Naruto Illustration Book TPPublisher: VIZ Media
Release Date: November 2011
Price: $19.99
Creator: Masashi Kishimoto
Format: 102 pgs.; Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-4215-3869-3
Age Rating: All-Ages
ICv2 Rating: 3.5 Stars out of 5
Kishimoto’s action manga series remains a favorite in both the United States and Japan. For fans who cannot get enough of the titular ninja and his fellow shinobi, VIZ offers a second illustration book, a companion to 2007’s The Art of Naruto: Uzumaki. This attractively assembled collection is mostly made up of images, but those alone should be enough to appeal to readers who want to admire Kishimoto’s work on a larger scale, those interested in manga art, and/or those wanting inspiration for costume designs.
The illustrations cover the range of Naruto’s adventures, from the first series to the new one, including a few images from the movies. Most of the drawings are ordinary cover art, but when Kishimoto branches into more realistic or historical designs his work pops from the page. His notes on his work are included in the back of the book, along with details about the original publication of each piece. Libraries should be aware that the book also includes two items that may hamper circulation: a fold out map (showing all nine of the “jinchûriki,” or bearers of the tailed beasts) and stickers bearing the covers of the first forty-nine books in the Naruto series.
--Snow Wildsmith: Writer and former teen librarian and ALA/YALSA committee member.