The Great Ninja war continues and more and more of the greatest ninjas have been resurrected by the evil Kabuto. Meanwhile, Shikamaru, Choji and Ino must fight their former leader, Asuma, who has been resurrected and they must fight to the death.  Another action-packed volume that is highly recommended!
© 1999 by Masashi Kishimoto. All Rights Reserved.
MANGA TITLE: Naruto Volume 56
STORY AND ART BY: Masashi Kishimoto (岸本 æ–‰å²)
FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: SHUEISHA, Inc.
PUBLISHED IN USA BY: VIZ Media, LLC/Shonen Jump Manga
RATED: T for Older Teen
RELEASE DATE: May 8, 2012
Naruto and the Allied Shinobi Forces battle Kabuto’s hordes of reanimated ninja soldiers. In the process, they come face-to-face with old friends brought back from the dead… plus enemies and weapons more fearsome than any they could have imagined!
The popular manga series “Naruto” has been going strong since its debut in Shueisha back in 1999 via “Weekly Shonen Jump” magazine.
The manga by Masashi Kishimoto is about a young ninja named Naruto Uzamaki, a ninja of the Konoha leaf village who grew up facing prejudiced within his fellow ninjas because the evil nine-tailed fox was sealed inside him. But throughout the series, we have seen how Naruto is a kind-hearted boy who has worked hard in protecting his friends and staying true to his word with the goal of someday becoming the next Hokage of the village.
In the beginning, Naruto was part of Team Kakashi, alongside Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno and as a team, have grown up together taking on missions and also, joining with other teams of Team Konoha as well as other villages in taking on other major missions as well.
But now years have passed since those earlier years of Team Kakashi and Naruto and his friends are much older and his teammate Sasuke has left the village to pursue his brother Itachi for revenge of killing everyone of the Uchiha clan but worst of all, Sasuke is in search of the traitor of the Konoha village, the evil Orochimaru, in order to obtain more power.
During Naruto’s last confrontation with Sasuke, it appears that a black evil curse has consumed him. But as a promise to his teammate Sakura, Naruto will do what it takes to bring Sasuke back despite whether or not Sasuke has become evil.
In the previous volume of the “Naruto” manga series features the beginning of the Great War as the ninja villages have united to take on the dead, past Gokage and deceased Akatsuki members as well as the revival of deadly ninjas by Kabuto.
The dead know they have been revived but are not able to control their bodies (which is being controlled by Kabuto). The goal of capturing Naruto for his nine-tail powers continues, but the ninja villages were able to hide Naruto in a moving island. Meanwhile, Naruto is unaware of what is going on the outside world, as the Gokage have him fighting in an enclosed space and being trained from Killer Bee.
Meanwhile, as ninja units have been assembled on both sides, it’s a battle to the death as the ninjas of other villages must take on the ninjas that have been revived.
In volume 56, the Kage have been resurrected and Darui must take on the most dreaded ninja brothers of all time, Ginkaku and Kinkau a.k.a. The Gold & Silver Brothers. Two brothers who are not only powerful but having been eaten by the nine tails (and escaping it) and living within it’s belly and feeding off the Nine Tails inside, they were let out of the Jinchuriki’s body because of the harm they have caused and because they fed on the nine tails, they now have his chakra inside them. And Naruto is beginning to feel that something is wrong (and sensing his chakra on the outside).
Meanwhile, Mifune must take on the resurrected second Tsuchikage, Hanzo and also Asuma has been resurrected and now Shikamaru, Choji and Ino must fight their former master to to the death.
Here is a brief summary of each chapter of “Naruto Volume 55”:
- Number 525 – The Kage Resurrected!! – Kabuto resurrects the Kage!
- Number 526 – D Unit’s Battle Challenge!! – Darui’s team must take on the resurrected Gold and Silver Brothers.
- Number 527 – Forbidden Words – When Samui and Atsui take on the Gold and Silver Brothers, the brothers have a surprise awaiting them.
- Number 528 – Transcendent Drab – The Gold and Silver Brothers now have their eyes on capturing Darui.
- Number 539 – Golden Bonds – The ninja’s must work together in order to beat the Gold and Silver Brothers Jinchuriki transformation.
- Number 530 – Choji’s Decision – Shikimaru, Choji and Ino must fight their resurrected leader, Asuma but can they kill him?
- Number 531 – Team Asuma, Reunited! – The team must work together to fight the resurrected Jinchuriki.
- Number 522 – Mifune vs. Hanzo, Decided!! – Mifune goes one-on-one with the resurrected Hanzo.
- Number 523 – A Time for Oaths – Mifune reminds Hanzo of the words he once taught him.
- Number 524 – Farewell, Ino-Shika-Cho – Shikamaru, Choji and Ino must work together in order to defeat their former leader.
“Naruto” vol .56 is a continuation of the Great Ninja War and one can expect plenty of action in these latest chapters.
And despite all ninja villages banding together for the war, Kabuto has revived legendary ninjas, swordsmen and former leaders of ninja villages, including the Akatsuki and he has complete control over them. No matter how hard the dead try to fight Kabuto’s control, they are unable to break it and must fight against their former rivals, family members and friends.
This volume focuses on Darui’s fight against the Silver & Gold Brothers, Mifune’s battle with Hanzo and Shikamaru, Choji and Ino’s fight against their resurrected leader Asuma.
While most readers will probably be familiar with the relationship between Shikamaru, Choji and Ino with Asuma and no doubt that their battle with their former leader will be emotional, the other two fights are quite exciting as Darui is put to the test against the Gold and Silver Brothers and it becomes a battle of wit and strategy. Mifune and Hanzo’s battle is also quite interesting because both follow a samurai code and both have fought for peace, but now these two must fight each other to the death.
And the manga ends with Naruto which will definitely set things up for volume 57.
Needless to say, this latest volume of “Naruto” is once again an intense, all-action fight-fes! And the war is captured amazing well in this latest volume as Masashi Kishimoto tries to capture the essence of battle between the ninjas as the village may have the numbers, but also the fear that hits all of the current ninjas with the resurrection of the greatest ninjas of the past. Resurrected ninjas who literally have no control over their bodies and also the resurrection of the Akatsuki. Strategy comes to play and who will win and who will lose but so far, this latest volume has been exciting and can’t wait to see how things go with the Great War in volume 57.
Overall, “Naruto” is an awesome manga series and for those who have appreciated the anime series first, I have no doubt that they will also enjoy the manga series as well. Once again, another thrilling, action-packed volume of “Naruto” the manga series. Highly recommended!