Squad Seven and Kabuto are surrounded by lots of Grass Village clones. Seizing the initative, Naruto leaps forward to smack down one of the Grass clones, and punches through him. It's like Zabuza's water clones, only way more messy, and also with a dose of T-1000 liquid metal. Sasuke flicks on his Sharingan, and is able to slice up the clone's arm before he can cut Naruto down, and Kabuto prevents Sasuke from getting a knife in the neck. His Curse Mark's starting to act up, too, which is the perfect end to the perfect day. These Shadow Clones don't act a thing like Naruto's, according to Sasuke because it's Genjutsu, with Kabuto pointing out somebody else is pulling their strings. The Grass clones are just harriers, wearing the Leaf Village crew until the real Grassers can walk in and take their scroll. Seven ducks kunai, and Naruto goes for his own Shadow Clone, though Kabuto doesn't want him wasting his Chakra. Naruto thinks that there's no way his blunderbuss approach won't work, and it does admittedly shock the Grassers as Naruto's clones tear through the other clones. It doesn't do much more than give us some cool reforming effects. Sasuke decides they've got to choice but to do it and weigh in with Naruto.
Morning, and things didn't go well. Mubi (the cloner), finally calls off his clones as the Grassers move in for the kill, the one whose shoulder Sasuke injured earlier wanting to settle the score. Then the voices of the Leafers start to come from behind the Grass Villagers, and the Squad Seven the Grassers were taunting turns out to be a Transformation/Shadow Clone combo of Naruto's. Nice! I wonder why the Grass Villagers all wear the funky respirators. Naruto's about out of Chakra and Sasuke wants to finish it, but Naruto isn't having that, getting all three Grassers with one blow. Sasuke's blown away by how much Naruto's improved, and the Grassers are just plain shocked. Kabuto's amazed Naruto's been able to keep up this well, too. The Grass Ninja shake off this latest setback, switching from Genjutsu to Ninjutsu - Fog Clone Jutsu, but it's just regular clones. Naruto decides to Shadow Clone again to try and hit the real Grassers, and Kabuto leaps to help. The Curse Mark pains Sasuke whenever he uses Sharingan, which? Fascinating. Naruto leaves himself open to one of the real Grass Ninja cutting Kabuto good in the leg. Seven picks an inoppurtune time to bicker, and Naruto's out of Chakra. The Grassers were using Earth Style Jutsu to hide underground the whole time, and Kabuto gets cut good on the face, and looks pissed. Naruto does an awesome flip kick to take all three down while they were distracted.
Naruto's rifling through the Grass Villagers, and finds the scroll they need. Kabuto thinks the Curse Mark is a bruise, and there's something in Kabuto Sasuke doesn't like. Kabuto's squad rejoins him at the base of the tower, and he compliments Naruto in a nice moment (because any time Naruto gets complimented I find it's a nice moment). Inside the tower, Kabuto hands off his Ninja Card chock-full of Sasuke-data, to... Orochimaru! Face/heel turn! Squad Seven can't go any further, blocked by an adventure game puzzle. I wonder how the hell [i]Squad Ten[/i] figured it out - it doesn't appear to be food-related so Choji's useless, Ino's Ino, so maybe Shikamaru? Er, DIGRESSION. Sakura's got a clue, thankfully, and decides now you can open both scrolls without something horrible happening. As they start to do so, that's when we fade out.
Next Episode: All the supporting characters we like!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Episode 35 - The Scroll's Secret: No Peeking Allowed
Time for grub! We open with Shadow Clone Jutsu, fishing version. This startles the fish to leap up and get speared by Sasuke's kunai, and Sakura calls for some fireballs to light the fire. Around the fire, Sasuke and Sakura are ruminating that they don't have much time left, and some other teams have probably already passed. Naruto wants the big fish, showing us everybody's priorities are the same. Another Leaf ninja squad's leaping through the forest, and they have the same problem. One of their number goes off to help, and of the two remaining, one's starting to get really funny ideas about the scroll.
At camp, Sakura's really starting to over-think the scroll thing, reckoning that there's no way to tell just how many scrolls are still out there. Naruto comes up with a bad idea, believe it. He decides to try and forge the scroll they don't have, and uses very specious logic to convince himself he's right. Then he gets the even brighter notion to open their Earth Scroll, which earns him a Sakura smack upside the head. I do give Naruto points for trying to be ninja-y, though. He rightfully points out they don't have any better ideas, and Sakura looks like she might start to agree with him. The other Leafers are ready to crack open their scroll, and I admire their nerve, if not their smarts. He starts to peel it open, and Naruto does the same. The other Leafers do it first, and it appears to just be writing, but we cut away and hear a scream that makes one think it might have just read Japanese for 'Explosive Runes.' Their third member returns to find them both at the very least nonresponsive. Fade out as Naruto tries to work up the nerve to open his scroll...
