Thanks to barnesandnoble.com for the cover image to Naruto 30

VOL. 30: Puppet Masters
Rated “T” for “Teen”

When he was a baby, a nine-tailed fox spirit was imprisoned within his infant body.  The mischievous Uzumaki Naruto became a young ninja-in-training, known for his stubbornness.  After two years of training, Naruto is now fully a ninja.  His quest to become the world’s greatest ninja and “Hokage” (village champion) of his home, Konohagakure, continues.

In Naruto, Vol. 30, the battle against the Akatsuki continues.  Naruto and Kakashi are in hot pursuit of the Akatsuki, Deidara, who possess the seemingly lifeless body of a comrade of Naruto and Kakashi.  Meanwhile, the formidable senior citizen, Granny Chiyo, and Naruto’s teammate, Sakura, a ninja medic, take on the all-powerful puppeteer Sasori, who can make golems from the undead.  Sasori, however, is about to find out just how great a puppeteer Granny is … when she’s pulling Sakura’s strings.  Go girl power!

THE LOWDOWN:  Manga-ka (creator) Masashi Kishimoto juggles multiple storylines, conflicts, and characters as if he were several writers instead of one.  Naruto may be so popular because this is a fight comic with imagination – quirky characters, myriad fighting styles, epic scope, fantastic locales, and a lead character that is like just about every boy.  Naruto thinks the world is against him, and he wants to show everyone how good he is and how good he will be.  He has no patience, and wants to be on top, now.  He thinks he’ll live forever and will certainly conquer the world.  Even old guys like me remember what it was to think like that, and some of us still so.  And, of course, Masashi Kishimoto is so damn good.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Not only is Naruto the top dog in the magazine, Shonen Jump, but he also rules VIZ Media’s “Shonen Jump” line of manga, so that means if you like shounen (boys’ comics), Naruto is a must read.

A+