So, it seems it is imperative every pre-teen boy goes through a “crazy about Naruto Manga comics phase” at some point or other. My son becomes crazy or rather obsessed with Naruto in 2023.
He watches TV series based on the comics and reads it. Seeing his craziness, I promised him to read at least few issues of the comics.
I ordered this omnibus where there are three volumes together. It is a thick book of 600 pages. Initially I was happy to get value for my money but then I saw the print quality of the book is terrible. I had a tough time reading the print. The gorgeous art of the book also could not be appreciated completely because of the quality.
The story and art both are by Masashi Kishimoto. Originally the books are in Japanese.
Just as I started reading the book, my son started talking as he keeps on talking all the time. I did not pay attention to him and tried to concentrate on the book. But I could not understand anything. I mean I could read each word but together they did not make any sense. Then my son’s blabbers made sense. It seems he had been trying to tell me I was reading the book wrong. And then I saw at the top of the pages, where the correct method of reading is mentioned.
The book starts from what would be considered conventionally as the last page. From there readers need to go to the previous page by flipping the left page. And the panels have to be read from right to left. I took some time to get used to this way of reading.
Some American versions of Mangas are flopped (this means changed to the way English is read). The original Manga artists don’t like it as it affects the way they have originally drawn the comics.
PREMISE
In some imaginary continent there are 5 villages. The kids in these villages are trained in Ninjutsu to become Shinobi. They protect their villages and the whole land. They are at equal footing with the ruler of the continent. Each village is hidden by some natural element.
1. The village hidden in leaves, Konohagakure
2. The village hidden in sand, Sunagakure
2. The village hidden in clouds, Kumogakure
2. The village hidden in stones, Iwagakure
2. The village hidden in mist, Kirigakure
Once upon a time there was a demon fox with 9 tails. His tails he used to create major disasters all over the land. Then the fourth Lord Hokage of Konohagakure village ties up the fox’s 9 tails in his village’s newly born baby, Naruto’s freshly cut umbilical cord. Then people started getting scared of Naruto and detest him, thinking he is the fox. They don’t understand he has done the great service of containing the evil inside him and thus everyone else is protected. However, he himself is not evil.
PLOT
Naruto grows up orphan and lonely. He is always up to some mischief to capture others’ attention. Only attention he gets is from his teacher Master Iruka.
He is naturally good at Ninjutsu yet he self-sabotages by not performing well in his practical examinations. Finally, he passes the first level exam.
For the next level he becomes part of a 3 members group along Sasuke and Sakura, under the guidance of Kakashi. They are assigned with a simple task of escorting an elderly person to his home. What appears to be simple and boring becomes quite complex and dangerous pretty fast. Can Naruto and his friends succeed in this mission?
SOME MAJOR CHARACTERS
Uzumaki Naruto
He is in school. He is 12 in the beginning of the book. As written above he is naturally good in Ninjutsu. He is especially good at the art of transformation. He can create life like three dimensional doppelgangers. His dream is to become the greatest Shinobi his village has ever seen.
Uchiha Sasuke
He is the typical brooding silent handsome hero. Although how can a 12/13 year old fit this description is beyond me. He is top of his class. He has sworn to kill someone. No one knows “who” and “why”. He is good at Ninjutsu. He proves to be an honourable person and quite loyal to his teammates.
Hruno Sakura
She pines for Sasuke and tortures Naruto. I can’t find anything special about her, Ninjutsu wise.
Master Iruka
He is teacher of the above three. He has lost parents to the fox yet he understands Naruto is not the fox. He is the only one who is nice to Naruto.
Hatake Kakashi
He is an upper-level ninja and in charge of our lead 3. He is very good and he has many special skills. He has Sharangin eye, which can see through illusions. He keeps that eye hidden to avoid exertion.
He keeps on reading a book named “Make out paradise”, which seems like soft core pornography. The writer has mentioned as much. He has written the book has three volumes and is not suitable for the modal readers of Naruto.
Mizuki, Zabuza, Haku
Each of these three are brilliant Ninjas but they are the bad guys. Mizuki puts Naruto under his influence once and incites him to steal an ancient scroll. Haku is consort of Zabuza and is mentioned to be of indeterminant gender.
Ninjutsu
Naruto is about Ninjutsu so I have included it as one of the characters. It is a mixture of martial art and magic. The practitioners have to be physically agile and expert at physical attacks. They also can using various methods do special things. Like the doppelganger creation by Naruto.
Many terms and concepts related to this art are mentioned throughout the book. I have given few in the following.
An expert in Ninjutsu is called Shinobi.
Shinobi reads the hidden meanings within the hidden meanings.
Tai-Jutsu: The art of the trained body
Genjutsu: The art of illusion
Art of substitution
Art of the water prison
Chakra: energies of various parts of the body, which has to be mastered
After death Shinobi’s body has to be destroyed completely or enemies can steal his arts from his body.
Kekkei Genkei: genetic trait running through bloodlines of purest Shinobi pedigree, art of teleportation is part of this skill
MY TWO PENNIES
When I was younger, I remember if I am engrossed in a content of mystery or adventure genre, I generally did not like if a female character is introduced. Was I misogynistic? Actually, at a very young age I had already realised introduction of a female character only means one thing – diluting the thrilling factor of the content by beginning a romantic sub-plot.
I am sorry to say but that’s the role of female characters in most contents, to introduce romance. It is sad to say Naruto comics has female has the same stereotypical role.
Sakura’s only role is to pine after Sasuke and be the unrequited love of Naruto. In the department of talent or action, there is nothing much to write about her.
I am old and wise (maybe) now I know where the real problem lies. I crave for lots of women characters with lots of things to do in contents without instantly falling in love with their co-adventurers/mystery-solers. That’s why my favourite season of Dr. Who is when Ten and Donna team up. Pure adventure, romance nada. I am not against romance but it should not reduce lady characters into “just the love interest”. It should not create different dynamics among the leads.
The writer has accepted in his anecdotes, he is not very good at drawing female characters. He should have extended it to “drawing and writing”.
But he is good at writing anecdotes. I love the snippets by the writer given throughout this book. He has given his thinking and working process. In a place he has even given sketch of his own home. He loves to eat Ramen like Naruto.
I love the way he has drawn the action sequences. Just brilliant! He has shown each fight from different vantages. In spite of the poor quality of my book, I loved the panels.
The translation edition I have, has used some funny kind of American English here and there. Like Sakura has been described as “quite a babe”.
NARUTO AND HARRY POTTER
I find so many similarities between both series. First and foremost, both have huge groups of dedicated fans. Both developed around the same time, 1997. This year, the first Harry Potter book was published while the first Naruto was drawn as a part of a short story. Then there is the parallel of main leads, 2 males and a female. The characters go to special schools to learn their skill. There are magic and spell in both series. The main lead is orphan and spent childhood surrounded by people who hate him. He has a part of evil inside him because of a backstory. And both are naturally good in their fields.
Purest Shinobi pedigree sounds like pure blood.
Both the series have some brilliant storytelling, which would make readers hooked instantly.
END WORDS
Volume 3 ends in a cliffhanger so I am definitely going to read volume 4. I love the plot and I love the pictures. I hope I get a better print quality next time. And I also hope there will be some lady characters without any romantic agenda by the writer. Can Sakura get some unique talent in Ninjutsu please!
Musings 