Naruto Movies

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 226 - Mission Cleared!

2008-03-06T04:52:00.001-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 226 - Mission Cleared!

Preparations are being made in order to protect the civilians from the ongoing battle between Deidara and Gaara. Deidara lets C-3 plummet to the ground and there is an incredible explosion.

In Konoha, Naruto revisits Ichiraku Ramen and prepares to eat, but Iruka arrives and says the meal’s on him. The only reason Sakura is not around- she’s eating elsewhere is because Naruto didn’t know Iruka would be paying since he only had enough to pay for half of the bill.

Back in Suna, it seems that the worst has occurred, but the village has been protected by Gaara’s sand shield. Unfortunately, Deidara’s clay bird is now within range of Gaara and he yells out “Katsu” just as the entire barrier of sand covers Gaara completely. The bird detonates.

Commence episode.

Though Gaara was able to crush Deidara’s left hand, he was able eat some of the sand and mix it with his clay. Tiny spiders begin to crawl into the ultimate defense and Deidara repeats the same phrase he said before “Art is…a bang!” ("Geijutsu wa... bakahatsu da!”) The ultimate defense rumbles loudly due to the explosion.

Back in Konoha, Iruka thinks back to the various times he and Naruto spent at Ichiraku, such as how Naruto wanted Iruka’s forehead protector. Naruto can’t help but feel disappointed about one thing. Teuchi believes that Naruto’s going to badmouth the ramen, but Naruto’s really disappointed because he was hoping that the next time Iruka treated him to ramen would be when he became a chuunin, and he’s the only one in his age group who’s still a genin. Iruka tells him that he should be still glad because he got personal training from Jiraiya himself, even though it was Jiraiya’s strict training that led Naruto to get an entirely new outfit and forehead protector. Upon hearing that Gaara is the Kazekage, Iruka responds by saying that Gaara’s special, but Naruto replies that one can’t become Kazekage just by being special.

In Suna, the sand barrier surrounding Gaara begins to collapse.

For Team Kakashi’s first mission, Tsunade plans to have them as escorts in a VIP Mission in the Rice Country in order to make up for the lack of work Naruto and Sakura have done. It’s a B-rank mission, so Shizune suggests a simpler mission, a D-ranked mission: walking dogs. Team Kakashi would never take something like that, even though the Kyuubi within Naruto could be a potential hazard if taken outside the gates of Konoha. Tsunade gives them a C ranked mission: a coastal transport convoy.

It turns out that Deidara’s C-3 was a diversion in order to get closer to Gaara, who emerges from the barrier, broken and beaten. Gaara uses the last of his powers to move the sand away from the village. The shinobi below begin firing arrows, most of them having explosive tags attached. Once all of the sand has been safely moved away from the village, Gaara begins to descend. Deidara quickly catches him and the two head off. “Mission accomplished” is all Deidara says as they flee Suna.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 226 - Mission Cleared!

2008-03-06T04:52:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 225 - As the Kazekage...!

2008-02-18T04:53:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 225 - As the Kazekage...!

Deidara realizes the seriousness of the situation he is in as he is caught by Gaara's sand. Just when Kankuro and Gaara think it's over Deidara is able to break free with some of his explosive clay. The village ninja's are kind of shocked that this has happened but are confident in Gaara nonetheless. As Deidara freefalls over the city Gaara's sand catches his leg.

As Deidara is about to be thrown back into his sand prison He summons another bird to ride of from his clay and distracts the sand with another small bird as he escapes it’s grasp. As they continue there game of cat and mouse in the sky Sakura and Naruto Can’t help but get a few jags in at Kakashi for losing the bell test. Naruto also reveals that he never even read the whole book and they knew Kakashi would fall for it if they just said the name of the book. Suddenly Tsunade appears from her hiding place where she watched the entire thing and announces that after seeing Naruto’s and Sakura’s improvement they are now team kakashi. Kakashi goes on to explain that they are no longer teacher and Student but equal Konoha shinobi.

Naruto is pumped and Jiraiya who has been watching from afar can only smile.
Back at Sauna Gaara is still trying to catch Deidara and more suna shinobi show up. He manages to catch Deidara’s arm in his sand and crushes it with his Desert Coffin. However Deidara is not fazed and simply pulls his arm off. As they look on the Suna shinobi are surprised that this person was able to escape Gaara’s sand twice. Deidara also notices that the sand that Gaara used to crush his arm is faster and more powerful than regular sand. He realizes that the sand Gaara carries in his gourd is special and has more chakra mixed into it than he would use with regular sand. This is further backed up as he notices that Gaara’s ultimate defense has a hole in it about the size of the amount of sand that is currently chasing him. Deidara also is running low on clay and realizes that he wasn’t prepared enough and Sasori was right when he said he’d underestimated Gaara, nevertheless he is confident he’ll win. He pulls his best move out of the bag, literally. It is a big mould of clay that looks like a bird with a mournful face and no feet. He say’s he’ll destroy the village with it. Deidara is identified as a member of Akatsuki and the village prepares for all situations including if Shukakau comes out of Gaara. However Kankuro assures them that that will not happen as he remembers his conversation with Gaara some time ago where Gaara states his will to protect the village and that he will let no harm come to it as long as he is Kazakage. Back in Konoha Naruto and company are still thinking about the bell test as they walk down the streets of Konoha. Kakashi is about to reveal the name of a new technique he developed but is interrupted by Naruto’s stomach growling. Naruto remembers he hasn’t been to his favorite ramen shop yet and Sakura agrees to go. As he is more or less ditched by his former students in the middle of his sentence, in a rather comical moment the screen fades black and a spotlight shines on kakashi and he states that “Back in the day they used to react to everything I said. They were so cute.” Of course he manages to retain his cool guy persona on the outside. At that moments Jiraiya appears and reminds Kakashi that Akatsuki is on the move and he is going to gather information, he also reminds Kakashi that he is leaving Naruto back in his care as he disappears.

Naruto calls Kakashi but he states he has some work to do and leaves Naruto and Sakura alone. Naruto states that since it is just the two of them that it’s a date and Sakura replies, “That’s fine, but your paying” and walks off leaving Naruto to check his wallet. As the battle in Suna rages on the Suna shinobi prepare to aid Gaara and protect the civilians at the same time. Deidara is concerned with the prospect of interruption from below and drops his “Special clay” on the city which grows to enormous proportions and drops on the city as Deidara explains how his clay works. He eats it with the mouths in his hands and then infuses it with Chakra. The one he just dropped has the most Chakra of any of his clay moulds and is called c-3. As the shinobi below retreats, Deidara states that it’s too late and makes it explode right over the city causing a huge explosion.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 224 - Jinchuuriki of the Sand

2008-02-18T04:45:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 224 - Jinchuuriki of the Sand

As soon as Deidara begins feeding his mouth hands clay, Gaara goes on the offensive and sends his sand after the Akatsuki member. Deidara jumps onto his bird and begins flying all throughout the village with Gaara’s sand right behind him. Just when Deidara believes that he is in the clear, he’s attacked from all sides. While Deidara is a bit surprised that Gaara was able to notice him so quickly, Gaara tells him that birds like the one that Deidara is riding do not exist in the desert.

Begin episode.

Gaara jumps onto a pillar of sand that begins to ascend into the air until he is level with Deidara.

A Suna guard overhears the commotion and comes outside, only to encounter one of the men who had been blown away by Deidara’s clay spiders. Kankuro speaks with another guard about how nothing big should have happened, since Yuura was known for keeping the village’s security up. Yuura, however, is nowhere to be found, since he is currently with Sasori, who tells Yuura that he should return to his village because there will be even more problems if the villagers found out he was involved with Akatsuki.

Back in the air, Gaara summons a large wave of sand to overtake Deidara.
Back with the bell test, Naruto and Sakura still have not gotten the bells from Kakashi yet, and dawn will be coming soon. When Sakura goes on for the strike, Kakashi kicks her and its revealed that it was only one of Naruto’s Kage Bunshins that transformed into Sakura. The real one comes from above with her fist radiating with chakra. Kakashi narrowly avoids the punch as it creates a huge crater in the ground.

It’s time for Shinobi Tactic #3: Ninjutsu. Kakashi begins forming seals at a rapid rate and uses Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu (Fire Style, Grand Fireball Jutsu). Naruto and Sakura avoid the fireball, but Naruto is driven into the ground, quite literally, when Kakashi’s hand surfaces from the earth and he uses Doton, Shinjuu Zanshu No Jutsu (Earth Style, Decapitation Technique). While it seems that Naruto is stuck in the ground, it’s only another Kage Bunshin. Naruto and Sakura charge at Kakashi, who begins forming seals rapidly once again. This time, it’s Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu (Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu). The huge waterfall overtakes both Naruto and Sakura.

They didn’t call Kakashi a Copy Ninja for nothing.
Deidara creates several exploding clay birds as the arm of Shukaku chases him. The birds, once sent, detonate on various areas of the sand, but nothing serious happens as a result of this.

In Konoha, Naruto and Sakura begin contemplating another plan to get the bells, but remember that Kakashi is no pushover: he’s smarter than Shikamaru, has a better sense of smell than Kiba, knows taijutsu better than Lee, and can use his Sharingan better than Sasuke, as well as having more experience. It seems that the match is a bit one sided and Naruto and Sakura are at an extreme disadvantage, since Kakashi has never shown any weakness. While it seems that all is lost, Naruto comes to a realization that Kakashi has had a weakness all of this time, and if they had paid any attention to how much time they’ve spent with Kakashi, they would have noticed the weakness a lot sooner.

Kakashi, on the other hand, can’t believe that he’s been forced to use the Sharingan this much. What he would prefer right now is to continue reading Icha Icha Tactics, since there’s apparently something dramatic involving the main character. As much as he’d like to read it, he’ll have to hold off Naruto and Sakura until dawn before anything can happen.

Deidara’s birds begin moving a lot faster and are able to bypass all of the sand obstacles. Deidara yells out “Katsu” (A word that is used to focus concentration) to detonate the birds.

Naruto and Sakura make their move, but the difference is that Naruto threatens to reveal the ending of Icha Icha Tactics and what the secret is about the main character. Kakashi covers his ears and closes his eyes since he could easily read Naruto’s lips with the Sharingan.

When he opens his eyes, Naruto and Sakura are each holding one bell, quoting their sensei: “A ninja must read what’s underneath the underneath.”
Despite actually losing the test, Kakashi, along with his students, have a good laugh at this predicament.

Gaara has concealed himself within his ultimate defense and the third eye on the outside, watching Deidara. Suddenly, Deidara is overtaken on all sides and surrounded by sand claws.

The episode comes to a close as Gaara prepares to use Sabaku Rou (Desert Prison).

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 223 - Fruits of the Training

2008-02-18T04:42:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 223 - Fruits of the Training

Naruto throws a slew of shuriken towards Kakashi, who counters by throwing his own. Before Naruto is hit, he uses a Kage Bunshin to throw him out of the shurkien’s path. The clone then transforms into a giant shuriken, but as Naruto prepares to throw it, Kakashi brings him to a halt, despite a Kage Bunshin coming behind him with a kunai at the ready. While Naruto has gotten better with his Kage Bunshins, he still is hasty and, just like before, he started way before Kakashi gave him the signal to begin. When Kakashi does give the signal to begin, he vanishes.

Begin episode.

In Sunagakure, Deidara remarks about how he won’t have to use his jutsu since Yuura remembers who Sasori is. Yuura walks the two past the dead soldiers and leads them into the edge of Suna. Deidara’s hand, which has been chewing on clay this entire time, produces a mold, which Deidara shapes into a miniature bird. After setting it on the ground, he forms two seals (Inu and Hitsuji) and the small bird grows considerably. Deidara’s plan is to attack from the sky and lure out Ichibi, the Shukaku’s Jinchuuriki: Sabaku no Gaara.

A considerable amount of time has passed since the test began, yet Naruto and Sakura haven’t made any progress. Since Kakashi isn’t around in their vision, Sakura, channeling an immense amount of chakra into her fist, punches the ground and creates a colossal crater. The thought that goes through Naruto and Kakashi’s mind right about now is probably ‘What the hell,’ but it’s no surprise since Sakura trained under Tsunade, possibly enough to even surpass her.

In Suna, Deidara spots only three guards watching the skies. He retreats to his bag and pulls out three clay spiders.

In his office, Gaara seems to sense a disturbance.

Back in Konoha, Kakashi conceals himself within some shrubbery and spots both Naruto and Sakura with his Sharingan, remembering to himself that a shinobi must hide without a single trace. Their tactics have changed from the first bell test, but Kakashi can’t dwell on that, as a flurry of kunai come his way. As before, he begins naming the three Shinobi tactics, starting with number one: Taijutsu. He charges towards Naruto and engages in hand to hand combat, but in comes Sakura, who tries throwing punch after punch. Knowing her strength, Kakashi knows it’s wise not to get hit even once. He dodges before her fist goes through a tree, concluding that if he hadn’t dodged, that could’ve turned out bad. Naruto creates Kage Bunshins, which Kakashi easily disposes of, except for the ones that jump in the air after him. Taking a page from Gai’s technique, Kakashi uses Omote Renge, yet even then, he still hasn’t taken care of the real Naruto.

The real one comes out of a bush from behind and prepares to use the same taijutsu ougi (special move) that Kakashi used on him before: Sennen Goroshi (Thousand Years of Death). This is also avoided and Kakashi is once again glad that he dodged that attack, but for a different reason. He begins to realize just how easy he had it back then when they first took the bell test because they were inexperienced, but now, looking at how well they work together, Kakashi will probably not get to read his Icha Icha Tactics anytime soon.

Moving along, Naruto uses Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to create a massive amount of shadow clones. Despite being obviously outnumbered and having to contend with Sakura at the same time, Kakashi plows through the clones with ease.
Back in Suna, Deidara sends his three clay spiders down on the three guards. “Art is…a bang!” Deidara declares as the spiders detonate after latching onto the faces of the three guards.

More time has passed, and the duo of Sakura and Naruto haven’t gotten the bells. All of a sudden, they spot Sasuke, covered in kunai and badly beaten. He claims that he escaped from Orochimaru and asks for their help, and as touching as this may be to the two, it’s only a genjutsu.

Sakura spots Kakashi behind a tree, which quickly goes down due to Naruto’s Rasengan. When asked if he has anything to say, something he said to Sakura before, Kakashi sighs: “Shinobi Tactic #2: Genjutsu.”

Suddenly, Naruto sees the bells lying on the ground and goes for them, only to wind up in a trap and end up suspended by one leg in a rope. While it seems that Kakashi has gained the upper hand, it turns out that the Naruto in the rope is only a Kage Bunshin. The real Naruto comes from behind and actually scores a hit on Kakashi, but he quickly escaped through Kawarimi no Jutsu.

Some things never change.

Deidara disembarks from his bird, only to come face to face with Gaara, who simply tells Deidara that this is as far as he’ll get.

Next time: Suna no Jinchuuriki (Jinchuuriki of the Sand)
As the bell test continues, Deidara and Gaara square off.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 222 - Akatsuki, Action Begins

2008-02-18T04:30:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 222 - Akatsuki, Action Begins

Picking up immediately where the last episode left off, Tsunade wishes to see Naruto’s development and tells him that he’ll be facing off against an opponent. The door opens and in step Temari and Shikamaru, but neither of them is Naruto’s opponent.

Instead, Tsunade points Naruto outside, where Kakashi is seen sitting and reading Icha Icha Violence. Naruto presents Kakashi with a gift that literally makes him look on in awe: Icha Icha Tactics- the first new book in the Icha Icha Paradise series in three years, and it hasn’t even been released yet! Of course Naruto is still young and in his prime, so he is unable to understand exactly how ‘good’ Jiraiya’s work is.
Turns out that Kakashi is both Naruto and Sakura’s opponent, and based on how the two fare against their sensei, Tsunade can decide what to do with them. They’ll meet up later since Kakashi decides to give Naruto some time to recover after his long trip, even though he’s not really that tired. Like that, Kakashi’s gone, though everyone knows it’s probably to begin reading that book.

Sometime later, Naruto, Sakura, Temari, and Shikamaru are walking down the streets of Konoha when Naruto pops the question as to whether or not Temari and Shikamaru are dating, but that’s not the reason. The Chuunin Exams are starting soon and they’re helping with the preparations. Shikamaru then gives Naruto a bit of bad news: out of everyone in their age group, Naruto’s the only one who hasn’t become a Chuunin, while Temari, Kankurou, and Neji have all become jounin.

And then there’s Gaara, who became Kazekage.

Despite this minor setback, Naruto’s determination does not falter.
Jiraiya finds and begins to converse with Kakashi, who is still engrossed in Icha Icha Tactics. Just as Jiraiya promised long ago, Naruto is back in Kakashi’s care, but he also tells Kakashi that “They’re starting to move.”

At a council meeting in Sunagakure, news circulates around the members about Akatsuki. Just as Jiraiya had explained to Kakashi long ago in episode 82, a Suna member explains that Akatsuki is an organization made up of about ten shinobi, all of whom are S-ranked criminals in the bingo book. Among those members is Uchiha Itachi, who is known for killing the entire Uchiha Clan (save for Sasuke), Hoshikagi Kisame, one of the Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shu (Seven Swordsmen of the Mist) and known as the monster of Kirigakure no Kaijin (Hidden Mist Village), and of course, Orochimaru, who had assassinated the previous Kazekage and planned to destroy Konoha. He, however, is no longer a member.

All Jiraiya knows is that the organization is interested in the Kyuubi within Naruto. He’s given out information to the head of security in other countries.
As a Suna member tells the council, Akatsuki members are identified by their black capes that have red clouds on them. Said council member, known as Yuura, suddenly gets a terrible migraine and the seal deep within his mind suddenly shatters. He shakes it off as nothing, as not to raise suspicion.

Further away, but closing in on Suna, are two members of Akatsuki: Sasori and Deidara. They know of Orochimaru giving away information about their organization, but Sasori could not even predict what would happen after he used that jutsu on him. He asks Deidara (the blonde with the bag) if he’ll be all right with just the bag he’s carrying, since their opponent is a Jinchuuriki (Power of Human Sacrifice: a host for the tailed demons). Deidara is not worried, since all of his techniques are works. He opens the bag and his hand, which has a mouth in the center of the palm, digs down and grabs a handful of clay.

Later in Konoha, Naruto and Sakura are…again waiting for Kakashi, who soon shows up with a very flimsy excuse not unlike any of the others he used to give. They return to the exact training spot that they were at so long ago, back when Team 7 consisted of three members and Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were just about to go through the bell test for the first time. They all begin to reminisce about when Team 7 was a three man squad- Sakura thinks back to the night Sasuke left Konoha for good in the company of the Sound Four and how she begged and pleaded Sasuke, only to have him give her his last cryptic words before knocking her out, which were “Sakura…thank you.” Naruto remembers his confrontation with Sasuke when the two finally met at the Valley of the End after Sasuke had partially released his curse seal.

Back to reality, Naruto and Sakura go into a temporary depression mode, which tells Kakashi that Sasuke’s name is still taboo amongst his squad, but their motivation soon returns. The rules are, for the most part, exactly the same as they were before: anything goes so long as they are able to get the bells, to which Naruto and Sakura each remember since they finish Kakashi’s sentence for him. Surprisingly, Kakashi puts away his book, but he assures Naruto and Sakura that he feels that this time around he should be serious- he lifts his headband and reveals the Sharingan.
In Suna, Deidara and Sasori have come within view of the ANBU. Yuura, who is conveniently the captain, is warned of the incoming Akatsuki members, but he assures the guard that everything will be over soon.

By the time Sasori and Deidara arrive, all of the Suna guards save for Yuura have been killed. When Sasori asks if Yuura remembers him, he responds with an enthusiastic “Yes, sir! Sasori-sama!”
Elsewhere, the battle for the bells begins.
Next time: Training Results!

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 221 - Homecoming

2008-02-18T04:25:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 221 - Homecoming

We return to the Naruto series not in Konoha, but in the halls of Orochimaru’s lair as Sakura, Naruto, and two others, later known as Yamato and Sai, search frantically for their comrade: Uchiha Sasuke.

“Not here,” Sakura says as she checks one room.

Room after room and Sasuke is nowhere to be found, but all of a sudden, a powerful explosion rocks the lair and rips apart a huge section of terrain. In the midst of the terrain stands Sai, who is soon found by Sakura. She looks ready to attack him, but all of a sudden, a voice utters “Sakura, huh?” Naruto rushes as quickly as he can towards the scene of destruction and arrives just as Sakura slowly whispers “Sasuke-kun…”

At the top of the cliff stands Uchiha Sasuke, who stares down at his former teammates. There is a flashback to Naruto and Sasuke’s long battle at the Valley of the End where the two spoke of bonds. Though Sasuke has severed his bonds, Naruto demands to know why he wasn’t killed back then during their fight, and Sasuke’s answer is that he didn’t want to attain power and gain the Mangekyou Sharingan by following Itachi’s methods. Essentially, Sasuke only spared Naruto at a whim. Before anyone can respond, Sasuke is before in a flash, showcasing speed like none before. He reminds Naruto of his dream to become Hokage and how the time spent looking for him could’ve been better spent on training, so this time, Naruto will die at Sasuke’s whim. Naruto responds by saying that someone couldn’t become Hokage if they couldn’t even save their closest friend. Sasuke withdraws his sword and goes for the strike.

Naruto finds himself before the gates of the Kyuubi once again and converses with the beast, who insists that Naruto calls upon him for power, just as he’s done before. All Naruto has to do is completely remove the seal and the Kyuubi’s power will be his. Before Naruto can do anything, Sasuke, Sharingan activated, intervenes. The Kyuubi notes Sasuke’s growth as an Uchiha, as a chakra that’s even darker and more sinister than his is similar to that of one Uchiha Madara. With one simple thrust, the Kyuubi disintegrates: apparently, Sasuke is able to suppress the Kyuubi chakra.
“And you expect me…to know that person?” Sasuke finishes.

Commence episode.

In Konoha, three shinobi, the squad of Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon, chase emerge from the forests and chase furiously after a cat. Konohamaru runs smack dab into Teuchi, the ramen shop owner, who calls out Naruto’s name. Upon realizing that it’s not Naruto, he simply calls out Konohamaru’s name. The cat finds itself in an alley, yet it subdued after a short bout with Konohamaru. They report back to their sensei, Ebisu, that the cat, Tora, has been found. Unfortunately, as Ebisu tells his squad back at the Hokage tower, they are still lacking in strength and ability. Konohamaru blames this on the poor missions they’ve been given and, just as Naruto did in the past, demands a higher mission. However, the three only just became genin, so their missions aren’t going to get any better than D-rank anytime soon. Konohamaru still refuses, since he’s going to be the Seventh Hokage. Everyone’s a bit thrown, since there isn’t even a Sixth Hokage (Rokudaime), but Konohamaru believes that the title of the Sixth will go to Naruto.

Speaking of Naruto, it’s about time for him and Jiraiya to return to the village.
Meanwhile, Konohamaru spots Sakura, who was just on her way back to Tsunade. They head to Izumo and Kotetsu, who were minding the gate, only to find out that Naruto had already returned.

An ecstatic Naruto climbs atop a pillar and revels in how many memories Konoha has brought him.

“Everyone!” He yells. “Uzumaki Naruto has returned!”

Though Konoha is pretty much the same, the most Naruto finds that’s changed is that Tsunade’s face has been added to the Hokage monument. Sakura and the others soon spot him, and while Sakura notes Naruto’s change, Naruto blatantly tells her that she hasn’t changed one bit.

Konohamaru, through an impressive, yet boastful show, has perfected the Oiroke no Jutsu (Sexy Technique) and can now transform into a seductive female. Surprisingly, Naruto tells Konohamaru that such techniques should not be used. While it seems that Naruto’s matured for the best, he reveals that he has an even better newly developed perverted ninjutsu. Sakura gives him a powerful punch, courtesy of her training under Tsunade, and verbally assaults him for almost not having changed one bit.

At the Hokage tower, Naruto catches up with Tsunade, who wishes to see how much he’s learned by putting him up against a certain opponent who hasn’t been given missions in a while.

Before the name of the opponent can be given, the door to the office opens and the episode ends.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 220 - Setting Out

2008-02-18T04:21:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 220 - Setting Out

Gaara, now in Shukaku form, stand before Seimei, who is seeing Gaara like this for the first time. The others arrive on the scene as Naruto tries hobbling towards the battle. Before he can get far, Sakura insists that she treats his injuries.
Begin episode.

As Naruto’s wounds are healed, Neji, through using Byakugan, notices that there is a very powerful chakra between Gaara and Seimei. The chakra absorbing armor reminds Lee of his battle with Suikon; such techniques should not be underestimated. Though Seimei wasn’t originally planning to battle Shukaku, it will be a good way to show off the power of Takumi Village. For a moment, Gaara once again flashes back to his bout with Naruto long ago and understanding why Naruto went so far for his friends. All of a sudden, Shukaku regresses and Gaara returns to normal, which is a sign that he’s trying to control the beast with his own willpower. He declares that he’ll protect his friends with his own power. Seimei uses the three headed dragon sword, and even though Gaara can barely hold his own, he has an ace up his sleeve. He uses Ryuusa Bakuryu (Quicksand Avalanche), but nothing happens. Despite this, as he declares, he is Sabaku no Gaara and creating sand by breaking stones and turning minerals into sand is natural to him. The mountainous region behind the two begins to slowly crumble and soon sand pours out like a great flood, overtaking everything in sight.

All of a sudden, “Kujaku Senpuu Sen!” Seimei yells as he emerges from the sand.
He begins to absorb Gaara’s chakra, but no one interferes because Gaara is no weakling. He raises his hand and uses Saikou Zettai Hougeki, Shukaku no Houkou (Ultimate Absolute Attack: Shukaku’s Spear)! He throws the mighty spear and it goes straight through Seimei’s armor. Though Seimei cannot understand it, Gaara explains that someone like Seimei, who only sees people as weapons, wouldn’t able to anyway. Seimei retreats to the sand, but Gaara uses Sabaku Taisou (Desert Imperial Funeral). Huge shockwaves ripple throughout the sand and with that, Seimei’s life comes to an abrupt halt and all that emerges from the sand are tiny fragments. Gaara then collapses from chakra exhaustion.

Kankuro thinks back to when Gaara told him that he’d work hard to be acknowledged, just as Naruto had done. Kankuro compliments Naruto on finally having someone who truly understands what he’s going through, but Naruto doesn’t hear it.
Atop a cliff, Kakashi and Jiraiya arrive just a bit too late.

Back in Konoha later on, Naruto opens his eyes and discovers that Jiraiya is next to him. While Naruto’s a bit peeved that he and Jiraiya still haven’t, after all this time, gone off to train, but Jiraiya has his reasons: he has figured out the motive behind the actions of Akatsuki. He plans to help Naruto polish up his abilities before time is up and they make their move.

Sometime later, the Suna siblings and Shikamaru give each other their thanks, but Naruto is nowhere to be found since he’ll be leaving soon. However, Matsuri asks Shikamaru to tell Naruto that because of him, she understands what Gaara had been trying to tell her.

Naruto, having packed all of his stuff, leaves his home, but takes one last look at the photo of Team 7…when they were all together.

At the Hokage Tower, Tsunade informs Shikamaru that she’s heard about the mission. She won’t give him a perfect grade, and she knows that Shikamaru still has a long way to go, so she promises that she’ll be assigning him even more missions…which isn’t exactly a good thing to him.

Just as she did long ago when she first became Tsunade’s apprentice, Sakura is practicing her medical ninjutsu by healing a fish. Ino arrives and she admits that since the last mission, she’s been very useless and isn’t as much of a necessity to the team as Sakura is. That’s why she’s made up her mind to be a medical ninja as well and she asks Sakura to ask Tsunade for her. Sure, Sakura will do it, but she declares that Ino, for the time being, will be her little sister and Sakura will play the medical ninja senpai (elder). The two get into their classic exchange of insults.
Elsewhere at a dojo, Tenten, in the midst of throwing wild punches and kicks to Lee, demands to know why she was the only one left out of the mission. Though Lee reminds Tenten that she was already out on a mission with Kotarou’s team, this doesn’t calm Tenten down. From a safe distance, Chouji, Shino, and Kiba watch the fight erupt and talk of Naruto’s leaving the village and that it’ll be relatively quiet in Konoha as a result. Lee reminds them that they shouldn’t be down and must train even harder than Naruto, but as a result of diverting his attention from Tenten, she takes this opportunity to come in and deliver a fierce kick to the face.

At the Hyuuga mansion, Neji and Hinata’s sparring match comes to halt when Neji reminds Hinata that it’s about time for Naruto to be heading off.

At Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto and Iruka have one last meal together before he and Jiraiya head off.

Taking a final look towards the Hokage monument atop the mountain, Naruto raises and clenches his fist and declares that he’ll become even stronger.

From a distance, Hinata also declares that she’ll become stronger to keep up with her Naruto-kun.

Naruto and Jiraiya leave through Konoha’s gates as Part I of Naruto comes to a close.
Next Time: Naruto Shippuden finally airs as Naruto returns from his training of two and a half years!

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 219 - The Resurrected Ultimate Weapon

2008-02-18T03:21:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 219 - The Resurrected Ultimate Weapon

We begin with the Shitenshounin leader, who has reached a dead end, but convinces Gaara that it’s the other way around.

Further away, Hinata spots the two of them through Byakugan, Neji is unable to feel the presence of the other Shitenshounin members, but Shino believes that it isn’t likely that Shikamaru and the others were able to defeat them or bring the match to a stalemate. It’s possible, however, that the fights were only distractions.

Sakura is healing Lee while Ino laments on how she could have been a bigger help, but wasn’t. When Lee comes to, he is at first forbidden to head off by Sakura, but he is, as he says, part of the “Return the Favor squad,”

Though Gaara already knows it, the Shitenshounin leader points out that Gaara has already used up a lot of his sand that was infused with his chakra. All the same, Gaara still believes he can win in a one on one battle. The leader drops Matsuri and raises his blade, calling forth Mugen Kougai (Infinite Armor), which is the name of the armor that Suikon had. He then calls upon Garian Tou and Hishou Souken (Garian Sword and Searing Short Swords- the weapon that blue haired kid and Kyaku had). He sends forth a great whirlwind towards Gaara, who sinks into the ground and reappears, but the leader uses Garian Tou and is able to graze Gaara’s right shoulder. What the leader wants to see Gaara do is use Shukaku’s chakra. Meanwhile, Naruto finally arrives to see Gaara fending off Garian Tou with a pair of kunai. Naruto’s able to free Matsuri from her prison. He challenges the leader, who replies by using Kujaku Senpuu (Peacock Whirlwind) to blow Naruto back.

The leader declares that Konoha’s rule over the Five Shinobi Nations will soon come to an end. If the weapons from Takumi Village are combined, there won’t be a need for shinobi anymore. Turns out that Takumi Village is responsible for the weapons supplied to nations, but due to growing tension and fear that the weapons would be freely passed out, Takumi Village was raided. The Five Shinobi Nations forgot about Takumi and never paid them back for their hard work, instead, Takumi had to literally beg for assistance. As Naruto is blown back, the leader prepares to finish him off with the dragon sword when a barrier of sand shields Naruto, though the sand was made by mixing minerals with Gaara’s sand. Gaara is quickly contained by a large barrier as the sand shield disintegrates from around Naruto.

Back in Konoha, Tsunade relays everything to Kakashi, as well as what the ultimate weapon is: the Revival of Seimei. This would explain why the mausoleum was raided awhile ago. As Kakashi heads off, Tsunade assigns him one more person: a certain white haired Sannin.

Before the barrier around Gaara can close entirely, he throws Matsuri her jouhyou and calls upon the third eye. The optic never is connected and the eye itself activates. The Shitenshounin leader forms a few seals as an immense amount of chakra surrounds the barrier Gaara is held within in. He collapses and clutches his head in pain as his chakra leaves him while a bolt of chakra strikes a part of the mountain, obliterating it to reveal a coffin. It opens to reveal a very decrepit who the leader addresses as Seimei-sama and has come to offer his body as a container for him. His body disappears and is absorbed and the corpse of Seimei, now looking refreshed, steps out and reveals that he is the founder of Takumi Village. He combines with the weapons and begins speaking of how Gaara’s energy flow is mixed with another. Seimei has an infinite amount of chakra ready for Shukaku. Despite Naruto’s efforts, he cannot lay a hand on Seimei. Naruto then jumps over Seimei and does a genius move: tries breaking the metal barrier with a kunai. Seimei uses Senmoufuu (Whirling Method) to blow Naruto back, but he’s back on the offensive and tries getting through the metal barrier…with his bare hands. Gaara is beginning to lose it.

