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Naruto [ナルト] #21
NARUTO -ナルト- 巻ノ二十一
仲間たちを捨て、木ノ葉の里を出るサスケ…。その心は大蛇丸のものなのか…！？ 五代目火影の命により、中忍となったシカマルはナルト、ネジ、キバ、チョウジを招集。5人と一匹は急遽、サスケの後を追うが……！？
216 pages, コミック
First published March 4, 2004
155 people are currently reading
2157 people want to read
About the author
Masashi Kishimoto
1,202 books3,966 followersMasashi Kishimoto (岸本斉史 Kishimoto Masashi) is a Japanese manga artist, well known for creating the manga series Naruto. His younger twin brother, Seishi Kishimoto, is also a manga artist and creator of the manga series O-Parts Hunter (666 Satan) and Blazer Drive. Two of his former assistants, Osamu Kajisa (Tattoo Hearts) and Yuuichi Itakura (Hand's), have also gone on to moderate success following their work on Naruto.
Kishimoto's first work as a manga artist was Karakuri (カラクリ?), which he submitted to Shueisha in 1995. This earned him the Weekly Shōnen Jump's monthly "Hop Step Award" in 1996, granted to promising new manga artists. This was followed in 1997 by a pilot version of Naruto (NARUTO－ナルト－), published in Akamaru Jump Summer. In 1998, Kishimoto premiered as a Weekly Shōnen Jump artist with a serialized version of Karakuri in Weekly Shōnen Jump, but it proved unpopular and was canceled soon after. In 1999, a serialized version of Naruto began publication in Weekly Shōnen Jump and quickly became a hit.
Kishimoto's first work as a manga artist was Karakuri (カラクリ?), which he submitted to Shueisha in 1995. This earned him the Weekly Shōnen Jump's monthly "Hop Step Award" in 1996, granted to promising new manga artists. This was followed in 1997 by a pilot version of Naruto (NARUTO－ナルト－), published in Akamaru Jump Summer. In 1998, Kishimoto premiered as a Weekly Shōnen Jump artist with a serialized version of Karakuri in Weekly Shōnen Jump, but it proved unpopular and was canceled soon after. In 1999, a serialized version of Naruto began publication in Weekly Shōnen Jump and quickly became a hit.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
March 15, 2022
4/10 stars
As much as I like Shikamaru - this volume was booooooring. Honestly, I couldn't care less about the emo prince Sasuke. Sending the whole bunch of unexperienced and overly enthusiastic young ninjas-in-training seems like a pretty dumb decision from Granny Tsunade, and the way Kishimoto writes her into this decision is lazy and unconvincing. The battles are somehow boring too - I know getting to the power-in-simplicity levels of Toriyama's art is a hard task, but Kishimoto's frantic twisted graphics just don't speak to me.
As much as I like Shikamaru - this volume was booooooring. Honestly, I couldn't care less about the emo prince Sasuke. Sending the whole bunch of unexperienced and overly enthusiastic young ninjas-in-training seems like a pretty dumb decision from Granny Tsunade, and the way Kishimoto writes her into this decision is lazy and unconvincing. The battles are somehow boring too - I know getting to the power-in-simplicity levels of Toriyama's art is a hard task, but Kishimoto's frantic twisted graphics just don't speak to me.
July 23, 2009
I just do not get why people like Sasuke. Good riddance.
April 5, 2024
شوجی سوپرایزم کرد!😼
July 18, 2015
My first Naruto 5 star
August 1, 2015
Ohhh Sasuke...
Well, at least we have a good setup for some very interesting battles, where every one of Shikamaru's hodge-podge rescue team will have a chance to really shine. First up? Choji. And he's very impressive.
Well, at least we have a good setup for some very interesting battles, where every one of Shikamaru's hodge-podge rescue team will have a chance to really shine. First up? Choji. And he's very impressive.
August 5, 2016
Another one of my favorite arcs, where the characters are sent to get Sasuke back and well, learn to work together. Really liked this one.
