Narutaru (Shadowstar) Manga

[dreamless]

Remember Surname's in Japan usually come first when a full name is given, and whether you would use a forename when referring to someone depends on your respective relationship to them and social levels etc.

Tsurumaru is a family name, his forename is Takeo but as far as I'm aware only one of his girlfriends ever uses it (and just once at that). Naozumi is a forename and again everyone defers to his family name Sudou. I'm not really sure what it is that determines exactely how you refer to your peers, but I guess it relates to respect and social standings.......

Therefore here are the names of the main characters listed Japanese style (Family name - Forename)

Tsurumaru Takeo
Koga Norio
Shiina Tamai
Sakura Akira
Kaizuka Hiroko

Sudou Naozumi
Kuri Mamiko
Takano Bungo
Ozawa Satomi
Komori Tomonori

Errr... I actually think Shiina's family name (surname) is Tamai, while Shiina is her given name, so in Japanese style of name writing her name should be Tamai Shiina...

[tsurumaru]

Errr... I actually think Shiina's family name (surname) is Tamai, while Shiina is her given name, so in Japanese style of name writing her name should be Tamai Shiina...

I cant beleive I wrote that down incorrectly! :heh: :heh: :heh:

Yes as pointed out Tamai Shiina!!!! (original post corrected)

[Spooky-Electric]

Not really on topic but have you guys read Kitou Mohiro's one shot "Pochi's Place" ? Heh, it's not dark or anything like his manga, but it was a fun little read. Only 30 pages.

If you're curious download the one shot collection from MangaScreener. Don't expect anything deep or amazing. :p

[petr]

If you're curious download the one shot collection from MangaScreener. Don't expect anything deep or amazing. :p

You know, you should read that one-shot one more time. It was enough deep and amazing for me. Very good.

[TronDD]

Kotonoha recently released another Mohiro Kitoh short called Zansho. Seems like they plan to do a bunch of shorts that were compiled into a graphic novel.

Zansho wasn't bad. Good story idea but not really fleshed out as much as it could have been due to its length. The story was similar to Mizuiro if anyone has seen that.

[Spooky-Electric]

Kotonoha recently released another Mohiro Kitoh short called Zansho. Seems like they plan to do a bunch of shorts that were compiled into a graphic novel.

Zansho wasn't bad. Good story idea but not really fleshed out as much as it could have been due to its length. The story was similar to Mizuiro if anyone has seen that.

Cool, thanks. I just downloaded it.

I'm hooked on one shots lately. They're sweet.

[TronDD]

The second story released by Kotonoha was awesome. I thought it was great. I love those kinds of stories.

[Griffith]

Hmm, has anyone actually managed to find volume 6 in English yet? I know it was delayed a bit, but it was supposed to come out August 11th according to Dark Horse's site... I've tried e-mailing them twice about it but haven't gotten an answer. :bash:

[Quarkboy]

Hmm, has anyone actually managed to find volume 6 in English yet? I know it was delayed a bit, but it was supposed to come out August 11th according to Dark Horse's site... I've tried e-mailing them twice about it but haven't gotten an answer. :bash:

A careful search of Dark Horse's site reveals that it has been published and a link to an online retailer that seems to stock it:
here (http://www.tfaw.com/profile.html?SKU=13295&qt=dhbuy4)

The same sort of thing happened with vol 5, it seems Dark Horse has a period of limited distribution only to certain niche retailer's like comic book shops and the like, until other general bookstores get them. Amazon.com seems to not have it yet, but they say they should get it sometime this month.

If you have to have it now, I'd check around at a local comic book shop, they'd be most likely to stock it.

[tsurumaru]

The second story released by Kotonoha was awesome. I thought it was great. I love those kinds of stories.

Yeah I'm really enjoying these too, I've already ordered a hard copy of Zansho from Japan to show my support for Kitoh-san, these shorts are great and I'm really interested in seeing how both his ideas and artwork evolved. :)

[Griffith]

Yeah, that TFAW site linked on Dark Horse's website stocks it, but it says pre-order so I'd imagine they don't have any copies at the moment. I'll just have to wait I guess. :heh:

[Trax]

According to the darkhorse site, 6 shouldn't be out until 2005. So how many issues are expected to come out in total? I'll check my local comic dealer to see if they have anything or can order it, or maybe I'll just order it online. Milehighcomics seems to have priced down some backissues... ;)

[TronDD]

According to the darkhorse site, 6 shouldn't be out until 2005.

Ugh, you're right. It was originally scheduled for August of this year. :(

The Japanees release was completed in 12 volumes. The English release is lagging behind a little bit. Not sure if it'll end up going to 13 volumes or not.

[Griffith]

Bah, what the hell? 2005? I guess it's too much to ask to expect more than one volume a year. :fingers:

[Judo]

I just finished watching the anime and kinda enjoyed it...even though the last 2 eps are...lets just say I never expected anything like this to happen...<____<;


anyways, the anime kinda feels incomplete and left alot of unanswered questions...so I was wondering if there's a manga(I'm pretty sure I heared that there was a manga...) and if anyone is scanlating it.

[stpehen]

Your quest begins here (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1569715483/qid=1100415552/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_5/002-7623860-8913600?v=glance&s=books).

[Judo]

Oh, it's licenced eh.

hmm, is there any changes or cencoring done to the US ver? I mean, usually if an anime has some disturbing scenes, the manga has even more disturbing scenes <.<;

[Quarkboy]

Oh, it's licenced eh.

hmm, is there any changes or cencoring done to the US ver? I mean, usually if an anime has some disturbing scenes, the manga has even more disturbing scenes <.<;

This very thread has the answers to all those questions.

[TronDD]

mm. I know the thread is kinda long but your questions have been asked and answered multiple times.

Yes, there is some censoring. Details have been discussed already.

[Judo]

Yeah I just read the thread, didn't know that there wasd a topic bout it already(and I was wondering where the topic I made dissapeared too <__<;;; )

[Griffith]

While not technically on topic, the anime has been licensed! Central Park Media licensed it, I can't believe it's going to be released over here. I'll be buying the first DVD the day it comes out. :)

[Diedrupo]

are you serious? o_O I hope they don't censor it or claim that the girls are 18+.

[Griffith]

I highly doubt it'll be censored. CPM has been known to do some violent titles, and they do hentai too, so it shouldn't be an issue for them.

[Spooky-Electric]

Anime on DVD rarely ever gets censored anymore. I wouldn't worry about it.

Plus the Narutaru anime is already censored and toned down from the manga.

[naozumi s.]

Not really on topic but have you guys read Kitou Mohiro's one shot "Pochi's Place" ? Heh, it's not dark or anything like his manga, but it was a fun little read. Only 30 pages.

If you're curious download the one shot collection from MangaScreener. Don't expect anything deep or amazing. :p

Hello,I don't really know how all these things about downloading work,could you tell me how exactly I can get that shortstory?

[TronDD]

Hello,I don't really know how all these things about downloading work,could you tell me how exactly I can get that shortstory?

A torrent can be found here:

http://64.62.145.165:6969/

It's in the "One-shots Collection[MS]" torrent.

Be sure to grab "Mohiro.Kitohs.Short.Stories.-.Zansho.V1.Ch1-5.[Kotonoha]" for more of Kitoh's great stories.

[naozumi s.]

A torrent can be found here:

http://64.62.145.165:6969/

It's in the "One-shots Collection[MS]" torrent.

Be sure to grab "Mohiro.Kitohs.Short.Stories.-.Zansho.V1.Ch1-5.[Kotonoha]" for more of Kitoh's great stories.

Thank you! I've got windows xp and when I try to download it there's always a message that says I can't open it because my system doesn't know the programme it comes from. Then it leads me to a side where I'm supposed to search for a programme that can deal with that unknown file extension. I've set in that my computer should show all file extensions (at least I think I have) but there's no difference. Is there anything else I can try ? I mean, it woud be kind of disappointing if I couldn't read that stories just because my computer doesn't know the programme. Maybe it's just because I'm not really used to doing all that in english.

[TronDD]

Do you have BitTorrent (http://bittorrent.com/download.html) installed?

[naozumi s.]

Do you have BitTorrent (http://bittorrent.com/download.html) installed?

My problem was that I didn't have it installed. Thanks for your help. I've downloaded his shortstories now. They're great.

[Quarkboy]

First post on this thread since forum restart! At least the summaries me and Tsurumaru made are still here :).

And I bear bad news, sort of. super manga blast (which serializes Shadowstar = Narutaru) is ending. Issue 59 is the final issue, they ended somewhere in the middle of the Russia arc.

Questions such as "will they continue to release the series in collected volumes" are completely unknown. They've finished enough for an 8th volume at least.

volume 7, the one with the infamous scenes was released last month. I also have no information about any of the othre titles in SMB.

[tsurumaru]

First post on this thread since forum restart! At least the summaries me and Tsurumaru made are still here :).

And I bear bad news, sort of. super manga blast (which serializes Shadowstar = Narutaru) is ending. Issue 59 is the final issue, they ended somewhere in the middle of the Russia arc.

Questions such as "will they continue to release the series in collected volumes" are completely unknown. They've finished enough for an 8th volume at least.

volume 7, the one with the infamous scenes was released last month. I also have no information about any of the othre titles in SMB.

I've begun to seriously wonder if Dark Horse has the balls to continue Narutaru considering the audience it was initially aimed at. Volume 9 (Dark Horse Volume 10 equivalent) and the whole Russsia arc is tame, but Volumes 10-12 contain just about every taboo going and although some aspects are neither obscene nor explicit, they sure as hell aren't subtle.

[Rion]

Uh... volume 12 just came out in Germany, but I only had a short look on it. I have seen Quarkboy's avatar for ages now, but I never understood it, because Shiina was saying she doesn't smoke - and even despises smoking (so does Tsurumaru, which makes it even more weird) so that I even thought that maybe it isn't Shiina. Now I know where the avatar comes from... *g*

Since Tsurumaru doesn't smoke (or does he?), I thought her change might have been because of her parents who smoke as well? So her bond to her parents is still stronger than her bond to Tsumaru (which she is supposed to love...)? I hope this makes sense :heh:

[Quarkboy]

Uh... volume 12 just came out in Germany, but I only had a short look on it. I have seen Quarkboy's avatar for ages now, but I never understood it, because Shiina was saying she doesn't smoke - and even despises smoking (so does Tsurumaru, which makes it even more weird) so that I even thought that maybe it isn't Shiina. Now I know where the avatar comes from... *g*

Since Tsurumaru doesn't smoke (or does he?), I thought her change might have been because of her parents who smoke as well? So her bond to her parents is still stronger than her bond to Tsumaru (which she is supposed to love...)? I hope this makes sense :heh:


I always thought my avatar was very VERY subtle. It's just the most anti anything picture ever. As for why Shiina starts smoking? Saa... Maybe it was in honor of Tsurumaru (who didn't smoke, except when Hoshimaru did... I guess that's one way to avoid cancer). Maybe it was from the last month or so she lived with her mom. Maybe it was because it was the only thing that kept her from breaking down. Hey, for all we know that wasn't even nicotine.
There was just something so incredibly sad about that image of her smoking on the destroyed rooftop of her apartment. And very, very contemplative. That was the image I wanted for my avatar. Of course, 99.99 percent of people are not going to get it, but hey, that's also something I'd want my avatar to be :).



On a non-spoiler note, from the mouth of Toren smith: "Well, you'll have to talk to Dark Horse about Narutaru. I've heard they plan to cancel it, which is a shame, but despite great critical acclaim, it never caught on with the masses."

So it really does seem like Narutaru is not going to go past vol. 8. I don't know, maybe I could convince a certain group (mangascreener :) ) to start up a scanlation again of the last few volumes if it's made official.

[Seyluun]

In France, the editor just chickened out after volume 2 (while tons of trash are still being continuated :mad: ), so I'm left hanging to mangareactor's handing out... hopefully they should came back from their break pretty soon so I'll have the occasion to read the volume 7! *Pray*

[Diedrupo]

It's sad that the series won't continue in english paperback format, but as pointed out, there is always scanslations. :)

[Quarkboy]

It's sad that the series won't continue in english paperback format, but as pointed out, there is always scanslations. :)

Well that's just it... there AREN'T. At least, not yet. Unless I've been missing something.

[tsurumaru]

I always thought my avatar was very VERY subtle. It's just the most anti anything picture ever. As for why Shiina starts smoking? Saa... Maybe it was in honor of Tsurumaru (who didn't smoke, except when Hoshimaru did... I guess that's one way to avoid cancer). Maybe it was from the last month or so she lived with her mom. Maybe it was because it was the only thing that kept her from breaking down. Hey, for all we know that wasn't even nicotine.
There was just something so incredibly sad about that image of her smoking on the destroyed rooftop of her apartment. And very, very contemplative. That was the image I wanted for my avatar. Of course, 99.99 percent of people are not going to get it, but hey, that's also something I'd want my avatar to be :).




Actually I thought that In the end Shiina has become a reflection of her mother after the loss of her first daughter. It was heartbreaking to see Shiina's personality completely destroyed by everyone she ever cared about being taken from her one by one. I still think that she hates the world (herself) so much in the end that to spite the whole process rather than remake the world into some sort of utopian existence as expected of her she just leaves it to rot and that the only thing that she leaves is her Daughter and Kuri's son so that they become a family which is all she ever wanted from her mother and father.

Oh yeah and Tsurumaru should have become an otohime (not that I'm still bitter.....) :heh: :heh: :p

[Diedrupo]

Well that's just it... there AREN'T. At least, not yet. Unless I've been missing something.

Someone will pick it up. Nobody has right now because of Dark Horse, but the moment people realize that it's over with, we'll see scanslations pop up.

[Spooky-Electric]

I wish someone would just start from the beginning. I want the artwork right-to-left and uncensored.

[Quarkboy]

I wish someone would just start from the beginning. I want the artwork right-to-left and uncensored.

Dark Horse is rereleasing Oh! My Goddess unflipped, all the way from volume 1-20. So it's not out of the question them rereleasing Shadowstar. Oh, who am I kidding, sure it it :).

[animernq]

I recently read this thread and I may have found an anwser to one of the plot holes.


Hoshimaru cannot heal Tsurumaru's radiation poisoning in the same way that Kuri's dragon healed her hand because dragons can only replace missing body parts but cannot repair damages ones. An example would be if someone surgically removed your liver your dragon could make you a new one but if your liver started to fail, due to cirrhosis, your dragon could not help you.