Elsewhere, Hinata, Neji, Shino, Temari, Shikamaru, Lee, Ino, and Sakura arrive and hear from Neji and Hinata about where the battle currently is. Temari reminds Shikamaru that if Gaara were to lose consequences, all hell could break loose.
Naruto is blown back by flames, but he’s not done yet. He attempts to dig underground, but unlike his battle with Neji long ago, there’s no Kyuubi chakra to help him out. Seimei uses Gokuhou (Way of Karmic Suffering) to send Naruto into the mountain. Gaara’s chakra is absorbed by Mugen Kougai. He calls this a declaration of war on the Five Great Shinobi Nations, but Naruto isn’t accepting this and basically calls it a pack of bull. From a distance, Matsuri wonders how Naruto, in his current physical condition, can still fight. Seimei asks Naruto why he would fight so much for a monster like Gaara, and instead of giving him a drawn out speech, Naruto simply says that Gaara is his “precious comrade.” As Seimei prepares to finish Naruto off with that three headed dragon sword, the three heads are trapped and withheld by Matsuri’s jouhyou. She finally understands what Gaara was talking about- even though weapons took the lives of her parents, they can also be used for the protection of others. Despite her best efforts, she’s quickly disposed of.

“It’s already started,” Seimei declares as the arm of Shukaku bursts through the metal barrier.

Though Naruto is glad to see Gaara is alive, he realizes that this isn’t the Gaara he’s come to know.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 218 - The Sealed Sand Water Tiger's Counterattack

2008-02-18T03:14:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 218 - The Sealed Sand Water Tiger's Counterattack

So the Konoha reinforcements have finally arrived on the job, because as Shikamaru says, “A girl saving a guy…I just can’t leave things that way.” Temari tells him about Gaara and Kankuro, but Shikamaru informs her that the two man cells from Konoha are already on the way. At the present time, however, his shadow is unable to extend any further. Ino, however, begins to feel just a bit out of place when Temari and Shikamaru begin to bicker. Kyaku sends another attack their way and Temari has her fan at the ready.

The episode begins now.

At Kankuro’s battle, the blue haired shinobi berates the Suna for being so weak that they had to rely on Konoha for help. As Kiba explains, a dog, especially one like Akamaru, isn’t satisfied until its returned the favor. The three headed dragon sword launches forward.

Suikon throws the mace towards Gaara and it is easily blocked, but at the same time, Suikon’s armor begins to absorb Gaara’s chakra. All of the sand in Gaara’s gourd spills out and he begins to rise while standing on an ascending sand pillar. Suikon rises with him.

The Shitenshounin leader is still making off with Matsuri when he suddenly comes to a halt. His attention is drawn to the three battles that his comrades are currently in.

As Suikon’s weapon is still attached to the sand, Gaara manipulates the sand to spin Suikon around just as one would with a mace. The leader is impressed that such power would come from Suna no Gaara seeing that he is the ultimate weapon (clearly, Matsuri does not know that much about Gaara.) However, Gaara still cannot suppress Takumi Village’s weapons Lee and Naruto finally catch up to Gaara, but after seeing how the battle is in his hands, wonder what they can do, if at all.

The powerful wind cyclone is so powerful that Shikamaru gets a cut on his cheek from it due to the heavy level of chakra, but Temari tells him about how Kyaku’s sword can amplify her chakra. Essentially, Kyaku is dependent on that sword, so all they have to do is get her in range of their own attacks and then stop her. While Shikamaru and Ino are blown back, they notice that Kyaku keeps her distance from Temari since they are both long range types.

Kiba uses Juujin Bunshin and Chouji, Bubun Baika no Jutsu, while Kankuro sends Karasu forward. The three attacks all collide at once- they are not in sync at all.

Suikon is catapulted from the sand some ways far in the forest. Even with his armor, Mugenkougai, taking most of that damage does a lot. The Shitenshounin withdraws his sword and holds it up, sending out six reflected beams of light.

While looking for something to extend his shadow with, the waterfall gets Shikamaru’s attention and he rushes to whisper something to Temari. As this happens, one of the reflected light beams strikes Kyaku’s weapon.

“Behold the terror of my village’s newest weapon!” The Shitenshounin leader declares as the beams of light each reach the other villains. Each of them press their weapons into the ground.

Elsewhere, Neji notes the formation that each of the villains form when coming together looks somewhat like a waterfall, but in a triangular shape. The lines connecting the triangle are no barrier, but a waterway.

The leader uses Ningu Kekkai (Ninja Weapons Barrier): Gyakuun Roku no Jin (Jin’s Good Twist of Fate): Activate!

The weapons glow profoundly and create a pathway that heads for Gaara’s sand pillar. A water dragon strikes him and he falls. The leader explains that Gyakuun Roku no Jin’s target was Gaara from the start. When it follows his chakra, a water dragon is formed and the sand will begin to soak in the water, making it a lot heavier. Because of this, the sand cannot be used anymore.

Gaara is down for the count and cannot defend himself, though his gourd is able to cushion his fall. Just as Suikon throws his mace to finish Gaara off-
“Konoha Senpuu!”

Lee intervenes and kicks the weapon away. Naruto enters from behind and gives Suikon a heel kick. Gaara attempts to get back on his feet, but he’s in no condition to. At this point, Sakura shows up and takes care of Gaara’s injuries, though he warns Naruto and Lee about Suikon’s ability to absorb chakra.

Kyaku notes that the pair of Temari and Shikamaru have no long range abilities, and this is why she hasn’t been attacked yet. While the two have Kyaku distracted, Ino attempts to use Shinranshin no Jutsu, but she’s easily knocked back by the wind.
“One wounded by the waterfall,” Shino notes as his bugs arrive and quickly head off to relay the information to others.

Chouji, Kiba, and Kankuro are once again off key with their attacks and they collide again.

Lee and Naruto are now only using simple taijutsu to fight Suikon, but it’s still no good. Sakura has finally healed Gaara, but his chakra has not fully returned. Shino’s bugs arrive and spell out the message that Ino’s in trouble. Though Sakura insists that Gaara’s injuries are not fully healed, he assures her that he’ll be fine. Naruto presses Gaara to go after Matsuri, but he confirms that he’ll only need a few moments.

Elsewhere, Akamaru finds one of Kurorai’s weapons…it’s a signal to try Gatsuuga once more. Kankuro will have to back Kiba up with Karasu.

Temari uses Fuuton, Daikamaitachi (Great Sickle Weasel) and while it appears to have missed, Kyaku is suddenly stuck in her place; Shikamaru’s finally captured her with his shadow. How? The waterfall, because even with that type of water current, one can make a shadow, and by raising the waterfall, the technique’s distance increased.
Temari uses Kuchiyose, Kiri Kiri Mai (Summoning Technique, Whirlwind Dance) and Kyaku is quickly disposed of in the same manner as Tayuya.

Gaara walks forward, but Suikon still thinks he has no sand left. Gaara, however, begins breaking down his sand armor and forms a sand spear. “This is my weapon!” He declares before throwing it as it pierces and goes through Suikon’s armor. Though Gaara prepares to finish Suikon off, Matsuri’s cries for help have him heading back towards her.

Kiba, Kankuro, and Chouji try once more to synchronize their attacks, but when blue haired kid stops them with Ryuugan Garian Tou, nothing happens. Akamaru is right behind blue haired and the one in Chouji’s hand disappears, while Kiba is revealed to be Karasu. Before Blue can do anything, he’s captured by Kuroari as Kankuro uses Karakuri Engeki (Puppet Play): Kuro Higi Ippatsu (Black Secret Technique, One Dreadful Shot) to finish Blue off just as Sakon and Ukon were.

Everyone finds out that the last one, the Shitenshounin leader himself, is heading towards the valley with Matsuri in tow and Gaara in pursuit.

While everyone heads in their direction, Naruto chooses to pursue Gaara by himself.
“I’ve cornered him,” Gaara concludes as he pulls out the jouhyou that Matsuri was using not that long ago.
Next Time: The Resurrected Ultimate Weapon.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 217 - Suna's Allies, The Konoha Shinobi

2008-02-18T02:53:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 217 - Suna's Allies, The Konoha Shinobi

The Suna and Shitenshounin are heading in direction, while the Konoha shinobi are about to intercept them.

The thoughts of Naruto, Kiba, and Lee immediately flash back to the battles of the Sasuke Retrieval mission: Lee's fight with Kimimaro, Shikamaru and Tayuya, and Kiba against Ukon. Just when things were looking bad for them, Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara arrived on the scene and saved them from an early demise. Shikamaru then remembers how when the Suna siblings were leaving Konoha, Temari told him that she'd save him the next time he was in trouble.

It's time to return the favor.

Bringing the group to a halt, Shikamaru decides that they will wait on standby, but Naruto protests that this isn't the time to stand by and do nothing. He is silenced by everyone else- after all, he isn't the leader of the mission.
Elsewhere, Shino and his bugs are hot on the trail of the enemy.
The episode begins now.

One of the Shitenshounin asks Kyaku, the blue and yellow haired kunoichi, about the location of their pursuers. They shouldn't be too far behind since they had left their own footprints. The idea is that they will isolate and leave one person to do battle with each of the Suna siblings and capture them.

Ready to do battle, Kyaku pulles out a sword and uses Fujaku Hishou Shouken (Soaring Short Swords), followed by Semmoufuu (Delirium Winds). This causes a powerful gust of wind to blow towards the Suna siblings, but Temari responds with an even more powerful gust of wind- one that is able to cut through the trees and slice them piece by piece. She decides to take Kyaku on by herself since they are both wind users. Temari reminds Gaara that Matsuri is HIS student, so he should be going after her and let Temari fight her own battle.

Temari starts off with Dai Kamaitachi no Jutsu (Great Sickling Winds), which is easily countered when Kyaku uses Kaze Kiri (Wind Cutting). Kyaku's two swords allow her to freely transform the wind and boost her power to its maximum. All she needs is just the slightest bit of chakra.

Matsuri begins to wake up just as Kankuro and Gaara are catching up to her attackers. In the bushes, the blue haired, green eyed member uses Ryuugan Garian Tou (Imperial Garian Sword) as his sword suddenly extends, barely missing Gaara and Kankuro, but startling them a bit. Kankuro notes that there is a metal wire passing through the blade that controls its movement, similar to his bamboo snake. This battle is clearly Kankuro's and Gaara heads off. Kankuro unleashes Kuroari (his second puppet, not Karasu) and it opens- Kankuro plans to finish the guy off with the same moved that got rid of Udon. The shinobi is trapped within Kuroari, but before anything can happen, a dragon head pops out and Kuroari immediately explodes. The member's sword reacts to and amplifies his chakra, giving it the form of a dragon.

Further ahead, the man carrying Matsuri tells Suikon (the only member left) to distract Gaara, who quickly arrives on the scene to battle.

Meanwhile, back in another part of the forest, Shikamaru's group is still waiting. He tells Naruto that Shino, Neji, and Hinata are taking care of their problems for them.
Elsewhere, one of Shino's bugs flies past Neji, meaning that they've found them. He uses Byakugan and spots the current battles Temari and Kankuro are involved in. At the same time, Hinata, through guidance of Shino's bugs, uses Byakugan and finds where Gaara is. The information is relayed back to Shino through his bugs, telling him that the battle is on the mountaintop.

A swarm of Shino's bugs head toward Shikamaru when one of them latches onto a small blue bag. In a flashback, Shino explains that the bag has the female kikaichuu's scent, so no matter where he goes, he will be found. It's time for the troops to head out: the bugs spell out (literally) that the battle has already begun. Kiba and Chouji are to take the western forest, Ino and Shikamaru the northern hill, and that leaves Lee and Naruto to the northwestern forest. Such is the beginning of 'Operation Return a Favor.' The groups disperse, but Shikamaru, in the midst of traveling, suddenly stops, realizing that if the enemies are running away and you place two pursuers per person, the battlefield will not be a straight line. Is there the possibility of a barrier? Shikamaru takes out a writing tool and dips it into a fluid that looks very similar to honey. He then writes something on a tree, but it filters into the tree very quickly. As he and Ino head off, some of the bugs immediately swarm and map themselves on what Shikamaru wrote.

Back at Temari's battle- she's looking a bit battered and scuffed, but not beaten yet. After realizing that Kyaku has been dodging all of her attacks, Temari decides it's time to use 'that.' Temari opens her fan and uses Fuuton: Tatsu no Oshigoto (Wind Element, Severing Pressure) and....nothing happens at first, but then the sky begins to darken and lightning begins to strike.

Temari, raising her hand to the sky, proclaims "The wind is my companion."
The sky clears and a VERY powerful wind cyclone that begins tearing up the debris, but Kyaku counters with Kaze Gaeshi (Wind Counter). It cuts through Temari's attack and her powerful wind cyclone backfires, sending her into a tree.

Elsewhere, blue haired shinobi sends his dragon sword towards Kankuro and it immediately latches onto his face. It turns out, however, that the dragon only latched onto Karasu and Kankuro is once again hiding within the bandages. Karasu jumps forward and spits out needles that are deflected by the shinobi's sword and it hacks off one of Karasu's hands. The dragon head then bites Kankuro on his left shoulder, bringing him to the ground in pain. Still controlling his puppets, the hacked off hand of Karasu rises and a blade pops out. All of a sudden, there are now three dragon heads; one stops the blade, the other goes for Karasu, and the third barely misses Kankuro. He is now without both of his puppets.

At Gaara's battle, Suikon's attack is obviously stopped by the sand. He asks Gaara how much chakra is molded into the sand, and Gaara tells him that such information will come at the exchange of his life. Suikon is trapped within a pillar of sand as Gaara uses Sabaku Kyuu (Desert Coffin). Suikon, however, emerges unharmed because his armor can absorb chakra.

Temari appears to be down for the count and isn't getting back up, so Kyaku launches a final attack when all of a sudden, Temari rushes forward to avoid the slash.
Kagemane no Jutsu...success. Behind Temari are Ino and Shikamaru, who controlled Temari with his shadow.

Blue haired prepares to kill Kankuro with the three headed sword when it is intercepted by Garoga (Double Piercing Fang). Chouji and Kiba (who has used Jinju Konbi Henge: Sotoro with Akamaru to transform into a giant two headed wolf in order to stop the dragon) arrive on the scene.

As with the Sasuke Retrieval mission, the villains wonder who these people are, and they introduce themselves:

Ino and Shikamaru: "Suna no doumeikoku..." (Allies of the Sand"
Chouji and Kiba: "Konoha no..." (The Konoha)
Lee and Naruto: "...shinobi!" (Shinobi)
But, Lee and Naruto realize that they shouldn't have said their part because...well, they haven't reached the battlefield yet.

Shino notes that there is no barrier since there is no chakra disturbance. Sakura and Hinata wish the others good luck.

The stage is set for the battle, but the leader of Shitenshounin is still whisking off with Matsuri, who is confident that Gaara will find her.
"Wait for us, Gaara!" Naruto says, the passion to fight burning in his eyes. "I'll definitely return the favor."

Next Time: "The Sealed Sand! Suikon's Counterattack!"

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 216 - The Disappearing Craftsman, The Targeted Shukaku

2008-02-18T02:47:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 216 - The Disappearing Craftsman, The Targeted Shukaku

We begin with Kakashi summoning Pakkun and the rest of his pack of dogs for an important late night mission. Not too far from them is Takumi Village: the village responsible for creating missions for shinobi of the five great countries. There's a 'dark rumor' that they are trying to manufacture an ultimate weapon that could make the five villages their enemies. The dogs begin their search.

This was the prelude. Now the episode begins. The dogs show Kakashi the village the workmen originated from. However, the corpses seem to make it seem different. Did the workmen abandon the village, and if so, where did they go?

Meanwhile, in Konoha, Naruto is happily hopping along rooftops, thinking of how he's going to splurge on ramen. He looks to his left and sees Shikamaru and Sakura together on a bench and assumes the worst: they're on a date. She hands him an envelope just as Naruto, who lost his footing and fell, runs up the stairs and accuses the two of them of dating when Sakura would never give Naruto the time of day at all.

It turns out that they're running errands for Tsunade: a new poison has been delivered and Sakura was giving Shikamaru a medicinal list for his father to do some research on. Also, word has arrived to Tsunade from Temari: the Suna village formed a training program similar to that of Konoha. Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara are the instructors. While Naruto muses over Gaara, Shikamaru can't believe that a 'hardass' like Temari could be a teacher.

In Suna, Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara stand before a group of young children. Before them are three tables filled with weapons for combat training. A girl raises her hand and asks if a weapon HAS to be taken, as they could hurt or possibly kill the other person. Gaara is prepared to say something, but chooses not to. The other two Suna siblings that the type of sentimental attitude the girl displayed could get her killed. A boy behind her remarks that he does not want to know her now that she, as he believes, angered Gaara.

For combat training, the children are to battle one of the Suna siblings by splitting into groups. Temari asks Gaara to at least smile, as if he's in a sour mood, no one will group with him. The children begin whispering amongst themselves about how Gaara is Suna's ultimate defense. They grow fearful and begin pairing off with Temari and Kankuro...everyone except the girl who asked a question earlier.

Her name is Matsuri. She pairs off with Gaara and the children begin picking various weapons. Matsuri prepares to pick up the sword until she has a brief flashback where a sword flies past and nearly misses her, flying into a tree. She picks up the club, but it is way to big for her, prompting Gaara to speak of the phrase 'demon with clubs,' which means 'double advantage.' Gaara chooses for her a weapon called a jouhyou. A long string is released from the base as Gaara swings it around. The teeth aren't for attacking, but keeping the enemy at bay, then render them helpless.
Elsewhere, some Suna guards are dispatched of, but before one can escape, he is stopped by four mysterious and unknown shinobi. They choose to let him live, since he can be used to draw 'him' out. He later weakly makes his way back before collapsing as Temari and Kankuro arrive. He has a message for Gaara.

Matsuri is still practicing with the jouhyou, but she is unable to get it wrap completely around the practice log the way Gaara demonstrated. The painful memory plays in her mind once again, but this time, she sees even more: two people in the distance collapse and die. Back to reality, Gaara asks her what the problem is and she explains that her parents (the two in the flashback) were killed by countless weapons right before her eyes. Gaara asks Matsuri what is her purpose for holding a weapon. There is a flashback sequence that goes back to Naruto's fight with Gaara during the Attack on Konoha arc when Gaara asked what did Sasuke and Sakura mean to Naruto? The answer: they were his friends and he'd do anything to protect them. Gaara's philosophy has changed a lot since his battle with Naruto.

The four unknown shinobi watch from a distance as their target, Gaara, heads off. Gaara finds Temari and Kankuro with the injured patrol shinobi, who tells them that the shinobi who attacked him, a group that calls themselves Shitenshounin, have a message.

"We, who are the ultimate weapons, announce our challenge to you. If you do not accept, everyday we will kidnap somebody close to you, until you respond."
Ironically enough, Matsuri is chosen by the group to be the first sacrifice.
Later, the three Suna siblings arrive to find only the jouhyou. Judging from its position, Gaara concludes that the group is moving northeast. They decided to head to the jounin meeting. At the meeting, Baki tells all of how the Shitenshounin have left, sandwiching the Rice Country with the Suna, as well as Konoha. The Suna siblings are told to form a squad and pursue the enemy, but considering that the enemy's objective is Gaara, that would be like walking right into their hands. However, if Suna shinobi were dispatched, there would be fewer left in the village.
In a flashback, Baki is speaking with one of the elders about how the enemy's objective is the Shukaku. Gaara is a powerful double edged sword, metaphorically speaking, and if he were to be captured, the consequences would be dire. Baki cannot go, as he tells the Suna siblings, because he already has a mission.

Back in Konoha, Shizune spots a messenger bird with a request from the Suna village. At a briefing, Tsunade explains to Shikamaru that the enemy is heading through the Rice Village towards Konoha. Shikamaru is a bit skeptical and can't believe he has to come up with a plan to stop someone overconfident enough to challenge Gaara, but Tsunade tells him that Konoha is on friendly terms with the Suna village. After all, it WAS Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara who arrived to help Shikamaru, Lee, and Kiba during the Sasuke retrieval mission. This time however, there's a lot more ground to cover for just one person. There's also, as Tsunade explains, the Takumi Village (where Kakashi was in the beginning of the episode), which the jounin and chuunin are currently working on.

Shizune hands Shikamaru a list of available genin for the mission and he is given 30 minutes to assemble a squad, but the thing is that Sakura is not on the list; she's undergoing training for her medical ninjutsu. Shikamaru accepts the mission under the condition that Sakura will come.

Outside Konoha's gates, the formed squad of Lee, Kiba, Chouji, Ino, and Shikamaru are waiting for someone else to arrive: Naruto, who got hungry and went to Ichiraku Ramen for a bit. Shikamaru declares that the squad is complete, but Naruto doubts that and knows that there are a lot more genin around. Even if Sakura's in training, there's the possibility of others coming, such as Neji, Hinata, or Shino. Kiba enters the conversation by remarking how the only ones with the ability of tracking the enemy are himself and Akamaru. Lee asks if the team they have formed is a, as he calls it, 'really amazing super attack type team,' to which Shikamaru replies that it is: 'Team Return a Favor,' which isn't exactly the best of names. He reminds them of how they were rescued during the Sasuke incident, so the mission is simply to return the favor. Naruto's prepped and ready to head off, but like other missions he's been in, he's not the leader and is getting ahead of himself.

The team formation where they proceed in a line is reminiscent of that during the Sasuke retrieval mission, but they can't use Byakugan or Akamaru's nose to go after them. Essentially, they'll split into groups of two who will move as one group. No solo stuff.

The groups are: Ino and Shikamaru, Kiba and Chouji, and Lee and Naruto. The 'four' that Naruto mentioned earlier are already ahead of them. Apparently, Neji, Hinata, Shino, and Sakura are involved as well, but they're taking a different route and won't be involved in combat. While the others believe that's a waste of power, the four are searching for the enemy and will be mostly regulated to medical support.
Elsewhere, said 'other four' are scouting: Sakura looks around, Shino uses his bugs, while Neji and Hinata scout their surroundings with Byakugan.
The six person group heads off and Naruto is determined to return the favor.
Next time: Suna doumeikoku: Konoha no Shinobi!

What is the Shitenshounin's secret battle technique?

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 215 - Erasing the Past

2008-02-18T02:45:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 215 - Erasing the Past

Ran tells them of how, during the attack, he was knocked out after managing to rip one of the foreign shinobi’s shirt off. There was this purple marking similar to the one Menma has right now. However, Neji manages to convince him that, at the present time, it would be cruel to kill an enemy who has no memories of what he’s done. Instead, wait for him to remember, and then kill him. Ran then performs surgery on Menma.

Later on that night, once the procedure’s complete, the group is sitting inside the room, looking at Menma. Naruto expresses his disbelief that someone like Menma can be a bandit. Neji assures him that, once Menma’s memories return, they'll know how and why he became a bandit. He stands up and finds Menma looking at him. Menma asks him if he really was a bandit. Neji leaves, telling him that he should focus on recovery at the present moment.

Once everyone's asleep, Menma sneaks out despite his injured back. He goes to the wall, and finishes the construction by assign one more log. Once he's done, is surprised to find Fuki throwing a rock at him. That's when the rest of the villagers appear and also start throwing rocks at him. Menma bows down, asking for forgiveness. Naruto and everyone else rush over, shielding Menma. The villagers start throwing rocks at them, saying those who help Menma should also be punished.

Meanwhile, the rest of the bandits start to launch their second attack. Instantly, everyone is ordered to seal the drawbridge and hide. The group of bandits however manages to break in. The leader starts to play a flute, casting the entire group in a genjutus. However, Menma was nearby and plays his own flute to counteract it. After some grappling, Naruto managed to get the leader's flute and break it in half. The leader flees. Menma managed to defend Fuki, who came out of hiding after losing her necklace. She finally remembers how to speak. However, Menma has her go back in hiding.

Naruto then runs over. Menma demands Naruto take him to a nearby dam. The dam was originally the village’s supply of water. But the leader of the bandits, Shin, placed exploding tags there. If the raid on the village didn't go successful, then he'll blow up the dam, flooding the village. Naruto remarks they can’t stop a flash flood unless they move a mountain in its path. This gives Menma an idea.

While being carried up the mountain with Naruto, Menma admits he eventually regained his memories. He was raised in Shin's clan after the loss of his parents when he was little. The Shin clan was a small clan, but thought they held a bright future, until the Sound Village appeared. Eventually, most of the Shin members left for the Sound, and the clan grew desperate for money. So they attacked the village after hearing about the gold. During the attack, Menma purposely used a technique that encouraged memory loss to forget about the raid. But the technique went badly, and eventually he remembered about the attack on the village.

Naruto throws him off, telling him not to joke around. Everyone had thought he had seriously lost his memories. Menma just admits he was too scared to bring his clan’s crimes to light. He suddenly gets up and hands Naruto his flute, telling him to stop Shin. He tells Naruto goodbye and shoves him off the mountain.

Back at the village, the villagers start to panic upon hearing the explosion of the dam. Neji watches with his Byakugan. In the gold mines, Menma does a series of hand signs. All the exploding tags (and there are tons of them) in the mine starts to go off. He whispers, "Goodbye, Naruto-kun." The mountain explodes, creating a dam of rocks that stops the flood. Naruto manages to get to a safe distance away. In disbelief, he screams out, "Menma!" He sees Shin run past, and goes after him, before easily defeating him with a 'Rasangan'.

Back at the village, everyone mourns Menma. Fuki calls Menma, 'big brother'. Neji takes note that not knowing anything until the end might have been salvation to him. Back at Konoha, Naruto’s sitting on a cliff with two bowls of the special bamboo ramen. He's eating one of them, while the other's sitting before Menma's flute. Tsunade and Sinzune watch from a distance. Tsunade remarks that people get stronger when they have memories they never forget. A sudden wind picks up, as though Menma's watching.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 214 - Take Back Reality

2008-02-18T02:41:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 214 - Take Back Reality

It starts with Naruto telling Tsunade what happened when Menma plays his flute. Tsunade remarks that she had heard of that kind of technique before. She then remarks that the Rice Country has some kind of instrument-related technique. Shizune then remembers that Menma was found in a river near the Rice Country. Naruto looks pretty unsure about it (take note that the Rice Country was where the Sound Village was located) but Menma wants to go. Tsunade agrees and lets them go.

Later on, you see Naruto, Menma, Neji and Tenten all leaving for the Rice Country. Naruto quickly makes a stop at Ichiraku to check on the bamboo shoots. Upon hearing they'll be done once he comes back, he’s satisfied and leaves. As they leap through the trees, Naruto gets a flashback of Tsunade demanding Neji and Tenten go with him. She reminds Naruto that there's a chance Menma can be with some foreign enemy of Konoha.

Back in the present, Neji tests Menma’s power and speed. He notices that, even when jumping at his top speed, Menma’s able to keep up without any trouble. Suddenly, a branch he was standing on breaks. In a flash, Menma manages to grab him by the hand and pull him back to safety.

Finally, the group takes a break on some cliff. While Menma's gazing at the clouds, Neji takes the chance to tell the rest of the group of his suspicion of Menma probably being a Ninja. He reveals that he tripping was just a test in disguise to see how fast Menma can go. If it turns out Menma's actually a foreign shinobi, then he can be a really troublesome enemy. Naruto disagrees, and keeps to his word that Menma's good. That's when Menma starts playing his flute. Instantly, Neji and Tenten tell him to knock it off, saying it can signal the enemy their location.

However, the group suddenly smells smoke. They rush off to find a burned-down town. There, Menma starts having some flashbacks of fire and people screaming. Naruto asks if he's okay. That's when the remaining villagers attack. One of the men steps up with a crossbow. He demands that the shinobis leave the village. Reluctantly, they agree and rest up near a river. That's when a woman appears and apologies for her brother's actions.

She reveals that the village she lives in was small, but rich since the mountains behind it have some gold inside. Because of that, it became target to many thieves. Finally, one night, some Ninjas appeared and attacked them all. Ever since the attack, the little girl she brought with her, Fuki, has been unable to talk.
Upon hearing that more than one-third of the villagers were killed in the last attack and the thieves were all Ninjas, Naruto and Menma decide to stay and help at the village. They start to build a wall, using the river as a mote. Soon, many of the villagers also join in, and so does Tenten. During the construction, Neji appears and helps defend Naruto from the guy who attacked him last time back in Konoha.
In the middle of the attack, Ran (the man with the crossbow) appears. He shoots his crossbow but misses. The attacker however throws a kunai at him. Menma, who was watching this, rushes over and takes the kunai in his back instead, saving Ran. They take him back to the village. Ran was preparing to do surgery on him, when he finds a mark on Menma's upper right shoulder. He refuses to help him, saying that their attackers also had this mark.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 213 - The Lost Memory

2008-02-18T02:33:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 213 - The Lost Memory

The episode begins with a village going up in flames. Citizens who are not being hacked to pieces are fleeing for their lives, among them a man who only gets so far before he's hit with a kunai. Before the man who threw the kunai and his accomplice, a young boy with blonde hair, can finish him off, the man's daughter, Fuki, stands in front of him and defends him, but she is kicked away. The father pleads that his daughter is spared, but he is killed. Just as the daughter is about to be finished off, the blonde throws a kunai at the man with the sword and he collapses. The boy gives the daughter her father's necklace, but the ground beneath her suddenly collapses. The blonde saves her, but not before the ground beneath HIM collapses as he plummets into the sea.

We now enter Konoha where Naruto is trying to pick out legendary fermented bamboo shoots, which he heard at the ramen shop will supposedly enhance the taste. Naruto successfully grabs the shoots, but goes plummeting into the water anyway where he finds the unconscious blonde.

At Konoha's hospital, Sakura (who has now donned nurse gear) looks out a window before freaking out when she comes face to face with Naruto. Naruto shows her the blonde, which Sakura thinks is a drowned corpse.

(A bit of a note made: Sakura uses the word dozaemon, which means drowned corpse. Naruto thinks that is the man's name.)

Sakura tells Naruto that it's a KONOHA hospital, so of course she can't admit outsiders, but Naruto leaves anyway.

He presents the bamboo to the ramen shop owner, but it will take 3-4 weeks to make fermented shoots. It doesn't matter, as Sakura finds him anyway.

The blonde is sitting on a bed while an attendant uses Jigyaku no Jutsu (Time Reversal Technique), which will allow him to search the man's memory by going into his subconscious. Basically, it's reverse hypnotism, but the man cannot remember anything.

Sakura explains that all the boy had was an ocarina. She gives Naruto a release form stating that anything the boy does will be Naruto's responsibility.

While the boy stares at his ocarina, a bolt of lightning hits a section of the hospital, starting a fire. The boy walks towards the fire, but stops and falls when he begins hearing agonizing voices of the past in his head. Sakura does not see him and he does not answer when she yells if anyone is sitll inside. She tells Tsunade and Shizune that, for the most part, everyone it outside except for the young boy. More than that, a woman approaches them, telling them that her baby is still inside.
Inside, the boy hears the child crying and grabs it. He plays a short tune on his ocarine before jumping through a window. Naruto attempts to rescue him through use of Kage Bunshins, but the boy falls on the clones anyway.

The next day, Naruto and Sakura relay the boy's situation to Tsunade, but Shizune intervenes, stating that any outsider shouldn't be allowed in the village without knowing their identity. Naruto offers to treat Tsunade to ramen with the fermented bamboo shoots, but through this offer, Tsunade learns that Naruto was looking for the bamboo after returning from a mission, which is how he came upon the boy in the first place. Ergo, the entire matter is a result of him getting sidetracked after a mission. Anyway, since the boy DID rescue one of the children, he is allowed to stay in the village.

