Sasuke Uchiha

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Fugaku Uchiha)

Sasuke Uchiha
Naruto character
Three forms of a black-haired fictional character showing his teenage self (left), his adult self (middle), and his child self (right)
Sasuke Uchiha as seen in Part I (right), Part II (left), and the finale as well as the Boruto film and series (middle)
First appearanceNaruto chapter 3: Enter Sasuke! (1999)
Created byMasashi Kishimoto
Voiced byJapanese
Noriaki Sugiyama
English
Yuri Lowenthal
In-universe information
Notable relativesItachi Uchiha (older brother, deceased)
Sakura Uchiha (wife)
Sarada Uchiha (daughter)
Ninja rankGenin in Part Two
Ninja teamTeam 7 (Part I)
Taka (Part II)

Sasuke Uchiha (Japanese: うちは サスケ, Hepburn: Uchiha Sasuke) (/ˈsɑːsk/) is a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime franchise created by Masashi Kishimoto. Sasuke belongs to the Uchiha clan, a notorious ninja family, and one of the most powerful, allied with Konohagakure (木ノ葉隠れの里, English version: "Hidden Leaf Village"). Most of its members were massacred by Sasuke's older brother, Itachi Uchiha, before the series began, leaving Sasuke one of the few living. Despite becoming empathetic toward his teammates Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno, Sasuke's feelings of powerlessness force him to abandon his friends and his home in his quest to become stronger, and to find Orochimaru. Sasuke appears in several of the series' animated feature films and related media, including video games, original video animations (OVAs), and Boruto: Naruto the Movie (2015) and its manga sequel, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations (2016), in which he is depicted as a vigilante supporting his village and a mentor to Naruto's son Boruto Uzumaki.

Kishimoto conceived Sasuke as a rival of the series' title character Naruto Uzumaki. Despite Sasuke's dark character development later in the story, Kishimoto avoided portraying him as a villain; he found designing the character challenging and had difficulty creating a suitable look for him. Nonetheless, Kishimoto has grown to enjoy drawing him. In the manga's animated adaptations, Sasuke was voiced by Noriaki Sugiyama in Japanese and Yuri Lowenthal in English.

Sasuke's character has received mixed responses from anime and manga publications. His impressive fighting skills, plot contribution, and rivalry with Naruto Uzumaki received some praise, but he was criticized as a stereotypical rival in the mold of similar characters from other shōnen manga and as exhibiting a cold personality. Nevertheless, Sasuke's characterization in latter parts of the story and more mature personality in the Boruto sequel earned further positive comments. Sasuke has also placed highly in Naruto reader popularity polls and has also been the subject of studies by scholars. Character-based merchandise, including action figures and key chains, have been released.

Creation[edit]

Development[edit]

Manga artist Masashi Kishimoto did not include Sasuke Uchiha in his original concept for the Naruto series, a story revolving around the character Naruto Uzumaki. Discussing the series' future, his editor, Kosuke Yahagi, advised him to add a rival character for the protagonist Naruto and he created Sasuke.[1] The character's first name came from Sanpei Shirato's manga Sasuke and Sarutobi Sasuke, a fictional ninja character in Japanese children's stories.[2] To introduce Sasuke, Kishimoto wrote a chapter that was set before the formation of his ninja squad, Team 7. The idea was scrapped; Yahagi told Kishimoto to focus the series' first two chapters on introducing Naruto instead and the focus on Sasuke and the rest of the supporting characters were shown in the next chapters for the first time.[3][4] Once creating Sasuke's character, Kishimoto decided to use him as a protagonist rather than supporting character in order to start his development at the same time as Naruto.[5] When plot developments made Sasuke one of the story's antagonists, Kishimoto called him and Naruto yin and yang because of their differences and complementary natures.[6] During this period, he was asked whether Sasuke was good or evil; he replied that Sasuke was neither and called him a "very pure person."[7] He said although some of Sasuke's actions such as following his clan's ideas were positive, his self-centeredness tended to cause problems with others. Since the beginning of the story's serialization, Kishimoto planned to conclude the series with a fight between Sasuke and Naruto, but he was uncertain whether the characters would end up as friends or enemies.[8]

Kishimoto had read a variety of manga to obtain ideas for the creation of an effective rivalry between two characters, which he incorporated into Naruto and Sasuke's relationship. He was also inspired by his relationship with his twin brother, Seishi Kishimoto; since childhood, Masashi had worried about Seishi when he faced failure and had tried to help him.[9] To contrast Sasuke with Naruto, Kishimoto made him less emotional and depicted him as a "cool genius"; he felt he had created an ideal rivalry in the pair,[10] and when one character progressed he ensured the other did as well.[6] Kishimoto wanted Naruto and Sasuke to seem like brothers and rivals, building on a mutual experience of childhood loneliness. Although Sasuke does not regard Naruto as a worthy opponent at first, he is surprised by Naruto's growth and becomes fiercely competitive. In the Part I finale, their rivalry leads to a fight and they grow further apart. Kishimoto said he did not want Sasuke to recognize Naruto as an equal until later in Part II.[11]

Although both characters had used ninja techniques throughout the series, Kishimoto wanted the two fighters to rely on hand-to-hand combat for the climax of their final battle.[12] He decided to have Naruto forgive Sasuke because he had also forgiven Nagato, another former enemy.[13] The final fight between Sasuke and Naruto was considered one of the biggest challenges ever faced by the staff from Pierrot as it took an entire month to adapt it from the manga. Director Hiroyuki Yamashita elected himself in charge of the battle which left most of the anime members relieved due to his experience. For the scenario, Pierrot received assistance from CyberConnect2, the video game development studio who had already adapted this battle through the fighting game Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4. There was a need to make every movement in the fight look realistic, giving Sasuke a scary look as well as hair movement in order to express the idea of both fighters willing to do anything to kill each other, which confused some due to Naruto's wish to avoid this fate. The final clash between Sasuke's Chidori and Naruto's Rasengan moves involved references from other scenes of the series to give the viewer a bigger emotional impact. The staff noted that following this fight, Sasuke's face became calmer despite his initial look, giving room to explore his redemption.[14]

Kishimoto found Sasuke a difficult character to write, requiring considerable planning. In the series finale, Sasuke leaves on a solo journey; Kishimoto later stated that in addition to atonement, Sasuke wants to discover the origin of the final antagonist, but this was not explained in the story.[9] He planned Sasuke and Sakura Haruno's romance early in Naruto's production and decided that despite having a good relationship with his allies, Sasuke would remain a rogue ninja at the end of the series.[15]

