Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto
Kishimoto, M. (1999). Naruto. San Francisco: VIZ Media, LLC
ISBN: 9781413198812
Kishimoto, M. (1999). Naruto. San Francisco: VIZ Media, LLC
ISBN: 9781413198812
Plot
Uzumaki Naruto is a troublemaking orphan who is struggling to Graduate form the Ninja Academy in the town of Konohagakure. Konohagakure is home to the greatest Ninja in the world. But, twelve years ago, the life of the village champion, The Fourth Hokage, was taken by a fierce creature -- a nine-tailed fox demon. The Fourth Hokage sacrificed his life to seal the demon within a child. Unknown to Naruto, he is that child. The Third Hokage forbids the villagers to speak of it. But the town-folk treat Naruto as if he were the demon, itself. He is mistreated throughout most of his childhood. Eventually, Naruto unleashes the power of a forbidden scroll to save the life of his teacher. The power of the scroll allows him to create clones of himself. This is how he discovers that he is the container of the demon fox. Naruto is assigned to a 3 person team under the guidance of a sensei called Team 7. The ninja teams are assigned missions by the villagers. The story follows Naruto and his friends personal growth as they accomplish their missions and as Naruto learns to live with the demon inside.
Critical Evaluation
Naruto is a series of books. The story is ongoing. It is also a story told through the magazine Shonen Jump and an animated cartoon, as well. It is an interesting story as Naruto's personality is shaped and twisted by his abuse as a child. He literally has a demon deep inside himself. This series is immensely popular with tweens. Volume 7 won a Quill Award for best Graphic Novel in 2006.
Readers Annotation
Uzumaki Naruto is a troublemaking orphan who is struggling to Graduate form the Ninja Academy in the town of Konohagakure. Konohagakure is home to the greatest Ninja in the world. But, twelve years ago, the life of the village champion, The Fourth Hokage, was taken by a fierce creature -- a nine-tailed fox demon. The Fourth Hokage sacrificed his life to seal the demon within a child. Unknown to Naruto, he is that child. The Third Hokage forbids the villagers to speak of it. But the town-folk treat Naruto as if he were the demon, itself. He is mistreated throughout most of his childhood. Eventually, Naruto unleashes the power of a forbidden scroll to save the life of his teacher. The power of the scroll allows him to create clones of himself. This is how he discovers that he is the container of the demon fox. Naruto is assigned to a 3 person team under the guidance of a sensei called Team 7. The ninja teams are assigned missions by the villagers. The story follows Naruto and his friends personal growth as they accomplish their missions and as Naruto learns to live with the demon inside.
Critical Evaluation
Naruto is a series of books. The story is ongoing. It is also a story told through the magazine Shonen Jump and an animated cartoon, as well. It is an interesting story as Naruto's personality is shaped and twisted by his abuse as a child. He literally has a demon deep inside himself. This series is immensely popular with tweens. Volume 7 won a Quill Award for best Graphic Novel in 2006.
Readers Annotation
Naruto is one of the best and most popular graphic novels being produced today. Fans of manga will not want to miss the compelling story of a young man mistreated and abused from childhood trying to find his way in the world of the ninja while battling a raging demon sealed inside him at birth.
About the Author
Mayashi Kishimoto was born in 1974 in Japan. In 1995 he won the Hop Step Award granted to the most promising manga artist. In 1999 Naruto was serialized in the weekly magazine Shonen Jump. Naruto is still ongoing with 46 volumes published. Naruto has sold over 4 million copies in the U.S. When creating Naruto, Kishimoto drew on other shonen manga for inspiration. He has also designed video game characters.
Genre: Manga, Graphic Novel
Curriculum Ties: Language Arts, Culture
Booktalk Ideas: Overcoming demons.
Reading Level: Grade 4+
Interest Level: Grade 4+
Challenge Issues: Violence. Those seeking to ban manga graphic novels on the basis of violence will have to succeed in banning the genre. The Ninja aspect of many Japanese graphic novels is philosphical as well as violent.
Manga graphic novels are immensely popular with tweens. This story is included because it is one of the most popular and best of the manga graphic novels.
Interest Level: Grade 4+
Challenge Issues: Violence. Those seeking to ban manga graphic novels on the basis of violence will have to succeed in banning the genre. The Ninja aspect of many Japanese graphic novels is philosphical as well as violent.
Manga graphic novels are immensely popular with tweens. This story is included because it is one of the most popular and best of the manga graphic novels.
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