At the ramen shop, Naruto introduces himself to the boy, who Naruto chooses to name Menma (which means fermented bamboo shoots). The shoots, however, have not been added to the ramen, which Naruto promises he and Menma will have once it has been added.
Naruto brings Menma to his place, which has definitely seen better days. The next morning, Naruto awakens to see that his room is now in tip top condition, cleaned from top to bottom because Menma couldn't sleep. Naruto freaks, however, when he sees Menma hanging his laundry outside...not to mention his boxers.

As the two walk through the streets of Konoha, Naruto takes Menma to a shop (Sweet Chestnuts) that sells the Wind Country's specialty, the "Sand Dumpling," the Water Country's "Unicorn Nectar," and Earth Country's "Rock Mochi." This is done in the hopes that Menma's home village had a specialty that he would be able to remember. Menma tells Naruto not to worry about his memory, since he doesn't know when it will return anyway. Besides, Naruto already has his assignment: cleaning the faces on the Hokage mountain.

Before they can progress, Menma sees an elderly woman struggling with some bags. He offers to carry her bags, but when they arrive at her home, the weeds are growing in great numbers, and they haven't been dealt with because the woman's hip has been hurting. Naruto and Menma get the job done, only to discover that other people's lawns need work as well.

Tsunade is surprised to see that gifts are given by the villagers that Naruto and Menma assisted.

While cleaning the stone faces of the Hokages, Naruto is a bit surprised at Menma's generosity, but Menma states that he wants to live his life properly and not have anymore regrets. Anymore? Naruto asks Menma if he was able to remember anything, but Menma states that he doesn't. A bit of blood falls into Naruto's hand as a jounin falls tumbles towards them. Something is happening in the village and a flurry of weapons stream towards Naruto and Menma, who rush off.

Naruto rushes into the forest, having to avoid a large flurry of weapons and exploding notes. Menma plays his ocarina and Naruto suddenly feels great power surging throughout his body. He rockets forward after the attacker (who bares a similarity to Orochimaru) and throws a kunai at his back. Unfortunately, it was only a substitute through Kawarimi no Jutsu.

Menma approaches Naruto, who, after realizing the power he gained from the flute, asks- "What on Earth are you?"

Next time- While on the way to a mission with Neji and Tenten, Naruto stumbles across a village with inhabitants in fear of enemies. Once Menma's past becomes clear, the final battle will raise the curtain!

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 212 - Everyone's Paths

2008-02-18T02:29:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 212 - Everyone's Paths

Naruto arrives and Todoroki finds out that his brother is still alive. Naruto battles a shinobazu that is holding all the kids and Gantetsu captive. After defeating him, another shinobazu flies in and takes Akio, who knows the location of the treasure. Gantetsu confirms to Todoroki that that was his brother. Gantetsu tells everyone why he saved all the kids. Gantetsu, Naruto, Lee, and Todoroki go out to save Akio. The shinobazu torture Akio to get him to reveal the location of the treasure.

Gantetsu and the others arrive as Todoroki rushes toward the hideout of the shinobazu trying to rescue Akio. They are attacked but Rock Lee stays back to stop the attackers. Gantetsu, Naruto, and Todoroki go inside the hideout and find Akio lying on the ground unconscious. Todoroki rushes to Akio but Gantetsu stops him, getting himself caught in a trap, leaving Naruto and Todoroki battling Shuura. Shuura realizes a fire that burns the whole place while he escapes. Gantetsu tells Naruto to chase after Shuura while Todoroki remembers the incident that caused all this by looking at the fire. Naruto uses a inventive way to catch Shuura while he is in the air but it fails by him using a needle jutsu. Naruto uses the technique again and creates the Rasengan, which he uses on Shuura. Naruto defeats Shuura and steals his umbrella. Todoroki stabs himself to get over the memory of fire and manages to save both Akio and Gantetsu. All three of them manage to escape as they watch, with Lee, the hideout burn to ashes. Lee wonders what happen to Naruto but he arrives on the scene.

Gantetsu, Naruto, Lee, Akio, and Todoroki catch up to Sakura and the kids. Sakura tends to Akio's injuries. Gantetsu tells Todoroki he is ready to go to the capital but Todorioki says he will come up with a story saying Gantetsu died in the battle. All the kids are happy as well as Naruto. Todoroki tells Akio to stay with Gantetsu and the kids and he and Naruto, Sakura, and Lee go back to the village. Everything looks well except they get lost with Gantetsu leading them.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 211 - Memories of Fire

2008-02-18T02:25:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 211 - Memories of Fire

Todoroki wants to avenge his family and kill Gantetsu. The only problem is Naruto will not allow this because it is their mission to get Gantetsu to the capital. While Naruto and Todoroki fight, the Shinobazu take the opportunity to take Gantetsu. Elsewhere, Lee and Sakura are surrounded by children who demand they give them Gantetsu. Can Naruto and Todoroki get Gantetsu back? And what are the reasons the children want Gantetsu? And why is one of the children Todoroki's little sibling?

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 210 - Labyrinth Forest

2008-02-18T02:20:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 210 - Labyrinth Forest

This episode starts with a flashback to The Forest of Bewilderment where Todoroki attacks Gantetsu. When Naruto tries to stop him, he reveals to Naruto that Gantetsu killed his brother and his family five years ago. However, Todoroki does not know that Akio, his little brother, is still alive. Todoroki tells Naruto through a flashback how his home burned, how his parents were killed by the Shinobazu, and how he saw Gantetsu holding Akio hostage as the house burned. The house collapsed around all three of them, and that was the last time Todoroki saw Akio. After the fire,Todoroki trained for years so that he might find Akio and kill the Shinobazu, because his brother's bones were never found, unlike his parents', in the wreckage of his burned house.

Todoroki accuses Gantetsu, and again tries to kill him, only to be knocked away by Naruto, who reminds Todoroki that it is his mission to take Gantetsu to the capital of the Forest Country, no matter what. Todoroki then decides that because no one is looking in the forest, the only way to get to Gantetsu is to kill Naruto. Sakura and Lee are confronted by the group of children. They demand that Gantetsu be returned to them, and the leader of the children, Akio, orders the kids to attack Lee and Sakura, which they do. Sakura and Lee refuse to fight against the kids, and tell them that having sharp weapons like that is dangerous.

Todoroki charges Naruto, who incapacitates him with Kage Bunshin. Gantetsu walks towards Todoroki, trying to explain, when he is captured by a net trap. Monju, of Shinobazu, traps both Naruto and Todoroki in a string trap. Monju reveals that the strings will tighten until Naruto and Todoroki are in pieces, and departs with Gantetsu in tow.

The group with Sakura and Lee reveal that they are all children whose families have been killed by Shinobazu, and rescued by Gantetsu. Gantetsu could not take being with Shinobazu anymore, so he puposely let himself be caught so that Shinobazu might be caught in turn when they tried to rescue him. But they never came to rescue him. The children came to the forest to look for him. Sakura and Lee agree to help the kids find Naruto and Gantetsu.

Naruto and Todoroki are still trapped, and the steel string is becoming critically tight. Then, Naruto realizes that the string will loosen when sweat is dropped onto it. He tells Todoroki that Gantetsu does not seem evil to him, and he cannot die until he hears what Gantetsu has to say. Todoroki agrees. They break the string with their teeth, and pursue Monju.

Monju and Gantetsu pass Sakura, Lee and the kids. Gantetsu struggles and breaks free, but Monju confronts the children. Monju, when attacked by Akio, traps him in the same steel wire as with Naruto and Todoroki. Akio yells that he will never forgive him for killing his family, and Monju asks Gantetsu what this is all about. Gantetsu pleads Monju to let him go. Sakura and Lee step in, but Monju creates a net around him that is stronger than steel. Gantetsu refuses to answer Monju's question,and Monju tightens the string around Akio. Akio screams and Gantetsu, frantic, tells Monju that the children are from the houses that Shinobazu raided, and that he saved and raised them. Suddenly, Naruto jumps in. Todoroki sees Akio, and wonders if it could possibly be him.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 209 - The Enemy "Shinobazu"

2008-02-18T02:15:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 209 - The Enemy "Shinobazu"

The episode starts off with the Shinobazu breaking into a house and killing everyone in a room. They go to a hallway and break down a door. Then they hear a cry in a room. Gantetsu is order to check it out and kill the kid who is crying. The leader then starts a fire and burns down the house.

Lee and Naruto are training together. Naruto uses Tajuu Kage Bushin no Jutsu and surrounds Lee. Lee destroys Naruto's clones and makes more. Sakura comes running looking for Naruto and Lee. They both punch each other in the face and fall down. Sakura puts band aids on their wounds and tells them they are wanted for a mission.
Tsunade tells Naruto, Sakura, and Lee to escort a shinobazu, Gantetsu, and they accept.

Naruto, Sakura, and Lee come to the harbor where they will take a boat to the Forest Country. They then looked at Gantetsu. They then meet Suzumi who will command the envoy. They them meet the escort unit. The unit surrounds parts of the ship. Then Naruto, Sakura, and Lee meet the unit leader Captain Todoroki who gives them a rude welcome saying they won't need their help. Naruto and Lee protest but Sakura tries to calm them down. They load Gantetsu on the ship and set sail.

Later that day while on the ship, Naruto and Lee complain about there being nothing to do and wish the shinobazu would attack so they show off their skills. Sakura tells them don't think like that because they have to get Gantetsu to the Forest Country safely. After Lee sides with Naruto and says he is bored Sakura agrees too. Then they all sigh. Naruto, Sakura, and Lee then cook ramen and eat. After Naruto finishes his ramen he sneaks into the cargo to guard Gantetsu. Once he gets there he notices Todoroki in the back.

It then goes to a flashback of the burning house. Todoroki rushes to the back of the burning house looking for his mother and father and finds Gantetsu holding his brother. The house collapses on them as Todoroki calls out his brother's name Akio!
Todoroki then backs up in anguish after his flashback. He curses at Gantetsu and looks at a fish keychain on his sword and says his brother's name and promises he will avenge his brother. Todoroki pulls out his sword and tries to kill Gantetsu but Naruto stops him.

The other shinobazu close in on the ship. They then create a fork in the river and Sakura points it out.

Naruto questions what Todoroki was about to kill Gantetsu but he denies it and says he is guarding him. He then says Gantetsu killed his people. One of the Shinobazu then cuts the boat in half. One half carries Naruto and Todoroki and Gantetsu to one side while the crew, Sakura, and Lee are carried into the fork. The shinobazu land on Naruto and Todoroki's half of the boat. The leader, Shura, then pulls out his umbrella and says he will take Gantetsu and Naruto says he will not let him.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 208 - Rare Vessel, The Weight of Beauties of Nature

2008-02-18T02:09:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 208 - Rare Vessel, The Weight of Beauties of Nature

The episode starts out with Kiba and Naruto being assigned to protect a expensive treasure known as kagerou. They head to a construction site where many workers are lifting an enormous safe. Naruto, as usual, disrespectfully insults their client when he calls Kiba and himself 'kids'. At that moment, the safe collapses on it's beams and starts to tip over. The client yells at Kiba and Naruto, and tells them to risk their lives. Naruto and Kiba successfully stop the falling safe, but only for a few moments. The client then removes a smaller safe from the larger one, and runs off. Kiba and Naruto at this point are unable to hold up the large safe any longer, and let it drop which almost crushes them. Kiba and Naruto, both in a rage yell at their client for putting their lives at risk. To this, the client responds by saying that a Ninja must put their missions before the safety of their lives.

They continue to move on towards their destination on foot. While moving through a rough part of city(supposedly a western town)the client brings notice to himself by clinging to the safe with dear life. They are confronted and asked to hand over the safe. The client is first to run off and Naruto is left to fight on his own. Kiba and the client move on and are soon chased by another group of bandits. Kiba handles this one and client runs off. During a cut scene it shows the client having tea at a rest stop. While the lady and him talk she notices two fights down in the city and remarks on how another war had started. Not caring what was happening the client basically says "what a shame". Naruto and Kiba returns badly bruised and scolds the client for running off. The client seeming not interested says that this is what ninja do. They die if necessary. Meanwhile a bird is spying on them in a tree. The birds falls off into a cave and there we can see three bandits sitting around. The leader as it seems reports that they have finally found what they were looking for and put their plan into action.

Naruto, Kiba and the client are walking down a path when smoke bombs are thrown at them and explode. Naruto and Kiba try to fight off the bandits, including Akamaru using Dynamic Marking, but the bandits get to the client and steal the Kagerou. Upset, Naruto, Kiba and the client follow the bandits to their hideout using the scent Akamaru left on them.
At the mouth of the cave, the client sets off the alarms and alerts the bandits to their presence. The bandit's leader tries to escape with the Kagerous, leaving the others to hold the ninja off. Naruto tells the client to chase after him while he and Kiba deal with the other bandits. The client manages to put up a fight with the bandit's leader, and the bandit leader, distressed, provokes an earthquake in the cave with a device. He is killed in the shaking, the kagerou is smashed and ultimately the client falls off a cliff, only just managing to cling on at the last second. He is then rescued by Naruto.

It is revealed later that the real treasure that Naruto and Kiba were supposed to protect was the man himself, and not the kagerou. The kagerou was in fact made by the client. The episode ends with the client walking off into the distance laughing that he'll just make a better treasure next time

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 207 - The Ability Which is Sealed

2008-02-18T02:04:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 207 - The Ability Which is Sealed

Yakumo has Kurenai trapped in her genjutsu. Naruto and the others try to figure a way into her genjutsu world. After Naruto rescues Kiba from the fire, Naruto, Shino, Kiba, and Hinata come to a door. Yakumo keeps asking Kureani if the third Hokage told her to kill her parents but Kurenai says to take all Yakumo's anger out on her. Naurto summons Kage Bushins in a attempt to ram the door but they knock him out and use him to ram the door. Naruto enters Yakumo's genjutsu world. Outside Gai and Sakura learn the truth about Yakumo's parents death. In a flashback, Yakumo speaks to her parents. They tell her she doesn't have to be a shinobi. Suddenly a inner demon from Yakumo sprouts out and starts a fire and traps Yakumo's parents. They rush to the house to find Yakumo outside standing in disbelief.

They look inside the house to see the demon. Then it goes back to the world. Naruto tells Yakumo it wasn't Kurenai's fault for her pain. Yakumo remembers the past. She remembers the demon who killed her parents. She thanks Jureani and tries to kill herself. She is stopped by her painting and her inner demon appears. He restrains Naruto and tries to kill him. Naruto escapes and fights him. Kurenai tells Yakumo she is the only one who can defeat him. Naruto evades attack after attack before the inner demon decides to finish him off. Yakumo strikes the demon and kills it escaping them from the genjutsu world. Everyone rushes in and Kurenai says she'll become the leader of her team again. Naruto remembers the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox in him and Sakura stares at him wondering

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 206 - Genjutsu or Reality? Those Who Control the Five Senses

2008-02-18T01:49:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 206 - Genjutsu or Reality? Those Who Control the Five Senses

The gang heads back to Konoha to seek medical attention for Kurenai and Yakumo. When they arrive they find Konoha village demolished. Hinata searches for survivors with her Byakugan but finds nobody in the village. They hurry to hospital to find medicine for the sensai and her former student.

Once safely in a room Naruto and Sakura go in search of the medicine, while Shino, and Hinata search the city for signs of anyone remaining in the village. Kiba stays behind for a little while and seems rather fidgety. When Kurenai asks Kiba what's wrong, he says that if anyone is going to give orders then it should be Kurenai. He then leaves to catch up to Shino and Hinata, and Kurenai smiles, happy that someone like Kiba who doesn't like being told what to do is telling her that she should be giving orders. Naruto goes off into his overthinking while walking with Sakura to the medicine room and they notice someone else in the hospital. After a shuriken attack Naruto heads after the attacker while Sakura returns to check on her patients.
Hinata searches the Hokage mansion with her Byakugan again finding no one, as the whole village starts to tremble. Shino quickly alerts Hinata to stop using her technique, and for Kiba to block his and Akamaru's sense of smell. His bugs have reacted to the events differently than the three of them have. Rather than being disturbed they are quite calm about the entire situation. Shino explains that the bugs sense only respond to minimal influences while the human mind takes everything in and leaves room for mistakes.

Naruto cornered his prey on the top of the hospital to only find out it was the leader of the Kurama Clan, Unkai. He is told that if they fight then everyone will die for they are all trapped in Yakumo's genjutsu, and none of what they see is real.
Putting Naruto in a strangle-hold, Unkai jumps into an illusional magma pit and returns to reality with Naruto. Naruto awakes and wakes the others and found Unkai severely burned. The gang races towards the mansion where Yakumo originally is after they couldn't find Kurenai. They enter only to find themselves in a trap of Yakumo.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 205 - Kurenai's Top-Secret Mission, The Third's Promise

2008-02-18T01:43:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 205 - Kurenai's Top-Secret Mission, The Third's Promise

Naruto gets to talk to Yakumo about Kurenai and her. Yakumo then reveals that Kurenai didn't want her to become a shinobi, but she wanted to prove to her parents that she could become a jounin. Naruto then learns that the Third Hokage and Kurenai planned to seal her powers.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 204 - The Targeted Eight Clouds, The Sealed Ability

2008-02-18T01:39:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 204 - The Targeted Eight Clouds, The Sealed Ability

Yakumo is threatened to be captured, but uses her genjutsu to avoid capture. Kurenai helps fend off the bandits but what is Yakumo and Kurenai hiding? Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Shino, Kiba, and Gai are on the way to find out!

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 203 - Kurenai's Decision, Team 8 Left Behind

2008-02-18T01:32:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 203 - Kurenai's Decision, Team 8 Left Behind

When a mysterious girl paints a picture of Konoha, Naruto notices and realizes that the picture is under a stormy a sky. He points out that the sky is clear, until clouds soon cover the sky When the girl shows lightning striking the Hokage's place, it happens! The girl is soon apprehended by the ANBU, who tell Naruto that what he has seen is not important. Meanwhile, Kurenai announces that she is leaving Team 8! For what reasons has Kurenai decided to leave, and how are the current events involved?

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 202 - Announcement Today! Sweat and Tears of the Best Five Bouts

2008-02-18T01:29:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 202 - Announcement Today! Sweat and Tears of the Best Five Bouts

Originally aired: Wednesday September 27, 2006 on Cartoon Network

Naruto and Sakura opens up the episode and tells everyone that the episode is about the top five fights that happened in Naruto.

Number five is the fight between Sasuke and Naruto on the roof of the hospital.

Number four is Chouji vs. Jirobou.

After that they revealed the best side battles. The first one is Kakashi vs. Zabuza in the Wave Country arc. The other one is the rock-paper-scissors fight between Kakashi and Gai.

Number three is Kiba and Akamaru vs. Ukon and Sakon.

Number two is Neji vs. Kidoumaru.

Number one is Cursed Seal Level 2 Sasuke vs. One-Tail Naruto.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 201 - Multiple Traps, Countdown to Collapse

2008-02-18T01:22:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 201 - Multiple Traps, Countdown to Collapse

Ino tells Tsunade that the tags are a diversion. Tsunade says that it is expected because Gennou is a trap master.

Shikamaru does his thinking pose and thinks that he has figured out where Gennou is.

In the Hokage faces, Gennou tells Naruto that he will use his exploding tags to collapse the mountain. By doing this he could submerge the whole city in sand and rocks.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru has figured out Gennou's plan. He is about to tell the Tsunade when Lee and Kiba arrives to tell him that Gai and his squad has arrived. Also, Hinata warns him that Naruto is gone.

Everyone has returned to the village and Gennou is about to activate his trap. Naruto tries to stop him but failed. Gennou attacks Naruto but Kiba was able to save him. Naruto asked him how he found him and he says that Hinata was the one who found him. Then Gennou was surrounded by bugs. Suddenly, he exploded. Shino tells them that that wasn't the real Gennou and the real one is outside. Gennou was about to activate his trap but Shikamaru stopped him using his jutsu. He then used a smoke screen to get away from Shikamaru's jutsu. When he got away he threw a kunai at the tags to make it explode. The tag didn't explode and Tenten tells him that she already removed it. Then Gennou made something explode which caused the group to experience a genjutsu. Sakura was able to release them from it. Then Gennou used a summoning jutsu to summon a bird but Ino used her Shintenshin no Jutsu to take control of Gennou. Then she suffers pain and tells them that he is fighting under great pain. He again tried to escape but Rock Lee fought him. Suddenly they remembered about the bird. It has an exploding tag on its legs. It is heading towards the thirds face. Naruto heads towards the face but didn't have the grip to stay on. Chouji used his jutsu keep Naruto stable. Then Hinata shows up and tells him that she will direct his attacks. She tells him to attack but the bird dodged it. Sakura then threw a boulder to try and stall the bird and this gave Naruto the chance to finish the bird.

After all the fighting Sakura finds out that Gennou has been fighting while enduring extreme pain. Sakura tries to heal him but Gennou is to sick and dies. After his death they find him holding a picture which looks incredibly like Naruto, as they turn the picture over they see an inscripture. They then resume talking about it at Ichiraku Ramen where they come to the conclusion that Gennou wasn't a bad person after all.

When Gennou met Naruto, it reminded him of his son that died and planned everything so he could be with him. He made it a game like a treasure hunt playing with his son.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 200 - Working Hard on Active Duty, The Strongest Helper

2008-02-15T07:55:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 200 - Working Hard on Active Duty, The Strongest Helper

Tenten carefully removes the explosive tag in the target practice area in the academy.

Naruto remembers the time that he spent with Gennou and asks why he would do something like this.

Tenten was able to remove the tag. Then Chouji says that they could relax now but Shino and Shikamaru doesn't think so. Suddenly, Naruto hears a loud sound and turns around to see that Chouji opened a pack of chips.

In Tsunade's office, Shizune tells her to evacuate everyone to shelter. Shikamaru tells her that its stupid because if they do Gennou would definitely detonate the explosives.

Kiba and Sakura worked together. They followed Akamaru and he was able to find an explosive. Shino uses his bugs to locate the explosives. Shino gives the explosive he found to Tenten and she disabled it. Naruto and Hinata are working together. They found one and naruto tried to grab it. A lady sees them and asks him what he is doing and he says that he lost his money in the crack and he trying to get it.

Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino are asking Tsunade for additional help. Suddenly two old people comes barging into her office.

Shizune reports that their problems will be resolved because Gai's group is on their way back from the waterfall village.

Now that the tag is gone, academy kids are back to doing their target practice. Then Neji and Lee are on top of a tree and Neji tells him that he hasn't seen anyone remotely close to what Gennou looks like.

The two old people from Tsunade's office went into an abandoned area. There they found explosive tags. One of them commented that its pointless to put a tag here and the other one replies that there were plans to make this a market place 30 years ago. The old lady used a jutsu to pull the tag away from the wall. the two of them recognized something about the tag.

Back at Tsunade's office the two old people showed the tag they found. The told Shikamaru that this was the tags that they used a long time ago. Tsunade then explains that the position of the tags are weird. A lot of them are located in areas where there aren't a lot of people. In the contrary, a few of them are located in areas where there are alot of people. All of the clues suggests Gennou's plan was set up 30 years ago.

Shikamaru suddenly remembered something that happened 30 years ago and runs out of Tsunade's office. Ino and Chouji followed him.

Naruto and Hinata are done in their area but hinata is feeling a bit tired. Naruto decides to leave her there while he goes to Tsunade's office and give her the explosives that they found.

On his way Naruto realized something and heads toward the Hokage faces. there he looked around and found explosive tags. Then Gennou shows up. He says that he can't just let Naruto leave.

NAruto asked Gannou why he did it and gennou explained it to Naruto. It turns out that Gennou is from the Dragonfly village.

Back in Tsunade's office she explains to Shizune that the Dragonfly village and Konoha were at war. Konoha went for a surprise attack and it worked. They signed a cease fire three months later. After that another village attacked them and destroyed the Dragonfly village.

Naruto and Gennou continued to talk. They talked about the reason why Gennou wants to blow up Konoha. Then he tells him that before he dies he will detonate the explosive. Naruto tells him that he and his friends are taking them down right now and that he will stop Gennou from detonating the explosives.

Shikamaru, Chouji and Ino left the house and Lee tells him that the academy students are tired. He tells him to dismiss them before it gets too dark. suddenly, Shikamaru realizes something.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 199 - Missing the Mark, The Visible Target

2008-02-15T07:53:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 199 - Missing the Mark, The Visible Target

The episode begins with all the papers, which the bird dropped in the last episode, falling from the sky. Shikamaru orders Naruto and Chouji to collect the papers. Naruto creates multiple Shadow Clones and Chouji uses his enlargement jutsu to make his hands and arms bigger so he can collect faster. As they collect Shikamaru looks for the bird that dropped the papers, but can no longer see it. The Shadow Clones are shown gathering the papers with one getting run out of the Women’s Bath and another having to take one from a baby.

Shi zune is then shown bursting into Tsunade’s office to tell her that the blueprints that were lost are the papers scattered around the village. She also informs her that Shikamaru’s group had collected them all. A ninja then rushes in and tells the two that the Hidden Waterfall Village was only doing a training exercise and nothing else. Tsunade then orders him to recall everyone back to the village. Tsunade then gets angry trying to figure out what Gennou is planning and busts one of the windows. Sakura then runs in and tells Tsunade that the body the ANBU recovered was not even a ninja, meaning that it wasn’t Gennou.

Ino is then shown informing Shikamaru, Naruto, and Chouji of this. They all then realize that Gennou is still alive. Neji, Lee, TenTen, Kiba, and Shino are then shown investigating the site where Gennou was thought to have blown himself up. Upon using Neji’s Byakugan, they find a hidden tunnel behind one of the trees. Upon a closer look they find that if they find that the tunnel was made to naturally to fill up with dirt. Kiba has Akamaru try and track Gennou’s scent but Akamaru cannot. Thus leaving them to wonder where Gennou went.

Shikamaru, Sakura, Ino, Shi zune, and Tsunade are then shown with Shikamaru tell Tsunade that if Gennou is still alive then he must still be in Konoha. And that everything he did was only to distract them. Shi zune makes the comment that the ANBU marked Gennou when they coincidently found out his statement was fake. Shikamaru tells that it was no coincident. Tsunade asks Shikamaru what Gennou’s plan was and Shikamaru tells her if they knew that then they would not have had to struggle so much. He then tells her, after she gets ticked off for that statement, that the citizens of Konoha are in a horrible situation. He then leads on that Gennou has set something up in the village.

Shi zune asks if the blueprints being scattered around the village meant that Gennou had finished setting up his traps. Shikamaru tells her no and that it was just another distraction and something had been set up inside the village. Ino then suggest they check the Academy. Shi zune questions this and Ino tells her it was the only blueprint missing. Hinata and Sakura are then shown checking a classroom at the Academy with her Byakugan, which turns up nothing. Kiba and Neji are then shown in one of the classrooms checking it with Neji’s Byakugan, which also turns up nothing. Kiba makes the suggestion of just looking and all the classrooms with the Byakugan but Neji tells him they are looking for something suspicious and they can only search little by little.

Naruto and Chouji are then shown trying to clear a classroom full of kids, so they can check it. The kids refuse because their teacher told them to stay in the classroom for the day. Naruto tells them that no teachers have been to the school all day and they would not know. He then goes and tells them that he would steal Iruka’s noodles and ditch class. Naruto again tries to get them out of the classroom but one tells him that they are on a mission to protect the village. Another then asks why Naruto and Chouji are inside. Chouji finally gets tired and uses his jutsu to increase his size to frighten the kids and make some of them leave. As two of the kids run off they decide to go practice throwing kunai.

Lee and TenTen are then shown looking for anything suspicious. Then they notice the kids from the class Naruto and Chouji cleared out running out of the Academy. Lee then goes inside to find Naruto still trying to clear the class out. He then asks Naruto where the kids that had just left were going. Naruto tells him he doesn’t know and Chouji remember that they were going to practice throwing kunai. Lee then wonder about throwing kunai in a place like the Academy. Lee, Chouji, and Naruto then find the kids throwing kunai and a wood post in the dojo.

Naruto comments about their practicing and then remember how he was always skipping practice and hiding where Iruka couldn’t find them. Naruto and Chouji reflect back on what they did while skipping out on practice and Lee tells them they should have done what the kids are doing and practice when their teacher was not watching them. Lee then calls them model students and they should not bother them. Lee then tells Chouji and Naruto they should leave. Right before they do Chouji draws their attention to the wooden post the kids are throwing kunai at. They then realize that the post was never there before and go down to investigate it. When they do Naruto’s weapon pouch gets hit with one of the kunai thrown. They figure it is something Gennou set up and Naruto goes to find Neji or Hinata.

Neji and Kiba are shown examining another classroom with Neji’s Byakugan and find an exploding tag in the wall. Naruto is shown running up to Hinata and Sakura. He asks Hinata to help him but asks in a way so it seems he is asking her out. Sakura gets ticked off because Naruto is asking Hinata out at a time like this and Hinata becomes embarrassed. Naruto then spots Neji and goes and gets him because Hinata won’t help him out. Neji and Kiba are shown examining where Neji saw the exploding note. Neji informs Kiba that the exploding note is attached to a thin thread that is used for explosives. Neji then wonders if Gennou plans on setting the tags off by remote control while Kiba asks him what the thread is connected to.

Neji traces the thread past the classrooms and into the wooden post in the dojo. Naruto then comes up and asks Neji to investigate the post in the dojo. Neji then tells him that that post is the explosive device. A kunai is then shown striking the post in the dojo. Lee offers the kids some advice in throwing the kunai. One of them tells him to shut up and another steps up to throw his kunai. Naruto, Kiba, and Neji are shown running to the dojo and Neji asks if there is a target on the post. Naruto tells him there is and Neji tells them that the bull’s eye is the explosive device. As Neji explains that if the bull’s eye is hit the device will detonate a kid gets close to it with his kunai. Another steps up and throws his kunai. It hits the bull’s eye but falls out right after it hits. Lee then tells the kid the kunai is dull and lectures them on taking care of their tools.

Naruto leads Neji and Kiba to the dojo while another kid throws his kunai. It is about to hit the bull’s eye when Naruto, Neji, and Kiba burst and tell Lee to stop it before it hits. Hinata and Sakura here a loud noise but find out that it was only TenTen who dropped her weapon. Lee is then shown holding the kunai an inch away from the bull’s eye. The kids begin to question why lee stopped it but are told to shut up by Kiba who then tells them that if it had hit the Academy would have exploded.
The entire group gathers around the post and Neji and Kiba explain to Shikamaru what it is. Naruto asks the kids who first started to throw kunai but the kids tell him that someone told them that if they practiced in secret there, then their teacher would praise them. Neji says that it was probably and illusionary technique that made them think that. Sakura then makes the suggestion that it was Gennou’s doing. Hinata starts to say something but keeps quiet drawing Shino’s attention. Shino asks if something is wrong and Hinata tells him that the thread extending from the explosive device does not look like a single thread.

Neji takes a look and determines that it splits into three threads not two. Shikamaru asks what they are connected. Neji can’t determine where they go so he and Hinata head outside while the others follow. They climb up onto the highest point on the roof and use their Byakugan to follow the threads where they branch off. Neji then informs everyone that the threads are attached to exploding tags. He also tells them that Konoha is mapped in exploding tags.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 198 - The ANBU Also Gave Up, Naruto's Recollection

2008-02-15T07:50:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 198 - The ANBU Also Gave Up, Naruto's Recollection

In order to get the information they need about Gennou, the ANBU put Naruto in a trance, hoping to prong the information they need from Naruto's memory. However, even by doing all of this, will they get the information they need?

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 197 - The Konoha 11 Gather!

2008-02-15T07:40:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 197 - The Konoha 11 Gather!

The episode begins with Naruto and Sakura walking through some of the new buildings being built in Konoha. Naruto complains about the new buildings being built as Sakura explains to him about the new construction effort and how there were not many carpenters in Konoha so they had to hire some from different villages. They go around a corner and Naruto recognizes an old man working. He reveals his name as Gennou and that he is from the Sand village who, like Naruto, eats ramen often so he sees him at Ichiraku a lot. After this Gennou offers to take them out for ramen the scene switches to later with Naruto, Gennou, and Sakura at Ichiraku. Naruto finishes his ramen quickly so Gennou gives him his. Sakura objects but the owners explain that Naruto and Gennou do this all the time, just like a grandfather and grandson. Naruto calls Sakura strict and begins to guess at the reason she is like that. An argument ensues and Sakura hits Naruto like usual.

