The remainder of the book involves Jiraiya's training of Naruto, with scenes of the reckless, gambling-addicted Tsunade on the side. Along the way, Orochimaru tends his wounds and plans revenge. Sakura seems to sadly be getting shunted to the side in the current storylines; she's relegated to three small panels in this volume.

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Recently Read: Naruto, Vol. 15: Naruto's Ninja Handbook!

 

"Naruto's Ninja Handbook!" is a balancing act, both intimate and epic. In its first half, more of Gaara's back story is revealed: his attempts at learning about the concepts of love and pain from his aunt, Yashamaru, end in tragedy, cementing his psychological destiny. Meanwhile, the sand spirit Shukaku continues to achieve complete control of Gaara's bloated, morphing and ever growing body, requiring Naruto to summon help from the dubious (but equally large and powerful) pipe-smoking toad Gamabunta. This begins a battle of gargantuan proportions (taking place, fortunately, in a wooded area). Sasuke is still physically spent, Sakura is still trapped, and only Naruto and Gamabunta (and Gamabunta's mini-toad son, Gamakichi, literally along for the ride) have a chance at stopping the homicidal Gaara. This is amazing cartooning.

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Recently Read: Naruto, Vol. 14: Hokage vs. Hokage!!

The long plotted attack on "The Village Hidden in the Leaves" continues as Orochimaru revives the dead in order to combat the Third Hokage, and Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru and Kakashi's talking dog, Pakkun, are sent to stop Sasuke, on the trail of the evil and ill Gaara. Orochimaru's Frankenstein-like experiments in raising the dead are told in flashback and beetle king Shino takes on Kankuro, allowing Sasuke to catch up with the rest of his group. It's a flurry of activity after the Chunin exams were interrupted by the coup, and author/artist Masashi Kishimoto is a master of plotting, timing, suspense, characterization and world building. As a plus, the chapters are headed by Kishimoto's musings on his first attempts to seriously create manga. This is a worthy addition to an amazingly complex story. 

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Recently Read: Naruto, Vol. 10

The preliminary portion of the Journeyman Ninja Selection Exams end with, in part, an epic battle between the friendly Rock Lee and the quiet and mysterious master of sand, Gaara. Lasting 85 pages, the intricate test reveals hidden strengths of both physical and mental powers. Meanwhile, the spy Kabuto and Orochimaru plot against the ill Sasuke, and Naruto gets a new trainer, Master Ebisu. Writer and artist Masashi Kishimoto also tells of the life-changing event of seeing Otomo Katsuhiro's art for the first time. All in all, another exciting and involving chapter in the series

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Recently Read: Naruto Vol. 8: Life and Death Battles

One of Naruto's greatest strengths is the way creator Masashi Kishimoto takes his time telling a story. After four volumes, our heroes are still struggling to survive the Chûnin Exams. Before beginning the third level, the number of participants must be whittled down, necessitating one-on-one combat, possibly to the death. Meanwhile, shinobi Kakashi Hatake attempts to heal Sasuke and suppress his curse when the malevolent Orochimaru shows up. I like how the Naruto series makes clear that the students' teachers and authority figures must also deal with threats and danger. No one is immune from contact with evil.

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Recently Read: Naruto, Vol. 7: The Path You Should Tread

Another action-packed and suspenseful read as our trio of Chunin Exam takers, Team 7, try to stay alive and thrive in the Forest of Death. Helping and thwarting them are various students in groups of three, all with their own elaborate character designs, talents and motives. As with the last volume, you may need a scorecard to keep track!

The volume begins with Naruto and Sasuke still in a coma. Meanwhile, tokubetsu jōnin Anko Mitarashi makes her way to the central tower where she and an assistant see on video footage that a very powerful genin team completed their goals in an astonishingly short time.

A note mentions that this was the first volume of Naruto created entirely digitally. Fortunately, the art looks no different to my eyes; it looks as organic, hand-drawn and beautiful as ever.

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Recently Read: Naruto, Vol. 6

The Forest of Death plot line isn't going as I would have preferred (I was hoping for a
more traditional, Hunger Games-type contest), but it has gotten a lot more complicated.
Anko, one of the Konohagakure Academy's proctors, finds three dead bodies, minus faces, and surmises it's the work of the immortality-seeking Orochimaru. She takes off in pursuit of him.

Meanwhile, Sasuke and Naruto have lost consciousness after a fight over one of the
sacred scrolls with an enemy ninja, leaving Sakura to defend them from the threat of
Team Dosu. Sakura becomes a stronger character here, and the Sakura-smitten Rock Lee also comes to her defense.

This is a jam-packed volume and it ups the ante on the complexity of Naruto's world
and the ever-widening past connections of so many characters involved in it. Masashi
Kishimoto's art is expressive and beautiful, as always, and in this volume he highlights
some of his artist assistants.

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Recently Read: Naruto Book 5: The Challengers

The centerpiece of Naruto Book Five: The Challengers is a 110-page exam sequence; our ninja-in-training heroes Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke take the Chûnin Exams, in order to become full-fledged shinobi. This could be the most suspenseful exam sequence in comics, where the rules may be designed to be subverted, the room is monitored by a wall of over-lookers, alliances are made, and psychological pressure is intrinsic to the test.

A second, Hunger Games-like test taking place in the Forest of Death is set up and continues into Book Six

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