Kishimoto wished to further explore Sasuke's role in the series after Naruto's finale. He wanted to explain the connection between Sasuke and Sakura in the spin-off manga Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring (2015), which focuses on their daughter, Sarada Uchiha. Despite their separation during Sasuke's mission, which draws him away from his village, the story explains the bond between the three characters. Kishimoto focused on the final scene of the Uchiha family, which he regards as the spin-off's most important facet.[16] Because Sasuke had few appearances in the Naruto films, Kishimoto decided to give him a bigger role in Boruto: Naruto the Movie (2015), in which he teaches Naruto's firstborn child, Boruto Uzumaki; a reference to Piccolo and Gohan in Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball manga series and also depicted in the manga Boruto: Naruto Next Generations (2016). Kishimoto identified Naruto's fights alongside Sasuke against Momoshiki as the highlights of the film and asked that the film's staff pay close attention to those sequences. Two other scenes written by the staff which surprised Kishimoto were Sasuke's use of one of his taijutsu moves and the combination of his Susanoo technique and Naruto's recreation of the Nine-Tailed Fox.[17][18] Another relationship the novelist Jun Esaka wanted to explore was the one Sasuke has with his wife in Sasuke Retsuden most notably in the manga adaptation where liked the focus on romance.[19]

Design[edit]

Sketches of a male teenage manga character that include his full body, face, and clan symbol — the Japanese hand-held fan, also known as an uchiwa
Sketches of a male teenage character featured in a manga series
While early designs of Sasuke as seen in Part I (left) were similar to the final one,[20] for Part II (right) Kishimoto conceived multiple sketches which were scrapped.[21]

Kishimoto regarded Sasuke as his most memorable character design because he was developed as Naruto's opposite.[22] He said the design of Sasuke and his Sharingan (写輪眼, lit. "Copy Wheel Eye", English manga: "Mirror Wheel Eye") ability were influenced by the character Hiei in Yoshihiro Togashi's manga series, YuYu Hakusho.[23] Sasuke originally had necklaces and ties around his arms and legs because Kishimoto had a habit of giving characters as much ornamentation as possible; realizing he could not draw such a complex character on a weekly basis, Kishimoto simplified the design to a basic contrast with Naruto's costume.[20] The Chidori (千鳥, lit. "One Thousand Birds") — one of Sasuke and Kakashi Hatake's best-known fighting techniques — originally had a different name that Kishimoto forgot. He found the name "Chidori" and its variant, the "Lightning Blade", appropriate.[11]

Kishimoto considered Sasuke his most challenging character to design and draw. He lacked a clear idea of how his face should look, saying Sasuke seemed older than Naruto, his contemporary,[24] and felt this inconvenience was a result of his inexperience in drawing characters who were mature beyond their years.[20] Sasuke's hair, originally short to save Kishimoto time, slowly grew longer as the series progressed.[24] Mid-way through Part I, he drew a new costume for Sasuke with belts strapped around his arms and legs, but he returned to the character's original design because it took less time to draw.[25] Sasuke is his favorite character to draw despite the time and energy required,[20] and he compared Sasuke with Sakura in difficulty.[12] Kishimoto's superiors sometimes asked him to redraw parts of the manga that did not illustrate Sasuke well.[12]

A plain sword in a sheath
A replica of Sasuke's Kusanagi sword

Kishimoto's design focus for Part II was Sasuke's older appearance. Originally, Kishimoto had wanted to draw him as a more attractive person, but the idea was discarded. An outfit he initially planned combined the younger Sasuke's outfit with new, more modern clothes. Kishimoto tried several other looks, including the use of Shimenawa to evoke the antagonist Orochimaru, and a turtleneck and military uniform to connote cleanliness. He avoided the second option due to similarities with cold weather clothing and eventually chose Japanese clothing and a chokutō sword.[21]

For The Last: Naruto the Movie, Kishimoto gave Sasuke a new, young-adult design with sharper facial features.[26] In contrast with the older Naruto, who cut his hair, Sasuke's hairstyle grew longer to cover part of the character's face. In the original concept, the hair hid Sasuke's mysterious left eye — the Rinnegan (輪廻眼, lit. "Saṃsāra Eye"). According to Kishimoto, he decided to give the character a large hood because Sasuke concealed his identity during the events of the film. Sasuke's design was specifically created to support his actions; the area that showed Sasuke had lost his left arm in the Naruto finale was also covered by his clothes.[27]

Personality and voice actors[edit]

A middle-aged, Caucasian man with short, dark hair, wearing a black jacket and speaking into a microphone
Yuri Lowenthal, voice of Sasuke in the anime's English-language version

Sasuke is voiced by Noriaki Sugiyama in Japanese media. At the beginning of the anime's first part, Sugiyama had difficulty voicing Sasuke because he knew little about his personality; he began to understand the character at the point in the story where Sasuke encounters his brother, Itachi Uchiha. Sugiyama read the manga and became particularly interested in Sasuke's development when the character left Konohagakure; he wanted to revoice some scenes from the anime, including Sasuke's departure from Konohagakure.[28] In Behind the Scenes of Uchiha, a feature about Sasuke and Itachi's backstory, Sugiyama said he had become emotional during the recording sessions of the sixth season of the anime's second part (Naruto: Shippuden), in which Sasuke learns the truth about his brother's role in the massacre of the Uchiha clan.[29]

Sugiyama thought Sasuke's line, "You are annoying," summed up the character's feelings toward Sakura and indicated a change in their relationship each time it was said; although she initially annoys him, he smiles when he repeats it before leaving Konohagakure. Naruto's Japanese voice actress, Junko Takeuchi, said Sasuke's line addressed to Sakura, "See you next time... Thank you," revealed his feelings for her. Sugiyama stated that by the end of the series, Sasuke realized how much he had hurt Sakura's feelings and apologized to her after his final fight against Naruto because of this. While recording for Boruto: Naruto the Movie, Sugiyama expected to see a bond between Sasuke and his apprentice, Boruto Uzumaki.[30] According to Sugiyama, Sasuke's personality had changed for the Boruto anime series, and the actor wanted fans to see the character's interaction with his family.[31] Japanese rock band Scenarioart in charge of performing the ending theme song of this story arc were given directions by Pierrot to make the song show the distant but caring relationship between Sasuke and Sarada. As a result, although the lyrics often mentions the farewells Sasuke and Sarada had, the intention was meant to make it look optimistic as they are destined to meet once again.[32]

Yuri Lowenthal, who voices Sasuke in the English dubs, said he was honored to receive the role since many actors had auditioned for it, and he added that the job was stressful. Although fans were critical of deviations and mistakes in his recordings,[33] he enjoyed voicing the character.[34] His first impression of Sasuke was of "a serious guy dedicated to his training", but his view changed as he learned about the character's backstory.[35] Lowenthal said that some of Sasuke's lines, such as his use of the word "kill", were changed as Viz Media often censored parts of the series' dialogue for Western viewers. As a result, he found the original Japanese version truer to the character.[36]

Appearances[edit]

In Naruto[edit]

In Part I[edit]

Sasuke is introduced in the third chapter of Naruto's manga as a young ninja assigned to become a member of Team 7 alongside his rival Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno, the latter of whom is infatuated with him.[37] The trio are trained under the guidance of Kakashi Hatake.[38] Although Sasuke is antisocial, cold, and distant, he starts caring about Naruto and Sakura.[39] During a mission, Sasuke awakens his Sharingan — his clan's inherited ability to see through illusions — which allows him to learn imperceptible movements at a superhuman rate.[40][41] It is revealed later that Sasuke is the sole survivor of the once-powerful Uchiha clan of Konohagakure. He, at the age of seven, survived the massacre of his clan perpetrated by his brother, Itachi, who spared Sasuke's life because he did not consider him worth killing.[42] Sasuke seeks strong fighting opponents to reassure himself his power is growing.[43]

