Upon being voted the number one character in the global Naruto popularity poll earlier this year, the one-shot manga starring Minato Namikaze will be free to read on Viz Media’s Shonen Jump this Sunday, July 16th, 2023. It is also available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Thai, and Indonesian on the MANGA Plus from Shueisha.
Naruto: The Whorl Within the Spiral is a special story written and illustrated by Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto that will reveal a special creation by the Fourth Hokage. A full-colour drawing of Naruto’s father by Kishimoto was used when the release date was revealed last month.
What is a “one-shot?”
Usually when manga artists get their start, their first work is published to gauge reader reactions — favourable responses will usually cement the series for serialization in one of Japan’s many manga magazines, albeit with modifications. One-shots range in length from a single chapter to a full-volume issue, involving side-stories not related with the main plot and seek to flesh out character backgrounds, or as in this case, mark special events.
Naruto: The Whorl Within the Spiral will also appear in the 33rd issue of Weekly Shonen Jump which goes on sale in Japan next week.
Sources: Shonen Jump Twitter account, Naruto Official Twitter account
NARUTO © 1999 by Masashi Kishimoto/SHUEISHA Inc.
Did you find a typographical or factual error in this article? Please let us know!