User Reviews

I felt that everything that was not expected, occurred in this episode, gifting viewers with truly emotional and sad moments with Neji's death while protecting Naruto and Hinata, and the obliteration of the Central Barracks, with Inoichi and Shikaku inside.

So many sad feelings, so many parts of the story comes to a conclusion, this episode is a true masterpiece, returning some of the emotions that prevoius episodes made us miss a lot.

Some of the original characters meet a tragic end and Naruto finally understands the depth of Hinata's love. The writing and dialogue are phenomenal. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat. Sad to see Neji go.

This is the worst episode of all Naruto. The storyline was terrible, ridiculous, unusual. And that's because Kishimoto decided to sell his story to produce a fan service. On the other hand, he surprised everyone by killing off minor but important characters. And yet, each death was played down.

Plotline: the trapped Juubi begins a transformation. No one is able to attack Madara and Obito because the monster rises and throws everyone away. It turns into a one eyed biped monster with two arms, one incomplete, and ten deformed tails. Many shinobis are injured and dead. At the headquarters, no one is sure of how to stop the beast, so Shikaku communicates with Kakashi. Anyway, Madara realizes that now will be harder to control the monster, and with Obito use more Hashirama's cells. They want to use more power and bring desperation to the alliance. Soon, the monster begins to launch Juubi damas to random distant places. Kitsuchi uses rock on the feet to deflect the direction of one. Then, the Juubi throws one at the headquarters. Ao detects it, and everyone around realize they are going to die. Shikaku and Inoichi use their last moments to talk Shikamaru, Ino, and others, to tell them a plan. Then, the explosion kills them. It's revealed that Madara gave the order to the Juubi in order to kill the "mind" of the Alliance. Shikamaru is shocked, but just for a few seconds, and tells a crying Ino to stay strong, this is a war. He gets cold, and just wants to do what his father said, despite Choji's call. Naruto is shocked as well, but Neji tells that their all the strategy is for him. With Hiashi Hyuga, they manage to block an attack of the Juubi's deformed hand. He keeps saying that Inoichi and Shikaku died before their children, the same his own father did, they were glad. Here I consider ended the first part, which was awful in many ways. First, because of the result, the deaths of Shikaku, Inoichi, and though less important, Ao. Considering Asuma's death, there was no need to kill Shikaku and Inoichi. It's like Shikamaru and Ino already suffered enough when their sensei died. Their fathers didn't deserve this fate. For any future as shinobi, Shikamaru needed his father as much as Ino needed hers. And they were good characters, serious, kind, gentle, they contributions were relevant for the storyline (the role after Asuma's death, assisting Tsunade, helping to solve Pain's mystery, supporting Naruto, bringing the news to everyone during the war). Besides, they were the first notable characters to be killed since the war arc started. And this was more than 100 episodes ago. It's ironic how they were killed before any other character who went to the battlefront. It's ridiculous. About the way it happened, was crazy. Madara had no idea of the headquarters location. How he could aim at the exact place if it was several miles away? And the Juubi is a monster with no mind or conciousness, unlike the Bijuus. And is deformed, incomplete. Also, the last words were not showed. This took away all the sadness, and didn't allow to feel the pain. There was no touching moment. Then, the way Shikaku and Inoichi's death was taken, processed by everyone, especially Shikamaru, was awful. Idiot, your father died!! Show some reaction, some emotion. Ino started well, she got to cry, but she suddenly stopped, like nothing happened, given Shikamaru's words. Where are the feelings? I thought the characters were supposed to be humans. When Asuma died, Shikamaru was on a fight too, but he didn't repress his emotions. He didn't act like nothing. Where was his unfulfilled scream? Why not even shout at Madara? The only one who showed something was Naruto, and Shikaku or Inoichi are not his father. He shouted, he expressed what he felt, shock, anger, frustration. This was good. But then, Neji's words cut him short. Another mistake. To say that everything is for him. Like if he was the messiah, the only one to protect, the only worth to live. What a pathetic way to think. Every life is important. Asuma and Hiruzen taught to protect the king, the young shinobi, not the most powerful or important person. Let Naruto mourn the people who dies. Even if they were not young, like I said, their lives were as important as many others. And so, this leads to the second part.