Out of nowhere, Kabuto arrives on the scene to stop Naruto from opening it. Sigh of relief. Kabuto talks about the bad things that've happened in the past to those who've opened the scrolls. Sasuke figures he didn't take Naruto's scroll because they both have the Earth one, but Kabuto says he's already got them both. Seeing his chance, Sasuke challenges Kabuto to a fight, to his teammates' suprise. Naruto and Sakura aren't really eager to throw down with somebody saving them, but this doesn't dissuade Sasuke. Kabuto points out despite his claim he isn't really serious, since if he was really into the notion of taking his scroll, he'd be a proper ninja about it and stealth it away. Kabuto points out the tasty grilling fish will attract all sorts of things, like other ninja about. One of the Grass Villagers, suddenly realized he's been pinged, darts away. Squad Seven and Kabuto tree-hop on their way to finding a scroll, and Kabuto drops some knowledge on the younger kids. He points out that it's easiest to ambush people heading to the tower, but it's a sure bet that others know that, too, AND the ones who do will be the real hardcases. The ones who want their Village to succeed, and the ones who steal scrolls so as few as possible do. Sasuke calls out Kabuto's reasonings in a fun moment, rightfully pegging him as just wanting Seven as backup.
They're in sight of the tower, and a noise provokes immediate kunai-hurling from Naruto. He kills a giant centipede, which is even creepier than a giant snake. Kabuto (who can bend light-waves, neat), calls out for them to for heaven's sake be a bit stealthier as they get closer to the tower. They pass a squad already that's gotten killed by a trap. Naruto trips his own, springing a flight of kunai. Kabuto seems to take the blades for Naruto, but SUBSTITUTION! Sakura's starting to get tired, and points out that they haven't gotten any further despite walking for ages. It turns out they've been walking in cricles. Genjutsu! The ones behind it wll be coming soon, and on cue, a bunch of liquid ninja clones start to pour out of the trees. Naruto's ready for it to be brought!
Next Episode: Clone wars!
At camp, Sakura's really starting to over-think the scroll thing, reckoning that there's no way to tell just how many scrolls are still out there. Naruto comes up with a bad idea, believe it. He decides to try and forge the scroll they don't have, and uses very specious logic to convince himself he's right. Then he gets the even brighter notion to open their Earth Scroll, which earns him a Sakura smack upside the head. I do give Naruto points for trying to be ninja-y, though. He rightfully points out they don't have any better ideas, and Sakura looks like she might start to agree with him. The other Leafers are ready to crack open their scroll, and I admire their nerve, if not their smarts. He starts to peel it open, and Naruto does the same. The other Leafers do it first, and it appears to just be writing, but we cut away and hear a scream that makes one think it might have just read Japanese for 'Explosive Runes.' Their third member returns to find them both at the very least nonresponsive. Fade out as Naruto tries to work up the nerve to open his scroll...
Out of nowhere, Kabuto arrives on the scene to stop Naruto from opening it. Sigh of relief. Kabuto talks about the bad things that've happened in the past to those who've opened the scrolls. Sasuke figures he didn't take Naruto's scroll because they both have the Earth one, but Kabuto says he's already got them both. Seeing his chance, Sasuke challenges Kabuto to a fight, to his teammates' suprise. Naruto and Sakura aren't really eager to throw down with somebody saving them, but this doesn't dissuade Sasuke. Kabuto points out despite his claim he isn't really serious, since if he was really into the notion of taking his scroll, he'd be a proper ninja about it and stealth it away. Kabuto points out the tasty grilling fish will attract all sorts of things, like other ninja about. One of the Grass Villagers, suddenly realized he's been pinged, darts away. Squad Seven and Kabuto tree-hop on their way to finding a scroll, and Kabuto drops some knowledge on the younger kids. He points out that it's easiest to ambush people heading to the tower, but it's a sure bet that others know that, too, AND the ones who do will be the real hardcases. The ones who want their Village to succeed, and the ones who steal scrolls so as few as possible do. Sasuke calls out Kabuto's reasonings in a fun moment, rightfully pegging him as just wanting Seven as backup.
They're in sight of the tower, and a noise provokes immediate kunai-hurling from Naruto. He kills a giant centipede, which is even creepier than a giant snake. Kabuto (who can bend light-waves, neat), calls out for them to for heaven's sake be a bit stealthier as they get closer to the tower. They pass a squad already that's gotten killed by a trap. Naruto trips his own, springing a flight of kunai. Kabuto seems to take the blades for Naruto, but SUBSTITUTION! Sakura's starting to get tired, and points out that they haven't gotten any further despite walking for ages. It turns out they've been walking in cricles. Genjutsu! The ones behind it wll be coming soon, and on cue, a bunch of liquid ninja clones start to pour out of the trees. Naruto's ready for it to be brought!
Next Episode: Clone wars!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Episode 34 - Akamaru Trembles: Gaara's Cruel Strength!