Also I got volume 7 of Narutaru and it is as censored as the comics were.

[tsurumaru]

I recently read this thread and I may have found an anwser to one of the plot holes.


Interesting - Super spoilers below


I had assumed something like this (after Shiina's slice and dice incident) but for instance why couldn't Hoshimaru heal Tsurumaru when he was shot at the end, he was healed when he was shot by the Fat guy and he was in a similar if worse situation then (Getting shot near your heart tends to be a much quicker way to die than gut wounds which are a notoriously slow way to die). I also don't see why he couldn't become an otohime either (as this was his stated desire)?
God only knows how he was able to father Shiina's child after he patently stated that he was infertile after the radiation poisoning.....

Additional random thought when Norio died, the full dragon Vagina Dentata was attached to a growing foetus, was this Norio's Otohime body, or perhaps the child he said he would never have...?

[Quarkboy]

Interesting - Super spoilers below


I had assumed something like this (after Shiina's slice and dice incident) but for instance why couldn't Hoshimaru heal Tsurumaru when he was shot at the end, he was healed when he was shot by the Fat guy and he was in a similar if worse situation then (Getting shot near your heart tends to be a much quicker way to die than gut wounds which are a notoriously slow way to die). I also don't see why he couldn't become an otohime either (as this was his stated desire)?
God only knows how he was able to father Shiina's child after he patently stated that he was infertile after the radiation poisoning.....

Additional random thought when Norio died, the full dragon Vagina Dentata was attached to a growing foetus, was this Norio's Otohime body, or perhaps the child he said he would never have...?


Well, another cop out is

that Shiina's child isn't Tsurumaru's kid at all. Kuri's child's father is also unknown, so it could be more a concept of immaculate conception for both of them. Or, even stranger, it could be that the children inside of them are the babies created by the death of Sheol (the destruction of the earth), i.e. the souls that were absorbed in the destruction were concentrated to create the new life inside of Shiina and Kuri. Dragon Children are the Corpses of dragons, searching for a soul to absorb. In most cases it is the linked person who is absorbed to become the full dragon. But I think that Shiina and Kuri are different..... It's more like they are part of the Dragon Child Themselves, or perhaps their souls are linked to Sheol in a more complex way... I still feel like Shiina II (shiina reborn) is not the real shiina at all, but a copy made by Sheol. Perhaps it was at her death that her soul was absorbed, and that is why it was then that Kuri and company started with the destruction of the earth. Okay, here's the full theory I'm kind of proposing: Earth is dying, needs to be reborn. The Otohime choose shiina and kuri is chosen somehow to be the judges, i.e. those whose souls will be absorbed by the dragon corpse earth to recreate the new world. Kuri probably dies or is dead in some way very early on in her life.... which would explain her lack of family/knowledge of society. Shiina on the other hand leads a normal life until she's chosen by the otohime. Kuri somehow knows that the other side is chosen, and starts setting in motion the steps to restart everything... Once Shiina is killed, and her soul absorbed into Sheol, Sheol awakens, and from then on it's simply a matter of killing everyone.

I still feel like Tsurumaru didn't become a dragon on purpose. Why exactly? Perhaps to spare Shiina some pain (assuming he knew about her true role in everything, which I think he did on some level). Or maybe because he was simply afraid.

[Scribble]

Wow, even if I had to wait years, I was kind of looking forward to the non-anime part of Shadowstar to be translated. So it won't be happening?

I'm kinda saddened by this. I really enjoyed Narutaru (anime), and it the way human nature was represented in the series was interesting, and different to what I usually see in anime. I've never really found a replacement for Narutaru, but Bokurano and the Gantz manga have come the closest.


Forgive me for saying this, I can't resist mentioning Hiro-chan when people bring up "psycho kaede" (SHUFFLE) >_>

Sorry for not contributing much to the current discussion about the post-anime events....

[tsurumaru]

Well, another cop out is

that Shiina's child isn't Tsurumaru's kid at all.

I still feel like Tsurumaru didn't become a dragon on purpose. Why exactly? Perhaps to spare Shiina some pain (assuming he knew about her true role in everything, which I think he did on some level). Or maybe because he was simply afraid.


Hmm this doesn't seem to fit with the idea that

Tsurumaru and Sudou are the antithesis of each other. Sudou plainly chose not to become a Otohime when he was starving himself to death as he tells us he never wanted to become a Otohime. He then explains that he and Tsurumaru are also like Shiina and Kuri in that they are completely opposite. Sudou wishes for the destruction and end of life whereas Tsurumaru is concerned with procreation and the continuation of the Human race (OK so on a more animal level... :heh: ). It wouldn't then make sense for Tsurumaru after he has told Shiina that he will become a dragon when he dies so that he will always be with her to suddenly change his mind

I also got the feeling that the only reason Shiina bothered to bring her child to term was that it was the last link she had to anyone she ever cared for (Tsurumaru).....
If you look at her in the last chapter she is a completely destroyed person with nothing else left to live for :(

[Quarkboy]

Hmm this doesn't seem to fit with the idea that

Tsurumaru and Sudou are the antithesis of each other. Sudou plainly chose not to become a Otohime when he was starving himself to death as he tells us he never wanted to become a Otohime. He then explains that he and Tsurumaru are also like Shiina and Kuri in that they are completely opposite. Sudou wishes for the destruction and end of life whereas Tsurumaru is concerned with procreation and the continuation of the Human race (OK so on a more animal level... :heh: ). It wouldn't then make sense for Tsurumaru after he has told Shiina that he will become a dragon when he dies so that he will always be with her to suddenly change his mind

I also got the feeling that the only reason Shiina bothered to bring her child to term was that it was the last link she had to anyone she ever cared for (Tsurumaru).....
If you look at her in the last chapter she is a completely destroyed person with nothing else left to live for :(


Just because that's what he told Shiina, doesn't mean that's what he really thinks. He may have just told her that to make her feel better.
Plus, Shiina would obviously believe that her child was Tsurumaru's, because she probably doesn't understand her improbable that is, but that doesn't actually make it his in reality.

[TronDD]

Someone released volume 7. Looks like we might have a scanlator.

:cool:

EDIT: Good call. You're right on both counts.

[animernq]

Your not supposed to name the scanlators of licensed manga. Also I have checked out this scanlator's earlier releases and they are just scans of the DarkHorse translation. If this volume 7 contains the Hiro chapter then it is a scan of the official, censored manga and not a scanlation.

[Quarkboy]

Your not supposed to name the scanlators of licensed manga. Also I have checked out this scanlator's earlier releases and they are just scans of the DarkHorse translation. If this volume 7 contains the Hiro chapter then it is a scan of the official, censored manga and not a scanlation.

Yeah... The very fact that they called it "Volume 7" and not volume 6 is a giveaway that it was based on the dark horse versions.

[TronDD]

I didn't realize they had been releasing all the volumes all along, either. Guess I wasn't paying attention.

[animernq]

The best you can do is either buy the Japanese versions or the slightly censored German ones (available on Amazon).

[Fel]

I found the first two volumes on ebay, but that's it.
If you do a search for Naurtaru, you'll get zero results for auctions.
It's sad.

[animernq]

I've recently found a series called 'Yume Tsukai', which features a lot of people with weird powers and it has some loli relationships. Though its less violence than Naru Taru, its much weirder.

While Bokurano has still not been updated I have found where you can get SiNNa 1905 (Mohiro Kitoh's online manga). It has been scanlated by 'Afternoon Illusions', their IRC channel is ' #illusionary-noodles@irc.irchighway.net ' and the request information is here http://kingfish.cjb.net/~kingfish/botfish.txt.

[Solipsist]

Well sorry to revive a dead thread, but after reading through this thread I'm curious whether you all thought that Narutaru was a actually a good manga/

Let me say that I did like the series for the most part, but am I the only one who found the last two volumes to be full of creative cop-outs, unexplained mysteries, unresolved plot strings, and incredible coincidences? More than that, the characters, starting at volume seven began an almost asymptotic de-evolution from likable, albeit simplistic children, to almost nauseatingly annoying, angst drenched, teenagers. Shiina illustrates this most effectively. Oh and how about that ending?

I think the ending deserves a whole other paragraph. I'm not what you'd call an especially emotional, compassionate, person and my issue with the ending was not that everyone died. It was more that almost every character in the series besides Shiina and Kuri was cast aside like so much intellectual rubbish. In fact even that wasn't done well. Akira, Misono and Tsurumaru all just happen to die at the same general time? What the hell kind of stupid coincidence is that? But then at least we know what happened to them. Tons of other characters don't even get solid resolutions. There are more unresolved issues that were touched upon in the earlier part of the series but never even get revisited. Like the utopian realm of the dragons. What happened to that whole idea?

And the idea behing the ending was nauseatingly cliche. I've seen this death and rebirth ending done many time, and in many more interesting and creative ways. Have you all ever seen End of Evangelion, or how about Donnie Darko. Better yet have any of you ever read the bible? I think all of those did the same kind of thing in a much better way. Gee, I'm sure Kitoh was the first person to think that the world is just a giant web of irredeemable corruption who's only cure is destruction. REAL ORIGINAL. Oh and the whole thing with Shiina and Kuri mothering the new world? GAWD! It's like he couldn't think of a good way top end it so he bombarded us with 50 pages of cliches.

And you know this wouldn't be so painful if the premise of Narutaru wasn't so damn cool. Baby Dragons that human children can control, that sprout gatling guns and sparrow missiles out of their bodies, that can create an ICBM warhead out of scratch? That's pretty damn cool. It's like he had this delicious belgian waffle, and he ruined it by overloading it with syrup and powdered sugar and rotten strawberries from the bottom of the same basket thathad been drawn from by scores of authors before him.

/rant

[mangasuki]

i can't think of a end without that,so I like the end.even if it's not unusually.
at least I wouldn't make a complaint about the end.

some not solved quest is a fun to speculate on why.

a story is greate,the end is so-so.
it's a usually manga-style.

-sorry,my poor english.

[tsurumaru]

It still brings a tear to my eye that the lovely Shiina was so completely destroyed by the end of the series. At least she got some form of revenge though......

[petran79]

since I didnt know any Japanese and the US and French publishers ceased any further publishing, I bought the very good German edition by Egmond Manga (vol 7-12, I'm no German btw) and read the first volumes by Dark Horse scanlated, though i had also the Japanese raw manga to draw comparisons with Dark Horse version.
German edition had adult rating, unlike Dark Horse.

This is one of the best mangas I've read. The design especially and the characters were appealing, considering I dont like manga designs that much in the majority of the titles.

The story was one of the most addicting ever and it is a pity that Dark Horse ceased the manga leaving many impatient readers with the agony what will occur next.

As for the adult content of the manga, I wonder what makes this title different from other adult titles and there was this fuss. While more violent titles like Berserk, Hellsing and Blade of the Immortal didnt meet many problems abroad. As if Narutaru were as violent as Ichi the Killer manga

From the mangas I've read so far (not that much, around 100) this is top of my list along with Bokurano.

As for the ending, it was obvious that no happy ending would occur from the start already.

[Quarkboy]

As for the adult content of the manga, I wonder what makes this title different from other adult titles and there was this fuss. While more violent titles like Berserk, Hellsing and Blade of the Immortal didnt meet many problems abroad. As if Narutaru were as violent as Ichi the Killer manga

From the mangas I've read so far (not that much, around 100) this is top of my list along with Bokurano.

As for the ending, it was obvious that no happy ending would occur from the start already.

It's a somewhat complicated story about Dark Horse's initial attempts at making manga fit into the american comic standards. Basically, Berserk and friends were published as MANGA, whereas Shadowstar and the other original Dark Horse licenses were tried to be published as comics, which has some pretty strict standards. If it makes you feel any better, Dark Horse lost a lot of money (and a golden opportunity) from that marketing decision, but the casaulty is manga like Narutaru.

[petran79]

It's a somewhat complicated story about Dark Horse's initial attempts at making manga fit into the american comic standards. Basically, Berserk and friends were published as MANGA, whereas Shadowstar and the other original Dark Horse licenses were tried to be published as comics, which has some pretty strict standards. If it makes you feel any better, Dark Horse lost a lot of money (and a golden opportunity) from that marketing decision, but the casaulty is manga like Narutaru.

thanks for the info.

That explains it well. Not only Dark Horse but also the French publisher stopped the project at an even earlier stage,, though I thought France was more liberal concerning such topics, since they are a paradise for mangas and comics.

As for Dark Horse, publishing mangas as comics is the silliest thing to do. Is it so difficult to read the pages backwards?

[Lawfer]

I have been on this manga's back since 2000-2001, I first picked up the first 2 volumes in french released by Glenat but as usual those genius decided to stop publishing it like they did with so many series. Not so much out of luck Dark Horse decided to pick it up and butcher it by some mindless censors and releasing the chapters in some stupid format (for example, Volume 5 in the US is really Volume 3 in Japan in orginal format) before abruptly stopping at Volume 7.

Iscariot did translate the book to french, but again because of the genius at Glenat still holding the rights and at the same time refusing to release more then Volume 1 and 2. Iscariot can't scanlate it properly, so far they just released the texts.

I tried to read Bokurano but meh, it just can't beat NaruTaru. So what the hell can be done??! I know it has been released in germany and censored, but I can't read german!!!

[Quarkboy]

I have been on this manga's back since 2000-2001, I first picked up the first 2 volumes in french released by Glenat but as usual those genius decided to stop publishing it like they did with so many series. Not so much out of luck Dark Horse decided to pick it up and butcher it by some mindless censors and releasing the chapters in some stupid format (for example, Volume 5 in the US is really Volume 3 in Japan in orginal format) before abruptly stopping at Volume 7.

Iscariot did translate the book to french, but again because of the genius at Glenat still holding the rights and at the same time refusing to release more then Volume 1 and 2. Iscariot can't scanlate it properly, so far they just released the texts.

I tried to read Bokurano but meh, it just can't beat NaruTaru. So what the hell can be done??! I know it has been released in germany and censored, but I can't read german!!!

In a few months I think I'll be translating it. Be patient.

I've waited long enough for DH. Might as well finish what I started long, long ago.

[FatPianoBoy]

In a few months I think I'll be translating it. Be patient.


Actually, a project is already underway. I've got about half of the first chapter of volume eight done, and a whole scanlation group has been formed around the project. PM me if you want details.

