Books: Naruto Vol. 18

Even a “slow” volume of Naruto is still a good one. The amount of action in Volume 18 is relatively minimal compared to the last time we checked in, but that only allows the other things that are so good about the series to step forward. The most important is how character and motive, not coincidence and happenstance, drive this story: things happen in Naruto because of the way people are, not because the plot demands it happen just-so.

Volume 18 gives us two parallel bits of story that intersect, each fueled by their respective characters: Naruto and “Pervy Sage” Jiraiya, student and mentor; and Orochimaru and the future Fifth Hokage, Tsunade. In the former, Naruto’s on the verge of making a key advance in the command of his powers thanks to Jiraiya’s close tutelage. In the latter, Orochimaru preys on one of Tsunade’s hidden weaknesses — the loss of her lover and her younger brother — and offers her a deal that would make the devil jealous. “I’ve mastered the forbidden jutsu,” he tells her — you guessed it, the ability to bring the dead back to life (or at least he says so). All he wants in exchange for that is the use of her prodigious healing skills to repair his damaged arm … and maybe her assurance that she won’t get in the way when he levels Konoha for keeps.

Article originally written for AMN. Click here to read full text.