Naruto screams himself into consciousness, Choji having helpfully applied blunt trauma to wake him up. Everybody's picking up the pieces from the last few episodes' brutality, and Naruto hilariously assumes they're under attack and starts low-crawling. He's spent only two seconds awake and he's already irritating everybody (particularly Shikamaru, but I don't think you can count that). Our hero notices Sakura's new hairstyle, and flips out. He's baffled by the new look, and also why the other squads are doing here. Tenten shows up to look after Rock Lee, and does so in the caring, compassionate manner we'd expect from Guy-sensei's students - by throttling him senseless. Lee's suprised Sasuke was able to drive off the Sound Villagers, and Tenten thinks if he wasn't fighting to protect Sakura, he could've taken Dosu's crew all by himself. She calls him stupid, and Lee, in no fit state, can't help but agree. Naruto bounds over to make fun of Lee, but Sakura comes rocket punches him away. Naruto wonders just what on earth happened while he was out. Amusingly, Shikamaru and Choji comment on how there's no way he'd be the hero in anybody's story.
Sakura humbly thanks Lee for helping her realize that she needed to get stronger, and Lee immediately gets harsh on himself for not being able to do more against the Sound Villagers. Sasuke's amazed they beat Lee up, leading me to wonder how much of Sasuke's around when he's Curse Marked. Lee vows that the next time the Hidden Leaf Lotus blooms, he will have become a stronger man! Sakura's "Um, okay" reply is great. Ino calls Sakura over to fix the latter's hair, and Sakura briefly suspects a trap, but consents. Ino's steaming over Sakura's new closeness with Sasuke (at least, for the thirty or so seconds it happened), but Sakura fires back with the Uchina dish being first-come, first-served, girlfriend. I also think I picked out Sakura calling her 'Ino-pig-chan,' which I find way funnier than it should be.
Hey! Squad Eight! It's not a high point we see them at, either. Poor little Akamaru doesn't look well at all, and he's apparently been like this for half a day. We cut back to earlier, with Kiba being braggy over how they punked the other ninja squad from earlier and took their scroll. Shino cautions against this, using homespun bug-related wisdom. Hinata tries to support Shino, but I don't think Kiba pays much attention. Sidebar: I love how Akamaru can do the ninja tree-leaping. When Akamaru (and Kiba?) picks up a scent, Kiba calls for Squad Ten to come to a halt, and has Hinata bust out the sight Jutsu she and her cousin Neji share - Byakugan. From a kilometer away, she spots somebody - Gaara. Shino puts his ear to the tree and says there's six other ninja out there. Kiba wants their scrolls, too, despite already having the two his squad needs. Both Hinata and Shino are really against this, but Kiba says if it looks too serious, they won't do anything. Eight comes to a halt again, this time because Akamaru's scared. The little pooch can sniff out Chakra, and this is the first time he's ever gotten the willies over it.
Squad Eight watches a squad from the Rain Village facing off against the Sand Villagers. Kankarou tries to point out they may not even need to fight, but Gaara's ready to kill them just because the Rainers met his eyes. This freaks both his teammates AND Squad Eight out. The head Rain Villager is up for a scrap, hurling a bunch of parasols into the air (and of course that's what the Rain Village would use) and uses Ninja Art: Senbon Rainstorm. It's raining needles around Gaara, who looks distinctly unimpressed. All his needles hit a sand shield Gaara calls up, to the Rain Villager's disbelief. Guy wants to make it rain, Gaara says he'll make it rain blood. GAH. Kiba and Squad Ten's really impressed, also terrified, and Kiba can smell the blood on the sand. Kankarou helpfully explains Gaara uses his Chakra to mess with the sand in the giant gourd on his back into an impenetrable shield, and it's not even Gaara who's doing it. Dang. This ticks the head Rainer off and he charges at Gaara. Gaara throws out a Jutsu called Sand Coffin, aptly named since it buries the Rainer in sand. Gaara then lifts the sand coffin up into the air while holding the Rainer's parasol (which makes the whole thing even creepier), and then we see why he did. After you put somebody in a coffin, then it's time for a burial. Sand Burial. Gaara explodes the hapless Rainer and goes on like a ghoul for a bit. The other Rainers desperately throw him the scroll, but they just get the same treatment. It's the scroll the Sanders needed, but Gaara still wants sand and blood. Kankarou (and Temari) are siblings, and they are not a happy family. Temari begs Gaara not to off his own brother, and it looks like he might off him anyway and Squad Ten besides, he relents. Good heavens.
Squad Eight's now well and duly terrified, but they make it to the tower right before the Sand Ninjas do. Gaara's crew just gives Kiba and crew this most evil of looks, but they don't kill the Leaf Genin out of hand. Outside the forest, Anko and the Anbu are talking about the test, with Anko saying they can't halt the test no matter how much a clusterfrag it's becoming. One of the Proctors heads in with a video tape (ha ha!) with the visual report on a team that's busted the test's record wide open, which is unsuprisingly Gaara, who does one of those creepy 'look up into the hidden camera' glares. There's no way they should've been able to make it this fast, and what freaks out Anko the most is Gaara not even hurt. His clothes aren't even dirty. One of the others comments that somebody interesting is in the test, it's just too bad he is a child born of evil sand.
Next Episode: Naruto really wants to open the scroll. Hijinks!