While this is going on a man is watching Ichiraku which Gennou notices after a couple moments. After noticing the person Gennou thinks about how it is time to get to work. The episode title is shown with a “from the sky” view of Konoha. As the title disappears several columns of smoke start to appear throughout the village. Naruto is shown asleep in his bed but he does not stay there long because he falls out of his bed, waking him up. He notices the smoke outside thinking it is fog. Not thinking about it he goes back to sleep. A man is then shown knocked out in the forest. An ANBU member comes and awakens him. After he does this other ANBU members appear and they and the man go running off.

**** is then shown waking Tsunade up and informing her that a man the ANBU marked is on the move. **** goes further and to explain that he has escaped which surprises Tsunade because all the ANBU members together cannot catch him. Tsunade asks for the persons identity but **** tells her that the most recent Bingo Book does not have a man fitting the persons description, but upon reviewing older ones she tells Tsunade that the mans name is Gennou, which sounds like Naruto’s friend’s name. Tsunade inquires if the man is known as “The trap user, Gennou”. **** asks if she knows of him so Tsunade explains that she has heard of him, but thought he retired since she has not heard his name in a while.

Gennou is then shown going through the forest and thinks about how he cannot defeat the ANBU, which he calls yougins. He stops and takes a break behind a tree making a comment about the Konoha ANBU. All the ANBU then jump down in front of Gennou and one says it is time for Gennou to return what he stole. Gennou reveals he has not been carrying what was stolen the entire time and says he does not mind dying as a shinobi in that spot, even though he will not see the destruction of Konoha. He then reveals a bunch of exploding tags tied to his chest. The ANBU retreat and Gennou blows up where he was sitting.

Later on a bird of some sort is shown flying and calling over the great heads. Gai is then shown and he and the other instructors and some other ninja are shown running across the rooftops to Tsunade’s office. Once inside we learn from what Gai says that a large-scale attack on Konoha is being planned. **** explains that an attack on Konoha could only explain the reason the head carpenter’s blueprints were stolen and Gennou hinted at this with his last words. Tsunade tells them that the plans will take a while to decipher but they cannot rely on that. She then sends most of the ninja to the North border with the orders to take anyone out, with full force, who tries to cross it

Naruto is then shown just waking up in the morning. He makes a comment about the weather and is then called by Sakura who is standing on the roof outside his window. Shikamaru is then shown talking to Tsunade about why he must remain in the village and getting more members for some kind of mission. Sakura and Naruto are then shown talking about last nights fog and how it was odd since there were no fog warning last night. Naruto makes the comment about the village being a little empty and Sakura says the village must be on high alert. Naruto goes a little nuts about this because he did not realize that before Sakura told him. Sakura then explains why Tsunade called them. They go inside Tsunade office and Naruto spots Shikamaru, who is standing by the wall, and makes a remark about him being left behind to. Shikamaru asks what he is talking about so Naruto changes the subject to the fog last night. Sakura tells him he was dreaming and Shikamaru says there was no fog but a smoke screen, much to Sakura and Naruto’s surprise. They both ask what he is talking about and he tells them that he will tell them what happen once everyone gets there.
Tsunade then explains to Naruto and Sakura why she did not include them in the mission. They will be going on a different mission under Shikamaru’s orders. But first they have to go find more people according to Shikamaru. Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru, Ino, Hinata, Shino, Kiba, Neji, Rock Lee, and TenTen are shown by the monument that team Kakashi was tested at. According to Naruto they are waiting on someone who is late. He begins to gripe about the person being late but Shino tells him there is time to spare. Neji then tells the group that the person that they are waiting for is coming. It turns out that they were waiting on Chouji, who is just walking up eating a bag of chips.

With everyone there Shikamaru starts to explain about the village being under special guard. He begins to tell everyone how it began but is interrupted by Neji who finishes Shikamru’s statement about the night’s smoke screen. Naruto asks if everyone noticed it and Neji said he did while Shino added that his bugs were making a fuss about it. Chouji says he did not notice it but is interrupted in the middle of his comment by Ino who starts yelling at him. While she is yelling at him Sakura thinks about how she is lower then Naruto because she to did not notice it. TenTen asks Lee what it was about but Lee said that it was a case the ANBU were handling so he stayed out of it. Shikamaru said that it did have to do with the ANBU and Hinata says she thought so.

Shikamaru begins to explain that the ANBU had secretly marked a man when he snuck into the head carpenters house two weeks ago. A clip is then shown of a couple documents that look like they had been hastily thrown aside as if someone was looking for something. While this is being shown Shikamaru informs the group that the blueprints of the buildings of Konoha had been stolen. Naruto asks why it is so important since the only thing that was stolen was blueprints. Neji answers Naruto’s comment by explaining that if the blueprints fell into the wrong hands then an enemy of Konoha could easily sneak into Konoha and get to places very easily. Kiba makes a comment that there is a one in a million chance of an assassin getting hold of the plans. Shikamaru goes on to explain that the night’s smokescreen was to help the thief escape. He also tells them how the thief went as far as the western part of the forest and blew himself up and that he did not have the blueprints when he blew himself up. Shikamaru goes on further to tell everyone that if the blueprints were handed to the enemy Konoha could be destroyed again and that was the reason for the special guard announcement earlier.

Kiba asks about the mission and Shikamaru tells everyone they will be investigating where the plans were stolen and retrieve them. TenTen asks about retracing the thief’s steps but Shikamaru tells everyone that the thief was a first-rate trap user and it is likely there are traps where the blueprints are at. Everyone agrees to follow Shikamaru’s orders so he gives everyone a picture of the man who stole the blueprints. Upon seeing the picture both Naruto and Sakura recognize the man instantly as Naruto’s friend Gennou while Shikamaru tells everyone his name. The 11 are shown again walking as Naruto talks about how he cannot believe it was his friend who, like him, loved Ichiraku ramen.

Shikamaru makes the comment about a how a person is not going to act bad as soon as they sneak into a village and how they will act nice to get their opponent to lower their guard. Naruto makes a statement about there are no evil people among ramen lovers. Chouji tells Naruto he is wrong and Shikamaru tells Chouji to tell Naruto how it is. But it backfires on him because Chouji tells Naruto there are no bad people who love Ichiraku ramen. The group heads to the head carpenters house and the head carpenter gives Shikamaru a list of the stolen blueprints. Shikamaru makes a comment about the blueprints and the head carpenter tells everyone that Tsunade cannot even show her face. Shikamaru asks the head carpenter if Gennou was connected with all the construction sites listed. The man tells him no and Sakura asks if Gennou was working at the head carpenters base, but it is a no once again. The head carpenter explains that they will not let any outsiders work on parts of Konoha that could cause security issues and they only let Gennou work in the residential area. Meaning Gennou could not have gotten in those places to set up traps, according to Shino. Neji stands up ands says that if it what they said is true they still need to investigate.
Shikamaru agrees and Neji calls Hinata to help him and Rock Lee and TenTen go with them. Shikamaru repeats what he said earlier and says that the thief probably hid the blueprints while escaping, meaning that it is up to Shino and Kiba to find them. Once on the roof Kiba sets Akamaru down to sniff out the thief’s sent while Shino releases his bugs. Shikamaru tells Sakura and Ino to examine Gennou’s cadaver as there may still be some clues on it. Ino questions this but Sakura stands up to leave. Ino follows and asks Sakura if she is alright. Sakura tells her that if she is fine or not does not matter and if she wants to be a medical ninja then she can’t be scared of something like that, they then leave.

Shikamaru then asks the head carpenter about what he knows about Gennou. A flashback occurs with Gennou walking in the village gates as the head carpenter explains that Gennou came to him 3 months ago with a letter of introduction from Sand Countries famous Lord. Because there is a big architectural boom in Konoha he hired Gennou. He also says that Gennou wasn’t good enough to stay in the business but was not bad enough to get fired. Gennou worked hard but not long after the head carpenter found out that Gennou’s letter was a fake. Naruto asks the man how he knows it is a fake and he explains that another man brought a letter from the same Lord twelve years ago to work in Konoha. So they sometimes take out the letter to go over it and when they compared them they realized the hand writings were different. Shikamaru then asks for the other letter, but the head carpenter does not have it.

The head carpenter then says that they did not care if the letter was a fake as long as he worked hard and did not cause any trouble. But he did feel the need to inform Tsunade about it though. He then goes on to say that eh cannot believe that Gennou was a shinobi who snuck into the village to steal his blueprints, and he still cannot believe it. He then asks if Gennou really did do it. Naruto then says he still can’t believe it. Shikamaru is then shown coming out of the roof after not finding any traps. He lets Naruto and Chouji in and they begin to look around Gennou’s living space as the landlady says Gennou always paid his rent on time and he lived a strict life. She then goes on to tell them that he did come home after drinking with his buddies, but he never caused any trouble. Shikamaru stands up after searching a cabinet saying that Gennou did not leave any clues. Chouji finds something but it is only food, which ticks Naruto and Shikamaru off. Shikamaru tells Chouji they are not looking for food but Chouji tells them Gennou would have stored more food if he was living by himself. The conversation continues while Naruto thinks about Gennou eating a lot of Ichiraku ramen.

The three are shown walking down a road in the village and a ANBU member is shown watching them from the shadows. Shikamaru, Naruto, and Chouji are then shown questioning some workers about Gennou. They cannot get any information because Gennou never talked to anyone. One of them mentioned how Gennou got along good with a child in the village and how he mentioned it a lot. Chouji and Naruto say they should go look for the child but Shikamaru says that they don’t have to because the child is Naruto, which surprises him. Three ANBU members then appear and say they need to ask Naruto a few questions. The episode then ends.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 196 - Clash of Tears! Hot Blooded Teacher and Student Showdown

2008-02-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 196 - Clash of Tears! Hot Blooded Teacher and Student Showdown

The episode begins with a memory of Gai’s, then it shows him trying to get out of the wooden dummy house keeping him trapped. Yagura shows up and Gai tell him to set him free but he quickly tells Gai that he is not Yagura but the oldest of the three Ryuudoin Brothers, Genshou. His brothers jump into the scene and introduce themselves as Rokkaku and Jako. Gai fells like he’s heard the name Ryuudoin before and takes a moment to remember. The brothers talk about their father Agira and this instantly brings memories back to Gai’s mind. He then remembers the final blow he gave to Agira during a mission where they were enemies, he also remembers it as his best battle.

Genshou denies Gai’s request to be set free and vows revenge. The next scene shows a slightly injured Rock Lee who is trying to train despite his injuries, meanwhile Sakura is watching him in stealth but she is finally called out by Lee who’s known of her presence for some time now. He senses Sakura is hiding something and says that she’s a bad liar and we’re left with that. The next scene shows Genshou doing a technique which turns a few of the wooden dummy pieces into wooden pieces with swords sticking out one end that suddenly start attacking Gai. Naruto, Neji & Ten Ten show up to find Yagura and ask him his motives for sneaking into Konoha. With no Gai in sight, Neji usues *Byakugan* to see inside the woody dummy structure to find Gai dodging the wooden dummy pieces. Angered by this Ten Ten uses a scroll which releases multiple kunais but the three brothers dodge it easily. The team runs towards Gai’s location but then they get surrounded by multiple wooden dummies. Simply attacking them doesn’t seem to work so Neji uses *Byakugan* and finds that there are paper seals on the back of the dummies. The team manages to remove a few of them and take a few down with ease. Naruto even becomes confident to use *Naruto Rendan* but the move fails as the dummies knock the wind out of the team. Neji then notices that a few dummies are being controlled by Puppet Manipulation. Suddenly a shadow appears taking out dummies with speed. It’s Lee! He found out where Gai was going from Sakura and figured he would take this route. The three brothers do a technique to take all the remaining dummy pieces to make a castle like structure. Lee decides to go save Gai and Naruto, Neji & Ten Ten decide to back him up. He assures them that he can do it by saying “Today, I’m different from the usual me.” Lee speeds through the dummies into the castle into a big hall. Genshou and his brothers are in a separate room and there Genshou performs a technique. In the next room Lee confronts a dummy. Genshou uses a dummy to attack Lee.

The dummy performs a Konoha Whirlwind. He can’t believe it. Lee then does a Konoha Dai Senpuu (Konoha Giant Whirlwind) but the dummy counters it easily. We’re then shown Gai who is also fighting a dummy. Genshou’s technique makes Gai and Lee not see each other but just a dummy. Feeling he can’t last any longer, Lee asks for Gai’s forgiveness to use a certain move. Gai notices he’s fighting Lee when the dummy looks like it’s unwrapping something on its arm, like Lee’s bandages. Lee attacks Gai and performs *Shadow Dance* but it fails and they both now realize their fighting each other. Gai then uses Morse code to tell Lee about the technique Genshou is using. Understanding what they have to do, Gai and Lee both open their Chakra Gates to Level 5! The power and speed they both disperse is too much for the wooden dummies to handle which breakes them free of Genshou’s technique and destroys the wooden dummy structure. The 2 brothers are shown holding Genshou up as he’s drained from using that technique. Gai then asks them why they didn’t use Chinese martial arts to fight him since it’s what their father used to fight him. The brothers then feel like they misunderstood what their father was trying to tell them. Gai then lets them know that those that work hard and keep going strong are the ones who stay happy. Sakura then shows up with medics and the episode ends.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 195 - The Third Great Beast, The Greatest Rival

2008-02-15T07:30:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 195 - The Third Great Beast, The Greatest Rival

Naruto is asking Tsunade if there is something wrong with him because he is failing with his jutsus more often. Naruto leaves to get Lee. Tenten brings him to Lee and they see that he has been training. Naruto tells him that he needs to go to Tsunade for his medical check-up.

They finished the check-up and she says that he is cleared to go on missions but the reverse lotus is extremely forbidden. Lee leaves the office with a sad look on his face.

Gai tries to cheer him up and we see a flashback between a conversation that Lee and Gai had before. Then Gai tells him that since the Reverse Lotus is forbidden then they will have to find a jutsu that he can master through hard work.

Gai and Lee trained and suddenly Lee sees a person in the gym. Gai tells him that his name is Yagura and he has been training here for just a week. Then Yagura challenges Lee to a spar.

Naruto and Tenten arrives just when they are about to start. Yagura attacks and he is faster than Lee thought. Yagura did a technique that almost broke Lee's ankle but fortunately he was wearing his weights.

Lee went to Sakura to get his legs fixed and she tells him to rest for awhile. Lee leaves the medical area and he over heard that Naruto and Tenten telling Neji about the spar. Then Neji tells them that if he had no genjutsu and ninjutsu skills he would have probably quit a long time ago. Then Tenten tells Naruto that she is greatful that Lee was there during their training.

Yagura and Lee crossed paths and Yagura tells Lee that Gai has abandoned him. He sees Yagura and Gai leaving the village.

Shizune goes into Tsunade's office and tells her that Yagura was attacked before he came to the village. It turns out that the Yagura that was with Gai is a fake. Then Tsunade tells her to get Naruto, Tenten and Neji. She orders her to tell them to go after Gai and the fake Yagura.

Gai and Yagura are on their mission. Yagura and Gai are running through the mountains and Yagura falls. Gai goes after him and sees kung-fu posts. Suddenly these posts starts to move and attacks Gai. Gai fights them off but they were able to regenerate.

While Gai is fighting Lee is continuing with his training.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 194 - Grotesque, The Cursed Ghost Castle

2008-02-15T07:26:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 194 - Grotesque, The Cursed Ghost Castle

The episode begins with Lady Kaio’s group walking along a path. One of the men in the group informs Lady Kaio that they need to take shelter because it is about to rain. She agrees and gives him the task of finding them some shelter. As the man approaches the front of the group a strange mist appears and then a blue light appears. A strong wind begins to blow and a roaring sound is heard. The blue light shines brightly making everything not able to be seen. When the light fades the thing Lady Kaio was sitting in comes crashing to the ground and Lady Kaio and her group are missing.
Naruto, Kiba, Hinata, Shizune, and Tsunade are shown in Tsunade’s office.

Tsunade is explaining to the three that Lady Kaio was traveling from Honey Country to Red Bean Country when she and her group went missing. She also tells them that the people of Red Bean Country went looking for her but only found what was left of her carriage and not only was Lady Kaio missing but not one else was seen either. Kiba makes the assumption that they are supposed to go find Lady Kaio. Tsunade tells him he is correct and tells them that with Kiba and Hinata’s skills they are perfect for this mission. Naruto grows angry because Tsunade is saying he has no merits. Hinata tells Naruto he has good points, but when Naruto asks her to tell them to Tsunade she can’t think of any. Naruto grows angry about this causing Shi zune to laugh and Kiba and Akamaru to yawn. Tsunade asks them if they are finished and Naruto asks her about anything strange things, like ghosts, on the mission. Tsunade asks if he is afraid of ghost and Naruto tells her he is. Tsunade then tells him there are no such things as ghosts and tells them to get going. Kiba asks where they are going and Tsunade tells them Kubisaki Ridge. This freaks Naruto out who then begins to whine about it.

Tsunade gets ticked off and tells him shinobi don’t whine about stupid things and tells him to get going. Naruto responds with talking to Tsunade is scarier then ghost and runs out with Hinata and Kiba right behind him.

When they leave Tsunade gripes about how Naruto acted. Shi zune asks her if Kubisaki Ridge is near Kubisaki Country which is where the ruins of the Kubisaki Clan’s castle are. Tsunade tells her the there are castle ruins all over the place and asks why she is asking. She then asks Shi zune if Naruto’s cowardice is spreading to her, which Shi zune quickly tells her no. Naruto, Kiba, and Hinata are shown walking down a road through the forest. They come up on a sign that directs them to Kubisaki Ridge. While they are reading the sign Naruto says that there is something spooky about it. While they are still standing there it begins to rain on them and Kiba tells them they need to hurry.

As they are running they spot a castle behind the trees. Kiba makes the comment about not knowing of any castle around the area and Hinata says that it gives off a bad aura. Naruto then begins to complain about the mission becoming stranger and stranger. Kiba says the castle is a big clue and Hinata says they should go in. Kiba agrees and they leave Naruto where he is standing. Naruto chases after them telling them not to run off. Hinata comments on the castle and Naruto begins to have second thoughts on entering it. Kiba asks him if he is truly afraid by which Naruto tells him no. They then run up the steps to the castle. When they reach the top of the steps the doors automatically open without them knocking or anything which freaks Naruto out.

When they get inside the doors shut automatically without them doing anything just like when they opened. Hinata calls out to see if anyone is home, but receives no reply. Kiba notices a light on so they set their stuff down. When they do Akamaru runs into the doors with the light on. The three chase him and find a meal has been prepared and is still warm. Naruto goes and investigates a picture on the wall. They figure he is the Feudal Lord and Kiba turns and yells at Akamaru who is about to eat what is on one of the plates. Naruto walks away from the picture, without taking his eyes off of it, and sees the eyes of the man move, freaking him out.

Kiba asks what is wrong and Naruto tells him the eyes moved. Kiba lectures him telling him that the picture cannot move and he is only scared. While he is saying this Hinata observes that there are seven plates on the table. Naruto asks what is so important about it and Hinata tells him that there are seven people missing from Honey country. Which could mean that those missing are staying in the castle. Hinata suggest they split up but Naruto tries to convince them to search together. Kiba gets annoyed at this and tells Naruto that they are on a mission and he needs to stop acting like a kid. Naruto tells them he knows so they all head off to go look for Lady Kaio and the others. Though they are shown leaving through the eyes of the painting.

Naruto is then shown walking down a hallway where a strange statue is sitting. He looks at it and gets freaked out so he starts running away from it. He pauses to catch his breath but then notices more of the same statue sitting along the corridor he ran down. He stands there and stares at one long enough to see its eyes move in his direction, freaking him out even more causing him to run away in the same direction he came from. As he is running he screams for Hinata, Akamaru, and Kiba. Kiba and Akamaru are then shown tracking down a scent Akamaru detected. It leads into a room so Kiba charges in with his kunai ready, but finds the room empty. When he lets his guard down the door shuts behind him and Akamaru. He then hears something say eat and then room starts to shake and a wall becomes a mouth which swallows Akamaru and Kiba.

Hinata is then shown in the castle library. She begins to read an old castle log which says that the person who wrote the log will swallow all who enter it without fail. While she is ready the book shelves move and trap her where she is standing. She hears the same voice, which Kiba heard say eat, say devoir. Books fall on her head and she runs around the bookshelves only to be blocked by another. A painting like the one from earlier falls in front of the book shelf and the arms from it extend and push Hinata into the wall which sucks her in.

Naruto is then shown as he watches a figure step out a painting similar to the first two. He hits it with a kunai with an exploding tag attached then runs away. When he gets to the same hallway he was shown earlier running out of he gets cut off by a row of teeth. The other entrance to the hallway is cut off by teeth two and the floor changes swallowing Naruto. Naruto then wakes up, not far from Hinata, in the castle dungeon. He runs over and wakes her up and she gets embarrassed like usual and quickly turns away from him. Kiba and Akamaru show up and they begin walking along the corridor they are in. While they are walking Hinata tells them about what she read. Naruto makes a comment about them being devoured and then trips over a dead body leaning against the wall. Hinata determines that dead person was an enemy of Kubisaki. Kiba then notices more dead bodies along the corridor, but those bodies have armor like Kubisaki’s. They then find the body of the real Kubisaki. While they are looking at it the body melts before their eyes. Naruto says there is something wrong with the castle and has Hinata use her Byakugan.

When Hinata uses her Byakugan she sees that there is chakra running through the walls. Before their eyes the wall changes into something else. Hinata hits it but is thrown back. Naruto then realizes that he has seen the exact same thing somewhere. He then realizes it was inside Jiraiya’s frog summons stomach, the one he used against Itachi. Kiba then realizes that the foul odor he smells is stomach acid. Hinata then says that Kubisaki must have used a summoning technique before the castle fell and they had been swallowed when they entered the castle. They then hear a women scream and run off in the direction of the scream.

They find Lady Kaio and her subjects being sucked into the walls. They try to pull them out but have no luck. Kiba then uses his trademark jutsu to get them out of the dungeon. As soon as they get through the hole Kiba made it disappears. The summon then tells the three that its name is Shiromari and it is following Kouza’s orders to eat everyone in the castle. The room then fills with Stomach acid which Naruto avoid by jumping to the ceiling. When he tries to stand on it, it moves knocking him off. He then lands on a statue after nearly getting caught in the acid. Hinata helps him up but tentacles shoot out and separate them. They determine, after destroying a few of the tentacles, that they need to find the contract. Hinata uses her Byakugan and finds it in the ceiling. As Naruto asks how they are they going to reach it the tentacles retreat and the acid disappears.

Hinata tells Kiba and Naruto that the chakra has stabilized in the walls. After she says this Kouza Kubisaki appears in the entrance way. Naruto says it is another allusion but Hinata tells him that this Kouza is different. Kouza walks past them and heads up the stairs past Naruto and Hinata. They figure out he wants them to follow him so they follow him up the stairs. At the top Kouza disappears and they find the contract for the summon. As they approach the contract the walls change. Naruto unrolls the scroll and they see the summons true form, which is am Iguana. Kiba gets hit with some stomach acid and decides they need to hurry. Naruto then asks him if the creature goes back won’t they. Kiba tells him its one or the other so Naruto destroys the scroll.

The summon goes wild and the three are thrown to the floor. Naruto stabs one of the walls with his kunai and a liquid comes out of it. Hinata then tells him they can get out through that wall. Naruto then does Rasengan and throws it through the wall. When the hole appears Naruto, Kiba, Hinata, and Akamaru are sucked out through the hole. As they are flying through the air the summon begins to disappear. Kiba and Akamaru then land on a tree, Hinata lands on the ground, and Naruto lands head first into the ground not far from her, worrying Hinata. The summon fully disappears leaving Lady Kaio and her group lying on the ground unconscious. Kiba then tells them that Kouza’s grudge against the castle and his want to return the creature is what led them to finding the contract. The episode then ends with the summons true form being shown.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 193 - Viva, Training Group Challenge

2008-02-15T07:22:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 193 - Viva, Training Group Challenge

The episode begins with Naruto returning back to Konoha from his mission to deliver Tsunades letter. He speaks with the ninja at the gate then goes to report to Tsunade. He notices a sign that tells all dojo challengers to follow the signs. Naruto follows the signs to find a building way back in the forest. He then reads the sign which says "Hot-blooded Dojo". He peers through the door for a second only for it to fall foward and sending Naruto face first into the biulding.

When Naruto gets up he notices Lee who is sitting at the back of the biulding. Lee says that he has been waiting and gets ready to fight Naruto. Naruto does not attack Lee so Lee attacks Naruto. Naruto tries to get Lee to realize it is him but Lee attacks Naruto with Naruto barely dodging every blow. Naruto finally gets Lee to realize who it is and Lee stops attacking Naruto. Lee then says that the first person to challenge his dojo is Naruto. He then starts to kick at Naruto then finally kicks him through the wall in the front.

The episode then continues to Lee serving some tea to Naruto who has many bruises and a black eye. Lee says Naruto should have told him and Naruto responds saying he had no time to say it. Lee apologizes then tells Naruto that he built the dojo for six days. He also placed advertisements in the village but it seems no one has come to challenge him yet. Naruto asks why a dojo and Lee tells him it is for training. He then explains that he has had a lot of missions altely and has not had anytime to train as much as he likes. He then tells Naruto that he got the idea when he was walking down a street.

A flashback then starts with Lee, Neji, Tenten, Gai walking down a street and a man yelling into a building asking to see if anyone is there. The man is then permited to enter and the flashback continues inside the building with Lee watching from outside. The man then says that he wants to challenge the dojo for its banner. A man in the dojo agrees to fight the stranger then the flashback ends.

Lee continues to explain why he opened his dojo to Naruto. He also says that no one has come to challenge it yet. He then asks Naruto to challenge him because he is already at the dojo. After rejecting Naruto quickly gets up and runs out the door saying he must go see Tsunade. Lee yells at him to be his first challenger.

Naruto has just visited Tsunade and is griping because he got yelled at for being late because of Lee. Naruto makes a comment about not going by Lee's dojo anytime soon when Gai asks about it. Naruto explains about Lee's dojo to Gai and also tells him that no one has challenged the dojo yet. Gai gets aggrevatd because no one has come to challenge Lee. He says he will beat up the people for not challenging Lee. Naruto tells him that that will just make them not come to the dojo anyays. Gai then decides that he must got to the dojo and challenge Lee. Naruto starts to freak out a little at this comment.

The scene then switches to Gai in the forest adjusting an wig and a fake mustache. This is supposed to be his diguise for when he fights Lee. Sakura runs up when Gai is about to go challenge Lee. Gai is then shown in Tsunades office and she is telling him about a situation with Shikamaru's transport group. It seems the group is being attacked by some unknown ninja. Tsunade ends Gai out to get some info on the ninja and tells him if he needs backup she will send it. He leaves and Tsunade wonders aloud about is strange outfit.

Gai is shown running out of the village with the wig and mustache still on. A ninja that is sitting in a tree that he runs by calls him weird then transofrms into him. He then says that he Nanafushi will find the secrets of Konoha. Naruto is then shown talking to Lee about his challenger. Naruto says the person saw the adds in the street and Naruto wonders were Gai is at.

Lee once again says that Naruto should be the one to challenge the dojo. Once again Naruto runs for his life out the door. naruto is walking through the streets of Konoha looking for Gai when he sees the fake one. Naruto complains about the fakes outfit thinking it is Gai. The Nanafushi thinks that the ninja at the gate know he is not the real Gai. Naruto then takes the fake Lee's dojo much to Nanafushi's happyness because he does not have to deal with the gaurds at the gate. Naruto has the fake challenge Lee thinking of himas Gai. When Nanafushi goes to attack Lee's speed completely surprises him and he is punched into the front wall right were Naruto went through then kicked into the roof.

Lee continues to beat Nanafushi up while Naruto wonders what is up with Gai then figures it is just an act he is putting on an act for Lee. Nanafushi decides he wants to surrender and tells Lee so but Naruto tells Lee that it was just a warm up match that they were doing. And it is time to get serious. Lee agrees and says that it is odd that the dojo challenger would give up so easily. Nanafushi starts to freak out and Lee begins attacking him again. Naruto says that the fake Gai is quite an actor for takng the blows so he would not reveal who he really is.

The real Gai is then shown talking to Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji about them being attacked by monkeys. Shikamaru explains that the monkeys were after Chouji's snacks and Ino had jumped the gun and sent for help before they realized what was going on. Ino then starts yelling at Chouji for having all the snacks on him. Chouji explains that the snacks were rare and not buying them was a crime. ino tells him she does not care and they glare at each other with Shikamaru behind them with his fingers in his ears. Gai feels sorry for Shikamaru for having to deal with Chouji and Ino. He says that it must be difficult to deal with Inoe and Chouji. Skiamaru agrees and asks Gai about is outfit.Gai asks what he is talking about and Ino shows him his reflection in a mirrior. Gai suddenly remembers he must go challenge Lee and runs off back towards Konoha.

Lee is still beating the crap out of the fake Gai when he ius shown again. Lee delivers a kick to the fakes face and sends him out the dojo via knocking him through one of the walls. Lee says the fight is over and Naruto tells him to hold on as he runs out of the dojo to get the fake Gai back up and to have him let up on his act a little bit. The fake Gai tells Naruto that he did not get much sleep because this was his second mission in a row. He the asks naruto to go fight Lee. Naruto goes nuts and the fake Gai begs him to.

We then see the real Gai running through the gate to the village, much to the surprise of the gaurds. Naruto is then shown about to face Lee disguised as Gai. Lee is surorised to see that his challeger has taken no damage due to his attacks. Naruto decides he must fight his own way because if he uses taijutsu he will definetly lose. Lee charges to attack Naruto but Naruto does the Shadow Clone jutsu and attacks Lee with tha. Lee believes the real that challenger (Naruto not the Shadow Clone) is above him and attacks him. When he slams who he thinks is real into the ground it turns out to be a Shadow Clone. Turns out that the real naruto was under Lee and comes from under the floor boards to attack him but misses. Lee believes he is about to create more clones but Naruto uses the Shadow Clone and Transformation Jutsu's to create multiple Sakura's (Lee's weakness).

Lee goes crazy because there are so many Sakura's. When he lets his gaurd down all the trasformed clones send Lee flying. Lee realizes his mistake and starts to attack the Sakura clones. The fake Gai watches naruto and Lee fight inside the dojo saying this is what is to be expected from students of Konoha. He then decides to transform into Lee. As he walks around the corner Gai runs up and challenges him. The fake Lee tries to get out of it but is unable.

Lee and Naruto are then shown breathing hard from their battle. Lee says that Naruto, the fake Gai, is pretty good. Naruto says the same to Lee. All of a sudden the fake Lee comes flying through the wall with the real Gai coming in after him. Naruto comes out of his transformation much to Lees surprise. Gai, not noticing Lee or Naruto attacks the fake Lee again. sending him out throught the other wall. His wig and mustache come off and Lee realizes it is Gai. Gai then realizes that the Lee he beat up is not the real thing.

The fake Lee is then shown and he comes out of his jutsu. They wonder who the guy is and take him to Tsunades office whosays she was just about to send for them. Gai asks what is going on and Shizune tells them that a shinobi by the name of Nanafushi has been reported in the area and is trying to get information on the best of Konoha. They show them a picture of the guy and it turns out to be the guy that had impersonated Gai and Lee and was on Gai's back. Naruto, Gai, and Lee then leave Nanafushi in Tsunades office and elave quickly with Tsunade yelling at them wanting to know what happened.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 192 - no Screams! Big-Boned ♥ Paradise

2008-02-15T07:17:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 192 - no Screams! Big-Boned ♥ Paradise

Tsunade talks to Ino about being a double for the princess. Tsunade tells her that everything will be fine and that she is giving Ino an assistant. The assistant turns out to be Naruto.

On their way, Naruto shows his excitement over the mission. They arrived and they see the person that Ino is going to be the double of. They look the same but the princess is really fat. She shows them a picture of her when she was skinny and she looked exactly like Ino.