[Quarkboy]

Actually, a project is already underway. I've got about half of the first chapter of volume eight done, and a whole scanlation group has been formed around the project. PM me if you want details.

Um, weird, there is another scanlation project under way too :).

Well, less work for me then!

[Lawfer]

I've waited long enough for DH. Might as well finish what I started long, long ago.

DH? Was ist das?

Actually, a project is already underway. I've got about half of the first chapter of volume eight done, and a whole scanlation group has been formed around the project. PM me if you want details.

Nice, I feel releaved! Thanks for the info;)

[Quarkboy]

DH? Was ist das?


Dark Horse. And why are you speaking German? I thought you said you don't speak german...

[Lawfer]

Dark Horse. And why are you speaking German? I thought you said you don't speak german...

Yeah I actually really don't, just know a couple words here and there. Oh and did Dark Horse give any kind of info on why they stopped publishing it?

[FatPianoBoy]

Oh and did Dark Horse give any kind of info on why they stopped publishing it?

Content and sales.
Which means that it is 99.9% certain they will never do anything more with the license than they have already done.
If I thought it was in the most remote corner of Possible Land that it might happen, I wouldn't waste my time or take the risk of doing it.

[Lawfer]

If I thought it was in the most remote corner of Possible Land that it might happen, I wouldn't waste my time or take the risk of doing it.

I personally think Dark Horse did a pitifull job at bringing NaruTaru in the US, that'd be changing the manga to a comic format or the various censors or even not so great translation.

I'd rather have someone scanlate it so that why I'd buy the japanese release rather then spending my money on the butcher work's of DH.

[Quarkboy]

People interested in Volume 7 (Japanese), i.e. volume 8 english and scanlations should check out this livejournal community:

http://community.livejournal.com/narutaru/

You might find some interesting stuff there.

[Quarkboy]

Okay, I'm not too sure anyone cares, but I've posted scans of all the unpublished english chapters of Narutaru that appeared in Super Manga Blast to the livejournal above (there's a torrent out there I made on datorrents, too).

I've also translated another 40 pages of volume 9 immediately following where SMB left off. See the link to the livejournal community above for that, as I don't think I'm allowed to post it here directly given that the manga is technically still licensed, I think.

[Lawfer]

Okay, I'm not too sure anyone cares, but I've posted scans of all the unpublished english chapters of Narutaru that appeared in Super Manga Blast to the livejournal above (there's a torrent out there I made on datorrents, too).

I've also translated another 40 pages of volume 9 immediately following where SMB left off. See the link to the livejournal community above for that, as I don't think I'm allowed to post it here directly given that the manga is technically still licensed, I think.

Thanks for that, up to what volume does DH holds the rights to NaruTaru?

[Quarkboy]

Thanks for that, up to what volume does DH holds the rights to NaruTaru?

All of them. It doesn't mean they'll ever publish any more, though.

And if the rights expire sometime, no one is talking.

[Lawfer]

It doesn't mean they'll ever publish any more, though.

Yeah I know they won't publish the rest of course. Was just checking because if they didn't hold the rights to all of them, it would be less hassle for the scanlators.

[Folly]

Sorry for reviving a long-dead discussion, but I just finished reading Narutaru and wanted to have my words.

First of all, a big thankyou to tsurumaru and quark for translating the final volumes so that I could finish reading the story. It's easily among the best I've ever read, and I wouldn't have been able to do so without your help.

Anyway, here is my interpretation of some of the stories more uncertain elements. Please understand that most of this is just extrapolated by me based on my understanding of the story, these events do not all actually happen in the manga.

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, there was a world very much like earth. That is to say, a world made up of 2 ancient and powerful dragons who were in the process of mating. Eventually their baby dragonets were born and because these dragons are parasitic lifeforms, they bonded with the organisms growing on this planet and eventually absorbed their brainwaves or "souls" so that the dragon babies could sustain themselves. Then the baby dragons flew off into space where they slowly grew into adult dragons themselves.

2 of these dragons found their way to our solar system where they met eachother and decided to mate, so they merged into one great sphere and laid their eggs, then went to sleep while they waited for their eggs to hatch.

Being the extremely long lived species that they are, the eggs took several billion years to hatch. During this time, the seeds of life which the dragons carried with them from the world on which they were born gradually grew and flourished and finally became the humans that we are today, as well as all the plants and animals.

Finally the eggs hatched, and the new generation of dragonets went out into their parents' world and bonded with the humans and animals and even the plants of this new worlds. The dragons are parasites so they allowed the various organisms to maintain control of both bodies, while the dragons themselves quietly used their brain waves or "souls" to sustain themselves.

Having survived on the same souls for many billions of years, the souls in the adult dragons eventually decayed and they were forced to awaken and find new souls to bond with. They had been sleeping all this time so they knew nothing of the society which had formed around them, so they asked their children which souls would be best for them to bond with. The great white dragon asked the baby dragon who had bonded with one named Mishou, and Mishou told the great white dragon to bond with the one who had been her younger sister in her previous life; Thus baby Shiina became bonded to the first great dragon. The great black dragon asked the baby dragon who had bonded with Sudou, who wanted nothing more than to see our society destroyed so that it could be reborn. Sudou told the great black dragon to bond with a girl whom he knew had seen only the very worst aspects of humanity, in the hopes that she would help him further his goals. Thus did Kuri become bonded with the second great dragon.

Unfortunately Sudou had underestimated Kuri's hatred for this society, and in the end she destroyed all of humanity. Fortunately both Kuri and Shiina had managed to get themselves impregnated before the end came, and they chose to deliver their babies before completely merging with their respective ancient dragons.

Content with their new souls, the new generation of baby dragons flew off into space to go start their own worlds, each carrying their own genetic seeds of life so that humanity could be reborn again on these new worlds.

Back on earth, Kuri's son and Shiina's daughter became the new adam and eve, the mother and father of the next era of humanityon earth.


One thing that I must take issue with is the fact that everyone assumes Hoshimaru was unable to absorb Tsurumaru's soul and become a "full dragon". I don't believe this is ever clearly stated in the manga. Hoshimaru latched onto Tsurumaru's head for a short time and I like to believe that he could have simply sucked out Tsurumaru's brain waves without needing to digest his entire body as the other dragonets do. His tentacle went limp after it finished absorbing what it needed, and then Hoshimaru and Tsurumaru were completely bonded and went off with all the other dragons.

[ellifeedn]

I recently found this is series and got interested in it. I don't know much about this series and I was wondering if I should read the licensed version, if there is one that is, or a scanlated version, if one can be found. Could someone help me?

[Folly]

I'll try to save you some searching elli. Dark Horse released translated versions of the japanese volumes 1-9.5, out of 12 total. Volumes 1-6 were also animated. The last 3.5 volumes were never released by Dark Horse, and because they hold the liscence no scanlation groups will work on them. However very detailed descriptions of every untranslated chapter can be found in this thread thanks to tsurumaru and quirk.

You're best bet is probobly to watch the anime for the first 6 volumes, they have some great music and all the same scenes from the manga. Then download/buy the translations for volumes 7-9.5. Finally download the raws for volumes 9-12 and read the translations from this thread while following along with the pictures in the raws.

Personally I consider it well worth the trouble, as it's a very good story. Very similar to Evangelion but without giant robots. And the pictures in the manga are incredible. Shiina is sooo cute! And even Norio was pretty adorable in his way. And the violent scenes, what few there are, are really greusome.

[ellifeedn]

Thank you for the appriciated help Folly. I just have a few questions though:

1. There aren't too many filler or edits in the anime are there?

2. I heard the Dark Horse version was bad. Should I still read their translated volumes 7-9.5?

3. They still have raws for the later volumes online?

Other than that, I wanted to tell you that you did the math wrong; it was 2.5 volumes left.

[tsurumaru]

Thank you for the appriciated help Folly. I just have a few questions though:

1. There aren't too many filler or edits in the anime are there?

Other than that, I wanted to tell you that you did the math wrong; it was 2.5 volumes left.

1. The anime misses out a fair chunk of the first volume of the manga which is foreshadowing.

Actually there's about a volumes worth of Dark Horse translated material that was never released as a graphic novel. So I think this explains the discrepancy . :)

[Folly]

The Dark Horse translations did have some unfortunate cuts, but nothing dramatic enough to make the series not worth reading. Almost all of the story is still intact, and there is still plenty of violence and nudity despite their edits.

I downloaded the raws just a couple weeks ago so yes they are still available. Can't post links here but you shouldn't have much trouble finding them.

As tsurumaru said you may want to read the first volume for the foreshadowing, but I still strongly reccomend you check out the anime. There are no fillers and negligible edits. The only problem is that the anime ends halfway through the story, but the adult content really picks up in the second half so that's pretty understandable.

[Thany]

2. I heard the Dark Horse version was bad. Should I still read their translated volumes 7-9.5?
If you read older comments in that thread you'll know that Dark Horse butchered the manga by removing a lot of stuffs from it, so yeh it's not worth it, might as well buy the manga raw and learn Japanese, then it'll be worth reading.

[Folly]

Oh, and the second half of volume 9, plus all of volumes 10, 11, and 12 make 3.5 untranslated volumes. I'm really tired right now so I can't quite figure out why 12-9.5=2.5, but I'm sure someone more awake can make sense of it...

[Quarkboy]

The confusion lies on the fact that the volume numbering is different between the US and japanese versions.

For some reason Dark Horse published the japanese volumes 1-6 in _7_ books.

So the US volume 8 = japanese volume 7.

and so if they finished publishing the rest there would be 13 US volumes, not 12.

The Dark Horse translation stops about 25% into volume 9 Japanese. That leaves 3.5 volumes left to translate. Also note that nothing was censored after the end of volume 6 (japanese) in the dark horse publishing.

[ellifeedn]

I found the anime being sold on Amazon and I'm saving so that I can buy it. Also saving so that I can buy vol. 1, as per your suggestions:). As for the raws, not so much luck there.

[Selo]

Yay, this thread is alive again!

Anyway, I'm new here, and this'll most likely be the only AS thread I ever post in, but I had to join this discussion.

I'm a member of the LiveJournal community that Quarkboy linked to earlier, and I'm xShift there, so obviously I love Narutaru and can't stop obsessing about it everywhere <3

I have all of the anime, all 7 Dark Horse manga volumes, and volumes 7 through 12 in Japanese, so basically I've read the whole series. And I love it to death. I started reading it when I was eight years old, and my love for it hasn't died a bit. Mohiro Kitoh's art and storytelling and pacing are amazing. Narutaru is obviously my favorite manga, so I will take any chance to fangirl about it.

So, to answer ellifeedn's questions some more:

There aren't too many filler or edits in the anime are there?
Not really... the plot is kept the same, but much of the violence and sex from the Hiroko plot is changed. Not the actual acts, but what's pictured. In the test tube rape scene, you see the bullies corner Hiro in silhouette, and while the actual act is going on, you just see the night sky and hear squelching and crying.

When Akira is trying to get Ishida to have sex with her in the nurse's office, much of the "action" takes place behind a set of curtains that were added. Basically, you see the curtains, Ishida falls out onto the floor, and then Akira is there with her shirt almost completely down.

And in Aki Honda's rape/death, after Oni's finger transforms into a test tube, you see it in front of her face and begin to move down. Then you see a shot of Aki's legs from the thigh down, jerking around while she screams. And when she falls back dead, you see her bloody figure in silhouette.
It's not nearly as graphic as the Japanese manga, or even the English manga, for that matter. But you can still certainly tell what's going on. XD

A lot of non-explicit scenes from the manga are cut from the anime too, just to make the story move quicker. To squeeze it all into 13 episodes, a lot of stuff needs to be taken out. Even though a few major plot points happened to be those edited.

Oh, and for people looking to buy the raws from Amazon (I saw a couple), you cannot. The Japanese manga is out-of-print now, even directly in Japane :( So sad.

That's basically all for now ^_^ I'll definitely come back to this topic once I mess with my profile some more. Bye~!

[tsurumaru]

Good to know that the active fanbase of the series is still expanding :).
Oh and Selo/xShift I just joined the livejournal community, once I've worked out how to post in the community section :heh::heh::heh: I'll pop in to join the discussion. I'm hoping to purchase a scanner soon and I aim to do a much more professional job of the Special Narutaru colour scans I posted in here a long long long time ago from the monthly Afternoon magazine chapters.

[Selo]

Yay, it's tsurumaru! I'm kind of late the the party here (three years late!), but thank you for the wonderful manga volume spoiler summaries.

It's kind of pushing the thread off topic, but to post to the LiveJournal community all you need to do is go to the Narutaru community's main page, scroll all the way to the top, and there'll be kind of a control panel/bar there. There should be a link that says "post to this community", so click that, and then the entry page should pop up :)

And the color scans would be great. I saw that post earlier in this thread, but all the image links have kind of expired by now, so I couldn't see any of the art.

I also have some of Kitoh's sketches from the Japanese manga volumes 7 through 12. They're basically ideas and rough drafts, but I could still put them up for people if that doesn't violate the forum rules.

[kuruzen]

I'm a bit late to the party like Selo, there; I'd also love to deeply thank you, too, Tsurumaru-san! Ever since the first time I read Narutaru (I read volume 1 and 7 first, from the library... wasn't a good idea, now, was it?) I've been more attached to it than any other manga... Kitoh is such a great author. It's so great people are finally stepping up to scanslate those final volumes... when I first read your summaries, I had no idea and couldn't believe what was happening... and now that I've seen the raws (and have very little knowledge of the Japanese language... not much furigana...) I was saying, "OMFG WTFBBQ?!!" all over the place...
I'm so glad its getting attention, at least a little! :)

(pardon my ranting...I'm new here)

[Selo]

Noobs unite! :D And yeah, Narutaru is so great. Mohiro Kitoh is like one of my idols, and I just read the first volume of Bokurano! So good~

Like I said, I first read volume 1 when I was eight, and didn't have the chance to get more volumes for another three years. It drove little me nuts, but without finding that first volume in the bottom of a cardboard box in my basement, I probably wouldn't be here today. I love Narutaru to death - always have, always will.

I believed what the summaries were saying, but obviously I had different perceptions about what the actual images would look like when I got the raws, so it took me a while to realize that they were the same scenes. Just one more reason why Mohiro Kitoh is great - those "OMGWTFBBQ!!1" moments can be pretty unexpected and awesome.

