Episode 44 - Akamaru Unleashed! Who's Top Dog Now?

Favorite episode title so far.

Naruto versus Kiba and Akamaru, and I'm looking forward to this like whoa all of a sudden. Beli-- oh, nevermind. Naruto proclaims himself the victor already, which ticks Kiba off because he was going to do the same. He tries to get Kiba to ditch the dog, and asks for a ruling on Kiba wanting to use Akamaru to fight, though he didn't have a problem earlier with Shino's creepy bug swarm. Hayate allows it, since animals and insects are Ninja tools like everything else, and Naruto decides to treat it like a good excuse to show off how awesome he is. Kurenai's already mentally calling it in favor of Kiba, and even Hinata wants to support Naruto, but Kiba's on her squad. You just want to pat her on the head and tell her it'll be okay, don't you? She's really worried about Dog Ninja getting mad. Kiba flashes back to Ninja Academy, and we get their lesson on Transformation. Naruto does a horrible version of the Hokage, and young Kiba's irritated by their new class clown. Naruto says he'll be the real Hokage one day, and won't need to transform into one.

In the present, Kiba promises to take Naruto out quick. At the start, Kiba kicks it off with Art of Beast Mimicry: All-Four Jutsu and goes quadraped on Naruto, slamming him into the wall. Naruto looks out of it, and the only one how it works who has a clue are Kakashi and Sakura. Naruto isn't going to let this keep him from getting stronger, and staggers back to his feet to almost everybody's suprise. There's this awesome guitar plucked string riff. He bellows out to not underestimate him, and this pumps the spectators up. Naruto says he was just feeling Kiba out (which might even be true, it's Naruto after all), and wants Kiba to come at him for real this time. Kiba tags in Akamaru and both charge at Naruto. Kiba throws down a smoke bomb, and Naruto's getting pummeled by... something. When he bursts from the smoke, he gets a face-full of Akamaru and is knocked back in. The smoke clears to Naruto all crumpled up, and Akamaru makes a triumphant bark while I laugh my head off.

Kiba's ready to celebrate as Akamaru bounds toward him, and then bites him! Betrayal most foul by his canine companion!? Nope! TRANSFORMATION! Naruto transforms back to Kiba, still hanging off of Kiba's arm while a Shadow Clone has Akamaru restrained. Hah! Squad Ten's impressed, and so are 2/3rds of the Sanders. Naruto complains of Kiba smelling like a dog, and living as I do with an American foxhound, I can relate. Kiba re-focuses after the last attempt, taking a deep breath and then saying he'll take Akamaru back, thank you. He tosses Akamaru a Ninja Scooby Snack, and Akamaru grows larger and his fur turns red. Naruto's wondering what the hell is going on as Kiba pops a Food Pill himself. Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry: Man Beast Clones! Kiba also looks like he's gone completely feral, and Naruto hilariously complains of doping, but it's a Ninja tool. Choji has the scoop, and if anybody would, it's him. It's a military ration to double one's Chakra. Both attack in stereo with All Four jutsu, but Naruto backflips away. Aka-Kiba does some four-legged wall-running and Naruto's just able to avoid, and Asuma comments that Food Pills are just the thing for a feral psycho like Kiba. They go for Man Beast Taijutsu Ultimate Technique, Fang Over Fang! It looks to catch Naruto clean. Kiba takes this oppurtunity to boast while Naruto's barely twitching.

Then Kiba does the one thing he shouldn't have ever done, offer to become Hokage for Naruto. There's a lot of jerky derision from Kiba, and we can see what's coming so clearly we almost wish Kiba would shut up while he's ahead. Since he's a jerk, we're okay with what's coming. Hinata reflects that, unlike her, Naruto's always believed in himself, and again - don't you just want to hug her or something? We now get why Hinata likes Naruto - essentially because opposites attract. She's been the only one who's bothered to look at him besides possibly Iruka-sensei. She correctly points out for the first time that everybody's watching him, and it's really his chance now. There can be only one Hokage, and Naruto plans to be it. Kiba reminds me of Naruto, only he's Naruto without the enforced empathy that comes from being an orphan with a Tragic Past, and general niceness our hero has.

Next Episode: Round two of Naruto/Kiba!