This episode was very well done, shows Sakura's progress, the importance of bonds, cooperation between nations, and includes an emotive ending. The plotline follows the moment when the team arrives at the room where Kankuro is being treated. Chiyo tries to attack Kakashi, thinking he is the one (the White Fang of the Leaf) who murdered her son some time ago, but Naruto stops her right in time. Kakashi says he's not the White Fang, but Chiyo doesn't want to hear it. Ebiso stops her and reassures that Kakashi is someone else, besides the White Fang of the Leaf died several years ago. She finally remembers, and chuckles, the age reached her. Anyway, Kankuro's scream interrupts them, so Sakura goes to check his state. She asks to clear out the room, Naruto agrees without hesitating, and goes outside the room, with Kakashi, Ebiso and Chiyo. There, Naruto asks his sensei about the White Fang of the Leaf, so Kakashi reluctantly reveals he was his father. This leaves Chiyo stunned, while Ebiso observes the similarities. Sakura checks Kankuro's eyes, tongue, the frequence of his heart beat, and guesses the toxin is a metal. She explains that the metal toxin will affect the heart muscles, eventually causing heart failure. She asks the other medics from Suna the elements to perform the procedure to heal Kankuro. When everything is ready, she makes an incision near the chest, and uses a special fluid prepared in a bucket, to draw out the poison from the heart. The procedure is painful for Kankuro, so the other medics and Temari must keep him restrained while Sakura extracts the poison. After several shots, most of the toxin is drawn inside the buckets with the fluid, and Sakura tells Kankuro's life is out of danger. Temari sits down on the floor, relieved, while Baki and the others feel glad as well. Sakura still says the job is not over, she must prepare the antidote for the remaining poison inside Kankuro. While Kakashi and the others enter back into the room, Sakura orders the medic ninja to make a list of the medicinal plants of the village, stabilize Kankuro with intravenous treatment, and bandage his chest. Naruto is amazed by Sakura's skills, the way she is handling the situation. Chiyo is reminded of Tsunade, and Sakura confirms she is her apprentice, and was the one who sent them. Ebiso tells his sister that time keeps its course, implying how nations change, since now there are good intentions from Konoha. This part was excellent. Showed precisely how a medical procedure is made in the ninja world of Naruto. This was previously ignored, but here was very well written. And raises Sakura as a character. An emergency like this is an example of how experienced and secure Sakura has become as a medic ninja. She always had a natural gift to study, memory, and chakra control, so is clear how she was meant to be a medic. Being Tsunade's apprentice for more than two years, is showing results. Nobody should say that Sakura is useless at this point. That's in the past. She is a medic, one of the greatest on this story. I have to praise Nishizono's work on the writing, the manga chapter ignored details about the procedure, and the treatment, and he perfectly filled the gaps in the anime episode. Then, Naruto's expression deserve some minor highlight. First, he was quick enough to protect Kakashi from Chiyo, meaning he was on watch the whole time. This must be part of Jiraiya's teaching, so Naruto now is more sharp and fast while sensing danger. Kakashi should not be questioned, he simply was trying to avoid the misunderstanding. On the other hand, Naruto was amazed while seeing Sakura as a full fledged medic. He sees how great she is, and values her skills on the job. And he was not frustrated or jealous because he had to sit and wait, he was patient, mature to understand the sitaution. Naruto still loves Sakura by who she is, and now sees her progress in the last years. To finish this part, the revelation of Kakashi being the son of the White Fang of the Leaf was well handled. This is important to remember especially during Kakashi gaiden. Good idea to avoid a fight with Chiyo, she was mature enough to not try vengeance against Kakashi. Whatever happened between Sakumo Hatake and Sasori's father surely was during war, there's no one to blame.
