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Naruto's Gaara Epilogue Novel Unveiled With Marriage Story, Cover Art

The official website for Shueisha's Jump J Books label of novels posted the title, story, and cover illustration (seen right) for Naruto: Gaara Hiden - Sajingensō, the fifth of six planned Naruto epilogue novels.

The novel, penned by Ukyō Kodachi (Macross Frontier, Mobile Suit Gundam AGE novel series) will be titled Naruto - Gaara Hiden: Sajin Gensō (Naruto - Gaara's Hidden Story - Sandstorm Illusion).

The website lists the story:

“Take a wife.” The five Kages gather after overcoming the crisis from the moon. In one corner, the elders call out to Gaara, the Kazekage of the Village of the Hidden Sand. They say that the 20-year old man must have a meeting for an arranged mariage. They say his partner has already been decided, but...

Gaara Hiden will ship in Japan on June 4 for the price of 650 yen (about US$5,) and will contain 210 pages. The final novel will focus on the organization Akatsuki, and will be released in July.

The J Books website is hosting a timeline (seen below) that informs readers of the point in time that the various novels take place. The timeline has been updated until the Konoha Hiden novel:

[Warning: These summaries contain spoilers for the Naruto manga and anime. Please highlight the white space to read.] Naruto: Kakashi Hiden - Hyōten no Ikazuchi (Naruto - Kakashi Hidden Legend: Lightning of the Frozen Sky) takes place a few months after the second-to-last chapter of the original manga, and a short time after this, Sasuke leaves the village. Naruto: Shikamaru Hiden - Yami no Shijima ni Ukabu Kumo (Naruto - Shikamaru Hidden Legend: The Cloud That Floats in the Silence of the Darkness) and the The Last -Naruto the Movie- film and its novel adaptation take place two years after the chapter, and Naruto: Sakura Hiden - Shiren, Haru Kaze ni Nosete (Naruto - Sakura Hidden Legend - Feelings of Love, Riding on the Spring Wind) will take place a few months after those novels. Shortly after Sakura Hiden, the shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village look for presents for Naruto and Hinata's wedding in Naruto: Konoha Hiden - Shūgen Biyori. Shortly after this, the couple is wed.

[Warning: These summaries contain spoilers for the Naruto manga and anime.]

Spoiler (highlight the following white text to read) [ The story of Naruto: Kakashi Hiden - Hyōten no Ikazuchi revolves around Kakashi Hatake, who is melancholy despite his new position as the Sixth Hogake. In addition, an incident has occurred in the new peaceful, orderly ninja world.

Shikamaru Hiden is hinted to feature a battle between Shikamaru and the "strongest genjutsu-user." Akatsuki Hiden is listed to reveal the "truth of the Akatsuki," and features images of Deidara, Kisame, Kakuzu, and Hidan. Gaara Hiden is hinted to be a story of love, something the Kazekage does not know very well, the preview for Sakura Hiden hints that the result of Sakura's feelings will be revealed, and finally, Konoha Hiden will look at the other ninja in Konoha and what happened to them "after the original manga." The preview image shows Shino, Kiba, and Rock Lee.]

The first three epilogue novels— Kakashi Hiden, Shikamaru Hiden, and Sakura Hiden— have been licensed by Viz Media for English release in North America.

Kishimoto had said in an interview in November that he will still have other work left to do in the Naruto franchise until summer, so he will not begin preparing his next non-Naruto title in earnest until after that. A new film following [Highlight white text to read spoilers] Naruto and Hinata's son Boruto and Sasuke and Sakura's daughter Sarada will open in August, and a manga mini-series focusing on a "new generation" launched in the combined 22nd and 23rd issue of Shueisha's Shonen Jump magazine.