Sakura humbly thanks Lee for helping her realize that she needed to get stronger, and Lee immediately gets harsh on himself for not being able to do more against the Sound Villagers. Sasuke's amazed they beat Lee up, leading me to wonder how much of Sasuke's around when he's Curse Marked. Lee vows that the next time the Hidden Leaf Lotus blooms, he will have become a stronger man! Sakura's "Um, okay" reply is great. Ino calls Sakura over to fix the latter's hair, and Sakura briefly suspects a trap, but consents. Ino's steaming over Sakura's new closeness with Sasuke (at least, for the thirty or so seconds it happened), but Sakura fires back with the Uchina dish being first-come, first-served, girlfriend. I also think I picked out Sakura calling her 'Ino-pig-chan,' which I find way funnier than it should be.
Hey! Squad Eight! It's not a high point we see them at, either. Poor little Akamaru doesn't look well at all, and he's apparently been like this for half a day. We cut back to earlier, with Kiba being braggy over how they punked the other ninja squad from earlier and took their scroll. Shino cautions against this, using homespun bug-related wisdom. Hinata tries to support Shino, but I don't think Kiba pays much attention. Sidebar: I love how Akamaru can do the ninja tree-leaping. When Akamaru (and Kiba?) picks up a scent, Kiba calls for Squad Ten to come to a halt, and has Hinata bust out the sight Jutsu she and her cousin Neji share - Byakugan. From a kilometer away, she spots somebody - Gaara. Shino puts his ear to the tree and says there's six other ninja out there. Kiba wants their scrolls, too, despite already having the two his squad needs. Both Hinata and Shino are really against this, but Kiba says if it looks too serious, they won't do anything. Eight comes to a halt again, this time because Akamaru's scared. The little pooch can sniff out Chakra, and this is the first time he's ever gotten the willies over it.
Squad Eight watches a squad from the Rain Village facing off against the Sand Villagers. Kankarou tries to point out they may not even need to fight, but Gaara's ready to kill them just because the Rainers met his eyes. This freaks both his teammates AND Squad Eight out. The head Rain Villager is up for a scrap, hurling a bunch of parasols into the air (and of course that's what the Rain Village would use) and uses Ninja Art: Senbon Rainstorm. It's raining needles around Gaara, who looks distinctly unimpressed. All his needles hit a sand shield Gaara calls up, to the Rain Villager's disbelief. Guy wants to make it rain, Gaara says he'll make it rain blood. GAH. Kiba and Squad Ten's really impressed, also terrified, and Kiba can smell the blood on the sand. Kankarou helpfully explains Gaara uses his Chakra to mess with the sand in the giant gourd on his back into an impenetrable shield, and it's not even Gaara who's doing it. Dang. This ticks the head Rainer off and he charges at Gaara. Gaara throws out a Jutsu called Sand Coffin, aptly named since it buries the Rainer in sand. Gaara then lifts the sand coffin up into the air while holding the Rainer's parasol (which makes the whole thing even creepier), and then we see why he did. After you put somebody in a coffin, then it's time for a burial. Sand Burial. Gaara explodes the hapless Rainer and goes on like a ghoul for a bit. The other Rainers desperately throw him the scroll, but they just get the same treatment. It's the scroll the Sanders needed, but Gaara still wants sand and blood. Kankarou (and Temari) are siblings, and they are not a happy family. Temari begs Gaara not to off his own brother, and it looks like he might off him anyway and Squad Ten besides, he relents. Good heavens.
Squad Eight's now well and duly terrified, but they make it to the tower right before the Sand Ninjas do. Gaara's crew just gives Kiba and crew this most evil of looks, but they don't kill the Leaf Genin out of hand. Outside the forest, Anko and the Anbu are talking about the test, with Anko saying they can't halt the test no matter how much a clusterfrag it's becoming. One of the Proctors heads in with a video tape (ha ha!) with the visual report on a team that's busted the test's record wide open, which is unsuprisingly Gaara, who does one of those creepy 'look up into the hidden camera' glares. There's no way they should've been able to make it this fast, and what freaks out Anko the most is Gaara not even hurt. His clothes aren't even dirty. One of the others comments that somebody interesting is in the test, it's just too bad he is a child born of evil sand.
Next Episode: Naruto really wants to open the scroll. Hijinks!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Episode 33 - Battle Formation: Shika-Ino-Cho!
Sasuke's still unconscious and dreaming, and we get to see young Sasuke and his horribly murdered parents. Sakura's still on the ground, tired from being all hardcore last episode, and Sound Boss is amused by more Leaf Village goons. They don't put up the best first impression. Shikamaru's holding onto Choji's scarf and while irritated at the whole deal, isn't about to let Ino run out and try and save Sakura all by herself. Zaku mocks Choji, calling him fatso. This apparently has the same effect as calling a member of the proud McFly lineage chicken. He asks Zaku to say it again, and the Sounder foolishly does. Choji is big-boned, darn you, HURRAY FOR BIG-BONED! Choji's heart's now in it, to say the least. We get this awesome bouncy music as Team Ino prepares to go full throttle.