The second part shows Naruto getting ready to go, intending to leave when Sakura finishes the antidote. Kakashi reminds him that still don't know where the Akatsuki went, so asks Baki the results of their pursuit. The Suna leader tells that Kankuro went alone and came back like this, but they have no news from the rest of the squad who continued the chase. Meanwhile, Sakura is at the greenhouse preparing the antidote, and tells another medic that with the available herbs she can produce three dosages. Still, she's surprised of their amount of medicine given the desertic land. Kakashi asks Baki to lead him to the place of Kankuro's fight, to trace the smell, but then Kankuro finally regains conciousness. Still in pain, he tells that he took a piece of robe from one Akatsuki, so Kakashi praises him for fighting until the last second. Temari rushes to her brother's side, and Kankuro sees Naruto. Then, he confirms to Chiyo and Ebiso that he fought Sasori. Sakura finally arrives with the antidote, and Kankuro drinks it. She tells him to rest and not to move until the numbness is gone. Kakashi summons Pakkun (who greets Naruto saying he looks the same), and the other hounds, and orders them to track the smell of the piece of Sasori's robe. Then, Baki gives Kakashi a letter from the Hokage, which informs that Gai's team will join them. Naruto is eager to meet them again. Back into the room, while Kankuro sees Naruto, remembers what Gaara told him, how he was able to change his ways, his path from a lonely live based on hatred and murder. Gaara said that suffering, sadness can be shared with the people around, that's what he learned from Naruto, who suffered the same solitude. Now, Naruto gently takes Sakura's backpack to assist her, and smiles, she is also kind given his gesture. Kankuro sees Naruto, and encharges him to save his little brother. Temari and Baki seem surprised by the request. Naruto confirms he will, as he expects the Kazekage to owe a favor to the future Hokage. The ending of the episode was emotive, touching, and not only because the score. Remembering how cruel was Gaara, was good to see that Naruto helped him to change. That change was abrupt probably, but was easier because Gaara's father died (he was a cause for his son's cruel behavior), and given Kankuro and Temari's worries. The two elder siblings inherited their mother's love, and always showed concerns about Gaara (it's obvious during the First part of Naruto). That made everything easier. So now, Kankuro shows gratitude towards Naruto, and this shouldn't be strange. He got a kind brother because of him. And while seeing him kindly interact with Sakura, he saw what Gaara was talking about before. Temari already had her moment of gratitude, now was Kankuro's turn. Then, I have to praise the clean air between all of them. Despite that infamous attack caused by Orochimaru, now Baki and the other Suna shinobi are in good terms with Kakashi and his team. They share intelligence and messages without mistrust. Ebiso said that timrs change. How hard could be to extend an alliance like this with the other three nations? Maybe the story should have been directed towards that goal from the beginning (and not wait until the Kage Summit).
The second part shows Naruto getting ready to go, intending to leave when Sakura finishes the antidote. Kakashi reminds him that still don't know where the Akatsuki went, so asks Baki the results of their pursuit. The Suna leader tells that Kankuro went alone and came back like this, but they have no news from the rest of the squad who continued the chase. Meanwhile, Sakura is at the greenhouse preparing the antidote, and tells another medic that with the available herbs she can produce three dosages. Still, she's surprised of their amount of medicine given the desertic land. Kakashi asks Baki to lead him to the place of Kankuro's fight, to trace the smell, but then Kankuro finally regains conciousness. Still in pain, he tells that he took a piece of robe from one Akatsuki, so Kakashi praises him for fighting until the last second. Temari rushes to her brother's side, and Kankuro sees Naruto. Then, he confirms to Chiyo and Ebiso that he fought Sasori. Sakura finally arrives with the antidote, and Kankuro drinks it. She tells him to rest and not to move until the numbness is gone. Kakashi summons Pakkun (who greets Naruto saying he looks the same), and the other hounds, and orders them to track the smell of the piece of Sasori's robe. Then, Baki gives Kakashi a letter from the Hokage, which informs that Gai's team will join them. Naruto is eager to meet them again. Back into the room, while Kankuro sees Naruto, remembers what Gaara told him, how he was able to change his ways, his path from a lonely live based on hatred and murder. Gaara said that suffering, sadness can be shared with the people around, that's what he learned from Naruto, who suffered the same solitude. Now, Naruto gently takes Sakura's backpack to assist her, and smiles, she is also kind given his gesture. Kankuro sees Naruto, and encharges him to save his little brother. Temari and Baki seem surprised by the request. Naruto confirms he will, as he expects the Kazekage to owe a favor to the future Hokage. The ending of the episode was emotive, touching, and not only because the score. Remembering how cruel was Gaara, was good to see that Naruto helped him to change. That change was abrupt probably, but was easier because Gaara's father died (he was a cause for his son's cruel behavior), and given Kankuro and Temari's worries. The two elder siblings inherited their mother's love, and always showed concerns about Gaara (it's obvious during the First part of Naruto). That made everything easier. So now, Kankuro shows gratitude towards Naruto, and this shouldn't be strange. He got a kind brother because of him. And while seeing him kindly interact with Sakura, he saw what Gaara was talking about before. Temari already had her moment of gratitude, now was Kankuro's turn. Then, I have to praise the clean air between all of them. Despite that infamous attack caused by Orochimaru, now Baki and the other Suna shinobi are in good terms with Kakashi and his team. They share intelligence and messages without mistrust. Ebiso said that timrs change. How hard could be to extend an alliance like this with the other three nations? Maybe the story should have been directed towards that goal from the beginning (and not wait until the Kage Summit).
