Manga Naruto Manga [Warning: Spoilers]

[Gavin]

[quote name='Shinmaru']EDIT: Haha, that makes sense, Gavin. We're so desperate for something good that we're hoping old storylines can somehow become good new ones. XD[/QUOTE]

[quote name='Ace'][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Yeah, I probably should have touched on that one. I just figured that we already knew about it.[/FONT][/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"]Well good for you for being so smart huh Ace ? :p You know I'm kidding man, seeing your humourous assessments actually makes reading Naruto more enjoyable.

I have to say though, I've been mulling it over and the ref still kinda sticks out at me. I mean we all know, or at least can guess that the Raikage knew about the plot to kidnap Hinata as a child because if he didn't/still doesn't, well he's dropped to Tsunade-level competency as a village-leader. Yet the way the Raikage made the statement about the Hyuuga indicated some apparently different incident, at least in my mind, where Cloud ninja were directly attacked by a Hyuuga without provocation.

Like Mike said, perhaps I'm just looking too far underneath the underneath, but I am admittedly a Neji-fanboy and would love to see Konoha's other great clan prodigy get some development, plus Byakugan isn't pure hax yet. That and Kishi has been slowly feeding us more history of his world, so perhaps that ref was the prelude to more, after all we know all about the Senju and Uchiha, perhaps it's the Jyuuken users turn.[/SIZE]

[Andrew]

[size=1]I really don't get why all you guys are getting so pissed with Naruto lately. As far as I'm concerned, Kishi has always had characters pull random super-power moves out of nowhere to get themselves out of trouble/obtain a cheap and quick victory. Just so happens that now it's a character you don't like doing it, get over it.

If anything though, his new characters are just getting worse. I really do hope that KillerBee gets his beast stolen and his body is raped, dismembered and all other manner of nasty delights. Anyone who quotes Ali and wants to be taken seriously should be shot now. ¬_¬[/size]

[Allamorph]

[quote name='Andrew][size=1']Just so happens that now it's a character you don't like doing it, get over it.[/size][/quote]
[FONT=Arial]There are characters people like?

But hey, long as y'all keep on readin' the stuff, I'm sure he don't mind too much. After all, he's still makin' money somehow.

Plus, the target demographics seem to be the same to me as they were at the beginning. And they probably think the stuff is schwank; heck guys, you all know how bad Dragonball was, yeah? And yet you cling to it out of a sense of nostalgia, so meh.

However, the chapter summaries make my day, so keep it up. :animesmil[/FONT]

[Andrew]

[quote name='Allamorph'][FONT=Arial]...And yet you cling to it out of a sense of nostalgia, so meh...[/FONT][/QUOTE]

I cling to Dragonball because I genuinely enjoy reading it and it's actually good, thank you Mr. Morph. ¬_¬ And I still say the Manga is far superior to the Anime.[/size]

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='Andrew'][size=1]I really don't get why all you guys are getting so pissed with Naruto lately. As far as I'm concerned, Kishi has always had characters pull random super-power moves out of nowhere to get themselves out of trouble/obtain a cheap and quick victory. Just so happens that now it's a character you don't like doing it, get over it.[/size][/QUOTE]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]The main difference here is the fact that Amaterasu, which is pretty much what did Hatchibi in, wasn't even officially mastered by Sasuke yet. Itachi basically installed it as a defense mechanism from Madara. Couple that with the fact that all four of them were completely screwed 15 seconds prior, Karin is still alive, Sasuke's revenge plot that defies every conceivable form of logic Mankind has ever come up with, Karin is still alive, Suigetsu jumping from Captain Obvious to Gibberish King every other line, Karin is still alive, Juugo not realizing that Sasuke is probably the reason his friend is dead, Karin is still alive, Naruto's Sage Training probably won't do anything but update his stupid Rasengan for the eleven billionth time, Karin is still alive, most of the tolerable characters are dead, Karin is still alive, bizarre racist undertones, Karin is still alive, tentacle monsters and Karin is still alive, and we have a crapload of incredibly bad writing that's been accumulating for a couple of years now, it seems.

So in conclusion, we're not complaining just now. It's been building up for a while now and it basically just gets worse with each chapter. Only reason I'm still reading is because I enjoy making fun of it every week. Kind of like Joe Mathlete's Marmaduke blog. Gives me something to vent my frustrations on while at the same time sharpening my wit.

