Naruto — Chapter 1

Greetings. With everyone's support, my first comic has been published. I'm ecstatic. Speaking of ecstatic, the first time I won an award for one of my manga, I was so happy I was flying high. But this time is 10 times better than that. I don't know how to say it, but this is the happiest moment of my life. But I guess I'm happiest knowing that this comic will be read and enjoyed. Yup, that's it! —Masashi Kishimoto, 2000

岸本齐史

Author/artist Masashi Kishimoto was born in 1974 in rural Okayama Prefecture, Japan. After spending time in art college, he won the Hop Step Award for new manga artists with his manga Karakuri (“mechanism”). Kishimoto decided to base his next story on traditional Japanese culture. His first version of Naruto, drawn in 1997, was a one-shot story about fox spirits; his final version, which debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, quickly became the most popular ninja manga in Japan.

ラーメン一楽

NUMBER 1 UZUMAKI NARUTO! NUMBER 2 KONOHAMARU NUMBER 3 ENTER SASUKE! NUMBER 4 HATAKE KAKASHI! NUMBER 5 PRIDE GOETH BEFORE A FALL NUMBER 6 NOT SASUKE! NUMBER 7 KAKASHI'S DECISION

ONCE UPON A TIME, THERE LIVED A FOX SPIRIT WITH NINE TAILS. AND HE WAS SO POWERFUL THAT WHENEVER HE SHOOK THOSE TAILS, LANDSLIDES AND TSUNAMIS WOULD RESULT. THE SUFFERING PEOPLE GATHERED THE GREAT SHINOBI CLANS TO FIGHT THIS MENACE. FINALLY, RISKING HIS LIFE, ONE NINJA WAS ABLE TO IMPRISON ITS SOUL.

THAT SHINOBI WAS THE FOURTH HOKAGE, THE FIRE SHADOW, CHAMPION OF THE VILLAGE HIDDEN IN THE LEAVES...

HA HA HA HA HA!

YES? WHAT IS IT? SOME NEW OUTRAGE BY NARUTO, I PRESUME?

LORD HOKAGE!!!

THAT YOUNG DEVIL IS GRAFFITI- ING THE MOUNTAINSIDE IMAGES OF ALL THE HEROES OF OUR VILLAGE— YOUR HONORED FOREBEARS!

IN PAINT!!

LOOK AT 'IM... WE'RE SICK OF IT! GROW THE HECK UP! YOU ARE DEAD WHEN THEY CATCH YOU! YOU KNOW THAT?

ENOUGH WITH THE STUPID PRANKS!

YOU DON'T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO DO SOMETHING THIS LOW!

LOOOSERS!! WANNA-BE'S!

I RULE, AND YOU DROOL!

LORD HOKAGE... I CAN'T APOLOGIZE ENOUGH...

EH?

HOW DARE YOU?! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!

OH! IS THAT YOU, IRUKA...?

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU IDIOT? GET DOWN FROM THERE AND GET BACK TO CLASS!

IT'S MY TEACHER, MASTER IRUKA! I'M SO SCREWED!

HRRN

TOMORROW ALL YOUR CLASSMATES WILL PASS THE FINAL AND GRADUATE FROM THE NINJA ACADEMY, BUT THE LAST TWO TIMES THIS DAY CAME AROUND, YOU FLUNKED EVERY COURSE YOU'D TAKEN IN THE SECRET ARTS.

SO YOU CHOSE NOW FOR YOUR STUPID TRICKS? YOU MORON!

WHAT???!!!

TODAY IN CLASS WE'LL BE REVIEWING THE ART OF TRANS- FORMATION.

SIR, YES, SIR!

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS... CONJURE A FORM THAT LOOKS LIKE ME!

RIGHT. WELL DONE.

NEXT UP, UZUMAKI.

THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!

CHANGE!!!

THIS SUCKS!

BUT, HERE GOES NOTHING...

I CALL THIS ONE THE NINJA CENTER- FOLD!

HA HA HA HA!!

YOU WASTE ALL OF YOUR TIME AND TALENT INVENTING THESE STUPID TRICKS!!

HOW BIG A FOOL ARE YOU?

HAH!

YOU DON'T LEAVE HERE UNTIL EVERY DROP OF PAINT IS GONE!

SO? IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S ANYONE WAITING AT HOME FOR ME.

NARUTO

NOW WHAT?

I'LL... WE COULD... I'LL BUY YOU A BOWL OF RAMEN.

WELL...

ONCE YOU'RE THROUGH HERE...

YEAH, BABY! TALK ABOUT MOTIVATION!

