Manga Naruto Manga [Warning: Spoilers]

[conpiracymonki]

[size=1]
I'm not really fond of the idea of Naruto developing a sweeter relationship with the Kyuubi like Bee and Hachibi. I really really hope they dont do that. I'd rather Naruto take the chakra of the Kyuubi from it by force, since it's meant to be this creature of pure malice in chakra form. In that sense, I'm very interested in how this waterfall thing ends up turning out moreso than anything else. It's a great opportunity to look a little deeper into Naruto's mind but I'm kinda scared it's just gonna be squandered on some kinda mental (physical) fight between his two halves lol.

I like that they're going into Bee's history, but not really anticipating it or anything either. Raikage looks super-badass in the past though. I wonder what's up with Kisame though. He has intel on the location of both remaining Jinchuuriki (which might not become relevant cos it's so shortcut-y) and also Raikage's war gameplan. If he dies without relaying some of this info back to Madara, his whole fake-death is gonna be pointless :/[/size]

[The Spectacular Professor]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Typical Naruto. Get confronted with a task someone else overcame all alone in no time flat and then you try to use that guy as some kind of Ninja GameFAQs.

Killerbee is outrageously badass as usual, so nothing really wrong with that part of the chapter other than the fact that it made Naruto vs. Bloodshot Eyes Naruto more boring by comparison. Although Naruto's painfully predictable battle techniques being doubled was doing a pretty good job of that already.

Anyway, this confrontation is playing out pretty similarly to one from [I]Brave Story[/I]. I hope they don't end the same way, because it worked in [I]Brave Story[/I], but I've had enough bleeding heart in this series. If Naruto wants my respect back, he's going to have to trash this doppelganger hard and prove to himself that aggression isn't necessarily fueled by hate. After that, maybe he'll finally get it through his thick dropped-on head that Sasuke needs to be stopped no matter how buddy-buddy they used to be. In fact, their past "friendship" (and I use this term loosely because looking back, the most friendly thing Sasuke ever did was hand Naruto a bento box to shut him up) is all the more reason Naruto needs to stop him. Friends don't let friends become murderous, sociopathic dicks.[/FONT]

[Lawliet]

It seems like all the other villages had the sealing of the tailed beasts down to a science, where as the leaf village just kinda did whatever... I mean the old lady from the rescue Garaa arc sealed the 1 tail pretty easy, and now the thunder village has a leader that can do it too, so why did the 4th have to sacrifice himself to seal the fox, i thought he was a pro ninja.

So I have a question...

It seems like Naruto is the first person to have the fox sealed inside him, since it was under Mr. One-eyed-Uchiha's control and all, but given the age of the other tailed beast people it seems like harnessing the power of the tailed beast had be going on since before naruto was even born. If they were split between the villages, why does the leaf village only have 1 of the tailed beast people, that is so much...newer than the others? Was the leaf village left of of the dividing of the tailed beasts, or did they just not know about the fox yet, or did they do something where, the leaf village can have it if they catch it (like a pokemon!)?

[James P. Galvatron]

I just like how the Black Jinchuuriki seems like this simplistic everloving freestyle rapper lol. I like what they are doing with Naruto's character though I need some more Lee and Choji in my life. Seriously though I would like some like clearing up on the whole situation with Hinata and Naruto after what happened with Pain, but not to say im not interesting in this whole thing between Bee and Naruto.

[The Spectacular Professor]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Aaaand my worst fears are confirmed. The Dark Naruto subplot has been resolved with a shittier version of EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN [B]Brave Story[/B].

Now if our zero can finish making out with his dark side and we can focus on Killerbee, who is about the only interesting thing about this series right now, that would be fantastic.[/FONT]

[conpiracymonki]

[size=1]
Well that was pretty anticlimactic and abrupt, "motha*****a"! I wouldnt have minded the way it was resolved so much if Yami Naruto came out with some real dark thoughts first. I guess if Naruto is going to be this super-pure hero-figure though this was meant to show how little repressed darkness he has within him but [i]still[/i].

