Naruto Books Sixteen Naruto light novels

Sixteen Naruto light novels, with the first nine written by Masatoshi Kusakabe, have been published in Japan by Shueisha under the JUMP j Naruto Costumes BOOKS imprint,[138] while the first two were released in English in North America by Viz. The first, Naruto: Innocent Heart, Demonic Blood (白の童子、血風の鬼人?), retells Team 7's mission in which they encounter the assassins Zabuza and Haku. It was released on December 16, 2002, in Japan and November 21, 2006, in North America.[139][140] The second novel Naruto: Mission: Protect the Waterfall Village! (滝隠れの死闘　オレが英雄だってばよ！ Takigakure no Shitō Ore ga Eiyū dattebayo!?, lit. The Waterfall Village's Fight to the Death I am the Hero!), based on the second original video animation of the anime, was published on December 15, 2003, in Japan and October 16, 2007, in the United States.

The series' tenth novel, titled Naruto: Tales of a Gutsy Ninja (NARUTO―ナルト―ド根性忍伝 Naruto: Dokonjō Ninden?), written by Akira Higashiyama, was published on August 4, 2009. It is presented as the in-universe novel written by Naruto's master Jiraiya, and follows the adventures of a fictional shinobi named Naruto Musasabi, who served as Naruto's namesake. Novelizations of the first seven, ninth and the tenth Naruto Naruto Costumes films, as well as the original novel which was adapted into the eighth Naruto film, have also been published in Japan.[138] The first two book of the series have also been re-released under Shueisha Mirai Bunko imprint, which is an imprint publishng for students from elementary and junior high school. Viz has also published new novels called Chapter Books written by Tracey West with illustrations from the manga. Unlike the series, the novels are aimed at children ages seven to ten. The first two novels were released on October 7, 2008, 16 novels have been published, volume 17 was cancelled.