The next actions are beyond your humble author's words to properly convey. Formation Ino: Choji breaks out the Expansion Jutsu, blowing up like a puffer fish, then turns into a human boulder. Zaku hits it with the Slicing Sound Wave, but it doesn't look like Choji's going anywhere, but he does. Choji rockets into the air and is crashing down towards Zaku. Sound Boss rushes into save him, but Shikamaru's not having with that. Shadow Possession Jutsu! Shikamaru's got Dosu by the shadow. It's ladies' night and the feeling's right - Ino does the Mind Transfer whammy on Kin. Ino-as-Kin threatens to kill Kin if they don't hand over their scroll and beat feet, but the Sounders aren't exactly compassionate Shinobi. Choji has to block Zaku's attack on Kin's body, and Kin still gets knocked into a tree, which apparently Ino's body can feel the effects of. The Sounders aren't here to win the test, but snatch Sasuke. Shikamaru loses his hold on the Shadow Possession and things've turned on Squad Ten. The Sounders have no problem having offing Kin to kill Ino.
Reinforcements in the form of Neji and Ten-ten! I start to hope that Kiba and the awesome Akamaru will show up before too long. Neji's all kinds of scary-pissed for them messing with Lee, and Dosu's in particular freaked out by Neji's eyes. He's about to make his move, but senses an odd Chakra and decides to stay where he is. It looks like Sasuke's hit his boiling point after reliving his parents' death a time or four. His younger dreamself taunts Sasuke, saying if only he had [i]power[/i] he could've done something, and rips part of his face to reveal Ochimaru's eye. Sakura notices Saskue's awake, and that might be a bad thing this time. The Chakra's just erupting off him, and everybody's about to lose it. Dark Sasuke says Sakura's name...
Vengeful Deity Sasuke asks who did this to Sakura, and Sasuke's pretty chilling all Curse Marked up. He's cool with it, though, this kind of power is just what he needed. He asks who hurt Sakura again and Zaku foolishly answers. Amusingly, it's at this point Shikamaru realizes it's time for Squad Ten to get out of the pool. Sasuke's full-body Curse Mark turns briefly magma-colored, and damn. Dosu's about read to rabbit, but Zaku's thinks he can take the kid. He makes with a wide-angle Super Sonic Slice, and when he's finished, Sasuke's gone. Gone behind him, that is. Sasuke backhands the mess out of Zaku, and goes for some Fire Style, which Zaku can't counter because it's shuriken on fire. Distracted thus, Sasuke's on Zaku in a second and has him by both arms with his foot between Zaku's shoulders, and keeps pushing. Sakura remembers how Orochimaru said Sasuke's come for him one day. Sasuke increases the pressure on Zaku's spine, we get snapping and a red filter and it's just not pretty, folks. Sakura can't believe this is Sasuke, and yells for him to stop.
Sakura grabs him from behind, tears streaming down her face, asking him to please stop. It's that, or maybe the Curse Mark's just run its course, that Sasuke comes back to normal. Dosu calls it in favor of Squad Ten, giving them his scroll in return for being allowed to leave, though he asks for round two down the line if it happens. Sakura asks Dosu why Orochimaru did this to Sasuke, but Dosu doesn't have any clue - they're just hired help. Squad Ten heads out to assist, and from the trees Neji is impressed by Sasuke's power and the Uchina clan. Naruto is amusing in his dementia. Sasuke doesn't know what the hell is happening to him as we fade out.
Next Episode: What's that, Akamaru? Gaara fell down a well?
The next actions are beyond your humble author's words to properly convey. Formation Ino: Choji breaks out the Expansion Jutsu, blowing up like a puffer fish, then turns into a human boulder. Zaku hits it with the Slicing Sound Wave, but it doesn't look like Choji's going anywhere, but he does. Choji rockets into the air and is crashing down towards Zaku. Sound Boss rushes into save him, but Shikamaru's not having with that. Shadow Possession Jutsu! Shikamaru's got Dosu by the shadow. It's ladies' night and the feeling's right - Ino does the Mind Transfer whammy on Kin. Ino-as-Kin threatens to kill Kin if they don't hand over their scroll and beat feet, but the Sounders aren't exactly compassionate Shinobi. Choji has to block Zaku's attack on Kin's body, and Kin still gets knocked into a tree, which apparently Ino's body can feel the effects of. The Sounders aren't here to win the test, but snatch Sasuke. Shikamaru loses his hold on the Shadow Possession and things've turned on Squad Ten. The Sounders have no problem having offing Kin to kill Ino.
Reinforcements in the form of Neji and Ten-ten! I start to hope that Kiba and the awesome Akamaru will show up before too long. Neji's all kinds of scary-pissed for them messing with Lee, and Dosu's in particular freaked out by Neji's eyes. He's about to make his move, but senses an odd Chakra and decides to stay where he is. It looks like Sasuke's hit his boiling point after reliving his parents' death a time or four. His younger dreamself taunts Sasuke, saying if only he had [i]power[/i] he could've done something, and rips part of his face to reveal Ochimaru's eye. Sakura notices Saskue's awake, and that might be a bad thing this time. The Chakra's just erupting off him, and everybody's about to lose it. Dark Sasuke says Sakura's name...