She explains that she got fat because of stress of having to be in an arranged marriage. She then says that she needs a double for the wedding.
Ino and Naruto are meeting up with the husband to be. He does this extravagant entrance. We see the guy and he has really bad fashion sense.
Naruto almost said something but Ino stopped him and rushes out of the room.
They started to talk again and this fat guy started to dance and gives Ino a flower. Ino runs off and started to punch the wall in anger. Naruto came up with the idea to just imagine him as Chouji but Ino says that Chouji is fat for a reason. Then he tells her to leave it up to him.

Ino and princess are talking when they heard someone in the room with Chikara. It was Naruto using the henge jutsu. He transforms into a very provacative pose. Ino runs off and distracts everyone by saying that there are beetles in the ceiling. When everyone was distracted, she used a jutsu to get Naruto out. She then strangles him and ties him to a tree.

Ino and Chikara are talking when Ino decides to open the door. Outside was Naruto transformed into the Princess Fuku. Ino kicks him right into the pond. Chikara freaks out but to stop him Ino grabs him like she is going to kiss her. Chikara wanted to kiss her but Princess Fuku stopped it.

Naruto gets out of the pond and needs to pee. He does and Princess Fuku sees him. She gets mad and starts to catch him.

Back in the room, they hear something in the roof. They went outside and thinks that it is raining. It was actually Naruto's pee. Then both princess Fuku and Ino beats up Naruto.

Then Chikara and Princess Fuku finally meet and Chikara asked her to marry him.
On their way back they talk about what happened and Ino tells Naruto that she doesn't want to remember what happened.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 191 - Sentence of Death ‘Cloudy and Sometimes Clear’

2008-02-15T07:14:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 191 - Sentence of Death ‘Cloudy and Sometimes Clear’

The episode begins with naruto talking to princess Haruna by the stream where he found her in the last episode. Haruan says shedoes not need Naruto and she will go by herself, but Naruto goes anyways. He tell s her that he promised Hinata that he would protect princess. Haruna questions Naruto about Hinata and he tells her that Hinata was hurt badly in the fight with the second ninja. Haruna asks why Naruto and the others are protect her since it was not their mission. Naruto tells her that he, Hinata, and Chouji do not like to see people getting hurt. Naruto decides that they need to get to Jyoka Village so the ninja will not chase them.

The scene then switches to what is currently happening. The third evil ninja is hovering some how in the air above Naruto and Haruna. The ninja tells them that they will not be reaching the village, because they are going to die there. Naruto wonders why he is hovering in the air when the ninja tells him that a low-ranked ninja like Naruto could never imagine his techniques. He then jumps in the air and hits naruto with some invisable force. After naruto gets up the ninja tells him that he has three of his comrades captured and if he wants them back he should turn over Haruna. He asks Naruto what he igoing to do and Haruna starts to think that Naruto will hand her over to the ninja. The ninja comments that Haruna is telling Naruto to abandon his friends and save her. He tells Naruto that kind of thinking is exactly like his kind and he does not hate it. Naruto asks him what he is talking about and the ninja tells him that if you have siblings and can us them for something then use them. He then says that he has one to thank Naruto and his group for. Naruto asks what it is and the ninja tells him that he thanks them for killing his brothers for him. His reasoning for planning to kill his brother was that they would be asking for money not long after they killed the princess and there could not be three Feudal Lords. Naruto asks if they could even call themselves brothers. The ninja says it does not mater and if he could use them then he would us anything.

The ninja again asks for Haruna and Naruto refuses. He then says that a guy who forsakes his brothers would not keep the deal he makes. Naruto then runs at the ninja to attack him. Haruna calls Naruto an idiot because he does not know what kind of jutsu the ninja is using. Naruto tells her it does not matter, then does the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. The ninja destroys all the Shadow Clones but not before they throw their Kunai at him. When the Kunai are about to hit the ninja they sudenly bounce off as if knocked away. naruto runs up to hit the ninja but instead hits some invisable force. After falling back to recover Naruto is hit by an attack by the ninja. Haruna helps Naruto up as the ninja says that none of Naruto's weak ninjutsu will affect him, not one. Naruto throws a smoke bomb at the ground so he and Haruna can put some distance inbetween them and the ninja. As they watch the smoke evelope the ninja naruto sees the smoke go around the ninja and some weird doem surrounding the ninja. Haruna then realizes that the ninja is protected by ice crystals. The ninja tells them that he gathers tiny water particles from the water vapor in the air to create the ice crystals. Naruto then realizes that the what hit him earlier was an ice shuriken and it would be hard for anyone to see it.

Naruto sense's the blood thirst from the ninja and wonders where his technique was, since it had already started. The ninja then asks Naruto about the days weather forecast. Naruto questions him about htis and the ninja then talks about it being cloudy and partly sunny which is good weather for him and Haruna to die. Suddenly a strong beam of sunlight lands directly on Haruna and Naruto. Naruto then looks up to see a object in front of the sun with the light passing through it. The object then focuses the light more on Naruto and Haruna. Naruto says it is dangerous and grabs Haruna and jumps away just before the place where they were standing explodes. The object then reflects the sun on naruto and Haruna again. Naruto throws Haruna away and the ground where they were laying at blows up in his face. naruto lands in the forest and Haruna crawls up beside him and tells him that the object is a lens. The ninja then comments that he turned the ice crystals into a lens and is focusing the sunlight. He then says that is why he can't hold back, that Naruto and Haruna will die quickly, and he is going to burn Greenery Country and its soldiers with the technique. He then proceeds to blow a line through the forest.

Naruto and Haruna begin running and just barely make it ahead of the blasts. The ninja continues to blow up the forest while Naruto and Haruna are running through it. The ninja then says it is pointless and that he can see where they are headed. he then performs a jutsu that creates ice crystals that go into the forest. The crystals seem to extend the ninja's range of vision because when Naruto sees the crystals, which are actually lenses, he sees the eye of the ninja.

The ninja then proceeds in blowing up the rocks that Haruna and Naruto were standing on. The ninja then blows up a part of the forest near Naruto and Haruna and Naruto gets cut on his face. Haruna notices the cut and asks Naruto whyhe is protecting her, while a lot of explosions go on. Naruto then tells her he does not know himself. Haruna starts to cry a little when they get knocked away by an explosion.
When they take cover under a rock the ninja appears in the opening a little ways away. Naruto tells Haruna to run while he distracts the ninja. The ninja's ice lens jutsu appears in the grass near Haruna letting the ninja see where they are. The ninja then focuses the sunlight through five lenses and blow up the rock Haruna and Naruto are taking cover under. When the smoke clears only Naruto is standing there. The ninja takes it as Naruto deciding to hand over the princess. Naruto says he is not and the ninja calls him an idiot and says that he told him if he handed him the princess he would let him go on his way with his team. Naruto tells the ninja that he made a promise to Hinata that he would protect Haruna. The ninja laughs at him for fighting a hopeless battle with his life on the line. The ninja then tells Naruto that he is just like the Greenery Country's Feudal Lord, an idiotic nice guy. Haruna then realizes that the ninja is talking about her father. The ninja then tells Naruto what the Greenery Country Feudal Lord said when the ninja and his brothers were taking over.

A flashback then occurs with the Feudal Lord on his hands and knees beging the three ninja to promise him that they would not make the peoplof Greenery Country suffer. The ninja then tells Naruto that he can do whatever he wants with the people of Greenery Contry. Naruto then tells him that is why the country was peaceful until then. The ninja then says that peace has nothing to do with it and he can use people as stepping stones for his own glory and that they Feudal Lords daughter was taken as a hostage because he was such a nice guy. naruto asks him what he is talking about and the ninja tells him it supposed to be a story from fifteen years ago.

Another flahback occurs and the Feudal Lord is telling the three brothers how he used his daughter as a bargaining chip so there would be peace. He also tells them that he hopes Haruna forgives him. After Haruna's father, the Feudal Lord, says he hopes Haruna can forgive him the third ninja tells him to tell her himslef and kills Haruna's father. The flashback ends and the ninja calls Haruna's father naive. Naruto starts to defend Haruna's Father calling him a great Feudal Lord. The ninja then proceeds to tell Naruto that there are two people in the world. People who use other people and people who are used and that he will use anyone to rise to power. Naruto yells at the ninja and the ninja responds with an ice attack. Naruto dodges it but is hit with another attack. Before he can get up he is hit with another attack from the ninja. Twice more Naruto is hit with attacks from the ninja and is told to die as he is slammed into a rock.

The ninja tells Naruto he can't move but Naruto gets up and tells him that it was Haruna's father who make the country peaceful and that his successor will be Haruna. Haruna comes out from behind the rock of which she was hidindg and tells the ninja to stop. Naruto tells her she should have escaped but Haruna tells the ninja to kill her to spare Naruto. The ninja tells her that she is a stupidly nice person like her father. The ninja then tells Naruto that it is time for him to die. Naruto yells that he is not a boy and tells the ninja his name. He then tells the ninja that he will not hand over Greenery Country over to a person like him. Naruto then runs at the ninja to attack him. The lens the starts focusing the sun light on naruto as he is running towards the ninja.

The ninja tells Naruto to die and then lens focuses the sunlight and Naruto jumps in the air reflecting the focused light off his head band through the evil ninja's right shoulder. The ninja says that it was impossible that Naruto figured to do that, then falls to the ground. Then ninja then tells Naruto that without a Feudal Lord the country will fall into war and be destroyed. A voice tells him that will not happen. Naruto turns to see Shizune standing there with Shikamaru standing behind her. After bickering with Shikamaru about them coming to get him, Naruto notices that Hinata, Chouji, Yurinojou and a couple of other ninja standing beside them. Yurinojou says that they were rescude by the citzens of Konoha. Naruto asks Shikamaru and Shizune what they are doing there and is told that info about a coup d'etat came to Tsunade and she sent them there. Shizune tells Haruna that her father is dead. Haruna apologizes for the trouble and the evil ninja complains about the seat. Naruto says that the surrounding countries weren't going to leave Greenery Country. Shizune says that the countries have already selected a new Feudal Lord and it is Haruna. Naruto comments about they would not be attacked anymore.

He turns to see Haruna standing over the ninja with a kunai. The ninja tells her to kill him so she can get revenge with her own hands and he would do the same if it were him. Haruna raises the kunai screaming preparing to strike and stabs it into ground next to the ninja's head. She pulls the kunai out of the ground and tells him that she is different from him. She drops the kunai and begins to cry and everyone looks on as Haruna continues to cry. The scene then switches to the a grave site where Naruto, Hinata, Chouji, Shikamaru, Shizune, Haruna, and Yurinojou are praying to Haruna's fathers grave. Shizune says that they are leaving and Haruna asks to hire some people from Konoha. She then asks that Naruto be lent to her. She then says she wants Naruto to help her restore Greenery Country. Naruto says he is sorry but he cannot, by which Hinata is happy, because he must go back to where his friends are. Haruna promises to restore Greenery Country without sacrificing the people. Naruto tells her it is a promise and he and the others leave saying they will return one day. The episode ends.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 190 - Insight of the Byakugan! Magnetic User Blind Spot

2008-02-15T07:09:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 190 - Insight of the Byakugan! Magnetic User Blind Spot

Naruto is still fighting but is losing. His enemy uses an attack which stops a persons ability to think. He captures Naruto and threw kunai at him. Naruto is now under some rocks and Hinata saves him. He tells Hinata to run but she decides to fight. The enemy tried to use the same jutsu on Hinata but she used her absolute defense to deflect it. Then Hinata used her taijutsu but their enemy doesn't seem to be affected by her gentle fist style.

The enemy threw his kunai at Hinata but she escaped using explosive tags. She runs away to try and lead him away from Naruto. Then she thought of something that would probably defeat the enemy.

She strikes her enemy and used her gentle fist style to interfere with the enemy's chakra flow. She then drags him into a sandy area and the enemy's body is now surrounded by sand. Hinata is also being swallowed by the sand. Naruto saves her using shadow replications. Naruto asked her where the enemy was and she says that he is probably in the bottom of the sand. She then gives back Naruto's forehead protector. She also tells him to go on ahead and get the princess back.

Naruto has finally found the princess. She is distraught and throws Naruto in the water. They talked and she tells Naruto about her past. Then Naruto tells her that he will protect her because he promised Hinata.

Meanwhile, Chouji, Hinati, and another guy is attacked by mysterious people. They are surrounded and it seems that they will be captured.

Naruto and the princess has almost made it to Nano country but suddenly they were attacked by a ninja.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 189 - Underground Water, Inexhaustible Supply of Ningu

2008-02-15T07:06:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 189 - Underground Water, Inexhaustible Supply of Ningu

The episode begins with Naruto trapped inside the water bubble with the carnivorous fish. He is running out of air, but he is quickly saved when Chouji dives on top of the bubble with his Multisize Jutsu, dispelling the water and the fish summon, but squashing Naruto who quips that he's "not okay with your weight." Chouji charges at the ninja with his Meat Tank attack over Naruto's objections that it won't work, and the enemy ninja, Ruiga, halts Chouji's movements by stopping him with a wall of water. The enemy ninja notes that "the water absorbs all attacks and gies me the perfect defense." He extends the wall of water over Chouji, attempting to drown him.

Yurinojou comes to the aid of Chouji, using a fire jutsu to drive the enemy back for a moment. Chouji yells "I'm saved," and rejoins the group. The enemy ninja reappears behind the flames and summons water bubbles from underground that float into the air and extinguish the flames. Naruto throws some explosive kunai at the bubbles, which are surrounding them, but they only destroy a few bubbles and are quickly replaced by others. The group decides to retreat: Chouji calls it "running away" while Naruto says "falling back!"

The enemy ninja makes two more large bubbles and uses a Summoning Jutsu to recall his fish. These two bubbles chase after the group, even breaking through tree limbs as Naruto tries to evade them in the air. Unable to escape the fast bubbles, they decide that they will have to beat the water ninja after all. Naruto notes that something about him sees weird, and Yurinojou notes that the villain is holding his weapons like dowsing rods. From here, we are treated to a flashback of the elderly peddler woman explaining dowsing.

Back in action, Naruto uses Kage Bushin to allow the group to scatter. The enemy yells that it is time to "end this game of tag." Yurinojou uses his flower jutsu to throw sharp weapons at him from a tree, which are easily blocked. Naruto then punches the ninja as he dives on him and breaks his dowsing rods.

Ruiga then summons a new bubble that contains a huge shark. This bubble chases the group up onto a rock cliff that Naruto had climbed earlier. Chouji is caught in the bubble, and he tries to hold the shark's mouth open to prevent himself from being devoured. Naruto gestures for Chouji to drink all the water. The large-framed ninja opens his mouth and swallows all the water, swelling to a large size with a note that "I'm full." Out of water, the shark flitters for a moment and vanishes.

The water ninja tries to summon more water but can't. Naruto reveals that he can't because they led him onto the rock cliffs where there is no water. After Naruto explains about being at the cliff before and breaking the water-sensing rods, Chouji uses his "new jutsu", which is really just his Meat Tank technique with a "waterwheel" name, to knock out the enemy.

The action moves towards the princess and Hinata who are runnign ahead. The princess needs to take a rest and Hinata gives her some water. Hinata suggests they wait for the others, but the princess says to press on, saying they should have used the peddlers as a decoy and that it is only important for her to survive to revive Nano country. She insults Naruto which leads to an argument with Hinata that the princess and Naruto have similar backgrounds of difficulty. The princess tells her that it isn't the same which makes Hinata quiet. The princess then asks Hinata if she likes Naruto; Hinata blushes and can't speak. The princess guesses Hinata feelings and says that they can wait. She offers to help Hinata take her backpack off, but she hits Hinata over the head with a rock when she turns her back. Hinata falls to the ground unconscious, and the princess runs ahead.

The action moves to Ruiga who is regaining consciousness and is met by his brother Jiga. Ruiga asks his brother for help, but Jiga says that one less brother means that Nano County will be divided in one less part and rises into the air and buries Ruiga in rubble from the cliffside.

The action returns to Naruto who discovers Hinata unconscious. Waking her in his arms, she tells him what happens. Telling her to return to Chouji who is aiding a wounded Yurinojou, Naruto pursues the princess.

Alone, Naruto is quickly confronted by Jiga and dodges his first attack from the shaows. Jiga appears from behind the trees and is seen carrying a hammer (spiked ball attached to a chain) weapon. Naruto uses Kage Bushin to throw kunais after him, but Jiga twirls his weapon and the kunais attach to the ball in mid-air and are launched back at Naruto, dispelling all the shadow clones. After some banter, Jiga reveals that he uses a jutsu that creates magnetic forces in metal and creates a force in his metal ball that attaches itself to Naruto's forehead protector. Jiga proceeds to throw Naruto about as Naruto is stuck to the end of his weapon.

Naruto is finally able to untie his protector and goes flying down a ravine. The forhead protector lies on the ravine's edge. Jiga pursues him down the ravine.

The action moves toward the princess who is running alone through the woods; she says she will survive.

The action returns to Naruto, slowly rising to his feet before Jiga at the bottom of the ravine. He tries to attack Jiga, but the ninja can easily avoid his attacks using magnetic forces.

Hinata is now running along the ravine edge unable to find Chouji. She sees Naruto's forehead protector and is worried for him. Nearing the edge, she sees Naruto and Jiga below. Naruto yells for her not to come down as Jiga is too strong.

Jiga explains that he drank iron since he was a kid, and he has made himself into a magnet that can easily avoid Naruto's attacks as he can repel himself from the rocks, which are rich in iron. He says he can also turn the rocks into magnets. Slamming his weapon into the ground, he hurls magnetic rocks at Naruto, slamming him into the rock wall, and knocking him unconscious.

The episode ends with Hinata yelling Naruto's name. The preview features Hinata fighting Jiga.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 188 - Mystery, The Targeted Peddler

2008-02-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 188 - Mystery, The Targeted Peddler

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The group splits off off into two, with Naruto and Chouji guarding the slower one and Hinata the faster one. After all, surely the slower group would be the target. However, when Naruto and Chouji discover that the faster group is the target, they realize that somebody is indeed hiding something. Truth is, Naruto and the

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 187 - Opening Day!! Konoha Moving Center

2008-02-15T06:57:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 187 - Opening Day!! Konoha Moving Center

Naruto, Hinata, and Chouji are chosen on a mission to protect some peddlers running away from a war at the Greenery Country. However, Tsunade gave them more than just a simple guard duty mission, making them movers as well. The peddlers are just simple folk, who were never even registered citizens in the country. But, when Naruto discovers the group is being pursued, the three ninja realize that there is more going on than meets the eyes.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 186 - Laughing Shino

2008-02-15T06:47:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 186 - Laughing Shino

Naruto and Shino go on a mission together to Motoyoshi Village where a man named Fuuta has a strange request. When his father died he put in his will that at his funeral, if Fuuta were to laugh, the inheritance money would be split amoung the family. The relatives would be willing to do anything to make him laugh so he asks Konoha to put in a replacement for him. Shino was perfect for the job but the food was drugged with laughing potion and he started cracking up. So, now Naruto must sit through the entire funeral without laughing at all.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 185 - The Legendary Konoha Onbaa Existed!

2008-02-15T06:40:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 185 - The Legendary Konoha Onbaa Existed!

The episode begins with a bird flying by and snatching something out of a nest. After the bird flies off a creature is shown and growls at the bird as it flies off. Naruto is then shown training in the forest. The bird that was shown earlier flies by and startles Naruto. So he throws a kunai at it before he knows it is a bird. After the kunai flies past the bird, startling it, it drops what it was carrying. The thing the bird was carrying lands on Naruto and he thinks the bird craped on him. He dismisses the thought and heads back to the village. When he gets there people start looking at him funny.

Naruto walks around a corner to have Akamaru barking at him. Naruto asks Kiba what is wrong with Akamaru and Kiba tells him that Akamaru says Naruto stinks. Sakura comes and talks about Naruto having a lot of free time since he has not recieved any missions lately. She tells Naruto that part of his clothing is torn and she will fix it for him if he wants. Naruto goes nuts since this is the first nice thing Sakura has done for him, according to him. As Naruto gets close up to Sakura to tell her he would like that a little furry hand reaches out and grabs Sakura. Sakura gets angry thinking Naruto did it and kicks him. Naruto says it was not him and Sakura asks what the furry hands armpits were. Naruto then goes nuts because there is some creature on his back. Kiba tries to get it off but cannot so they go and see Tsunade.

Tsunade tells them about the legend of the Onbaa and tells them that Jiraiya had gone to look for one a long time ago. A flashback then occurs and Jiraiya and Tsunade are arguing about the existence of the Onbaa. Orochimaru then speaks up and says that Jiraiya will find the Onbaa. Jiraiya leaves and the flashback ends. Tsunade then shows the gang some notes that Jiraiya took on the Onbaa. She also tells the group that the notes were fake and Jiraiya had never met an Onbaa. Naruto finds out that the Onbaa will not leave his back until it grows to an adult size. The problem with this is that its average adult size is 3 meters tall.
After Naruto leaves he runs into Hinata who says she heard a funny rumor about him. Naruto gets a little angry about this and asks about the rumor. Hinata says that people have been saying he has a kid. Naruto shows Hinata the Onbaa and she faints. Naruto runs over to get her to come around. When Hinata finally wakes up she sees the Onbaa again and faints again.
That night as Naruto is about to eat some pizza the Onbaa takes it as a very good time to pee. Naruto then takes a bath with his clothes on and thinks about if he has to take a bath every time the Onbaa has to use the bathroom. He then goes out to eat and is told by the manger of where he eats at that "no pets are allowed". The waitress says the criter is cute and asks what its name is. Naruto says that since it says "Onbu" a lot he will name it that.
The next day Tsunade abserves Naruto cleaning the great stone faces and notices that the Onbaa has grown a lot. She then decides to send Naruto on a mission to Yamabuki to get rid of some bandits. Naruto takes it as some atempt to get rid of the Onbaa. Tsunade denies this and sends him on his mission.
Naruto leaves with everyone watching him leave. The next segments show Naruto and Onbu as they travel to Yamabuki. Onbu has frown alot when it and Naruto reach the place where Naruto has to get rid of the bandits. Naruto calls out the bandits and tells them who he is and the bandits attack him. Naruto uses his Kage Bushin no Jutsu and then the bandits destroy the Onbu on the clones' backs. Naruto gets mad and beats up all the bandits. One attacks from behind and Onbu saves Naruto.

Naruto leaves and is attacked from behind by Onbu's mom. A fight starts and Naruto spends most of it running. Onbu's mom knocks Naruto over the edge of a cliff and then changes Onbu into a savage monster like her. Naruto climbs up the cliff to find Onbu actiong like its mother. Naruto then tries to change Onbu back. Onbu's mother attacks Naruto only to be stopped by Onbu. Naruto faints and wakes up to being carried by Onbu. He then falls back asleep. he wakes up outside the gate of the village and to Onbu and its mother walking away. When Naruto goes and sees Tsunade he finds that everyone has Onbaa on their backs. Tsunade then yells Naruto to tell her how he got his Onbaa off his back. All the Onbaa are shown on the villagers back and then the episode ends.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 184 - Inuzuka Kiba's Long Day

2008-02-15T06:26:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 184 - Inuzuka Kiba's Long Day

Akamaru and Kiba had defeated someone who had infiltrated Konoha. The man who had infiltrated the village had a special technique that causes living things to go mad and lose control of their bodies. Tsunade realizes this so she asks Naruto to follow Kiba and Akamaru. As Naruto was sneaking around the Inuzuka's house Akamaru found him and bit him. Akamaru wouldn't let go, Kiba had to pull him off. Akamaru has never attacked a comrade before. Later that night around five ambu black ops were killed by some beast. They found some of Akamaru's hair at the scene. Tsunade ordered for Akamaru to get examined, at the vets. Kiba went to the Hokage's room and over heard a conversation where the hokage told Naruto if they can't heal him they will kill Akamaru. Kiba was shocked, he went to visit Akamaru. Nobody noticed, but Kiba took Akamaru with him and fled. Many ninja chased after them when they realized he took Akamaru.

Naruto and Kiba's sister found him just as Akamaru was losing control. His sister had one shot for Akamaru with her. It had a 50% chance of healing him and a 50% chance of killing him. Naruto and Kiba's sister rushed in to stop the huge victous dog that is now Akamaru. Akamaru over powered them. Kiba stood there looking sad. Akamaru knocked the shot away it fell to Kiba's feet. Akamaru jumped up and was about to pounce on Kiba. Kiba just stood there and let Akamaru attack him. Kiba wakes up later in a hospital bed with Akamaru by his side laying on a bed of his own. Kiba says that when Akamaru attacked him, he just missed his vital areas becuase he fought himself as hard as he could to not kill Kiba. Now they are ok, back to their normal ninja lives.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 183 - The Star That Shines Brighter

2008-02-15T06:21:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 183 - The Star That Shines Brighter

After Akahoshi tries to execute Sumaru, Hakuto and the rest of the children stand up to protect their village. After learning the truth, the adults turn on Akahoshi as well. After Akahoshi nearly kills Mizura, he is given no second chances. Not being one to lose, Akahoshi fuses his body with the Star, causing his chakra to go out of control. With everyone else defeated, Naruto is the only one left who can take down this menace. With the help of Natsuhi's spirit, Naruto will prepare to take down Akahoshi with one final attack! But will it be enough?

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 182 - Reunion, the Leftover Time

2008-02-15T06:16:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 182 - Reunion, the Leftover Time

After being defeated by Akahoshi, and due to the Star's effect, Natsuhi is in terrible condition. If she uses her techniques one more time, she could die. Sumaru spends some time with the mom he thought had died, and the lullaby is sung once again. Now, Natsuhi prepares to try and steal the Star one last time, and she's willing to give her life to do it!

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 181 - Hoshikage, The Buried Truth

2008-02-15T06:01:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 181 - Hoshikage, The Buried Truth

After Naruto an the mystery person falls from the cliff to Hell's Ravine, Neji asks, "Why did you get Naruto involved in that?" Akahoshi shows his mysterious Peakcock Technique and said, "It was an accident. If I didn't attacke then, we would've been in danger" Then said some more true lies and he said, "Konoha shinobi, your mission is over."

In the mysterious person's hideout, Naruto was being healed using some star chakra jutsu. When Naruto wakes up he found that the thief/the mystery person has saved his life from falling to Hell's Ravine. Naruto askd who they are, and she says she is Natsuhi. She show a necklace like Sumaru's and says, "Sumaru is my child".

Same time in the village they found Sumaru missing from the Star Village medical place were Akahoshi locked him. Akahoshi doesn't care a lot that Sumaru is missing because he is going get the star back by following Natshui's residual chakra.

In the cabin were all the star ninjas live, Neji told everything about how Akahoshi had attacked Naruto and Natshui, and they felt in Hell's Ravine. Hakuto told everyone to go and look for Naruto, but no one agree they thouth it wasnt worth and some didn't believed it. Then Rock Lee, Tenten enters the cabin with Sumaru, He said, "I'll go." Then people get shocked that Sumaru came back. They also founds out that people who attacked them was their own village leader, Akahoshi. They also find that Akahoshi is using them. Akahoshi is training them using the Star, which making few people to advance and all other to collapse.

After that Akahoshi and his two people went for finding the Star, while Naruto is having a great meal. Then Natsuhi says the real story, that 10 years ago Her husband and herself stole the Star so the Star training would stop, which star took lots of people's lives and suffered. While they were escaping, Hoshikage cought them and made a promise that he will suspend the star training. Then he says, "Someday the Star's loyal group may try ro revive that training, I want you two of you to protect the vllage from outside. And if the training begins again,please stop it." Then they hand over the Star and a necklace to Hoshikage and tells them, "Please give this necklace to Sumaru and tell him that we're dead."

After the story, Natsuhi found out that Akahoshi has came to take the star. So Naruto attacks them with Kage Bunshins (Shadow clones).It was a close fight but Natsuhi comes and take over the fight. Then Akahoshi tells that he asked Hoshikage to continue with the training, Then Hoshikage disagrees. Akahoshi and his other 2 dudes instantly kill Hoshikage with kunais.

Natsuhi tells Naruto to step back, then continues the fight. They both use Peacock Technique, but Akahoshi took his workers chakra and made his chakra stronger. While they continue, the student ninjas and other Konoha ninjas make their way toward them.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 180 - Secret Technique, Compensation of Kujaku Myouhou

2008-02-15T04:41:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 180 - Secret Technique, Compensation of Kujaku Myouhou

The episode starts with a women singing while watching the stolen star. It then switches to the mask ninja carrying Sumaru. Naruto and Neji are just standing at the edge of hell ravine when Lee and Tenten arrive. Neji and naruto tell rock lee and tenten what happened and neji says that they should split up.

Meanwhile at the house Mizura is getting worse. Naruto and Neji come in and are carrying the other ninja that got knocked by the masked ninja. Mizura is now sleeping it then switches to the masked ninja he’s with three other star ninja and is revealed to be the substitute Hoshikage. They say that they will leave it to Naruto and co to deal with the real mask ninja that took the star.

It’s back to Neji and he uses his byakugan to look inside of mizura and sees something strange. Mizura then wakes up and tries to walk but needs a bit of help. While Sumaru sleeping is in a coma he has a dream about talking to the 3rd Hoshikage and how he tells them his parents died by guarding the star. Then the person with the star puts on their mask and leaves their hiding spot.

It’s back to naruto and he is carving a walking stick. He attaches bells to it and neji arrives. Neji tells Naruto that at this rate Mizura will die, he says that even while resting Mizura chakra is increased to its limit. They are being listened to by the girl. She comes out and tells them it’s because of the star training and that’s why the 3rd Hoshikage stopped the training Naruto gets upset.

Akahoshi the substitute hoshikage sends a dove with a message using a bit of his chakra so that a person called Natshui would recognise it at hells ravine. The real masked ninja is shown to be a women and she’s at hatarubi grave to hide the star. She leaves and closes the entrance with a rock she then sees a bird with a piece of paper on its leg and recognises its akahoshi chakra she then catches the bird.

Every one is asleep while mizura is awake he looks at the walking stick Naruto made and remembers the time Naruto gave it to him. Neji, Rock Lee, Tenten and Naruto are all together talking about the star and the village but Neji says that they should get the star as it’s their mission. Neji sends Lee and Tenten to do some more spying while he says that the chakra of the ninja that took the star is different from the one that took Sumaru as tells the others there were two different ninja. Akahoshi is waiting at hells ravine and the masked ninja arrives.

Akahoshi says that the masked ninja is called Natsuhi. They start fighting each other and as soon as Akaoshi starts losing, two star ninja appear when he calls. And he tells them to go get the konoha ninja. Neji is watching this with his byakugan and sees the fight. The two star ninja appear and Neji and Naruto follow them to go help Akahoshi.

It’s to Tenten and Lee, and they enter the building the do some searching and find Sumaru in a coma. It’s back to Akahoshi and natsuhi and she says that the star training causes too much pain. It’s to Naruto and he says he has a plan to beat the masked ninja. Naruto uses his kagebunshin no jutsu and transforms into a rock in front of the masked ninja. He then does a surprise attack when he transforms back to normal and hits the ninja in the chin knocking the mask off the ninja’s face revealing a woman. Akahoshi then attacks Naruto and the ninja, and they fall into the Hell's Ravine.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 179 - Natsuhiboshi, Remembered Lullaby

2008-02-15T04:38:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 179 - Natsuhiboshi, Remembered Lullaby

The episode starts of with Rock Lee, Tenten and Neji running towards Naruto and Sumaru. They ask Naruto what happened and they find out that the star had been taken by a flying ninja. Neji uses byakugan to make sure what Naruto says is true which makes Naruto upset as they didn't believe him. It then switches to Tsunade and Shizune and they have a talk about the star, and how it helped train who the villagers called the first hoshikage. They think about why the 3rd hoshikage banned the training and tsunade said that there were rumours that many who trained near the star died.

Its then back to naruto and co and they are telling Akahoshi the substitute hoshikage that the star has been stolen. Sumaru explains about how the trainees were knocked unconscious. Akahoshi gets angry and naruto says how the ninja had great powers and how the chakra formed into feathers. Sumaru confirms what Naruto said and says it was the mysterious peacock method. They realise that the ninja must be someone from star and Akahoshi tells Sumaru not to tell anymore things about the star training. Neji says they will retrieve the star and akahoshi agrees.

