One of the smartest members of Naruto’s ninja class was definitely Shikamaru, the shadow manipulating tactical genius who was able to ascend the ranks of “ninja-dom” faster than any of his classmates, and now the Naruto franchise is giving him his own spin-off story in a novel titled “Shikamaru’s Story”. Following the adult Shikamaru from Boruto: Naruto Next Generations as he attempts to bring peace to the world while being a family man after starting a family with his one time rival in the sand ninja of Temari, baring a son named Shikadai!
This is the most recent novel in the “Shikamaru’s Story” novel line, focusing on the tactical ninja as he ages in the world of Konoha of the Hidden Leaf Village. While the series began during Shikamaru’s time during the sequel series of Naruto: Shippuden, “Mourning in the Clouds” revisits the character as an adult as he attempts to balance his duties to the Hidden Leaf with his role as a father. While Boruto: Naruto Next Generations has focused far more on the new class of ninja that are the sons and daughters of the original ninja clan, it’s always good to see a story that swing back to the characters that got us to learn about Konoha and the ninja world created by Kishimoto.
Viz Media shared the announcement that the upcoming spin-off story would be arriving to North American shores next year, giving us a brand new look at the shadow manipulating ninja who has become a fan favorite, with the novel hoping to show us new sides to the character:
Believe it! Naruto: Shikamaru’s Story–Mourning Clouds releases early 2021 in print and digital! This novel follows Shikamaru and his plans to bring about peace to the world and his family. ? pic.twitter.com/EsXjhESwum
— VIZ (@VIZMedia) July 3, 2020
Currently, in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Shikamaru is going to have his hands full with the arrival of the Kara Organization, a nefarious arm of the Otsutsuki Clan, that are aiming to take the world in a dangerous new direction. With the anime finally following closely to the manga it used for source material, maybe we’ll one day get an anime adaptation for Shikamaru’s Story!
Will you be checking out this Naruto Spin-off novel? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the Hidden Leaf Village!