Vengeful Deity Sasuke asks who did this to Sakura, and Sasuke's pretty chilling all Curse Marked up. He's cool with it, though, this kind of power is just what he needed. He asks who hurt Sakura again and Zaku foolishly answers. Amusingly, it's at this point Shikamaru realizes it's time for Squad Ten to get out of the pool. Sasuke's full-body Curse Mark turns briefly magma-colored, and damn. Dosu's about read to rabbit, but Zaku's thinks he can take the kid. He makes with a wide-angle Super Sonic Slice, and when he's finished, Sasuke's gone. Gone behind him, that is. Sasuke backhands the mess out of Zaku, and goes for some Fire Style, which Zaku can't counter because it's shuriken on fire. Distracted thus, Sasuke's on Zaku in a second and has him by both arms with his foot between Zaku's shoulders, and keeps pushing. Sakura remembers how Orochimaru said Sasuke's come for him one day. Sasuke increases the pressure on Zaku's spine, we get snapping and a red filter and it's just not pretty, folks. Sakura can't believe this is Sasuke, and yells for him to stop.
Sakura grabs him from behind, tears streaming down her face, asking him to please stop. It's that, or maybe the Curse Mark's just run its course, that Sasuke comes back to normal. Dosu calls it in favor of Squad Ten, giving them his scroll in return for being allowed to leave, though he asks for round two down the line if it happens. Sakura asks Dosu why Orochimaru did this to Sasuke, but Dosu doesn't have any clue - they're just hired help. Squad Ten heads out to assist, and from the trees Neji is impressed by Sasuke's power and the Uchina clan. Naruto is amusing in his dementia. Sasuke doesn't know what the hell is happening to him as we fade out.
Next Episode: What's that, Akamaru? Gaara fell down a well?
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Episode 32 - Sakura Blossoms
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.
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.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Episode 30 - The Sharingan Revived: Dragon-Flame Jutsu!
We focus in on Sasuke, having kicked himself back in the game after getting tossed around by Snake Person. He's mad, and breaks out the Sharingan, and it'll be interesting to see what this does against the fake Grass Villager. Sasuke's not going to let anybody stop him from killing his brother, not even Snakey. He puts a kunai in his mouth, which is this show's callsign for badass, and flips into the air, raining down Shuriken on Snakey. He flips right to Snakey, and there's a lot hits landed on both sides, but no solid connects. We get some Snake Speed Force, but the Sharingan keeps him out of her reach. He tries to toast her with the Fire Ball, but there's the burrowing trick again for a better position to take a swipe at him and they finally pause. Whew
Anko's making her way into the Forest o' Death, trying to find 'That guy' before sundown. More awesome fighting with Sasuke and Snakey, as he bounces around like mad to avoid another wind-blast, before Spider-Manning it upside down on a branch and grabbing his opponent for a ride. Is that...? He hits a for-real piledriver on Snakey, cracking the branch they land on!!! Mah gawd! Mah gawd! That half-snake thing has a family! (I apologize for the one-percenter.) Hey, that's a SUBSTITUTION for Snakey! This time with goo. Sasuke ducks a rain of kunai, using a garrote to slow his fall, and that's awesome. Snakey catches him out and lands a solid combination to put Sasuke down, but as she moves in, the sneaky little Genin's planted fireworks on her. The fireworks going off distracts Sasuke's opponent long enough for him to leap away and throw out this wicked shuriken-garrotte combo, leaving her tied up to the tree, and Sasuke looks like he finishes her with some Fire Dragon Jutsu. Gah DAMN.
Sakura leaps down to check on Sasuke, whose Chakra-meter's probably on 'E.' Toasted Snakey pulls free of the tree, and also the gender-nonspecific disguise. He, apparently a Sound Ninja, comments on Sasuke's ability with Sharingan, saying he's got more skill than Sasuke's brother Itachi. Snakey's name is Orochimaru, and if Sasuke wants another crack at him, he's got to take out the Sound Villagers under his control. To emphasize his point, he does a satanic Reed Richards bit and stretches his neck to bite Sasuke in the neck, vanishing, leaving Sasuke with venom and a tattoo. And not the happy kind of venom either, but the kind that makes him cry out and collapse into Sakura's lap. She cries out for Naruto (still unconscious and pinned to a tree), and Squad Seven is currently at what we might call an ebb.
Elsewhere, Orochimaru slowly reforms himself out a tree, with Anko closing in. I just realize this means that Orochimaru pulled that poor Grass Villager's face off, and yikes. He sinks into the tree, for some sort of healing trance I might assume, but Anko wakes him out of it. She's going to end him if costs her life, her responsibility as his former pupil. Holy crap! More fighting, all while Orochimaru's half stuck in a tree. She ducks his demon tongue, and launches some snakes out of her arm to rip Orochimaru out from the tree, and pins his left hand to the bark through her own hand. She uses his free hand to complete a ninja sign, which cool to see, and goes for something called Twin Snakes Sacrifice. SUBSTITUTION! Orochimaru dismissively catches her thrown kunai, and puts a paralysis whammy on Anko. Orochimaru explains to Anko he came a-recruiting, and we see Anko has the same Curse Mark as Sasuke just got. The kid's got chops Anko apparently didn't, and Orochimaru uses words like 'vessel' and 'heir.' With that, he vanishes, with a warning for Anko to keep the test going or he'll end the village.