Read
January 4, 2021This volume centers around the pursuit of Sasuke who is in the process of abandoning Konoha to gain power unlawfully. We are introduced to many tactics and honestly I can say that Kishimoto's choice of angle sequence makes everything more and more efficiently dynamic.
October 4, 2022
The Sasuke Retrieval Arc is far superior to the Chunin Exam Arc.
Someone had to say it.
Someone had to say it.
August 6, 2018
I like good battles, also when volumes focus on some of the others. Choji was impressive.
February 25, 2017
Sasuke has left the village with the Sound Ninja Four to find greater power with Orochimaru. However Shikamaru now a chunin has been given his first mission which is to bring back Sasuke. Things don't go as planned when the team of Shikamaru, Naruto, Choji, Kiba, and Neji are forced to split up and fight the Sound Ninja Four one on one. Up first is Choji versus Jirobo and let me tell you, Choji is always underestimated when it comes to fighting. This fight though proves that he is a force to be reckon with. I love these upcoming volumes for this arc because it showcases more of what the other cast has to offer and not just Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.
February 2, 2017
And now starts one of my favorite part of the story. The Sasuke rescue mission. Tsunade sends a group of 5 ninjas to track down Sasuke. This volume was really a fun to read. Shikamaru was brilliant and for the first time ever we see Chouji shining. He had been the weakest character of the entire series but he now has a time to shine and he is impressive.
I do not know what makes people of this village strong. They all are so much brilliant that no one is weak. When defending one of your own and the village they get the strength that no one can imagine. Next volumes are all going to be interesting. I can not wait to read them and I guess I might watch anime too of this parts.
I do not know what makes people of this village strong. They all are so much brilliant that no one is weak. When defending one of your own and the village they get the strength that no one can imagine. Next volumes are all going to be interesting. I can not wait to read them and I guess I might watch anime too of this parts.
December 17, 2014
This was a really good book. Two problems occur in the book. First, Sasuke gets stolen by group of guys with curse marks. Second, Shikamaru, Naruto, Kiba, Neji, and Choji get trapped by someone dangerous. Shikamaru team's mission is to bring back Sasuke, but they're having a tuff time doing it. Overall everything plays itself out and the team escapes. Then they continue their mission.
January 4, 2019
#Primeralecturadelaño
Maravilloso comienzo de nuevo arco y que me ha hecho amar mucho más si cabe a Chouji , me parece muy bonita su amistad con Shikamaru y como se apoyan el uno al otro. Esos son los verdaderos amigos.
Maravilloso comienzo de nuevo arco y que me ha hecho amar mucho más si cabe a Chouji , me parece muy bonita su amistad con Shikamaru y como se apoyan el uno al otro. Esos son los verdaderos amigos.
January 1, 2015
Cause Naruto is awesome.
Also, Choji!
Also Also, I no longer Appreciate Sasuke.
Also, Choji!
Also Also, I no longer Appreciate Sasuke.
February 17, 2019
Shikamaru is given his first real challenge and the group assembled is an odd but powerful one. As they are tasked to bring back Sasuke from his dark path as an avenger, they run into their first challenge and Choji steps up to prove himself to everyone and himself that he isn't worthless.
An unexpectedly epic battle between Choji and Jirobo takes your breath away in this volume!
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
An unexpectedly epic battle between Choji and Jirobo takes your breath away in this volume!
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
May 2, 2025
4.75 💫
What an intense ending!
What an intense ending!
June 4, 2022
CHOJI!!! Omg I love Choji so much. Such an amazing character. I need more of him 😭
Read
July 9, 2017volume translated by viz: 0/5 stars
volume translated by other: 4/5 stars
this was a major let-down because not only was i excited to get more of japanese translation through viz's but also because this is one of my absolute favorite volumes (also, it felt like a huge waste of money) TT''TT for those who've looked into the japanese culture, we can all agree that the japanese have a particular way of saying things and viz's spectacular translation (which to me sounded more like a completely different narration but with the same general idea for most of the book) is not going to cut it. this sucks...
volume translated by other: 4/5 stars
this was a major let-down because not only was i excited to get more of japanese translation through viz's but also because this is one of my absolute favorite volumes (also, it felt like a huge waste of money) TT''TT for those who've looked into the japanese culture, we can all agree that the japanese have a particular way of saying things and viz's spectacular translation (which to me sounded more like a completely different narration but with the same general idea for most of the book) is not going to cut it. this sucks...
