Well, this is what alot of manga readers have been consciously waiting for, and what anime-only viewers have been unconsciously waiting for...
Pros:
- Genius animation. Movie quality. Everything was smooth, everything looked amazing. You just simply can't complain about the animation at all. In fact, they did that thing, that happens only so often in anime, the thing where they improve on the manga. Some of the kyuubi's facial expressions and just his overall way of moving exceeding my expectations. Loved it.
- Good use of music. No cheesy jap-rock when Kyuubi was doing his thing. No "gunna be dramatic by not playing any music even though we just do this because our music library is tiny" bullshit. Nice.
- Well, Naruto as 4t. kyuubi. Let the anime section debates about 4tk vs so and so begin, god knows its been going on long enough in manga. Ultimate power, really flashy stuff. Fighting one of the sannin on equal footing. I love the arms coming outof the other arms.
- Final shot: was awesome. But oro had something up his sleeve as we all know.
- Oro: Looked at times like he was struggling through this one but was able to keep that awesome grin on his face the entire time. Favorite part about the animation was how they kept oro looking evil. Also, I love his voice and expressions.
- Sakura is worried! The power of love!
- Yamato is surprised! Above even his level. Sai also can't get near.
- Naruto as a series has this awesome ability to combine smart, skillful fights with the occasional dbz-style huge explosions, raw power fights. I would say that for most naruto fans, each different style is appealing in its own right. This fight combined the raw power of kyuubi vs the intellect and precision techniques of orochimaru. Not often we see these two characteristics combined. But when we do, you get pure quality.
Cons:
- Pacing: Considering this is one of the quickest, most intensely action packed parts of the anime to date, there was really strange pacing to it. It seemed really dragged out. Everything that happened in the fight happened slow motion, and was frequently interrupted by obligatory remarks by the other characters in the area. This pacing really sucks and takes away from some of the *umph* of the action. Instead of seeing Oro speeding at blurring speeds across the ground closely followed by Kyuubi chakra in a battle that gets your adrenaline, it was more just "watching" it happen... not as exciting as could have been. Solution? Well...
- Fillers: This is the show that gave us over two years of filler. This is the show that has ruined fights and story with filler(clone battles, as the best example). This show is RIDDLED with the stuff, and while other series also have lots of filler, Naruto generally does it BADLY and at the WRONG times. So, why, when there is actually a really good reason and lots of potential material to make filler with, do they refuse to? Have the arms chase Oro in some more creative ways. Have Oro and Kyuubi have a quick hand to hand exchange(right after Oro punched kyuubi would've been perfect). Of all the times in the series, since the start of shuppiden, this had the MOST POTENTIAL for AWESOME FILLER. Why wasn't it there? Instead of a random flashback for Sasori(pointless, the dialogue was enough... not like we haven't heard sasori say "go to the bridge of heaven and earth in 10 days" about 30 times.
- Two, very interrelated cons, and they really hurt the episode for me.
General:
- This episode was awesome. Best since the chiyo+sakura vs Sasori battle.
- had potential to be even better, oh well.
- next episode titles look like we are getting about 1 chapter an episode for awhile. Cool....
Pics:
This is a pretty bad picture, but anyone else think that Naruto 4tk sortof resembles... BAT MAN?
And finally some DBZ action mixed in with the Kyuubi
Naruto Shippuuden Episode 42
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Linear Mode
