Recent Naruto Manga (Chapters 400+)

[MasterDias]

Isn't this like the first decapitation since Gato? Even if Hidan is still alive.

I sort of wonder how they will handle this in the anime, if it ever manages to get this far.

[uc pseudonym]

Yes, a decapitation is pushing the limits a bit. I think the rules are laxer when the opponents don't die, though, and in all honesty it isn't much worse than what happened with Haku. Upon reflection, that arc has more death and blood than many others... perhaps response to it is part of why Kishimoto changed this somewhat?

As for the anime... I predict it will stay in for the above reason. If they get that far.

[Sai]

!!!! I hate cliffhanger chapter endings. -_- 5 bucks naruto shows up with a new perfected jutsu right before hidan kills asuma....

[uc pseudonym]

That would not make me a happy reader. There are lots of other characters that should show up instead of him, most of whom haven't gotten any fights since the time skip. Plus, I just want to see someone working on a technique and not come in with it mastered at the last second.

Note that we still don't know what Kukazu is capable of.

[Myoti]

Well, this was a bit more interesting, and I'm sort of half-and-half on Hidan not being defeated yet. Though I wonder a bit, was Asuma hit again, or did the scythe only hit Hidan? If just Hidan, I wonder if it'll do him any good (or if it possibly somehow winds up just killing himself? o.O ).

Kakuzu is starting to interest me now, though I hope he does wind up like another Sasori or something.

That would not make me a happy reader. There are lots of other characters that should show up instead of him, most of whom haven't gotten any fights since the time skip. Plus, I just want to see someone working on a technique and not come in with it mastered at the last second.

Ditto, but I sadly feel that Naruto showing up "at the last second" may just be what happens. :\

[Yeito]

I hope naruto doesn't show up at the last second either. u_u

I personally think it would have much more of an impact if say, shikamaru and the other two got back, or if only shikamaru got back, in tatters. u_u Cause then thats like sending a message. Or something. I don't know. >.>

But I don't want the two dudes to die either. T.T ((I dont have their names memorized)) They're cool...

[uc pseudonym]

Though I wonder a bit, was Asuma hit again, or did the scythe only hit Hidan? If just Hidan, I wonder if it'll do him any good (or if it possibly somehow winds up just killing himself? o.O )

Asuma ducked the scythe, so it hit Hidan. But the question is if Hidan has activated his technique again, which would mean that Asuma essentially just got stabbed. There's no way he just killed himself, but that would make a very, very funny spoof manga.

Actually, I'm curious about something else that will probably not ever be answered. What would happen if Hidan somehow licked his own blood? Twice the pain/damage?

I personally think it would have much more of an impact if say, shikamaru and the other two got back, or if only shikamaru got back, in tatters. u_u Cause then thats like sending a message. Or something. I don't know. >.>

That makes sense to me, and it would at least be a solid move. But I personally hope an Akatsuki dies in this fight]But I don't want the two dudes to die either. T.T ((I dont have their names memorized)) They're cool...[/quote]
Heh. As far as random side characters go, I liked the proctor of the third exam... that didn't go well. My current favorite unimportant person is the Jounin with a bandana and a stick in his mouth.

[Myoti]

Asuma ducked the scythe, so it hit Hidan. But the question is if Hidan has activated his technique again, which would mean that Asuma essentially just got stabbed. There's no way he just killed himself, but that would make a very, very funny spoof manga.

Yeah, I thought that, but I also wondered if Asuma's blood was still in affect now. And yes, that could be rather funny. XD

Actually, I'm curious about something else that will probably not ever be answered. What would happen if Hidan somehow licked his own blood? Twice the pain/damage?

That's pretty much why I suggested if he would kill himself by accident. It technically wouldn't make a whole lot of sense (*cough*), but I just thought that perhaps he thought he got Asuma's blood or something, but it was just his own when he got stabbed and he hurts/kills himself.