P.S.:

Karin sucks.[/FONT]

[chibi-master]

[quote name='Ace'][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Only reason I'm still reading is because I enjoy making fun of it every week.[/FONT][/QUOTE]

And we enjoy that you do that for us. Can't thank you enough, really!:animesmil

[Kei]

[color=darkblue][size=1]While I haven't been quite as vocal as most who come by here, I have to say that I'm not exactly thrilled by the southward tumble the writing in the series has taken as of late.

It is true that Kishimoto has always been a fan of Deus-Ex-Machina, but the level to which he's taken it ever since the start of the year has gotten to the point of ludiocrity.

In one fell swoop, he has: destroyed possibly the most influential (and storyline-driving) character in the series (quite literally, I might add); created a team of seemingly-unbeatable super ninja, all with the incredible power to rejuvenate/save their leader; given one of his main characters such a typical teen angst personality and flawed sense of logic that it seems like it's more of a fan comic than a professional piece of art/literature; and created a slew of secondary characters only thrown in (from a close reader's perspective) to advance the plot inch by inch toward what will likely amount to another Ninja War with Sasuke at the center.

Which will, of course, lead to the final Sasuke vs. Naruto confrontation (and consequently, Sasuke's probable "My God, I was so wrong! *cries*" moment), which will be interuppted by Pein when Naruto finally runs out of steam so he and his Wonder Friends can snatch the Kyuubi and spread wonton destruction through the countryside with their uber-WMD.*

(*What's sad is, at this point, that is a very viable sequence of events.)

So, just for that reason alone, I would say that being a bit upset at seeing something that had a lovely amount of potential in the beginning disintergrating into something almost worse than fan-fiction before our eyes is more than a bit justifiable. At least, in my opinion.[/color][/size]

[The Spectacular Professor]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Oh, and considering how the Hatchibi is supposedly less than a step behind the Kyuubi in terms of strength, ability and outright raw power, Kishi has also basically nerfed Yondaime to the point of being equal to if not below some punk emo kid with a though process more corrupted than North Korea's government. That's what you get for God-modding a kid into being able to do what it took an entire village's resources and the sacrifice of their leader to do by quite literally batting an eyelash.[/FONT]

[Lawliet]

I was looking for a place to complain about the direction that Naruto is going and it seems that I found it! Anyway while I was mowing the lawn today I was thinking about something that would be enjoyable (to me anyway) to read.

Pain and Konan arrive at the gate of the village looking for Naruto getting ready to kick some *** but what they find is all the interesting characters like Tsunade, Sakura, that annoying assistant lady, Sai, Kakashi, Yamato, Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, Neji, Lee, TenTen, and Guy (and any other character I forgot that would be in the village at this time). Then they have a super epic battle extravaganza where Pain and Konan are beaten and possible some of the leaf ninja are killed too. Then Naruto shows up with his super sage powers and finds out that he miss all the action.

Anyway, that?s what I think should happen, even though the Pain and Naruto fight is most likely going to be the outcome? if they ever stop focusing on Sasuke.

[chibi-master]

[quote name='Lawliet']Anyway, that?s what I think should happen, even though the Pain and Naruto fight is most likely going to be the outcome? if they ever stop focusing on Sasuke.[/QUOTE]

I like the way you think!:animesmil But they have to KILL Sasuke before they can forget about him. I mean, at this point it's sorta like this...

Me: Why even bother trying to save Sasuke anymore?!
Imaginary thing: Because Naruto cares about his dear friend and-
*I shoot hole in wall where imaginary thing is supposed to be*

[Gavin]

[quote name='Lawliet']Pain and Konan arrive at the gate of the village looking for Naruto getting ready to kick some *** but what they find is all the interesting characters like Tsunade, Sakura, that annoying assistant lady, Sai, Kakashi, Yamato, Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, Neji, Lee, TenTen, and Guy (and any other character I forgot that would be in the village at this time). Then they have a super epic battle extravaganza where Pain and Konan are beaten and possible some of the leaf ninja are killed too. Then Naruto shows up with his super sage powers and finds out that he miss all the action.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"]I have to say, if the above mentioned get in a fight with Pein and Konan, it's not going to be a fight, it's going to be a slaughter. None of the chuunin and younger jounin have any chance of being able to take out one of Pein's bodies, even as a group, with the possible exception of Lee if he chose to open all 8-Gates. Kakashi, Gai, Yamato and Tsunade might as a group have some chance of whittling down a body or two together, but again I think it'll likely end in a mass slaughter.

