Whenever a Manga series, or any printed series for that matter, is adapted for a new medium, you always wonder, “Will this be a authentic translation of the original work?” The Naruto Shippuden Manga took a bright-eyed dreamer from the bright-eyed ninja from the Village Hidden in the Leaves from a boy to a man. Naruto’s safe world of fun and games and games gets thrown out the door and is supplanted by a world filled with harsh realities. There’s no more complaining to Granny Tsunade about not getting the right missions because each mission is about life and death. In Naruto Shippuden the threat of the Akatsuki is finally realized and people die – often.
So, does the Anime hold up against the Manga? The answer is a resounding, yes. Naruto Shippuden Vol. 4 fully embraces the original Manga without pulling any punches. In the original series, Kakashi Sensei, Jiraiya or one of the older Leaf Ninja would bail Naruto out of tough situations. Now, Naruto and his friends fight side-by-side with the older ninja who trained them; they must rely on each other for salvation.
In Vol. 3, Team Guy and Team Kakashi went up against their Akatsuki rivals: Kisame and Itachi. We saw Naruto show off some of his training with Jiraiya in the earlier episodes of Shippuden, when Sakura and he faced off against Kakashi. Now, we’ll see the real training Naruto went through as he faces Itachi’s deadly Sharingan. Naruto also unleashes a secret weapon that builds on one of the powers he learned in the original series.
The action is non-stop, while in the backdrop we are left watching the rest of the Akatsuki rob Gaara of his Tailed-Fox and his life. The result is a shocking reflection of the original series. The original Naruto series began with a story arc ending in the death of the Third Hokage. In Vol. 4, we witness the end of Gaara, Kazekage of the Sand.
Naruto Shippuden Vol. 4 is a must have in the Naruto collection. The threats are more dangerous, the action is fast paced and the adrenaline is non-stop.
Episodes:
14. Naruto’s Growth
15. The Secret Weapon is Called…
16. The Secret of the Jinchuriki
17. The Death of Gaara!
Title: Naruto: Shippuden, Vol. 4
