Thanks to barnesandnoble.com for the image.

Uzumaki Naruto was a young ninja-in-training, but now he’s on the verge of being a teenager.  His dream was and still is to become the world’s greatest ninja and “Hokage” (village champion) of his home, Konohagakure, but the incorrigible youth also has a nine-tailed fox spirit imprisoned within him.

As Naruto, Vol. 28 opens, it has been two years since Naruto left Konohagakure to train with his new mentor, Jiraiya, and now, he’s back.  His old mentor Kakashi sees the boy ninja a bit differently – almost treating Naruto as an equal.  The new Team Kakashi is made of Naruto, fellow ninja Haruno Sakura (she’s still more accomplished than Naruto), and Kakashi himself.  Now, Team Kakashi is on a mission to the Shinobi (ninja) village of Sand, which has been attacked by the mysterious organization known as the Akatsuki.  There, Naruto hopes to finally confront the very people who want to use the fox spirit bound inside him.

THE LOWDOWN:  It’s almost no surprise that Naruto has captured the imagination of pre-teens, ‘tweens, teens, and even many adult readers.  There’s a large group of male readers who love ninja – especially when there is a novel spin on the concept that rings true (considering that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are approaching a quarter century of pop culture success).

With its mixture of intrigue, action, peculiar magic, and a large cast of colorful characters, Naruto contains some of the best aspects high fantasy, martial arts, ensemble dramas.  If the X-Men are the gold standard of American superhero team comics, Naruto as an import is meeting that standard.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  VIZ Media’s “Shonen Jump” line of manga for young male readers is by far the best and most imaginative action/adventure publishing line of comics anywhere.  And Naruto is the best of this excellent lot.

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