During a ninja examination meant to improve their ranks, Team 7 encounters Orochimaru, an exile from Konohagakure who afflicts Sasuke with a Cursed Seal that contains a fragment of Orochimaru's consciousness, which increases Sasuke's physical abilities, but makes him cruel and sadistic.[44][45] Kakashi teaches Sasuke the lightning-based offensive technique called Chidori in an attempt to appease Sasuke's desire for power.[46] During a siege of Konohagakure, a berserker ninja named Gaara beats Sasuke, who is rescued by Naruto. Shortly afterward, Itachi returns to the village; Sasuke tries to kill him, but he is beaten and tortured instead. Shaken by the experience he decides to leave Team 7 and Konohagakure to become stronger.[47] Thinking Orochimaru's training will make him more powerful, Sasuke becomes an outlaw.[48] Naruto follows him and they fight when Sasuke refuses to return; Sasuke wins, spares Naruto's life, and continues to Orochimaru's hideout.[49]

In Part II[edit]

After two-and-a-half years of training, Sasuke absorbs Orochimaru before he can possess his younger body.[50] Following this, Sasuke forms Team Hebi to find Itachi.[51] Itachi and Sasuke fight and Itachi dies at the climax of the battle from an illness.[52] Sasuke then meets Tobi, Itachi's superior, who reveals that Itachi killed the Uchiha clan under orders from Konohagakure and spared Sasuke out of love rather than contempt.[52] Sasuke rejoins Hebi — which he renames Taka — and declares his intention to destroy his former village in retribution. Due to his brother's death, Sasuke's Sharingan has evolved into a Mangekyo Sharingan (万華鏡写輪眼, Mangekyō Sharingan, lit. "Kaleidoscope Copy Wheel Eye"), giving him powerful new techniques.[53] After he agrees to work temporarily for Tobi's terrorist organization, Akatsuki, Sasuke becomes a criminal.[54] He kills Danzo Shimura — a mastermind of the Uchiha massacre and the acting Hokage, the leader of Konohagakure, at the time.[55] Sasuke is confronted by his former Team 7 colleagues, and Naruto challenges him to a death match.[56]

Sasuke initially prepares to fight Naruto but instead decides to protect Konohagakure after he encounters the re-animated bodies of Itachi[57] and the First Hokage.[58][59] He rejoins Team 7 and fights the Ten-Tails monster that is controlled by the masterminds behind Akatsuki.[60][61] Sasuke inherits the Rinnegan — a legendary eye technique — from the spirit of the Sage of the Six Paths Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the Founder of Shinobi. Team 7 fights and seals an ancient being called Kaguya Otsutsuki — Hagoromo's mother — who created the Ten-Tails.[62] Sasuke then fights Naruto alone to settle their village's future;[63] when he loses his left arm, Sasuke surrenders and reconciles with Naruto.[64] Sasuke then destroys Akatsuki's illusion placed on mankind with his Rinnegan. He is pardoned for his crimes by Kakashi — the current Hokage — and decides to travel the world in search of redemption. Before leaving, he says farewell to both Sakura and Naruto with gratitude.[65] By the end of the manga, having briefly returned to the village, Sasuke is revealed to have married Sakura who is raising their daughter Sarada.[66]

In the Boruto franchise[edit]

In the Naruto spin-off manga, Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring, and the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations anime (2017), Sasuke has left Konohagakure sometime after Sarada's birth on a secret mission to investigate a possible threat relating to Kaguya, traveling across the world and Kaguya's dimensions for clues while aiding the other villages in secret. In the Boruto anime, Sasuke briefly returns to his village before the arc begins and asks Naruto to offer Sakura his apologies.[31] He rejoins Naruto to oppose Orochimaru's former test subject Shin, who takes the Uchiha surname for his own while seeking to avenge Itachi and revive the Akatsuki to end the peace. After defeating Shin and his clone children, Sasuke bonds with his daughter for the first time and resumes his mission.[67] A novel by Mirei Miyamoto focuses on Sasuke's work in his village where he replaces Konohamaru Sarutobi as the leader of Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki's team.[68] Another novel which is being adapted into a manga is focused on a new adventure Sasuke and Sakura. The theme of Sasuke's novel is that of "a married couple's view on life and death".[69][70]

In Boruto: Naruto the Movie, also covered in both the Boruto manga and anime, Sasuke returns to Konohagakure to warn Naruto of the threat posed by Kaguya's kinsmen Momoshiki Otsutsuki and Kinshiki Otsutsuki, who seek the tailed beast chakra for their end.[71][72] He meets Naruto's son, Boruto, and becomes the boy's mentor once having him learn to use his father's Rasengan (螺旋丸, lit. spiral sphere, English manga: "Spiral Chakra Sphere"). When the Otsutsuki members abduct Naruto during the Chunin Exam, Sasuke is accompanied by Boruto as he and the Kage — the leaders of the ninja villages — travel to Momoshiki's planet to save Naruto. Sasuke then aids Naruto and Boruto in defeating Momoshiki, who absorbs Kinshiki to increase his power.[71] After Momoshiki's defeat, Sasuke notices the enemy has placed a seal on Boruto.[73] The anime has Sasuke searching Urashiki Otsutsuki alongside Gaara.[74] Sasuke learns the Otsutsuki clan are connected to Kara and faces them with Naruto, noting that he might die in combat due to their superior powers.[75] When one of Kawaki's allies makes the villages think Boruto killed his parents and that Kawaki is the real son, Sasuke realizes from his daughter's comments that his memories were altered and escapes from the village with Boruto to protect him from the villagers.[76]

In other media[edit]

Sasuke appears in the first four original video animations (OVAs) produced for the series. In the first episode, he helps Naruto and Konohamaru find a four-leaf clover;[77] in the second, he joins Naruto's team for a mission;[77] he participates in a tournament in the third; and he works with Team 7 in the fourth.[78][79] One OVA presents an alternate fight between Sasuke and Naruto in Naruto: Shippuden.[80] The character is present in the first two Naruto feature films; he guards a princess in Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow (2004) and makes a brief appearance in a flashback in Naruto the Movie: Legend of the Stone of Gelel (2005).[81] The first Part II film in which he appears is Naruto Shippuden 2: Bonds (2008).[82] The sixth Part II film, Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie (2012), contains a flirtatious, alternate-reality version of Sasuke.[83] In The Last: Naruto the Movie (2014), an adult Sasuke returns briefly to Konohagakure to protect it from a meteor.[84]