Cutting over to Lee's team, they've focused a bit on surviving, and Neji's suggests splitting up to scout for the other teams. Sakura's standing watch over Sasuke, who's better but still not what we call in the trade good, and Naruto's just out of it. It's up to Sakura. Over to Anko, she wraps her injured hand and starts to head off to inform the Hokage, but is stopped by a trio of tigers, and her Curse Mark starts acting up. Not Anko-sensei's day. They get hit with the paralysis Jutsu, and a pair of Anbu Black Ops show up in the nick of time. They know right off what the Cure Mark means, and want to take her to the Hokage, but she wants to go to the tower. Sakura's still keeping watch over the boys, and the Sound Ninja flunkies have found them, but they have orders to wait for daybreak. Daybreak! Sakura wakes up, but she's the only one who does.
Next Episode: ROCK LEE vs. Sound Shinobi!
Anko's making her way into the Forest o' Death, trying to find 'That guy' before sundown. More awesome fighting with Sasuke and Snakey, as he bounces around like mad to avoid another wind-blast, before Spider-Manning it upside down on a branch and grabbing his opponent for a ride. Is that...? He hits a for-real piledriver on Snakey, cracking the branch they land on!!! Mah gawd! Mah gawd! That half-snake thing has a family! (I apologize for the one-percenter.) Hey, that's a SUBSTITUTION for Snakey! This time with goo. Sasuke ducks a rain of kunai, using a garrote to slow his fall, and that's awesome. Snakey catches him out and lands a solid combination to put Sasuke down, but as she moves in, the sneaky little Genin's planted fireworks on her. The fireworks going off distracts Sasuke's opponent long enough for him to leap away and throw out this wicked shuriken-garrotte combo, leaving her tied up to the tree, and Sasuke looks like he finishes her with some Fire Dragon Jutsu. Gah DAMN.
Sakura leaps down to check on Sasuke, whose Chakra-meter's probably on 'E.' Toasted Snakey pulls free of the tree, and also the gender-nonspecific disguise. He, apparently a Sound Ninja, comments on Sasuke's ability with Sharingan, saying he's got more skill than Sasuke's brother Itachi. Snakey's name is Orochimaru, and if Sasuke wants another crack at him, he's got to take out the Sound Villagers under his control. To emphasize his point, he does a satanic Reed Richards bit and stretches his neck to bite Sasuke in the neck, vanishing, leaving Sasuke with venom and a tattoo. And not the happy kind of venom either, but the kind that makes him cry out and collapse into Sakura's lap. She cries out for Naruto (still unconscious and pinned to a tree), and Squad Seven is currently at what we might call an ebb.
Elsewhere, Orochimaru slowly reforms himself out a tree, with Anko closing in. I just realize this means that Orochimaru pulled that poor Grass Villager's face off, and yikes. He sinks into the tree, for some sort of healing trance I might assume, but Anko wakes him out of it. She's going to end him if costs her life, her responsibility as his former pupil. Holy crap! More fighting, all while Orochimaru's half stuck in a tree. She ducks his demon tongue, and launches some snakes out of her arm to rip Orochimaru out from the tree, and pins his left hand to the bark through her own hand. She uses his free hand to complete a ninja sign, which cool to see, and goes for something called Twin Snakes Sacrifice. SUBSTITUTION! Orochimaru dismissively catches her thrown kunai, and puts a paralysis whammy on Anko. Orochimaru explains to Anko he came a-recruiting, and we see Anko has the same Curse Mark as Sasuke just got. The kid's got chops Anko apparently didn't, and Orochimaru uses words like 'vessel' and 'heir.' With that, he vanishes, with a warning for Anko to keep the test going or he'll end the village.
Cutting over to Lee's team, they've focused a bit on surviving, and Neji's suggests splitting up to scout for the other teams. Sakura's standing watch over Sasuke, who's better but still not what we call in the trade good, and Naruto's just out of it. It's up to Sakura. Over to Anko, she wraps her injured hand and starts to head off to inform the Hokage, but is stopped by a trio of tigers, and her Curse Mark starts acting up. Not Anko-sensei's day. They get hit with the paralysis Jutsu, and a pair of Anbu Black Ops show up in the nick of time. They know right off what the Cure Mark means, and want to take her to the Hokage, but she wants to go to the tower. Sakura's still keeping watch over the boys, and the Sound Ninja flunkies have found them, but they have orders to wait for daybreak. Daybreak! Sakura wakes up, but she's the only one who does.
Next Episode: ROCK LEE vs. Sound Shinobi!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Episode 29 - Naruto's Counterattack: Never Give In!
