Kita ze Inbou! - キタぜ陰謀!

[ Episode 56: Squirm ]

Just like the previous episode, I really enjoyed this one. It’s hard to put my finger on it but I’ve found these episodes quite enjoyable compared to the majority of those in the previous arc. I suppose it’s because these episodes have a feeling similar to those of the earlier Naruto episodes. Anyway, this episode pretty much presses the pause button on Naruto’s training although he does manage to cut a leaf in half completely before he is sent off on a mission with Sakura, Sai, and Yamato. I’m glad that they’ll be working together again in this new original arc since I rather like the team as a whole. Speaking of teams, Team Asuma will also be going on a mission which no doubt will overlap with Team Yamato. I’m looking forward to seeing Ino, Shika, Chouji (not so much him though…), and Asuma in action, especially before the story returns to the manga material…

One thing I found particularly funny was the way they kept poking at the Asuma x Kurenai pairing. At this point it’s pretty much obvious that they’re a couple and have been going out for who knows how long (most likely way back in Part 1). The omake at the end of the episode made it even more obvious (and hilarious) particularly when the image of Kurenai hanging onto Asuma’s arm was shown. What a dead giveaway.

Another training episode and another decent episode. As much as I loathed the fillers of the first Naruto series, I have to say I am quite surprised by the quality thus far. The whole point of this filler arc is to center around characters we don’t see as much, like in this case Asuma. All he really did in the series is save Shikamaru, get his ass handed to him by Kisame and of course, to smoke. This marks the first episode that the character is viewed in a positive light and he actually interacts with Naruto, as he too is a wind user like him. In addition, there are not many like them, so Naruto consider himself special more than before.

I liked the joke when Sai goes and watches over Naruto’s training. He reads in a book that if a friend tries hard he should offer him a snack, Sai pulls an apple from his bag and it appears to be for Naruto, but he eats it a second afterwards.

That’s about it, it was a decent episode and it continues the streak. I wish the actual arcs were that good but I am sufficed. The filler starts officially next week with a one hour special (AGAIN?!) and it features one of my favorite seiyuus Kazuya Nakai as the main filler villain. You know he is awesome because the guy does damn Rolonoa Zoro!

<7.5/10>