Naruto Manga 318: So far, so good with the training

Witherwing wrote:
I'm not really sure what the chapter title is called so I'm just taking a guess with the last chapter. The new naruto movie came out. I love how Naruto can get mentally fatigued. It's just not something I think he can do because he's not much with the mental.

Really liked the fighting that's going on with Deidara and the thumb-print guy. The super angry look and then the Wah! What does he mean by the three tail not being a jinchuuriki? Was he saying that it didn't have a human host. I mean, it's a jumbo clam with monster arms.


Last, I would like to point out that Shikamaru is part of the search and destroy group. Always doing the grown-up stuff. He's just so cool and aloof.

SnowyOwl Says:
You beat me at posting again! And commented on everything I wanted to too!

-On the Movie: Can Naruto's fashion sense get any worse? Maybe it's Kishimoto's way of making us appreciate the character's clothes in part two. Gah!


-On training: Oh...so I guess the waterfall served some purpose after all. Or Kakashi was just being a good senpai and made up a reason for Yamato's ridiculous waterfall to save face. :o) Actually, it's kinda neat seeing Kakashi and Yamato so synchonized. I wonder if this progession of lessons is standard for wind-types and if all instructors/high-level ninja know the training procedure. I like the idea that Naruto is passing out from training too. Wouldn't want leveling-up to seem so easy.

-On Akatsuki: I really love the different team dynamics between Hidan/Kakuzu and Deidara/Tobi. Members from both teams seem somewhat incompatible. There's definately a growing tension between Hidan and Kakuzu because of their different life philosphies and priorities. Seems like they work on a purely profession level. Deidara and Tobi, on the other hand, are hilarious. Tobi seems really green and childish and if he had a face, he would definately have exaggerated expressions (the Naruto/Obito of the baddies if you will). I completely understand Deidara's annoyance at the newbie as a more senior member. But I think this kind of senpai-kouhai relationship can become a positive one, and it makes the Akatsuki members seem a little more human. Which is a scary thought.

It occured to me that Tobi's face may well be a mask.

-On the Twenty Small Brigades: 20 teams of 4. And my heart leapt a little when I saw the back of Shikamaru's head. The fact that he's in the special forces seems fitting somehow and ups his cool factor a lot. And he was already pretty awesome in my book. And I am very, very excited that more tertiary characters such as Kotetsu (bandaged-nose guy) and Izumo (Hair-covers-eye guy) are going to get more screen time. Oh. You know Asuma's brigade will be featured. They did the whole, dramatic, here-are-shots-of-everyone's-feet-as-we-start-our-mission trick. If you need a reminder, we first met these two chuunin when they cast genjutsu on the 2nd floor of the Chuunin Exam and beat up Lee. Poor Lee.

Questions to ponder: How do you differentiate visually between a chuunin and a jounin? And, what kind of awesome jutsu or display of brain power will Shikamaru reveal to explain why he's on these super-special brigades at such a tender age? The others are all over 27.

Witherwing says:
-On 20 brigade: I did know where bandage-nose and hair-covers-eye guy were from even if I didn't know their names. I don't know if Shikamaru will display any super brain jutsu because it's already known that he is the smartest ninja in Konoha. Maybe it's like Kakashi's time where he got promoted really fast because Konoha needs man power and they're running low on capable ninjas.

-On Tobi: I don't know. That mask just isn't natural, but then again, look at the other members. I seem to recall that it dialates and contracts, and the hole just isn't where his eye(s?) should be. Maybe it's meant to confuse people he fights.

-On waterfall: I don't know if the senseis thought that far ahead. Maybe they were like 'well, we have this really big waterfall. What do we do with it? Let's make Naruto think it's part of the training.' Who really knows?