Naruto and co leave the building and Naruto ask if the injured ninja are ok, but Sumaru says it’s nothing to do with him and he walks away. Neji says that Akahoshi knows something. Neji says he will search for clues while Lee and Tenten follow Akahoshi, and naruto to go follow Sumaru and Naruto runs off. It’s to Sumaru and he watches the sunset and looks at a necklace. He then starts singing a lullaby and has a flashback of his past. Naruto arrives behind him and they look at the stars. Naruto then follows after sumaru asking to see his comrades.

Naruto arrives at the training camp and is attacked by a girl. Who he then beats and is surprise it’s a girl. The girl feels sorry for attacking as she found out he was a konoha ninja. She is then embarrassed as Naruto food is stuck to her bum. Its then to Akahoshi and he is talking to two other ninja. They say that the person that took the star was the best but in their village but they know his weakness. Its back to Naruto and the girl introduces her self and says her name is Hokuto. They eat Naruto’s food and say it’s really good.

Naruto asks where the others are and sees that there is one that is coughing, he asks if the boy is ok and thanks him as he talked to Hokuto to stop. Hokuto says that Mizura has been feeling ill ever since he started training. Mizura gets upset as she told naruto about the star and starts coughing. Hokuto tells naruto that the reason why Sumaru is so cold is because 10 years ago his parents where killed by foreign ninja who wanted the star.

Naruto then asks where Sumaru and the others and she tells him that they went to get the star back Naruto then disappears and runs after sumaru and the others. Lee and tenten are spying and Lee gets upset as he doesn't like doing it. They follow behind in plain sight under a barrel. The two ninja that they were following disappears and lee and Tenten exit the barrel they are then attack. They attackers were the two star ninja that lee and Tenten were following. Lee explains how they were looking for clues.

Its then to Sumaru and the other star ninja who are trying to get the star back. They stop and they form a circle so Sumaru can search for the star using their chakra. They find it and go to hell's ravine they catch the masked ninja. Neji is using his byakugan and sees Naruto coming. Naruto explains how Sumaru and the others went to catch the masked ninja. Neji then sees sumaru and the others using his byakugan and tells Naruto that they are at hell's ravine. Its back to Sumaru and the others and the masked ninja breaks free. Sumaru and the trainees drop as they are tired. The masked ninja then walks over to Sumaru and tries to grab him. The masked ninja is then attack by Naruto and Neji. He deflects their attacks and grabs Sumaru. The masked ninja then jumps into hell's ravine and flies away using chakra. Neji wonders why they took Sumaru if they already have the star. Naruto tells them about sumaru's parents and the episode ends.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 178 - Encounter, The Boy Named “Star”

2008-02-15T04:33:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 178 - Encounter, The Boy Named “Star”

The episode starts with a star falling from the night sky. It lands making a huge crater. It’s now day time and its back to Tsunade who is writing something then turns around and sees a pigeon. Shizune is called by Tsunade and when she enters the pigeon is on Tsunade’s head and picking it. Shizune tries to stop herself laughing and Tsunade shows Shizune a note. Tsunade says that it’s a guard note from the hidden star village. Tsunade says that they can't ignore them because of something (she doesn't say what right away) but it shows Shizune face shocked.

Naruto and Sakura are sitting together eating. Sakura tells Naruto that Neji, rock lee and tenten are on a mission to the hidden star village. Naruto wonders why they are going when the star village is a ninja village. Sakura says it’s because they are small village with not many ninja. Naruto asks why it’s being targeted and Sakura says it’s because a star fell to the village. Naruto almost chokes Sakura then explains that the star influences chakra and has mysterious powers. Naruto laughs as he doesn't believe her. Sakura says that the village as been targeted many times by foreign ninja. Naruto thinks its something Orochimaru would be after and says he will join in the mission. Naruto says he has a trump card to get Tsunade to let him join Neji, Lee and Tenten.

Neji, lee and tenten are jumping through the forest when Naruto appears in front of them and goes ahead not realising the dangers. Shizune enters Tsunade’s office and says that Naruto has joined Neji and his team. She says she knows and Tsunade makes up an excuse but she then starts choking on the food Naruto gave to her. The forest is empty and there’s a big valley with yellow gas in it and everything at the bottom is dead. There is a giant crater as well with a building in the middle and ninja are sitting around a rock in a circle and purple energy is surrounding them. A girl named Mizure is in pain and a man enters and tells them to take her to the infirmary and said Sumaru has a mission.

Naruto is the first to arrive he is standing on a tree just behind the yellow gas and said he wants to cross the valley to enter bear country. Naruto runs down the side of the valley but hasn’t entered the gas 7 arrows are shout in front of Naruto and he uses them to jump back to the top. Naruto thinks he’s being attacked a masked ninja is on the other side and has a cross bow. The ninja shoots another arrow with rope tired to it and runs across the rope. Naruto attacks but the ninja deflects the attack and beats Naruto’s kage bunshin no jutsu using chakra. Lee, Neji and tenten appear in between Naruto and the masked ninja telling Naruto to stop. The masked ninja takes of his mask his name is Sumaru from star. Naruto wonders why Sumaru attacks and Neji tells Naruto to look at a bird and as soon as it reaches the yellow gas it died. Naruto looks into the Valley and sees all the dead animals. Sumaru says that the valley is filled with poisonous gas to stop foreign ninja. Lee makes a joke about how Sumaru is Naruto’s saviour and it may start a friendship between Konoha and Star.

Naruto and co are sitting in front of the substitute hoshikage Akahoshi. He tells them that he is substitute because the village haven’t chosen a Hoshikage. Neji wonders why they have a Hoshikage and says that he thought only the 5 main leaders of hidden villages could chose a kage. Sumaru says it doesn’t matter and that star won’t loose to the other villages and become one of the 5 main villages and that he will become the true hoshikage. Akahoshi sends Sumaru to go do more training Naruto follows Sumaru. Akahoshi says that with the power of the star they may be strong enough to elect the sixth kage he also says that other villages are after the star.
Naruto looks for Sumaru and finds him he follows and catches up with Sumaru. A mask ninja watches the training camp in the middle of the crater. The ninja inside are training and the star is glowing as normal. They get ready to protect the star against the intruder. Naruto and Sumaru arrive near the training grounds and Sumaru says no foreign ninja are allowed near the star. They see the mask ninja leaving the training ground, Naruto followed the masked ninja while Sumaru went to check on his friends. He sees that they have all been beaten and wakes up Hokuta she says he couldn’t protect the star. It’s to Naruto and he is running after the masked ninja and attacks. He gets beaten by the masked ninja who also had techniques similar to Sumaru, and the mask ninja flied away. Sumaru arrives and Naruto tells him that the masked ninja was using the same technique as Sumaru. Sumaru is shocked and Naruto and Sumaru figure that the ninja must be from the star village.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 177 - OH?! Please, Mister Postman

2008-02-15T04:30:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 177 - OH?! Please, Mister Postman

The episode starts with Naruto walking and he's very tired doing a solo mission which was to help in a building site he complains about it as he walked. Naruto saw a town with springs and quickly runs towards it but slows down again. He is surprised by a postman who ran past him at high speed. Naruto then sees the land slide and it makes the postman loose all his letters. Naruto jumps past him and uses Kage bunshin no jutsu and collects all the letters after the drop to the bottom Naruto ask who the person was and the person said he was a courier ninja. Then ninja thanks Naruto as all his letters are there. Naruto then asks the man what was a courier ninja. The courier ninja said that they are professionals who delivered goods. So Naruto calls him a postman and after a small argument calls him a super postman. After that the courier ninja runs off. Naruto ask the ninja what was his name and the ninja answered 596-03.
Naruto finally arrives in town and is looking for a hot spring. He hears Jiraiya's voice as he’s laughing around with two ladies. Naruto shouts perverted sennin and Jiraiya looks back and sees Naruto. Naruto is now in Jiraiya's room and he asked what is he doing as he thought Jiraiya was on an important mission. Naruto is angry and tells Jiraiya to train him. Jiraiya says he can't train him until he finishes his Icha Icha paradise novel he says he doing his mission as well. Naruto asks what the mission was; Jiraiya tells Naruto the truth and says a member of Akatsuki will be in town the day after tomorrow. Naruto then tells Jiraiya to train him and Jiraiya says he needs to write the script and send it to the publisher tomorrow (but he didn't even start it). Jiraiya also said that he would help train Naruto if he finished his script early. After awhile of Jiraiya doing nothing he says its bath time.
They are in the spring and Jiraiya is doing his peeping. Naruto then hears two people talking about how a secret message must reach fang country. Jiraiya says he needs some lady to get some ideas so Naruto transforms into a girl for Jiraiya. Jiraiya goes to sleep and Naruto decides to write the script himself. Its morning and puts the script into an envelope and sees a courier ninja talking to the two people from the hot springs. Naruto trips down the stairs and the letters drop on each other they pick up the wrong envelopes and Naruto ask the courier ninja to take it for him but it’s in the opposite so he asks another courier ninja to take it and he agrees the ninja’s number was 463-72.
Jiraiya wakes up and Naruto tells Jiraiya what he did and how he wrote the script. Jiraiya says if the publisher sees Naruto’s script he would be ruined. Naruto says he gave it to a courier ninja and Jiraiya says it would be hard to get it back since courier ninja were very strong. The courier ninja is running through the forest and is being chased by Naruto and Jiraiya. They enter a town and the buildings are arranged like a maze. Jiraiya uses Rasengan and it blast a hole though all the buildings in front. There’s a lady bathing and Jiraiya goes a bit strange but then they se the courier ninja and follow him. They follow the courier ninja through the forest and Jiraiya knocks him out with one hit to the chest.
Jiraiya reads the letter he thought was Naruto’s and says it’s not Naruto. Naruto then said that they must have gotten mix up. Jiraiya says it’s a form from the claw country to the fang country directed to the feudal lord. He says that if they don’t give it back then war would break out. Jiraiya and Naruto leave to give the right letter to the fang country before it was too late. The courier ninja sends a message to other courier ninja to stop Jiraiya. Naruto and Jiraiya are rowing a boat. When they realised that they were being followed Jiraiya used rasengan to give his boat an extra push then he switch places with Naruto and he did the same continuously. They finally reached the boat with the courier ninja and tell the courier that if he delivered the letter then war would break out, but he didn’t care. When Naruto says that he would take it by force 6 more courier ninja appeared and they tried to stop Jiraiya and Naruto. Naruto remembers that the courier ninja they wanted was 596-03. Jiraiya fights three courier ninjas at the base of the stairs Naruto jumps in front of the other courier ninja and turns in many girls. It stops most but 596-03 was effected badly enough. He continued walking with Naruto (girl form) holding his leg. The courier ninja gives to the letter to a guard and he takes it away to the feudal lord. Jiraiya and Naruto are hiding in a tree watching the feudal lord open the letter. And says he’s a fan he takes the script to go read it in private.
Naruto wakes up and there back at Jiraiya house. Jiraiya is gone but he left a note to Naruto saying he left to get the after the Akatsuki member. The episode ends with Naruto in the hot springs.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 176 - Zig Zag Run! Chase, Chased, Mistaken

2008-02-15T04:24:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 176 - Zig Zag Run! Chase, Chased, Mistaken

The episode picks up where 175 left off: with Kiba, Naruto, and Hinata trapped by Kaisen Agari and the dopplegangers of the three young shinobi. The four plan to enter Konoha and destroy the village based on the information they've received from a reliable source. Naruto asks if the "source" is Orochimaru, but the look alikes decide that their real counterparts must die.

The Hinata clone then lights a flare, revealing explosive tags set on the varoius stalactites throughout the cave. When Kaisen and the clones leave, the tags will be set to explode. Agari tells them that this would be better than them having to return to the Academy, while the fake Hinata hopes that the three get to Heaven easily. Naruto's double taunts him before fleeing.

When the four leave, Kiba can't believe that it would possibly end like this and begins to place the blame on Naruto's supposed bad luck, but when they begin to focus on the big picture, they realize they do not have a solution. Naruto offers to use Rasengan, but they would notice him and ambush then when they got outside, and Kiba cannot use Gatsuuga, for they would still be ambushed.
In the midst of arguing, Hinata reminds the two that her Shugo Hakke Rokujyuu Yonshou could get them out without detection, but as her hands are tied, she cannot escape. Naruto, Kiba, and Akamaru break her ropes just as the tags explode and the rocks begin to fall. Hinata employs Shugo Hakke Rokujyuu Yonshou, allowing her to emit beaks of chakra from her hands and protect the others from the falling rocks. It is done so rapidly, it is as if a shield has been formed.

As the attack holds up, Agari and the clones believe that Naruto and the others should be dead, so the four leave and head for the village.
Back inside the cave, the rocks have stopped falling and Hinata, exhausted, begins to keel over. Thankfully, she lands...on Naruto's shoulder. The girl's face goes beet red and she faints from shyness when Naruto asks if she is all right, but Kiba reminds her:

"Hey, Hinata, cut these ropes before you pass out."

She cuts their ropes with her kunai, and Kiba puts his face to the ground and realizes that the others are gone. He also realizes that the cave will not hold up for much longer, but before they can do anything, Naruto discovers the treasure chest that the three were sent to find. Kiba, however, believes it is a fake, but because this WAS their mission, Naruto decides to take it back with them. Hinata, however, using Byukagun, sees that the chest is just about hollow, save for a piece of paper that isn't an explosive tag. Kiba still says that taking the chest isn't a good idea, though Hinata points out that, with Naruto carrying the chest on his back, they can distinguish him from the fake Naruto that does NOT have a treasure chest.

Through Juujin Bunshin, Kiba and Akamaru create an exit path, though Hinata only limps along the way-- her leg still in pain from the previous episode. Naruto is able to get her out when it seems that the two have been caved in.
When they are outside, they question Hinata about why she didn't talk about her leg, she explains that she didn't want to cause trouble, which, according to Naruto, is asking for trouble.

After some contemplating, Kiba finally sees what the team's weakness is.

(Quoted from episode)
"Hinata worries about us too much, while Naruto and I are too direct and always argue."
The three realize their faults and now are working together. While Hinata stays behind and will rejoin them later, Naruto, Kiba, and Akamaru head off to stop their clones. (Unfortunately, both Kiba AND Naruto unknowingly give Hinata the same direction to stay until her leg is better.)

At the same time, Agari and the dopplegangers arrive back at the village, with the guards and the guard dog not realizing that they are fakes. A few minutes later, Naruto, Akamaru, and Kiba arrive and tell the guards that the ones who just passed were fakes and that even dogs cannot pick up their scent.
While it appears that the clones are scott free, Naruto and Kiba arrive, but the fake Naruto throws a smoke bomb and the fakes try to escape, but the real Naruto manages to grab the Hinata clone. The clone tries putting on the innocence act, but Naruto is able to see through it. Just as he is about to punch the Hinata clone, Naruto 2 comes and knocks the real one across the face and into a wall. "Kiba" comes to aid the real Naruto, while the fake accuses the real of being a fraud. "Kiba" is about to give Naruto another punch when the real Kiba comes in and punches the doppleganger. As he is about to prepare another assault, Naruto and Kiba realize that the fake Kiba has been K.O.'d by a single punch, revealing that the clones are not as powerful as they appear to be.

Kiba decides to pursue Agari and the fake Hinata, while Naruto goes after his clone.
Unfortunately, the clones begin to cause more confusion.
Sakura is exiting a library with apparently more books than she can handle, when the fake Naruto runs smack dab into her. The pink haired girl is now brimming with anger as the Naruto clone begins to taunt her and call her names:
(Quote): "How stupid! You fell on your ass and you're kneeling down! How ugly! Ugly! You crazy lady!"
While the fake Naruto makes his getaway, a beyond enraged Sakura stands to her feet, vowing that the next time she sees Naruto, she will punch him.
Wouldn't you know it? The real Naruto comes running in, warning Sakura-chan, but her only instinct now is "Naruto! Must punch!" And Sakura turns around and immediately gives the REAL Naruto a mega punch he will certainly never forget! The punch is so powerful, Naruto is sent flying through the air...just as Sakura begins to realize that...why would Naruto run off in one direction and come running back in the other?
Either way, Sakura's punch sends Naruto soaring and he lands near Ayame at the Ichigaku ramen shop, startling her just as Ayame's father exits. Her father takes the situation out of proportion and demands that Naruto make the deliveries, threatening that if Naruto doesn't: (Quote): "If you refuse, I'll never let you eat my ramen again."

A fate worse than death for Naruto, so he makes the deliveries and runs off.

Kiba has taken care of Agari, for the most part, and the Hinata double, backed against the wall, plays the innocent card, but Kiba, enraged, is not falling for it and is getting tired of the drama. The Hinata clone faints on the spot. Kiba begins to wonder: "Were these guys serious about destroying the village?"

The situation only gets worse for Naruto, who finds out that his double has been feasting at many restaurants at his expense...seriously! From 45 plates at one restaurant to ice cream, Naruto ends up spending every cent and dollar he has to his name, upset that the clones isn't destroying the village...just his credit.

Something goes off in Naruto's head and he is suddenly rushing back to his home and discovers that even his special nindo noodles that he had been stockpiling...are all gone.
This is just about the last straw for Naruto, who is now out for blood. It's time for Tajyuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and probably hundreds and thousands of Narutos are scouting the village for the one clone. He is found walking through the streets with another treat, though the multitude of clones begin to fight amongst another, not being able to tell the difference until the original Naruto points out that the fake does not have a treasure chest on his back. He's found and walloped by the copies.

Kiba and Naruto have the fake Naruto, Hinata, and Kiba and Agari all tied up and can't believe that these would be some of Orochimaru's disciples. Naruto feels that the treasure chest is cramping his shoulders, so he takes it off and sets it down just as Hinata finally approaches. Naruto waves and begins running towards Hinata.
Now, Hinata realizes that the fake did not have a treasure chest. What she does NOT realize is that the real Naruto standing before her took his treasure chest off, but she didn't see that. As Naruto gets closer and closer, Hinata's sharp Jyuuken to the stomach is enough to knock him out.

Finally, all are standing before Tsunade, who admits that the entire thing was an exam to see how the three of them could function as a team. The dopplegangers themselves are face copiers from the Kedoui clan and Agari decides that the three should pass. Naruto shows Tsunade the treasure chest, which she tells him wasn't necessary, though it stays anyway.

Naruto and Kiba bid their clones farewell, while Hinata and Hinata 2 simply...blush and smile at one another. As Agari and the clones leave, Kiba informs them that the doubles will return to their original selves after a few days.

Back on higher levels, Tsunade is reading the paper that was inside the treasure chest: a receipt for the training. Even her accomplice, Shizune, laments with her. The episode ends with Tsunade explaining her role.

"My name is Tsunade. My worries of debts do not increase."
Shizune: Frankly speaking, it's increasing.

Tsunade slams her fists on the table as she screams to the heavens:

"I shouldn't have become a Hokage!" (Quite funny once you see it.)

And so ends the episode.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 175 - Dig Here! Woof! Woof! Search for Buried Treasure

2008-02-15T04:22:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 175 - Dig Here! Woof! Woof! Search for Buried Treasure

Now that Tsunade has become the Hokage, all the debts she has been running from are showing up and to make matters worse, Naruto keeps bugging her. Tsunade yells at Naruto to go train and leave her alone. Instead of training, Naruto decides to play soccer against some of his clones but he gets bored rather quickly. As he lies on his back to stare at the clouds, Kiba and Akamaru show up planning to train until they notice Naruto already there. Kiba has just laid down when Hinata runs up to both of them to tell them that Tsunade had a mission for the three of them.

An old acquaintance of Tsunade, Kasen Agari, is the client this time. Kaisen has a map to a treasure, but the location of the treasure makes it necessary to hire some ninja. The group is excited about the mission and think it will be easy but their mood quickly changes when they find out the cost of failing the mission: they would have to return to the Academy.

Before leaving on the mission, the group heads over to the Academy to see the place where they might have to attend again. The three are kinda lost in thought until Iruka shows up and then they take off as if freaked. Shortly into their trip, they come to a river that they need to cross, and Naruto and Kiba have differing opinions on how to cross it. They decide to make a competition of it and Kiba takes off in one direction while Naruto and Hinata go a different way. Naruto and Hinata seem to continually run into obstacles but they eventually reach the big rock on the other side of the river. Unfortunately, Kiba got their so quick, he had already cooked their meal.

As they continue heading towards the cave that holds the treasure, Hinata feels like someone is watching them but doesn't say anything to Kiba or Naruto. The group comes up to a cave and Naruto believes this is the right cave. Kiba checks the maps and says that the cave should be further away, but Naruto isn't listening. Naruto and Hinata come to a dead end in the cave where they fall into an enemy trap, but Kiba rescues them at the last moment. However, Hinata's legs is hurt and she can hardly walk. Kiba tells Naruto to stay behind with Hinata and he will go find the treasure himself.

After Kiba takes off, two enemies appear and knockout Hinata and Naruto. Naruto awakens tied up and notices two Hinatas. He is trying to figure out which is the real one when Kaisen Agari shows up. He explains to Naruto that he doesn't care about the treasure, he just wanted to "steal" their faces. Another "Naruto" appears behind Kaisen while the fake "Hinata" unties herself. Meanwhile, Kiba has found the real cave and proceeds to dig up the treasure chest. After he locates the chest, "Naruto" and "Hinata" show up. Kiba realizes too late that they aren't the real ninjas and gets knocked out.

Kiba is taken to where Naruto and Hinata are being held and it is revealed the the enemies are actually face stealing ninjas. With Kiba laying unconcious, an enemy dressed like Kiba uses his Kao Utsushi no Jutsu (Face Copying Technique). Kaisen kicks Kiba down into the pit with the real Naruto and Hinata, and then explains that they are the Kedoui family and that they are going to return to Konoha and mess the place up.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 174 - No Waaaay! Celebrity Ninpou: Kinton no Jutsu

2008-02-15T04:19:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 174 - No Waaaay! Celebrity Ninpou: Kinton no Jutsu

Naruto is in the Hokage's office because Tsunade has special mission for Naruto today, he will be dealing with a VIP. Naruto is initially excited because he thinks he will be a bodyguard for this VIP, but he quickly finds out that he will be a playmate for the VIP so that he can experience a ninja's life. To make things worse, he will still have to do his other missions: Swamp cleaning, bridge repair, and chasing away wild boars.

For his first mission, Naruto has to clean all of the trash out of a small swamp. Using proper chakra control, Naruto walks on the surface of the swamp to get the trash in the middle. He then asks Kunihisa, the VIP, to clear some of the trash around the edges but warns him to not enter the swamp because it is bottomless. Right after warning Kunihisa, Naruto turns around to find Kunihisa waste deep in the swamp. Naruto starts yelling at Kunihisa, but Kunihisa claims he is going to use Ninjustu to get out of the swamp. Kunihisa starts to concentrate, makes a few hand symbols, and yells "Kinton, Tatsukete no Justsu!" (Money Element, Help Me Technique) and tosses some money in the air. All of a sudden, suited men fly at the money from out of nowhere and land in the swamp. After the fisrt batch of guys fails to save Kunihisa, he throws more money into the air and more guys show up.

While walking through the forest towards Naruto's next mission, Kunihisa sees a puddle of water and tosses some money into it. More suited men come flying out of the forest, land in the puddle, and essentially create a man-made bridge for Kunihisa. Naruto is astonished at the way Kunihisa is acting. When they get to the bridge, Naruto walks part-way across it and tells Kunihisa its safe to cross. Not believing Naruto, Kunihisa decides to use some Ninjustu again. This time he yells "Ninpou, Migawari no Jutsu" (Ninja Arts, Substitute Technique), and throws money onto the bridge. A man comes flying onto the bridge and picks up the money, and Kunihisa still doesn't believe Naruto so he throws more money onto the bridge. Another guys shows up and the two fight, causing the bridge to sway. Kunihisa throws money one more time and this time, several men show up causing the bridge to collapse, dumping Naruto and the men into the river below. Once out of the water, Naruto starts yelling at Kunihisa while two men look on from a distance.

When Naruto and Kunihisa stumble upon a wild boar, Naruto uses his "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu" but is quickly defeated by the wild boar. Kunihisa decides to take on the boar by using "Kane Bunshin no Jutsu" (Money Clone Technique). A bunch of men show up, but they are now dressed to resemble Kunihisa. They all attack the boar, but are quickly defeated. When the boar gets to Kunihisa, Kunihisa claims that Naruto told him to attack the boar. The boar then starts chasing Naruto.

While walking through the forest, Naruto preaches to Kunihisa that money can't buy everything. Kunihisa responds by trying to buy off Naruto with a briefcase full of money. Naruto knocks the money into the river, more pissed than he was before. After that, Kunihisa takes off into the forest and eventually stumbles across some fish and a fire. It was a trap set by the two men who want to kidnap him, but Naruto saves him at the last second. When the two men finally climb out of the water downstream, they see the briefcase of money that Naruto had knocked into the river earlier. They collect the money with a plan on how to kidnap Kunihisa. Back at the fire, Naruto teaches Kunihisa how to catch fish using just a kunai. After Kunihisa misses the fish and sends the kunai flying into the forest. He runs into the forest to get it when the two men show up with a bunch of the suited men from earlier. The kidnappers then use the money to bribe Kunihisa's two bodyguards. Yet again, Naruto rushes in and saves Kunihisa from the kidnappers.

While running away from the kidnappers and suited men, Naruto and Kunihisa come to a cliff. Naruto quickly ties one end of a rope to a kunai and the other end to Kunihisa. Naruto throws the kunai around a tree on the other side of the gorge. After the men jump Naruto, he pushes Kunihisa off the edge and into the face of the cliff on the other side. The edge of the cliff crumbles sending Naruto and the men crashing down into the gorge. Kunihisa, thinking quickly, reties the rope around a tree and dives into the gorge to save Naruto. The episode ends with Kunihisa and his father sitting at a roadside stop where Kunihisa picks up a clear marble and realizes that not everything is about money.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 173 - Sea Battle, The Released Power

2008-02-15T04:16:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 173 - Sea Battle, The Released Power

The episode picks up with Naruto in the first stage of Kyuubi mode. Amachi, still in Kaima form, starts attacking Naruto although no damage is done. Naruto launches a non-clone version of his Naruto Rendan and slams Amachi into the water with the final kick. Upon landing back on the water, the Kyuubi chakra dispels and Naruto passes out, sinking into the ocean. Isaribi quickly jumps in to save him, and pulls him onto a rock to let him rest.

Meanwhile, Shino is pulling himself out of the ocean and onto a rock to try and regain his strength. With Shino laying face down on the rock, Yoroi leaps out of the water and lunges toward Shino. At the last minute, Ino interupts Yoroi's attack with her Shinranshin no Jutsu (Mental Break Technique) and Shino knocks Yoroi away. Yoroi quickly recovers and starts charging Ino, but Shino's bugs completely cover Yoroi before he can lay a finger on Ino. After the bugs disperse, Yoroi begins to sink into the ocean, yet it isn't made clear if he's dead or just unconcious.

Amachi, back in human form, surfaces a short distance away from everyone and tries to escape, but Anko snares him with a snake-rope technique. While Anko is trying to question him, Amachi refuses to answer but instead proclaims that the fight isn't over. Lo and behold, the Sea Boss emerges from the ocean yet again. Naruto quickly summons Gama Bunta (Boss Frog) in order to fight the Sea Boss. When Gama Bunta shows up, he is pissed at Naruto because frogs can't stand salt water.

Gama Bunta is about to leave when Amachi questions the frog boss's strength. Upset about being underestimated, Gama Bunta agrees to help Naruto, but tells him that he will pay for it later. Gama Bunta charges the Sea Boss with his sword and stabs into the monster. After being temporarily stuck to the Sea Boss, Gama Bunta and Naruto discuss how to beat the Sea Boss. Gama Bunta tells Naruto that fire should do the trick and that he is going to spit oil at the Sea Boss. Naruto, lacking any fire techniques, hurls a kunai with an explosive not attached into the stream of oil, which engulfs the Sea Boss and blows hime up. Before leaving, Gama Bunta flings Naruto really high into the sky as his punishment.

Back on one of the boats, Anko begins questioning Amachi agains. He will only admit to the fact that he had no intentions to restore Isaribi to a normal human, even if he had the ability to. Anko gets annoyed and punches Amachi when he won't tell her any info about Orochimaru.

The next morning, we see Anko heading towards the island of Jiroujima. Apparently, Amachi had given her some information after she punched him. After walking through a forest, she arrives at a deserted town. She walks up to one of the decaying buildings and hesitantly enters. Once inside, her curse seal begins to hurt and she flashes back to the time she received the curse seal. Apparently, Orochimaru used Anko and nine other people as test subjects for his curse seal. Out of the ten, only Anko survived the experiment.

Naruto, Shino, Ino, and Isaribi are waiting on the dock. While they are talking and wondering where Anko has gotten to, she yells at them from the boat. All four rush aboard the ship and it sails off towards Konoha.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 172 - Despair, The Broken Heart

2008-02-15T04:13:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 172 - Despair, The Broken Heart

While trying to escape the collapsing lab, they run into a dead end. Naruto is about to create a rasengan before Anko stops him and summons a giant snake to help them break out.

The convoy is waiting for the Konoha ninja to arrive to escort the money when a nte arrives. The note claims that the Kaima was defeated during the night, so the convoy Captain decides it is safe to set off alone.

Shortly into the voyage, the convoy ships are forced to crash into each other by the Kaima. Yoroi uses his Genjutsu to make the convoy crew believe that the ships have caught fire, so they abandon ship. Amachi orders Yoroi to finish off the helpless crew in the water when Naruto and gang show up and stop him.

Shino faces off Yoroi, Anko against Amachi, Naruto against Isaribi (Kaima) while Ino rescues the crew trapped in the water. Naruto and Isaribi are fighting to a stalemate while Anko gets knocked out by Amachi's sleeping powder. Amachi is getting restless waiting for Isaribi to finish off Naruto. When she disobeys his order to finish Naruto, he gets angry and transforms into a full fledged Kaima.

Naruto continuously tries to attack but is constantly deterred by Amachi. Getting annoyed with Naruto, Amachi summons the "Sea Boss" which proceeds to envelope Naruto in its salt water body. As Naruto passes out due to lack of oxygen, he awakes in a damp corridor and moves towards a "weird feeling". He comes across the cage and seal that contains the Kyuubi. Some of the Kyuubi's chakra encircles Naruto and he wakes up, still inside of the Sea Boss.

Naruto slips into "rage mode" and his increase in fiery chakra causes the Sea Boss to explode. Isaribi sees the change in Naruto and Anko explains that Naruto has gone through the same stuff that Isaribi has experienced. Naruto is poised to attack as the episode fades out.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 171 - Infiltration, The Devised Trap

2008-02-15T04:10:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 171 - Infiltration, The Devised Trap

While laying unconcious in the grotto, Anko starts to regain some of her missing memories. She remembers back to when she was a genin under Orochimaru, and she remembers the various experiements of Orochimaru's including the Kaima. When she awakens, she tells the rest of the group about why Orochimaru left Konoha and how he is involved in the current situation. After she is done, they decide to infiltrate Orochimaru's lab on the island of Kikaijima and rescue Isaribi/Kaima.

Upon entrance to the lab, Shino, Ino, and Naruto fall into a trap door leaving Anko alone to fight off some rather large chimeras. At the bottom of the hole, the three ninja run into one of Orochimaru's henchmen, the chakra stealing ninja. Shino recognizes him from the Chuunin Exam and tells Naruto and Ino to run ahead while he fights the chakra sucker. Naruto and Ino run into Anko in another room where they find Isaribi and one of Orochimaru's scientist. Naruto runs to attack the scientist but stops short when Isaribi gets in his way. She explains to Naruto that she has been doing all these bad things because the scientist promised to return her back to normal.

The elastic ninja from before makes an explosive entrance and Anko gets knocked unconcious while protecting Ino. While Naruto and Ino are strewn in rubble, the scientist and Isaribi leave the room while the elastic ninja prepares to fight the others. Naruto tries to fight the elastic ninja but is quickly defeated. While naruto is being strangled by the enemy, Ino unleashes her Shinraiju no Jutsu. She takes over the enemies body and causes him to wrap his arms around two rock pillars and tie them in knots.