As you might recall, our quota of people exploding from snakes was more than filled last episode, and both people who did so are about to go at it. Sasuke yells at Naruto to run, since Snake Girl is out of his league, but naturally Naruto isn't having any of it. Sasuke points out rightfully that things generally don't get better when Naruto rides in to save the day, and he's at a loss as to what to do. He pulls out his team's scroll and offers it to Snake Girl, and everybody's wondering what his angle is. Snake Girl approves of this new sense of pragamatism in Leaf Village Genin. He tosses it to her, but INTERCEPTION by Naruto! Also wicked haymaker by Naruto for Sasuke's trying to throw in the towel, and asks if Sasuke's not an imposter. Heh. Naruto makes a valid point - there's no telling if Snake Girl would let them go after getting the scroll, then does a creepy thing with her tongue. She cuts her thumb and puts blood on a tattoo - summoning jutsu! It is not Ninja Dogs and it is not adorable, but a giant-ass snake.
Elsewhere, the Proctors find the bodies of the FreakNinjas - or at least who they killed to replace, and head off to get help. Anko's chilling with some lunch, and also perfecting her throwing skills. One of the proctors brings her to the corpses, and they're Grass Villagers, but something's wrong. For one, they're dead, and two, they have no faces. Anko knows who or what it is, though all we get is a silhouette of somebody with a snake and twin swords. Anko immediately calls in the Anbu special forces to come assist, and is going in herself right now. This, my friends, is a kunoichi. Face Robber taunts Naruto from the top of her giant snake, splintering the branch he was standing on and bashing him around for kicks. Naruto opens his eyes as he falls towards the snake, and his eyes are looking a bit Demon Foxy. He starts wailing on the snake, though not to any appreciable effect. Snake Girl gives him a face full of fireball to put him down. It's Sasuke's turn, and we get a jump-cut before impact. Bastards!
Anko's tree-leaping her way in to help, but it might not be needed. Naruto's brought the snake down with a kunai and everybody's a tad bit startled. This is Sasuke's first time with Demon Naruto, if I recall right. It's a harsh, jarring, comfortless experience for Sasuke. Snake Girl grabs Naruto with her tongue, and apparently knows more about the Nine-Tailed Fox than we do. She taunts Naruto a bit before Chakra-sealing the Demon Fox back into Naruto, who goes limp. Snake Girl goes on about how they're starting to act in synch, but that's not the issue for her. She grabs the Wind Scroll form Naruto's pack and casually tosses her away. Sakura of all people makes the save with a well-placed kunai throw to pin Naruto to a tree, and it's Sasuke's turn to go catatonic. She starts in on Sasuke, and it's awesomw, saying that Naruto is kind of useless and in the way, but at least he's not a coward. Sasuke flashes on his brother, who called him much the same, only worse. That's enough to get Sasuke's head back in the game, and Snake Girl knows about the Uchina clan, too. Sasuke starts to gather his Chakra to him as we end things.
By the by, not a huge fan of the ending song.
Next Episode: Sasuke vs. his brother, with the snake girl as proxy!
Elsewhere, the Proctors find the bodies of the FreakNinjas - or at least who they killed to replace, and head off to get help. Anko's chilling with some lunch, and also perfecting her throwing skills. One of the proctors brings her to the corpses, and they're Grass Villagers, but something's wrong. For one, they're dead, and two, they have no faces. Anko knows who or what it is, though all we get is a silhouette of somebody with a snake and twin swords. Anko immediately calls in the Anbu special forces to come assist, and is going in herself right now. This, my friends, is a kunoichi. Face Robber taunts Naruto from the top of her giant snake, splintering the branch he was standing on and bashing him around for kicks. Naruto opens his eyes as he falls towards the snake, and his eyes are looking a bit Demon Foxy. He starts wailing on the snake, though not to any appreciable effect. Snake Girl gives him a face full of fireball to put him down. It's Sasuke's turn, and we get a jump-cut before impact. Bastards!
Anko's tree-leaping her way in to help, but it might not be needed. Naruto's brought the snake down with a kunai and everybody's a tad bit startled. This is Sasuke's first time with Demon Naruto, if I recall right. It's a harsh, jarring, comfortless experience for Sasuke. Snake Girl grabs Naruto with her tongue, and apparently knows more about the Nine-Tailed Fox than we do. She taunts Naruto a bit before Chakra-sealing the Demon Fox back into Naruto, who goes limp. Snake Girl goes on about how they're starting to act in synch, but that's not the issue for her. She grabs the Wind Scroll form Naruto's pack and casually tosses her away. Sakura of all people makes the save with a well-placed kunai throw to pin Naruto to a tree, and it's Sasuke's turn to go catatonic. She starts in on Sasuke, and it's awesomw, saying that Naruto is kind of useless and in the way, but at least he's not a coward. Sasuke flashes on his brother, who called him much the same, only worse. That's enough to get Sasuke's head back in the game, and Snake Girl knows about the Uchina clan, too. Sasuke starts to gather his Chakra to him as we end things.
By the by, not a huge fan of the ending song.
Next Episode: Sasuke vs. his brother, with the snake girl as proxy!
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