Naruto Shippuuden Episode 74

[Kraco]

That scene with her and Iruka was also pointless and we weren't supposed to see Iruka again so soon anyway.

Iruka is getting bloody annoying. Not only does his whole character scream the message of being content with mediocrity and taking it easy (when all the more interesting characters feel they could and should get much more powerful even if they get killed in the process) but he's also like some inane kindergarden teacher who can't talk about anything else but how "his kids" are growing up and how fine they have become and how hard they are trying - yet they are still "his kids" despite the fact he's already himself so far below them.

I wish Akatsuki would kill Iruka (not target him specifically of course; I doubt they even know such a worm exist) and that would drive Naruto madder and make him use more kyuubi power.

[KrayZ33]

well he wasn't smiling during the whole fight, just when he skillfully dodged asumas attack

but ya Asuma is loosing and we are talking about Akatsuki, however we are also talking about Asuma, the son of a Hokage, one of the 12 guardian ninjas... and it seems Asuma is also a melee type, dual wieding some knuckle blades let me suggest that... it needs a lot of skill to use them efficiently.. those are not kunais.. those are fist weapons which are also able to cut stuff since they are enhanced with wind-chakra.

so if he want's to use them (maybe this is his standard strategy?) he has to use them in close range and the closer he gets the stronger he and the weaker Hidan will become. It just seems that he underestimated Hidan, who was able to keep him at bay

or another scenario "Who of you bastards killed my friend Chiriku?!" - Hidan:"Ha this freaking fake priest? that was probably me..." - Asuma: "You will paaay *gnaaaarrrr*" (enrage) ^^

so he forgot all his reasoning for a moment :P

That scene with her and Iruka was also pointless and we weren't supposed to see Iruka again so soon anyway.

I disagree with Sai etc. but that was really stupid, I didn't even understand why he wanted to talk with Sakura... it was truely pointless (and Sakura acting like a small kid)

[Abdula]

well he wasn't smiling during the whole fight, just when he skillfully dodged asumas attack

but ya Asuma is loosing and we are talking about Akatsuki, however we are also talking about Asuma, the son of a Hokage, one of the 12 guardian ninjas... and it seems Asuma is also a melee type, dual wieding some knuckle blades let me suggest that... it needs a lot of skill to use them efficiently.. those are not kunais.. those are fist weapons which are also able to cut stuff since they are enhanced with wind-chakra.

so if he want's to use them (maybe this is his standard strategy?) he has to use them in close range and the closer he gets the stronger he and the weaker Hidan will become. It just seems that he underestimated Hidan, who was able to keep him at bay

or another scenario "Who of you bastards killed my friend Chiriku?!" - Hidan:"Ha this freaking fake priest? that was probably me..." - Asuma: "You will paaay *gnaaaarrrr*" (enrage) ^^

so he forgot all his reasoning for a moment :P

You're still on this, just forget it.You're assuming too much, most importantly you're assuming that Hidan, simply because of his weapon, is weak in close combat when everything seems to suggest otherwise. There is also the matter that Asuma seems to be unable to take on guys who are stronger than he is, especially if they have a big weapon. See Kisame. Anyway you really seem to want to argue with me lately but like I said its just an OP.

I disagree with Sai etc. but that was really stupid, I didn't even understand why he wanted to talk with Sakura... it was truely pointless

How do you disagree with the Sai stuff, ever since they got back from their mission they have been showing us that Sai is reading his little self help books and trying to be nicer to everyone. Okay we get it already, its established, they don't need to keep showing it to us over and over again especially when there are other more important things that they can do with the screen time.

Iruka is getting bloody annoying. Not only does his whole character scream the message of being content with mediocrity and taking it easy (when all the more interesting characters feel they could and should get much more powerful even if they get killed in the process) but he's also like some inane kindergarden teacher who can't talk about anything else but how "his kids" are growing up and how fine they have become and how hard they are trying - yet they are still "his kids" despite the fact he's already himself so far below them.

The sad thing is none of that is going to change. Just wait til Konohamaru grows up a little and then he starts giving Konohamaru's team his little speeches too. Thats just the role Kishi gave him.

[Assertn]

Asuma should have the advantage in a close combat fight against Hidan. Hidan needs a larger radius to execute an attack with a weapon that size, while Asuma's basically weilding brass knuckles.