酒酒酒

H M M M M ? N A R U T O ...

楽

I MEAN, YOU DO KNOW WHO LORD HOKAGE IS, RIGHT? WHY, OF ALL PLACES, DID YOU CHOOSE TO DEFACE THAT SPOT?

HE'D HAVE TO HAVE BEEN THE BEST SHINOBI IN THE VILLAGE.

TO INHERIT THE HOKAGE NAME...

OF COURSE!

BECAUSE ONE OF THESE DAYS, THEY'LL BE CALLING ME LORD HOKAGE!

IT WAS THE FOURTH LORD HOKAGE WHO SAVED OUR TOWN BY FINDING A WAY TO BEAT THE DEMON FOX.

OK, THEN... WHY!

I'M GOING TO SURPASS EVERY ONE WHO CAME BEFORE ME!

AND WHEN THAT DAY COMES, EVERYONE IN TOWN WILL HAVE TO GIVE ME SOME RESPECT AT LAST!

ANOTHER BOWL OF RAMEN?

.....BY THE WAY ....MASTER, I NEED A FAVOR...

UHHH... YOUR HEADBAND. THAT LEAF YOU'RE WEARING... PRETTY PLEASE?!

IT'S A BADGE OF ADULTHOOD. YOU DON'T GET ONE UNTIL YOU GRADUATE!

MY... THIS? NO. NOT YET. NO WAY.

HAH! SO THAT'S WHY YOU TOOK OFF YOUR GOGGLES!

WHAT A RIP- OFF!

THAT'S MY WORST TECHNIQUE!,

WAIT HERE UNTIL YOUR NAME IS CALLED, AND THEN COME NEXT DOOR.

BUT... HERE GOES NOTHING!

BEHOLD! A PERFECT DOUBLE!

YOU FAIL!!!

MASTER IRUKA...

...I'M NOT THAT GREAT AT DOPPEL- GANGERS, MYSELF!

.....THIS IS HIS THIRD TIME, AND HE DID MANAGE TO BASICALLY CONJURE UP HIS OTHER SELF, EVEN IF IT WAS A LITTLE FLAWED...

BUT WHAT IF WE JUST GIVE HIM A BREAK AND...

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, HIS PERFORM- ANCE DOESN'T MERIT A PASSING GRADE.

NARUTO ONLY PRODUCED ONE, AND HE DID IT VERY BADLY.

THE ANSWER IS NO, MIZUKI. EVERY STUDENT IS SUPPOSED TO GENERATE THREE DOPPEL- GANGERS...

HEY, ISN'T HE THE KID WHO --? SO NOW, WE'RE ALL ADULTS!

YEAH, THAT'S HIM. THE ONLY ONE WHO FAILED!

GREAT JOB, SON. YOUR OLD MAN IS PROUD!

CAN YOU IMAGINE IF THEY LET SOMEONE LIKE THAT BECOME A SHINOBI...?!

SERVES HIM RIGHT...

CONGRAT- ULATIONS, GRADUATE! TONIGHT, MOM'S GONNA COOK UP A FEAST!!

DON'T EVEN GO THERE.

IRUKA, COULD I HAVE A WORD LATER...?

OF COURSE.

MASTER MIZUKI...!!

NARUTO.

SO EVERYTHING HE'S ACCOMPLISHED HE DID BY HIMSELF, WITH A LOT OF HARD WORK AND DISCIPLINE.

MASTER IRUKA IS A REALLY SERIOUS GUY... HIS PARENTS DIED WHEN HE WAS YOUNG.

SO...? WHAT'S THAT GOT TO DO WITH ME?

HE THINKS HE'S HELPING YOU TO GROW STRONG.

SO YOU REMIND HIM OF HIMSELF.

TRY TO GIVE THE GUY A BREAK... CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE HE'S COMING FROM?

....ONE ORPHAN TO ANOTHER?....

LET ME TELL YOU A SECRET THAT I'VE BEEN KEEPING FOR A LONG TIME.

HUNH? THEN... I GUESS THERE'S NO CHOICE.

BUT... I REALLY WANTED TO GRADUATE.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!?

BEHOLD - THE NINJA CENTER- FOLD!

G O T C H A !

OKAY, LET'S SEE. THE FIRST TECHNIQUE IN THE SCROLL IS MULTIPLE DOPPEL- GANGERS...

MAN! MY LEAST FAVORITE ART, AND SUDDENLY IT'S TURNING UP ALL OVER!

I DO UNDER- STAND HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE BOY...

I R U K A

YES, LORD HOKAGE?