Heh. As far as random side characters go, I liked the proctor of the third exam... that didn't go well. My current favorite unimportant person is the Jounin with a bandana and a stick in his mouth.

Yeah, he was a quite a few that seem to have so much potential, then it's kind of like Kishimoto isn't sure what to do with them, so he just kills them off. =p

Poor Dosu, too. He was cool and could have been so much more awesome before Gaara got to him...

[Sai]

Aw man, guess i'm out of five monies.. oh well. Who is the bird man? Has he been in the story before?

[uc pseudonym]

He's been in the story, yes, but he's never actually used a jutsu. I'm glad to see more random characters get some page time, though I suspect that these ones won't amount to all that much. At least it wasn't Naruto.

I've already stated I'd be a bit disappointed with this ending, so I won't repeat myself. Still, I think we all know Asuma is going to pull through, because risky medical procedures never fail in shonen manga.

Well, it looks like we're going to see another Akatsuki member. No real comment there.

[MasterDias]

If this arc ends here, it is going to feel rather pointless... The duo was called away to seal the two-tails right? Doesn't that take awhile to do?

And as a random sidenote, Ino looked sort of masculine in this chapter to me for some reason. Maybe it was the camera angles.

[uc pseudonym]

Now you have me trying to remember if I noticed anything similar. Nothing too dramatic, or I'd remember it easily, but I might have to check.

If this arc ends here, it is going to feel rather pointless... The duo was called away to seal the two-tails right? Doesn't that take awhile to do?

It feels like an especially cheap excuse to me. I also definitely agree that cutting the arc short here means that there was no real development and, because we can assume Asuma will recover, nothing changed. Basically a very long introduction for Hidan and Kukazu.

You know, it would make more sense if Akatsuki had a greater number of members. That way they could seal even with members on the field. There can't be all that few ninja capable of whatever is necessary.

[MasterDias]

Sarutobi Asuma RIP

What can we learn from this chapter folks?
Kids who suffer fatal injuries live.
Adults who suffer fatal injuries are goners.

But seriously though, this was the most emotion-based chapter in a long time. It would have helped if Asuma had gotten more development over the course of the manga however.

[uc pseudonym]

Well, I should admit I was wrong. I'm impressed that he actually died, though the lesson from this that MasterDias presents is quite true. However, I hold that if anyone had gotten the chance to perform a risky medical jutsu then he would have lived.

I thought this chapter was well done. We don't have that much of an emotional connection to Asuma, but as character farewells go, this one was solid.

[uc pseudonym]

I'm surprised there is no discussion of the newest chapter.

However, despite the masive revelation it really isn't anything that amazing. What group of villains doesn't want to take over the world? At least these ones have a socio-economic plan to do so, as opposed to the general strategy of being ridiculously powerful. Personally, I'm more curious about what city/country the leader of Akatsuki is in.

[Myoti]

The way they plan on doing this sort of interests me, as it pretty much sounds like they're controlling the world through a sort of "monopoly on war" or such. Other than that, not much new really.

[Sai]

So, who think that cell ten will die when they try to kill the akatsuki people?

[uc pseudonym]

I doubt it. Shikamaru is practically one of the main characters, probably due to reader popularity. Plus, their cell has already filled its quota for deaths. Think about Naruto overall... we've only had two important good characters die in this entire time.

Naruto's Solution: Ridiculous. It makes sense, but it isn't very dynamic. My question is, why does he have three clones doing it when he only needs two? If the third one is trying both with help from the others so that he can eventually do the technique on his own, I will be impressed. Otherwise not.

[Myoti]

Did Shikamaru try mixing his shadow jutsu with Asuma's blades? That has potential to be interesting (if done correctly).

But yes, the 'solution' didn't seem quite as interesting. I wish we could just see what it's about already. =/

[MasterDias]

Yeah, I seriously doubt any other good guys will die any time soon. Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji are more important characters than Asuma was anyway.
I still think Ino looks sort of masculine in some of those frames. It might be the hair or something...