[tutui]

It's been some time (again!), but thank you so much tsurumaru, Quarkboy and everyone else for this thread, which completely re-newed my interest in reading NaruTaru!!!

I actually tried reading NaruTaru before but I was confused by having to read left-to-right... (since manga these days is published mostly unflipped.)... so I put it down.
That's a really stupid reason, but at the time I must have been around 14 so I don't think I'd been able to understand the series anyway.

Then I started reading Mohiro Kitoh's other works recently, starting with Zansho, Hallucination from the Womb (Dreams from Shell City), Bokurano and I loved all of it.

I was reminded of NaruTaru, which I knew of course was discontinued by Dark Horse, so I was pretty reluctant because of that.

Anyway whilst randomly surfing and looking up info on Mohiro Kitoh I chanced upon this thread. And read and READ. So I was like, okay, fuck it, I'm going to read NaruTaru NOW. (It was actually quite a struggle to start because everytime I started on a new chapter my eyes kept moving to the top right to read!)

Oh man it was so worth it. So thanks again, seriously.

(I just hope that people won't be put off by the knowledge that some of the content is censored and the art mirrored... come on man, considering the year NaruTaru was published in, I think it was really for the best. Until Tokyopop came along with their cheap "100% authenthic manga" (which is bullcrap anyway since their localizations tend to be pretty vapid) most manga was published flipped.)

One question that... really isn't of importance but I'm curious about it anyway;

Before Aki Honda is killed by Hiroko, she's seen talking to her "lover". Now I can see pretty clearly that in the japanese tankouban Aki refers to the guy as "Oni-chan" aka (big) brother.

I don't know about you guys but that kind of shocked me (a little bit!).

Now, Aki Honda being about 12 is pretty much in-line with the recurring theme of pre-pubescent sexuality in Mohiro Kitoh's work.

But if someone is willing to clear up to me wether this guy is really Honda's bro or it's just a way of refering to her sweetums, I'd be pretty grateful, even though it's of next to no importance.

[Dark Wing]

One question that... really isn't of importance but I'm curious about it anyway;

Before Aki Honda is killed by Hiroko, she's seen talking to her "lover". Now I can see pretty clearly that in the japanese tankouban Aki refers to the guy as "Oni-chan" aka (big) brother.

I don't know about you guys but that kind of shocked me (a little bit!).

Now, Aki Honda being about 12 is pretty much in-line with the recurring theme of pre-pubescent sexuality in Mohiro Kitoh's work.

But if someone is willing to clear up to me wether this guy is really Honda's bro or it's just a way of refering to her sweetums, I'd be pretty grateful, even though it's of next to no importance.

Well I don't really knows for sure since there isn't any real confirmation beside her calling him bother but from the way they talked to each other in their short conversation it seemed like how a bother would talk to his younger sister.

[Selo]

but at the time I must have been around 14 so I don't think I'd been able to understand the series anyway
Really? I started reading it when I was 8 (no joke) and understood it just fine. Granted, that was only the first volume, but I started with all the following volumes at 11. I finished the whole series when I was 12, maybe 13, and still got all of it. A young reader of Narutaru I was, and still am, at almost 14 now! I'm most likely one of the youngest fans there is. EDIT: I've alway been under the impression that most American fans started by reading the Dark Horse versions in their teens.

One question that... really isn't of importance but I'm curious about it anyway;

Before Aki Honda is killed by Hiroko, she's seen talking to her "lover". Now I can see pretty clearly that in the japanese tankouban Aki refers to the guy as "Oni-chan" aka (big) brother.

I don't know about you guys but that kind of shocked me (a little bit!).

Now, Aki Honda being about 12 is pretty much in-line with the recurring theme of pre-pubescent sexuality in Mohiro Kitoh's work.

But if someone is willing to clear up to me wether this guy is really Honda's bro or it's just a way of refering to her sweetums, I'd be pretty grateful, even though it's of next to no importance.
I always thought that was just a little change between the anime and the manga. Because I think in the anime she calls him "oni-chan", I think, and in both versions of the manga she just calls him "lover". Maybe he was changed from a much older boyfriend into a sibling for the TV show to remove the sexual connotations that might have been too hot for a more general audience.

[Dark Wing]

Really? I started reading it when I was 8 (no joke) and understood it just fine. Granted, that was only the first volume, but I started with all the following volumes at 11. I finished the whole series when I was 12, maybe 13, and still got all of it. A young reader of Narutaru I was, and still am, at almost 14 now! I'm most likely one of the youngest fans there is.

You'll have to take into account that different people do mature at different rates. I'm 21 and get tessed a lot because I often act like I'm 30...:heh:


I always thought that was just a little change between the anime and the manga. Because I think in the anime she calls him "oni-chan", I think, and in both versions of the manga she just calls him "lover". Maybe he was changed from a much older boyfriend into a sibling for the TV show to remove the sexual connotations that might have been too hot for a more general audience.

I wouldn't be surpirsed if that were the case. They also tried covering her up a little in the anime...not by that much though.:rolleyes:

Anyway I finally got to the end of the manga (as limited as my Japanese is) and wow it was so heart breaking to watch. Just when you think things would work out too. It has now made my most depressing series list. Also the whole NGE style end was a nice touch too. However I still can't get over that...

They killed off everyone on the planet. I would've never thought she would go that fare. Well I kind of think it was justafied to wash the sin form the world etc.

[Selo]

However I still can't get over that...

They killed off everyone on the planet. I would've never thought she would go that fare. Well I kind of was justafied to wash the sin form the world etc.
Yeah, in a way that was needed, but I think it's still more just a matter of Mamiko's attitude. She gets pleasure from killing, and from power, so she probably didn't think twice before wiping out the whole world. It was so heartbreaking to see Shiina messed up by all of it, without Mamiko even caring, and just proves yet again how messed-up the kids are in this series.

[Dark Wing]

Yeah, in a way that was needed, but I think it's still more just a matter of Mamiko's attitude. She gets pleasure from killing, and from power, so she probably didn't think twice before wiping out the whole world. It was so heartbreaking to see Shiina messed up by all of it, without Mamiko even caring, and just proves yet again how messed-up the kids are in this series.


Their is one thing I couldn't get.
Why exactly did Mamiko spare Shiina?

[Selo]

Why exactly did Mamiko spare Shiina?
Because Shiina is her other half. Shiina is the "light to [Mamiko's] shadow". They complete each other, and you can't have one without the other. Together they make up the two halves of the world, and with Shiina and her baby dead, Mamiko's son would have no one to continue the human race with either. Mamiko understood that, and also considered Shiina a friend, so she had to keep her alive. She also wanted to try and teach Shiina how to harness her dragons' power, and that can't exactly be done without Shiina...

[Dark Wing]

Because Shiina is her other half. Shiina is the "light to [Mamiko's] shadow". They complete each other, and you can't have one without the other. Together they make up the two halves of the world, and with Shiina and her baby dead, Mamiko's son would have no one to continue the human race with either. Mamiko understood that, and also considered Shiina a friend, so she had to keep her alive. She also wanted to try and teach Shiina how to harness her dragons' power, and that can't exactly be done without Shiina...

Oh I see they took the Twilight route. I always liked those kind of stories.:cool:

[Selo]

This is kind of redundant, but for those who don't feel like going through the whole thread for info again, and we've waited long enough, so here it is: a preposition for a big movement to save the English manga.

Dark Horse Comics has been emailed by several people from the Narutaru LiveJournal community and (I'm almost certain) members of this forum concerning future continuation of the series. Some people from the LJ comm, including myself, have gotten replies from the Dark Horse staff. The responses all had the same general gist, so I'm going to repost it here...

Thanks for your interest in Dark Horse! Unfortunately we do not currently have plans to continue with the Shadow Star series (my reply added that they would "pass your letter onto our editorial department for review").

Keep an eye out on the Dark Horse website, in the manga zone, however, for all the latest and greatest information. You never know when something might change.

So that's it. Later questions revealed that the main reason for the series' cancellation was a lack of sales. :(

But there is hope! They still have the rights to the whole series, so the manga's fate still rests in their hands. We have to start up an email campaign - send mail to Dark Horse convincing them how great Narutaru is, how much the fans want it continued, and the rich opportunities they would have if they continued translating and printing it. Be sure to also compliment them on a job-well-done with volumes 1 through 7 and thank them for picking the project up in the first place :) With luck and hard work we might be able to turn their opinions around.

The actual email address to contact DH is unknown, so you can just use this form (http://www.darkhorse.com/help/contactus.php), which I'm pretty sure everyone who contacted them has done.

And, of course, if you haven't already, go out and support the series financially by buying all of the Dark Horse volumes that you don't have already. They're expensive, so buy them one by one if need be, but make sure to pick them up to show your love for Narutaru. They're great for those who can't get the raws; and DH won't want to consider reviving something that doesn't sell.

So let's hop to it! Who's with me? :naughty:

[tsurumaru]

Hi all.

Since the English language licence holders have discontinued the release of Narutaru and the series may never see a full release I thought I would highlight the efforts of a couple ofpeople who have posted on 4chan's \a\ board. My apologies if I shouldn't be linking to this however it appears these guys wanted to see the translated series so much they took it into their own hands. I believe they are translating the official (continuing) German release into English.

Here are the links for Volumes 9 & 10 of Narutaru scanslated into English all credits go to the Scanslators:

http://rapidshare.com/files/64145671/narutaru_vol.9.rar.html
http://rapidshare.com/files/69298649/narutaru_vol.10.rar.html

I realise some of you may not want to visit the chans so here is the direct rapidsearch link for any future releases that we might see.

http://rapidsearch.yi.org/?s=narutaru

Oh yeah and heads up, volume 10 is pretty strong stuff.... :twitch::uhoh::twitch::uhoh::heh:

[Narutaru4ever]

Hi all.

Since the English language licence holders have discontinued the release of Narutaru and the series may never see a full release I thought I would highlight the efforts of a couple ofpeople who have posted on 4chan's \a\ board. My apologies if I shouldn't be linking to this however it appears these guys wanted to see the translated series so much they took it into their own hands. I believe they are translating the official (continuing) German release into English.

Here are the links for Volumes 9 & 10 of Narutaru scanslated into English all credits go to the Scanslators:

http://rapidshare.com/files/64145671/narutaru_vol.9.rar.html
http://rapidshare.com/files/69298649/narutaru_vol.10.rar.html

I realise some of you may not want to visit the chans so here is the direct rapidsearch link for any future releases that we might see.

http://rapidsearch.yi.org/?s=narutaru

Oh yeah and heads up, volume 10 is pretty strong stuff.... :twitch::uhoh::twitch::uhoh::heh:

WOW thanks alot, I've been waiting for someone to scanlate the rest of the volumes. Now I can finish reading the rest of the manga after all :D

[Selo]

OMG. Thank you so much, Tsurumaru! Now the LJ group won't get to do their scanslations, but at least we have an accurate English version and raws of all of the volumes - I can't thank you enough for this. And the possibility of 11 and 12 being scanslated makes me happy beyond belief. *bookmarks* Seriously, thank you! I can't wait to read these, plus I get the raws of chapter 29 :D

Oh yeah and heads up, volume 10 is pretty strong stuff.... :twitch::uhoh::twitch::uhoh::heh:
Ah yes, the infamous volume 10. Now that it's in English it shall probably now be more widely known as the one that can match book 6 in brutality and terror. It actually didn't freak me out much content-wise, though of course the events themselves were miserable. My favorites always die...

[BonBon]

Wonderful! Just as I started revisiting the series, too. Thanks so much!

[Iriliane]

It may be of interest to some of you that the series seems to have gotten a reprint recently as Amazon JP has all of the volumes in stock again. Even more interesting is that volume 12 is somehow managing to outsell the latest volumes of Bokurano.

[Selo]

^ Oh my God, that's fantastic! I have to tell the LJ community now! This is awesome, now the raws are available and people can get the series in Japan again. Hopefully this will convince Dark Horse to reconsider translating the rest of it in English too.

[burnout02urza]

Does anyone have an alternative upload of the volumes? I can't quite seem to download anything from rapidshare- Would someone be kind enough re-upload it to megaupload? ^_^

[Narutaru4ever]

^ Oh my God, that's fantastic! I have to tell the LJ community now! This is awesome, now the raws are available and people can get the series in Japan again. Hopefully this will convince Dark Horse to reconsider translating the rest of it in English too.

Yeah and who knows, there may be hope that a second season might come out ;)
(cross fingers)

[tarochan]

yay, a narutaru thread! its so hard to find a fanbase for narutaru D:

thanks for those links to vol 9 and 10. just a heads up, vol 11 is in english now too XD

[Bijoux]

I myself am finding this to be wondeful news!! But could someone clarify this for me? I was just on the Manga-Sketchbook sight, saw this news post, and then came over here to see if anyone else had seen it. Does this mean that they plan on reviving their Narutaru scanlation project? They don't seem to have any files up in thir downloads section, thouth I'v seen torrents of them.

Shadow Star - Narutaru
posted by Jinchi at 01:12am 21 Dec, 2007
Continuing Shadow Star as a scanslation since Dark Horse abandoned the series. Thanks to this goes to katydid's miraculous comeback!

Anyways, since the US/JAP edition volume issues, I'll just copy/paste my SS readme here:

Shadow Star, known in Japan in full as Mukuro Naru Hoshi Tama Taru Ko (The Star That Died And the Jewel Of A Girl) and abbreviated as Narutaru is a manga by Mohiro Kitoh.

Since Dark Horse, Shadow Star's US publisher, decided to split first 4 volumes of Narutaru to 5 Shadow Star TPB volumes, there has been some confusion. Especially since Dark Horse stopped publishing Shadow Star TPB's after 7th one, but continued printing it in Super Manga Blast anthology magazine for over 2 volumes worth of material.

To clear all this mess up, here is a "comparision chart" of the volumes:

1: Starflight // Chapters 1-4 (Japanese 1-5)
2: Darkness Visible // Chapters 5-10 (Japanese 6-13)
3: Shadows Of The Past // Chapters 11-15 (Japanese 14-20)
4: Nothing But The Truth // Chapters 16-20 (Japanese 21-23)
5: A Flower's Fragrance // Chapters 21-23 (Japanese 24-28)
6: What Can I Do For You Now? // Chapters 24-28 (Japanese 29)
7: Victim's Eyes, Assailant's Hands // Chapter 29 (Japanese 30-38)
8: Japanese 39-44
9: Japanese 45-48
10: Japanese 49 & 50
11: Japanese 51-61
12: Japanese 62-68

Above came from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Star

So besides the 7(6) volumes of TPB edition, SMB collected chapters 30-45 (and almost half of 46...) from Japanese edition. Which were volumes 7&8 and first 72 pages of volume 9 of Japanese edition.

