Manga Naruto Manga [Warning: Spoilers]

[TwistedChick]

[quote name='Kei'][color=darkblue][size=1]Truth be told, I'm more concerned about finding out more about Tobidara. I mean, he's potentially one of the most interesting characters in the series, but we really haven't learned that much about him yet, other than the fact that he's an Uchiha and (of course) he now has a vested interest in Sasuke.[/color][/size][/QUOTE]

He seems to have a pretty extreme Vash or Kenshin complex going on, just the evil version. Schizo characters that aren't [I]actually[/I] schizo but are just putting on an act tend to grab your attention. Showing his sharingan to Kakashi proves he has the 'intrigue' factor.

[Gavin]

[quote name='Memphis'][COLOR="DarkRed"][SIZE="1"]I had to have missed it, but how so?[/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"]Maybe he was being sarcastic, but this kinda made me question his surprise about the fight's conclusion, which would imply knowledge of Itachi's condition just prior to the fight.

[URL="http://www.onemanga.com/Naruto/395/16/"]Madara does a Borat.[/URL][/SIZE]

[ImmortalGuru]

AMAZING CHAPTER TODAY! Although all of it was just talking, but man. The ending was just beyond spectacular. Tobi is finally about to show his true self and about to tell Sasuke the truth about Itachi. So maybe Gavin(I think thats who said it)was right and he's gonna say Madara killed his parents and not Itachi. Looks like we'll have to find out next week.

The last few pages were great though. Had me on the edge of my seat while readin it.

[Gavin]

[SIZE="1"]Not a bad chapter, although I have to saw, compared to the speed at which Bleach seems to go, Naruto seems almost painfully slow. So Itachi is genuinely dead after all, Madara is about to show his face to Sasuke while revealing everything he didn't know, Hinata can apparently see 10 kilometres away now and apparently the Konoha-nin are right back to stage one now that Sasuke has been kidnapped/rescued by Madara.

Guess they'll head for Kisame now, as he's their last link to Akatsuki in the area.[/SIZE]

[chibi-master]

I read ch.396...All I can say is, NO! I like Tobi, not Madara! Madara is a murderous turd! Tobi is an adorable murderous turd! *breaks into tears* WAAAAAAAHHHHH!:animecry: Curse you, Kishimoto!:animeangr Anyway, I wonder what will happen if Tobi/Madara says that he helped kill off Sasuke's clan. After all, Sasuke is in no condition to fight...then there's Naruto. I don't think he's a very happy camper. And Kakashi's probably confused! HA HA HA!!! I love anyone's confusion other than my own!:animesmil

[Kei]

[quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"]Guess they'll head for Kisame now, as he's their last link to Akatsuki in the area.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[color=darkblue][size=1]Assuming that he hasn't taken off already. Kisame had been Itachi's partner for a while, so he probably got a sense of when Itachi bit it. Unless Suigetsu is giving him one hell of a run for his money, he's liable to scamper off on his own and leave the kids behind since there's nothing to tie him to the fight anymore.

I do have to say that I'm noticing the slow pace now as well. I mean, I can understand where it would stem from as a writer, but there are some points where slow plot progression can hurt more than it helps. This would be the case in this situation.

In my opinion, Kishi is doing this largely so that the reader can get a full picture of what's happening on the most important sides (as obviously, we have not seen what's going on with Suigetsu vs. Kisame). One would assume since he made the announcement that this year will focus primarily on Sasuke that it's not a stall tactic for planning time. But with such slow going and so many things on the cusp of being revealed that fans have wanted to know for months (if not longer), Kishi's setting the bar quite high for himself to deliver satisfactory results. And what with the ways that some of the series' most important/well-liked characters have died in recent chapters, I'm starting to wonder if he can really pull it off.[/color][/size]

[Zen]

[color=royalblue][size=1]

Well, what about the other members of Hebi? I thought Kisame was fighting water homeboy? I still want to see that fight, myself. I wonder how Kisame will deal with the news about Itachi (if he survives long enough to learn). I wanna see more! NOA![/color][/size]

[Gavin]

[SIZE="1"]I'd like to see the Suigetsu/Kisame fight myself, although only if it means Suigetsu gets himself a few limbs chopped off, with Itachi having died against Sasuke, even if it was due to him being poisoned/injured prior to the fight, we've already seen enough of Akatsuki die for the time being, that and I've hated Suigetsu since he was introduced.

As Kei said, Kisame may just take off when he realises that Itachi has died, he loves to fight sure but even he's smart enough to realise something like Itachi's death is going to require him to withdraw and wait for orders.