Really, I'm somewhat curious as to what will actually happen, Tsunade's stark level of incompetence is constantly proven as the manga goes on, so she's probably not smart enough to evac the village for when Pein and co roll by to collect the Kyuubi. Naruto may do a Goku and arrive just in the nick of time (or well usually after only one or two people have died) but I get the feeling Jiraiya was a lot more adept at using the Sage chakra in battle, given Naruto has like what, two moves to call on ?[/SIZE]

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"]Naruto may do a Goku and arrive just in the nick of time (or well usually after only one or two people have died) but I get the feeling Jiraiya was a lot more adept at using the Sage chakra in battle, given Naruto has like what, two moves to call on ?[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]I'm not too worried. If all else fails, Naruto'll get kicked around like a hackey-sack for a few chapters and then finish it all by flexing a toe and creating a giant Rasengan that eats half the universe before finally turning all 6 Peins into a giant Akatsmoothie. You know, the way Sasuke always does.[/FONT]

[chibi-master]

[quote name='Ace'][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]You know, the way Sasuke always does.[/FONT][/QUOTE]

So you want ANOTHER Sasuke?! Don't you think ONE is enough?!?!:animedepr

[Gavin]

[quote name='chibi-master']So you want ANOTHER Sasuke?! Don't you think ONE is enough?!?!:animedepr[/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"]I don't know, it'd be somewhat amusing to see Naruto fight Pein, get tossed around and then suddenly use a litany of new jutsu and simply explain that he learned them with Jiraiya and Fukusaku with no flashbacks at all, or maybe just one or two panels looking serious and somewhat tired. Besides, given how haxed Madara, Pein and Sasuke are, it would be nice to see things even out a bit on the side of a good guys.[/SIZE]

[Kei]

[quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"]Besides, given how haxed Madara, Pein and Sasuke are, it would be nice to see things even out a bit on the side of a good guys.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[color=darkblue][size=1]Congrats, Gavin, you somewhat got your wish with this chapter.

I won't say anything lest I ruin Ace's weekly summary, but all I have to say is "...What."[/color][/size]

[The Spectacular Professor]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Oh, right. Better get on that.

Chapter 418

Chapter is titled Naruto the Sage. Kill me.

Anyway, Naruto has apparently managed to keep all 38 of his attention span disorders in check and mastered the Sage Chakra. According to Fukusaku, he's even surpassed Jiraya and avoided any hint of frog transformation in the process.

Except, you know, the slit eyes.

Anyway, a bird decides to land on Naruto's shoulder, thus ruining the balance of his stone tile and sending the boy toppling from his perch. Somehow, Kishi has legitimately managed to make me chuckle with a gag he intended to create. I hope this doesn't keep up, I may be out of a job.

Naruto lands practically unscathed. This is because he's in Sage Mode. Fukusaku declares that it's time to move on to the final training: Frog-fu, a fighting style using the Sage chakra. Apparently it's not a Rasengan upgrade. This chapter is starting to look decent. It's scaring me. Make it stop.

Ah, that's better. We're returning to Team Suck. A bunch of Cloud nins are launching an attack on their temporary base. They find their comrade who was captured last chapter lying on the wall, probably dead.

And now we see Naruto training. Apparently we skipped most of it. I'm a little disappointed, but it's still not enough to complain about the chapter. Skip back to Konoha, where Generic Girl, Generic Nerdy Girl and Shikamaru (see, he's cool enough for me to refer to him by name) are still trying to figure out what the crap is going on with that coded message.

They're also dissecting Deidara-Pein, by the way. And they'd better hurry up, because Pein is about three feet from the main gate and ready to screw up their crap. All seven of him, including this one who looks like a 13 year old girl with her hair tied in a knot on top.

The end.

Wow, that was a decent chapter. My discomfort level is currently high. I suspect Kishi is plotting something. Probably trying to lull me into a false sense of security.[/FONT]

[Gavin]

[quote name='Kei'][color=darkblue][size=1]Congrats, Gavin, you somewhat got your wish with this chapter.

I won't say anything lest I ruin Ace's weekly summary, but all I have to say is "...What."[/color][/size][/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"]Heh heh, I saw that when I read the spoilers during the week. Here's hoping he does the same for [i]Toad[/i]-Fu (because they're Toads not Frogs Ace) :p and maybe a few new jutsu before the big showdown...next week. Heh. Oh and for the ninetieth time, a decent new outfit.

