Naruto

TBH, given how Naruto being the Son of the Hokage isn't a humongous scandal or a huge revelation in-universe, i think most people eventually figured it out. Even if it wasn't fully confirmed, at least *some* people knew Kushina was pregnant. and while the Uzumaki are a foreign clan and so there may not be a lot of info here, there was still *some* connection. They have the insignia on their vests after all. Surely at some point someone was like "ok but whose kid was that", eventually people get to talk and narrow it down. There wouldn't be *that* many Uzumakis of that particular age.

"Where did Minato found a blonde baby on a moment notice" is not really that hard of a mystery to crack.

Probably a Yamanaka orphan.

I love that joke but Ino and her clan have very different tones of blonde hair from Minato and Naruto.

Oh yeah, where was ROOT during Konoha Crush anyway? Feels like they were only conceived during Part II.

Knowing Danzo they followed the tried and true method "Sit back and do nothing so you can take over after everyone important's dead and you can rule over the rubble I guess"

He may or may not have been in league with Orochimaru at that time as well.

Well his name is Naruto Uzumaki, they kinda knew what clan he was from or at least related to. It also implies his father was an Uzumaki given the whole "women tend to take their man's surname" trend. So there was *some* shielding of Naruto's real identity.

The real answer is that they didn't exist. The later idea in Part 2 was that it was essentially a way to install either Orochimaru directly as Hokage or Danzo.

It's never made clear to what degree Danzo was planning here, but it IS possible that Orochimaru, upon killing Hiruzen, would've claimed victory and installed Danzo as Hokage before essentially running both the Sand and Sound into the ground. He did kill their Kazekage after all.

It would've left both Konoha and Suna deeply broken and easily taken over, but it seems Danzo broadly doesn't care. I do think that Orochimaru has no allegiance or ties to the Sand so it's likely he would've sabotaged them upon winning.

Volume 62.

Itachi works to finally end the Edotensei and, with it, return to the grave. Sasuke angrily questions why he's continuing to defend the village after everything they've done to him. When Itachi says he has no regrets, Sasuke angrily asks "What about what you've made me become?" Itachi just tells him that he's not the one who can change Sasuke...okay look bro, I get it, Sasuke pushed himself down this path of being a murderous emo jackass, but come on, Itachi, you uh...kiiiiiiiiiiinda helped? At least have one regret here or something, my guy. Sasuke reiterates that he wants to destroy Konoha, and as Itachi is on his last legs, he uses his remaining time to show Sasuke a vision of his POV of the lead-up to the massacre.

...so, uh, Danzo was the one who gave Itachi the idea to spare Sasuke. Which I think is fucking stupid and robs one of the big moments of the twist behind the Uchiha massacre. Originally it was Itachi's own idea to spare Sasuke because of some fucked up logic that he'd place Sasuke on the path to prosperity by taking him down...but now it's just something Danzo told him to do?? Bluh, whatever. We see how he met Tobi and him killing his parents, and he dies telling Sasuke that he wished he'd told him the truth from the beginning, tells him "You don't ever have to forgive me" and that he'll always love Sasuke no matter what. And...okay yeah, THAT is an emotional moment right there. Fuck.

Anyways, meanwhile, Madara unleashes the PERFECT SUSANOO against the Kages and...real talk. The Susanoo is stupid. What the actual fuck does it have to do with the eye theme of the Uchihas? I can at least tolerate the Amaterasu cuz it's just fire shit, but GIANT FUCKING HOLO WARRIORS?? Too far.

...but OH MY GOD, MADARA DESTROYING A FUCKING MOUNTAIN WITH HIS SUSANOO IS SO GODDAMN COOL FUCKING HELL THIS GUY. He's like a villain from a bad fanfic who's OP as shit, except he's actually fucking cool???

The Edotensei is undone, all of the dead return to their graves, but Dan places one final visit with Tsunade using a ghost jutsu thing. Nice little moment. But uh oh, Madara is too fucking OP to be returned to the grave just yet. Dude knew the signs to end the Edotensei contract, so he's still kicking, and the Kages are running out of stamina.

Meanwhile, back with Sasuke, he's contemplating shit pretty hard. He reunites with Suigetsu and Jugo, who share their scroll, and Sasuke decides he needs to seek out Orochimaru...so yeah, bringing that guy back to life. Suigetsu is visibly uncomfortable by the idea and lo and behold, Orochimaru is back, he already knows everything, and Suigetsu is panicking. But Orochimaru has no interest in this war and he's all like "Eh, I still want your body, Sasuke, but it's not like I have the strength to get it right now, so whatever". Sasuke starts going on about how he can't understand why Itachi still wanted to defend Konoha after everything, and Orochimaru gets to school him. He also takes his chakra out of Kabuto, returning him to his original, non-serpentine appearance.

