Naruto Manga thread (Spoilers)

[lord_khaine]

As for techniques that allow digging. Those require hand seals. Sakura/Tsunade's 'terrible strength' requires both room to move and impressive chakra control/knowledge how to do it.

This is one of the few things i disagree on, if Sakura/Tsunade is strong enough to carry the earth above her, then she can simply create room to move in.

[Drolyt]

This is one of the few things i disagree on, if Sakura/Tsunade is strong enough to carry the earth above her, then she can simply create room to move in.

If they are strong enough is the key phrase. This depends largely on how deeply they are buried.

[Revanmal]

There's a trick to Tsunade's strength. She isn't actually all that strong normally, it's her chakra control that lets her hit so hard. She and Sakura build up chakra in their fists, or feet, or what have you. Then they release at just the right moment when they strike. It isn't their muscles doing most of the work, it's the chakra that magnifies the force they put into the hit. So unless the person buried can wind up enough to throw a punch, which they couldn't do under tons of earth, they're stuck.

[Fjolnir]

Hence my opinion of "the only person getting out of a grave in this group being Deidara, if only for his ability to turn Graves into Craters...

[Callos_DeTerran]

There's a trick to Tsunade's strength. She isn't actually all that strong normally, it's her chakra control that lets her hit so hard. She and Sakura build up chakra in their fists, or feet, or what have you. Then they release at just the right moment when they strike. It isn't their muscles doing most of the work, it's the chakra that magnifies the force they put into the hit. So unless the person buried can wind up enough to throw a punch, which they couldn't do under tons of earth, they're stuck.

Yeah, this is what I meant, but I didn't want to type it all out.

Though...Tsunade's seems to be different. She did wield Gamabunta's knife, if only for a little bit. But yeah, for the most part the above.

[Drolyt]

There's a trick to Tsunade's strength. She isn't actually all that strong normally, it's her chakra control that lets her hit so hard. She and Sakura build up chakra in their fists, or feet, or what have you. Then they release at just the right moment when they strike. It isn't their muscles doing most of the work, it's the chakra that magnifies the force they put into the hit. So unless the person buried can wind up enough to throw a punch, which they couldn't do under tons of earth, they're stuck.

Tsunade's burst strength is her strongest, yes, but she can also use her chakra control for more controlled strength (like the lifting Gamabunta's Knife example above). I don't think it would matter if they were buried under 10 feet of packed dirt, but there you go.

[Lix Lorn]

I never actually read the manga. I watch the anime when I get round to it and occasionally read spoilers. It's that I only got round to looking it up today that I'd just like to say
HOLY FLYING **** KABUTO DID WHAT?

...also, hai, I'm Lix, I've watched naruto for a coupla years now, write mostly OC centric fanfiction.

[Mystic Muse]

I never actually read the manga. I watch the anime when I get round to it and occasionally read spoilers. It's that I only got round to looking it up today that I'd just like to say
HOLY FLYING **** KABUTO DID WHAT?

...also, hai, I'm Lix, I've watched naruto for a coupla years now, write mostly OC centric fanfiction.

Hai Lix. I'm Kyuubi. I've been reading Naruto for a couple of years now and I want it to end soon.Yes, I'm fully aware we already know each other.

[Lix Lorn]

xD
I think it's likely to. It'd be pretty hard to extend it after the current plot is done. Plus, if this arms race goes any further we'll give DBZ a run for it's money.

[Silverraptor]

So Lix, how much of the manga have you read so far?

[Lix Lorn]

Several random pages only. xD
I tend to watch the anime and obsessively read spoilers. (nodnod)

[Silverraptor]

I'd actually suggest you find the spot where you last watched and read your way to the current strip. That way you can avoid getting lost.

[TheEmerged]

Hi, Lix, Kyuubi, et al. I'm TheEmerged. I don't do much anime/manga but my roots there go back to StarBlazers/Space Battleship Yamamoto. I started watching a bit of the Naruto anime while waiting for something else to come on (and I forget what that was), and the first full episode I watched was "Hinata Grows Bold" during the Chunin Exam.

In hindsight, that was probably the one point in the series that would have captured my interest. If I'd started at the begining the fanservice would have turned me away instantly. If I'd started during Haku/Zabusa it wouldn't have held my interest. If it'd started much later, I'd have felt I was too far into the series for it to be worth it.