GROWING UP, LIKE YOU, WITHOUT HIS PARENTS' LOVE...

MOM AND DAD... THEY'RE STILL FIGHTING THE DEMON!!

WE'VE GOT TO HOLD ON UNTIL LORD HOKAGE GETS HERE!

LET ME GO!!

WHAT'S UP?

I'M AFRAID...

IT'S NARUTO.

...SOMEHOW HE'S FOUND OUT ABOUT AND STOLEN THE SECRET MANUSCRIPT!

LORD HOKAGE!! THIS TIME HE'S GONE TOO FAR!! RIGHT! YEAH!

THE SCROLL HE HAS TAKEN IS SO DANGEROUS THAT THE VERY FIRST HOKAGE SEALED IT AWAY!

IF MISUSED, IN THE WRONG HANDS, IT COULD BE DEADLY!

IT WAS TAKEN HALF A DAY AGO.

WE HAVE TO FIND HIM!

I'LL TRY THE FOREST FIRST!

IF IT'S DISCOVERED THAT HE STOLE THE SECRET MANUSCRIPT AND THEN DISAPPEARED...

ONCE WORD OF THIS SPREADS THROUGHOUT THE VILLAGE, THAT SHOULD BE IT FOR NARUTO...

GOTCHA!

ABOUT TIME, NOSE- BLEED! I FOUND YOU!

NO, YOU FOOL! I FOUND YOU!!

HEH... I GUESS YOU HAVE GOT ME. TOO BAD YOU WERE SO FAST. I'VE ONLY MEMORIZED ONE TECHNIQUE.

YOU LOOK EXHAUSTED. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?

SO... YOU CAME HERE TO PRACTICE YOUR NINJUTSU?

IF I SHOW I'VE MASTERED THESE TECHNIQUES, YOU'LL HAVE TO LET ME GRADUATE!

WAIT'LL I SHOW YOU. I NEVER DREAMED... SOME OF THE SHINOBI ARTS ARE SO AMAZING!!!

...WORKING YOURSELF TO EXHAUSTION...

WHAT... THIS!? WHAT'S UP WITH THAT SCROLL YOU'RE CARRYING?

N A R U T O

MASTER MIZUKI TOLD ME ABOUT IT. AND ABOUT THIS PLACE!

YEAH...?

HE SAID IF I COULD SHOW YOU I'D LEARNED THE TECHNIQUES IN THIS SCROLL...

... M I Z U K I ?

...YOU'D LET ME BECOME A SHINOBI!

I'M IMPRESSED THAT YOU FIGURED OUT WHERE TO GO.

NOW I UNDER- STAND!!

THE SCROLL, NARUTO. GIVE IT TO ME.

DON'T LET HIM HAVE IT, NARUTO! PROTECT THAT SCROLL WITH YOUR LIFE!

DUDE! I MEAN, COME ON!

HEY!

WHAT IS THIS?!

IT'S MORE DANGEROUS THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE - IT HOLDS THE RECORD OF A COMPLETELY FORBIDDEN NINJA ART!

MIZUKI USED YOU BECAUSE HE WANTS IT FOR HIMSELF!!

NARUTO, EVEN IF YOU'VE READ IT, IT WILL STILL BE MEANINGLESS!

I CAN SHOW YOU WHAT IT MEANS!

YOU... KNOW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN THE INCIDENT WHERE THE FOX DEMON WAS SEALED UP AGAIN TWELVE YEARS AGO, DON'T YOU...?

SHUT UP, YOU FOOL!

SH-

... THE PEOPLE OF OUR VILLAGE HAVE BEEN BOUND BY THE STRICTEST DECREE.

SINCE THAT INCIDENT...

I DON'T REMEM- BER ANY DECREE...

YOU WOULDN'T. PART OF THAT DECREE WAS THAT EVERYONE WOULD KNOW ABOUT IT... EXCEPT YOU!

...EXCEPT ME?!

...WHY NOT ME? WHAT LAW ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

WHAT WAS THE DECREE? WHAT?

THAT NO ONE MUST EVER TELL YOU... THAT WHAT YOU REALLY ARE... IS THE DEMON FOX!

W H A T?

IN OTHER WORDS, YOU...

WHA... WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!!

...ARE THE NINE- TAILED FOX SPIRIT THAT DESTROYED THE VILLAGE!!

STOP!!

IT WAS YOU WHO MURDERED IRUKA'S FAMILY!!

SINCE THEN, YOU'VE BEEN MADE A FOOL OF BY EVERYONE IN TOWN!

STOP IT!!

