Recent Naruto Manga (Chapters 400+)

[uc pseudonym]

Or at least you think the flashback is finished. Out of curiosity, how long was it in total? Most of a graphic novel.

Was that an American Shonen Jump you referred to, Ann? I'll have to check out that scene at a later date...

In 224 I was glad to finally get a few answers. But it brings up a big problem: the second level of the Sharingan looks took much like the third or fourth skills of Nalome's Shadow Gaze. It was my idea first, but now it'll seem like copying, so I may have to change that...

[Lady Arianrod]

I just read chapter 225 by Inane... It seems like the flashbacks have come to a close.

However, the ending was a bit ambiguous. [spoiler]Why did Sasuke say that he still considered Naruto his "closest friend"? Maybe it has to do with Itachi instructing him to become fully evil. It's somewhat probable that Sasuke was remembering the words of his brother, who admonished him to kill his closest friend and then, consequently, lose his heart to darkness.[/spoiler].

[uc pseudonym]

Finally... after five chapters it seems to be over. Half an average graphic novel.

Well, this could be fortunate. Because starting this chapter (awash with filler) I had stopped caring. But if Sasuke and Naruto fight hard in "Fierce Clash" I could well enjoy this.

[spoiler=Chapter 225]I personally didn't find it ambiguous. It struck me as the natural next step in this long road Masashi has crafted for Sasuke. He is determined to do anything to kill his brother, and he has learned that he must first kill his closest friend (though even with a fully advanced Sharingan he doesn't really match up to Itachi). Hence, by saying Naruto is his closest friend he says that he wants to kill him.[/spoiler]

But did you notice that Itachi says there would three people with the full Sharingan if Sasuke attained it? Hmm...

[Lady Arianrod]

[spoiler=Chapter 225]I personally didn't find it ambiguous. It struck me as the natural next step in this long road Masashi has crafted for Sasuke. He is determined to do anything to kill his brother, and he has learned that he must first kill his closest friend (though even with a fully advanced Sharingan he doesn't really match up to Itachi). Hence, by saying Naruto is his closest friend he says that he wants to kill him.[/spoiler]

I didn't mean to say that I found the ending ambiguous. Perhaps it would be better phrased if I said that I didn't understand exactly why Sasuke was referring to Naruto as his best friend now. It wouldn't make sense after so many chapters of rivalry and the recent clash, but I suppose it does make sense if he's basically saying that he wants to kill Naruto.

[Mave]

I must say I am quite happy with Chapter 225. It marked an complete end to the flashbacks and satisfactorily explained Sasuke's attitude and actions for now (to me at least).

I now understand why Sasuke fights so much with Naruto and why he's so obsessed with killing his brother (Man, I find it hard to like Itachi at this moment. I don't care how cool, good-looking and powerful he is, I just want someone to beat the stuffings out from him right now. ^^;;; ). I hope Masashi further reveals something that redeems Itachi in my eyes.

I knew Itachi must have said some pretty bizarre philosophical stuff to mess up Sasuke's mind. It's really sad that his intention to kill Naruto proved that Naruto was his closest friend. But you know, I've heard it before: To be powerful, one must be strong enough to detach themselves from human emotions and feelings. >_<

But there are one or two more things I left with to ponder over: What is the secret meeting place and what is the true role the clan serves (Itachi said something like that when asking Sasuke to check that place himself). Sasuke says, "So this is what it's all about..." or something in the lines of that. Perhaps I missed something important there?

Yeah, I wonder also who the 3rd person is too....


But all in all, looks like the next chapter will be pretty exciting! Yes I'm a happy Naruto fan. ^_____^

[uc pseudonym]

I don't think you missed anything; I am pretty certain we simply aren't supposed to know. Yet. Perhaps later on in the fight, or even in the series, this will be revealed (in three or four flashback issues).

Though Itachi is acting pretty evil, he is concerned for his brother... in a very, very twisted way. I kind of just hope he dies. Though not soon, because Sasuke hasn't really improved much since the time Itachi smashed him.

[Psycho Ann]

All I can say is: yay, flashback's over! And I actually know where Sasuke was the last time we saw him in that room (which was way earlier in the series if I recall correctly...).

Can't wait for the next chapter. I can hear the collective Naruto fans holding their breath...

