We open with the Sound Ninjas ready to do away with our heroes once and for all. Rock Lee's under the effects of whatever inner-ear disruption doo-hickey, and barfs. That theme in the show nobody told me about before. The boss Sounder taunts that even if you evade the blow, the sound'll still get you, in particular the vibration. We get an informative, if brief, lecture on how the human body maintains balance, and how the Sound Ninja can totally wreck it. Straight-up taijutsu just won't work against the Sound Villagers, or so Kazu boasts. Lee digs deep to flashback to Might Guy complimenting his younger self, but it doesn't get him on his feet like I might think. The Sound Boss slides past Lee, intent on Sakura, and I'm worried. He hasn't goosed her or made a pass at Sasuke or anything, which means Sakura's defenseless. Lee throws everything into trying to protect Sakura, but Sound Boss' Jutsu is still mucking up Lee's equilibrium - and the funky speaker gauntlet he's wearing doesn't help anything. Bushy-Brows starts bleeding out of his ear and collapses.
It's Sakura's turn to try and help Lee, and flings a batch of shuriken at the Sound Boss, who easily bats them away. All this is being observed by the Idiot Trio of Squad Ten. Shikamaru asks Ino if she's okay with Sakura dying, since they were buddies once upon a time and all. We flashback to the source of the end of their friendship - that they both like Sasuke. Shikamaru asks Ino again what she's going to do, but she's reluctant to say the least, figuring they'd get squashed flat quickly. Having to side with Ino, here. Sakura's next shuriken attack gets blocked by Zaku's sound blast, and the girl Sound Ninja grabs her from behind. She goes on about how maybe Sakura ought to take the time from her beauty regimen to maybe train some more, and she's not wrong. They threaten to off Sasuke in front of Sakura, and there's nothing Sakura can do against them. She starts to cry a little out of frustration, about how she's always the one being protected, always looked after, never seeming to pull her own weight. I'd make with the snappy, but I find my heartstrings tugged upon by our girl.
Zaku makes his move on the boys (Sasuke's Curse Mark streaming blue Chakra, by the way), and Squad Ten's still dithering like goofs. Sakura decides it's time to act, grabbing her kunai, though the female Sounder arrogantly says that won't work on her. Sakura just gives her the most evil grin and asks what she means, and we all sit back a little bit. Our girl cuts her own hair off - and her headband, deciding that if she's going to act like a shinobi and be equals with the boys then it's damn well time to do it for real. WE AGREE. Now everybody's gaping at Sakura. She starts in on a mystic sign, which Kin goes to block, but SUBSTITUTION. Kazu figures it's no big deal, going for his soundblaster, and when he ricochets her thrown kunai back at her it's SUBSTITUTION. Go, Sakura, go! She takes the hits, and then bites down like a crazy person on Kazu's arm as he frantically tries to toss her off. Holy shit.
Flashback to a much younger pair of Sakura and Ino, Ino comforting Sakura after the dreaded 'Billboard Brow' taunt. Back then, it seems like Ino was a good influence on her, and it's a nice moment as Ino helps Sakura out with her self-confidence. She introduces the shy Sakura around the village, and all the while it's interspersed with Zaku beating on Sakura's head and I am on the edge of my seat by the whole sentiment/brutality vibe they're rocking here. Even young, Sasuke was a hit with the ladies, though Ino started to think she created a monster in the new Sakura. Sakura cutting off her hair gains even more of an impact, since there was a rumor that Sasuke liked that on a girl. They both vow to win Sasuke - and just then I notice Sakura also has her kunai buried in Zaku's other arm and MY GOD. Zaku finally knocks her off, and gets ready for a shotgun sound blast. SQUAD TEN TO THE RESCUE! AND FINALLY!
Next Episode: I wind up maybe liking Squad Ten and hoping they don't die.
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