Naruto Shippuuden 152-153 breakdown. Sadness and sorrow…

Hello everyone. Firstly, I would like to apologize for the somewhat late breakdown. Unfortunately, life has been a bit hectic and I also had to finish my contest post for the motivational posters. There is also the fact that this is a double breakdown, so it ended up being longer and, in direct proportion, also took more time to complete as a result.

In any case, you all know the drill for episodes like these by now. Tissues and hankies will be supplied throughout the course of the breakdown and crying will be tolerated even from the tough guys out there.

*Pats Captain Pickles and Supertrek on the back and hands each a tissue, before eating them* <_<

This is the way you left me, I'm not pretending. No hope no love no glory, no happy ending...

Firstly, I have to say that this brief opening scene shown at the beginning of our first episode definitely made one thing clear and that is that the fate of a Jinchuuriki who is unfortunate enough to be caught, is both cruel and merciless. For those of you who simply bypassed the fillers, all I can say is that there were no sugar-coated endings.

In a way, I am glad they showed this scene, because it still gives a nod to the end of the fillers and Utakata’s fate, while still essentially remaining parallel to the mainstream story without affecting it. Utakata, whether you liked him or not, is dead, that much is certain.

What would be interesting to see is if Hotaru is in any way show receiving the news of his death, so that she can at least gain some form of solace and move on. I would hate to think she would be left waiting without any knowledge of her master’s fate.

A few hours later, emergency personal arrive at the tragic scene of yet another teenage death caused by pillow induced suffocation. T__T

From there, things basically move back within the realm of the manga’s storyline, with the scene showing Naruto’s thoughts of his past exchange with Itachi and the words they shared about Sasuke.

One thing I think I need to point out with this episode, in particular, was that it did seem to start off a bit slow, especially in these first few scenes, and was wrought with many flashbacks and a lot of talking. In fact, this double episode as a whole was largely focused on thoughts, memories and feelings.

However, the emotional impact of each moment really moved things along, even despite a complete lack of action, and even this first scene helped illustrate the turmoil of Naruto’s thoughts merely through his tone and expression.

KFC = Kentucky Fried Crow? Fast food that's served so fast, they didn't even bother cooking it. <_<

One thing that made me think was when Itachi asked Naruto whether he would be able to choose between saving Sasuke or saving Konoha. Would he be able to kill his friend if it meant saving the village? Or would he put Sasuke first despite the risk?

What makes it really interesting, and I think that this is something most people don’t actually think of, is that Itachi had already made a choice based on that exact same scenario. He spared Sasuke, despite knowing the risk to Konoha (and it was a risk he knew about all too well). He made that choice already, the same choice he is now questioning Naruto on.

What gets me in particular was that he called Naruto a child for believing he could save Sasuke and the village without sacrificing either, but in reality didn’t Itachi do exactly the same thing? Didn’t he also try and spare his brother from the Uchiha massacre, while still acting to protect the village at the same time, despite the risks he knew about?

Perhaps, in a way, Itachi was also questioning himself just as much as he was questioning Naruto. Perhaps he never had an answer either and was, at the time, losing faith in his own resolve. Perhaps his final smile, after receiving Naruto’s answer, was due to the fact that in his heart he finally felt confidence in his decision after so many years of painful doubt.

Yeah, we should hurry up already. It took us an entire filler arc just to get here. <_<

From there, we get a brief glimpse of Sasuke and company, who have surprisingly made little progress in their journey back to Madara despite the fact that they were giving an entire filler arc’s worth of time to do so. I mean, Karin has been unconscious for what, two weeks now? She has probably slipped into a coma, while Suigetsu should have simply evaporated already.

Unfortunately, these kinds of scenes brutally highlight the ever-present flaws in time progression that fillers often cause to the main story arc. The issue isn’t bad enough that it can’t simply be overlooked or just excused, but even still, the problem is there.

After finally arriving bad at the dark lair that all evil villains should have (complete with chairs made from what looks like bone), the younger Uchiha has a little one-on-one chat with Uchiha senior about his true intentions to destroy Konoha. Of course, the significance of these scenes really does pale in comparison to the true focus of this double episode.

And that is the news of Jiraiya’s death hitting home…

A heart skips a beat, eyes grow wide with shock and a subtle breath is lost in a single word of expressed confusion. Naruto's soul is conflicted by the terrible news that reaches his ears.

This is where things really become somber, the moment that Naruto is told about Jiraiya’s fate. I expected a emotional symphony of music to pick up just as the news was expressed into words, but I was instead surprised to be treated with what could only be described as a cold silence.

However, despite the lack of an emotion inducing orchestra, the silence itself seemed to have a bitter impact all its own. In a way, it reflects Naruto’s own reaction. There was no crying, no shouting, no words of bitterness or pain, just nothing. It was as if Naruto had yet to acknowledge the very words that had just been expressed to him.

He was a legend for having creepy spiral eyes, horns on his head and a necklace that could glow in the dark? @__@

The above reference that followed also caught my attention.

Seeing this in the anime and in colour, I finally noticed something about the necklace that the Sage of the Six Paths wears. It is always highlighted along with his eyes in every reference, whether in the manga or the anime, while the rest of his body is only ever merely a silhouette. Then I noticed the colour and the shape and it reminded me of the Sharingan and the tomoe. It just shows you that there are always clues left for us all over the place throughout the story and the link between the Sharingan and the Rinnegan really starts to become apparent.

What surprised me at first, though, was that they seemed to break up such an important scene regarding the news of Jiraiya’s death with a lot of additional banter that was not shown in the manga and, for a brief time, it seemed to detract away from that single moment of stinging pain. Luckily, however, things quickly get back on track shortly afterwards and soon Naruto’s reaction is made painfully clear.