[uc pseudonym]

...and letting it out. It was indeed a pretty big fight scene. Though I am just a bit dissapointed in the amount of "filler fighting." I'm sure that will translate into extremely cool slow motion in the anime, but for now it was merely somewhat annoying.

This fight might not even last long. Interesting. A friend of mine insisted that the rasengan would easily destroy a chidori; looks like he was wrong. But would the fight end without even seeing Sasuke's curse seal?

[teepanee]

::tears hair apart:: What a cliffhanger! >___<

[Psycho Ann]

And no Naruto next week XD I still believe that Rasengan could overpower Chidori. Besides, Naruto has the Kyubi as a chakra source and while Sasuke is more refined when it comes down to power struggles I don't think even the curse seal can do much against a real monster.

Who bets that their fight gets interupted? Just in time for a new saga in a new volume? I have a bad feeling that we won't see the real conclusion to the fight any time soon...

[Lady Arianrod]

This chapter was decent. It feels like Kishimoto's going to build up the fight slowly, like he already started to do, and then....

End it abruptly.

I think that Psycho Ann's right--- their fight will most likely get interrupted. I want to see some kind of conclusion between the ever-spotlight-hogging Sasuke and Naruto.

I mean, their relationship/rivalry is interesting, but.... this fight is already drawn out. I want some rapid fighting and perhaps a nice moment of emotional revelation (i.e. Naruto realizes that his attempts to get Sasuke to become good are fruitless).

Eh, whatever. I do want Sasuke to come back to the good side, however. He takes up too much time either way.

[MasterDias]

Hmmmm. Chapter was alright. It was rather predictable but at least we are past the flashbacks.

The fight will almost certainly get interupted, in some way. I'm just wondering how...

[glitch1501]

i liked the flashbacks, very informative

i do want to read the next chapter to see whats gonna happen,
i think that the rasengan is stronger than the chidori

or maybe naruto will win, and sasuke will go into deep depression
cause naruto wont kill sasuke i dont think
and sasuke cant kill naruto, since he is the main character

[Lady Arianrod]

I hope that Naruto makes the decision to not kill Sasuke (or some merciful action like that), thus causing some kind of slight change in Sasuke... Maybe then he'll realize the error of trying to kill his former best friend....

I love moments like that, but Kishimoto probably won't go with the sentimental stuff. Oh well.

[uc pseudonym]

You know, in looking over the discussion of this chapter, I realize that there is a very large opportunity for Kishimoto to dissapoint me in how he ends this. We'll see if he does. But 200+ issues into a series, a fight like this should be allowed to end climactically.

[uc pseudonym]

Issue 227 was an interesting one. I'm glad the fight will contain more than simply a power versus power conflict, and I hope to see the next level of Sasuke's Curse Seal fairly soon.

On the other hand, the series is doing the incessant minor flashbacks thing again, which made the Zabuza battle take so long. I really wish that he wouldn't do this...

[Lady Arianrod]

Issue 227 was an interesting one. I'm glad the fight will contain more than simply a power versus power conflict, and I hope to see the next level of Sasuke's Curse Seal fairly soon.

On the other hand, the series is doing the incessant minor flashbacks thing again, which made the Zabuza battle take so long. I really wish that he wouldn't do this...

I think that this chapter was a decent one as well. The flashbacks weren't overbearing, but they were frequent. Even so, I liked to see how Naruto and Sasuke's so-called friendship began-- and ended.

I feel sorry for Naruto-- he only wanted to be the type of person that Sasuke was, but all along, Sasuke was really a self-obsessed brat with an entirely selfish goal in mind. Naruto was also tricked into believing that Sasuke could possibly be his friend, but look where they've ended up....

Naruto deserves to be angry. However, I hope that he doesn't kill Sasuke in the end. I don't want more needless deaths, although I wouldn't mind never seeing Sasuke again after this.

Thoughts?

[Psycho Ann]

If anything, I'm pumped up for the oncoming super power clash. Orochimaru's curse seal versus the monster-chakra of Kyuubi (oh, yeah, and Sasuke vs Naruto too). I really hope Sasuke doesn't die, but I admit I'm looking forward to him actually working on the other side for a while. It'll be interesting to have him facing the ones he actually won't try to kill in Konoha head-on (Kakashi & Sakura).

Naruto most definitely deserves his anger. I believe everyone does, especially the other teams since most of them very well nearly died (I think one of them did...) for the sake of Sasuke.

