Friday, February 15, 2013

Boy of Age 16 Asks Me about Relativity, etc.
20. Have You Heard about Naruto?

Cover of the first Japanese Naruto manga volume.

A friend of mine on Twitter, Aaron (a pseudonym), is an overseas, 16-year old boy, who seriously admires Albert Einstein and wants to become a physicist. He continually writes me (Ted, also a pseudonym) questions about the theory of relativity and related topics, and I am sending answers. In this series of blog posts, those questions and answers are reproduced with modifications. I am not an expert in the fields of physics related to relativity. So, my answers might contain errors. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to write a comment for the benefit, not only of the boy and me, but also of other readers.
Aaron: I just wanted to ask you if you have heard about Naruto.

Ted: What I think of from the word "Naruto" is tidal whirlpools in the Naruto Strait, Japan. However, this is probably not what you mean. Perhaps, you mean this (though it is not related to the physics of relativity): Naruto (ナルト), an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. I don't know about it. So, I quote a passage from a Wikipedia page (Ref.1): "The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki (note by Ted: Uzumaki means tidal whirlpools), an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and dreams to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of all. The series is based on a one-shot comic by Kishimoto that was published in the August 1997 issue of Akamaru Jump."

Aaron: Yes, it's one of the best Japanese anime series. Ninjas can travel near the speed of light.

Ted: Oh, Naruto has then a relationship to relativity. Ha-ha!

Reference
  1. Naruto, Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (January 24, 2013 at 19:01).
(Originally written on October 7, 2011)

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