Read
May 15, 2018Actions are involved in every scene in this book its incredible how after a person faints it moves on to a different person and showing the actions that are involved. Their was some emotional or upsetting parts because it devastating to see how 4 of the characters pass away/ or pass out and say their last words.
April 16, 2021
This volume is fun! Choji is great. I love him. I felt bad for what Jirobo said to him. I also love Shikamaru as a leader. I also love that the team was great from the start. The only thing I hate is that Sakura asked Naruto to do the impossible. She really did put a life long burden on Naruto because of that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2025
Everyone talks about Lee’s wasted potential but what about my boy Choji? That frame of him blocking the sound ninja’s punch is unreal. Sasuke retrieval arc is definitely the best arc in OG Naruto, maybe only chunin exams beating it. This cover is my favourite so far too. Might low-key be my favourite volume so far. I love Shikamaru!
April 6, 2020
I like any Naruto-manga in which I get to see Shikamaru think up a strategy. This didn't have much of that, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit.
Also, I read all of this when it was dark outside, so I completed the Astronomy challenge of 2020's OWLs Readathon
Also, I read all of this when it was dark outside, so I completed the Astronomy challenge of 2020's OWLs Readathon
April 17, 2021
Cómo me aburren las batallas y lo peor es que le meten mucho diálogo, la historia de choji se ve muy interesante y conmovedora pero me da flojera leerla toda jaja
January 12, 2022
Five start only for Choji ❤.
February 26, 2024
3.5 ♡ choji is underrated
October 25, 2024
I was so nervous about what would happen to Choji, that I had to finish the whole manga in one sitting. Starting volume 22 tomorrow and hoping he’ll be fine, or I swear I’ll cry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2020
This is a review of the entire series.
Once upon a time, the spirit of an evil Nine Tailed Fox wreaked havoc on Konohagakure; the Village Hidden in the Leaves, killing hundreds of honorable ninja in the skirmish and leaving many children without homes or parents. The Fourth Hokage (leader of the village) unleashes a forbidden jutsu (magic spell/ninja ability) to seal the spirit of the evil fox into the body of a newborn baby named Naruto at the cost of his own life. He did this in the hopes that the boy could one day learn to master the power of the demonic spirit and use it to protect the village and become a great hero of the people.
Unknown to the citizens of the Leaf, the Nine Tailed Fox was being controlled by an even more powerful adversary, a legendary rogue ninja that plans to wage war against the entire world from the shadows. The identity of the mysterious ninja that attacked the Leaf Village using the Nine Tails died with the Fourth Hokage, and he used what remained of his life to gift Naruto with the power of one day being able to stop this evil ninja and a clan of outlawed S-rank criminals called the Akatsuki from committing mass genocide against the many hidden villages and clans of the world.
Because of the evil spirit sealed inside him, Naruto grew up hated by the other children of the village because they believe him and the Nine Tails to be one and the same. They believe he’s a ticking time bomb waiting to go off, waiting for the perfect moment to kill them all just like the Nine Tails killed their parents and families. Shunned, dehumanized and treated like dirt, Naruto vows to become the greatest hokage the world has ever seen so that he can receive the love and acknowledgement he never got as a child.
On top of the Nine Tails power and the will to never quit, Naruto also possesses the uncanny ability to turn everyone he meets into a potential comrade. He brings out the best in his peers and tries his hardest to make his enemies see the errors of their ways. He disobeys the rules and ignores cultural traditions to try and make changes to the world and break the eternal cycle of war and hatred through his own methods. His determination is infectious to friend and foe alike. He earns himself the respect he deserves by overcoming one impossible obstacle at a time.
