Naruto: What is Sasuke Retsuden?

After the success of Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden, fans all over the world were excited to learn that one of the main cast members, Sasuke, is getting his own side story in Sasuke Retsuden. First released in August 2019 in Japan and later adapted into a manga series beginning in 2022, Sasuke Retsuden is a trilogy of light novels.

The trilogy focuses on some of the main characters from the Naruto series and highlights key moments in their lives. It includes Naruto Retsuden, Sasuke Retsuden, and Kakashi Retsuden, each exploring post-war developments. Shingo Kimura illustrated the manga adaptation of Sasuke Retsuden and worked closely with Masashi Kishimoto

This story is about Sasuke going on a mission to find a cure for Naruto. After the Fourth Great Ninja, Naruto suffers from a mysterious illness that is draining his life force. When medications also fail Sasuke takes up the mission to travel to Redaku country. It was a place once visited by the Sage of Six Paths.

So that he can investigate the Tatar Observatory while trying to discover a cure for his friend. In this journey, Sakura is under the guise of a researcher and accompanies him. When they successfully infiltrate the observatory, Sasuke goes straight to search for the lost writings by the Sage of Six Paths.

This was the only hope they had to find a cure for Naruto. Soon, he finds a crucial hint to look for a substance called the Heavenly Stardust. It is a rare mineral with immense chakra-regulating properties.

This story finally gives Sasuke a redemption arc as he was a character driven by vengeance and isolation. Being labeled both an antagonist and an anti-hero, Sasuke is now a changed man. Sasuke Retsuden showcases the quieter moments as he navigates his way through this mission.

While Sasuke’s and Sakura's relationship is not overly romantic, this story shows us how he is finally vulnerable in front of Sakura. It is not out of any obligation but just his emotional growth. We now know why Sakura chooses to marry him because during the quiet moments, she provides a sense of comfort to Sasuke that he never felt before.

One of the fan-favorite aspects of this story is that for the first time, Sasuke is fighting for the sake of Naruto; this never happened during the Naruto series. Also, they reveal a side of Sasuke who is a husband, a friend, and overall a human being seeking a new identity beyond revenge.

But this was not as easy as it seemed because the observatory was surrounded by secrets, strange experiments, and dangerous forces. Moreover, during his stay in this place, he stumbles upon a mysterious and terrifying dinosaur-like creature called Meno. Sasuke is suspicious that it is under someone’s control.

It was Zansuru resurrected dinosaurs using a forbidden chakra technique. Zanasuru was the corrupt director who wanted to seek immortality and used this observatory to perform unethical experiments and get away with it. Sakura and Sasuke team up and fight a battle against Zanasuru to stop his evil plans from succeeding.

They also had to face Meno and an army of resurrected dinosaurs. After defeating Zansuru and his creations. The two managed to find the Heavenly Stardust, the element needed to stabilize Naruto's chakra and save his life.

Themes and takeaways of Sasuke Retsuden

Sasuke Retsuden is not just a simple side story, it is an opportunity to redeem himself. Also, fans who love his character get a chance to learn more about him. During the original series of Naruto, he was someone who functions because of his quest for vengeance that led him to become a bitter human. Now, he is someone who is actively working to forgive himself, with a woman proving that strength and compassion can coexist, and a bond that grows not despite hardship, but because of it. It helps us understand that healing takes time.

As they explored the relationship between the newlyweds, the author chose to show their bond subtly, hinting to the audience that love doesn’t have to be loud to be real. Finally, with patience and compassion can triumph over fear, which we saw when Sasuke, who initially saw Meno as a threat, eventually earns the creature’s trust.

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In conclusion, Sasuke Retsuden invites the audience to see the quieter, more intimate struggles of being a shinobi. After seeing Sasuke rise, fall, and also get his redemption through this novel, his character arc seems to offer closure and insight.

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