Also that area behind the waterfall looks intense lol.[/size]

[Gavin]

[font="Tahoma"][size="2"][center][img]http://img532.imageshack.us/img532/2420/24889437.jpg[/img][/center]

And supposedly she's still alive. What a twist![/size][/font]

[Magus]

Essentially, I've officially given up on Naruto, but I do have to admit that is quite a twist.
However, I'm definately hoping that she's not the ninetails like some people have alluded to.

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='Rebellion' date='02 June 2010 - 11:03 AM' timestamp='1275501831' post='694287']
Essentially, I've officially given up on Naruto, but I do have to admit that is quite a twist.
However, I'm definately hoping that she's not the ninetails like some people have alluded to.
[/quote]
[font="Comic Sans MS"]I dunno, I actually think that would be a neat little bit of psychological warfare.

Just so long as he doesn't put a stop to it by hugging the bastard again.[/font]

[Magus]

[quote name='Aberinkula & Fitch' date='02 June 2010 - 02:07 PM' timestamp='1275502031' post='694288']
[font="Comic Sans MS"]I dunno, I actually think that would be a neat little bit of psychological warfare.

Just so long as he doesn't put a stop to it by hugging the bastard again.[/font]
[/quote]

I see where you're coming from. I just hate it when I have to read them obnoxious fans remarks when they guess correctly. (I hardly talk to them, but they're hard to ignore. They come in packs... Like 1500 deep [/exaggeration]) It gives them more reasons to pump their ego. Edited June 2, 2010 by Rebellion

[Raiha]

[quote name='Rebellion' date='02 June 2010 - 11:12 AM' timestamp='1275502349' post='694289']
They come in packs... Like 1500 deep [/exaggeration]) It gives them more reasons to pump their ego.
[/quote]
[font="Times New Roman"][size="3"][color="#9932cc"]
Actually given the size of the last official Naruto Cosplay gathering at Fanime this past weekend, you're not wrong at all.

In fact you're tragically dead right, only it's worse because I heard them banging off about it in person. *sob* Generally I dislike DARK SIDE VERSIONS OF YOU and pretty much the only time I did like it was in Prince of Persia, and that was only raw sexual appeal. Naruto alas has none of this and instead, yeah, probably spent too much time reading Make Out Tactics instead of how to suppress evil inside of you.

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[Magus]

[quote name='Raiha' date='02 June 2010 - 03:13 PM' timestamp='1275505990' post='694293']
[font="Times New Roman"][size="3"][color="#9932cc"]
Actually given the size of the last official Naruto Cosplay gathering at Fanime this past weekend, you're not wrong at all.

In fact you're tragically dead right, only it's worse because I heard them banging off about it in person. *sob* Generally I dislike DARK SIDE VERSIONS OF YOU and pretty much the only time I did like it was in Prince of Persia, and that was only raw sexual appeal. Naruto alas has none of this and instead, yeah, probably spent too much time reading Make Out Tactics instead of how to suppress evil inside of you.

[/color][/size][/font]
[/quote]

Seriously? 1500? How big is that place then? (I'd imagine there are more people than that when it comes to conventions) So it's safe to assume that the Naruto fan crowd is pretty much the majority of everyone that's there? "cringes"

Ouch... You win. I just deal with it on the internet, but I can just imagine the pain you go through at those conventions.

[The Spectacular Professor]

[font="Comic Sans MS"] So I figured you'd all appreciate this:

[center][url=http://gabzillaz.deviantart.com/art/Naruto-497-crack-166273579][img]http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/154/d/e/Naruto_497_crack_by_gabzillaz.jpg[/img][/url][/center]

It's made by this awesome and talented deviantArt member I discovered a few months ago. She also does funny chapter recaps like I do, except hers are in bullet point format and she actually does them on a weekly basis as opposed to how I do 'em whenever I feel like it. You should click on the image and check out her blog and all that.

And now to the part of my post that isn't spam.

Kyuubi and Naruto better reach an understanding through manly fisticuffs and nothing but. If there is one single hug contained anywhere in these chapters I will flip out.[/font]

[Gavin]

[quote name='gallowsCalibrator' date='04 June 2010 - 02:22 AM' timestamp='1275614534' post='694493']
[font="Comic Sans MS"] So I figured you'd all appreciate this:

[center][url=http://gabzillaz.deviantart.com/art/Naruto-497-crack-166273579][img]http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/154/d/e/Naruto_497_crack_by_gabzillaz.jpg[/img][/url][/center][/font]
[/quote]

[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]*Thumbs up*[/size][/font]

[Magus]

Aren't Dark Naruto and Kyuubi one in the same? At least that was the impression I was under.

