The Art of Naruto: Uzumaki

I absolutely adore this book. It is well made, and the pages are big and boldly colored. It's a bit heavy, so I have to be careful of my kids around it, but if they're gentle with it, it stands up pretty well to their abuse, too. I have no regrets over buying it; I love it. (And now I want one for Shippuuden, too!)

This book's art is top notch. Kishimoto's full color panels are collected here and they don't disappoint. What really makes this book worthwhile though is the Q & A and commentary from Kishimoto and the step by step guide through his creative process. Well worth the price.

Kishimoto Masashi's /Naruto/ art book is just as it sounds: Another manga \ pictures from the creator art book. It's been done before. The only people who would probably appreciate it are art students interested in comics, or fans of the popular Naruto series. However, for those who do buy this book, well, it's beautiful, to say the very least. The book separated into sections, each containing a poem or snippet I assume was written by Kishimoto-san. For the publishers, VIZ Media, what I praise most about this book is the fact that they left the original Japanese print that went along with some of the pictures and translated off to the side. For some, this might be a nuisance, but for a student of the language, it's a good way to test themselves. Now, onto the book itself. Most of the pictures are cover spreads or pictures that have appeared on the cover of /Shonen Jump/ magazine. Thus, they have more than likely been seen by fans before. However, these pictures are uninterrupted by the text that goes on the covers of that magazine, and have - in the back of the book, sort of like the index - an explanation from Kishimoto-san himself explaining the thought processes and work that went into every picture. The art showcases pictures drawn up to volume twenty-four of the manga. The extras include an interview with Kishimoto-san basically speaking more of the creation of Naruto and ideas he puts into motion. Also, there is a step-by-step feature of how to draw the front cover using the same tools as Kishimoto-san himself. In the end, this book is a great buy for Naruto fans and those who want to learn from Kishimoto-san's style. Or for those who just respect the art. However, in the end, it was made for fans of the series, just as all manga art books are.

I'd been waiting for this artbook to come over for some time and I'm very pleased. It took me awhile to truly appreciate Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto but now that I'm into it, it is my favorite manga. And the art of Naruto is deceptively simple. In this first artbook, a fan can begin to see how complex yet clear Kishimoto's art is. One thing I really like about what Viz Media is doing for the artbooks, both FMA and now Naruto, it is that they publish it with the hardcover. I really like that. Otherwise, the quality is pretty much equal to the original Japanese printing of the art and that part is gorgeous. A bonus is the section near to the back where it is demonstrated what Masashi Kishimoto uses to create Naruto. All in all, a very fine and very nice addition to my ever growing manga collection.