To me, one of Kishimoto Sensei’s greatest strengths is his ability to create amazing battles. The fights are very strategic, filled with devilish trickery and great fake outs. Plus, they’re brutal. This manga is no stranger to gore. And there's a dark edge that straddles the horror line at times. In fact, the battles are so good, I think that’s one of the main reasons this manga became such a huge hit. And this 3-in-1 has a ton of fights! It covers volumes 22, 23, and 24, which covers the quest to rescue Sasuke from the Sound Ninja.

The first bout pits Neiji against Spider-Man. Well, not the Spider-Man, but the spider-like Kidomaru. But Kidomaru’s actually got a leg up on Peter Parker, because he can use his web in a variety of offensive and defensive ways. He can shoot giant webs to trap victims and drain them of their chakra. He can also harden his web fluid and shape it into a variety of deadly weapons. And that’s before he even goes into his second state, which is even more powerful! But Neiji’s no slouch, and when you read this, you’ll see why Naruto refers to him as a “real genius.”

The next fight pits Kiba and his little buddy Akamaru against the dual-natured Sakon. This is a great fight, because we get to see more of Akamaru in battle and find out he’s far more than just a cute sidekick. Plus, there’s lots of peeing on faces. Also, Sakon’s a fun creepy bad guy with a great gross-out ability.

And while this is happening, Shikamaru has his hands full with a flutist that has the ability to summon and control horrific ogre-like minions that can suck the energy out of foes. This fight in particular shows off Kishimoto Sensei’s intricate planning as the battle has multiple layers of trickery and numerous surprises.

And while all that of THAT is happening, Naruto and Rock Lee take turns squaring off with the strongest of Orochimaru’s team, Kimimaro. Armed with the ability to manipulate his bones, Kimimaro can use his skeleton in a myriad of deadly ways, many of which involve sharp spikey things. He’s one of those classic Kishimoto Sensei villains that you end up feeling sorry for instead of hating, due to his tragic backstory.

With all of this going on at the same time, it seems like it would be easy to get lost in the shuffle, but Kishimoto Sensei does a fine juggling act with all the storylines. Everything moves at a brisk pace, but never becomes confusing. This is a great read, and if you’ve ever wondered how Naruto got so popular, these battles will explain a few things.

You can check out the action for yourself by picking up this Naruto 3-in-1 right here! 

by Urian Brown