These episodes will include two storylines, starting here. For one side is Naruto's training. He meets Kakashi and Yamato again at the previous ground, and now his next challenge is to cut a waterfall while using wind type chakra. In the rasengan he changes the shape and makes a sphere, but now he must simply change the chakra nature to wind in order to cut the waterfall. At first, he struggles, despite that he remembers Asuma's advice seriously. Yamato realizes it will take longer than cutting the leaf. Sai and Sakura visit him daily. She knows how hard Naruto will push himself in the training, so she decides to prepare food pills to help him battle fatigue. She goes to buy the necessary items while she thinks about this. Though this little scene is not in the manga, I think it fits perfectly in the story. What Sakura could be doing otherwise? Obviously she has been feeling closer to him in the first part of Shippuden, and she said she would be there for him. She doesn't want to be useless, and now she shows how much she cares and supports him by making this simple gesture. Then, when Naruto complains that he has not enough space or clues to progress, Kakashi tries to calm him down by saying that it takes time. But when he mentions that Sasuke too had to train for several days to practice the Chidori, This serves as motivation for Naruto. Yamato agrees with Kakashi, and he expands the waterfall, so Naruto can make more clones to try to cut it. This part of the episode goes well. The storyline looks coherent, shows the regular Naruto, Kakashi's patience, Yamato being Yamato. Animation is developing great when the waterfall is expanded. Nothing to complain.
As for the other storyline, Hidan and Kakuzu meet with Zetsu. They discuss about faith, Hidan believes in his god, Kakuzu in the money (he's in charge of Akatsuki's savings), while Zetsu believes in himself though he agrees about the importance of money. The latter takes the unconcious Yugito, while the others continue their mission. Turns out that they are also collecting bounties, and seemingly that's why they have been attacking other villages. Kakashi reported this to Tsunade on last episode. Now is the Land of Fire's turn, so Tsunade orders Shizune to alert their jonin for an eventual attack. But Hidan and Kakuzu's first stop is the temple. There they find Chiriku, who as one of the former shinobi guardian, has a bounty placed on him. Both Akatsuki attack him, but they are repelled by Chiriku's long range attack. Hidan gets angry and decides to take care of the fight himself. Once again, the fight is not showed, but he wins, and murders the monk with a ritual. The first time someone sees this part doesn't look really good or interesting. But on the second time, after watching all Shippuden, I realized that they are the best villains. Their dialogues, the jokes Kakuzu makes about Hidan being killed, or how Hidan sometimes can't stand Kakuzu or others for their lack of faith, become funny. Anyway, they are setting the scenario for the future fight. The drama soon will come.
As for the other storyline, Hidan and Kakuzu meet with Zetsu. They discuss about faith, Hidan believes in his god, Kakuzu in the money (he's in charge of Akatsuki's savings), while Zetsu believes in himself though he agrees about the importance of money. The latter takes the unconcious Yugito, while the others continue their mission. Turns out that they are also collecting bounties, and seemingly that's why they have been attacking other villages. Kakashi reported this to Tsunade on last episode. Now is the Land of Fire's turn, so Tsunade orders Shizune to alert their jonin for an eventual attack. But Hidan and Kakuzu's first stop is the temple. There they find Chiriku, who as one of the former shinobi guardian, has a bounty placed on him. Both Akatsuki attack him, but they are repelled by Chiriku's long range attack. Hidan gets angry and decides to take care of the fight himself. Once again, the fight is not showed, but he wins, and murders the monk with a ritual. The first time someone sees this part doesn't look really good or interesting. But on the second time, after watching all Shippuden, I realized that they are the best villains. Their dialogues, the jokes Kakuzu makes about Hidan being killed, or how Hidan sometimes can't stand Kakuzu or others for their lack of faith, become funny. Anyway, they are setting the scenario for the future fight. The drama soon will come.