So here we come to the difficult part: How to name the archives to make it most comprehensible.

1st: I decided to repack our original "chapter" releases to volumes and add a "(Dark Horse TPB)" to names.

2nd: I downloaded the anonymous SMB scans (kudos to whomever scanned those), re-edited them and packed as volumes 8&9 (Dark Horse SMB) following the original Japanese edition volumes 7&8.

3rd: When we get things running, I'll compile the first 72 pages of SMB releases + rest of volume 9 of original edition scanslations as volume 9 (SMB & JED) and continue scanslations from there with original Japanese edition volume and chapter numbering.

Thus the filenames will be following:

Shadow Star v01 - Starflight (Dark Horse TPB)[m-s].zip
Shadow Star v02 - Darkness Visible (Dark Horse TPB)[m-s].zip
Shadow Star v03 - Shadows of the Past (Dark Horse TPB)[m-s].zip
Shadow Star v04 - Nothing But the Truth (Dark Horse TPB)[m-s].zip
Shadow Star v05 - A Flower's Fragrance (Dark Horse TPB)[m-s].zip
Shadow Star v06 - What Can I Do For You Now (Dark Horse TPB)[m-s].zip
Shadow Star v07 - Victim's Eyes, Assailant's Hands (Dark Horse TPB)[m-s].zip
Shadow Star v08 (Dark Horse SMB)[m-s].zip
Shadow Star v09 (Dark Horse SMB)[m-s].zip
Shadow Star v09 (SMB & JED)[m-s].zip
Shadow Star v10c49 (JED)[m-s].zip
.
.
.
Shadow Star v12c68END (JED)[m-s].zip

That's it, most likely. Assuming that we get it finished, one day. ;)

-Jinchi



So, there is 3 vols of new stuff, of which 2 1/3 vols are cleaned SMB scans, 2/3 vol is a scanslation by katydid and me. These are irc/bt/brothel only release, but the future releases from v10 onwards will be available at website.
As one might notice, the pub scans we have aren't quite a top notch... actually they look like 100dpi scans enlarged to a set size. So if someone doesn't like the quality, feel free to scan it for us (v10&11 that is, v12 is quite all right).


Edit: 2 Questions...
1. Does anybody know where to get Chapters 30-44?
2. If Mangasketchbook where to re-release their scanlations, would they be for a direct download, or in another form, such as bittorrent? <-- Which I have no problem with.

[Selo]

1. Does anybody know where to get Chapters 30-44?
I'm pretty sure those are the ones from Japanese volumes 7 - 9 that weren't serialized in their own graphic novels by Dark Horse, yet translated in Super Manga Blast!. I'll give them to you:

Links to direct downloads of chapters 30 - 44:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=72ZXY8TD
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XHTGD1I0
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=X8FZ0SN8

There. That should be all of the missing ones.

[Bijoux]

I'm pretty sure those are the ones from Japanese volumes 7 - 9 that weren't serialized in their own graphic novels by Dark Horse, yet translated in Super Manga Blast!. I'll give them to you:

Links to direct downloads of chapters 30 - 44:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=72ZXY8TD
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XHTGD1I0
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=X8FZ0SN8

There. That should be all of the missing ones.

Thank you so much! :love:

[ellifeedn]

After some time I finally got to read the series (up to vol. 10 now) and, while it was graphic and very disturbing in some parts, it was interesting. Can't wait to finish.After re-reading the spoiler summaries for volume 12, I was wondering why there were people trying to kill Shiina. My guess was that those people were killing anyone who had a dragon child and may have killed Akira, but that's anyone's guess at this point.

[Selo]

After re-reading the spoiler summaries for volume 12, I was wondering why there were people trying to kill Shiina. My guess was that those people were killing anyone who had a dragon child and may have killed Akira, but that's anyone's guess at this point.
Actually no, I don't think they were just trying to kill anyone with a dragonchild. They would've turned on each other if that was their goal. I think Satomi just wanted to get back at Shiina for making fun of her behind her back in English volume 2 (I don't know where it was in the Japanese versions), and she also just enjoys killing like what they showed in volume 4. Plus Shiina was with Takeo's group and Sudo's crew were already planning to kill anyone who sided with him.

Remember that Akira didn't fall out of the window until Sudo and Bungo were both dead, and if Satomi had survived, I don't think she would've had any fight left in her with Bungo dead.
That is an interesting theory, though. I never heard anyone suggest that was what had happened to Akira.

[ellifeedn]

Actually I was referring to the last chapter. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

[Narutaru4ever]

I just finish reading the manga, I'm sad thats it over. I guess that no one will ever know how akira really died....
"wait do anyone think that her mother killed her, she did say that she would rather kill akira because she killed her husban(I think that it was chapter 7 in japanese manga)"

[bobjoemac]

Just finished it in one convulted read as volumes 1-7 were english then 8-10 were random scans from a magazine and random chapters were cut but translated but I wasn't sure where they fit in then the last two volumes I could understand :P

All in all it was awesome can't wait for bokurano to end :D

[ViewtifulAlchemist]

I just finished this series, which has recently been finished fully scanlated, was always interested in from seeing the anime some time ago and curious on how the events that took place after the anime ended.

It was great ride to the end but I must say I was somewhat disappointed with the final volume. It seems as though Kitoh was pushed to rush it. Quite a bit of unresolved issues. Its not that I don't mind depressing or tragic endings either but this one seem to be...lacking.

I gotta give major thanks to tsurumaru and Quarkboy for their summaries earlier in this thread. I read after after finishing the series and they help different light on some things in the series. Don't know of those guys even still lurk around here but wanted to give my regards to them, they were very interesting reads.

Random comments/question:


- What was the deal with Akira? Throughout the series she was a questionable character to me. After finishing the manga I'm on the verge of thinking she was kind of....pointless. Sudo seem to have taken an interest in her but she never did anything. Also from the summaries it was implied she slept around a lot. Maybe because I read earlier volumes of Dark Horse (they completely cut out pages and change dialogue around?) but I never saw any hint of that. Even the sexually abuse nature of her father was slightly hinted at but never talked about at all thought you knew it happen (at least it had to for such scenes like Akira slaps her dads hand away to make sense anyways). It just that during the final moments of the infamous Hiro-chan arc, the last page of that same chapter show Akira killing her father. There basically no buildup to that and you never see Akira for quite a while.

At the end her "summoning" Shiina was probably the best thing she done though her final line, something like "in the end...I couldn't fly", made me question her character overall even more. The final scene with her in the hospital didn't rub me the right way either. Maybe because I actually liked her character I was "waiting" for her to actually do something cool I feel this way about she ended up.

- What was the purpose of Kuri attacking Mishou's dragon who helping Shiina vs. "Angel" (Bungo's dragon). Thought Kuri was on Shiina's side?

- I didn't really buy the whole TsurumaruxShiina deal at the end...

- Miyako's death, who was that chick and guy that stabbed him?



Even with all that said, as with any manga I'm glad to have some closure on the series overall (both anime and manga), I've grown to like Kitoh's artwork and storytelling style (I did enjoy the series greatly until the final few chapters) so I will look into his other works.

[led]

Just finished the manga and had some ideas and questions about it.


First, I think that much of the things that connected to sudou was left unresolved.
Like wat exactly happened to his familly? its told that he had an older brother too.
Maybe he killed them? I dont think he's really care about killing someone. maybe even he's familly.
In what way sudou advanced ahead of the rest?
Why do you think sudou hated himself?

What are the conditions to be selected by a dragon child? maybe the will to create or to protect something? but there has to be something more. if anyone that want to protect or crease something whould have a dragon child it would be a mess so i dont really understand this.

How old do you think norio was? and tsurumaru?

What do you think happened to satomi and kazuyuki at the end?
I think that they become a otohime together. you can see it at the las fages of the last vol, a combinations of both of them.
When kazuyuki's dragon child was destroyed or damaged really badly you could see that satomi is standing with kazuyuki and ampoola helping him to stand. it looks like she's prepering for something. i think she let ampoola observe their both minds and by that she created the combination of both of them.

About shiina's revival. i have read somewere, dont remember what vol that if the head stay's in one piece they can make themselfs a new body. that is because it belived that the human soul is there and that is the only thing dragon child cannot recreate.
Tsurumaru said the only her head was missing when he gathered what was left of her so maybe she unconsciously let herself observed by her dragon child and reappered with a new body.

Why amapoola stayed in her new form until the last vol. shouldn't it return to normal after the events in vol 8? the link between amapoola and satomi has become much stronger when norio taken care of her but after this the link should have return to normal and so she should change right after she wakes up, no?

I have also a theory to what happend with mishou. i think she had a dragon child a lot before shiina was born, she wanted to become an otohime but she was the only child in the family and didnt wanted to leave her parents like that. so when shiina was born it was kind of relief for her. like she said in chapter 64 "its not so bad if im not there anymore, is it?"
But what about the mysterious death of her? firstly she had died and only then she was stabbed.
Here im not so sure but...
I believe that she kind of rushed to become otohime in the end.
Maybe Some Punks attacked her in some alley, you know, its a cruel world and then she probably taked action very fast and turned herself to an otohime before the punks would kill her.
She probably could have killed them but i think she had her reasons for that... she just used the opportunity and maybe she though it whould be less suspicious.

Also I liked all the russian elements that mohiro kitoh put in this manga. its not only the episodes that were in russia but shiina also has a shirt in the first episodes that writed on her 'airplane' in russian and some other small things.

thats it for now.

[Selo]

More things to talk about and speculate! Yay!

What was the deal with Akira? *snip*
You know, though a lot of Akira's story was left unresolved, I don't think she was a pointless character at all. I think she was there for a lot of reasons - to help Shiina grow and reach out to someone, and also to be the "in-between" one between the good and evil dragon bearers.

Thinking about it, she was the one who always ended up being torn between the two sides: there was Shiina, who was always there for her and was the only person she could consider a friend. But there was also Sudo, who protected her from danger when they first met and taught her things that she couldn't have ever figured out for herself. Akira was always walking the line between good (Shiina, Takeo, and Norio) and evil (Komori, Sudo, Satomi, Bungo, and Mamiko). She was the one who was always being swayed by what the others did.

I don't ever remember the summaries saying she slept around a lot, though. From what I recall people thought of her as a freak and Ishida was the only boy who she tried to get any action with.

- I didn't really buy the whole TsurumaruxShiina deal at the end...
Really? It was there all along, since about volume 3 or 4. It's not like their relationship came out of nowhere.

- Miyako's death, who was that chick and guy that stabbed him?
No one knows. The girl says something about revenge, but that is probably one of the situations we know the absolute least about.

First, I think that much of the things that connected to sudou was left unresolved.
Like wat exactly happened to his familly? its told that he had an older brother too.
Maybe he killed them? I dont think he's really care about killing someone. maybe even he's familly.
In what way sudou advanced ahead of the rest?
Why do you think sudou hated himself?
Tell me about it. Almost everything about him is left a mystery. I wouldn't put it out of the question for him to have killed his family, but what I think is more likely is that there was an accident when he was young that killed the rest of his famiy. This would explain how he is so numb and devoid of all feeling and desire, I think.

How old do you think norio was? and tsurumaru?
In chapter 30 they talk a little bit about Norio applying to college, so he's obviously not out of high school yet. I was always under the impression that Takeo was older than Norio, too. Personally, I'd put Norio at 17 and Takeo at 18 or 19.

What are the conditions to be selected by a dragon child? maybe the will to create or to protect something? but there has to be something more. if anyone that want to protect or crease something whould have a dragon child it would be a mess so i dont really understand this.
I think it's a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Shiina and Mamiko were the key to the whole process of the world being reborn. I think this ties to what Sudo said about Shiina and Mamiko being the "judges" and all the others being "performers"; they were all teenagers with serious problems who somehow found their way into the lives of the two main girls.

I think the dragons chose the people who were connected to Shiina and Mamiko to play their parts in the re-creation of the world. On the side of good there was a creator and a protector, while on the evil side there was a manipulator and some killers. And there was one caught in the middle.

The people who had dragons, to me, were the ones who could fill each of those roles to bring about the destruction of the earth.


What do you think happened to satomi and kazuyuki at the end?
I think that they become a otohime together. you can see it at the las fages of the last vol, a combinations of both of them.
When kazuyuki's dragon child was destroyed or damaged really badly you could see that satomi is standing with kazuyuki and ampoola helping him to stand. it looks like she's prepering for something. i think she let ampoola observe their both minds and by that she created the combination of both of them.

We know for a fact that Bungo died. His dragon Hainvelle was crushed in a jet turbine; it's been stated in the series that if a dragon dies, their bearer will die too, and vice-versa.

I don't think they became an otohime together, personally, because that would defy pretty much all the rules of the dragon system that we know about. I think the combination between Amapora and Hainvelle at the end was more of a little bit that Kitoh decided to put in for the sake of it. But that may be just me.

[Oyajitchi]

Just wanting to know if there is any english translations of the ENTIRE series for download.

I would LOVE to read this series so much!

[Selo]

This thread needs to get people talkin' again. Time for Selo's crackpot theories!

The first, after I've considered it, is a pattern I've seen among all the characters and I would like to share it to see what you guys think. I have a hunch that
there seems to be a direct relation between a bearer's personality and how well they can control their dragonchild. In other words, the more a dragon bearer progresses or "levels up" in controlling their dragon, the more unfeeling and messed-up they become. This would explain many things:

First and foremost, Sudo. He is one of the strongest bearers in the series and seems to have had his dragon the longest of them all (or we can assume because he is the leader of the evil side), and he just so happens to have no emotions or desires anymore. Mamiko makes a reference to "why he has advanced so far ahead of the rest of us". It's entirely possible that the reason he is so unfeeling is that becoming more powerful gradually made him so.

Shiina and Mamiko are also good examples of this. Mamiko, undoubtedly the most powerful of them all, is as numb as can be from the start. Shiina, however, remains plucky and energetic right up until the time her dragonchild awakens. See?

