Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and The Scarlet Spring
Synopsis:
With the world now safe and the ninja villages working together, Naruto's work as Hokage seems pretty mundane. Giving his son, Boruto, enough attention is the toughest task he has. But then Sasuke uncovers a conspiracy that may involve surviving members of the Uchiha clan. And at the same time, Sarada begins to have doubts about the truth of her origins. For teen audiences.
Review:
As it is one of the breakaway novels in the Naruto universe that also includes the new characters of Boruto and Sarada, it doesn't start on very good terms when Sarada, Sasuke and Sakura's daughter rescues a photograph from their destroyed house to find out someone else who looks very much like her. This, of course leads her to wonder who her real mother is as she is certain it isn't Sakura as Sakura doesn't wear glasses, and she knows full well her father doesn't need them.
There is a lot going on in this novel with some new characters, the very stubborn but cute Sarada goes on a quest with Chocho, one of the younger members of the Akamichi clan who, along with her believes her parents are fake. Along the way they bump into trouble with someone connected to the Uchiha clan who has a sharingan just like Sasuke and all hell brakes loose. A lot of feeling goes into this novel as Sarada has never met her father, only heard stories about him and seen rare photographs that indicate she even has a father. This along with the thought she is someone else's child annoys her mother, Sakura who defends her husband Sasuke as being her father. The evidence is there, but the reader has to think about it for themselves as Kishimoto-san leaves the reader to make up their own mind. The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring is comical in places, action-packed in others, but can make you doubt that Sakura is the mother - but, if that is the case, who really is the mother? What Sarada thinks is even funnier than expected.
Cameos from a younger looking Orochimaru and Kabuto getting on with things back at the orphanage are a welcome sight, as is a worried and tired Kakashi on the phone to Naruto about an issue he should have sorted out.
Bonus Bits: Double page spread illustration of Naruto, Boruto and friends ready for you to colour-in, new characters in the profile page and the story so far, separate character illustrations and a larger b&w version of the colour back cover image of Boruto, Sarada and Mitsuki flying through the air. What more could you ask for?
There is a lot going on in this novel with some new characters, the very stubborn but cute Sarada goes on a quest with Chocho, one of the younger members of the Akamichi clan who, along with her believes her parents are fake. Along the way they bump into trouble with someone connected to the Uchiha clan who has a sharingan just like Sasuke and all hell brakes loose. A lot of feeling goes into this novel as Sarada has never met her father, only heard stories about him and seen rare photographs that indicate she even has a father. This along with the thought she is someone else's child annoys her mother, Sakura who defends her husband Sasuke as being her father. The evidence is there, but the reader has to think about it for themselves as Kishimoto-san leaves the reader to make up their own mind. The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring is comical in places, action-packed in others, but can make you doubt that Sakura is the mother - but, if that is the case, who really is the mother? What Sarada thinks is even funnier than expected.
Cameos from a younger looking Orochimaru and Kabuto getting on with things back at the orphanage are a welcome sight, as is a worried and tired Kakashi on the phone to Naruto about an issue he should have sorted out.
Bonus Bits: Double page spread illustration of Naruto, Boruto and friends ready for you to colour-in, new characters in the profile page and the story so far, separate character illustrations and a larger b&w version of the colour back cover image of Boruto, Sarada and Mitsuki flying through the air. What more could you ask for?
Summary: This is one Naruto novel that delivers - and all in one go!