Naruto's eyes are empty and devoid of life. They reflect the condition of his very soul as the cruel reality finally starts to sink into his very being. No words can describe such a painful loss and the damage it does to one's heart...

The first episode in this hour special was, admittedly, a bit slower and more dialogue heavy. A lot of the emotions one might have expected to feel were somewhat dampened by the otherwise factual presentation.

The second episode is another story entirely and it elicits a far more emotional response. As you watch Naruto wandering around the village with no conceivable destination and only his feet to guide his aimless steps, you can’t help but have this feeling that you are seeing a lost child wandering without his parents to guide him.

In the meantime, Shizune, Tsunade and Sakura begin work uncovering the secrets behind Pein’s power.

*Throws up* Blargh!!! Oh wait, I don't remember eating that last night.

One thing that the anime has provided us with, once again, is a more profound and detailed look into some of the scenes that the manga otherwise simply glances over. For the most part, once we revisit a mourning Naruto, the glimpses of his time with Jiraiya that were only fleetingly shown beforehand, are now more openly expressed, further emphasizing their relationship and the emotional impact subsequently suffered.

If you haven’t watched the episode, or you only read the manga, I strongly suggest you do so if possible. The different levels of emotions conveyed through the sounds and images of the anime are very different from the experience of reading the manga.

Eventually, all those built up emotions and memories finally boil down to a single moment of release, as Naruto finally allows the tears to fall.

Why is it easier to cry when no-one else is there to witness those tears? Maybe it's because, deep down inside, we are all afraid of being weak, even when our shaking knees can hardly hold us up any longer...

For Naruto, I believe this was his strongest and most important bond, perhaps even more prominent than his bond was with Sasuke.

Jiraiya was, essentially, his family. He was the one man that was really there for Naruto both as a teacher and as a father figure. Although Iruka also played that role to some degree, it was no-where near the level to which Jiraiya had.

It was also Naruto’s longest bond. Up until the start of the anime, he had largely been alone and although he finally began to make friends, he left Konoha only a few months after those bonds were finally starting to form. With Jiraiya, however, it lasted for three years, as they spent time training and living together. The sheer importance and magnitude of their bond also highlights the severity of that loss.

But more importantly, it shows Naruto’s strength as he finally starts to rise over those feelings of despair to find a glimmer of hope to lead him forward.

When a heart suffers through the pain of loss, others are left to pick up those broken pieces of a shattered soul. It is only in these times of grief that we can truly see and understand the bonds with those who really care for us, as they lift us from the ground and help us walk tall.

Naruto, however, isn’t the only one coming to terms with that loss.

Tsunade is also feeling the bitter sting of having another loved one close to her, dying. Just in the same way Nawaki and Dan had been lost to her before, she know loses her life long teammate and friend, and perhaps even the man she loved.

Even the memories of such a bright and happy smile can't stem the flow of tears or those feelings of sadness hidden under a mask of strength.

Introducing our new Rinnegan fashioned eye-wear! Now you can experience the coolness of the Rinnegan without being emo! See our Sharingan and Byuakugan ranges for even more style options without the emo side effects.

Moving to the end of our episode (and our breakdown, no less) we are introduced to some new characters, one of whom clearly has a severe crush on Shikamaru, who is currently trying to decode the message inscribed on Fukusaku’s back.

From there, our resident genius of the Rookie Nine tries, mostly in vain, to appeal to the knowledge of those close to Jiraiya to try and find the answers he is looking for.

The results are interesting enough, albeit not particularly helpful.

106 cm? OMG, that's an entire meter!!! They must have their own gravitational field!!! (And why is Tsunade still wearing the First's Necklace?)

Shikamaru’s last hope rests in Naruto’s hands, however, and so the young man visits his less than vibrant fellow shinobi, only to see that Naruto’s mind is far from focussed when it comes to offering any sort of tangible aid.

After taking him out for a trip to see a pregnant Kurenai, the Nara then explains how it now falls to the new generation (including himself and Naruto) to take up the mantle of leadership to guide the next generation and help them grow.

It just goes to show you, even after feeling the pain of loss, there is still something to live for and to love. To guide those who come after us and to ensure a good future for them is essentially the greatest gift we can leave the world with.

Naruto's resolve gives him the strength to smile again, as the memories of his master enrich his soul with renewed hope.

Well, that’s it for this double episode. I am sorry that the breakdown was so long and not really as comical as one might like, but I had a lot of details to cover and I tried my best to respect the emotions at hand.

Here are the winners of the last caption contest.

6th) Prawlkage: I fell in to a burning ring of fire, and it burned, burned, burned, the ring of fire… the ring of fire…

5th) Katz747: Acme Gangrape Prevention kit: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK >_>

4th) The Incredible Marksman: Lets gather round the campfire and sing our campfire song. Our C.A.M.P.F.I.R.E gathering campfire song. And if you think that we cant sing it faster then your wrong, but it will help if you just sing alonnnnnnnnng!

3rd) Pein0Avenue: (starts singing) “can’t touch this, na na na na, can’t touch this” (hope no one finds weakness of fire O_O )

2nd) The Incredible Marksman: MY ABBS STARTED THIS FIRE AND MY ABBS WILL PUT THEM OUT!!!!!! DAMN IT NARUTO I DONT NEED YOU HELP!!!

Supertrek89: Gather around Narutards, it’s camp story time! Tonight I have a scary one about the fillers that never ended.

The captions were all really great, so well done to everyone who participated. It was a really tough contest for the top place, but Super just crept in with a cleaver reference to fillers.

Here is this week’s screen.

*Insert caption here*

Let’s see what everyone can come up with.

Thanks again guys! To finish things off, here’s a preview of the next episode.

See you next time! 😉

~ by Tenrai Senshi on March 30, 2010.