Neji keeps telling Naruto that they will protect him, and Hinata joins. Hiashi says that the Hyuga are the strongest of Konoha (if Sasuke heard this...). Then, the villains talk: Madara realizes that soon they won't be able to control the Juubi without becoming the jinchuriki. But he needs a living body for it, not the current dead one from the Edo Tensei. So Obito reasons that he hasn't used a dama to blast the alliance because would kill him. In other words, Madara needs Obito, who has the Rinnegan, to bring him back to life. He asks him to do what he says. Madara is seemingly surprised by Obito's attitude, but is told that they never were actually allies. Obito then wants to crush the Alliance's spirit, slowly. He wants them to suffer. The juubi begins to throw a rain of wood spikes with his tails, and everyone must cover. Kitsuchi uses rock, same as others. Sakura uses her strength to protect those around her (Kakashi helps her in the manga). Meanwhile, Hiashi, Neji, Hinata, do what they can to deflect the spikes. Naruto throws various rasenshurikens to destroy them, but he soon gets tired. Seemingly out of forces, Hinata first, and then Neji, put themselves as a human shield to protect Naruto. And so, Neji is stabbed by the spikes. Naruto is shocked and repeatedly asks why he did it, so Neji says that Hinata would die for him too. He remembers his words at the chunin exams, and how he made him understand that they can choose, their lives are not predestined. Naruto called him a genius that time. Now he knows what his father felt to die for someone. And so, he dies. Obito starts shouting at Naruto, that he said he wouldn't let his friends die. Take a look around. Say it again! Naruto is shocked to see all the dead shinobi around him, stabbed, crushed by the spikes. Obito tells that this is going to follow. This is what useless hope brings, the reality. He asks him what he has left, if his parents, Jiraiya are dead, and his friends will keep dying one by one if he opposes to him. Nobody who knows him will live. At the end, he is going to face something he knows very well: solitude. Kakashi is stunned to hear Obito's words. Madara tells that he reminds of him in the past, and that Naruto's will is going to break, and so the alliance. Hiashi feels sorry with his deceased brother because he couldn't save Neji. Naruto is completely stunned and shaken. But Hinata puts a hand on his face, to wake him up. She gives a speech of how everyone feels the same than Neji, that the words of not letting friends die are shared by everyone. That's why is not in vain. If Naruto gives in his words, his ninja way, then Neji would have died for nothing. Kurama reminds Naruto that his parents did the same for him when he was a baby, to protect him. Naruto doesn't want to abandon his friends, but Neji... As he thinks the answer, Obito prepares the Juubi to attack again, despite Madara's warnings. But then, Sai takes B to them, and a recovered Gyuki throws a bijuu dama inside the Juubi through the mouth. Naruto thanks Hinata, gives in to her reasoning, takes her hand (she babbles inside), and they prepare to face the monster. This was terrible for several reasons. One, It's unclear why the Hyugas ended up around Naruto. If the alliance's objective was to protect him, Shikaku would have sent previously ninjas from Iwa with such mission. Or in any case, why Naruto wasn't next to Kakashi and Sakura? They are usually together during missions for obvious reasons. They know each other very well and work perfectly as a team. Two, Neji's death was unnecesary. There were other persons to protect Naruto with ninjutsu, or he could have dodged. He has two legs. His last words were great, heartfelt, yes, but at the end was a random death. All happened because Kishimoto put him there, because of Hinata. She gave a good speech, but she should have been broken. Her cousin died and Naruto was more affected than her. Doesn't make any sense. The scene at the end is awful. Neji just died and they are taking hands like a couple. She babbling inside. Naruto talking like if Hinata was the one always next to him. She was absent during most of Shippuden! They didn't share a single meaningful talk before the war! She has no clue of all the things he went through! This so called "love" is based on nothing but a one sided crush from a shy girl. I hated also how Sakura, was sidelined here. She was the true girl next to the hero. Kakashi was also sidelined. I didn't like neither that Neji died to protect Hinata's "love" for Naruto, given his words. It's like he prioritized her for the whole main Hyuga heir thing. Kishimoto sold out his story here, to Hinata fans, the Pierrot, whatever. Naruto never wanted anyone to die for him (as he said during Pain's arc). The Kyuubi was wrong. Parents dying for their son is not the same.