And while all this is going on...oh yeah, Naruto was having a fight, huh? Tobi turns the giant Gedo statue into the beginning of the rebirth of Ten Tails, using the slivers of Eight and Nine-Tails' chakras from the tentacle and the jars. Naruto actually lets Kurama take over his body for a moment to explain shit. Tobi rants about how he's a nobody and he'll wipe out individuality by making the world an infinite dream and shit, while Naruto and the others declare that dreams *do* have to end eventually once you attain them. It's just how it works. So, cue an epic fight as Naruto, Kakashi, Guy, and Bee all try to stop the incomplete Ten Tails and beat Tobi's shit in. Kakashi begins to figure out that Tobi's absorption technique and phasing technique are one singular jutsu...and it's like his Kamui technique. That, uh, dimensional power thing I completely forgot about up until now. Fuck.

So yeah, Kakashi starts getting some big hints as to who Tobi really is (kind of helps that Tobi is going off on Kakashi visiting a grave repeatedly), Naruto rebuts more of Tobi's arguments, Kurama takes the wheel to deliver a message to Tobi, and Naruto runs off to kick Tobi's ass some more.

And uh...yeah, had some good and bad moments here. Itachi's second death and Sasuke's rumination is fine enough but I don't like that AGAIN we have to revisit the massacre with more fucking retcons and shit. Madara gets some more OP shit but he's kind of lost in the muddle of Sasuke and Naruto's plots. I'm...a little confused how Tobi's jutsu works, but it at least sounds kind of interesting. Space-time shit. Trippy. But yeah, it's fine enough despite my complaints (I can empathize with Suigetsu about Orochimaru returning considering, y'know...all the bad shit and stuff), but uh...

So Imma be real here, this whole arc overall is so long and exhausting that even with the cool moments, it feels like Kishimoto is spinning the fucking wheels. There's some interesting stuff, but a lot of it is mixed in with this sea of dull. It's tiring. There's a lot of fat that should've been trimmed. And so, since I have only ten volumes left...I might as well power through and read several of them at once over the weekend. Better that than taking forever to finish the series. I just want this DONE now, fucking hell.

When chapter 700 dropped and the Naruto manga was officially done, I felt...a sigh of relief. I'd been keeping up with the series, on and off, for most of my life at that point. And everything from the Bee vs. Taka fight continuously in manga form, which is a lot of years.

I still liked Naruto, despite my various problems with it, but I can't lie and say I wasn't a little bit happy to have it done and to close this chapter of my life.

Yes, Boruto is still a thing. No, I'm still not particularly interested in reading it on a consistent basis. If people like it, great. I just don't have the same investment I did with the original series.

Honestly my issue with this arc is just...god, there is so much going on that's spread out super far, and some stuff that could've been cut down. Like, that one battle with all the dead Kages of the past was fun but...what the fuck does it add beyond some lore shit? It was nice seeing Gaara confront his dad, that was the best part of it, but it didn't require all these past Kages and shit.

Edited by Diana1969 on Jun 3rd 2023 at 2:05:27 PM

It's very much all about being "big" and looking "big" than anything

Sometimes restraint is key, goddamn it!

Fuck, as much as people have complained about My Hero Academia's ongoing final arc, it's not nearly as bloated as this. It has a little bit of bloat, but it's not THIS bad.

It's the general problem with war arcs

They more often than not wind up pretty bloated cause everyone had to be there

I might give Boruto a shot after I finish Naruto but it'd be a good, long while after I finish Naruto. I need a break once this is done.

Nah, you should give Samurai 8 a shot. I hear that one is a lot more slim and concise compared to Kishi's usual writing style.

I'll admit that like 90% of my interest in Boruto is solely because of Sarada. She seems interesting from a surface glance.

The other 10% is because I've heard Sakura is written much better there.

I'd suggest reading Boruto Gaiden since it's actually focused on Sarada unlike the manga.

I occasionally wonder how Oda is going to make One Piece's Final War not as bloated as Naruto's Final War. Then that gets me wondering why so many big shounen series end on a war arc.

That one got cancelled though so it ended an unfinished rush-job.

Edited by slimcoder on Jun 3rd 2023 at 12:41:31 PM

Madara unleashing Perfect Susano on the Kage was the most hype moment in the War arc.

It's going to be more bloated.

@Diana1969

THANK YOU. Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi made sense since both of them require actual use of eyes to set shit on fire or mind fuck your opponent. Susanoo as eye power, on the other hand, never made sense to me. Had it been either Hiden or other Kekkei Genkai of Uchiha clan, it would have worked better for me. Alas...

I mean, it isn't. Not really. Madara could use it without any eyes, after all. Going by Tobirama's explanation, it's essentially a manifestation of the brain's power, the same that creates the sharingan. And it only really seems to require maturation of the Sharingan before it can be unleashed.

And functionally it IS a separate kekkei genkai, even if the story files it under the MS. Not every sharingan user can form a mangekyou, and not every Mangekyou can form a Susanoo.

it makes a bit more sense if you consider the Amaterasu/Tsukuyomi/Susanoo myth since all three were birthed from the same event:

(It's an element where i think western audiences struggle with more because it's so steeped in japanese mythology. It's like having a western character whose power comes from blood and thorns but also nails, cups and crosses. It's a collection that doesn't really make any thematic sense until you understand the myth behind it)

Edited by devak on Jun 3rd 2023 at 11:51:23 AM

All I'm hearing is that there should have been a Mangekyo nose.

I think Madara "holding back" against Onoki and Mu ends up feeling weird. Jinton is hard stuff man.