I've bought/read all the manga volumes released in the US. I've been hesistant to read the online manga sites after catching a nasty virus from one once before. I'm hoping to get some time over the holiday to catch up from where I am in the manga to where it is now

[Drolyt]

Plus, if this arms race goes any further we'll give DBZ a run for it's money.

Impossible. I've actually seen you around before I think, did you get a new avatar? I also suggest you read the manga to where we are. Particularly if you want things to make sense.

[Irbis]

So, burying them doesn't work after all :P

Note to self - if I ever try this technique, the puppets should have their ears plugged to not allow for any heartwarming exchanges destroying them.

Deidara should seriously invest in a grounding jacket :P

And, just as I predicted, all the dead Akatsuki turned into fodder. Disappointing.

[AgentofOdd]

I wonder if blocking such vital sense would be worthwhile though. You never see a deaf guy with super senses afterall, only the blind get those.

Count me in as one of those who finds Akatsuki's cannon fodder status to be disappointing. I mean Sasori sucking makes sense since he's not using his puppets, and he's back to controlling a human body, but Deidara should be way more badass if not pragmatic. Like starting the fight off by nuking the area.

[Drolyt]

I disagree about the canon fodder thing. Yes they got their asses kicked, but they were outnumbered and put up a good fight. I could see the argument for Deidara being fodder, but Sasori served his narrative purpose by being surpassed by Kankuro, even if that only happened because Sasori fell so low (in Kankuro's words allowed himself to become a puppet). The root guy also served a great narrative purpose by a) resolving Sai's past and b) showing us a way for the impure world summons to be defeated (although that probably won't work on most of akatsuki). We also got to see more of that lightning ninja, so I think this was an excellent chapter.

[Thrawn183]

I take back my previous statements, the puppets are just cannon fodder

[Silverraptor]

How was Sai's brother's soul freed exactly? How can we use this information against the other bound souls?

[Xondoure]

Besides Deidara already got a second crowning moment with his fight with the Stone kage.

[AgentofOdd]

@Drolyt
Well, remember Akatsuki used to be so adept, they attacked whole ninja villages with impunity. The fact that they're now having trouble with a slight disparity in numbers is a serious downgrade. Course one might say this demonstrates just how much stronger the ninja world is now that they've combined their strengths (and covered any elemental weaknesses... very rpg).

Still, one could give some slack to Sasori since he's practically fighting naked in a body he hasn't used in quite some time. Unfortunately, for the same reasons we really can't say for certain that Kankuro surpassed him, or that he's a lesser fighter now.

As for Sai's brother... it was somewhat poignant, but what resolving was there? Also, the whole semi-zombies defeated by love thing feels rather tacked on and hokey. Not to mention it's a wee bit too similar to the love conquers all theme from Harry Potter imo.

[Xondoure]

Sai's brother never got to see the finished picture, it wasn't anything Sai said that freed him it was seeing the love Sai had for him.

[Drolyt]

@Drolyt
Well, remember Akatsuki used to be so adept, they attacked whole ninja villages with impunity. The fact that they're now having trouble with a slight disparity in numbers is a serious downgrade. Course one might say this demonstrates just how much stronger the ninja world is now that they've combined their strengths (and covered any elemental weaknesses... very rpg).

Uh, only Pain ever attacked a whole ninja village with impunity, and as I've expressed before even he only succeeded because he managed to throw Konoha into chaos. Itachi was able to enter Konoha unhindered, but that was because as an ANBU that answered directly to the Third he knew how to bypass all of Konoha's defenses, a secret he never revealed to anyone else in Akatsuki. We never saw anyone else pulling stuff like that, and most of Akatsuki while impressive were only at Kakashi's level, not village shattering level.

Still, one could give some slack to Sasori since he's practically fighting naked in a body he hasn't used in quite some time. Unfortunately, for the same reasons we really can't say for certain that Kankuro surpassed him, or that he's a lesser fighter now.

We can't say whether Kankuro surpassed him in pure fighting ability, but Kankuro surpassed him in that he didn't sink so low as to allow himself to become another's puppet.

As for Sai's brother... it was somewhat poignant, but what resolving was there? Also, the whole semi-zombies defeated by love thing feels rather tacked on and hokey. Not to mention it's a wee bit too similar to the love conquers all theme from Harry Potter imo.

