VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia
CREATOR/SUPERVISOR: Masashi Kishimoto
ART: Mikio Ikemoto
SCRIPT: Ukyo Kodachi
TRANSLATION: Mari Morimoto
LETTERS: Snir Aharon
EDITOR: Alexis Kirsch
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0879-6; paperback (April 2020); Rated “T” for “Teen”
176pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is a Japanese manga series written by Ukyo Kodachi and illustrated by Mikio Ikemoto. Boruto is a spin-off and a sequel to the shonen manga, Naruto, which was written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. Boruto was first serialized in Shueisha's shonen manga magazine, Weekly Shonen Jump, beginning in May 2016, and then serialized in Shueisha's monthly magazine, V Jump, in July 2019. VIZ Media began publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a graphic novel series under its “Shonen Jump” imprint beginning in April 2017.
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations follows the exploits of Naruto Uzumaki's son, Boruto Uzumaki. Naruto was once a young shinobi (ninja) who lived in the shinobi Village of Konohagakure. Naruto went on to become the world’s greatest ninja and the Hokage, leader of his village. But this is not Naruto's story. This is the story of Boruto and his ninja team: leader, Konohamaru Sarutobi (Naruto's protégé ); and teammates Sarada Uchiha (the daughter of Sasuke and Sakura Uchiha) and and Mitsuki (Orochimaru's artificial son).
As Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Vol. 8 (Chapters 28 to 31; “Flowers”) opens, the mysterious boy, Kawaki, slowly begins to open up to both Naruto and Boruto. He joins the Hokage and Sarada for a visit to Yamanaka Flower Shop, but on the way, Kawaki, reveals a little of his dark side. Kawaki is burdened by a traumatic past, and it is about to return to him. Kashin Koji and “Delta,” two leaders in the the mysterious Ohtsutuski-connected organization, Kara, attempt to retrieve what was once their cargo, Kawaki.
[This volume includes bonus manga, “The X Cards' Dark Side” and “The X Cards' Dark Side 2.”]
THE LOWDOWN: The Boruto: Naruto Next Generations manga has turned out to be a great replacement for and sequel to the classic shonen manga, Naruto, which is one of my all-time favorite comics. Boruto's creative team of artist Mikio Ikemoto and script writer Ukyo Kodachi are making their own way with this manga, although Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto supervises this series.
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Graphic Novel Volume 8 focuses on Kawaki. The creators use a drip-drip approach to revealing his past, but in revealing his personality, they move quickly – sometimes in spurts. Vol. 8 also gives readers some Boruto vs. Kawaki sparring and training, and if that were not enough, readers see Naruto the Seventh Hokage in a really intense and violent battle against a most formidable opponent. That alone is worth the cover price of Vol. 8.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of Naruto will want the Shonen Jump title, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.
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9.5 out of 10
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
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