Naruto Times the anime one-upped the manga

[Coelacanth]

Shippuuden 360

That was pretty good. Kakashi really has no problem beating up some uppity kids. That first test was up shockingly bad; do not attack your own teammates, seriously.

Team Gai pass through sheer guts and were actually the reason they didn't do the Chuunin Exams, rather than Gai holding them back.

Kakashi's classmates looking out for him all this time was sweet. As was all those students he failed actually being pretty grateful about the lesson he taught them.

I like how he never actually told them the point of the exercise and they had to figure it out themselves. It makes me think of those fics where Naruto's team do a background check with his failed students and find out exactly what Kakashi wants; this'd be a nice twist on that.

Naruto's ID photograph had some nostalgic feels.

Edit: Oh yeah, and something else that's makes the Tenzo-centric part of this arc even less canonical here. Unless Tsunade's shockingly ignorant about Tenzo's history, this is fairly big hint that he had no relation to Root.

I actually think you can look at that page you brought up in a way as if Tenzo knows more than Tsunade. He's pretty nonchalant about the accusation. As far as we've seen in the story, some ninja get over past enemies and acquaintances pretty quickly. Although, I could be off about by interpretation.

But to be honest, Tsunade doesn't have the best track record for knowing all the dirty things going on in her village. I doubt she would know about Itachi's role as a double agent given all the time she spent away from the village. Who is to say if Hiruzen shared that information with his advisors.

To the episode, I enjoyed it as well. Kakashi's classmates were definitely much better people than most give them credit for.

Just one thing to note, when and where did Kakashi pick up his taste for Icha Icha. In the examination against Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, he trolled them while fighting and started reading. When did that become a thing?

 

[Knyght]

I actually think you can look at that page you brought up in a way as if Tenzo knows more than Tsunade. He's pretty nonchalant about the accusation. As far as we've seen in the story, some ninja get over past enemies and acquaintances pretty quickly. Although, I could be off about by interpretation.

Hmm, I think you'd only read it like that with the events from the anime in mind. Given how much we learned about Root in that arc, Tenzo having past linked with them should have been mentioned. IIRC, the kind of conversation they had with Sai later would also meant that he'd been feigning ignorance.

Hearing that Tsunade has suspicions that an old man might be planning something wouldn't garner much of a reaction at the best of times. Not to mentioned he's ANBU and is a fairly stoic character anyway. And if Tenzo was related to Danzo, you'd think he'd have something more to say than asking if she's over-thinking it.

But to be honest, Tsunade doesn't have the best track record for knowing all the dirty things going on in her village. I doubt she would know about Itachi's role as a double agent given all the time she spent away from the village. Who is to say if Hiruzen shared that information with his advisors.

Point. But the truth of Uchiha Massacre is definitely the kind of secret that you'd want completely swept under the rug and forgotten. I wouldn't think Tenzo having ties to Danzo is critical information that it needs to be hidden, but useful information that she should keep in mind.

To the episode, I enjoyed it as well. Kakashi's classmates were definitely much better people than most give them credit for.

Just one thing to note, when and where did Kakashi pick up his taste for Icha Icha. In the examination against Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, he trolled them while fighting and started reading. When did that become a thing?

Maybe he just picked up a copy beforehand because he usually finds these tests rather tedious and wanted something to do. Then he realised that he really liked the book and became an avid reader.

 

[Coelacanth]

I actually think you can look at that page you brought up in a way as if Tenzo knows more than Tsunade. He's pretty nonchalant about the accusation. As far as we've seen in the story, some ninja get over past enemies and acquaintances pretty quickly. Although, I could be off about by interpretation.

Hmm, I think you'd only read it like that with the events from the anime in mind. Given how much we learned about Root in that arc, Tenzo having past linked with them should have been mentioned. IIRC, the kind of conversation they had with Sai later would also meant that he'd been feigning ignorance.

Hearing that Tsunade has suspicions that an old man might be planning something wouldn't garner much of a reaction at the best of times. Not to mentioned he's ANBU and is a fairly stoic character anyway. And if Tenzo was related to Danzo, you'd think he'd have something more to say than asking if she's over-thinking it.

But to be honest, Tsunade doesn't have the best track record for knowing all the dirty things going on in her village. I doubt she would know about Itachi's role as a double agent given all the time she spent away from the village. Who is to say if Hiruzen shared that information with his advisors.

Point. But the truth of Uchiha Massacre is definitely the kind of secret that you'd want completely swept under the rug and forgotten. I wouldn't think Tenzo having ties to Danzo is critical information that it needs to be hidden, but useful information that she should keep in mind.

To the episode, I enjoyed it as well. Kakashi's classmates were definitely much better people than most give them credit for.

Just one thing to note, when and where did Kakashi pick up his taste for Icha Icha. In the examination against Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, he trolled them while fighting and started reading. When did that become a thing?

Maybe he just picked up a copy beforehand because he usually finds these tests rather tedious and wanted something to do. Then he realised that he really liked the book and became an avid reader.

This really does become a dilemma of who should keep the secrets, and what happens when the one who truly knows everything is long gone and dead, and we are left with half-truths and what not.

If anything, this highlights a lack of effective organizational succession planning.

 

[Aqzt]

So... After rewatching some of the pre-timeskip anime fights, I think I finally understand why I thought Sasuke was better than Naruto at cooperation in Part I.

It's because he actually was in the anime, and the anime was the medium through which I first experienced Naruto.

(Not that Naruto is bad at teamwork or something. It's just made a lot more obvious in the anime that Sasuke is smarter, and thus understands its value better, while Naruto is kind of impulsive, and often forgoes working/planning with his teammates in order to charge directly into battle.)

In fact, one of the major differences I've noticed between the anime and the manga is that basically every character other than Naruto gets way more chances to shine in the former, while Naruto himself still ends up being awesome in comparison.

This actually makes me feel that most of the fights in the anime are a hell of a lot more entertaining than the original ones.

So there. In my opinion, all of Part I of the anime, other than the massive filler marathon at the end, was universally better than Part I of the manga. Rather major one-up, methinks. :snigger:

 

[ankokudaishogun]

I must say, now you've said it, I believe I've in the same situation, with the anime being my first source of Naruto exposure.

Also, while the filler hell at the end was too much, it still gave us the chance to see the other characters in action: Tenten was a virtual non-existence in the manga, while the anime, between her fight with Temari and the filler at the end, did give us her character.
Same for pretty much everybody else.

My view on Hinata's growth has been colored by the anime, no doubt. As well as my view on Naruto being a moron.

 

[Knyght]

There goes the last episode of the filler. And maybe the last ever filler arc?

Gives a brief explanation on why Hiruzen chose the team formations he did. That's actually a bit where Iruka assumes that Naruto was placed with Sasuke to create balance with the dead last and top rookie, whilst Hiruzen was actually thinking of the Sharingan and Kyuubi. And Sakura was thrown in as a driving force for Naruto.

Kakashi lets the duster fall on him to assess the reactions: Naruto takes credit, Sakura blames Naruto to protect herself and Sasuke ignores everything. Zero teamwork. Clever.

Then Kakashi gets a happy moment when Sasuke and Sakura offer their lunches to Naruto. Nice way to end things...until you remember how things turn out.


On a different note, before the Shadow of the ANBU arc we had a couple episodes about the original Akatsuki. During the Fourth Shinobi War, we saw that Hanzo used to be a charismatic, peace seeker who grew into a paranoid cynic. Which one do people think is more likely: that Hanzo was still a good guy at that time but got tricked into thinking Akatsuki was his enemy, or that he'd already lost his faith and believed Akatsuki was a threat to his power?

 

[KurokamiDG]

I feel like Danzo had a hand in that one too. Like, Hanzo was cooperating with Danzo because he wanted to form an alliance with Konoha, but all the shit that Danzo was doing while working behind the scenes got to him eventually

 

[Emerald Oracle]

I feel that we can not possibly go wrong in blaming an increase in badness in the setting on Danzo. It seems to be his raison d'etre to be the amoral pragmatist that makes decisions that horrifically backfire on him and all he purportedly cares about. He doesn't ever seem to reflect on the negative repercussions of the crap he's pulled either.

 

[Knyght]

Shippuuden 363

Where god wakes up and blows shit up, the Shinobi Alliance make a dynamic entry and Naruto somehow has a conversation with Obito despite literally being miles away from one another. Talk no Jutsu is truly powerful.

Someone should give Kurama a headband. Dude's a born captain.

It's got that whole fluid animation thing going on again too. And in a good way.

So not only do Gai and Kakashi have a shared brother standing there, but it looks like Zori and Waraji became fucking ninja.

Sengoku Basara's Sarutobi Sasuke also decides to make an appearance:

 

[ankokudaishogun]

Zori and Waraji were actually undercover ninja from some Konoha, keeping track of Gatou's activities and tasked to remove him should have Gatou became a threat to Konoha.
This is my headcanon, now.

 

[Altered Nova]

They must have been pretty fucking deep undercover then, considering they were willing to murder little children on Gatou's orders. Also that would mean Konoha was totally cool with Gatou conquering and tyrannizing a small nation as long as he didn't threaten Konoha directly, which I cannot accept.

Knight how do you even notice all these tiny animation easter eggs?

 

[Knyght]

Were I a man who indulged in conspiracy I would propose that Zori and Waraji were working for Root to steal the ridiculous amount of wealth belonging to one of the world's richest men. To gain his favour, they've spent an entire year ensuring the oppression of the Land of Waves starting with the death of Kaiza the fisherman. Gatou's death was followed by the surprising disappearance of all his wealth and the collapse of his shipping company. With Danzo sitting on a pretty penny, Zori and Waraji went back to work as their next mission took the to Kirigakure to investigate the current political climate and rumours of Akatsuki.

But as a rational man I can only assume that Zori and Waraji decided to start anew in the Land of Water and built upon their physical conditioning and sword skills with ninja training. Now they're two proud shinobi of Kirigakure who really hope that Naruto doesn't see and recognise them.

Anyway, I just checked out the episode thread on reddit and shared. I think the only time I noticed something like that myself was when Sasuke's twin sister appeared after Madara's resurrection.

 

[KurokamiDG]

can you provide a pic?

 

[Knyght]

 

[Knyght]

After a couple episodes of Juubi-style rapeage, character death and the Shinobi Alliance kicking some ass, Sasuke finally has his little chat with the Hokages. I skimmed through most of the talking to see the important bit, namely the Tobirama/Hashirama rage faces and the Hashirama/Madara fight.

Poor animation quality spoiled the rage faces that I was looking forward to, as it did the visible chakra aura. I could have done without that. But the quality suddenly took a leap for the fight at least. Felt pretty damn fast paced too.

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjvdwtZaCKY[/video]

 

[TC_Hazard]

Funny. I felt the opposite. While the animation quality took a jump for that fight, it still felt too slow compared to the manga fight.

 

[Knyght]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRNy_03e2A0[/video]

 

[Coelacanth]

That ending was amazing. I'm buying.

 

[Ashaman]

Is Itachi making some sort of EPIC breakfast or something?

And is that Akatsuki recruitment flashbacks?

 

[AJ_Katon]

Is Itachi making some sort of EPIC breakfast or something?

And is that Akatsuki recruitment flashbacks?

EPIC UCHIHA MEAL TIME!

 

[Antimatter]

Is Itachi making some sort of EPIC breakfast or something?

And is that Akatsuki recruitment flashbacks?

EPIC UCHIHA MEAL TIME!

and thus was born a Naruto/Soma crossover fic for the ages.

 

[AJ_Katon]

Is Itachi making some sort of EPIC breakfast or something?

And is that Akatsuki recruitment flashbacks?

EPIC UCHIHA MEAL TIME!

and thus was born a Naruto/Soma crossover fic for the ages.

RAMEN VS TOMATOES!? WHO WINS?

 

[Altered Nova]

Day one purchase bonus... Itachi's apron costume??? And an animation of Akatsuki cloak wearing Itachi cooking an egg for post-time skip Sasuke to ridiculously epic music???

Seriously who comes up with this stuff, and how did it get approved? Must be some weird in-joke with the development staff or something.

 

[TheKinginRed]

So regarding the new episode, I found it interesting that the anime version has a 'Hagoromo' Clan.

So maybe they were relatives of both Uchiha and Senju and split along battle lines when the two clans began fighting.

 

[Antimatter]

Was actually kind of hyped for the game, till I saw there was no ps4 version.