In the mean time... I really hope Kishimoto won't use similar a doujinshi idea I've been mulling over for the past months... which invovles the last scene of chapter 227 and a certain someone coming in between to recieve the Chidori... >_<

[Lady Arianrod]

In the mean time... I really hope Kishimoto won't use similar a doujinshi idea I've been mulling over for the past months... which invovles the last scene of chapter 227 and a certain someone coming in between to recieve the Chidori... >_<

Who would that be? My first guess would be Kakashi, but.....

[glitch1501]

Who would that be? My first guess would be Kakashi, but.....

my guess would be sakura

[Lady Arianrod]

Sakura... that would be very sad if she died like that... all because of Sasuke's foolishness. He probably wouldn't care if she died, but Naruto certainly would... he'd definitely not mind killing Sasuke after that.

Hopefully she won't die... that would make the Naruto manga far too sad and dark for my taste.

[uc pseudonym]

For that reason, I doubt that such a thing will happen. So far it's really been heroic in classification (that is, stylized and the heros are unlikely to die) instead of realistic. But I could be surprised.

[Psycho Ann]

Hahaha, yeah, I was going to kill off Sakura in doujinshi I *plan* to make... it's a Sasusaku doujinshi but you gotta love angst. Maybe she'll just be seriously injured, maybe not.... Maybe Kishimoto *would* do that but just make her seriously injured, enough to snap Sasuke out of it. After all, it seems he still holds something for Kakashi and Sakura, stating that there's no one there to stop him (which implies if they were there... he possibly would no try--or at the very least not succeed--in killing Naruto).

I doubt Kishimoto would be as risky with his own characters, but that last splash of blood really is ambiguous.... Most likely it's Naruto's blood, but maybe it's Sasuke as Naruto counters first. Or... maybe Kishimoto *did* have someone interfere...

Arrghh... the wait. Pain.

[glitch1501]

Arrghh... the wait. Pain.

yes, the pain....agreed

[Lady Arianrod]

I think it's Naruto's blood in that last scene. Or at least he wants us to think that the hero just took a fatal hit to create that suspense that's always driven the manga's plot...

[Splintered]

Well I'm happy to see that the fighting began, though sometimes Sasuke makes me want to grind my teeth together, him being evil for awhile would be worth reading.

I really like Sakura, it would be horrible to die by Sasuke's hand, though I could see it happening. I mean, is she said she was willing to kill for Sasuke, why not die for him. But I'm not sure she will, simply because Naruto asked her not to get in-between them. I think it's just going to be an uninterupted battle between rivals.

[Mave]

aarrghhhh the suspense......killing me

I personally prefer the fight to go uninterrupted, I would hate to see those two lug heads with each other in another section of the whole manga series (honestly, it's about time they got it done once and for all). Now if Sakura dies in such a way, I would be quite mortified. 0.o

wait what happens if this scuffle finally brings out that evil fox demon in Naruto? hohoho "In the midst of intense emotions of betrayal and desperation, the fox demon bursts out of a mortally injured Naruto, chews up all evil characters, Orochimaru, Itachi, Kabuto and Sasuke, and somehow Naruto miraculously figures out how to call the demon back into his body. Everyone lives happily ever after."

Dangit, I killed Sasuke! OK, enough speculation from me for now. ^^ I just hope Naruto brings Sasuke back alive and well.

[uc pseudonym]

I'm surprised that no one has commented on the obvious intent of the blood to make everyone wonder. Because I know why it's there, I simply don't speculate about it. But ah well... I'd like to see this end as well.

Regarding Mave's scenario: somehow I doubt the series will end quickly. By quickly I even mean a lot slower than your scenario. Though I admit that would be rather funny and bizarre.

[Splintered]

I wonder how long the fight will be. Waiting for the new chapters to come out is like someone pulling my teeth.

So who thinks that Sasuke is coming back? I mean after the Naruto promise and the fights, it would be ackward for them to come back empty handed. But it would be really interesting if became evil.

Besides, how would everyone treat him once they found out that he tried to kill Naruto and become a sound-nin.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Yes, one every 2 weeks IS getting quite annoying. THING MASHIMOTO THINK!

And what was funny was when one of the recent chapters, it said something like "No Naruto next week, we are currently data gathering"

my first thoughts... WHATS GOING ON? ARE THEY TURNING INTO ERO-SENNIN???

I wanna see Naruto go BBBBAAAADDDD on Sasuke... with Kyuubi and all