[Abdula]

and two guys with massive blades(Izumo and Kotetsu) should have an advantage over a single unarmed ninja(Kakuzu) especially when one of them comes out of the damn water but that didn't happen in the op either.

[KrayZ33]

if every fight would end with 1 attack it would be boring and stupid... and if you have the advantage, it doesn't mean you will win in the end..

Hell, shikamaru hat a big disadvantage when he fought that girl with the flute, but in the end he won.

How do you disagree with the Sai stuff,

I disagree because he made (or at least wanted to ) Sakura feel better... together with Yamato's statement about that it isn't important for Naruto, how much of a help you are, but that it's important for him if you, at least try, to help him.

Sakura kept saying to her self since she was a little girl that she is always behind and Sasuke + Naruto are getting further and further away, because she can't do stuff good enough... and Sai played a part in contributing to Sakura accepting it.

this is btw what the conversation with Iruka is about... he said everyone changed... but Sakura was sad because she didn't, she is still the one who can't do anything to help him

You're still on this, just forget it.You're assuming too much, most importantly you're assuming that Hidan, simply because of his weapon, is weak in close combat when everything seems to suggest otherwise.

No, I'm not saying that... I'm saying that he is weaker in very close range than he is when he has 1-2 meters to spare.. because that is where the range of his weapon plays it's part.

however it doesn't mean that he is completely useless if someone manages to get past his "line of defense"

There is also the matter that Asuma seems to be unable to take on guys who are stronger than he is, especially if they have a big weapon.

and two guys with massive blades(Izumo and Kotetsu) should have an advantage over a single unarmed ninja(Kakuzu)

see? it's possible to beat the enemy even if he has the advantage... btw Kakazu probably used a jutsu when he stopped the sword with his hand, maybe he used that "hand of steel" technique again (the technique he used when he blew upen the temple-gate)

and what should Asuma do then? simply give up and let himself get killed?
As I said that they are fighting in melee right now doesn't mean anything... and from what we've seen so far Hidan is always the one who tries to get in melee combat. Maybe he's the one who cornered Asuma and forced him to switch into melee.

but like I said its just an OP.

yes but why not discussing it? it's not only about the OP but about fighting in general.

let's remember what did Kakashi do vs Zabuza... after the clone kills clone event he was actually *very* suprised that Zabuza is also good in Taijutsu, thus good in close combat and only *then* he tried to get some range betweem them.

he saw the big weapon and expected him to be slow in making hit-combinations.. then Zabuza switched in Taijutsu mode and instantly got the advantage because kakashi didn't see it comming...
the same could be done by Hidan..

btw you know why asuma got hit? because he kept jumping back which brought him back to Hidans favorite 1-2 meter range, and he paid for doing so.
It's probalby just that Asuma didn't expect Hidan to be sooo good in close combat, that he is actually able to block his supression and overpower and countertake him shortly after.

[Abdula]

I disagree because he made (or at least wanted to ) Sakura feel better... together with Yamato's statement about that it isn't important for Naruto, how much of a help you are, but that it's important for him if you, at least try, to help him.

Sakura kept saying to her self since she was a little girl that she is always behind and Sasuke + Naruto are getting further and further away, because she can't do stuff good enough... and Sai played a part in contributing to Sakura accepting it.

this is btw what the conversation with Iruka is about... he said everyone changed... but Sakura was sad because she didn't, she is still the one who can't do anything to help him

Yes but did we really need to see that at this point?

yes but why not discussing it? it's not only about the OP but about fighting in general

.
Because I don't want to. Anyway as for what Asuma should or shouldn't expect from Hidan and Kakuzu, he already knows that they defeated Chiriku and he should know Chiriku's technique better than anyone else so yeah I think he should expect alot.

[Narasho]

Not at all friend. That has nothing to do with the fact that they weren't there.

Even if they weren't shown when the Hokage was sending them out, that doesn't mean they weren't there. Not all of the squads were represented, in the anime or in the manga. And I'm sure you know they are in one of the squads...

[DarthEnderX]

I'm gonna have to agree with Abdula about the repetitiveness of some of the scenes.

For like two episodes before the fillers, and now three episodes after, its just been Naruto screaming, Kakashi reading, Yamato with his hand out, and Sakura and Sai watching from the tree line.