He is a recurring character in the Naruto light novels and the protagonist of the manga Naruto Jinraiden: The Day the Wolf Howled (2012), which explores Sasuke's reflections after Itachi's death and his decision to destroy Konohagakure.[85] In Sakura Hiden (2015), an adult Sasuke continues his journey of redemption but returns to Konohagakure out of concern for Sakura's safety.[86] In Akatsuki Hiden (2015), Sasuke meets two children who tell him stories about Akatsuki, and they discuss Itachi's legacy.[87] He is the protagonist of Sasuke Shinden (2015); he agrees to aid Konohagakure by investigating a series of disappearances, which he solves with the help of Taka and a Konohagakure ninja named Sai.[88] Sasuke is also the protagonist of manga artist Kenji Taira's Naruto spin-off, Sasuke Uchiha's Sharingan Legend (2014), in which he and Taka search for Itachi. According to Taira, Sasuke would be characterized as an "idiot."[89] A new novel focused on Sasuke's life as an adult alongside Sakura, Sasuke Retsuden: The Uchiha Descendants and the Heavenly Stardust (2019), was written by Jun Esaka.[90]

Sasuke is a playable character in Naruto video games, including the Clash of Ninja and Ultimate Ninja series.[91][92][93] His Cursed Seal can be unlocked and activated in some games. Due to his absence from early Naruto: Shippuden episodes, Sasuke has not appeared in any games based on Naruto: Shippuden until the launch of Gekitō Ninja Taisen! EX 2 and Ultimate Ninja 5 (2007).[94] Sasuke is also present in crossover games, such as Jump Super Stars (2005), Battle Stadium D.O.N (2006), Jump Ultimate Stars (2006), J-Stars Victory VS (2014), and Jump Force (2019).[95][96][97][98]

Cultural impact[edit]

Characterization and themes[edit]

A white Eastern fan, with pink and purple flowers
The Eastern fan (uchiwa) is Sasuke's clan symbol.[99]

Lowenthal said in 2010 that Sasuke was one of the first dark characters he voiced, adding, "He's sort of a hero, but he's not the naïve, young white–hat hero."[100] Scholars have also analyzed the character. In El Anime como elemento de Transculturación, Sasuke's corruption from a friend of the main character to his antagonist is considered one of the major interests in the narrative as it causes Naruto a dilemma about whether or not he will have to kill him during his growth as a ninja, making it one of the best written storylines presented in the narrative.[101] According to a study of readers' abilities to predict character types based on physical cues, Sasuke was classified as an INTJ (Myers-Briggs) character type, making him a foil for Naruto.[102] Rik Spanjers regarded Sasuke's dissimilarity to Naruto as tragic but wrote that the contrast between the protagonists' approaches to the world was fundamental to the plot: "Naruto's strength grows as he gains more loved ones to protect, while Sasuke remains alone and is increasingly absorbed by his quest for revenge".[103] According to academic Amy Plumb, Kishimoto's references to Japanese mythology in Naruto, including the heraldic symbol of Sasuke's clan — a fan known as an uchiwa — added layers to the story and Sasuke's ability to 'blow away' the Nine-Tailed Fox's influence on Naruto resembled the mythological use of the fan to dispel evil.[99] Beatriz Peña viewed Sasuke's antagonism in the series as a result of the war theme often shown throughout the story, with the Uchihas having been slaughtered due to a possible civil war against Konohagakure, which expanded the connection between him and Naruto.[104] My Hero Academia author Kōhei Horikoshi praised the portrayal of Sasuke alongside Naruto in the beginning as in the bodyguard mission it is made clear that Sasuke is willing to fight against several enemies while Naruto instead feels fear, being motivated to avoid acting like this again.[105]

Tejal Suhas Bagwe from Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment for the Degree of Masters of Arts in English describes the usage of god themed techniques within the Uchihas as major references to Japanese mythology especially when awakening the stronger Mangekyo Sharingan. Another reference is how Orochimaru becomes the mythical Yamata-no-Orochi during Sasuke's fight against Itachi who seals Orochimaru through his own Susanoo similar to the myth. The series' final antagonist, Kaguya Otsutsuki, is based on Kaguya Hime. Similar to the references of the Sharingans, Kaguya also references Japanese mythology, with both Sasuke and Naruto being the descendants of her children in a similar fashion to Amaterasu, the powerful Goddess of the Sun, and Susanoo, the God of thunder. The contrasting relations between these two characters is a common theme within the manga, as not only this is explored through Naruto and Sasuke but also through the two other connected ninjas, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.[106] Antônio Guilherme Bernardes Galletti from University of São Paulo notes Boruto starts noticing the different skills his father possesess when Sasuke has him try to learn the Rasengan which makes the skilled student find a challenging training in his life for the first time. The film makes Boruto's character become complex when learning of the shinobi code his father and master use which was also compared to the samurais' bushido while developing a sense of individuality when deciding what to do with his life when growing up.[107]

Popularity[edit]

Sasuke has ranked among the top-five Naruto characters in every Weekly Shōnen Jump popularity poll of the series. Initially alternating between third and fourth places, he has finished first twice.[108][109] A popularity poll on the Japanese website Charapedia ranked Sasuke and Naruto's rivalry as the best in anime.[110] Similarly, Sasuke was voted as the second best rival in manga and anime in a poll by Anime Anime.[111] At New York's 2015 Comic-Con, moderator Christopher Butcher and editor Jo Otsuki commented that Sasuke had become the series' most popular character, and Otsuki called him his favorite. Butcher wondered whether readers considered Sasuke a more-relatable character after he had embraced Naruto's positive outlook on life in the series finale. According to Otsuki, fans regarded Sasuke's character and abilities as "cooler" than those of his rival.[112] Jacob Hope of Anime News Network (ANN) listed Sasuke and Naruto as two of the "Fiercest Frenemies" in anime due to their resemblance despite being adversaries and their need to engage in a mortal fight to become friends.[113] In a Tokyo Otaku Mode poll, Sasuke was deemed the sixth best character women would want to have a date with.[114] IGN also listed him as one of the ten best rivals in anime in general,[115] while a poll from Anime! Anime! listed Naruto and him as one of the best rivals turned into allies.[116] In poll from 2021, Sasuke was voted as the fifth best character from Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.[117]

Upon seeing the final fight between Sasuke in the game, CyberConnect2 CEO Hiroshi Matsuyama admitted he got emotional.[118] Matsuyama also made his own sketch of Sasuke, aiming to put in the video game when he faces Naruto.[119] Matsuyama further reflected the anime's 133rd episode to be one of his favorites not only for the action sequences between Naruto and Sasuke but also the emotional value displayed.[120]

Merchandise[edit]

Sasuke merchandise includes key chains[121] and figurines.[122][123][124] Boruto film audiences were offered fans bearing images of Sasuke and his daughter, Sarada.[125] To promote the video game Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4, two 1/6-scale statues depicting Sasuke and Naruto during their final clash from the series were developed by Luxembourgian company Tsume.[126]

Japanese toy company Bandai released an action figure of Sasuke performing the Chidori move.[127] In May 2017, Bandai launched a figurine of Sasuke performing his Susanoo eye technique, which represents the god of thunder Raijin. Studio Pierrot released artwork that was sold alongside this figure.[128] Bandai also produced a limited-edition adult figurine of Sasuke as he appears in the Naruto finale and the Boruto franchise, which impressed Scott Green, a writer for Ain't It Cool News and Crunchyroll.[129][130]

Critical response[edit]