The same applies to the other characters. Look at Norio, a powerful dragon bearer who seems to care about nothing but Takeo. He may have been less angry before he became a bearer. Takeo, who still has plenty of emotion (though he is pretty much immune to physical pain), only changes Hoshimaru to a full-grown form quite late in the series. Satomi seems to be somewhat higher-level than Kazuyuki and this shows in their contrasting personalities. Komori still has a big attitude and is pretty low-level according to Norio.
Does anyone else see this, or have any comments on this idea? It's something I noticed occuring over and over and I think it may not be a coincidence.

[Never Knows Best]

Hey what happened to Ensof? I didn't remember reading anything about it.

[Guernsey]

I don't know, I read the manga and I didn't even notice.

[Selo]

We can assume that since Akira died, Ensof did as well.

[Guernsey]

One thing bothered me, what Sudo trying to do in all this?

[Never Knows Best]

We can assume that since Akira died, Ensof did as well.

Ok, yeah that's what I assumed as well.

But I was also wondering where Ensof was shown last. I remember always seeing Akira always by herself and never with Ensof for a good chunck of the series.

[Selo]

One thing bothered me, what Sudo trying to do in all this?
If you recall, Sudo basically wanted to create a world where only the strong survive. I should go back and read all this again, but I remember the gist...

Sudo's ideals were first shown in Komori's appearance, and then later around volumes 7 and 8. He talked about wanting to kill everyone without "superior abilities", and leading a world where only the most intelligent, powerful people would survive.

I don't remember exactly where, but somewhere in volume 11 he decided instead to just end the world with a nuclear winter, hence all the destruction at the end of the volume.

[Cupcakedoll]

Since I happened to be here, and the thread seems to have resurrected, here are some random disjointed thoughts on the ending.

I suppose it was supposed to be a sad ending, but it never felt that way to me. The island was always a happy place for Shiina, so she wanted an endless summer vacation there.

...which leads to a surreal vision of the two children wandering around an empty world that provides them with food on little arms coming out of the earth, and clay-y walls coming up to protect them whenever one of the buildings starts to collapse.

Question: What happened to all the dragons we saw? where'd they go? What about Mishou? Do you think Shiina ever knew who she was? did they ever meet? They couldn't talk I guess, because otohime don't seem able to talk. I assume they aren't 'human' enough to understand things like speech and clothing. (Or maybe they just wanna show off their cool tattoos!)

[DEATH_NOTE]

ok so this series was cancelled years ago. Is there is a scanlation yet? Preferably just starting everything over from the beginning and taking out the edits.

[Guernsey]

Yeah there are scanlations, just look all over the thread and if that doesn't work you could always PM me for the manga torrent.

[ellifeedn]

I know this is an odd request, but does anyone have a copy of the horrific page from Japanese volume 6 that was removed from the U.S. version?

[Selo]

^ There are several pages that were cut. I know someone here used to host a site that held them all (and the edits), but last time I checked it was down.

I did manage to find the final page of Aki's corpse, though. Here:
http://bird.biofever.com/images/funtasm/narutaru.jpg

[ellifeedn]

^ Thanks, that was what I was looking for. A friend didn't believe that the scene could be even worse than it already was, but I'll show them.

[Trax]

Just finished reading the last volume... And I'm left with a big WTF. During the course of the story, too many things happened seemingly out of nowhere, and too many things were left unexplained. To me the ending feels like the author was fed up and figured "hey let's put this manga out of its misery and blow up the world".

[Selo]

In a way, you're right. There was a lot unexplained. Speculation has been raging in this thread for years, as well as anywhere else there are fans. I think by now there are so many theories out there that people can decide for themselves which they think is the most likely.

But remember as far as the ending goes, Kitoh is not like a lot of other manga artists. He really isn't. So the decision to destroy the world at the end wasn't made lazily or carelessly. Kitoh did it to make a point, a message implying that the earth is such a wreck that starting over may be the only option. Both Sudo and Takeo wanted to rebuild the world, but in the end, though it was rebuilt, not in the way that either of them wanted. I think the final pages of the series are meant to be ones of hope, like a subtle "Let's do better this time around."

A lot of people don't like the ending and think it's half-assed, but I really, truly think Kitoh put a lot of thought into what he wanted readers to come away with.

[Xion Valkyrie]

In a way, you're right. There was a lot unexplained. Speculation has been raging in this thread for years, as well as anywhere else there are fans. I think by now there are so many theories out there that people can decide for themselves which they think is the most likely.

But remember as far as the ending goes, Kitoh is not like a lot of other manga artists. He really isn't. So the decision to destroy the world at the end wasn't made lazily or carelessly. Kitoh did it to make a point, a message implying that the earth is such a wreck that starting over may be the only option. Both Sudo and Takeo wanted to rebuild the world, but in the end, though it was rebuilt, not in the way that either of them wanted. I think the final pages of the series are meant to be ones of hope, like a subtle "Let's do better this time around."

A lot of people don't like the ending and think it's half-assed, but I really, truly think Kitoh put a lot of thought into what he wanted readers to come away with.

Except, right before the world ending few chapters, everything seemed fine. In fact, it seemed like everyone had moved on and grown up.

It kind of feels like the EVA tv series ending, vs End of Evangelion.

[Guernsey]

I reread the manga and rewatched the series but I wonder what was Sudou's, Tsurumaru's and Kuri's objective respectively?

[hazelnut]

I just finished this series and reading the last chapters a second time i wondered if their being rushed wasn't partly because in the end there wasn't much story left to tell? I do feel like the author spent a little too much time with the different loose story arcs and too little with the consistency of the overall plot, which felt sort of shoddy at times. I really would have liked to know more about Sudo's parents dying, or about how Shiina's sister turned into an Otohime.
Anyways, those are just a few thoughts. Overall i liked the manga, it just could have used more focus. Bokurano had more of that, and that makes it a better series for me.

guernsey: About those objectives: i guess for Sudo, creating a perfect world but chickening out at the end, for Tsurumaru protecting Shiina (but where the hell did they first meet then?) and for Kirie i havent a friggin' idea.

That's one gory page btw.

[Guernsey]

They were some plot points that weren't really resolved to well and some characters like Akira didn't really do anything in the overall story.

[Selo]

I really would have liked to know more about Sudo's parents dying, or about how Shiina's sister turned into an Otohime.
If you read volumes 5 and 6 of the manga, it's sort of hinted that Sudo may have been responsible for his parents' deaths,

As for Mishō, other than how she died, I thought everything was cleared up pretty well in how one is reborn as an otohime. She had a dragon, and when she died, chose to live on and protect Shiina.

Anyways, those are just a few thoughts. Overall i liked the manga, it just could have used more focus. Bokurano had more of that, and that makes it a better series for me.
I explained this somewhere else (maybe in the Bokurano thread), but I always felt like Bokurano and Narutaru were meant to be complementary to each other. The messages and endings have kind of a ying-yang relationship, and I loved both.

Tsurumaru protecting Shiina (but where the hell did they first meet then?)
If you read volume one, you'll remember the scene in which Takeo and Norio met up with Shiina on the airplane as she went home from her grandparents' island.

and for Kirie i havent a friggin' idea.
Volume 11 made it clear (http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/6007/xshadowstarv11c59p188.jpg) that Mamiko and Shiina are essentially different aspects of the same person.

[hazelnut]

If you read volume one, you'll remember the scene in which Takeo and Norio met up with Shiina on the airplane as she went home from her grandparents' island.

That's indeed the first time Shiina meets them, but i thought those two were on that plane to check out about her, suggesting some kind of link between Takeo and Shiina in the past. I marathoned the whole series, so there's probably more stuff i skipped over, so a slow reread may be deserved.


Volume 11 made it clear that Mamiko and Shiina are essentially different aspects of the same person.

Hah, i didn't get that panel first! That is pretty explicit in the end, but you can't help but wondering when that split between light and dark would have happened. So many things implied in this manga, i like that and hate it at the same time about this mangaka.

And about the complementary nature of this series and bokurano, i can see it in a way, but i still feel that in the latter was more balanced and coherent, and left less loose threads hanging. I'll try finding that explanation of yours, you do get the impression that Mohiro leaves little to chance.

[Setsuryuu]

I finally read it! Just now! XD

Quite the crazy ending indeed, but a great experience overall. (It's from more than 10 years ago so I "forgive" the now clichéd "destroy all to rebuild the world" ending. xP) And no, to me it wasn't rushed, the flashbacks in the final chapter were even kinda stylish.


I just finish reading the manga, I'm sad thats it over. I guess that no one will ever know how akira really died....
"wait do anyone think that her mother killed her, she did say that she would rather kill akira because she killed her husban(I think that it was chapter 7 in japanese manga)"

I'm... very sorry to be the one to say that but
to be the girl who attempted suicide multiple times over the story, got left injuried in a hospital after the nuclear holocaust in a bleak world alone, without her mother there for killing her (I mean, since she was in the juvenile center then with Miyako then with Sudo, I guess Akira's Mom did not even bothered knowing her daughter was) makes me believe she probably... Tried to use Ensof as a Hoshimaru flying board and accidentally fell.

Or commited suicide jumping out the window.



This thread needs to get people talkin' again. Time for Selo's crackpot theories!

The first, after I've considered it, is a pattern I've seen among all the characters and I would like to share it to see what you guys think. I have a hunch that
there seems to be a direct relation between a bearer's personality and how well they can control their dragonchild. In other words, the more a dragon bearer progresses or "levels up" in controlling their dragon, the more unfeeling and messed-up they become. This would explain many things:

First and foremost, Sudo. He is one of the strongest bearers in the series and seems to have had his dragon the longest of them all (or we can assume because he is the leader of the evil side), and he just so happens to have no emotions or desires anymore. Mamiko makes a reference to "why he has advanced so far ahead of the rest of us". It's entirely possible that the reason he is so unfeeling is that becoming more powerful gradually made him so.

Shiina and Mamiko are also good examples of this. Mamiko, undoubtedly the most powerful of them all, is as numb as can be from the start. Shiina, however, remains plucky and energetic right up until the time her dragonchild awakens. See?

The same applies to the other characters. Look at Norio, a powerful dragon bearer who seems to care about nothing but Takeo. He may have been less angry before he became a bearer. Takeo, who still has plenty of emotion (though he is pretty much immune to physical pain), only changes Hoshimaru to a full-grown form quite late in the series. Satomi seems to be somewhat higher-level than Kazuyuki and this shows in their contrasting personalities. Komori still has a big attitude and is pretty low-level according to Norio.
Does anyone else see this, or have any comments on this idea? It's something I noticed occuring over and over and I think it may not be a coincidence.

Hmmm, I don't think so. But I won't say it's all coincidence, it has a lot to do with dramatic structure of a story to, to have a character develop alongside it's powers always feels better to the viewer, easier to relate.

That happens with Shiina, her dragonchild awakens when her character develops out of all those issues she had with her mother and with not accepting her own name. That whole ordeal goes like "accept yourself" and bang, powers. xP

Not to mention one could just gain a boost of confidence by becoming stronger that helps controls their emotions, or how "caring about not too much stuff" gives them more time to just outright train. And if being emotionally blunt really mattered that would be a way to good plot point to not reveal directly! xP



Except, right before the world ending few chapters, everything seemed fine. In fact, it seemed like everyone had moved on and grown up.

It kind of feels like the EVA tv series ending, vs End of Evangelion.

Dude, Sudo just started a nuclear holocaust on the final volume 12. In few years the world, if left unchanged by the Shiina-Makoto, would be impossible to live in.... Way before that in volume 10 Norio died, Tsurumaru was dying of radiation poisoning, SHIINA, THE MAIN CHARACTER DIED... All was a train wreck for a good while. And in Volume 11 Bungo + Sudo conversation already suggested a plan worst than "survival of the fittest" on the way. So it was reaaaaally hinted.


I explained this somewhere else (maybe in the Bokurano thread), but I always felt like Bokurano and Narutaru were meant to be complementary to each other. The messages and endings have kind of a ying-yang relationship, and I loved both.


I really liked how you phrased that! Indeed, Bokurano is about facing death, perhaps more structured and predictable in the beginninig (which brings it a brighter and less heavy on suspense atmosphere) while NaruTaru is more about rebuilding the world, starting over, it has a brighter end than Bokurano since it's more focused on the restart than just on the "end" and "death.

Although in the end both touches in very similar subjects, from (very) slightly different point of views. Complementary indeed.



guernsey: About those objectives: i guess for Sudo, creating a perfect world but chickening out at the end, for Tsurumaru protecting Shiina (but where the hell did they first meet then?) and for Kirie i havent a friggin' idea.

That's one gory page btw.

The pages before this one... With HOW she got that way... Quite worst to me. X_X

So, everyone's objective was to "change the world". It is just that everyone had a different view over what that meant...

Sudo didn't chickened out, on the contrary. At some point in volume 11 I'm not sure, but he do says "I think someone should always appear to wipe out all but this person shouldn't command anything." Which means it was clear his objective was to kill all humans and himself too in the end, while helping Mamiko and Shiina to finally awaken so they could be the ones changing the world in something else later, not the "executor".

Tsurumaru also wanted to change the world and protecting Shiina also meant that to him, specially in the beginning. For some reason they both knew she would awake to that power, since that starts to be hinted after it's revealed Hoshimaru is Tsurumaru's dragon, but some of the other dragon bearers like Satomi didn't. Maybe their perception (like the same Shiina used to find Tarasque at volume 10) was better.

Even Miyako wanted to gather the bearers for that, change the world but not through Shiina (since he appears know nothing of her) but through more political means like an underground task force, he says something like that in the final volume.

So to who did not understand anyone's plans in this story as general yet, let me at least summarize my interpretation of it to see if it helps Shadow Star world is just bleak. Shiina might be optimistic and brave but she and everyone around her just suffers all the journey. Hiroko does massacres. Akira kills her father. Norio sacrifices himself. It's tragedy everywhere.

...It shouldn't be hard to understand why the chars living there wanted the power to change the world! To anything else! Anyway! Even if they are not going to try to become otohime and live in it because they rather atone for the sins commited to achieve this objective (like Sudo). Mamiko and Shiina were the key to that, it's implied sometimes what chars knows or not that her dragon child will be the Earth, hence things like Tsurumaru protecting her at least in the beginning.

I read especulations that Mamiko was born just to be the opposite of Shiina, made from the Earth itself since she doesn't seem to have family and she's supposed to be other mother in this Adam and Eve ending.

