The ninja way

Bangkok Post

14-07-2025

Written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto, the Japanese manga Naruto has been popular since it was first published in Weekly Shonen Jump in September 1999. The manga follows the story of orphan boy Naruto Uzumaki who overcomes deadly battles with rivals and confronts his past to become Hokage (chief) of Konoha no Sato (Hidden Leaf Village).
The manga kicks off with an attack on Hidden Leaf Village by Kurama, a deadly powerful nine-tailed fox. To protect the village, Naruto's parents Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze sacrifice themselves and decide to seal Kurama inside Naruto (their newborn baby) and he becomes the host of Kurama.
Since Naruto is the host of the beast, villagers despise and fear him. Naruto grows up alone with no parents and friends. To gain attention from others, he becomes a troublemaker. However, despite causing trouble, Naruto's goal is to become Hokage so he can be accepted and gain the respect of others.
To pursue his dream, Naruto attends a ninja academy where he is grouped into Team 7, which includes teacher Kakashi Hatake and teammates Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto's best friend and only survivor of the Uchiha clan massacre). Naruto takes readers and viewers through Team 7's training, dangerous missions and adventures. As a ninja student, Naruto learns the meaning of friendship, team work and perseverance. The manga is a story of self-growth and self-discovery of a boy from a nobody to a great leader.
Naruto's popularity extends beyond Japan, with a total global circulation of over 250 million copies and distribution in more than 60 countries and regions (sales outside Japan exceeded 100 million). Although the last episode of Naruto released in 2014 and the animation series ended in 2017, Naruto's popularity has never faded.
Toby Lu, director of sales and marketing at River City Bangkok, who is also a fan of Naruto said that the character inspired him.
"I watched Naruto when I was in high school. At the time, I was not good at studies. I repeatedly watched Naruto and the story made me realise that I was not a bad person. Naruto is a representation of people who are mediocre or not very talented at first," said Lu.
"With determined effort, you can turn your life around. Although you may be a bad kid in everyone's eyes, you still can achieve great things. Throughout the animation, the friendships Naruto makes and love he receives made him a stronger person and that helps viewers feel connected to him."
To celebrate Naruto, 54 Entertainment presents "Naruto The Gallery In Bangkok". This exhibition takes fans on a journey of Naruto and Sasuke's intertwined life through seven curated zones.
In front of the exhibition are life-sized figurines of Team 7 members -- Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi. Chapter One or the first zone displays signatures from people involved in the Naruto animation, including Tetsuya Nishio, the main character designer, Chie Nakamura, the voice actress for Sakura, and Date Hayato, the animation director.
Chapter Two is a cinema room where a two-minute video summarises Naruto's story for viewers who have never read or seen the manga.
"Naruto The Gallery In Bangkok" narrates the story of Naruto's journey from beginning to end. Viewers can understand the story through original storyboards, layout models, powerful scenes and pivotal moments from the anime series.
Chapter Three introduces Team 7 members and how they work together to pass an exam to become Chunin (an intermediate rank of ninja). The students are challenged to use their leadership skills, strategic thinking and maturity. However, the Chunin exam is interrupted because Orochimaru teams up with Sound Village and Sand Village to invade the Hidden Leaf Village.
In this area, there is a white diorama that represents the layout of Hidden Leaf Village with three-dimensional figures. This imported model from Japan depicts venues that viewers will recognise, including the ninja academy, the training area, hero memorials, Konoha hospital and Ichiraku Ramen restaurant.
Chapter 4 focuses on Akatsuki -- an organisation with exiled ninjas from many countries. These villains are dangerous criminals since their skills are equal or superior than those of high-ranking ninjas of Hidden Leaf Village. For example, Hidan has the power of immortality obtained by worshipping the God Jashi and the ritual of sucking opponents' blood.
Chapter 5 is titled Fourth Great Ninja War. This area of the exhibition is divided into two sections: Naruto and Sasuke. The Fourth Great Ninja War is the climax of the story which unites ninja characters from all over the world to join forces and fight the biggest threat ever.
Chapter 6 displays a collection of memorable quotes from the anime. Some of these include: "A guy who cannot even save one friend cannot become Hokage" (by Naruto) and "I admit that I've lost" (by Sasuke).
In this zone, two videos also display emotional scenes from the anime. One is when Naruto's parents decide to sacrifice themselves to save the village and the other is a video that reveals the unexpected truth of why Itachi, Sasuke's brother, killed their parents.
The Final Chapter, a cinema room, screens the scene in which Naruto fights Sasuke. The scene showcases their complex relationship as friend and foe. The scene also shows how Naruto and Sasuke have different viewpoints. While Naruto believes in peace and understanding, Sasuke believes in changing the world by destroying the old system.
Throughout the exhibition, there are exclusive collaborations including five rising stars from the Japanese art scene -- Nina Ai, Kohei Kadowaki, Que, Kosuke Sugimoto and Kohta Morie.
Lu believes that both Naruto fans and newcomers will enjoy the exhibition.
"People who never watched Naruto can expect to learn how a mediocre person can become successful after working hard, learn how to love and not hate, and give unconditional love to others. Viewers will also get to see interesting and funny plotlines of how a character can become a better person."
"Meanwhile, Naruto fans can reconnect with memories of the animation through music and powerful words. Fans who are encountering challenges in life can go back to their childhood and have their spirits lifted."
"Naruto The Gallery In Bangkok" runs at RCB Galleria 1-2, 2nd floor of River City Bangkok, until July 31. Tickets cost 450 baht (250 baht for children and seniors aged 60 and above). For more information, visit facebook.com/RiverCityBangkok.