Sasuke's character has received both praise and criticism in online and printed publications.[131] Reviewing the series' first part, writers said they enjoyed Sasuke's fights but disapproved of his dark personality, which resembled the stereotypical rival in shōnen manga.[132][133][134] Critics commended the relationship between Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura; they regarded the characters as complex and mature because of their teamwork and despite their youth.[135][136] Reviewers considered that the characters' tactics and the emphasis on their rivalry's emotional undercurrents made Sasuke and Naruto's final fight from the story's first part one of the most entertaining in the series,[137][138] and they praised the one-sided romantic relationship between Sasuke and Sakura.[139][140] Although critics enjoyed Yuri Lowenthal's voicing of Sasuke,[141] Theron Martin of ANN said the actor had difficulty sounding younger in flashbacks.[142]

Reviewers were more enthusiastic about Sasuke's character in the second part of the series. Critics stated that his more-emotional demeanor and his conversation with the Nine-Tailed Fox — a creature sealed within Naruto's body — made his scenes in Naruto: Shippuden interesting.[143][144] Jason Thompson wrote that Sasuke had not become evil despite siding with the antagonist Orochimaru, lending ambiguity to his character.[145] Writers believed Sasuke's fights during the story's first part's climax against Naruto second part had a major impact on the plot and the character,[146][147][148] and they regarded his battles as some of the franchise's best.[149]

The series finale garnered praise from critics for the intensified rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke because of the characters' similarities.[150][151] Reviewers also applauded Sasuke's acknowledgement of his crimes, his agreement to go to prison, and his decision to begin a journey of redemption, indicating an acceptance of responsibility for his misdeeds and a response to Sakura's feelings.[152] Writers thought the character's monologue after his final fight with Naruto highlighted his deeper side and that his farewell was a satisfying ending to the final story arc.[153][154]

