NC: If you weren't the creator of Naruto and were simply a fan of the manga, which character's poster would be your first choice to put up in your bedroom?

MK: I'd prefer a female character, so maybe Tsunade, and maybe one of Naruto performing the Ninja Centerfold Jutsu. And Gaara....he's one of my favorite characters. (I posted a little about that last night but didn't notice he was talking about posters, not favorite characters.XD)

NC: If you were a ninja, to which village would you belong? And what would your signature jutsu be?

MK: Of course, I would be from Konoha. I'd master the Art of the Shadow Doppelganger Jutsu, so I can shorten the amount of time I spend on drawing.

NC: Would that give you more sleeping time?

MK: Hopefully, because I'm really sleep deprived....

NC: If you were to do a spin-off series that focused on one of the side characters (or a group of side characters) (were they hoping for Akatuski?) , who would it be?

MK: I'm thinking about doing one with the Fourth Hokage as the lead character. He'll be much younger. I intend to draw the Fourth as a child.

NC: In America, your manga is sold in bookstores that don't even carry other manga or comics. So in a way, it has actually changed how some bookshops sell books. How do you feel about that?

MK: I've been in Japan this whole time, so I don't know much about what's happening in America. But I'm really glad that Naruto is getting so much attention. It's a great honor. I think Americans know what's good (laughs).

NC: Which member of the Akatsuki is your favorite to draw?

MK: Hmm, let's see....Tobi. His face is covered on one side and has a hole on the other. He's easy to draw (Laughs).

NC: We know a lot about Naruto, Itachi, Gaara and Kakashi, but does Sakura have dark secrets we don't know about yet?

MK: She's a normal girl, so I haven't given it much thought.

NC: How did you change your drawing style to fit the new characters and storyline of Naruto Part II?

MK: In Part II, I try not to overdo the typical manga style. I don't go for too much deformation and keep the layout of the panels simple in order to make it easier to follow. My drawing style has also shifted from the classic manga look to something a bit more realistic.

NC: Many of the older Konoha Village ninja are dying. How do you feel about the younger ninja taking over the responsibilities for the safety and welfare of the village?

MK: It's the same in manga. There are a lot of great manga artists that I admire, beginning with Osamu Tezuka, Shotaro Ishinomori, Fujio Fujiko, etc. I'm not their blood relative, but they influence me in ways that seem as though they've been passed on through genes and are spreading like a ripple. To inherit a legacy and pass it on...I think that's wonderful. Whatever I've inherited from people in the past or those whom I call my predecessors, I'd like to put into perspective and depict in the manga. I think people can identify with it. At least that's my view.

NC: It makes the story very epic.

MK: For instance, I really love the work of Toriyama-sensei (Dragon Ball) and Otomo-sensei (Akira), and Ghost in the Shell, so you can tell how much they influenced me. In turn, younger artists will be influenced by the manga I draw. Such a world, I think, is really cool. The idea of passing a baton in a relay, so to speak, is something that I hope to portray in manga.

NC: Did you map out the entire plot of Naruto right from the beginning, or do you find yourself making new choices about characters and storylines as you go?

MK: I've already decided on the overall plot, but depending on the flow, I change the direction in which it's going right in the middle of things. Sometimes I just make it up along the way, and other times I do what I orginally intended to do. It's a weekly installment, and I have deadlines. I'm not always able to do everything I wanted to do. My private life and how my hours are spent ultimately will have an influence on the story. That's what it comes down to. Having a new editor affects the story too.

NC: What is the most important thing for you to express in Naruto Part II?

MK: I've always had "bonds" in my mind as the fundamental theme. And since the story is about battles and struggles, I'm inclined to depict the resulting complications and....difficult relationships. Still, the emphasis will be on bonds. I'm going to show each side's perspective. I won't really divide the cast into friends and foes, but I want to portray each group's circumstance in a fair manner. And when they clash, I want to get inside the mindset of the characters. It won't be a feel-good narrative, since the premise is more complicated than your basic good vs. evil, but I'll give it a try.