I think his pace really does need to pick up, by choosing to focus on Sasuke, Kakashi and Sakura for this year, he's effectively put the manga on hold for another nine months, at least plot-wise seeing as we know things only move forward when Naruto is in the driving seat. Hopefully, even if Naruto isn't the focus of the coming plot, he'll at least be set doing something, like training in preparation for his eventual fight with Pein. That boy needs all of it he can get. Either way, it's as you said Kei, the bar has been set high, and he really needs to reach it this time.[/SIZE]

[TwistedChick]

I step away for two weeks and the thread hardly moves... sad.

Chapter 397 - Madara is a lying bastard. If not, uber-WTF?! And simply [I]touching[/I] Sasuke allowed Itachi to transfer his techniques...isn't that a bit of a stretch? I think Kishi's seriously groping in the dark right now. Apparently he isn't listening to the fans, at least fans like us, who were [I]happy[/I] that Sasuke appeared to have been weakened by this battle. But, [B][I]nooooo[/I][/B]. He actually achieved mangekyou. [I][B][U]Yay.[/U][/B][/I] *dripping with sarcasm*

[ImmortalGuru]

[quote name='TwistedChick']I step away for two weeks and the thread hardly moves... sad.

Chapter 397 - Madara is a lying bastard. If not, uber-WTF?! And simply [I]touching[/I] Sasuke allowed Itachi to transfer his techniques...isn't that a bit of a stretch? I think Kishi's seriously groping in the dark right now. Apparently he isn't listening to the fans, at least fans like us, who were [I]happy[/I] that Sasuke appeared to have been weakened by this battle. But, [B][I]nooooo[/I][/B]. He actually achieved mangekyou. [I][B][U]Yay.[/U][/B][/I] *dripping with sarcasm*[/QUOTE]
Well, who's to say that he's gonna be able to have the Mangekyou from now on. Maybe he was just able to use that Mangekyou that one time, thus is why he didnt realize what had happened.

But regardless though, it was a pretty interesting episode. I thought Itachi was still alive to begin with when Amaterasu came out and engulfed Tobi/Madara. I bet thats what Kishi was thinkin about doing at the beginning to throw the fans off. Atleast it worked on me.

But now I'm PISSED! No Naruto next week? :( So we gotta wait 2 weeks before the next issue. They better be glad theres a new ep of the anime next week.

[TwistedChick]

[quote name='ImmortalGuru']Well, who's to say that he's gonna be able to have the Mangekyou from now on. Maybe he was just able to use that Mangekyou that one time...[/QUOTE]

Well, Madara straight up said that Itachi had "transferred his eye techiniques" to Sasuke. I doubt that would be a one-time use kind of thing. What good would that do, especially if the jutsu simply up and triggered without Sasuke being able to control it? In other words, if the jutsu missed or was ineffective (like it was) then the transfer would have been pointless. He gets to keep mangekyou. whoopie. *even harder sarcasm than before*

I find it interesting that Amaterasu made Sasuke's eye bleed as well. I guess that hadn't been a sign of weakness when Itachi used it and had the same thing happen...

[chibi-master]

I am so freakin' annoyed! Sasuke finally shows a teensy speck of weakness and now that teensy speck has been eaten by MORE power! I mean, WTF?! Kishi couldn't come up with anything less agrivating?! HMMM?! Grrr...whatta headache! Why does everything revolve around Sasuke now?....*sob*:animecry:

[Kre]

[quote name='TwistedChick']I step away for two weeks and the thread hardly moves... sad.

Chapter 397 - Madara is a lying bastard. If not, uber-WTF?! And simply [I]touching[/I] Sasuke allowed Itachi to transfer his techniques...isn't that a bit of a stretch? I think Kishi's seriously groping in the dark right now. Apparently he isn't listening to the fans, at least fans like us, who were [I]happy[/I] that Sasuke appeared to have been weakened by this battle. But, [B][I]nooooo[/I][/B]. He actually achieved mangekyou. [I][B][U]Yay.[/U][/B][/I] *dripping with sarcasm*[/QUOTE]

Totally agreed there TC.

[TwistedChick]

[quote name='chibi-master']Why does everything revolve around Sasuke now?....*sob*:animecry:[/QUOTE]

That part is getting annoying, big time. The only saving grace is that Sasuke knows he was weaker than Itachi. Rooted deep into his heart is the realization that what he struggled so long to attain and what he sacrificed so much for was unreachable even in the end. Cheating off Orochi's power got him nowhere in his attempts to kill his brother. And now, [I]that[/I] power, though it's been replaced by mangekyou, is gone. The cursed seal has gone bye-bye, so now we just have to bite our lip while he uses amaterasu and other techniques he [I]shouldn't be able to use.[/I] Though, really, we should've seen something cheap like this technique-transfer coming. I mean, did we actually expect Kishi to sit back and have Sasuke [I]not[/I] achieve mangekyou all because he will never kill Naruto? No, but still. Grr. I have to focus on Sasuke's sense of self-defeat or I get more irritated than is healthy for a person.