Like he said, the point has been made. Naruto is determined. Yamato is exhausted. Sai and Sakura are concerned. And Kakashi is still a lazy-ass teacher.



On the otherhand I couldn't disagree more about the fighting in the opening. That kind of back and forth melee combat has always been one of my favorite things about anime. It's basically like watching Lee's taijutsu, only with weapons.

[KrayZ33]

On the otherhand I couldn't disagree more about the fighting in the opening. That kind of back and forth melee combat has always been one of my favorite things about anime. It's basically like watching Lee's taijutsu, only with weapons.

*smashes his fist on the table*

DAMN right

[Yukimura]

Lol Abdula why do you feel the need to reiterate the same point over and over? We're never going to get a 1 to 1 manga to anime adaption so what purpose does it serve to pointing out how much you dislike the latest example of non manga content inserted into the anime at this point in the series? Your repeated comments about the same basic issue remind me of Naruto's repeated bitching about friendship, being lonely, and his boy-crush on Sasuke. I share your opinion of the annoyingness of jamming stuff like Sakura's bad soldier pills and Iruka being a retard in but IIRC you aren't a fan of Naruto's constant rehashing of the same crap over and over so why does it seem you are fine with doing the exact same thing?

You've made your point, you don't like the anime only blurbs showcasing stuff like Sakura's silly desire to be helpful or Sai's struggles with friendship. We get it already, its established, you don't need to keep repeating them over and over again especially when there are other more interesting things you could be saying to fill your posts.

As to the current topic of fighting styles and weapon strengths and weaknesses lets not forget this is Naruto. Realism need only apply where it's dramatically beneficial. Ninja's can essentially fly by occasionally jumping on tree branches, a ninja engulfed in a giant ball of fire doesn't get burned enough to stop fighting (or get injured much at all really), ninja's can jump out of puddles, ninjas can summon animals out of thin air.

I don't see why anyone would assume the laws of physics governing the time it takes to swing an large weapon at something close to the wielder should be any more solid in the Narutoverse than any of the other laws of physics broken by the Narutoverse.

The reality based observation that scythe users are weak at close range is just an assumption in the Narutoverse. The closest I can recall it being tested was with Zabuza's massive sword. Typical ninjas tend to use short kunai or swords as their main weapons, Zabuza used a massive sword, yet Zabuza was more deadly than most typical ninja. To me, this implies that in the Narutoverse there are ways around the assumed disadvantage a large weapon creates against a smaller one. Hidan remarked that his attack speed is the slowest in Akatsuki, but beyond that there's no way to know if there isn't some trick to his attack style that covers for his relative slowness. Hidan's already shown that the reality based observation that people with large bloody spikes sticking out of their chests are severely injured and won't be doing much of anything for a while does not always hold in Naruto, who knows what other surprises he might have (Besides all the manga readers)....

[Abdula]

The reason is simple Yuki,

I'll use this thread then..

I want to start reading the manga, too and I'm currently on the the anime level... Hidan and Kakuzu just killed the monk to get his bounty (the guy from the 12 ninja-guardians)

which chapter or volume is it?
Should I start reading there or even a few chapters before? (maybe the anime made a big mistake in that arc)

I do not intend to read any further than the anime currently is, I think I'm going to read the manga chapter first and then watch the anime (rinse and repeat every weak)... so I get the right story and the animation of the fights too (and I'm still able to discuss things in the anime-threads ^^)

so what chapter is it? and is there a site which still has those old chapters ready for download? (I don't want to read it online, only if there is no other way)

It gets people reading.

I really don't care about all those little things as much as it seems. Me I'll just watch the anime and not care, its not like I watch it for the story anyway. I watch it just to see the action. The reason I keep going on and on about the manga is because it gets people interested in it and I'm still trying to convert as many people as possible.

Beyond that its already been established that bitching about that stuff here is what I do and honestly the real reason I keep doing it is because I can't think of a new shtick.

Even if they weren't shown when the Hokage was sending them out, that doesn't mean they weren't there. Not all of the squads were represented, in the anime or in the manga. And I'm sure you know they are in one of the squads...

Uh, weren't they all there. Its twenty squads, made up of four people. If you look at the over head shot its ten rows eight deep, that is everyone. Anyway fact is in that exact same panel Chouji and Ino weren't there and we really didn't need to see them because they didn't do anything in this scene. Its just more stretching.