The lab starts collapsing so Naruto and Ino scoop up Anko and start to escape. As they begin to leave, Shino enters and shows them the way out. While Shino, Naruto, Ino, and Anko are trying to make their way out, the scientist, Isaribi, and the chakra stealer make their escape in a boat.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 170 - Impact, The Closed Door

2008-02-15T04:04:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 170 - Impact, The Closed Door

While Naruto is recovering, Isaribi is taking care of him. When he finally gets up, he tells her of his mission and eats some breakfast. Isaribi acts coldly towards Naruto and tells him to get out when he is done eating. Naruto chows down on his food and then rushes outside after Isaribi where he sees all he vandalism the local kids have done to her house. As she is walking away, some local kids start throwing rocks at her and call her a monster. After she gets hit by the first rock, Naruto runs to her aid and stops the second one while yelling at the kids. For his trouble, he gets kicked in the shin by one of the kids before they run away.

On another part of the island; Anko, Shino, & Ino are searching for Naruto. After a short time, they meet the man in charge of the payroll shipment and find out the time of the shipment. After the meeting, the three ninja go around the island asking people if they've seen Naruto. One of the people they meet tells them the legend of the Kaima and also where they can find Isaribi's house.
As the three ninja head off towards Isaribi's house, Naruto starts asking people if they've seen his teammates. He gets upset when he finds out he just missed them and has to head off in the direction he just came from. Meanwhile, Anko, Shino, & Ino come to a stretch of beach where they see Isaribi walking "very seriously" and so they decide to follow her. She turns into a small grotto where she proceeds to turn into the Kaima. The three ninja proceed to chase her and end up catching her, although only temporarily.

At this point, Naruto shows up and realizes just who the Kaima is and is about to talk to her when one of Orochimaru's henchmen shows up and takes Isaribi away. While this is going on, Anko is flashing back to her younger days when she was in one of Orochimaru's labs and she sees Isaribi in a tank, in Kaima form. When Anko comes too, she faceplants into the surface of the water and the episode ends.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 169 - Memory, The Lost Page

2008-02-15T04:00:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 169 - Memory, The Lost Page

Being some of the few Genins available, Naruto, Ino, and Shino are forced to accompany Anko on her mission to the Sea Country to destroy a sea monster and protect a boat carrying gold. However, Anko is acting strange as she begins to remember more and more events from her past, and the connection she once had with Orochimaru.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 168 - Burn Zundou! Mix, Stretch, Boil!

2008-02-15T03:51:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 168 - Burn Zundou! Mix, Stretch, Boil!

The episode starts off with Naruto and Chouji wanting some ramen. When they get to the Ichiraku Ramen shop, they notice that its closed. As they start to walk away, Chouji smells ramen cooking so they crawl into the ceiling through the vent. Once inside, they see Mr. Ichiraku cooking feverishly. After he discovers them in the ceiling, he offers him the new ramen dish he's been trying to perfect. Shortly after Chouji insults the quality of the noodles, Mr. Ichiraku collapses from exhaustion.

The episode continues back at Mr. Ichiraku's place where Sakura is treating the massive burns on his fore arms caused by the non-stop cooking he had been doing. Mr. Ichiraku tells Naruto, Chouji, and Sakura about the Ryourinin (Cooking Ninja) who kidnapped his daughter and the terms of her return: Mr. Ichiraku hands over his Legendary Ramen recipe or win a cooking contest. All three offer to help him, and since Mr. Ichiraku has no idea what the "Legendary Ramen recipe" is, he spends the rest of the night teaching the three the basics of ramen making in hopes of winning the contest.

The next day is the cooking contest and after several mishaps, the three are down to their last set of ingredients. Naruto gets the idea that in order to make great ninja ramen, they should use ninja skills to make the noodles. After Naruto uses the Rasengan to mix the ingredients, he shapes the dough to resemble Ero-Sennin which iritates Sakura. After she proceeds to thoroughly pound the dough, Naruto tosses the dough to Chouji who uses his Partial Multisize Technique (Both Arms) in order to properly stretch the noodles.
The kidnapper realizes that Mr. Ichiraku is going to win the contest so he frantically reminds Mr. Ichiraku of a big rule: You must serve the judges in the order they arrived. Since there were around 100 judges, the kidnapper feels good about his chances to win until Naruto smiles and uses his Kage Bunshin No Jutsu and proceeds to serve all 100 judges at the same time. After admitting defeat, the kidnapper allows Ayame, Mr. Ichiraku's daughter, to return to her dad. Everyone is surprised when an oversized young lady comes running out.

The Ryourinin then apologize to Mr. Ichiraku and proceed to tell him the reasons behind their kidnapping. Apparently, the ryourinin were being phased out because they were cooking meals that would not only fill a ninja's appetite, but also makes them gain weight which leads to the degradation of their speed and quickness. After thinking for a few minutes, Mr. Ichiraku comes to the realization that he did have the Legendary Ramen recipe all along, but the true name of it had been misinterpreted over the years. He gladly gives them the recipe so that they can continue to be useful.

Back in Konoha, Mr. Ichiraku had just finished creating a Diet Ramen to slim down his daughter and all the females in town love it. When Naruto and Chouji go to see Mr. Ichiraku, they find an extremely skinny man. They come to find out that Mr. Ichiraku ate the Diet Ramen with his daughter, thus explaining his skinny new appearance.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 167 - White Heron's Flapping Wings of Time

2008-02-15T03:47:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 167 - White Heron's Flapping Wings of Time

Shima saves Naruto from Ooki's genjutsu trap, and ends up protecting Naruto from an attack. After Naruto appears to be defeated, Toki gives up the will to live. Naruto sees a white figure appear before him in the form of Sagi. Sagi asks Naruto to move time for his sister again. Naruto prepares to fulfill his wish and protect Toki. After defeating Ooki, the Bird Country is returned to its once peaceful state. As the ruler of the Bird Country, Toki prepares to make everything better. However, one question still remains, was Naruto dreaming of Sagi, or is there really a ghost after all?

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 166 - The Time that is Stopped

2008-02-15T03:42:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 166 - The Time that is Stopped

Sagi prepares his plans for revenge, and he won't let anyone stand in his way. Disguised as the Noroimusha, he confronts Musou, but Musou knows everything. It also turns out that the wandering ninjas can't really steal jutsus, they're all tricks. And, even more shocking news is revealed when Sagi and Musou reveal their true identities.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 165 - Naruto Dies

2008-02-15T03:36:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 165 - Naruto Dies

The episode starts off with Kakashi telling Neji and Ten-ten that their mission is over. They ask about Naruto, and Kakashi tells them sometimes sacrifices are necessary to complete a mission, they can't interfere with another country's affairs. They head back, when two mysterious ninjas appear. They wonder if they're really heading back and decide to follow them. Meanwhile, Koumei is led out to the execution area, where Mousou reads his charges. Koumei can't believe Mousou is doing this after everything he did for him. Mousou tells him he'll forgive him, if he commits suicide for his execution. With no choice, Koumei prepares to do so, until a mysterious purple smoke covers everything.

The Noroimusha appears and abducts Koumei before leaving. Three of the guards reveal themselves to be Neji, Kakashi, and Ten-ten and pursue the ghost. The ninja who was chasing them beofre finally realizes that he's been tricked when three monkeys were henged as the group. Kakashi tells Neji and Ten-ten to continue pursuing the ghost while he checks on something. The two catch up, and accuse the two of working together. Koumei claims he's innocent, and the two ninjas prepare to unmask the ghost. Kakashi arrives and tells them all to leave. With the help of Pakkun, Kakashi calls out a ninja who was following them. The Noroimusha leads the three down a tunnel that leads to the Fuedal Lord's mansion. The ghost reveals itself to be Naruto.

Ten-ten gets angry that Neji knew the entire time and that Naruto gave her a scare. Neji remembers when Kakashi told them they were being followed, which is why he lied about leaving Naruto behind, and that another ninja began following them. Ten-ten gets angry once again that she didn't know all of this. Naruto explains that Sagi is waiting for them. When they confront Sagi, Sagi and Naruto reveal that Mousou is behind everything, and that Koumei is indeed innocent. Naruto explains that when Sagi issued him the death penalty before, his friend arrived, badly injured, and warned Sagi about everything. Naruto asks why Sagi doesn't stop the execution, and he says that it'll ruin his plans for revenge if Mousou suspects something. Naruto offers to take Sagi's place and save Koumei. Neji and Ten-ten finally understand.

The scene resumes to Kakashi fighting the one ninja. Kakashi defeats him, but then the ninja re-emerges. Turns out he and his partner are wandering ninja who steal ninja techniques and reformat them. He starts to show off his techniques that he stole from Gaara.

Meanwhile, Sagi thanks Naruto for his good work and tells him that he'll take over from there. Sagi opens a watch and says as long as he doesn't get his revenge, it's like time is standing still.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 164 - The Late Supporter

2008-02-15T03:31:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 164 - The Late Supporter

Naruto decides to do some investigating on his own over the matter of the ghost, while Neji and Tenten try a different approach. With the help of two frogs, Naruto begins to learn more and more about the truth of the matter, even to the point of learning the ghost's true identity. Sagi may be the real one behind the mask, but he's still a fuedal lord. Sagi won't let Naruto expose him, even if it means giving him the death penalty.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 163 - Tactician - Expectation of Koumei

2008-02-15T03:28:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 163 - Tactician - Expectation of Koumei

Naruto and the others attempt to prove that Kouhmei is the one responsible for the ghost. However, what Naruto and the gang discover leaves even more mysteries unsolved.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 162 - White Cursed Warrior

2008-02-15T03:24:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 162 - White Cursed Warrior

Naruto, Tenten, and Neji travel to the Bird Country to exterminate a ghost named Noroimusha.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 161 - Meeting the Strang Visitor, Green Beast? Wild Beast?...Animal?

2008-02-15T03:18:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 161 - Meeting the Strang Visitor, Green Beast? Wild Beast?...Animal?

As Gai and Lee leave Konoha for a mission, two strangers disguise themselves as Gai and Lee and sneak into the villiage to learn its secrets. No one is fooled by there disguise though, well except for Naruto who wants to train with them. Tenten Sakura, and Tsunade team up and give the imposters a bunch of dangerous and tiresome tasks to teach them a lesson, Naruto mistakes these tasks for training exercises. Tenten tells them that they promised an old man that they would help plant rice, when they get there the field is huge and is filled with giant leeches Naruto think that it is taijutsu training and is excited the imosters however are not. After planting the rice they have to put fertilizer down which smells horrible, the imposters end up getting the fertilizer in their faces. Sakura says that her laundry blew away, Naruto offers to help and is puched in the stomach by Sakura. Sakura's sheet is stuck up on a mountain and as the imposters and naruto climb naruto asks why they aren't using their chakra they tell him that it is better training which naruto again believes. Tsunade tells them that her giant slug is sick and that she needs treatment, the slug sneeses acid on the imposters and naruto asks why the done get out of the way and they tell him that it is training for life and death situations, which he once again believes. In the end the real Gai and Lee return just in time to see the imposters leaving, the imposters decide to take out their anger with the villiage on Gai and Lee. Gai and Lee use a double dynamic entry to finish them off, the are in the spring of their youth! and youth always prevails.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 160 - Take or Be Taken?! Showdown at the Okay Temple!

2008-02-15T03:13:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 160 - Take or Be Taken?! Showdown at the Okay Temple!

Turns out Sazanami is really a wanted criminal named Toukichi who is wanted for the murder of a family of three. Truth is, he's innocent, and wants to capture the man responsible to prove his innocence. Sazanami teams up with the Konoha group to stop Gosunki once and for all, while still competing about who will be the one to capture him. With another bounty hunter after Sazanami, it won't be an easy task.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 159 - Enemy or Ally?! Wilderness Bounty Hunting

2008-02-15T03:08:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 159 - Enemy or Ally?! Wilderness Bounty Hunting

Naruto, Hinata and Kiba are sent off on a mission to capture a thief named Gosunkugi and along the way they meet another bounty hunter who is also after him.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 158 - Everyone, Come With Me! Great Sweat and Tears Survival Plan

2008-02-15T02:19:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 158 - Everyone, Come With Me! Great Sweat and Tears Survival Plan

The young students from the ninja academy gather around a post board, excited about the day's events; Konohamaru and his two sidekicks are physked. However, Uzumaki Naruto is one un-happy ninja, who has just been informed by Tsunade that they will be going on a 'survival' mission with the ninjas-to-be. Almost everyone's there, including Neji, Tenten, Lee, Ino, Chouji, Shino, Kiba, and Hinata.

Finally, after bribing Naruto into believing that helping the students will help him become a better Hokage, the genins are assigned their groups; Naruto's group consisting of Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon. They discover from Iruka-sensei, that their mission is to safely arrive at Mount Takamuri and will last for two days and one night. They are given maps and are instructed not to stray from the designated route. There will be a scroll awaiting them, and they are to take it before returning to the village.

Everyone, except Naruto's group leaves, as he is 'securing food' for their mission. Neji and Chouji both demonstrate ways to secure a safe mission, which completely astound their young charges. After travelling for quite some time, Konohamaru and co. begin to think that they're completely lost and each of them take turns in attempt to find their way to Mount Takemuri. Sadly, after a few interesting encounters, they find themselves back at square one, again. A brief glimpse of everyone's group is shown, some being humorous, while others helpfully teaching the students the ways of the shinobi. Finally, Naruto's group manages to catch up a bit closer to the others, and Iruka-sensei along with the other chuunins launch a simulated attack.

Naruto, Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon give all except for Shikamaru a nose bleed, due to their 'technique'. The all-time favourite technique of Jiraiya; the Sexy-Jutsu! After being trapped in the rain, Naruto and co. give up on trying to build their camp and continue their trek on what Naruto dubs a 'short-cut'. Meanwhile, trouble brews elsewhere, and it is decided that the mission will be canceled. Apparently the village of Konoha will take a direct attack by the morning. No other information is revealed.

All the groups have been notified and returned to the village, except for Naruto's group, whom they find has taken a dangerous route. Naruto and his companions find refuge in a small cave inside the mountain, but unfortunately for them they've lost most of their food and camping supplies. After some light brawling, the young ninjas listen as Naruto tells them how important teamwork is to a ninja and his mission. Each discover what a 'survival' mission is all about.

They each munch on some of Naruto's angel cake, waiting for the storm to subside. Shikamaru and Iruka-sensei are chasing up the mountain, in an attempt to find Naruto and his group before they find themselves in even more danger. However, it seems they arrive a little too late, because Naruto can never stay out of trouble for too long. They encounter somewhat of a rockslide and Naruto must rely on his charges to help him. Eventually, the chunnins come to their aid, and Naruto blasts out of the rubble with his 'Rasengan' attack.

The episode comes to a close with Naruto finding himself in Hokage's office suffering another lecture. It seems his young charges are not so loyal as he thought, although they do know the meaning of teamwork. Together they team-up on Naruto, who suffers even more of the angry Tsunade's wrath. The episode ends, as the Fifth chases Naruto from the building, demanding that he 'get back there, or else!

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 157 - Run!!! Curry of Life

2008-02-12T01:12:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 157 - Run!!! Curry of Life

Raiga's back, and he's noticed that Ranmaru is not moving. Fearing his deah, Raiga prepares to unleash his anger. With nobody else around, it's up to Tenten to bring this madman down. But can she survive wiithout the help of the others? And what of Ranmaru, is he really gone?

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 156 - Raiga's Counterattack!

2008-02-12T01:08:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 156 - Raiga's Counterattack!

Lee is left facing Raiga alone, while Tenten and the others hurry to bring them the Curry of Life. Raiga easily defeats Lee, sending him donw the cliff. He and everyone else is given the Curry of Life while Ranmaru confronts Raiga. Raiga ia happy that they can be together again, and Ranmaru creats a think mist to surround them. Ranmaru tells Raiga he will be his eyes and he tells Raiga to walk towars a cliff. Will Ranmaru send both Raiga and himself to their deaths, or will a drunken Lee ruin Ranmaru's plans?

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 155 - The Creeping Dark Clouds

2008-02-12T01:04:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 155 - The Creeping Dark Clouds

When Team Naruto arrives at the village, everyone is waiting for them. Rokusuke tries to warn them not to come any further, but Karashi threatens him not to talk. Meanwhile, the Kurosuki clan pushes a few dozen boulders off the cliff to land on Team Naruto. Fortunately, those were only clones made with Kage Bunshin and Henge no Jutsu. The real Team Naruto is still alive and ready to fight.

The Kurosuki family starts their attack - Kuro Tatsumaki (Black Tornado). They all pile atop one another then break out their hand claws. They start rotating to form a tornado with blades and go after the genin. Again, Naruto fools them with clones.

Finally, the real Team Naruto is ready to strike. Tenten breaks out her nunchucks while Lee uses Konoha Senpuu to kick through the tornado. The combined action knocks the Kurosuke family out of their technique. Neji byakugans then performs Hakke Rokujuuyonshou. By the time Naruto jumps down, the fight is over.

Team Naruto goes over to Karashi and tells him to give up. The villagers decide he'll make a good scapegoat and start to mob, but Lee quickly jumps in front of Karashi. He explains that the villagers can beat him up until they are satisfied since it is partly his fault that Karashi joined the gang. Karashi is still weak but he can make life saving curry. Give him another chance. If he goes astray, Lee will be the first to punish him.

With the village saved, Team Naruto returns to Ranmaru, who explains since he was born, his cabin was all he remembered. He has no memories of his parents. But even someone like him had special abilities. When the villagers realized he could see through walls, they grew scared and stopped visiting him but Raiga saved his life. Without Raiga, he feels like he lost his body. Team Naruto deduces that Raiga probably came to be called one of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen because of Ranmaru's power.

Naruto tells Ranmaru he was being used. Surely if he eats some of Sanshou's life saving curry, he'll be able to walk in no time. Until then, Naruto will be his body. Ranmaru agrees, but has one request - to see Raiga's body. As the genin look over the cliff at the rock pile, Neji byakugans but can't find any life signs.

Team Naruto returns to the curry shop with Karashi. Sanshou continues stirring her curry while Karashi asks his mother for forgiveness. As punishment, she serves up Three Hundred Spice Punishment Curry, which he devours while everyone else eats a milder variation of curry.

At the table, Naruto asks Ranmaru if he knew Kisame and Zabuza. No, he only heard Zabuza left Hidden Mist village. Naruto notices Ranmaru isn't eating and asks if he'd like something else.

Later that evening, Neji realizes they've left Ranmaru alone with Karashi. Perhaps they should check on them. Sure enough, both are gone. Ranmaru told Karashi that he sensed Raiga was still alive. When they arrive at Raiga's body, Ranmaru crawls to the top of the rock pile and grasps Raiga's arms. He infuses part of his life source then collapses by Raiga's body. Tenten arrives in time to see Raiga return from the dead and burst out of the rock pile.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 154 - Byakugan's Natural Enemy

2008-02-12T01:00:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 154 - Byakugan's Natural Enemy

Two new songs for this episode:
Opening: Nami Kaze Satellite by Snorkel
Closing: Soba ni Iru Kara by Amadori

Ranmaru warns Raiga that Team Naruto survived his last attack. Meanwhile, Neji is perplexed that his byakugan couldn't sense the Hidden Mist technique. He byakugans again and gives out coordinates of enemy locations. The genin head out, but when they arrive at the enemies' locations, all enemies are clones which disappear. Again, Neji is perplexed because the clones have chakra circulatory systems.

Now that Team Naruto has emerged from hiding, Raiga uses Raizou ikazuchi wo utte (Lightning Strike) to cast down lightning at each of the genin. He then jumps down and targets Lee. Ranmaru warns Raiga that his victims are merely unconscious (not dead), yet when he tries to finish off Lee, he, still unconscious, proceeds to fight Raiga. Naruto is the first to regain consciousness and calls out to Tenten and Neji while Lee hits Raiga and his cocoon carrying Ranmaru flies off in Neji's direction.

Naruto joins the fight and asks Raiga about the Seven Shinobi Lords - was he a member? Does he know Zabuza and Kisame? Raiga replies that he hates them - who wants to remember them? Angrily, he zaps Naruto with a lightning technique.

Sanshou senses something is wrong when she notices a horrible lightning storm off in the distance. It's similar to the storm on the day Karashi left.

Again and again, Raiga throws lightning at Naruto while Tenten and Neji stand perplexed over Ranmaru's cocoon. Neji sees it can create chakra circulatory systems and tells Naruto to Kage Bunshin. Raiga senses his chakra depleting so he runs up the mountain and does Hi no Hagane (Wings of the Sun) to cause an avalanche, taking out the Naruto clones. The real Naruto appears from above with Rasengan and hits Raiga, sending him flying off the cliff.

Then, the four genin turn their attention to the cocoon. Neji unzips it to reveal a small boy named Ranmaru. Ranmaru explains that he and Raiga have always been together since Raiga arrived in his village to kill a Hidden Mist nin and found him. At the time, he was a sick boy who lived alone. Raiga took Ranmaru with him and since then, he has been Raiga's eyes and ears while Raiga became his arms and legs. For the first time, Ranmaru was able to travel in the outside world. The two were inseparable and lived for one another as they tried to find meaning in life.

Ranmaru explains that if Raiga died, he would lose his reason to live. Naruto flashes back to when Haku asked him if he had a special person. Haku had explained that just living is painful if you aren't needed by someone and Naruto just stole his reason for living. Just as Haku asked Naruto to kill him, Ranmaru does the same. The genin won't - their mission is to remove the Kurosuki clan from the village not kill him.

Team Naruto decides to tie up Ranmaru and seal him inside an abandoned shed while they complete their mission. They promise they'll return for him. Meanwhile, Raiga lies with arms outstretched amidst a pile of rocks at the bottom of the mountain.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 153 - Reach the Heart! Fist of Love

2008-02-12T00:57:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 153 - Reach the Heart! Fist of Love

Though it's been days since Kampachi's burial, Rokusuke irrationally thinks he may still be able to save his friend if he can just dig up the coffin. While he's digging, the Kurosuke clan members surround him.

Sanshou-baasan stirs up a pot of curry while Team Naruto stands atop the mountain cliff outside the village looking down on weary villagers mining bags of rocks from a nearby cave. The genin strategize over the best way to defeat the Kurosuke clan and free the villagers. Naruto wants to barge in and strike since they might have connections to the Seven Shinobi Lords and Sasuke. Tenten thinks that's probably a bad idea.

Inside the village, the clan members take Rokusuke to their boss, Raiga. He tells Rokusuke he was sad to learn that he and two others escaped. The only way he can forgive him is to have a funeral. When people are alive, they lie, hate and betray one another but at their funeral, all grudges and bad blood are forgotten. Rokusuke begs for his life and tries to escape but a clan member holds him down.

Meanwhile, Kurosuke clan members are overseeing the villagers working in the mines. They are collecting a specific type of mineral that can be combined with mercury to create gold. One by one the weary villagers carry bagfuls of rocks. When one falls, and is reprimanded, Naruto decides it's time to take action. Lee agrees, knocks each of the overlords out, then asks the fallen old man if he's ok. Naruto tries to offer him a drink of water, but the man knocks it away and begs them to knock him out like they did the clan members. If he's the only one not unconscious, they'll surely punish him.

From the distance, a funeral bell sounds. The old man explains they bury alive those who betray Raiga. He heard Rokusuke was caught, so it's probably his funeral. Cut to Raiga, who is crying bitterly while his minions carry Rokusuke's coffin amongst the rows of graves to the top of the hill. What sounds like a small child hidden beneath Raiga's cloak warns him that others are coming.

Neji byakugans and sees that Rokusuke is still alive inside the coffin. Team Naruto strikes. Tenten and Neji go after the clansmen while Naruto Kage Bunshins and performs his Naruto Rendan (his version of Sasuke's Shishi Rendan Lion Combo, which looks more like an ax kick). When they finish, they've knocked out all but three. Naruto and Neji each take out one while Lee discovers the last one is Karashi.

Lee berates Karashi for joining the Kurosuke family - why did he do it? Karashi explains that Raiga set the villagers free from evil. He wants the power to control heaven and earth - no one praises you for making curry. Not happy with his answer, Lee punches him - if he put his whole heart into making curry, he can save lives. The Karashi who saved Lee's life years ago was far stronger than the Karashi of the Kurosuke family. Won't he promise Lee he'll return to Sanshou? Karashi apologizes and Team Naruto turns their attention to freeing Rokusuke.

While Team Naruto tends to Rokusuke, Neji senses they're being watched from above. It's probably Raiga. They tell Karashi to watch Rokusuke then head up to Raiga, who uses Kiri-gakue no Jutsu (Hiding in the Mist) to summon a strange mist that even Neji can't see through with byakugan.

Raiga asks the child on his back, Ranmaru, to access the situation. Ranmaru answers that one of the four has a specialized power to see people's energies. However, his power is greater and he must protect the peace in Katabame Kinzan. Raiga performs Ikazuchi no Kiba (Ikazuchi's Fangs) which sends a lightning surge to hit the mountain cliff where Team Naruto is standing.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 152 - Requiem for the Living

2008-02-12T00:53:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 152 - Requiem for the Living

Two streams of men in black robes carry a casket to its grave then bury it. Above, Rokusuke mourns the loss. The dead man, Kanpachi, would always smile, though he faced many hardships. Rokusuke's two companions try to pull him from the mountain cliff. They have to go. This is their only chance of escape. The three men run off, but as they climb a nearby cliff, a falling boulder knocks them into the water below.

Naruto finds the three unconscious villagers and carries them back to Konoha where Tsunade sets up a new mission. Neji, Tenten, Lee and Naruto are to return to the village of Katabame Kinzan with the three men and chase out the Kurosuke Family who overran the town six months ago and are now killing off villagers.

What makes this mission interesting is that the head of the Kurosuke Family is rumored to be Raiga, one of the Seven Shinobi Lords just like Zabuza and Itachi's traveling companion, Hoshigaki Kisame. Lee suspects they might find a clue to Sasuke's whereabouts in Katabame Kinzan, since Sasuke is likely still pursuing his brother. Perhaps he heard of the Seven Shinobi Lords connection too. Naruto isn't so sure since the information comes from Gai, but he'll go along for the ride.

The genin set off to Katabame Kinzan but make a pit stop at the Curry Shop of Life, a small curry shop run by Sanshou-baasan who saved Lee's life years ago. Back when Lee became a genin, he and Gai trained by the shop. They worked so hard that both sleep-ran (like sleep walking only faster) for three days until Lee couldn't take it and collapsed outside the store's front door. Sanshou-baasan was so impressed with Lee's dedication to training that she made him extra spicy curry to wake him.

Everyone sits around the dining table as Sanshou-baasan dishes her famous curry. It's black and bubbling and pretty scary looking. Lee dives in, turns bright red, and then declares it superb and perfectly spiced. Since Lee didn't die, the others dig in, turn red and burn up with spicy heat.

Lee then asks about Sanshou-baasan's son, Karashi. She explains he was so inspired by Lee's hard work that he left the village and joined the Kurosuke clan. Lee can't believe it and declares they will bring Karashi back as part of their mission.

That night, Neji asks the Katabame Kinzan to stay at the Curry Shop while they travel on to the village the next morning. Rokusuke ignores the request and sneaks out in the middle of the night, determined to save Kanpanchi, who he believes may have been buried alive.

At the village, a child seer senses the ninja are coming.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 151 - Blazing Byakugan! This is my way of the ninja!

2008-02-12T00:48:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 151 - Blazing Byakugan! This is my way of the ninja!

Kiba, Naruto, and Shino are quickly overtaken by Suzumebachi's bee wax avalanche and trapped in wax cocoons. Meanwhile, Hinata tries to pull herself together to escape her almost certain death. She byukugans and thinks of Naruto. Determined not to give up, she sees two rock formations jettisoning out of the water and aims her cocoon to hit one before it crashes over the waterfall. She is successful and her cocoon is tossed into the air.

With the boys now trapped, the Kamizuri clan discusses amongst themselves what to do about the missing Bikouchuu bug pupa. Shino offers them a trade - the bug for Hinata. When Naruto worries about Hinata's wellbeing, Shino assures him she's much stronger than he thinks.

The Kamizuri clan agrees to Shino's terms and travels back to the place where they tied Hinata up. When they arrive, they see her cocoon is missing and suspect she was swept over the waterfall. Shino plays cool, telling them he won't give up the Bikouchuu's location without Hinata.

Suzumebachi decides the deal is off. Hidden Leaf and Hidden Rock have always been enemies, so they threaten Naruto and Kiba's lives. Shino is about to talk, but Naruto butts in and takes several swift kicks to the head by Jibachi. He starts tapping into his 9 tail power, but a kunai soars down from the trees and its tag explodes. When the smoke clears, Hinata reveals herself and is ready to fight - her cocoon split open when it hit the rock.

The Kamizuri clan is impressed Hinata escaped but quickly take the offensive with Hachi Bakudan no Jutsu (Bee Bomb Attack), Hachi Senbon no Jutsu (Thousand Bee Stings) and Hachimitsu no Jutsu (Honey Attack). The air is suddenly filled with a swarm of bees, but Hinata's ready with her brand new technique, Shugohakke Rokujyuu Yonshou (Guardian of the Eight Divination Seals: Sixty-four Strikes).

Naruto watches, impressed, from the sidelines as Shino explains how Hinata has steadily improved since the Chuunin Exam. She asked Kiba and him to help her train and not to go easy on her. Through their sessions, she found her own style.

As Hinata swats the attacking bees, Shino's bugs have been eating away at the wax cocoons encasing the boys. He reveals to Naruto he allowed the Kamizuri clan to capture them, and Naruto realizes he, too, can break free. Still, this is Hinata's fight and the boys are content to watch from the sidelines as she uses her natural flexibility and precise chakra control to perform her special offensive/defensive combo technique which differs from Neji's Hakkeshou Kaiten.

When the Kamizuri clan realizes their attacks aren't hitting, Suzumebachi summons (Kuchiyose no Jutsu) her bee to spit another wave of wax at Hinata. The attack knocks Hinata to the ground, but Shino holds Naruto back and tells him to believe in her. Sure enough, Hinata focuses her chakra to create a defense barrier that the bee can't penetrate. The bee hits the barrier and bounces backwards. Exhausted, Hinata collapses into Naruto's arms.

With the Kamizuri clan defeated, the boys head to the spot where they hid the Bikouchuu. They have to expose Sasuke's scent (on his headband) as soon as it emerges from its cocoon. Suzumebachi follows and asks how her bees didn't find the container. Shino explains he covered the container with a special Aburame clan anti-bug ointment so her bees wouldn't approach it. She laughs and makes one last ditch attempt to retrieve the bug. Naruto Kage Bunshins and counters with Rasengen to finish the fight.

Once Suzumebachi is finally out of the way, the pupa breaks open from its cocoon. Frantically, the boys search for Sasuke's headband, which was tossed into nearby foliage with Naruto's attack. Just as the bug breaks free, Naruto farts, exposing the bug to his scent rather than Sasuke's.

Back at Konoha, Sakura angrily chases Naruto through the village berating him for ruining the mission. No one else seems to mind. Hinata sits happily with Neji and her father, vowing to train harder. Her dad smiles and tells her to do her best.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 150 - Deceive, Confuse, and Be Deceived! The Grand Bug Battle!

2008-02-12T00:44:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 150 - Deceive, Confuse, and Be Deceived! The Grand Bug Battle!

Kiba fills Naruto in on the three baddies who have been watching them. Naruto asks why they didn't tell him. Because Naruto would have made a huge ruckus and scared the bugs away. Shino explains that if they try to battle the Kamizuri clan, the Bikouchuu will most likely be injured. That's why they want an exchange. They waited until Hinata was alone and attacked her with bees.

Shino explains that another bug clan, the Kamizuri clan, lives in Hidden Rock Village. Around the time of his grandfather, the Kamizuri were of the same status as the Aburame. Then, one day, the Kamizuri decided to attack Konoha. Their plan was to release a swarm of bees to create confusion in the village and then attack with the main force. However, the Aburame clan discovered them while they were still within the forest and defeated the intruders. This battle secured the Aburame clan's status within Konoha while causing the Kamizuri clan to lose their status in Hidden Rock Village.