UNTIL, AT LAST, OUR BELOVED HERO, THE FOURTH LORD HOKAGE, TRAPPED AND BOUND YOU... IN THIS FORM.

IF HE WERE HONEST, EVEN NOBLE IRUKA WOULD ADMIT HE HATES YOU, TOO!!

DIDN'T YOU THINK IT WAS STRANGE? TO BE SO DESPISED, EVERYWHERE YOU WENT?

N A R U T O !

YOU NEVER KNEW A PARENT'S LOVE...

GASP!

NO ONE WILL EVER ACCEPT YOU!

SINCE THE DAY OF YOUR BIRTH YOU'VE BEEN SHUNNED BY OUR ENTIRE VILLAGE!

THE BEST YOU COULD EVER HOPE FOR WAS ATTENTION, NOT LOVE...

AND YOU DIDN'T CARE. YOU WERE WILLING TO ACCEPT ANY CRITICISM, ANY CONDEMNATION, SO LONG AS IT MEANT THAT SOMEONE WAS PAYING ATTENTION TO YOU.

AND YOU COULD ONLY GET THAT BY DOING THINGS THAT WOULD GET YOU INTO TROUBLE!

IT WAS A BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE, NARUTO... BUT IT WAS ALL A SHAM, TO HIDE YOUR LONELINESS... AND PAIN!

NYAH NYAH, MASTER IRUKA!

THAT SCROLL THAT YOU'VE STOLEN... IT WAS THE INSTRUMENT OF YOUR BONDAGE!!

... WHY ...

I BECAME THE CLASS CLOWN...

WITH MY PARENTS GONE... THERE WAS NO ONE TO PRAISE OR RESPECT ME.

ANYTHING TO ATTRACT ATTENTION.

I JUST WANTED SOMEONE TO NOTICE HOW GOOD I WAS...

BEING THE CLASS CLOWN ...

...WAS STILL BETTER THAN BEING A NOBODY.

TO BE PROUD OF ME.

IT... HURT SO MUCH.

I KNOW THAT, NARUTO. I WAS SO HARD ON YOU, YELLING, SCOLDING... IT MUST HAVE HURT...

FORGIVE ME. IF I'D BEEN A BETTER TEACHER... A BETTER SELF...

MAYBE NEITHER OF US WOULD HAVE COME TO THIS.

N A R U T O !

HEH- HEH- HEH. WHAT A PITY... BUT I'M AFRAID, ONCE NARUTO SETS HIS MIND ON SOMETHING, HE CAN'T BE DISSUADED.

HE'S GOING TO USE THE SCROLL TO TAKE HIS REVENGE ON THE VILLAGE!

DID YOU SEE THAT LOOK IN YOUR PROTEGÉ'S EYES?

THOSE WERE THE EYES OF THE DEMON FOX!

-AAUU-UH.-

YOU... DON'T KNOW... NARUTO... AT ALL...

IT'S THE SCROLL I'M AFTER NOW. I'LL FINISH YOU LATER.

I DON'T HAVE TO KNOW THE BOY TO KILL HIM!

HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED WHEN WE HAD THE CHANCE!!

YOU CAN TRY.

BUT WE CAN STILL SET THAT RIGHT IF WE ACT NOW, WHILE HE'S STILL A BOY... BEFORE THE DEMON SPIRIT BREAKS FREE!!

AT LAST, I FOUND IT IN THE CRYSTAL...

...SO THAT ALL OF THAT AWESOME, TERRIBLE POWER HAS BEGUN TO BURST FORTH FROM ITS MYSTIC BONDS...

...DRIVING NARUTO OVER THE EDGE...

SO, AT THE VERY MOMENT MY TEACHERS FOUND HIM...

MIZUKI SPOKE, REVEALING ALL...

THERE IS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE SPIRIT MIGHT ESCAPE...

AND TO TOP THAT, IF THE SECRET SCROLL IS IN HIS HANDS...

NARUTO !!

IT'S HIM !!

QUICKLY!! GIVE ME THE SCROLL!!

IT'S WHAT MIZUKI'S AFTER!!

HUNH?

....... WHAT'S WRONG, NARUTO?

HEH HEH HEH

HOW DID YOU KNOW I WASN'T IRUKA?!

BECAUSE I AM!

I SEE ...

HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE! SO NOBLE! SAVING YOUR PARENTS' MURDERER... AND FOR WHAT? WHAT HAPPENS IF WE LET HIM LIVE?

THEN MAYBE THE SCROLL IS SAFE FROM A COMPLETE SCUMBAG.