[Narasho]

Uh, weren't they all there. Its twenty squads, made up of four people. If you look at the over head shot its ten rows eight deep, that is everyone. Anyway fact is in that exact same panel Chouji and Ino weren't there and we really didn't need to see them because they didn't do anything in this scene. Its just more stretching.

Well, regardless, I think it flows better the way the anime did it (and makes more sense when you take into account what happens later on as I pointed out before). Though I do agree with you that in most cases (99%) the anime has done things worse than the manga.

[Yukimura]

I guess I'm just not keeping up with the times, I remember when the Naruto anime section existed for the sole purpose of discussing the Naruto anime and pandering for (or even mentioning) the manga would have been harshly frowned upon since it unfairly infringed upon the choice of anime watchers to just watch the anime.

I suppose this is a consequence of the 3 seasons of filler. Now no one cares enough to stand up for the old rules anymore

I wonder how long it'll be before we can just post spoilers outright, its the stupid anime only watchers fault for being so stupid and not reading the manga. Fuck you, you ignorant anime watchers, read the manga.

I recommend you start with volume 36 if you don't want too much recap. It's all conveniently available at Mangatraders.com and I personally packed most of the volumes so you won't have to deal with much hassle, just extract, click on the first page and go (I believe volumes 35-38 even have some color chapters which should help ease the transition from anime to manga).

EDIT: @below: Make things difficult? I'm joining you in your quest. Together we'll convince everyone to read the manga.

[Abdula]

@ Narasho: Thats okay, but I prefer the way the manga did it, I actually prefer being surprised. The anime doesn't seem to like surprising its viewers though they always seem to give everything away, just look at the very end of this episode for example or the whole Kabuto being the spy in Oro's organization. These guys figured out it was Kabuto long before he even showed up and thats just because they decided to give it away.

Heck most of them seem to have already figured out whats going to happen in this arc too.

Don't try and make things difficult for me Yuki.

EDIT: @below: Make things difficult? I'm joining you in your quest. Together we'll convince everyone to read the manga.

*high fives Yukimura*
Okay then.

[Archangel]

The one thing I've been noticing the past couple episodes is this growing sense of foreboding surrounding Asuma, and frankly, I'm worried about him. It's like he has all these scenes and they are filled with this ominous foreshadowing and its just giving off this vibe like he's not gonna survive this arc.

Pls, we've been getting that vibe ever since Asuma got center on the new opening instead of kakashi and actually mattered on a filler arc.

I've also considered the possibility that he may take over as naruto's professor, maybe teach him some wind moves but he's probably a goner.

[Buffalobiian]

Didn't Kurenai tell Asuma to quit smoking or something?

Other points:

1) From what we know: Hidan has a scythe on a chain. Asuma has knuckle blades. I don't think he has a choice but to go close combat, if he's to combat at all.

2) Kurenai looked like a a crazy killer when she smiled and watered. Blame bad animators for that.

3) Preview shows Kakashi helping Naruto develop his new technique. Then you see a palm with revolving chakra. Wind chakra? Kekashi still hasn't revealed his second element type yet.

[Abdula]

Preview shows Kakashi helping Naruto develop his new technique. Then you see a palm with revolving chakra. Wind chakra? Kekashi still hasn't revealed his second element type yet.

Bill if you really can't figure out what was going on there, then I really don't know what to say. Just a clue it wasn't nature manipulation of any form.

Oh and we already know Kakashi's nature, Lightning and earth I believe it was. Oh and he has copied a number of water techniques. Or was it lightning and water and he copied a number of earth techniques. Either way he uses lightning, earth and water.

[Archangel]

I'm thinking lightening, then water, then fire and then earth based on the number and the power of the jutsus he used.

In fact wind is the only element we've never seen kakashi use, and it's already been established that it's impossible for any ninja to use all 5 elements so i'm thinking there's something else going on there Bill, maybe kakashi was just gathering chakra on the palm of his hand to make a raikiri.

And u can't blame Bill for not knowing what was happening there Abdula, i was quite surprised when i saw it in the manga too.

[Abdula]

I'll say it again we've only seen Kakashi use lightning, water and earth as far as canon material goes and earth is iffy enough already. To hell with that fire ball filler crap. Not like it matters anyway sharingan is an easy enough explanation.