Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring

Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring (Japanese: NARUTO（ナルト） 外伝 〜七代目火影と緋色の花つ月〜, Hepburn: Naruto Gaiden: Nanadaime Hokage to Akairo no Hanatsuzuki) is a spin-off manga written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. Its plot, set shortly after the epilogue of the Naruto series, focuses on Sarada Uchiha, a young ninja in training from a country called Hinokuni ("Land of Fire"). Sarada is concerned about the identity of her absent father, Sasuke Uchiha, and whether Sakura Uchiha is her birth mother. Sarada goes on a quest to confirm her origins, during which she confronts a group of people who want to kill her father.

Kishimoto developed the manga to further explore Sarada's relationship with her parents as well as Sasuke and Sakura's long-distance marriage. He had difficulty writing Sarada because he was inexperienced in the portrayal of female characters. The manga was a commercial success in Japan and North America, topping the latter's charts in January 2016. Manga and anime journalists praised Sarada's role in the spin-off, her connection with Sasuke, and the artwork. The comic's action scenes drew a mixed response from critics, while the villains were generally received negatively.