Naruto Chapter 384: Two Roads Diverge

Summary: Sasuke and Itachi fight with taijutsu and genjutsu. Throughout the fight, Sasuke says he has a question for Itachi.

SnowyOwl Says:

I haven't been this excited about a chapter in a while! The chapter didn't engage me at first because the taijutsu sequences were confusing and a bit mundane, but once the strategy kicked in it was an adrenaline rush to the finish. I'd like to see this animated to clear up what was going on at the start, and hear Sasuke cuss out his brother. Oh yes.

If you're a regular reader, you know I'm not a Sasuke fan, but I gotta give him props once again for looking cool and thinking ahead. First using the Chidori as the bait to get Itachi to jump and then striking the other Itachi when the first was revealed as an illusion. The first illusion readers could smell a mile away, but I feared Sasuke would fall for it again in the heat of the moment. Glad to see the boy can learn. And check out his crazy-face. There is absolutely no doubt or regret in his mission.

Now, the question is how many layers of illusions are there? It seems highly improbable that Kishimoto dragged out Jiraiya and Pain's confrontation over a month and the Uchiha confrontation, which he's been building up to since the beginning of the series, would end in one chapter. There will be at least a flashback (I hope) from Itachi's point of view.And I just wanted to comment on the intensity of the latter half of the chapter. The layout worked well, the content and execution of the panels were well chosen to enhance key moments - great use of sound effects and a feeling of suspended time in all the right places. And the dialogue: OMG. I almost want to see this live-action.

What's the question!?!

Witherwing writes:

Oh man! The second half of this chapter was CRAZY! I do have to admit that my favorite part was the non dialogue though. Let me recap some of the highlights:
Thwack
Swip
Grab
Swsh
Push
Tink
Fwish
Wobble
Squeeze
Sshooom
Slice
Yank
CRASH!

I hope that they're saying these thinks out loud as it happens.

I agree with Snowyowl. I don't think that the anticipated confrontation can be finished in one chapter. But then again, we all remember the Sasuke-Orochimaru fight. ::facepalm::

Now Sasuke will finally get to ask Itachi, "why do you have those funny marks under your eyes?"