Kita ze Inbou! - キタぜ陰謀!

[ Episode 74: Under a Starry Sky ]

So Naruto’s training is finally complete! Or is it? Well, not really. He still has to come up with a new technique. What do you think it can be? Just give it a WILD guess. If you still can’t come up with anything then you deserve a shinigami CHOP to the head. Anyway, you’ll find out in the next episode if the clue in the preview isn’t enough. This episode mainly focuses on Naruto finally cutting the waterfall, Sakura crying and thinking of her feelings for Naruto, and Team Asuma going out to find Hidan and Kakuzu.

Interestingly enough, the filler footage has been removed from the OP sequence and replaced with one of the most surprising fights in Part 2. Fighting two Akatsuki isn’t expected to be easy, especially when one of them is into some weird as hell evil religion. If the pacing remains the same I’m guessing we’ll be seeing that battle around episode 77 or so. Prepare yourselves accordingly.

Man. The only thing I really remember from this episode is just the new OP animation. It’s cool to say the least and it is very unfortunate it’s only going to be only until the end of this month. It is a lot more fluid and interesting than seeing all the filler characters showing their moves.

Naruto finished his training, Hidan and Kakozu are heading their way in order to receive the bounty for Chiriku and Sakura once again thinking about her feelings towards Naruto. I was somewhat surprised when Tsunade dispatched the search unit, not because we get to see Team Asuma in action, but because the two gatekeepers actually get a role in this arc. Kishimoto couldn’t really bring somewhat like Anko (darn you!) so we stuck to the two guys that the best they done is examining the rookie nine back at the chuunin exam, yay.

It was a boring episode overall, but at the very least it is an interesting build-up to what’s to come.
6/10