Recently, every time I open up a new volume of Naruto, I'm worried that it will return to the slump it was in about five books ago. Thankfully, this latest book is not in any slump at all. In the sixty-fifth volume of Naruto, Kishimoto returns to what he does best, integrating the past and the present through flashbacks, and showing how in the world of shonen, he is really underappreciated as a talented storyteller. You think Naruto and think fights, right? This book has fighting, yes, but it has a heart that can be seen through its characters that battles just can't convey.

You can read my complete review of NARUTO 65 at my blog. ( )

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More backstory, and some would say it's ancient history, but getting the scoop on Madara's history with the first hokoge is still rather necessary, even if it is taking us away from the big battle waged elsewhere. Sasuke had a major question that needed answering, and the entire volume was dedicated to it.

I wondered if that was really necessary, but in the end, I believe it was. ( )