So she also just acts with that in mind. Awake and control her dragon and help Shiina's do the same. I guess Sudo group tried to help her to wake Shiina by destroying all, mostly because Sudo wanted that and Mamiko didn't care (that's also when Mamiko prevents the princess to help Shiina when her dad dies). But Sudo takes time to think in that, he even mentioned he rather toss away Komori approach of "how to change the world" through survival of the fittest to outright "kill'em all and rebuild".

So yeah, if you're wondered now I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that by repeating myself whatever I said before that sounded confusing now it's clear as day. XD

*breathes* Okay, that must settle my urge to talk about this series for a while!!! xP

[Guernsey]

I finally read it! Just now! XD

Quite the crazy ending indeed, but a great experience overall. (It's from more than 10 years ago so I "forgive" the now clichéd "destroy all to rebuild the world" ending. xP) And no, to me it wasn't rushed, the flashbacks in the final chapter were even kinda stylish.

I'm... very sorry to be the one to say that but
to be the girl who attempted suicide multiple times over the story, got left injuried in a hospital after the nuclear holocaust in a bleak world alone, without her mother there for killing her (I mean, since she was in the juvenile center then with Miyako then with Sudo, I guess Akira's Mom did not even bothered knowing her daughter was) makes me believe she probably... Tried to use Ensof as a Hoshimaru flying board and accidentally fell.

Or commited suicide jumping out the window.

I always thought she jumped out the window herself although I never thoguht she used Ensof.


Hmmm, I don't think so. But I won't say it's all coincidence, it has a lot to do with dramatic structure of a story to, to have a character develop alongside it's powers always feels better to the viewer, easier to relate.

That happens with Shiina, her dragonchild awakens when her character develops out of all those issues she had with her mother and with not accepting her own name. That whole ordeal goes like "accept yourself" and bang, powers. xP

Not to mention one could just gain a boost of confidence by becoming stronger that helps controls their emotions, or how "caring about not too much stuff" gives them more time to just outright train. And if being emotionally blunt really mattered that would be a way to good plot point to not reveal directly! xP


It is not a seinen action series, it is actually more of psychological or sociological series. I do like your ideas on how the Dragon Bearers control their dragons but I always thought they lose their emotions when they closer ot their dragons.


Dude, Sudo just started a nuclear holocaust on the final volume 12. In few years the world, if left unchanged by the Shiina-Makoto, would be impossible to live in.... Way before that in volume 10 Norio died, Tsurumaru was dying of radiation poisoning, SHIINA, THE MAIN CHARACTER DIED... All was a train wreck for a good while. And in Volume 11 Bungo + Sudo conversation already suggested a plan worst than "survival of the fittest" on the way. So it was reaaaaally hinted.

Kmoroi and Sudo did have similar ideas but the irony of Komori's ideas is that he was a sick boy himself. Komori got killed before he could execute them and Sudo had no intention of actually ruling anything from what I read. It never explained where all that self loathing came from though.


I really liked how you phrased that! Indeed, Bokurano is about facing death, perhaps more structured and predictable in the beginninig (which brings it a brighter and less heavy on suspense atmosphere) while NaruTaru is more about rebuilding the world, starting over, it has a brighter end than Bokurano since it's more focused on the restart than just on the "end" and "death.

Although in the end both touches in very similar subjects, from (very) slightly different point of views. Complementary indeed.


I didn't Bokurano yet but I'll give it a shot.



The pages before this one... With HOW she got that way... Quite worst to me. X_X

So, everyone's objective was to "change the world". It is just that everyone had a different view over what that meant...

Sudo didn't chickened out, on the contrary. At some point in volume 11 I'm not sure, but he do says "I think someone should always appear to wipe out all but this person shouldn't command anything." Which means it was clear his objective was to kill all humans and himself too in the end, while helping Mamiko and Shiina to finally awaken so they could be the ones changing the world in something else later, not the "executor".

Tsurumaru also wanted to change the world and protecting Shiina also meant that to him, specially in the beginning. For some reason they both knew she would awake to that power, since that starts to be hinted after it's revealed Hoshimaru is Tsurumaru's dragon, but some of the other dragon bearers like Satomi didn't. Maybe their perception (like the same Shiina used to find Tarasque at volume 10) was better.

Even Miyako wanted to gather the bearers for that, change the world but not through Shiina (since he appears know nothing of her) but through more political means like an underground task force, he says something like that in the final volume.

So to who did not understand anyone's plans in this story as general yet, let me at least summarize my interpretation of it to see if it helps Shadow Star world is just bleak. Shiina might be optimistic and brave but she and everyone around her just suffers all the journey. Hiroko does massacres. Akira kills her father. Norio sacrifices himself. It's tragedy everywhere.

...It shouldn't be hard to understand why the chars living there wanted the power to change the world! To anything else! Anyway! Even if they are not going to try to become otohime and live in it because they rather atone for the sins commited to achieve this objective (like Sudo). Mamiko and Shiina were the key to that, it's implied sometimes what chars knows or not that her dragon child will be the Earth, hence things like Tsurumaru protecting her at least in the beginning.

I read especulations that Mamiko was born just to be the opposite of Shiina, made from the Earth itself since she doesn't seem to have family and she's supposed to be other mother in this Adam and Eve ending.

So she also just acts with that in mind. Awake and control her dragon and help Shiina's do the same. I guess Sudo group tried to help her to wake Shiina by destroying all, mostly because Sudo wanted that and Mamiko didn't care (that's also when Mamiko prevents the princess to help Shiina when her dad dies). But Sudo takes time to think in that, he even mentioned he rather toss away Komori approach of "how to change the world" through survival of the fittest to outright "kill'em all and rebuild".

So yeah, if you're wondered now I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that by repeating myself whatever I said before that sounded confusing now it's clear as day. XD

when you consider the environment they all lived, wouldn't you want to change it as well? Narutaru had always bben the darkness of the human side and it dind't pull its punches either. The children in the story had all suffered in some way shape or form and they seek to find a way out of it. Even without the dragons, I think they would had don't something horrible. One of Naru Taru's themes is how we create our own monsters and the bleakness of the human side. One of the characters, Aki Honda didn't have a dragon but what she did to Hiro was horrible. She humiliated and bullied her to no end but what she was going to do her with that beaker was extreme. It is jarring because in that arc, we heard the bullying to one of Akira's classmates when she was in middle school and she is doing what akira did to Hiro. Bullying happens in real life and it is vicious that those who get abused and bullied end doing it themselves and to other people.

Sudo, Bungo, Tsurumaru, Satomi, Norio and Hiro had all suffered in some time in their lives. It is not fantastic like we see in msot stories but it nevertheless hits home because it is happening right now.

[Setsuryuu]

I always thought she jumped out the window herself although I never thoguht she used Ensof.

I know, this was a (obviously poorly made) joke. XD


It is not a seinen action series, it is actually more of psychological or sociological series. I do like your ideas on how the Dragon Bearers control their dragons but I always thought they lose their emotions when they closer ot their dragons.


Yes, indeed, but it share the "supernatural" portion familiar to those. It is indeed something else you could discuss about, but it plays a very smart part compared to the rest. I still think the emotion-loss is a coincidence due to story and character development, being something not explicitaly stated at any moment.


Kmoroi and Sudo did have similar ideas but the irony of Komori's ideas is that he was a sick boy himself. Komori got killed before he could execute them and Sudo had no intention of actually ruling anything from what I read. It never explained where all that self loathing came from though.


Yes, I agree. I heard before especulations that maybe Sudo killed his own family from a declaration that he made that I don't quite remember... So maybe the self loathing comes from there?

He did admit to being a nihilist at a point if I recall right; so above all he had strong philosophical positions that could eventually develop in that. Life is just like that, some stuff don't have clear cause-consequence (as some anime like to put it), so I like this sort of sensibility that this story have as well (specially because it doesn't feel exaggerated in that case to me).


I didn't Bokurano yet but I'll give it a shot.


Now I finally finished NaruTaru (I spent years to read volume 10, 11 and 12 xP) I should try other Mohiro Kitoh stories beyond this and Bokurano as well.


when you consider the environment they all lived, wouldn't you want to change it as well? Narutaru had always bben the darkness of the human side and it dind't pull its punches either. The children in the story had all suffered in some way shape or form and they seek to find a way out of it. Even without the dragons, I think they would had don't something horrible. One of Naru Taru's themes is how we create our own monsters and the bleakness of the human side. One of the characters, Aki Honda didn't have a dragon but what she did to Hiro was horrible. She humiliated and bullied her to no end but what she was going to do her with that beaker was extreme. It is jarring because in that arc, we heard the bullying to one of Akira's classmates when she was in middle school and she is doing what akira did to Hiro. Bullying happens in real life and it is vicious that those who get abused and bullied end doing it themselves and to other people.

Sudo, Bungo, Tsurumaru, Satomi, Norio and Hiro had all suffered in some time in their lives. It is not fantastic like we see in msot stories but it nevertheless hits home because it is happening right now.

Yes, that was exactly my point when I said that Kitoh's world view in this story is quite bleak. Maybe you phrased it in a way easier for you or other people to understand, that's nice.

But uniting all this it is indeed quite intriguing how the most callous characters, like Sudo, usually end up with a more "mysterious" background in a story... They are the hardest people for an author to figure out I guess? In the manga Battle Royale they go with the approach of

telling that Kuriyama "is unemotional because an accident damaged his brain". Well, that sure is a way to go for that, but to need to resort to this plotline kinda feels to me of how characters like that are harder to compose. When chars like Komouri are often just written off as "they're sick, born sick, just that".

Not that much of a relevant point is this, I just found that a curious thing to comment about.

[dilino]

Hallo everyone ,

You know, I really wanted to share my thought's on this series. And I am glad I came across this thread, because here are some heated discussions. (It took me few hours to go through all of it.) After I read Narutaru first time, I was greatly confused by the whole manga. The cause was probably that I rushed to know what's going to happen next in the story. So finally after almost a year I decided to reread Narutaru with a slow pace. And it makes sense to me now. I mean you really need to pay close attention when reading this manga. This thread made me to understand some things even clearer.

So here I go: For me this manga is totally one of the best masterpieces ever. And there is only very few of these diamonds among manga. (I personally went only through 73 series yet. So the only mangas I could compare Naruraru's quality to are Kokou no Hito, Eden: It's an endless world, I'am a hero. I hope there are still some other pieces of such caliber unexplored.)

Firstly, like already said in this thread Narutaru is expressing how utterly wrong way the current society is heading. Some nice expressions of this topic: Satomi's speach in 3th volume after the fight with Shiino. She said:"They just grow up, get married, and start pulling little brats. Never thinking about consequences, just mindlessly reproducing, completely oblivious to any thought of good or evil, sinking in to false happiness." Then another nice thought on this topic was in vol. 7 when Sudo is talking with his teacher about future of humanity. The teacher says :" But music and enteratiment aren't those essential parts of society?" And he says :"Perhaps but they should emerge naturally from within our social groups. Products created only for profit are hollow and spiritless." There are plenty of other similar pictures of many problematic topics, but I find those two most evident and most truthful to mention.

Secondly, many people here said or are assuming that protagonists like Hiroko, Akira are cruel, broken and messed up. But that's what I disagree with(Although it might be true for Komouri). Regarding Hiroko and Akira it is actually the environment they live in, that's messed up. Hiroko trying her best to get the best grades to meet expectations of her ignorant parents that never ask her what is troubling her and never realize that there are some needs that have to be satisfied to assure a roper growth of their child(btw I hated her father the most of all characters), then those silly girls terrorizing her in school and then there comes the breaking point of forbidding her friendship with Shiino- probably only bright point in her life. It seems to me natural for 12 year old kid to burst with anger and attempt to get rid of the source of her despair by killing those guys. Of course killing the human should never be justified but I just somehow can't blame her for doing what she did. I mean, did you really expect her to cheer up and make up with everybody? Is she some kind of super hero to do it all on her own? (It's a pity that Takaya comes to late because he might be a factor that would prevent harsh actions.)This is what makes this manga realistic. And I can't call her cruel too- if she killed them by her own hands, their deaths would never be so gruesome (those dragons can tear steel like sheet of paper so no wonder). Similar thing goes for Akira. Though suggestions on being molested by her father are only making story darker as it really is. Another thing discussed- Akira's uncertain death. I assume she was thrown out the window by those regular people, who went amok and start killing all dragon bearers. Also that's the reason why Akira, Tsurumaru, and Shiina's mam died at the same time(not just coincidence). We saw her lie in coma in the bed in one frame, so I really don't think she could jump out of window or try to fly Ensof right in the next frame. And I doubt it was Akira's mother (again making story darker as it really is). I rooted for Akira and Hiroko but sadly they didn't prevail. But Shiino really was admirable and strong. Always cheerful in spite of such harsh life( her mother tried to kill her when she was small, she cooks for father, does shopping and other staff in household). Tsurumaru (member of this discussion) wrote that Shiino was something like mentally destroyed at the end of story. But I thing she kept being sane. I know she lost everyone, was left alone in destroyed world, where there was nothing in it, with the task of creating a new world that should have different order(this was hinted as Kuri tore that picture drawn by Shiina. At least that's how I got it) on her shoulders. But I think, she was only seriously desperate. And she didn't know what to do or how to recreate the world. So that's why she was so passive. The proof of her sanity could be that she interact with her surrounding- she speaks with Kuri and moves on her own. She just isn't some goddess that can recreate world in one day. I think she was still mere human although she was kind of special because of her connection with Sheol. I liked how Setsuryuu summed up everyone's objectives in the story. My idea is that Tsurunaru's way of changing the world could be something like this: All humanity putting their upmost effort in creating better system then the current one. But this way could take a few generations and the initial idea of this effort might be forgotten though the process or even not possible at all. What makes me assume this, is that chapter(my favorite chapter- there is some nice black humor in it) where Tsurunaru acquire Kaori Ito to bring her back to her parents. And so here comes Sudo's easily executable and quickest way of the change: to destroy and recreate. Someone wrote that Kuri enjoys killing. I don't know but it seems to me that she kills only in danger. Also Selo's theory that assumes that the strength of dragon bearer and their bond depends on their personality is not entirely correct. What I think is that it is actually the reversed way. Their personality changes accordingly to how advanced their coordination with dragon child is. It is more like bearers starts to be aware of some facts about this world that normal humans doesn't. For example: awareness that nudity doesn't matter at all, or one's urge to kill own parents and so on. It's not that they lost all their feelings.