Naruto encounters many fascinating and terrifying ninja over the course of his journey to become hokage. Among them are Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto’s best friend and rival who is driven by the vengeful lust to murder his elder brother after he wiped out their own clan in cold blood. Sasuke warms up to Naruto, but his hatred and trauma are dangerous forces that threaten to break his moral code as a ninja and destroy his reputation among his peers.
Kakashi Hatake is a notorious copycat ninja that survived one of the most brutal and devastating wars in history as well as the Nine Tails attack on the Leaf Village. He becomes Naruto and Sasuke’s mentor and teaches them a great number of valuable lessons about surviving in the dangerous world of rogue ninja, bloodthirsty assassins and clans ruled by corruption.
Jiraiya is a perverted yet wise sage who taught the Fourth Hokage everything he knew and he’s regarded as a god among shinobi that’s famous for his heroic actions in the second great ninja war. He takes an interest in Naruto and raises him as a father figure to carry on the legacy of the Fourth Hokage to prepare him for the many dangerous people that want to use his power for their own nefarious purposes.
The Akatsuki is one such group of wicked ninja. Among them are Sasuke’s brother Itachi who murdered his clan and possesses many dangerous techniques involving illusions, psychological torture and elemental manipulation. Sasori who controls poisonous puppets with magical threads, Orochimaru who mastered the forbidden arts of reanimation and quasi-immortality, Deidara who fights from afar using detonating clay and many other deadly foes.
The entire series chronicles Naruto and his fellow ninja comrades growing through countless trials and tragedies. There are hundreds of unique jutsus, clans, and techniques which lead to some very intense, creative and strategic battles between skilled ninja with diverse abilities that don’t always match up evenly. There are clan based abilities such as the Aburame clan’s ability to control insects, the Yamanaka clan’s ability to jump into other people’s minds and control their bodies and the Inuzuka clan’s ability to bond with wolves that learn to mimic their master’s battle skills. Then there’s ocular genetic abilities such as the sharingan which allows the user to create psychological illusions, copy their enemy’s abilities and manipulate elemental energy. The byakugan allows the user to read their enemies vital points and detect their spiritual energy from faraway. The rinnegan grants control over space and gravity and so on.
On top of having countless unique abilities, nearly every character has a tragic backstory that makes them sympathetic and relatable, even the nastiest of the villains have well-explored reasons for following the paths they do and becoming the way they are. One of my favorite aspects of the series is how well it explores the physical, emotional and psychological effects war can have on society and culture as well as the survivors and future generations that are forced to live in them. How it breeds racism and cultural disputes, how it inspires hatred in orphaned children and war veterans robbed of their homes toward foreign nations, as well as how this eventually leads to further death, war, poverty and destruction. Learning to forgive the ones you hate to prevent further conflict and damaging the world for future generations even further is a major theme throughout the story.
Being a massive 700 chapter series, it’s not too surprising that there’s some plot holes and consistency issues. A rule might be stated regarding the requirements and usage of a certain jutsu or ability only for that rule to be repeatedly broken 400 chapters later. Sometimes the characters and rules contradict themselves, sometimes the chronology of certain events and historical facts don’t match up perfectly, the lore and general backstory go through several retcons that change the philosophy and power scaling of the characters and the scope of world-building; the final arc especially drags on and breaks a lot of the logic and rules that the story spent the whole series setting up, etc...
Naruto’s far from perfect, but I remember it very fondly for being one of the first series that introduced me to things like manga and Japanese entertainment in general. It was one of those childhood classics like Dragon Ball, Inuyasha, Yu Yu Hakusho and Rurouni Kenshin. The series grew up with me and I can’t help but feel grateful to it for introducing me to hundreds of other franchises that I’m still a huge fan of to this day and I continue to find many new ones on the regular. Naruto's journey from a clownish, disrespected outcast into a talented, well-loved and admired hero is a memorable one.
Once upon a time, the spirit of an evil Nine Tailed Fox wreaked havoc on Konohagakure; the Village Hidden in the Leaves, killing hundreds of honorable ninja in the skirmish and leaving many children without homes or parents. The Fourth Hokage (leader of the village) unleashes a forbidden jutsu (magic spell/ninja ability) to seal the spirit of the evil fox into the body of a newborn baby named Naruto at the cost of his own life. He did this in the hopes that the boy could one day learn to master the power of the demonic spirit and use it to protect the village and become a great hero of the people.