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='Magus' date='06 June 2010 - 12:13 AM' timestamp='1275808396' post='694711']
Aren't Dark Naruto and Kyuubi one in the same? At least that was the impression I was under.
[/quote]
[font="Comic Sans MS"]Not really, Dark Naruto is the manifestation of Naruto's inner spite and despair, which he keeps bottled up by being a happy-go-lucky moron most of the time. If you think of it that way, everyone in the Naruto universe probably has one of those, since every human being in existence has a tendency to hate something or other. Kyuubi is the demonic force sealed inside Naruto that can sometimes amplify his negative emotions, making it so "Dark Naruto" becomes the dominant personality (for lack of a better term. They're basically the same guy, just one of 'em is pissed off.)

[spoiler][b]Brave Story[/b] did it first and better.[/spoiler][/font]

[Gavin]

[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]Pretty much what Ace said.[/size][/font]

[conpiracymonki]

[size=1]
I actually liked the new issue, as sappy as it was. Minus the whole 'knight in shining armour' shtick, it just felt like the right combination of sensitivity and silly. And Kushina is actually pretty endearingly written (for a female lol, in fact might be the best so far). I hope Kishi makes good use of this 'long talk' opportunity to explain a lot of things. Good to see Naruto behave more and more like his old self each week (but now without his personal issues I guess).[/size]

[Magus]

I did read the chapter ("GASP"), and I did find it interesting. Kushina almost seems more like Sakura (that's not a good thing, btw) with her temper than Naruto.

To say Naruto acting like his old self seems more disheartening than satisfying. I definately couldn't stand Naruto back then. If you ask me which version would I prefer I think that'd be the toughest choice I'd ever made since I can't stand either. If anything, I'd much rather see him act like he did back when he was fighting Nagato.

[The Spectacular Professor]

[font="Comic Sans MS"]You know what? I'm feeling good today and I finally don't have eighty other things on my plate, so here it comes.

[b]Naruto chapter 498: JEEZ MOM KNOCK BEFORE YOU JUST WALTZ IN MY SOUL LIKE THAT[/b]

Our chapter opens with Naruto and his mother deep in conversation. Specifically the conversation of who the hell are you and what are you doing inside my soul. Mom lets out some remarkably eerie laughter and tells him to guess. Naruto guesses wrong, Mum pops him one.

Haha, domestic abuse is funny!

Anyway, turns out Kushina's apparently been a little hot-blooded and semi-violent since birth. So she's basically a female version of every ridiculously manly mecha pilot in the history of anime. I'm going to have to think long and hard about whether or not that's actually kinda hot. Anyway, that's where Naruto must get it from, but the genes are obviously watered down because Naruto sucks and his mom is actually kinda cool. Oh, you hadn't pieced it together, Mr. Hero? That's right, she's your mom. You really don't get how shonen works, do you?

HUG'D.

...Y'know what, I'm gonna have to punch something for that. Emotion has a very hard time building up if hugging is the solution to every damn problem he comes across. Just for that, Naruto will be referred to as....

[size="1"][center]*Wikipedia Run*[/center][/size]

...Tenderheart Bear for the rest of this recap.

Meanwhile on the outside, the MAGICAL SOUL HUG has halted [s]Naruto[/s] Tenderheart's transformation. Kushina promises to chat with the kid later, then launches an assault....

Wait, how many innermost beings does this kid have? He's talking to his mother's spirit inside himself fighting the Kyuubi's influence inside himself. Apparently he has a Russian Doll Soul.

Anyway, Kushina reinforces the assault on Kyuubi, thus proving that Tenderheart can't overcome any of his own obstacles without like five people providing him with handicaps a decade in advance. He then comments on how hot his own mom okay seriously Kishimoto. Incest is creepy. And Tenderheart is not a "Hunk", so shut up.

Also, Kushina talks like a valley girl when she's flustered. Strange verbal tic.