But yeah, to agree with Ace, it is kinda suspicious we're actually getting good writing again, but I'm an optimist so here's hoping it keeps up. [/SIZE]

[Kre]

Yes, I'm just wondering what Naruto's practicing while the frog-toad, whatever the hell he is, sleeps. Don't know if you guys missed that. My guess is it's some cheap Rasengan upgrade.

[Kei]

[color=darkblue][size=1]I'm at odds about this chapter. While it looks like we're finally about to get some plot advancement that actually makes sense, it seems...rushed. I mean, like Ace mentioned in his synopsis, there were a few things that were fast-forwarded through. That makes me wonder just how long all this has taken.

And for Naruto to have suddenly surpassed Jiraiya...That's just shenanigans all over again in my book.

Though I must say, I am actually looking forward to the devestation that Pein is going to bring on Konoha. Not that I'm suddenly rooting for the bad guys, per se, but it just seems appropriate at this point in time.

(By the way, Rurouni, ninja don't sleep; they [i]pretend[/i] to sleep to kill you when you're actually silly enough to honestly fall asleep around them. At least, that's how the good ones play it.)[/color][/size]

[Kre]

Haha, yeah I should of worded that betterly :P. I don't think that's a word either...Oh well. But I agree, I'm anticipating Pein's shenanigans.

[chibi-master]

[quote name='Ace'][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]I suspect Kishi is plotting something. Probably trying to lull me into a false sense of security.[/FONT][/QUOTE]

I agree. Remember to stand 'en garde'....

And by the way, how is the 'killer bee' guy stuck to a wall?:confused:

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='chibi-master']And by the way, how is the 'killer bee' guy stuck to a wall?:confused:[/QUOTE]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]It wasn't him, it was another Cloud Jounin. And he was lying against the wall with fluids seeping out of him.[/FONT]

[chibi-master]

[quote name='Ace'][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]It wasn't him, it was another Cloud Jounin. And he was lying against the wall with fluids seeping out of him.[/FONT][/QUOTE]

Oh.<.< I see. Well, then carry on with your fluid-seeping-spies-of-fail.

[Gavin]

[SIZE="1"]I wouldn't call the skipping over of the majority of Naruto's training to be haxing him, nor the fact he is professed to be more skilled at it than Jiraiya. Realistically all Naruto did was learn to control another form of chakra, which for someone who has a near infinite amount of demon chakra flowing about just beneath the surface shouldn't have been too difficult.

Maybe it's just the fact when he's not acting like a freaking hyper idiot I really like Naruto as a character and this upping of his power is really deserved a this point, because from what we've seen, his powers haven't really changed that much compared to pre-Time Skip levels. I think the final catalyst for Naruto to "grow up" as a character is not his fight with Sasuke, but rather to learn the truth about his parents.

Naruto needs to open his eyes and see that as an individual Sasuke has never matured beyond the mindset of a child looking for revenge against what he perceives as the wrongs done to him and his family. Once he sees what his father, and by extension Jiraiya, Sandaime and Shodaime sacrificed to keep everyone safe, and really, really understands that, then he'll be a Hokage in everything but name.[/SIZE]

[Raiyuu]

*sigh* I tried to stay away ... look how long that lasted.

[quote name='Rurouni922']Yes, I'm just wondering what Naruto's practicing while the frog-toad, whatever the hell he is, sleeps. Don't know if you guys missed that. My guess is it's some cheap Rasengan upgrade.[/quote]Has no one else sussed this out yet? I though Kishi was telegraphing it pretty clearly.

Tsunade and Kakashi have forbidden Naruto from using his RasenShuriken because it causes massive nerve damage in his arm. Sage mode provides rapid healing and incredible resistance to damage. Therefore with Sage mode, he can use the RasenShuriken - which, let's not forget, was powerful enough to counteract Kakuzu's multiple [strike]hax[/strike] hearts - without making his own arms fall off.

Check out page 10 of the latest chapter. The mountain/tree/thingy in front of Naruto is split in half and there's a big cloud of debris hovering over it. Which means he's learned to throw the RasenShuriken, as well, making it a genuinely useful upgrade to the Rasengan - a long-range attack, something his arsenal's been missing.