Sasuke has continued to receive praise following the end of the Naruto series. Writers considered his fight scenes in Boruto: Naruto the Movie and in particular his teamwork with Naruto to be the best parts of the film,[155][156][157][158] with its television series also received critical acclaimed to the point of finding as appealing as the final fight from Shippuden between Sasuke and Naruto.[159] A similar assessment was made of Sasuke's characterization as an adult; Chris Beveridge of The Fandom Post approved of his new personality.[160] Critics also commented that Sasuke had become more caring toward his daughter,[161][162] and they said the Boruto anime had developed Sasuke as a father and a husband and had solidified his relationship with his wife, Sakura,[163][164] despite his flawed interaction with his family due to his mission to stop Kaguya's followers in order to atone for his past actions and protect his hometown in the process.[165][166] The storyline Sasuke Retsuden where Sasuke questions his marriage due to his constant wanderings resulted positive reactions from the media as he gives Sakura an engagement ring and the couple start acting commonly.[167] Sasuke's interaction with Boruto also earned praise by Anime News Network for how supportive he is on his student when Boruto is depressed about his father's disappearance and he encourages to join his rescue team to find him.[168] The character's possible mortal fate in the fight against Kara was found by IGN to be a common commentary within readers who feared Sasuke dying in the narrative based on build up where he tells Boruto he and Naruto are ready to die protecting the village.[169]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Shonen Jump. Viz Media. 2007. p. 366. ISSN 1545-7818.
  2. ^ "Interview: Tracking Down the Source". Shonen Jump Naruto Collector 3. Viz Media. August 2007.
  3. ^ "Naruto: The Beginning". Jump Square (in Japanese) (12–14). Shueisha. December 2014.
  4. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (December 4, 2009). Naruto―ナルト―[秘伝·皆の書]オフィシャルプレミアムファンBook [Naruto Secret · Everyone's Book Official Premium Fan]. Naruto (in Japanese). Shueisha. p. 190. ISBN 978-4-08-874834-4.
  5. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). Uzumaki: the Art of Naruto. Viz Media. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-4215-1407-9.
  6. ^ a b Kido, Misaki C. (February 2012). "Interview with Masashi Kishimoto (Creator of Naruto)". Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha (2–06–12). Viz Media: 120–123.
  7. ^ "Interview with Masashi Kishimoto (Creator of Naruto)". Weekly Shōnen Jump (2–03–14). Viz Media. February 2014. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Masashi Kishimoto: Sasuke is basically a very pure person who does not think about whether what he does is good or bad. He just does what he does which causes troubles for others.
  8. ^ "Masashi Kishimoto: Fan letters from overseas made me realize the popularity of 'Naruto'". ajw.asahi.com. Asashi. November 10, 2014. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  9. ^ a b "ナルト 本当に終わっちゃうの?" [Naruto Is it really going to end?]. Entermix (in Japanese). No. November 2014. Kadokawa. 2014. p. 70. ASIN B01LEPKJ28.
  10. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). Uzumaki: the Art of Naruto. Viz Media. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-4215-1407-9.
  11. ^ a b Kishimoto, Masashi (2013). Naruto-ナルト-名言集 絆-Kizuna- 天ノ巻 [Naruto Bonds: The Words That React]. Shueisha. pp. 188–195. ISBN 978-4-08-720681-4.
  12. ^ a b c 漫道コバヤシ第13号「Naruto完結!岸本斉史SP」 [Kobayashi No. 13 'Completion of Naruto! Masashi Kishimoto SP'] (in Japanese). Fuji Television. December 13, 2014.
  13. ^ Aoki, Deb (October 14, 2015). "Masashi Kishimoto at New York Comic-con The Anime News Network Interview". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 19, 2016.
  14. ^ "ラストバトルの裏話" (in Japanese). Pierrot. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  15. ^ "Boruto: Naruto the Movie". CinemaToday.jp (in Japanese). Cinema Today. August 5, 2015. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  16. ^ "岸本聖史×岸本斉史 双子漫画家兄弟対談" [Seishi Kishimoto × Masashi Kishimoto twin brothers manga artist interview]. GanganOnline.com. Square Enix. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016.
  17. ^ Boruto: Naruto the Movie (DVD). 2015. Studio: Pierrot.
  18. ^ "「Boruto: Naruto the Movie-」剧场版上映前特别节目" [Movie Version Before Screening Special Separation Clause]. AcFun (in Japanese). August 5, 2015. Archived from the original on January 7, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  19. ^ Katsuhiro Harada [@Jun_Esaka] (January 14, 2023). "サスケ烈伝コミカライズ最新話が更新されました。目元触られてくすぐったそうなサクラが可愛すぎた🥰 ラストシーンの迫力すごいなー!次回も楽しみ![第6話 後編]NARUTO-ナルト- サスケ烈伝 うちはの末裔と天球の星屑」 #ジャンププラス" (Tweet). Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Twitter.
  20. ^ a b c d Kishimoto, Masashi (2004). Naruto. Vol. 3. Viz Media. p. 26. ISBN 978-1-59116-187-5.
  21. ^ a b Kishimoto, Masashi (2008). Naruto -ナルト- 秘伝・者の書 キャラクターオフィシャルデータBook [Naruto Secret: Scroll of People Character Official Databook] (in Japanese). Shueisha. p. 343. ISBN 978-4-08-874247-2.
  22. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2014). Naruto―ナルト―キャラクターオフィシャルデータBook 秘伝・陣の書 [Naruto Character Official Data Book Secret · Book of Guys] (in Japanese). Shueisha. pp. 378–387. ISBN 978-4-08-880263-3.
  23. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (December 4, 2009). Naruto―ナルト―[秘伝·皆の書]オフィシャルプレミアムファンBook [Naruto Secret · Everyone's Book Official Premium Fan]. Naruto (in Japanese). Shueisha. pp. 74–81. ISBN 978-4-08-874834-4.
  24. ^ a b Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). Uzumaki: the Art of Naruto. Viz Media. p. 124. ISBN 978-1-4215-1407-9.
  25. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). Uzumaki: the Art of Naruto. Viz Media. p. 130. ISBN 978-1-4215-1407-9.
  26. ^ "The Last -Naruto the Movie-'s Sasuke, Kakashi Character Designs Unveiled". Anime News Network. November 14, 2014. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  27. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2014). Naruto -ナルト- 秘伝・列の書 オフィシャルムービーガイドBook [Naruto Secret: Scroll of Line Official Movie Guidebook]. Shueisha. pp. 63–64.
  28. ^ "イタチのエニグマ" [The Enigma that is Itachi]. V Jump (in Japanese). No. March 2016. Shueisha. 2016. pp. 320–321.
  29. ^ Naruto -ナルト- 疾風伝 師の予言と復讐 [Naruto Shippuden Master's Prophecy and Vengeance 6] (in Japanese). Aniplex. 2011.
  30. ^ "演者もワクワクし、驚いたラストの衝撃的な展開" [Even the actors are excited, the shocking unfolding of the surprising ending]. Da Vinci (in Japanese). No. May. Kadokawa. 2015. pp. 32–35.
  31. ^ a b Kitahata, Yukihiro (July 11, 2017). "Naruto Side Story to Get an Episode in Boruto". Manga Tokyo. Archived from the original on October 17, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  32. ^ "Boruto Ed" (in Japanese). Animedia. September 20, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  33. ^ Bozon, Mark (July 21, 2006). "Comic-Con 2006: Naruto Party Interview". IGN. Archived from the original on December 4, 2007. Retrieved December 30, 2007.
  34. ^ Alessandra, Lauren (August 6, 2010). "Yuri Lowenthal On Prince of Persia, Amongst Other Things". Gaming Union. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  35. ^ "Naruto Collector". Naruto Collector (June 2006). Viz Media. 2006.
  36. ^ "Yuri Lowenthal Speaks about Sasuke". Siliconera. March 1, 2006. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  37. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2003). "Chapter 3". Naruto. Vol. 1. Viz Media. ISBN 1-56931-900-6.
  38. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2003). "Chapter 8". Naruto. Vol. 2. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-59116-178-3.
  39. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2004). "Chapter 19". Naruto. Vol. 3. Viz Media. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-59116-187-5.
  40. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2004). "Chapter 27". Naruto. Vol. 3. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-59116-187-5.
  41. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 230". Naruto. Vol. 26. Viz Media. pp. 74–75. ISBN 978-1-4215-1862-6.
  42. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 225". Naruto. Vol. 25. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-1861-9.
  43. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2004). "Chapter 38". Naruto. Vol. 5. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-59116-359-6.
  44. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2005). "Chapter 56". Naruto. Vol. 7. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-59116-875-1.
  45. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 184". Naruto. Vol. 21. Viz Media. pp. 68–72. ISBN 978-1-4215-1855-8.
  46. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 128". Naruto. Vol. 15. Viz Media. pp. 35–36. ISBN 978-1-4215-1855-8.
  47. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 176". Naruto. Vol. 20. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-1655-4.
  48. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 179". Naruto. Vol. 20. Viz Media. pp. 155–157. ISBN 978-1-4215-1655-4.
  49. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). "Chapter 234". Naruto. Vol. 26. Viz Media. pp. 161–163. ISBN 978-1-4215-1862-6.
  50. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2009). "Chapter 343". Naruto. Vol. 38. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-2174-9.
  51. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2009). "Chapter 380". Naruto. Vol. 42. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-2843-4.