[Gavin]

[SIZE="1"]OK, focussing on the positive aspects of the latest chapter first, if Madara isn't lying to Sasuke, and I've only mild reason to believe he actually is, then Kishi has partially made up for killing off Itachi by making him even more layered as a character. Yes, I'm one of those people who always wanted Itachi to turn out to be a good guy, and I've got my wish hopefully, but I think it actually does make him a more interesting character.

Honestly, I think the whole "evil to do a greater good" actually fits better with the whole shinobi philosophy. Ninja kill people and yet they all have their own codes that prevent them from ever looking bad, unless they're villains. Even Kakashi, who definitely does have his darker elements is still firmly a good-guy on the outside. So yeah, yay for Itachi.

Now, on to the negatives, and sadly, they heavily out-weigh the positives. I'm in total agreement with everyone else here that Sasuke's newest power boost absolutely sucks in terms of development for his character, although the very fact he actually apparently got the power from a source another source than emo-ism is welcome.

I know we can harp on about the unoriginality of him getting the Mangekyou, especially after the Cursed Seal being ripped out of him by Itachi, but I suppose in reality, he is an Uchiha and Sharingan mastery for him is simply to be expected. Yes, it would have been better if this had come after his reflection time but Kishi is a Sasuke-fanboy and we just have to accept it. I'm seriously praying though that Kishi doesn't write it so that Sasuke actually overcomes the blindness factor of the regular Mangekyou so he can spam it like he did his CS2. That of course is assuming it's permanent, and not, God help us, an EMS.

Seems like the next few chapters of the manga are probably going to be dealing with Itachi's past, which sounds like it should be cool. Shame though that Kishi has his plot move at a snail's pace.[/SIZE]

[TwistedChick]

[quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"]Yes, I'm one of those people who always wanted Itachi to turn out to be a good guy, and I've got my wish hopefully, but I think it actually does make him a more interesting character.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]


It never even entered my mind that he could be anything but evil, so this is quite the surprise for me. You're right that it would give him more depth as a character. Strictly evil people are typically quite predictable, but someone that is conflicted, besides the risk of coming off as emo, can surprise you left and right. A shame we only find this out [I]after[/I] he's dead, though this does have its perks. It doesn't overdo the moment of revelation, like some mangaka might be tempted to have happen. We don't have to worry about the whole "Luke, I am your father" followed by subsequent Emporer-killing kind of situation that's been parroted far too many times. How far his "goodness" goes, though, we'll have to wait and see. Were his actions still mostly selfish, even if they did happen to include protecting Konoha in one way or another? Let's see how long Kishi takes to explain himself.

[Gavin]

[quote name='TwistedChick']How far his "goodness" goes, though, we'll have to wait and see. Were his actions still mostly selfish, even if they did happen to include protecting Konoha in one way or another? Let's see how long Kishi takes to explain himself.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"]Well, going by Binktopia's translation, Madara claims that Itachi "risked everything to protect the ninja world, Konoha and Sasuke", which you know funnily enough makes Sasuke look even more pathetic than he already did.[/SIZE]

[TwistedChick]

[quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"]...which you know funnily enough makes Sasuke look even more pathetic than he already did.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

All of this dialogue must be making him feel absolutely worthless. He's utterly shown up by his brother, loses the enormous power boost the cursed seal gave him, leaving him to face everyone else in the 'diminished' state he should actually be in, and now Madara tells him he's betrayed everyone he knows and detested the man he was so close to all for the wrong reasons. We can of course assume Itachi needed Sasuke to grasp frantically at becoming as powerful as possible, explaining why he encouraged him to fiercely to do so. It's rather twisted, whatever the reason.

One possiblity my brother threw at me - Itachi saw firsthand in Madara the evil that curses the Uchiha clan back when he first met him, and in an attempt to save Konoha from eventual destruction at his hand, 'groomed' Sasuke to be capable of overthrowing him. That much seems obvious from amaterasu triggering at Madara and we all get that part. But, to explain Itachi's cooperation in slaughtering the rest of the Uchiha, my brother suggests perhaps he did it, not to remove powerful opponents and potential rival mangekyou users like Madara was doing, but to end the scourge of a cursed house, cutting the evil influence of the mangekyou from the flesh of Konoha.