[uc pseudonym]

I liked the most recent chapter. Though not a terrible lot was accomplished (the conversation with Tsunade went on too long), I didn't expect that particular character to show up and for some reason this appearance worked for me. It will be interesting to see how that pans out (and, of course, to learn about how his hand got covered in bandages and so on).

[MasterDias]

I thought it was a pretty good chapter as well. Hopefully, we'll see what Team 10 is really capable of now post timeskip. I'm somewhat looking forward to this.

And, yes, Ibiki is back...

[uc pseudonym]

Surely someone has thoughts about this week's chapter? I've been slowly growing to like Kukazu; he's intelligent and doesn't talk much. I wonder how long he'll be around for with the end of the chapter though... but it is nice to see Kakashi being efficient and effective.

On the other hand, I don't like the revelation of chakra types having strengths/weaknesses. This seems pretty mundane to me, and the way it is introduced just prior to being used in combat seems suspiciously like things are just being made up and added.

Random note of the moment: the crater Naruto apparently made was pretty big...

[MasterDias]

If Kukazu has actually died from this, it will have been the quickest defeat in a very long time. Although, Kakashi proved his awesomeness yet again in this chapter.

As for the chakra/element thing, I'm not sure exactly what to make of it. It seemed to come out of nowhere and it sounded elementary enough that one wonders why it was never taught at the ninja academy.
Or Naruto just slept through it...But really, most of those elemental weaknesses are pretty obvious.

MasterDias' random note of the moment: Anime is (finally) going to animate Part II next year and is changing the title to Naruto: Hurricane Chronicles. Now why do I think of Pokemon whenever I see that title?

[uc pseudonym]

I think he'll be around for a good bit longer, actually, but I suspect that this was a major wound. The Chidori has a pretty good track record for damage done with direct hits, and even an Akatsuki has to be slowed down by a hand through the chest. However, I think due to his hardened transformation or something similar he'll be able to fight even with the injury... if he somehow doesn't die, though, I'll be irked.

Good to know that they're finally moving on, though I don't follow the anime. I wonder if this will cause a great return of fans or if all the filler has disillusioned too many people? But the title... bleh.

[Sai]

Surprise surprise, Naruto and co. show up to save the day..-_- Go figure. It would have been way more awesome if shikamaru and co. would have won the battle themselves.

[uc pseudonym]

Agreed; I was hoping that would happen (or at least they'd kill one of them). The only bright side I see is that the Akatsuki members do seem at reasonable levels of strength, that is, at Kage level. None of the main characters should be able to go head to head with them, and I expect more training, though hopefully not another time jump.

I only wish it had been someone else to back them up. We've seen too much of this team, and hardly anything of the others. It isn't as if the manga doesn't have enough characters...

[Sai]

Well, looks like Hidan is in tough shape if there is anything left of him after Shika blew him up. I kind of wanted to get this Naruto/ I forget his name right now (with the hearts) battle on with so i was a little sad that the chapter was about Shika instead of Naruto. *shrugs* oh well.

[uc pseudonym]

Oddly enough, I feel the opposite way. This was the first chapter I liked in a while, and I thought the ending was actually effective. Of course, Hidan had better be dead by this point or he'll become annoying.

As for the other battle, I'm glad Naruto hasn't mastered the jutsu yet. Still, I hope he can't beat Kukazu as he is. I like this member of Akatsuki somewhat simply because he fights effectively and his power is fairly original.

[MasterDias]

Kakuzu pwned. Arc over, according to the next chapter description anyway.

Naruto got himself an effective attack there. Overall, this was a decent arc, although I'm annoyed that half of the characters did basically nothing. I think Kishimoto has trouble juggling his secondary characters effectively. I like Shikamaru but he has probably gotton more screentime than any of the other non-Team 7 Konoha kids in the entire series.