Minor flashback occurs, featuring how Tenderheart's parents met. I'm not entirely experienced in the ways of romance, but I'm pretty sure that's one of the two things most kids absolutely do not want to know about their parents, second only to how their own conception came about. Anyway, then met up in Ninja school and Kushina aspired to greatness. Tenderheart then makes yet another remark assuring me that his bloodline should end here and now. Sorry, Kushina, I blame it on your hubby. Furthermore, all the boys made fun of Kushina when she was young. Then she beat the everloving shit out of them. Dammit, why can't she be the main character?

Minato wanted "Everyone to acknowledge [him] and become a great Hokage". So apparently his goal is to get noticed, and then let everyone else run the village (Granted, I blame this misinterpretation on the translators rather than Kishimoto himself). Anyway, blah blah boring Hansel and Gretel plot Kushina's hair is a terrible analogy for an old Japanese proverb.

Kushina concludes by declaring that she likes to say one thing to men who like her hair in general; "I love you".

I will not make an incest joke here, because this is a perfectly healthy sentiment between mother and son (not so much with HEY MOM YOU'RE A TOTAL BABE). I will, however, point out that considering how many men consider red hair attractive, this seems like a very loose condition for undying affection.

As the chapter concludes, Tenderheart gives himself a truly terrible nickname. The end.[/font] Edited June 10, 2010 by gallowsCalibrator

[Gavin]

[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]I'm with AJeh, I'm a bit of a sap for seeing Naruto actually have genuinely positive personal moments in his life. Sure the whole thing felt like a bit of a stretch, we still don't know where Kushina's spirit/chakra is coming from (my guess is the seal), Naruto's repeated use of the word "babe" to describe his mother is a tad worrying and Kumogakura has been seriously influenced by west-Africa for its kidnapping policy (and no unfortunate implications there at all).[/size][/font]

[conpiracymonki]

[quote name='gallowsCalibrator' date='10 June 2010 - 04:42 AM' timestamp='1276141336' post='694980']
[font="Comic Sans MS"]blah blah boring Hansel and Gretel plot Kushina's hair is a terrible analogy for an old Japanese proverb.[/font]
[/quote]I'm actually curious, could you please elaborate on said old Japanese proverb? lol

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='AJeh' date='10 June 2010 - 09:20 AM' timestamp='1276186801' post='695026']
I'm actually curious, could you please elaborate on said old Japanese proverb? lol
[/quote]
[font="Comic Sans MS"]Not sure on the exact details, but it's based on the Red String of Fate, which is said to be an invisible thread tying two fated soulmates together from the male's thumb to the female's pinky (Don't ask how they know it's red if it's invisible, I can't figure that one out, either). Also, it seems I was mistaken about the origin, it's actually a Chinese concept. It's very popular in Japan, though. There's even a Pokémon item that references it.[/font]

[Raiha]

[quote name='gallowsCalibrator' date='10 June 2010 - 11:19 AM' timestamp='1276193991' post='695033']
[font="Comic Sans MS"]Not sure on the exact details, but it's based on the Red String of Fate, which is said to be an invisible thread tying two fated soulmates together from the male's thumb to the female's pinky (Don't ask how they know it's red if it's invisible, I can't figure that one out, either). Also, it seems I was mistaken about the origin, it's actually a Chinese concept. It's very popular in Japan, though. There's even a Pokémon item that references it.[/font]
[/quote]

[font="Times New Roman"][size="3"][color="#9932cc"]It's one of those impossibly outdated things that only our Chinese grandparents believe in, and even they've been worn down by years of living in America. The Red String item, pretty awesome.

Anyway I found myself gagging into a paper bag, because I hate redheaded females. This is probably a personal problem, but it spilled over onto Naruto's mildly psychotic mom. Also, Naruto's inner self is probably more crowded than the posted picture. Just saying. It's freaking Grand Central Station in there, only nobody leaves. Bah.

I miss violence.
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[Gavin]

[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]Word is we're going to have a break between this week's chapter and the 500th, which means hopefully that "Naruto defeats the Kyuubi" will actually occur next week before the final panel. Lord knows I've an eerie feeling we're about to head straight back to Sasuke's new EMS eyes afterwards.[/size][/font]