Not especially here but in many others discussions and reviews are many guys misled by vision of cute story such as Pokemon. When I went through first chapter for the first time it was obvious to me that this is going to be pretty serious manga (defense air force, used terminology, images of dragons-definitely not some cute Pikachu). Although Hoshimaru might appear cute, it is expressionless whole the time, which gives me quiet an ominous feeling. If one didn't start to read Narutaru with senses completely shut, there is no chance he could misconceive it for something like that.

I hate to admit it but the last chapter made me cry. I cried like a child. In spite of possibility considering it as happy end it was so sad. Even now from time to time when I ponder about ending of Narutaru my eyes become a bit watery. Does anybody feel the same way? However it was fabulous ending that perfectly fit to Narutaru.

There are some posts saying that author was forced to end Narutatu prematurely. If that's true, then it's a bit sad that some readers can't evaluate it. And it's pity that author couldn't end it properly with some issues unresolved. Instead of providing some common experience Narutaru is trying to EDUCATE reader and makes him think. I am sorry to say this, but not many mangas have this valuable trait. So I appreciate that KItoh Mohiro focuses on educating us instead of popularity. And thus it's full of that spirit Sudo was talking about. I wish people will read more mangas like this and then more pieces with the same quality will pop up.

It's a good thing that I could read Narutaru when it's completed. It had to be torture for you guys to wait for next volumes. Especially when Shiina died at the end of 10th volume. That moment was shocking one.

Finally, those were some of my comments an ideas. I apologize for my bad English. I am not native speaker. And sorry for long wall of text. But I couldn't help it. This is my first time writing such long comment, but Narutaru was definitely worth it. I hope some comments will appear.

[tsurumaru]

Did I seriously start this topic 9 years ago???

Glad to see this is still a place for discussion of the series. :)

[Guernsey]

Hallo everyone ,

You know, I really wanted to share my thought's on this series. And I am glad I came across this thread, because here are some heated discussions. (It took me few hours to go through all of it.) After I read Narutaru first time, I was greatly confused by the whole manga. The cause was probably that I rushed to know what's going to happen next in the story. So finally after almost a year I decided to reread Narutaru with a slow pace. And it makes sense to me now. I mean you really need to pay close attention when reading this manga. This thread made me to understand some things even clearer.

So here I go: For me this manga is totally one of the best masterpieces ever. And there is only very few of these diamonds among manga. (I personally went only through 73 series yet. So the only mangas I could compare Naruraru's quality to are Kokou no Hito, Eden: It's an endless world, I'am a hero. I hope there are still some other pieces of such caliber unexplored.)

Firstly, like already said in this thread Narutaru is expressing how utterly wrong way the current society is heading. Some nice expressions of this topic: Satomi's speach in 3th volume after the fight with Shiino. She said:"They just grow up, get married, and start pulling little brats. Never thinking about consequences, just mindlessly reproducing, completely oblivious to any thought of good or evil, sinking in to false happiness." Then another nice thought on this topic was in vol. 7 when Sudo is talking with his teacher about future of humanity. The teacher says :" But music and enteratiment aren't those essential parts of society?" And he says :"Perhaps but they should emerge naturally from within our social groups. Products created only for profit are hollow and spiritless." There are plenty of other similar pictures of many problematic topics, but I find those two most evident and most truthful to mention.

Secondly, many people here said or are assuming that protagonists like Hiroko, Akira are cruel, broken and messed up. But that's what I disagree with(Although it might be true for Komouri). Regarding Hiroko and Akira it is actually the environment they live in, that's messed up. Hiroko trying her best to get the best grades to meet expectations of her ignorant parents that never ask her what is troubling her and never realize that there are some needs that have to be satisfied to assure a roper growth of their child(btw I hated her father the most of all characters), then those silly girls terrorizing her in school and then there comes the breaking point of forbidding her friendship with Shiino- probably only bright point in her life. It seems to me natural for 12 year old kid to burst with anger and attempt to get rid of the source of her despair by killing those guys. Of course killing the human should never be justified but I just somehow can't blame her for doing what she did. I mean, did you really expect her to cheer up and make up with everybody? Is she some kind of super hero to do it all on her own? (It's a pity that Takaya comes to late because he might be a factor that would prevent harsh actions.)This is what makes this manga realistic. And I can't call her cruel too- if she killed them by her own hands, their deaths would never be so gruesome (those dragons can tear steel like sheet of paper so no wonder). Similar thing goes for Akira. Though suggestions on being molested by her father are only making story darker as it really is. Another thing discussed- Akira's uncertain death. I assume she was thrown out the window by those regular people, who went amok and start killing all dragon bearers. Also that's the reason why Akira, Tsurumaru, and Shiina's mam died at the same time(not just coincidence). We saw her lie in coma in the bed in one frame, so I really don't think she could jump out of window or try to fly Ensof right in the next frame. And I doubt it was Akira's mother (again making story darker as it really is). I rooted for Akira and Hiroko but sadly they didn't prevail. But Shiino really was admirable and strong. Always cheerful in spite of such harsh life( her mother tried to kill her when she was small, she cooks for father, does shopping and other staff in household). Tsurumaru (member of this discussion) wrote that Shiino was something like mentally destroyed at the end of story. But I thing she kept being sane. I know she lost everyone, was left alone in destroyed world, where there was nothing in it, with the task of creating a new world that should have different order(this was hinted as Kuri tore that picture drawn by Shiina. At least that's how I got it) on her shoulders. But I think, she was only seriously desperate. And she didn't know what to do or how to recreate the world. So that's why she was so passive. The proof of her sanity could be that she interact with her surrounding- she speaks with Kuri and moves on her own. She just isn't some goddess that can recreate world in one day. I think she was still mere human although she was kind of special because of her connection with Sheol. I liked how Setsuryuu summed up everyone's objectives in the story. My idea is that Tsurunaru's way of changing the world could be something like this: All humanity putting their upmost effort in creating better system then the current one. But this way could take a few generations and the initial idea of this effort might be forgotten though the process or even not possible at all. What makes me assume this, is that chapter(my favorite chapter- there is some nice black humor in it) where Tsurunaru acquire Kaori Ito to bring her back to her parents. And so here comes Sudo's easily executable and quickest way of the change: to destroy and recreate. Someone wrote that Kuri enjoys killing. I don't know but it seems to me that she kills only in danger. Also Selo's theory that assumes that the strength of dragon bearer and their bond depends on their personality is not entirely correct. What I think is that it is actually the reversed way. Their personality changes accordingly to how advanced their coordination with dragon child is. It is more like bearers starts to be aware of some facts about this world that normal humans doesn't. For example: awareness that nudity doesn't matter at all, or one's urge to kill own parents and so on. It's not that they lost all their feelings.

Not especially here but in many others discussions and reviews are many guys misled by vision of cute story such as Pokemon. When I went through first chapter for the first time it was obvious to me that this is going to be pretty serious manga (defense air force, used terminology, images of dragons-definitely not some cute Pikachu). Although Hoshimaru might appear cute, it is expressionless whole the time, which gives me quiet an ominous feeling. If one didn't start to read Narutaru with senses completely shut, there is no chance he could misconceive it for something like that.

I hate to admit it but the last chapter made me cry. I cried like a child. In spite of possibility considering it as happy end it was so sad. Even now from time to time when I ponder about ending of Narutaru my eyes become a bit watery. Does anybody feel the same way? However it was fabulous ending that perfectly fit to Narutaru.

There are some posts saying that author was forced to end Narutatu prematurely. If that's true, then it's a bit sad that some readers can't evaluate it. And it's pity that author couldn't end it properly with some issues unresolved. Instead of providing some common experience Narutaru is trying to EDUCATE reader and makes him think. I am sorry to say this, but not many mangas have this valuable trait. So I appreciate that KItoh Mohiro focuses on educating us instead of popularity. And thus it's full of that spirit Sudo was talking about. I wish people will read more mangas like this and then more pieces with the same quality will pop up.

It's a good thing that I could read Narutaru when it's completed. It had to be torture for you guys to wait for next volumes. Especially when Shiina died at the end of 10th volume. That moment was shocking one.

Finally, those were some of my comments an ideas. I apologize for my bad English. I am not native speaker. And sorry for long wall of text. But I couldn't help it. This is my first time writing such long comment, but Narutaru was definitely worth it. I hope some comments will appear.

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/8894/kaneklapqo6.gif

[ellifeedn]

About that Pokémon bit, it's more understandable if you're watching the anime. Maybe you could see that next and compare how much it's different from the manga.

[HalloSchwester]

Hi! I started reading the Narutaru ten years ago in German, but new volumes were appearing so slowly that I stopped reading after volume 8. Back then, I planned to wait until the series is complete. But now, it is really hard to buy volumes 9-12, so finally I read the complete thing online. So, I decided to share my two cents with you about the ending and the coincidental deaths.

I don't think that all deaths were at the same time. In which space of time the deaths have occurred, is not stated. When you take a closer look at the final chapter, the final chapter shows a reminiscing Shiina. She smokes and looks at a wrecked house where she last lived with her mother. Then flashback to a scene when the house was intact and Shiina lived there with her mother and where her mother later got shot in the car. Then back to reminiscing Shiina: she looks at the completely destroyed car, still smoking. Then again flashback to Akira's death. You see the spot where Akira lies bleeding. Then back to the future (:-)), to Shiina, you see the destroyed pavement with Shiina standing on it, looking at her feet. And last the scene with Tsurumaru. Shiina is standing before the wrecked house where Tsurumaru and Hoshimaru died. Again a flashback. Hoshimaru tries to connect to Tsurumaru, but he is probably too late. The connection from Hoshimaru to Tsurumaru goes limp, perhaps Tsurumaru just dies this instant also killing Hoshimaru. Kuri waited patiently for all people close to Shiina to die and then immediately cleanses the world.

Since all of the flashbacks are triggered by a certain place, you don't know anything about a time frame whenever the deaths occurred. Could have taken a few months since Shiina's pregnancy can be clearly recognized in the meantime.


BTW: I think there is one weakness in the setting of Narutaru: Nearly all the dragons and dragon bearer's are located in Japan, most even go to the same school(s) in the same town. This seems to be a huge coincidence :-)

[Guernsey]

Hi! I started reading the Narutaru ten years ago in German, but new volumes were appearing so slowly that I stopped reading after volume 8. Back then, I planned to wait until the series is complete. But now, it is really hard to buy volumes 9-12, so finally I read the complete thing online. So, I decided to share my two cents with you about the ending and the coincidental deaths.

I don't think that all deaths were at the same time. In which space of time the deaths have occurred, is not stated. When you take a closer look at the final chapter, the final chapter shows a reminiscing Shiina. She smokes and looks at a wrecked house where she last lived with her mother. Then flashback to a scene when the house was intact and Shiina lived there with her mother and where her mother later got shot in the car. Then back to reminiscing Shiina: she looks at the completely destroyed car, still smoking. Then again flashback to Akira's death. You see the spot where Akira lies bleeding. Then back to the future (:-)), to Shiina, you see the destroyed pavement with Shiina standing on it, looking at her feet. And last the scene with Tsurumaru. Shiina is standing before the wrecked house where Tsurumaru and Hoshimaru died. Again a flashback. Hoshimaru tries to connect to Tsurumaru, but he is probably too late. The connection from Hoshimaru to Tsurumaru goes limp, perhaps Tsurumaru just dies this instant also killing Hoshimaru. Kuri waited patiently for all people close to Shiina to die and then immediately cleanses the world.

Since all of the flashbacks are triggered by a certain place, you don't know anything about a time frame whenever the deaths occurred. Could have taken a few months since Shiina's pregnancy can be clearly recognized in the meantime.


BTW: I think there is one weakness in the setting of Narutaru: Nearly all the dragons and dragon bearer's are located in Japan, most even go to the same school(s) in the same town. This seems to be a huge coincidence :-)

That is actually very insightful and it would be nice to see other dragons other than the ones in Japan. Also, wasn't there a forest themed dragon in space.

[il_capitano]

Have been meaning to read this series for years, and I only finally just did. I hope some of the old fans are still around here to talk a little about it?

To be honest, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would -- I really liked Bokurano when I read it a few years ago! -- but maybe talking with someone who knows the manga better than I do will help, because right now, I feel like the manga is an utter mess. There are a few too many things that go unexplained, and a few too many characters who never really come in to play.

In particular, I need someone to help me figure out the whole Akira killing her father part. I've seen people online say that it was because he sexually abused her, which had crossed my mind at one point as well -- there's that part at the start of volume 6, where Akira's father is talking about her being a "daddy's girl", and the mother snaps that he was "too nice to her", and then there's also a scene where he touches her and she slaps his hand away. The molestation explanation doesn't seem right, though, because of what the mother says when she visits Akira at the detention center (volume 9, page 181): "You should've found your own partner. Although then again, I suppose you couldn't do that because [you were under] your father's spell. He wasn't too quick on the uptake, so he had no idea how you felt [about him]. But no dummy, so if anything ever happened, I think I would've killed [to stop it]. Would've killed [i]you, that is." (That's my own slightly liberal translation of that part, as I understood it -- any other Japanese readers want to take a look? I'm not too confident about it -- though my understanding is at least solid enough to be able to say that the scanlation of this line (http://www.mangavolume.com/narutaru-shadow-star/chapter-narutaru-shadow-star-47/9) doesn't seem quite right.) So it seems to me that we're supposed to understand that Akira was in love with her father, and was incapable of loving anyone else (hence she was "under her father's spell"), and she killed him either to free herself to love others, or because she was so disgusted with herself for loving her father in that way that she simply couldn't stand it any longer? Killing a father because he sexually molested and traumatized her sounds more realistic and certainly more conventional, I know, but I don't think that's what Kitoh seems to have done here. Then again, there's not really much evidence of her being in love with her father aside from what her mother tells us, but I guess that's one of the big problems with this manga in general -- Kitoh's juggling a lot of things here, and he just doesn't quite manage to keep them all in the air. I mean, if Kitoh is telling us that this is a girl who is so in love with her father that she would kill him, you would think he would've included a scene or two that actually showed that in some way, right? But there's really not much there. This is one of the main aspects of one of the manga's main characters, and we never actually see it, as far as I can remember.

I would love to be proven wrong about this, though. Anyone? I'd especially like to hear from someone else reading this in the original Japanese.