Meanwhile, Hinata awakens to find herself plastered on the wall of a large bee hive as bees swarm around her. She can hear her captors talking below. Since the Chuunin exam, Konoha has been in bad shape. They've lost their Hokage and many of their shinobi. Now, the Kamizuri clan has a chance to restore their name. To do so, they must find the scroll that Suzumebachi's grandfather hid which contains secret bug techniques. If they can find it, their clan will be able to take on bigger shinobi jobs and they can restore their clan's elite status.

Shino sends out a swarm of scouting bugs but only one returns. Naruto refuses to give up on Hinata but realizes that the Bikouchuu bug is their best chance of finding Sasuke. Shino explains that this mission was Hinata's idea and she had argued for it passionately so they'd like to complete it successfully if possible.

The boys decide to go to the exchange place in hope that they can get Hinata back without sacrificing their bug. Suzumebachi holds Hinata as Shino places the bug container before them. When the Kamizuri clan examines the bug, they quickly realize it's just a replacement and smash the glass to reveal a common helmet beetle. Shino calls for his destruction bugs (Kikaichuu) while Kiba rescues Hinata.

Naruto punches Kurobachi while Shino sends his bugs after Suzumebachi and Jibachi. Kiba sniffs Hinata and realizes she's a fake. The others melt into beeswax as well and a swarm of bees overwhelm the boys. Shino quickly sees that some bugs are clones while others are real and puts up his shield, Mushikabe no jutsu (Bug Wall), which is a lot like Neji's Kaiten only made up of bugs.

When the bees retreat, Suzumebachi confronts the genin. She had intended to give Hinata back but not now. She also knows that as a fellow bug user, Shino wouldn't have brought the Bikouchuu into a dangerous battle so she will kill them now then go looking for the bug. She sends another swarm of bees, this time equipped with explosion tags. They hit Shino's Mushikabe and there is a huge explosion. Suzumebachi then uses Hachi Senbon no jutsu (Thousand Bee Stings) and her bees shoot spikes at the boys.

The boys escape Suzumebachi for the moment and Shino assures them that the Bikouchuu is safe. They decide to focus on rescuing Hinata. Akamaru sniffs at the ground where a number of Shino's bugs lie dead and the boys know they are close. They soon find the entrance to the bee hive and walk inside. Hinata is trapped in a cocoon of honey. Naruto pulls her out and the boys chisel the honey away.

When Hinata is free she happily throws her arms around Naruto. Shino throws a kunai at her and demands to know where the real Hinata is. If she was really Hinata, she would have blushed and lost consciousness after hugging Naruto. Akamaru also senses two distinct smells. When Hinata pleads with Naruto, Shino asks what she tried to place on Naruto's back. She opens her hand to reveal an explosion tag then morphs into Suzumebachi. She wore Hinata's clothes to mask her smell.

Meanwhile, the real Hinata is hanging by a thread in the river upstream from a waterfall. Thirteen bees guard the rope. If she moves, they'll slice it, sending her down the river to her death. Sadly, she reflects on how in the end, all she did was get in everyone's way.

Suzumebachi uses explosion tags to trap the boys in the bee hive. Kiba catches them before they land on several ugly, chakra eating larva. Hinata hears the explosions from the river and realizes the boys haven't given up. She shouldn't either. She Byukugans and surveys her surroundings. If she could only defeat all 13 bees at once, she could free herself. With Naruto in her thoughts, she concentrates and controls her chakra. A whirlpool forms in the water and she sends 13 water spikes at the bees. She hits 12, narrowly missing the thirteenth, before the rope is cut, sending her flying downstream towards death.

Back at the bee hive, the boys aren't doing much better. Suzumebachi calls Kuchiyose no jutsu to summon a large bug at the hive's exit above them. Below them crawl the chakra eating larvae. How will they get out of this one?

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 149 - How Is It Different? Don't All Bugs Look The Same?

2008-02-12T00:40:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 149 - How Is It Different? Don't All Bugs Look The Same?

Tsunade is resting in a bath, drinking sake and enjoying the peace and quiet, when Shizune walks in and drags her back to her office where piles of paperwork await her. Lazily, she picks up the first report. It's a report from ANBU in Earth Country about unrest among the Kamizuri clan. Long ago this bug clan was as famous as the Aburame clan but their numbers have shrunk. Believing they pose no threat, Tsunade crumples the paper and tosses it in the trash.

In Bikouchuu forest, Naruto marvels at how many bug types there are as the three baddies watch from the distance. Jibachi (blonde hair with glasses) reminds his teammates that this is the only time they can catch the Bikouchuu. Suzumebachi (female) adds that the revival of their clan depends on it. They've been here 10 days with no luck but with a member of the Aburame clan here, their luck may just change.

Shino shows his teammates a picture of the Bikouchuu bug before they split up to look. A wave of recognition hits Naruto and he exclaims that he's seen it before. Once when he was eating in his extremely messy house, several of them appeared out of nowhere. Shino coolly explains that the bug he saw was an ordinary cockroach and that those bugs are completely different than the bug in this picture.

The team soon splits up. Shino uses Mushiyose no jutsu (Bug Summoning) to create a chakra web that attracts bugs. Several bugs come to him but not the Bikouchuu. Hinata uses Byakugan but has a difficult time seeing the bugs. She does spot the three Kamizuri clan members and races back to her team to inform them. Shino and Kiba have already picked up on the intruders when Naruto, who is completely oblivious to any onlookers, comes running with news that he found one. When he shows them the bug, they chide him for mistaking a common helmet beetle for the Bikouchuu.

They go back to searching and soon Naruto comes running again. This time he leads them to a very large replica of the bug in the picture. Shino examines the picture and determines that everything is correct but the size, which is much too large. Unfortunately, Naruto has climbed a tree and is poking at the massive bug's nose with a stick. Angrily, it flies at them extending its trunk-like nose until it crashes into the three Kamizuri clan members and flies away.

Later that night while the boys sleep, Hinata continues to practice chakra control to see bugs. The next day, the boys continue to scout. They don't have much time now. The atmosphere is changing and the rain will start soon. When it rains, the Bikouchuu lay their eggs so today is their last chance.

Shino confers with Kiba and Hinata about the baddies waiting in the distance. He suspects they are waiting for them to find the bug and will try to snatch it when they do. As the rain begins, Naruto speeds up his last ditch search for the bug while Hinata fears the mission will be a failure. She remembers her father's words and fears that in the end, she wasn't any help.

One glance at Naruto snaps her out of her pity session. He hasn't given up. She shouldn't either. Shino tells her that the rain might even make her Byukugan easier. She concentrates and he's right. She can see the bugs. After scouting the area, she spots one near Naruto and calls to him with its location. Naruto reaches out and after a quick chase, catches the bug in his hands.

Shino examines their new Bikouchuu to confirm that it is female. Naruto's so happy he hugs Hinata. As they watch, it lays an egg which will hatch in two days. Then, all it needs is Sasuke's scent.

Ready to make their move, the Kamizuri clan waits until Hinata is alone before attacking her. The three throw kunai and Suzumebachi uses Hachimichi no jutsu (Bee summoning) to send several bees at her. As Hinata tries to fend them off, she is doused with a very sticky honey that binds to her like glue. When she can no longer move, a bee stings her neck and she collapses.

Shino and Kiba ask Naruto if he knows what happened to Hinata. He mentions that she went to the lake to wash her face but that was some time ago. As they talk, the Kamizuri clan hurls a kunai with a note attached. They have Hinata. If the boys want her back, they must exchange the Bikouchuu for her.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 148 - Even Akamaru is Jealous of His Searching Ability! Search for the Phantom Bikouchuu!

2008-02-12T00:37:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 148 - Even Akamaru is Jealous of His Searching Ability! Search for the Phantom Bikouchuu!

Hinata, Shino, and Kiba pay a hospital visit to Kurenai. On the way, they bump into Tsunade and totally embarrass Hinata by telling her how Hinata passed out after seeing Naruto all bandaged up. To escape, Hinata dodges into a hospital room to find herself eye to eye with Naruto, who's walking upside down on the ceiling and waiting for Tsunade. When Hinata sees Naruto so close to her, her face goes red prompting him to ask if she has a fever. She screams and accidentally hits him in the head before falling backwards.

Akamaru jumps onto Hinata to wake her up. She finds herself in a hospital bed next to Kurenai. Everyone else is talking about Mizuki. They interrogated him but there's no evidence connecting him to Orochimaru. It seems he was just an abandoned pawn.

Naruto continues to badger Tsunade about allowing him to find Sasuke. She refuses to grant his mission request. They have no information on Sasuke's whereabouts and Naruto still isn't powerful enough to take on Orochimaru. Besides, doesn't he have training to do? Naruto quickly informs her that Jiraiya is on a mission before pressing forward. If they need information, he'll go out and find some.

At the Hyuuga residence, Hiashi is hard at work training Neji. Hinata serves them snacks before leaving with her team. While Hiashi tells Neji to watch over Hinata, Kiba and Shino are out in the forest helping her train.

A rain of kunai come flying from two different directions. Hinata deflects them all before the boys decide to take a break and congratulate her on a good training session. She tells them that it's because they took the time to work with her. Soon, her thoughts drift back to Naruto and she asks how they might help him out. Kiba admits that he'd like to help but Tsunade says they don't have any clues. Shino has an idea. There's a legendary bug called the Bikouchuu that is known for his scouting abilities. With a possible mission in mind, they head over to see Tsunade.

The last time the Bikouchuu were used was during the war. Newly hatched larva grow into adults within a few days, but if they are exposed to a smell during that stage - no matter how faint the scent - the bug will follow the scent to the destination. The problem is that this bug only lays one egg every few years. The good news is that this year is the breeding season and right now is when eggs usually hatch. Sasuke still has stuff in the village, so if they could expose a bug to his scent, perhaps they could track him down.

Still, the chance of success is only 10% and the village is in a difficult situation. However, Team 8 currently doesn't have any missions since Kurenai is in the hospital so they might as well try. Shino will be the team's leader. She then tosses a kunai at the ceiling and Naruto tumbles out. She makes him promise that if this mission is unsuccessful, he will give up on finding Sasuke.

As Hinata is leaving, Hiashi stops her and explains that Neji will begin practice soon. She tells him she has a mission. Surprised, Hiashi tells her to go but make sure she doesn't get in everyone's way. She agrees and rushes out of the house. On her way, she almost bumps into Neji but fancy footwork on her part helps her avoid the collision. Neji watches her go, impressed at the sudden move she just performed.

Outside, Hinata meets up with the boys and the four head out of the village. Naruto is antsy to get going but Shino explains that there's no rush. It will take two days to reach the Bikouchuu by foot. Eggs only hatch when it rains. He then gives Naruto a stern warning that he's the leader and Naruto is not to protest his orders.

Meanwhile, Sakura continues her medical training. She's now healing injured legs on rabbits. Tsunade asks if she wanted to go with them. On some level she did, but right now she must become as skilled a ninja as she can.

When the sun begins to set, the team sets up camp. Again, Naruto protests and again, Shino reminds him who's the boss. During the night, Hinata walks out to the waterfall to continue her training. Sometime later, Naruto wakes up to pee and notices a beautiful girl out in the lake. He doesn't realize it is Hinata, who's out there doing magical girl spinning and twirling over the water (presumably working on a new technique.) Naruto calls out to her but clumsily slips and falls into the water. When he looks up, she's gone.

The next day, Naruto brags to Kiba that he saw an incredibly pretty girl in the waterfall but when he called to her, she vanished. After thinking about it, Naruto decides it must have been a dream. When he looks over, Hinata's face is bright red.

As they press forward, the team stops to pick fruit for dinner. Shino explains they should watch out for fruit that grows to the size of a human. That type makes humans sick. Of course Naruto's eating it and gets the runs shortly after.

After another night's sleep (and training for Hinata), the team finally makes it to Bikouchuu forest. The place sits within a huge canyon, one that the team must climb down if they want to find that bug. On the way down, Naruto slips, but Shino uses his bugs to create a rope. He then pulls Naruto back to the cliff safely and they make their way down the rest of the way without incident.

Waiting for them are three members of the Kamizuru clan who are also looking for the Bikouchuu bug.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 147 - Confrontation of Fate! You Will Not Defeat Me

2008-02-12T00:33:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 147 - Confrontation of Fate! You Will Not Defeat Me

Now at level two, Mizuki throws Iruka around and marvels at his new powers. Tsubaki pleads with him to stop committing sins and return with her to the village. He responds coldly by throwing her backwards into the forest. Naruto runs towards him and Kage Bunshins.

The Naruto clones surround Mizuki in a square pattern to form Uzumaki Ring formation. Each has a kunai in hand and is ready to attack. With lightning quick speed, Mizuki races though the clones, taking out several, before Naruto gets an opening and attacks from the rear. But Naruto is too slow and soon Mizuki has him pinned to the ground with his foot.

Iruka tries to divert Mizuki's attention as Mizuki continues to get off on his own power. Iruka throws a shurikan but Mizuki easily dodges and soon has Iruka in a head lock. Iruka counters by saying that relying on medicine is not real power. Mizuki laughs and tells him that even if he trained for 100 years, Iruka still wouldn't obtain the kind of power Orochimaru's formula has just granted him. He pulls a large shurikan off his back and throws. This time the tables are reversed. Instead of Iruka covering for Naruto, Naruto takes the shot in the back to save Iruka. Mizuki laughs at the irony then powers up and turns into a tiger beast.

Ino is the first to use up her chakra and soon the Fuujin-Raijin brothers are free and walking towards Shikamaru. What to do? Tsunade appears out of nowhere and tells them to leave the rest to her. One glimpse of Tsunade and the brothers are trembling with fear. She walks up to them and flicks them with her finger sending them flying backwards. They immediately apologize, prompting Chouji to ask what she did to them in the past. Tsunade then reprimands the brothers for following Mizuki's plan and orders them back to prison. If they arrive late, there will be no dinner for them.

Now with even more power, Mizuki attacks both Iruka and Naruto. While his attention is momentarily diverted to Naruto, Pakkun asks if Iruka noticed that Mizuki's power may have doubled but his reflexes don't seem to be as quick. Perhaps that means he's diverting chakra to speed. As Mizuki continues pounding away on Naruto, Naruto asks where Orochimaru is. They've been to Sound Village and his mansion was empty. Mizuki thinks Naruto's bluffing and tells him to beg for his life.

Iruka heads into the forest to set a trap. Once his explosion tags are firmly in place, he signals to Naruto with his forehead protector. Naruto gets the picture and taunts Mizuki to follow him among the trees. Once inside, Iruka does Fuubaku Houjin (Sealed Bombs - Square Formation) while Naruto forms Rasengan and lands it in Mizuki's abdomen. Iruka watches in amazement as Naruto pulls off the Fourth's technique.

It's game over for Mizuki as his powers fade and his body withers into a decrepit old man. Tsunade, having just arrived, explains that the medicine he drank is causing his cells to self destruct. He'll no longer live as a shinobi. Tsunade also suspects that Mizuki was nothing more than a play thing for Orochimaru.

As Tsunade, Iruka and Naruto make their way back to Konoha, Sakura continues her medical nin training. She stands over a dead fish and her hands glow green. Suddenly, the fish starts bouncing around. She immediately runs out to tell Tsunade that she's cleared the seventh level. Tsunade looks at her apprentice with a mixture of shock and pride. It seems that Sakura is as talented as Shizune.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 146 - Abandoned Dreams. The Shadow of Orochimaru

2008-02-12T00:27:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 146 - Abandoned Dreams. The Shadow of Orochimaru

Naruto watches the collapsing building in horror while Pakkun tries to catch Iruka's scent. After a moment of panic, Iruka pulls himself out of the rubble. Tsubaki, who's been following the shinobi for quite some time, appears and tends to Iruka's wounds. He then introduces her as Mizuki's fiancé to Pakkun and Naruto.

Tsubaki admits to knowing about Mizuki's intentions. He recently visited her but she wasn't able to stop him. She begs the shinobi to take her with them. She wants to help them stop Mizuki before he commits any more crimes. Iruka firmly tells her no - that she'd just get in the way - but Naruto stands up for her. When she reveals she might know where he's headed, Iruka caves in.

Mizuki raids the Nara Laboratory in search of medical supplies. He kills two researchers before he finds everything he needs. Meanwhile, Tsunade gets word that the lab is under siege by Mizuki and asks about the ingredients that were stolen. With list in hand, Tsunade tries to figure out what Mizuki might be making.

Tsubaki admits that her fiancé is seeking power from Orochimaru. That was why he tried to take the forbidden scroll a year ago. He wanted to present it to Orochimaru in exchange for power. When she learned of his true intentions, she was scared, but didn't think she could stop him herself.

A shinobi interrupts Tsunade's research to report that all prisoners have been recaptured except Mizuki, Raijin and Fuujin. There have been reports that the three escaped together. Surprised, Tsunade quickly leaves to help out.

Ino shika chou has the brothers trapped for the moment but they are quickly running out of chakra. The moment they let go, it'll be game over since there's no way they can defeat them. They just have to keep holding on.

Mizuki looks down at his tattoo and remembers the first time Orochimaru came to him. After strangling his teammate, Orochimaru appeared from a nearby tree to congratulate him on taking such actions. It's something rarely done in Konoha. He then extends his snake to bite Mizuki's arm, telling him to come seek him out when he's ready.

Mizuki walks into his secret hideout in a cave and using a kunai to trigger a hidden door, enters the secret chamber. Once inside, he pulls a hidden chain. The floor opens up revealing a large mixing contraption.

Outside, Tsubaki asks if Naruto is still mad at Mizuki for getting him involved with stealing the scroll. Naruto explains that he's over it. Now his attention is focused squarely on Orochimaru.

Back inside, Mizuki fills the weird contraption with potions and presses a button. The liquids flow down the cast mixing together until they form a red potion at the bottom. Sensing his visitors, he bottles up the potion and walks outside.

Anxious to prove his power, he gulps down the potion in front of his onlookers then throws down the empty container. Soon, he goes super-sized. His muscles bulge. Fangs appear. The transformation reminds Naruto of Sasuke's level 2 cursed seal transformation.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 145 - Explosion! New Formation Ino-shika-chou

2008-02-12T00:10:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 145 - Explosion! New Formation Ino-shika-chou

Ino shika chou arrives under Tsunade's order to help out. They'll stay to fight the Fuujin-Raijin brothers so Naruto can head after Mizuki. Naruto warns them that the brothers aren't very bright but they have Tsunade's strength before he goes.

Iruka follows Mizuki's blood trail to a pool in the bamboo thicket where it appears to stop. Suddenly the ground melts away and he sinks in quicksand. Iruka immediately realizes he's stuck in genjutsu and dispels it, but Mizuki follows up with a puppet attack. Iruka barely defeats the puppet and soon turns toward Mizuki. He's impressed. It takes talent to use a puppet right after genjutsu.

While Shikamaru still has the brothers in Shadow Bind, Ino uses Shintenshin no jutsu (Mind Transfer) to take over Fuujin's body.

As Naruto rushes to catch up to Iruka, Mizuki leads Iruka to the building where they took their Academy teaching exams. There, Mizuki vows never to acknowledge Iruka. Why should he? No one in the village ever acknowledged his power. He flashes back to a mission long ago where one of his comrades was hit in the leg and went down. Mizuki stopped to help while their team leader decided to withdraw. Instead of trying to bandage the wound, Mizuki placed his hand over his teammate's mouth and smothered him so that the mission could continue. Now, both Iruka and Naruto are acknowledged but he's not.

To Mizuki, everything went downhill from the day he and Iruka took their Academy teaching exam. Iruka was nervous but sure the exam would be a cinch for Mizuki, who always got better grades than him. During the exam, Iruka accidentally triggered a trap sending kunai whizzing at him but Mizuki came to his rescue and both passed.

Later, Mizuki overheard the village elders talking with the Hokage about the suspicion surrounding Mizuki's last mission to retrieve a secret document. It appeared that one of the teammates had been suffocated. The Hokage agrees to keep an eye on Mizuki until they can clear things up.

In the present, Mizuki asks if Iruka can understand how he felt - to receive such treatment after successfully completing a mission? He walks into the building. Iruka follows and the two continue their kunai battle.

As Raijin tries to figure out what happened to his brother, Fuujin begins hitting him. Raijin retaliates by trying to strangle Fuujin and ordering him to wake up. He then takes a pop shot, sending Ino back into her own body. Shikamaru uses Kage Kubishibari no jutsu and his shadow hands reach around the brothers' bodies and grasp their necks.

Iruka struggles around the darkness blindly. In the pitch black, Mizuki has the advantage. Having spent so long in prison, his eyes have adapted to low lighting. Now, he comes at his prey at all angles with kunai and physical attacks.

Ino is ready to show off her new technique and uses Shinranshin no jutsu (Mind Body Confusion) to take over Raijin's body. He turns to Fuujin and grabs his brother's shoulders. Chouji joins in with Bubun Baika no jutsu (Partial Multi-size) and grows super-sized arms and hands. Each massive hand grabs a brother and squeezes.

Iruka closes his eyes and concentrates on his surroundings. There, he sees Mizuki place several explosion tags but before he can do anything about them, the tags explode.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 144 - The New Three-Man Group! Two People and a Dog!

2008-02-12T00:06:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 144 - The New Three-Man Group! Two People and a Dog!

Hard punches by the Naruto clones leave the Fuujin-Raijin brothers feeling itchy. Naruto stares in awe at how his clones are unable to do damage. As the brothers defeat the first ring of clones, Naruto tries again. This time, they are greeted with a hammer fist and destroyed instantaneously. Iruka sees that Naruto is in trouble and calls for him to stop as the brothers swing each other around to knock out even more clones.

Mizuki talks smack about Naruto before explaining that he is after power. Friendship and teamwork are nothing compared to the power Orochimaru will provide him. He then runs into the forest, leading Iruka deeper into the bamboo foliage. Naruto tries to follow but the idiot Fuujin-Raijin brothers think it's a game of tag and quickly stop him. Pakkun warns Naruto that fighting these cretins would be useless.

Deep inside the forest, Iruka wanders through the bamboo thickets searching for Iruka. A kunai comes whizzing by but Iruka dodges it. When Iruka calls out to Mizuki, a hand morphs out of the ground behind him. Mizuki emerges behind Iruka and slices him fatally with his kunai. As Iruka's body falls to the ground, it disappears and Mizuki realizes it was only a replacement. The real Iruka then sneaks up behind Mizuki.

Naruto uses a smoke bomb and Kage Bunshins in a new attempt to escape the Fuujin-Raijin brothers. Amused, they think it's a game of super tag and pound the forest floor, causing a large radius of trees to cave in, to defeat the clones.

Back at the Iruka/Mizuki battle, Iruka is still grappling with Mizuki's quest for power. He tries to appeal to Mizuki's sensitive side by refusing to trade blows and reminding him of his Konoha origins.

As Raijin spots Naruto's hiding place, he brainstorms a new idea. He Kage Bunshins and the clones for a circle around the brothers. Then they start running as fast as they can. When the brothers are sufficiently dizzy, Naruto forms Rasengan.

Back among the bamboo, Iruka is still dodging attacks from Mizuki. He flashes back to a year after his parents' death. He was standing at his parents' grave crying when the Third tried to comfort him. The Hokage hugged him and told him that everyone in Konoha possesses a will of fire. It's that will that protects the village and binds all of Konoha together into one family. As they talk, the Hokage notices someone watching them. It's Mizuki. He heard Iruka wasn't doing so well so he wanted to check on him. He then invites Iruka out to play with the rest of the kids. Happily, Iruka wipes his tears away and joins him.

Consumed with dizziness, Fuujin drops the brothers' lunch under his feet and accidentally stomps on it. The brothers quickly regain composure just as Naruto runs at them with Rasengan. With a grand swipe, they push the Naruto clones back into Naruto's Rasengan and there is a huge explosion. Naruto flies backwards and lands hard against a tree.

Mizuki admits that the way Iruka remembers him isn't quite accurate. The truth is that the only reason Mizuki was so kind was because he through Iruka was pitiful. Iruka always got special treatment, even from the Hokage, because his parents died. So Mizuki saw an opportunity to make the Hokage like him, too, and took it.

As emotion clouds Iruka's judgment, he randomly throws a kunai but it strikes a piece of bamboo before it can reach its target. Mizuki attacks with his own kunai. Iruka barely deflects and falls backwards among the broken bamboo stalks, slicing his shoulder. Mizuki walks forward. This time, Iruka concentrates and hurls a kunai so it bounces off a bamboo stalk and lands square in Mizuki's shoulder.

Naruto awakens to find Raijin holding him up off the ground by his shirt. Pissed, Raijin is determined to pound the crap out of Naruto for ruining their lunch. An uppercut sends Naruto flying backwards. As the brothers are about to throw a finishing blow, Shikamaru appears out of nowhere and catches them in Kagemana no jutsu (Shadow Bind). Ino shika chou has arrived!

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 143 - Run, Ton-Ton! I'm Depending On Your Nose!

2008-02-12T00:02:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 143 - Run, Ton-Ton! I'm Depending On Your Nose!

Naruto arrives at the Correctional Facility to find Kurenai and Asuma face down. A medical team arrives to help the defeated jounin guards lying scattered throughout the prison.

With Ton-Ton leading the way, Shizune is hot on the trail of Mizuki when the Fuujin-Raijin brothers attack her team. Meanwhile, Tsunade is hard at work in her office when a medical nin reports that Kurenai and Asuma are back in the hospital but safe. She heads over to visit them and gets a recap.

Asuma and Kurenai recount that when they arrived, all the guards had been captured. Mizuki planed his grand escape by rallying all the prisoners to escape as well. As they talk, Naruto barges into the hospital room while several medical nins try to hold him back. He admits to overhearing that Orochimaru is involved in this and is itching for more information.

Naruto follows Tsunade out of the hospital where she lectures him for being so persistent. The village is facing difficult times and everyone else is trying their best, yet all he can think about is Sasuke. Yes, it's probably true that Orochimaru is involved with this but Naruto is not at a level where he could face off against him yet.

Ton-Ton interrupts Tsunade to inform her that Shizune is in trouble. While Naruto's not fluent in pig speak, he picks up enough of the message to know that he might be able to help and quickly runs off after Ton-Ton.

Mizuki stops to visit his fiancé, Tsubaki, and grab a bite to eat for the Fuujin-Raijin brothers. There, Tsubaki pleads with him not to get involved with Orochimaru. It was because of him that a lot of people died, including the Third, and the village is in shambles. And it's because of him that Mizuki isn't here with her now. Mizuki tries to comfort her but is still stuck on that incident with Iruka and Naruto a year ago. She defends Naruto who fought bravely to save Konoha.

The thought that Naruto might be a hero enrages Mizuki and he grabs Tsubaki. Once he gains absolute power from Orochimaru, they'll be able to do whatever they want. She hugs him, pleading with him to return to his gentler self. He responds by knocking her unconscious and leaving.

Kakashi returns from his mission and reports back to Tsunade with a recaptured prisoner over each shoulder. As Tsunade delivers another S ranked mission, Iruka walks in. Kakashi pats him on the shoulder and summons Pakkun into Iruka's hand while Tsunade explains Iruka's new mission. Of course, it's to follow Naruto. When they catch up, Pakkun relieves Ton-Ton of his scouting duties and tells him to head back to the village.

Pakkun catches the scent of an escaped prisoner and leads Iruka and Naruto to Shizune. Surprised, he realizes that Mizuki threw off the scent by leaving prisoners' clothing in various places. As soon as they uncover Shizune, she informs them of the situation and starts running to catch up to her teammates. (No, Iruka and Naruto don't seem to think it's weird that Shizune, who was just unconscious and supposedly hurt badly, can now pick herself up and run full speed.)

Up ahead, they spot a decoy garment and realize they've just walked into a trap. A boulder crashes down from above them as the shinobi scatter for cover. The Fuujin-Raijin brothers appear behind Shizune, who transforms back into Mizuki.

Naruto doesn't recognize him and Iruka admits to being duped. He explains that the only time a leader tells their teammates to go on ahead is when they are dying or wounded. Mizuki tricked him. Mizuki responds that Iruka is a poor example. He should have led them to higher ground to avoid traps and spot the enemy easier. He then attacks Iruka leaving the brothers to target Naruto.

Iruka and Mizuki fight with kunai while Naruto Kage Bunshins around the brothers. As the brothers stand there in confusion, Naruto tells them he's after Mizuki not them. They don't care so the Naruto clones punch the brothers in the gut. After nothing happens, the brothers use their super strength to knock the ring of clones backwards.

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 142 - The Evil Trio of the High Security Installation

2008-02-11T23:57:00.000-08:00

Uzumaki Naruto Episode 142 - The Evil Trio of the High Security Installation

Anxious to get back to training, Naruto removes the bandages on his hands while Sakura stands over a dead fish lying on a scroll and tries to use her healing powers. They aren't the only ones. The rest of the Konoha genin are training hard as well.

Shino gets some brief air time as he and Kiba walk over to Hinata's to pick her up. He asks about Kiba's mission, but Kiba tells him he wouldn't understand, making a mental note that he must get stronger to protect Akamaru. Hiashi is outside training Neji when they arrive. Meanwhile, Chouji's pigging out on barbeque for breakfast before intense training with Asuma while an exhausted Gai and Tenten watch Lee continue to practice.

Now an instructor at the Academy, Shikamaru and his class give Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari a grand farewell after thanking them for sticking around to teach genjutsu. Temari jokes that if something else happens, they'll be there to bail Shikamaru out.

Jiraiya informs Naruto that he has just received a mission so they'll have to postpone their training for awhile. He keeps secret that he's about to collect information on the Akatsuki because if Naruto found out, he'd beg to come along. Instead, he hands Naruto a huge scroll and explains that he made a special training schedule for him. It contains lots of special techniques not to be shown in public. Excited, Naruto rushes up to his bathroom and opens the scroll. It's blank except for the word Guts at the very end.

Shizune walks into Tsunade's office with a huge stack of village reports. Tsuande picks up the first and reads about the Konoha Strict Correctional Facility, where shinobi who've committed serious crimes work off their debt to society.

Cut to the Correctional Facility where numerous prisoners are shoveling dirt until dinner time. Two sumo sized brothers, Fuujin and Raijin happily trot off to dinner as a mysterious blue haired guy swipes a screwdriver before proceeding inside.

Later that night, Fuujin (named for God of wind) and Raijin (named for God of lightning) escape from their cells (apparently, they can bend the bars and walk out at any time) to find food. As long as they have food, they're happy, but without it, they are deadly. During a mission, they murdered their comrades for food. After a guard tosses them goodies, they head back to their cell but catch scent of something that smells delicious along the way.

As Tsunade is completing paperwork, she spots an attempted bribery incident report and orders Shizune to call all free jounin to her immediately.

The Fuujin-Raijin brothers follow their noses to the blue haired guy, who has a food stash waiting for them. After the meal, the brothers bow before him. He asks if they want something even more delicious. Of course they do. If they find Orochimaru, he'll give them great snacks.

Iruka treats Naruto to ramen and listens to him vent about Jiraiya's latest misdeed. When Iruka suggests that if Jiraiya's on a mission, it must be important to Tsunade, Naruto decides to head over to the Hokage's office to complain.

That evening, Asuma and Kurenai receive messenger birds that Tsunade wants to see them pronto. They head to Tsunade's office where she briefs them about Touji Mizuki, the chuunin who used Naruto to acquire the sealed scroll last year. At the time, they determined Mizuki was acting alone but Tsunade suspects Orochimaru is involved. When Mizuki entered the Correctional Facility, he tried to sneak in what the guards thought were just doodlings. Tsunade compared them to Orochimaru's notes and thinks there's a strong resemblance. Therefore she'd like Asuma and Kurenai to head over to the Correctional Facility to interrogate Mizuki. Naruto overhears everything and decides to follow.

When the two jounin arrive at the Correctional Facility, the Fuujin-Raijin brothers are waiting for them and all prisoners have been released. Mizuki watches nearby.

Naruto is close behind and when he makes it across the bridge to the Facility, he finds Asuma and Kurenai down.