NC: Do you have any message for your fans in the U.S.?

MK: I have no idea how big Naruto is or how it's perceived in America, yet it's such a joy to hear that a lot of people read it. And I hope you keep on enjoying it. If you read it until the end, I promise that it's going to be worthwhile. So please, don't get bored. Keep going! Thank you very much.

さら～っとね
From skimming through...

泣きながらカリンを治療するサクラ
Sakura cries while treating Karin

それを見て泣くカリン
Seeing Sakura cry makes Karin cry

サスケ吠える
Sasuke roars

走るナルト
Naruto is running

ナルト、イタチを思い出す。
Naruto recalls something to do with Itachi

ガーラの言った言葉思い出す
He remembers what Gaara said to him

雷影の言った事を思い出す。
He recalls what the Raikage said to him

サスケ、スサノオで応戦
Sasuke returns fire with Susano'o

サスケのスサノオ、カカシに弓放つ
Sasuke's Susano'o fires arrows at Kakashi

カカシ万華鏡で、異空間に弓飛ばす
Kakashi uses Mangekyou to send the bow to another space

カカシの説教。
Kakashi gives some speech

サスケに異変。視界が…。。。。
Something is wrong with Sasuke. His field of vision is...

サクラ背後から、サスケに近づく。
Sakura comes close from behind Sasuke

サクラ。。。刺そうと覚悟決めるも刺せない
Sakura....prepares herself to try and stab Sasuke, but can't

サスケ、サクラに気づいてサクラの首しめる
Sasuke notices Sakura and grabs her by the neck

カカシ止めに入る～～～が神威使ったから反応遅し
Kakashi tries to stop him~~~his Kamui is delayed though

サスケ、クナイでサクラ刺そうと～～～～
Sakura tries to stab Sasuke with a kunai but~~~

ナルト登場！！！
Naruto appears!!!

Both are blown away by the explosion caused by both their techniques.

Naruto: "I understand it now, if we both fight seriously, we'll both die." The rest is ommitted (I'm an idiot~ He preaches, but to no avail.)
Naruto: "Because you're my friend, that's why I'll bear your hatred with you and why I'll die with you.
When she hears that, Sakura cries and says Naruto's name
Sasuke: "I don't intend to let you understand my pain. I'm not going to die, you'll die alone"

Kakashi: "Aren't you supposed to become Hokage? Let me handle Sasuke!"
Naruto: "I can't become Hokage if I can't even save a single friend! I'm going to fight Sasuke!!!"

what kind of option is "I'll kill Sasuke and die myself, as well"

Sasuke recognises Naruto and from now on, he will consider killing (defeating?) Naruto his number 1 [priority]. He heads back with Madara, having decided to transplant Itachi's eyes.

As expected, Kisame is no half work
Kisame has infiltrated the Land of Lightning within the Samehada. Him becoming one and capturing the Eight Tails was agreed before, during his talk with Madara. What was killed was a clone created by Zetsu's technique that was used as a substitute to feign [Kisame's] death.

Finally, we see Kabutomaru setting out to some country. I don't know which one, but he was finally able to become familiar with his body. He uses the White Snake to kill some country's ninja.

It ends with this.

Kabuto: My goal is Sasuke-kun.
Madara: And what if I refuse?
Kabuto uses Edo Tensei to summon another coffin. The art is obscured so we can't see who's in it.
Madara: T-this is... How did you get this?!
Kabuto: This means there's no way you can refuse me.
Madara: Fine, you can have Sasuke after the war is over. Until then I won't let you see him and you will be watched. Is that okay?
Kabuto and Madara join forces.
Scene shifts to Naruto and talk about Kyubi.
Ends with Kisame spying on the Kumo meetings.
Kisame: Now we know Kumo's current military strength.

(Nja comment) Maybe Madara's body is in the coffin?