  52. ^ a b Kishimoto, Masashi (2009). "Chapter 401". Naruto. Vol. 43. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-2929-5.
  53. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2008). "Chapter 402". Naruto. Vol. 43. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-2929-5.
  54. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2009). "Chapter 419". Naruto. Vol. 45. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-3135-9.
  55. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2010). "Chapter 457". Naruto. Vol. 49. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-3475-6.
  56. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2011). "Chapter 486". Naruto. Vol. 52. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-3957-7.
  57. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2012). "Chapter 590". Naruto. Vol. 62. Viz Media. ISBN 978-4-08-870515-6.
  58. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2012). "Chapter 593". Naruto. Vol. 62. Viz Media. ISBN 978-4-08-870515-6.
  59. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2014). "Chapter 627". Naruto. Vol. 65. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-6455-5.
  60. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2014). "Chapter 631". Naruto. Vol. 66. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-6948-2.
  61. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2014). "Chapter 655". Naruto. Vol. 68. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-7682-4.
  62. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2015). "Chapter 679". Naruto. Vol. 70. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-7975-7.
  63. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2015). "Chapter 692". Naruto. Vol. 72. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-8284-9.
  64. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2015). "Chapter 698". Naruto. Vol. 72. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-8284-9.
  65. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2015). "Chapter 699". Naruto. Vol. 72. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-8284-9.
  66. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2015). "Chapter 700". Naruto. Vol. 72. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-8284-9.
  67. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2016). Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1421584935.
  68. ^ Miyamoto, Mirei; Kishimoto, Masashi (2018). Naruto -ナルト- サスケ新伝 師弟の星 [Sasuke Shinden: The Teacher's Star Pupil]. Shueisha. ISBN 978-4-08-703450-9.
  69. ^ "Naruto Franchise's 'Retsuden' Novel Series Get 2 More Installments for Naruto, Sasuke (Updated)". Anime News Network. June 2, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  70. ^ "2 Naruto Novels Get Manga Adaptations in 2022". Anime News Network. December 18, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  71. ^ a b McNulty, Amy (October 9, 2015). "Boruto -Naruto the Movie-". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  72. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi; Ikemoto, Mikio; Kodachi, Ukyō (2017). "1". Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Vol. 1. Viz Media. ISBN 9781421592114.
  73. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi; Ikemoto, Mikio; Kodachi, Ukyō (2018). "Chapter 11". Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Vol. 3. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-9822-2.
  74. ^ "With Sasuke As The Goal". Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Studio Pierrot. August 18, 2019.
  75. ^ "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Chapter 38". Viz.com. Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  76. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi; Ikemoto, Mikio; Morimoto, Mari (2023). "Chapter 80". Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Vol. 20. Shueisha. ISBN 978-4-08-883532-7.
  77. ^ a b Naruto OVA – The Lost Story. Viz Video. 2007. Archived from the original (DVD) on December 17, 2007. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  78. ^ ついに激突!上忍VS下忍!!無差別大乱戦大会開催!! [Finally a clash! Jonin VS Genin!! Indiscriminate grand melee tournament meeting!!] (DVD). TV Tokyo. 2005.
  79. ^ "Naruto, Toriko, One Piece Event Anime Shorts Streamed". Anime News Network. November 30, 2009. Archived from the original on November 8, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2009.
  80. ^ "News: Naruto Anime DVD Offered at Uniqlo T-Shirt Stores". Anime News Network. December 20, 2010. Archived from the original on November 6, 2016.
  81. ^ Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow. Viz Video. 2007. Archived from the original (DVD) on March 23, 2013.
  82. ^ Naruto Shippuden: The Movie – Bonds (DVD). Viz Video. 2011.
  83. ^ Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie (DVD). Viz Video. 2012. Archived from the original on December 12, 2017.
  84. ^ The Last: Naruto the Movie (Blu-ray). Viz Video. 2015.
  85. ^ Higashiyama, Akira; Kishimoto, Masashi (2012). Naruto -ナルト- 迅雷伝 狼の哭く日 [Naruto Jinraiden: The Day the Wolf Howled]. Shueisha. ISBN 978-4-08-703279-6.
  86. ^ Tomohito, Ōsaki; Kishimoto, Masashi (2016). サクラ秘伝 思恋、春風にのせて [Naruto: Sakura's Story — Love Riding the Spring Breeze]. Shueisha. ISBN 978-1-42-158442-3.
  87. ^ Towada, Shin; Kishimoto, Masashi (2015). Naruto: 暁秘伝 咲き乱れる悪の華 [Naruto Akatsuki Hiden: Evil Flowers in Full Bloom] (in Japanese). Shueisha. ISBN 978-4-08-703367-0.
  88. ^ Towada, Shin; Kishimoto, Masashi (2017). Naruto: Sasuke's Story — Sunrise. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-42-159129-2.
  89. ^ Taira, Kenji (2017). Naruto: Chibi Sasuke's Sharingan Legend. Vol. 1. Viz Media. p. 1. ISBN 978-1421597102.
  90. ^ Esaka, Jun; Kishimoto, Masashi (2019). NARUTO -ナルト- サスケ烈伝 うちはの末裔と天球の星屑 [Sasuke Retsuden: The Uchiha Descendants and the Heavenly Stardust]. Shueisha. ISBN 978-4-08-703481-3.
  91. ^ Bozon, Mark (September 29, 2006). "Naruto: The Complete Fighter Profile". IGN. Archived from the original on May 16, 2010. Retrieved January 24, 2007.
  92. ^ Alfonso, Andrew (September 26, 2004). "TGS 2004: Naruto Gekitou Ninja Taisen! 3 Hands-on". IGN. Archived from the original on March 4, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2007.
  93. ^ Naruto: Ultimate Ninja English instruction manual. Bandai Namco. 2006. p. 26.
  94. ^ V Jump (in Japanese). Shueisha. 2007. pp. 54–55.
  95. ^ "Jump Super Stars -Characters". nintendo.co.jp (in Japanese). Nintendo. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  96. ^ "Jump Ultimate Stars Characters". nintendo.co.jp (in Japanese). Nintendo. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  97. ^ "Naruto/Dragon Ball/Toriko Rivals, Transformations in J-Stars Victory Vs. Game". Anime News Network. August 28, 2013. Archived from the original on August 28, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  98. ^ "Battle Stadium D.O.N." Siliconera. July 31, 2006. Archived from the original on June 9, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  99. ^ a b Plumb, Amy (2010). "Japanese Religion, Mythology, and the Supernatural in Anime and Manga". The International Journal of the Humanities. 8 (5): 237–246. doi:10.18848/1447-9508/CGP/v08i05/42930. ISSN 1447-9508.
  100. ^ K., Luke. "Yuri Lowenthal: MCM Expo 2010 interview (part one)". Critical Gamer. Archived from the original on November 25, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  101. ^ Antonio, Luis; Perez, Vidal (2010). "El Anime como elemento de Transculturación. Caso Naruto" (PDF). Universidad Cesar Vallejo (in Spanish). p. 31. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  102. ^ Chen, Ming-Hung; Chen, I-Ping (June 8, 2015). "The Relationship Between Personalities and Faces of Manga Characters". The Comics Grid: Journal of Comics Scholarship. 4 (1). doi:10.5334/cg.bc.
  103. ^ Spanjers, Rik (2013). "Naruto". In Beaty, Bart H.; Weiner, Stephen (eds.). Critical Survey of Graphic Novels : Manga. Salem Press. pp. 215–221. ISBN 978-1-58765-955-3.
  104. ^ Peña, Beatriz (2013). Popular Culture: A Reader. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 109. ISBN 9781443853729.
  105. ^ Yoshida, Daisuke (April 8, 2015). "一番最初にガツンときたのは鬼兄弟!【対談】岸本斉史×堀越耕平". Da Vinci News (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  106. ^ Tejal Suhas Bagwe; Shweta Salian (February 2020). "Chapter 1". The relevance of the Japanese myth of creation and the Tale of Jiraiya in the anime manga series Naruto. Department of Languages. Retrieved June 8, 2021.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  107. ^ Galletti, Antônio Guilherme Bernardes (2022). "Naruto e Boruto: entre a modernidade e a tradição japonesa". Jurnal Ilmu Sosial, Politik Dan. Univesidade Nacional de Sao Paulo. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  108. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2008). "Chapter 245". Naruto. Vol. 28. Viz Media. pp. 8–9. ISBN 978-1-4215-1864-0.
  109. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2008). "Chapter 293". Naruto. Vol. 33. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1-4215-2001-8.
  110. ^ Schley, Matt. "Japanese Fans Rank Anime's Most Memorable Rivalries". Otaku USA. Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2016.