Unknown to the citizens of the Leaf, the Nine Tailed Fox was being controlled by an even more powerful adversary, a legendary rogue ninja that plans to wage war against the entire world from the shadows. The identity of the mysterious ninja that attacked the Leaf Village using the Nine Tails died with the Fourth Hokage, and he used what remained of his life to gift Naruto with the power of one day being able to stop this evil ninja and a clan of outlawed S-rank criminals called the Akatsuki from committing mass genocide against the many hidden villages and clans of the world.
Because of the evil spirit sealed inside him, Naruto grew up hated by the other children of the village because they believe him and the Nine Tails to be one and the same. They believe he’s a ticking time bomb waiting to go off, waiting for the perfect moment to kill them all just like the Nine Tails killed their parents and families. Shunned, dehumanized and treated like dirt, Naruto vows to become the greatest hokage the world has ever seen so that he can receive the love and acknowledgement he never got as a child.
On top of the Nine Tails power and the will to never quit, Naruto also possesses the uncanny ability to turn everyone he meets into a potential comrade. He brings out the best in his peers and tries his hardest to make his enemies see the errors of their ways. He disobeys the rules and ignores cultural traditions to try and make changes to the world and break the eternal cycle of war and hatred through his own methods. His determination is infectious to friend and foe alike. He earns himself the respect he deserves by overcoming one impossible obstacle at a time.
Naruto encounters many fascinating and terrifying ninja over the course of his journey to become hokage. Among them are Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto’s best friend and rival who is driven by the vengeful lust to murder his elder brother after he wiped out their own clan in cold blood. Sasuke warms up to Naruto, but his hatred and trauma are dangerous forces that threaten to break his moral code as a ninja and destroy his reputation among his peers.
Kakashi Hatake is a notorious copycat ninja that survived one of the most brutal and devastating wars in history as well as the Nine Tails attack on the Leaf Village. He becomes Naruto and Sasuke’s mentor and teaches them a great number of valuable lessons about surviving in the dangerous world of rogue ninja, bloodthirsty assassins and clans ruled by corruption.
Jiraiya is a perverted yet wise sage who taught the Fourth Hokage everything he knew and he’s regarded as a god among shinobi that’s famous for his heroic actions in the second great ninja war. He takes an interest in Naruto and raises him as a father figure to carry on the legacy of the Fourth Hokage to prepare him for the many dangerous people that want to use his power for their own nefarious purposes.
The Akatsuki is one such group of wicked ninja. Among them are Sasuke’s brother Itachi who murdered his clan and possesses many dangerous techniques involving illusions, psychological torture and elemental manipulation. Sasori who controls poisonous puppets with magical threads, Orochimaru who mastered the forbidden arts of reanimation and quasi-immortality, Deidara who fights from afar using detonating clay and many other deadly foes.
The entire series chronicles Naruto and his fellow ninja comrades growing through countless trials and tragedies. There are hundreds of unique jutsus, clans, and techniques which lead to some very intense, creative and strategic battles between skilled ninja with diverse abilities that don’t always match up evenly. There are clan based abilities such as the Aburame clan’s ability to control insects, the Yamanaka clan’s ability to jump into other people’s minds and control their bodies and the Inuzuka clan’s ability to bond with wolves that learn to mimic their master’s battle skills. Then there’s ocular genetic abilities such as the sharingan which allows the user to create psychological illusions, copy their enemy’s abilities and manipulate elemental energy. The byakugan allows the user to read their enemies vital points and detect their spiritual energy from faraway. The rinnegan grants control over space and gravity and so on.
On top of having countless unique abilities, nearly every character has a tragic backstory that makes them sympathetic and relatable, even the nastiest of the villains have well-explored reasons for following the paths they do and becoming the way they are. One of my favorite aspects of the series is how well it explores the physical, emotional and psychological effects war can have on society and culture as well as the survivors and future generations that are forced to live in them. How it breeds racism and cultural disputes, how it inspires hatred in orphaned children and war veterans robbed of their homes toward foreign nations, as well as how this eventually leads to further death, war, poverty and destruction. Learning to forgive the ones you hate to prevent further conflict and damaging the world for future generations even further is a major theme throughout the story.
