Naruto Chapter 367: Itachi and Sasuke

**Updated 9-17-07**

Summary: Sasuke defeats Itachi, only to find out it was a clone and was told to meet Itachi at the Uchiha hideout to 'end this.' Tsunade expresses concern for Jiraiya's safety as he prepares to confront the leader of the Akatsuki. They discuss hokage, past, present, and future, and reminisces about Naruto's parents.

SnowyOwl Says:

[The Uchihas] - Despite the title, this chapter really wasn't about them, but a few quick words anyway. Bunshin or illusion, I thought the Sharingan was suppose to see through it. Or his emotions prevented him from seeing clearly. Even if Itachi deems Sasuke worthy of a face-to-face fight now, it goes to show that Sasuke's got a ways to go and he's the one that doesn't know Itachi. Like Itachi would go down that easily!


There were two instances in this chapter that made me indescribily happy (two in one chapter? surely you jest...)

1) Kakashi acknowledged as Hokage material.

Yay!! And it was done so off-handedly, like there was never any question. I'm stoked that Kakashi finally got the canon recognition he deserved. He's not just some genius machine-like ninja, but a human who humbles himself, recognizes his own weaknesses, and yet keeps working to better himself and who has internalized the Will of Fire.

Plus, this allays my fear somewhat for Tsunade's sanity. I really thought she was going to let teenage Naruto take over when she steps down.

2) Yondaime has a name!

And it's not Arashi (too bad, I liked that better than Minato). Lot's of things gleaned from the sannin's conversation:

Naruto took his mother's maiden name. OMG is he illigit? Or perhaps they did that to conceal the fact that he's Yondy's son. Now that it's canon that Naruto is son of a hokage, it's good that it was hidden from him. If he knew, I can imagine:

1. extra bitterness that his dad would screw him like that (wow, the Gaara/Naruto parallels are only getting stronger)
2. extra pressure to live up to his lineage, and
3. Naruto being the cockiest brat in the village.

I'm kinda bummed that Naruto is an Uzumaki because his mom's from Whirlpool country (are you kidding my Kishimoto?! Whirlpool is not even an element! The country's probably some seceded part of Water Country. Meh.) I've always liked the idea that the swirl was symbolic of Konoha (see Leaf symbol) and that Naruto was generically named after the village because he was born without a family name. But no, named after some dinky country named after an appliance.

And now we know why Naruto is a wind-type and prone to swirly-jutsu. Yondy is a kaze (meaning wind, of course) and mommy is an Uzumaki (swirl).

One thing I thought was interesting is that Naruto's relationship with Yondy was revealed so casually. I take that to mean that Kishimoto either built it up so that the relationship was obvious, or that it had become so obvious that there was no point trying to dramatize the reveal. (Tsunade: ah, Naruto is so much like his father, that... NEXT CHAPTER: Naruto's Father is?!?). Kishi could have include pictures of mom and dad though, instead of Tsu and Jirai just talking - it's a comic! Use images and words simultaneously!

Finally: Pein made it rain and gets paranoid when someone walks around in it? Man, that must suck.


Witherwing writes:

Men-gomen ^_^;;

Ah Sasuke, he just revealed his newly-learned moves to Itachi. Now he's lost the advantage. It's the same as before only this time he's not screaming. Now they are heading back to the Uchiha hideout which Sasuke just came from and I can picture them fighting in a big underground arena with cat statues on the side.

Poor Tsunade - I bet she knows that she's sending her closest friend to his doom. I mean it's a given. They've had their last drink together, remenisced on the past, and he has refused her help should he get into trouble. But perchance he could pull a Sasuke and hide in the stomach of his frog seeing as he does that anyway. (why didn't sasuke use a smaller snake?)

The 'rents - What do we know about Namikaze Minato and Uzamaki Kushina?
Naruto looks like his dad but has the personality and fighting style of his mom. Kushina was a tomboy, always talking, and had red hair but she grew up to be very beautiful. Does that mean that they grew up together? It makes me wonder what the fourth's personality was like to fall for her. Loud as well? Well he was gifted and determined.*fanart by orin - depiction of Kushina