  111. ^ "Japanese Fans Rank Anime's Greatest Rivals". Otaku USA. Sovereign Media. January 25, 2018. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  112. ^ Aoki, Deb (October 14, 2015). "Part II – An Evening with Masashi Kishimoto". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 29, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  113. ^ Chapman, Jacob Hope (June 8, 2016). "Anime's Fiercest Frenemies". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 29, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  114. ^ "Tokyo Otaku Mode Fall 2013 User Poll". Otaku Mode. December 1, 2013. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  115. ^ "Los 10 rivales más grandes del anime". IGN (in Spanish). August 30, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  116. ^ "Results for Survey on the best Rivals that Turned Into Comrades". AnimeAnime. January 23, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  117. ^ "Boruto Popularity Poll Results May 2021". Viz Media. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  118. ^ "The Sound Four Join Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 on PS4". PlayStation Blog. January 28, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  119. ^ Hiroshi Matsuyama [@PIROSHI_CC2] (February 4, 2016). "本日発売!『NARUTOーナルトー ナルティメットストーム4』。最後の闘いでサスケが一瞬こんな表情をする演出があります。"ある意味この瞬間に決着はついてるんだよ!"なんて話しながら作りました。どこなのか探してみてください。。" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved July 17, 2020 – via Twitter.
  120. ^ Hiroshi Matsuyama [@PIROSHI_CC2] (September 21, 2020). "定期的にテレビアニメ『NARUTO-ナルト-』133話を観返して自分自身の原点に立ち戻る。いくつもある神作画回がオレを強くしてくれる。こうした映像を「たまらない」と感じるオレが正しいって気付かせてくれる。やっぱりたまらない。涙の咆哮! オマエはオレの友達だ" (Tweet). Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via Twitter.
  121. ^ "Naruto – Keychains – Sasuke PVC Keychain". NarutoStore.Viz.com. Viz Media. Archived from the original on May 29, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2008.
  122. ^ "Naruto Toys – Action Figures at Official Naruto Store". NarutoStore.Viz.com. Viz Media. Archived from the original on February 3, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2008.
  123. ^ "Naruto – Toys – Sasuke Roto 8" Figure". NarutoStore.Viz.com. Viz Media. Archived from the original on February 12, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2008.
  124. ^ Green, Scott (October 31, 2012). "Love and Ninja Included in New "Naruto" Prize Figure Lottery". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on May 11, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  125. ^ "Naruto Creator on Being Asked for Sequel: 'Please Let Me Rest Now'". Anime News Network. July 28, 2015. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  126. ^ "Namco Bandai Europe Teases Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Bonus Figures". Anime News Network. December 9, 2015. Archived from the original on August 1, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  127. ^ Orsini, Lauren (February 21, 2017). "Figure Build Close-up: 2016 S.H. Figuarts Naruto & Sasuke". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 1, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  128. ^ "Naruto, Sasuke God Figures Make a Storm This September". Anime News Network. May 16, 2017. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  129. ^ Green, Scott (March 14, 2016). "Limited "Boruto -Naruto The Movie-" Sasuke Uchiha G.E.M. Figure Planned". Crunchyroll. Otter Media. Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  130. ^ "G.E.M.シリーズ Boruto -Naruto the Movie- うちはサスケ" [G.E.M. Series Boruto -Naruto the Movie- Sasuke Uchiha]. P-Bandai.jp (in Japanese). Bandai. Archived from the original on July 15, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  131. ^ Sparrow, A. E. (November 9, 2007). "IGN: Naruto Reader's Guide". IGN. Archived from the original on February 16, 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2007.
  132. ^ Dodson, Joe (October 13, 2007). "Franchise Player: Naruto". GameSpot. Archived from the original on October 25, 2007. Retrieved December 24, 2007.
  133. ^ Kimlinger, Carl (November 2, 2006). "Naruto G.novel 8–10". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 4, 2010. Retrieved April 5, 2009.
  134. ^ Christina, Ross. "THEM Anime Reviews 4.0 – Naruto". T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews. Archived from the original on June 8, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2008.
  135. ^ Moure, Dani (September 1, 2006). "Naruto Unleashed Set 1.1". Mania Entertainment. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  136. ^ Yadao, Jason S. (2009). "Naruto". The Rough Guide to Manga. Rough Guides. p. 159. ISBN 978-1858285610.
  137. ^ Jones, Davey C. (October 7, 2008). "Naruto Uncut Box Set 10 Limited Edition (Adnace Review)". Active Anime. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2008.
  138. ^ White, Charles (January 22, 2008). "Naruto: "For a Friend" Review". IGN. Archived from the original on September 28, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2008.
  139. ^ Williams, Bronwyn; Zenger, Amy A. (2012). "My Love". New Media Literacies and Participatory Popular Culture Across Borders. Routledge. p. 38. ISBN 978-0415897686.
  140. ^ White, Charles (October 23, 2007). "Naruto: "An Invitation From The Sound" Review". IGN. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  141. ^ "Review: "Boruto: Naruto the Movie" – The Kids Are (Mostly) Alright". Toon Zone. May 24, 2017. Archived from the original on February 25, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  142. ^ Martin, Theron (November 7, 2008). "Naruto Season 3 Box Set 1 DVD". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 2, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  143. ^ Kimlinger, Carl (December 12, 2010). "Naruto Shippūden DVD Box Set 4". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 19, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
  144. ^ Beveridge, Chris (November 17, 2010). "Naruto: Shippuden Box Set 04 (also w/LE)". Mania Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 19, 2010. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
  145. ^ Thompson, Jason (November 13, 2014). "House of 1000 Manga Naruto Part II". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  146. ^ Cooper, Park (March 10, 2009). "MangaLife Spotlight on: Naruto v34-v40!". Manga Life. Archived from the original on March 26, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  147. ^ Brienza, Casey (April 25, 2009). "Naruto GN 42–44". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 26, 2009. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
  148. ^ "Los 20 mejores duelos de Naruto y Naruto Shippuden" [The 20 Best Naruto and Naruto Shippuden Duels]. es.ign.com. IGN. November 10, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  149. ^ Rhodes, Dan (February 4, 2014). "Anime Review: Naruto Shippuden Box Set 17". UK Anime Network. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  150. ^ McNulty, Amy (October 1, 2016). "Naruto Shippuden Episodes 476–477". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
  151. ^ Beveridge, Chris (September 30, 2016). "Naruto: Shippuden Episode #476 – 477 Anime Review". The Fandom Post. Archived from the original on October 7, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  152. ^ McNulty, Amy (October 14, 2016). "Naruto Shippuden Episode 479". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
  153. ^ McNulty, Amy (October 4, 2015). "Naruto GN 72". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  154. ^ Beveridge, Chris (October 14, 2016). "Naruto: Shippuden Episode #479 Anime Review". The Fandom Post. Archived from the original on February 25, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  155. ^ Zimmerman, Chris (March 28, 2017). "Boruto – Naruto the Movie (Blu-ray)". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  156. ^ Chiok, Christian (October 22, 2015). "Boruto: Naruto the Movie". Japanator. Archived from the original on July 31, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
  157. ^ Hill, Alexandria (October 8, 2015). "Boruto: Naruto the Movie Review". Otaku USA. Archived from the original on September 1, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
  158. ^ Rhodes, Dan (January 6, 2017). "Anime Review: Boruto: Naruto the Movie". UK Anime Network. Archived from the original on June 14, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  159. ^ "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 65". Anime News Network. July 20, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  160. ^ Beveridge, Chris (May 10, 2016). "Boruto Chapter #1 Manga Review". The Fandom Post. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  161. ^ Stewart, Sam (August 24, 2017). "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 21: "Sasuke and Sarada" Review". IGN. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  162. ^ Iikura, Ken (September 6, 2017). "In Boruto, Sasuke Is a Jerk Who Loves His Daughter". Anime Now. Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  163. ^ McNulty, Amy (December 27, 2015). "Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  164. ^ Nelkin, Sarah (September 15, 2017). "Sasuke & Sakura's Marriage Has a Balance That's Hard to See". Anime Now. Archived from the original on September 17, 2017. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  165. ^ Stewart, Sam (September 8, 2017). "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 23: "Bonds Come In All Shapes" Review". IGN. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  166. ^ Beveridge, Chris (September 4, 2019). "Boruto Naruto Next Generations Set 2 Blu-ray Anime Review". Fandom Post. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  167. ^ "Naruto Finally Delivers the Sasuke & Sakura Moment Fans Have Demanded". Screen Rant. December 8, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  168. ^ "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 66". Anime News Network. July 29, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  169. ^ "Naruto: el manga de Boruto mataría a uno de los personajes más queridos". IGN. August 19, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.

External links[edit]