I've read all the Harry Potter books and seen all the movies and I don't see how the thing with Sai's brother is at all similar. As for what resolving there was, Sai's brother never got to see Sai's picture book. Sai couldn't finish it because he had lost emotion. Sai finally finished the book and showing it to his brother and freeing his soul provided closure. Also, how is it tacked on? Kabuto admitted his control over the impure world summons was weak because there were so many, Sai's brother was simply so filled with emotion that he gained the will and resolve to break Kabuto's hold.

[TSGames]

Not to mention it's a wee bit too similar to the love conquers all theme from Harry Potter imo.

I see you've read the next manga already.

Spoiler

Show

Kabuto raises Dumbledore!!!111!!!!

[Fjolnir]

I would personally agree with both sides in this, Deidara was strong enough to raid suna with pretty much impunity (flight provides a big portion of this advantage but still) but he was always a strong mook among monsters. Sasori on the other hand is the zombie in this fight who was going to be surpassed by the younger generation. As to burying not working, without explody hax it probably would...

Sai's brother on the other hand is sort of a copout, though I see where it is coming from, I hope it's not something that comes up constantly because then it will turn into "LURVE CONKERS AWL!!!" and be slightly cheesy...

[VanBuren]

As for Sai's brother... it was somewhat poignant, but what resolving was there? Also, the whole semi-zombies defeated by love thing feels rather tacked on and hokey. Not to mention it's a wee bit too similar to the love conquers all theme from Harry Potter imo.

I didn't realize Harry Potter was the first work to ever use that theme. Or that it was an uncommon theme at all.

[Drolyt]

I didn't realize Harry Potter was the first work to ever use that theme. Or that it was an uncommon theme at all.

This is manga/anime. The number one recurring theme in manga/anime is love conquers all. They were doing it for years before Rowling ever put pen to paper. This is just like people accusing Discworld of copying Hogwarts; Pratchet doesn't have time travel people.

[VanBuren]

This is manga/anime. The number one recurring theme in manga/anime is love conquers all. They were doing it for years before Rowling ever put pen to paper. This is just like people accusing Discworld of copying Hogwarts; Pratchet doesn't have time travel people.

Hell, it's been a theme in all media for years. It's like accusing The Hobbit of being unoriginal for using a Dragon.

[Drolyt]

Hell, it's been a theme in all media for years. It's like accusing The Hobbit of being unoriginal for using a Dragon.

I'm guessing Agent went to see the latest Harry Potter movie and so saw the similarity more readily, not realizing that it is very nearly an omnipresent trope.

[AgentofOdd]

Uh, only Pain ever attacked a whole ninja village with impunity, and as I've expressed before even he only succeeded because he managed to throw Konoha into chaos. Itachi was able to enter Konoha unhindered, but that was because as an ANBU that answered directly to the Third he knew how to bypass all of Konoha's defenses, a secret he never revealed to anyone else in Akatsuki. We never saw anyone else pulling stuff like that, and most of Akatsuki while impressive were only at Kakashi's level, not village shattering level.

Perhaps attack isn't the right word, but pretty much all members of Atatsuki made aggressive maneuvers against various villages that got the entire place riled up against them and survived. It's odd how a handful of folks from those villages managed to defeat them. Maybe it was synergy.

We can't say whether Kankuro surpassed him in pure fighting ability, but Kankuro surpassed him in that he didn't sink so low as to allow himself to become another's puppet.

Well, Sasori didn't exactly have a choice in becoming a zombie puppet.

I've read all the Harry Potter books and seen all the movies and I don't see how the thing with Sai's brother is at all similar. As for what resolving there was, Sai's brother never got to see Sai's picture book. Sai couldn't finish it because he had lost emotion. Sai finally finished the book and showing it to his brother and freeing his soul provided closure. Also, how is it tacked on? Kabuto admitted his control over the impure world summons was weak because there were so many, Sai's brother was simply so filled with emotion that he gained the will and resolve to break Kabuto's hold.

Harry Potter came to mind due to love having the general ability to ultimatly negate the baddies. In retrospect, this happens all the time in shoujo comics, and even in shounen comics sometimes. I say tacked on because all we've before this chapter is Kabuto briefly losing control of a summon. All other strips suggest that strong emotions should not be relevant otherwise the Hokage battle should've ended very quickly.

I'm guessing Agent went to see the latest Harry Potter movie and so saw the similarity more readily, not realizing that it is very nearly an omnipresent trope.

Omnipresent in media intended for the younger audiences that I've mostly stopped consuming. But, I admit it's not much of an excuse.

For the record, I haven't seen the movie yet.