We open up with Gaara chewing out Kankaro, and it's hard not to root for him. Until Gaara threatens homicide, ramping the kid up to 'Scary.' Sasuke and Gaara size each other up, and I will confess to being excited about their almost-certain throwdown. As they go, Sakura IDs them as Sand Ninja, but says that ninja just wandering through countries is prohibited by "the treaty" and demands to know what they want. Innnnteresting. Also pretty gutsy for Sakura. The Sand kunoichi has her license, so everything's cool, and that they're here for the Chunin Exam. Naruto typically doesn't know what the exam is, and even Konohamaru knows. Sheesh, Naruto. As they turn to go, Sasuke calls out to the Sand Ninja. The girl immediately thinks he's asking after her, and again, DOWN GIRL, but it's Gaara Sasuke wants to know about. Gaara wants to know about Sasuke too, and we get a cool stare-down moment. Naruto butts in to see if Gaara of the Desert wants to know about him, but Gaara couldn't care less. Heh. He immediately consults his PR man Konohamaru about his image, who says research shows Naruto compares unfavorably to Sasuke. More ninja, whose village I can't even guess at, pick out Sasuke and Gaara as the ones to watch (preferably from a safe distance).
The Hokage calls forward the Jonin in charge of Genin, and we get Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai coming forward. The boss asks for those who they want to put in the Chunin Exam. Kakashi goes first, and puts all three of his kids in, and two-thirds of that choice is to my mind highly risky. Kurenai, the pretty kunoichi and leader of Squad Eight puts forward all three of her kids, too. PATTERN. She's got Hinata (not-blind girl), Kiba (Shaggy haired kid), and Shino (Glasses boy). To round things out and weight the outcome by sheer Leaf Village numbers, the ciggie-smoking Asuma puts all of his kids' hats in the ring - Ino (Blonde Sakura), 'Smirky' Shikamaru and Choji (Eating machine). It's nice to see the Village's Jonin have so much faith in their kids, though Iruka protests. He says that they're all good, but none of 'em are ready for the Exam. Kakashi calmly points out that he was a Chunin when he was six years younger than Naruto, making him even more badass - and furthermore, this might finally shut them up about wanting important missions. He finishes with the fact that they're not Iruka's students anymore, they're the Jonin's prob- responsibility now, and they've decided it's best. Kurenai has odd eyes. The Hokage understands Iruka's feelings, though, and arranges for a pre-exam.
Squad Seven on the bridge! Kakashi is late. Naruto didn't brush his teeth this morning. Ew. Sasuke inwardly complains about 'morning people.' Their sensei finally shows up, having 'got lost on the path of life.' HAH! He passes out the applications and says all you have to do is sign them and bring them to the exam room at a certain time, making me briefly think they'll have to make the room from inside a live volcano or something as the pre-exam. Nothing so harsh, though, as the kids bring their applications. Naruto's already imagining his victory celebration and coronation as Hokage. Sasuke's obsessed with Gaara. Sakura... doesn't think she can make it. Poor kid.
Ninja from all villages (I guess) are arriving for the Chunin Exam. Naruto meets the Ninja Preschoolers, and is cheerful enough to play with them today - until Moegi gets snatched. Naruto and his tiny crew leap off in pursuit. Meanwhile, Sakura's stressing over the Exam, until Sasuke asks her to go with him for a walk (and I suspect it might be somebody Transformed). We join some tree-jumping pursuit, with Naruto outpacing Konohamaru and Udon, and manages to corner Moegi's kidnapper. He wants the Scroll of Sealing.
Sasuke apparently took Sakura out on a walk to totally crush her hopes and dreams, but she's happy he's sort of worried about her. Sigh. It's like having a likeable but kind of dim younger ninja sister. A ninja identically dressed as the kidnapper confronts the two, and they get into it ridiculously fast. Sasuke blocks the first few shuriken, but not the kunai Rain of Death. Sakura cries out and runs to him. Back to the kidnapper, he threatens to kill Moegi if he doesn't get the scroll, but Naruto is content to let him do whatever murder he likes on the bundle of straw. SUBSTITUTION! Also Clone Jutsu! Naruto acts like a suprisingly well-oiled machine to bag and tag the kidnapper, but the ninja substitutes himself with a boulder.
Over to Sakura mourning over Sasuke, the ninja gloats she's not ready for the tournament, but Sakura shocks the hell out of me. She knows, as we did, he'd never invite her for a walk, or even say 'hey' in the morning. I respectfully retract my 'kind of dim' statement. She's already seen through all his genjutsu, and bold as brass walks through his illusionary attack. Go, girl! Her dander's up! Well, a bit. We'll mark it down to two steps forward, one step back for our girl. The real Sasuke simply beats the hell out of his ninja. One of the identical ninja meets Kakashi on a rooftop, revealing himself to be Iruka. He admits they've gotten stronger, and that all nine kids passed the prelim. I wonder if they just made Choji go without lunch and would pass him if he made it.
Jump-cut to target practice, and three NEW ninja kids are talking about the ninja exam. Their token girl is good with kunai, (REALLY good) and we finally lay eyes on the bug-eyed kid. Next day, Squad Seven meets, none the worse for wear, save maybe Sakura. Outside the third floor exam room, the new kids are trying to get inside, but some jerky Leaf Village ninja who can't be that much older them smack around the bug-eyed kid and the knife girl for trying. The kids are apparently younger than Squad Seven, too young according to the guards because the Exam is brutal, people die, harsh-cakes. Squad Seven shows up, and Sasuke isn't having with anything keeping him from the exam room. There's a nice moment where he compliments Sakura knowing everything about everything about Genjutsu, and even Naruto knows it's an illusion - they're on the second floor. One of the guards throws a non-illusionary kick, which Sasuke reciprocates, but they're both blocked out of nowhere by the bug-eyed kid who Wally Wests his way between them.
He introduces himself as Rock Lee, immediately zeroing in on Sakura, asking our girl out. The thumb's up and twinkle in his smile immediately endear me to Rock Lee. Sakura refuses, hilariously stunned, citing Rock Lee came on too strong. Hah! Rock Lee's buddy, the guy with eyes like Hinata, asks after Sasuke but he's usual non-forthcoming self. Naruto joins Rock in dejection. We find out Rock's squad is led by somebody named Guy, as the jerky ninja guards turn out to be jerky ninja proctors. Sasuke reflects on the badasses in the exam, with Gaara looming over them all.
Next Episode: Rock Lee is weird and wants to scrap with Naruto!
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