Note that when saying who Itachi had risked his life to protect, Madara doesn't mention the Uchiha, for although Itachi helped kill the majority of them, he could have had in mind the clan's eventual return through himself and Sasuke's line. We can see from Itachi's life that he himself didn't try to do that at all (unless he left little Itachi-babies throughout the countryside, which would be hi-larious - I'm guessing no). All of this is strange, since, when you're working against someone as insightful as Madara, your plans might as well be laid out before you for him to see. 'Secrecy' doesn't seem to be very useful when around him.

How much water this theory holds (more like a random guess, really), I'm not sure. It would be interesting to have a character kill his own family and still manage to have the welfare of others in mind. That's a tricky one to pass off as believable. Kishi will need to really work on this one for me to buy it.

[Zen]

[color=royalblue][size=1]

So, Sasuke basically just wasted his and everyone else's time, invariably led to the death of several people who could have lived, and abandoned all his friends and his home just to kill a guy who was actually trying to help him and everyone else.

Good job, emo boy.

I think the next chapters might end up being like Kakashi Gaiden with Itachi instead.... that'll be cool I guess.[/color][/size]

[chibi-master]

[quote name='Zen'][color=royalblue][size=1]

So, Sasuke basically just wasted his and everyone else's time, invariably led to the death of several people who could have lived, and abandoned all his friends and his home just to kill a guy who was actually trying to help him and everyone else.
[/color][/size][/QUOTE]

Well, that's probably the best way to summarize it. Alas, I am deffinite that everyone would just love to stop Sasuke from f***ing the world up and wasting our valuable manga reading time!

[Magus]

[quote name='chibi-master']Alas, I am deffinite that everyone would just love to stop Sasuke from f***ing the world up and wasting our valuable manga reading time![/QUOTE]
[COLOR="DarkRed"][SIZE="1"]I've actually enjoyed majority of these chapters that're dealing with Sasuke. Of course he's no Itachi, but he's fairly close to it. And I just find him to be more interesting than Naruto. (don't mind that. It's bias talk lol)

Meh, they need to change the title to something else. I never did understand why people would name these series after the character when there are tons of other characters that gets just as much story time as the main character.

I forgot there was no Naruto this week.

Edit: One thing I just noticed about both Bleach and Naruto is that when one series slows down, the other speeds up. We've hit a slow down with Naruto, yet a buttload of questions are being answered in Bleach.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[chibi-master]

[quote name='Memphis'][COLOR="DarkRed"][SIZE="1"]I've actually enjoyed majority of these chapters that're dealing with Sasuke.[/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

I enjoyed a small few of the chapters but for the most part, they annoyed the hell outta me!:animeangr

[Magus]

[COLOR="DarkRed"][SIZE="1"]Random thoughts about ch 398.

-Sasuke should stay woke for a change so there could've been a quicker explanation about Itachi.

-Is this one of one of those attempts where the villain(s) convince some character that the heroes are the villains?

-Now we get some back story about the fight between Madara and the 1st Hokage. I'm actually looking forward to that.

-I don't get what Madara was trying to get Sasuke to understand about Itachi. "Think about your kind-hearted brother".... "o.kay"? O_o?[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Gavin]

[SIZE="1"]Well, well, I have to say, for the first time in a while, I was actually more intrigued by the most recent Naruto chapter than the most recent Bleach chapter.

Agree with Memphis, Sasuke needs to stay awake, or at least pant less, it takes up too many damn panels which could be filled more interestingly.

Cool to get a bit more background info on the ninja countries prior to the original Great Shinobi War, although I have to admit, the apparent "real reason" behind the Uchiha Massacre was a bit of a "WTF ?" moment for me, with a lot of subsequent head-scratching. That said, it seems more and more likely now that Itachi was a member of Root, as I just can't see Sandaime giving an order like that.

I hope we get to see some more about the original Great Shinobi War, I'd like to see a lot of Konoha's clans back during their independent periods. Thinking on it, it's possible, though perhaps not very likely, the Hyuuga's techniques came about specifically to counter the copying ability of the Uchiha's Sharingan.[/SIZE]

[Tatsubei Yagyu]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Navy"]The slowness of these Naruto chapters remind me of why One Piece is my favorite manga. ~_~ <3

But I'm actually looking forward to the 1st Hokage vs Madara backstory.

FINALLY. We shall know how the hell the Valley of the End came to be...*wind blows*

Also, I haven't been around Otakuboards in forever... @_@ lol[/COLOR][/FONT]