YOU'RE A FOOL. NARUTO AND I ARE TWO OF A KIND.

I CAN USE THAT SCROLL TO ACHIEVE THE SAME KIND OF LIMITLESS POWER!

TWO OF A KIND?

THE DEMON WITHIN HIM HUNGERS FOR THAT KIND OF STRENGTH!

YOU WERE RIGHT TO FEAR HIM... DESPISE HIM...

AAUH

HUH! SO, IT'S TRUE...

MASTER IRUKA REALLY HOLDS ME...

NOT THE BOY.

...IN CONTEMPT.

BUT NOT NARUTO.

MAYBE I DO HATE THE FOX....

FOR HIM, I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT.

HE'S AN EXCELLENT STUDENT.

BUT SOMETIMES, EVEN SO, HE'S AWKWARD, CLUMSY... A SCREW-UP... PEOPLE HAVE MOCKED AND SHUNNED HIM...

...HE WORKS WITH ALL HIS MIGHT...

AND IT'S GIVEN HIM EMPATHY. HE KNOWS WHAT IT IS TO BE IN PAIN.

THAT BOY IS NO LONGER YOUR DEMON FOX!

HE IS... A CITIZEN OF KONOHA- GAKURE VILLAGE...

...UZUMAKI NARUTO!

AWW! THAT IS SO SWEET! JUST HEARING YOU SAY SO MAKES ME FEEL ALL WARM AND FUZZY!

WELL, IRUKA... I HAD PLANNED TO SAVE YOU FOR LAST... BUT SOMETIMES THINGS JUST DON'T WORK OUT THE WAY YOU PLAN... SO...

DRIP DRIP

SAY GOODBYE!

SO, THIS IS IT...

!!

N A R U T O ... !?

HE CAN... HE REALLY...

GET OUT OF HERE! SAVE YOUR- SELF!!

...OR I'LL KILL YOU!

STUPID KID... SHOULD HAVE STAYED... AWAY!!

KEEP AWAY FROM MASTER IRUKA...

LOUDMOUTH BRAT!! I CAN KILL YOU WITH ONE BLOW!!

BRING IT ON, YOU JERK! ANYTHING YOU THROW AT ME I'LL GIVE BACK TIMES A THOUSAND!

YOU'RE WELCOME TO TRY, LITTLE FOX!

WHAT'S THE MATTER, TOUGH GUY? COME AND GET ME!

YOU'RE GOING TO KILL ME WITH ONE PUNCH, RIGHT? COME ON!

WHAT...?

HOW DID HE...?

I'LL JUST HAVE TO ATTACK YOU!

WELL, THEN NARUTO... YOU......

...BUT MADE THEM SOLID, FLESH-AND- BLOOD INSTEAD OF SHADOWY ILLUSION. THAT'S THE HIGHEST CALIBER NINJUTSU...

I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF SOME DAY HE REALLY DOES TURN OUT TO BE BETTER THAN ANY HOKAGE WHO'S COME BEFORE!

AMAZING! HE NOT ONLY GENERATED A THOUSAND DOPPEL- GANGERS...

HEH... I GUESS I GOT CARRIED AWAY...

I'VE GOT A PRESENT FOR YOU.

NARUTO, COME HERE.

WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR. HE COULD BE MILES AWAY BY NOW!

THIS IS AWFUL! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO...?! NOT YET!

DID YOU GUYS FIND NARUTO!?

HE WON'T BE GONE LONG.

NOW, SENSEI... MAY I...?

YES, NARUTO. YOU CAN OPEN YOUR EYES.

...GRADUATE!

TO CELEBRATE THIS, I'LL TAKE YOU OUT. WE CAN GO FOR RAMEN!

OW! OH, IT HURTS!

NOW THAT YOU'RE A FULL-FLEDGED SHINOBI, THINGS WILL ONLY GET MORE DIFFICULT... OR, AT LEAST, THAT'S THE SPEECH I PLANNED TO GIVE.

BUT, I GUESS... IT CAN WAIT... UNTIL WE GET TO... THE RESTAURANT.

This is the very first sketch of Naruto that I drew. It was for a one-shot story in the Japanese Weekly Shonen Jump's special seasonal edition, Akamaru Jump. Notice that he wears boots instead of zori (traditional Japanese sandals). In the one-shot story, Naruto wasn't a ninja comic at all, but just about magic and sorcery. Even though the setup was completely different from the current storyline, it was the very first character-driven manga that I ever drew, and I liked the character so I decided to keep using him. But drawing the goggles each time was a pain! That's why I came up with the idea for the ninja hitai-ate (headband).