New 'Naruto' Books Announced
The main "Naruto" manga may have ended, but the story of one of the greatest ninjas the world has ever seen is far from over.
Shuiesha, the main publisher of the original manga in the entirety of its 15-year run from 1999 to 2014, has announced three brand new stories based on the series. It is to be noted that they will be in the form of chapter books and novels, not manga.
The first one titled "The Naruto Shinden" or "The New Legend of Naruto" will catch up with the Seventh Hokage, who is now a father of two.
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Set to be released in Japan on May 2, the book will feature short stories that explore his relationship with his kids. Fans who follow the adventures of his son Boruto in the ongoing manga and anime would know that Naruto is struggling with juggling his duties as a dad and his responsibilities as the Hokage and the protector of the Hidden Leaf village.
The book, which will be written by Mirei Miyamoto, will feature art by "Naruto" original creator Masashi Kishimoto. The cover can be seen below.
The two other books will center on Shikamaru and Sasuke, respectively. Specific details on the story or the release date have not been provided yet, but they should be set around the same timeline as "The Naruto Shinden."
The books are only confirmed for release in Japan. Whether or not English versions will be released remains to be seen at this time.
These chapter books mark the latest attempt in prose form to check back in with the beloved characters from the "Naruto" series as adults after the original manga ended.
Both Sasuke and Shikamaru were subjects of the same type of books. There were also stories set outside the original manga storyline focused on Kakashi, Shikamaru, Akatsuki, Gaara, Sakura, Konoha, Sasuke, and Itachi.
Some of those books ended up being adapted for anime, which means that there is a possibility that these new Naruto, Shikamaru, and Sasuke stories might find their way to the small screen at some point as well.
Should this happen, the setting of the books makes it highly likely that they will be incorporated in the "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations" anime.
The release of books centered on Naruto, Sasuke, and Shikamaru as adults also has fans hoping that full-on anime adaptations devoted to their adventures will be developed too.
While fans can get their fix on "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations" at the moment, some still like the idea of an anime with Naruto at the center once again. After all, his adventures as the Seventh Hokage and his life as a father remain compelling and action-packed.
The timing of "The Naruto Shinden" release is perfect because the anime recently began a new arc based on the "Boruto: Naruto the Movie."
Fans who watched the film would now that things get even more complicated between the senior Uzumaki and his son as the latter prepares for the Chunin exams.