Being a massive 700 chapter series, it’s not too surprising that there’s some plot holes and consistency issues. A rule might be stated regarding the requirements and usage of a certain jutsu or ability only for that rule to be repeatedly broken 400 chapters later. Sometimes the characters and rules contradict themselves, sometimes the chronology of certain events and historical facts don’t match up perfectly, the lore and general backstory go through several retcons that change the philosophy and power scaling of the characters and the scope of world-building; the final arc especially drags on and breaks a lot of the logic and rules that the story spent the whole series setting up, etc...
Naruto’s far from perfect, but I remember it very fondly for being one of the first series that introduced me to things like manga and Japanese entertainment in general. It was one of those childhood classics like Dragon Ball, Inuyasha, Yu Yu Hakusho and Rurouni Kenshin. The series grew up with me and I can’t help but feel grateful to it for introducing me to hundreds of other franchises that I’m still a huge fan of to this day and I continue to find many new ones on the regular. Naruto's journey from a clownish, disrespected outcast into a talented, well-loved and admired hero is a memorable one.
February 2, 2016
This volume starts off with Chapter 181: The Fight Begins...!
This volume is what sealed the deal fo me to forevermore hate Uchiha, Sasuke. He has finally decided to desert the village with the claim that he will never grow strong enough to defeat Uchiha, Itachi. One thing I can't stand is Sasuke's need for instant gratification. Of course his improvement won't seem as drastic as Naruto's because he was at the bottom of the totem poll so to say. No one ever took the time or overcame their prejudice to actually teach the boy anything, when Sasuke takes everything for granted when he was effing spoon fed jutsu from anyone because they felt sorry for him.
Sakura meets him at the only exit to the village, and begs him to reconsider or take her with him. Sasuke calls her annoying, and then knocks her out leaving her on a park bench,to go meet the Sound Four. Now anyone could have walked by and hurt this girl; I mean what the F&*K was he thinking?
The next morning the Godaime Hokage assembles a retrieval team with the help of Shikamaru. The team consists of Shikamaru, Naruto, Choji, Neji, Kiba, and Akamaru.
Come and read why I get so steamed at this particular volume. Cheers!
This volume is what sealed the deal fo me to forevermore hate Uchiha, Sasuke. He has finally decided to desert the village with the claim that he will never grow strong enough to defeat Uchiha, Itachi. One thing I can't stand is Sasuke's need for instant gratification. Of course his improvement won't seem as drastic as Naruto's because he was at the bottom of the totem poll so to say. No one ever took the time or overcame their prejudice to actually teach the boy anything, when Sasuke takes everything for granted when he was effing spoon fed jutsu from anyone because they felt sorry for him.
Sakura meets him at the only exit to the village, and begs him to reconsider or take her with him. Sasuke calls her annoying, and then knocks her out leaving her on a park bench,to go meet the Sound Four. Now anyone could have walked by and hurt this girl; I mean what the F&*K was he thinking?
The next morning the Godaime Hokage assembles a retrieval team with the help of Shikamaru. The team consists of Shikamaru, Naruto, Choji, Neji, Kiba, and Akamaru.
Come and read why I get so steamed at this particular volume. Cheers!
September 28, 2014
Finally some interesting action around here! The new Hokage sends Shikamaru with a hand picked team to rescue the recently defecting Sasuke. The first of Orochimaru's sound ninja Jirobu attacks Shikamaru, Kiba, Neji, Choji, and Naruto with is Earth imprisoning techniques and his demonic cursed form. It's Choji who steps up to fight him and wouldn't you know, the chubby kid actually wins one in the end! I loved his food flavored pills that unleashed his chakra. I'm wondering how I could cook such a thing. Action packed volume as this series finally starts picking up the pace again. Easily one of the better fights this series has seen in a while!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews