33 replies to this topic

[Leney]

So when is Naruto going to get promoted already? Seriously someone better get on the paperwork when this is over, stat.
I think I may have missed a page cause Sakura only had one line the entire chapter, and I didn't read sisterly vibes from that one panel.

[Nee-sama]

Decent chapter! I liked seeing Pain go flying from the rasengan attack but how is it there was no marks left on his body from it?

Only other thing I can say is... someone go save the Kock-eyed sensei already!!!

[Nawheetos]

So when is Naruto going to get promoted already? Seriously someone better get on the paperwork when this is over, stat.
I think I may have missed a page cause Sakura only had one line the entire chapter, and I didn't read sisterly vibes from that one panel.

Remember back at the beginning of the chunin exams, when he said it didn't matter if he stayed a genin, he'd still be hokage? Maybe that's exactly what he will do and skip all the ranks! Ok in a way it would be kind of silly, but at the same time, rather poetic

[zig-zag-zombies]

I thought this was a good chapter. It really showed a lot about how much Naruto has grown and how much support and respect he has gained. He's dealing with something that neither his father nor Jiraiya could answer, and it seems that he's found his answer. I'm excited to see the talk between Nagato and Naruto. I was glad that Nagato had Konan step aside, since I didn't really want to see Naruto fight against her. It seems to me that Konan's loyalties lie entirely with Nagato rather than with Akatsuki.

Not too much to say about this chapter, except that I liked it. I think that what Shikamaru said about Naruto was really special, especially considering his intellect. Naruto really has grown up, and he has what it takes to become Hokage. That's what this chapter is showing. He's protecting the village and doing it by himself (albeit with emotional support).

I've got my own theories on what's going to happen between Naruto and Sasuke, but I'll keep them to myself at the moment. I do believe, however, that Nagato and Naruto are simply going to talk. I don't think it's going to become another battle. I can't say for sure though, I'm just excited to see where Kishimoto takes us next!

[Paptala]

This chapter only shows how different Naruto is from Sasuke. He understands things more deeply than anyone gives him credit for - probably why only people like Shikamaru and his dad were able to see deduce through his web of thought. I like seeing how Shikaku trusts him so much - if I was in Inoichi's place and didn't know about that whole "peace talk", I would have reacted the same way seeing my home blown up.

Naruto's starting to understand that killing is only the easy way out, I'm glad his character is taking that direction.

I agree completely. This fight was so important for Naruto's character development, in that he can now look at things from Sasuke's point of view, say I've been there, done that, and revenge is not the answer. The answers that he's gotten from this fight will be integral to his upcoming confrontation with Sasuke in my opinion.

I thought this was a good chapter. It really showed a lot about how much Naruto has grown and how much support and respect he has gained. He's dealing with something that neither his father nor Jiraiya could answer, and it seems that he's found his answer. I'm excited to see the talk between Nagato and Naruto. I was glad that Nagato had Konan step aside, since I didn't really want to see Naruto fight against her. It seems to me that Konan's loyalties lie entirely with Nagato rather than with Akatsuki.

Not too much to say about this chapter, except that I liked it. I think that what Shikamaru said about Naruto was really special, especially considering his intellect. Naruto really has grown up, and he has what it takes to become Hokage. That's what this chapter is showing. He's protecting the village and doing it by himself (albeit with emotional support).

Shikamaru's words made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside for Naruto. He has such an interesting relationship with Naruto, if you look back on it, and outside of their respective teams, actually seem to be closest with each other.

I was actually really struck by Naruto's behavior in this chapter. His entire world view was just flipped upside down in this battle, and I think he's really matured because of it. He's starting to actively challenge the way things are done by yelling at Inoichi "Should I just destroy Pein and his cronies and his whole village and that'll solve everything?!"

This is a teenager who's tired of the constant hate and hurt and is ready to try for something better. He's always been an incredibly empathetic person, and this really does show signs of Naruto maturing into a much more promising candidate for Hokage.

I'm also really looking forward to the next chapter. For some reason, I keep flash backing to Harry Potter book 7 *SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT HARRY POTTER* when Harry went alone to sacrifice himself so that Voldemort could be beat. Just as Harry held an integral key in Voldemort's invincibility, Naruto holds the final key to completing this dooms day weapon Pein talked about. Kyuubi couldn't be killed before, but now that he's tied to a mortal, the death of that mortal is the only way to kill the demon. Nagato seems awfully laid back, and Naruto can only hold his Sage mode for 5 minutes. Nagato said that Naruto's death will lead to peace, and just now he said, "Peace has arrived." I dunno, maybe I'm just reading too much into this.

Also, just a side note, does anyone know why Naruto stabbed himself in this chapter? He wasn't in Sage Mode, and he already knew where Nagato was. Do you think there was a point behind this, or did Kishi just flub up?

Edited by Paptala, 10 April 2009 - 06:32 PM.

[catsi563]

I think he was simply confirming where he was is all. After all common sense dictates if your like Nagato and essentially helpless you move around a lot to hide your location.

Also any ninja wouldnt stay in one location too long after they were discovered like nagato was.

Hence he decided to confirm and make sure they were in the same place.

[Paptala]

I think he was simply confirming where he was is all. After all common sense dictates if your like Nagato and essentially helpless you move around a lot to hide your location.

Also any ninja wouldnt stay in one location too long after they were discovered like nagato was.

Hence he decided to confirm and make sure they were in the same place.

But all signs in the manga thus far have pointed to Naruto having to be in Sage Mode in order to track Nagato like he did. How is he suddenly able to do it in normal mode? If what you're saying is true (and there's a good chance it is), then Kishi created a plot hole.

[KungFuTruffle]

He wasn't looking for Nagato that time, I don't think. He was thinking about all the things Pain said, and about pain in general. Right after he stabbed himself, he started seeing images of injured and dead loved ones, like Jiraiya. He already knows where Nagato is, so there'd be no point in him checking again. It was more like he was confirming his decision with that act.

[harry4e]

He wasn't looking for Nagato that time, I don't think. He was thinking about all the things Pain said, and about pain in general. Right after he stabbed himself, he started seeing images of injured and dead loved ones, like Jiraiya. He already knows where Nagato is, so there'd be no point in him checking again. It was more like he was confirming his decision with that act.

Yeah I agree he didn't stab himself to locate Negato, but wanted to see the memories, think about it, these chakra rods unlike the one he stabbed himself with are the ones Negato uses to control his puppets, so they must be linked to his own mind so he can instruct them to react instantly, and follow his commands. So stabbing himself Naruto got instant access to Negato's brain so to speak.

[shadow_Uzumaki]

It could be a bit of a callback at his promise to never give up or something back in Zabuza Arc. He stabbed himself with a kunai to draw out the poison and made an... oddly enough "Oath of Pain" that, if memory serves me right, he affirmed his promise of never going back on his word. It's probably a similar action, maybe recollecting his promise to his father to find the answer and to end the cycle of hatred.

[Paptala]

It could be a bit of a callback at his promise to never give up or something back in Zabuza Arc. He stabbed himself with a kunai to draw out the poison and made an... oddly enough "Oath of Pain" that, if memory serves me right, he affirmed his promise of never going back on his word. It's probably a similar action, maybe recollecting his promise to his father to find the answer and to end the cycle of hatred.

Huh, that does make sense. The only thing that doesn't is that shouldn't Nagato's chakra have been flowing through that rod and into Naruto? Or was Nagato too low on chakra for his rods to hold the same destructive properties they usually do (remember that just touching it used to scramble your chakra).

[shadow_Uzumaki]

If we assume Naruto didn't stab himself to locate Nagato, it's possible that Nagato was too weakened to reanimate God Realm or God Realm was too well dead or broken to be used...

[Ani]

Okay chapter. I think of when Naruto stabbed himself again and seeing those images, he's seeing what Pein and all his versions saw, since Jiraya was in the images.

[dl316bh]

Rather meh, I was surprised so little happened this chapter. Though it was nice to see some of them trust Naruto. If Kishi's done nothing else right, he has shown Naruto grow up as the manga's gone along.

Should be interesting enough to hear what he has to say to Pein though, though I hope it's not too much preaching in the vein of "killing and war is wrong", even if I am used to that type of message in manga. A lot of the Gundam series did it all the time.

inb4thepissingandmoaningstarts

Don't worry about my lack of pissing and moaning this chapter, I'm sure I won't disappoint you in the future judging by the direction this manga's quality's gone.