Blackjack612's Review of Naruto 568: The Four-Tails: Sage King of the Apes

[blackjack612]

Hello again. Are you guys enjoying your winter breaks/festivities? It was looking for a while like we might not get an early release of Naruto, but luckily for us, a new chapter appeared early in the morning on the 26th. It was in other words a festivus miracle, because the chapter we received was not only early but a splendid read. Before I get to far ahead of myself, let's take a look at last review's polls. In it I asked how satisfied you, the readers, were with the Kyūbi's turnaround. While this week's chapter shows that it might have been premature to say the Kyūbi fully accepts Naruto, most of you liked how it was handled though the majority of you thought there was room for improvement. Perhaps after the next couple of chapters will further satisfy that group of voters as the difference between Naruto and previous jinchūriki's is further explored. Now for the chapter review...

Blackjack 612's Review of Naruto 568: The Four-Tails: The Sage King of the Apes
As always, images in this review are credited to mangastream/binktopia.


A Handsy Enemy...

The chapter begins with our heroes in dire straits. The Eight-Tails, still injured, has been tossed around by the Four-Tails. Naruto is on the verge of being eaten by the Four-Tails. Kakashi and Guy are pinned down by a combination of the Six-Tails, whose disintegrating the landscape with a corrosive gas, and the Five-Tails jinchūriki, whose using his multiple extending arms created from his tailed-beast shroud to tear up the battlefield. In short, our heroes are pinned down and outnumbered, but if you though they would go down without a fight, then you've been reading the wrong manga. Guy and Kakashi mount a counter-offensive against the two enemies that were cornering them. Guy keeps the corrosive gas at bay with Morning Peacock and Kakashi creates a shadow clone and uses Lightening Chain to sever the Five-Tails jinchūriki's hands. It's a solid effort, but the two are far from being able to support Killer B and Naruto.

A Million Ways to the Same Thing

As Naruto struggles to keep the Four-Tails from chomping down on him, the Eight-Tails attempts to wrestle him loose while pleading with the Kyūbi for help. The Kyūbi refuses the pleas, though, even with the Eight-Tails imploring him to think about Naruto. The exchange prompts a flashback as the Kyūbi remembers the many shinobi who would call themselves his master:

1. First is Madara Uchiha. Madara disregards the Kyūbi's existence as a temporary life. He rationalizes making the beast his slave by concluding that the Kyūbi is just energy made form lacking in intelligence or sentience to guide it. We know that this is not true because we have witnessed from the Eight, Nine, One, and Five-Tailed beasts that they possess intellect, awareness of their sentience, and emotions of their own. Yet for all the Kyūbi's power, Madara possessed 'blessed eyes' and so the began the enslavement of the Kyūbi.
2. Then came Hashirama Senju, who took control of the Kyūbi after defeating Madara at the Valley of the End. Hashirama justified suppressing the Kyūbi's will by saying the Kyūbi's power was too dangerous to be left unchecked. Yet we know this not to be true. The beastial nature of the Kyūbi does mean that he can be dangerous and unpredictable in the wild, but the real danger Hashirama feared wasn't in the Kyūbi's wild nature but the potential for destruction caused by those who could wield the Kyūbi like a weapon. Thus, the Kyūbi was enslaved for Madara's misdeeds and despite the fact that humans, especially shinobi, presented a greater threat to the world and it's inhabitants at large.
3. Next was Mito Uzumaki, who became the Kyūbi's vessel following the previously mentioned battle. She restrained the Kyūbi, ignoring any will he might have his own, and who saw the Kyūbi's (reasonable) hatred (of humanity) and potential and rationalized her behavior by saying only hatred would come of it. We know that this too is not true. Naruto has often used his power selfishly for his goals but those goals tended towards selflessly helping others and recently the Kyūbi has used his power to help Naruto rather than tempt his destruction out of spite.
4. Kushina Uzumaki came after Mito. Kushina was a step closer to understanding the Kyūbi. She could empathize with his captivity because she felt captive in her own role. But she justified the Kyūbi's captivity as necessary because he kept the world at bay. But we know that much like nuclear deterrent in the real world during the Cold War, tailed-beast deterrent failed to stabilize the world. Mistrust continued to grow between nations divided along racial/clan lines and shortly after being granted power given freely by the Hidden Leaf village, the other nations quickly began plotting ways to undercut each other's power and consolidate more for themselves. Rather than keeping the nations keeping each other at bay with promises of destruction, they should have (as they now are) relied on diplomacy to build trust between each other and erase the sources of their emnity.
5. And finally, there was Naruto...

A babe the Kyūbi watched grow into a young man, and whom he was certain would find a new way to say the same words that always preceded the subsuming of his will: obey. And Naruto grew and one day he approached the Kyūbi and said … that unlike his predecessors he wouldn't just chain the Kyūbi away because he feared the Kyubi's hatred. Naruto sincerely hoped to understand the Kyūbi and free him of his excess baggage so that the two might live together and rely on one another rather than either becoming a slave to the other's will.

It's deep stuff for a manga aimed primarily at a young shōnen audience. And Kishimoto conveys all this in far simpler ways than my lengthy analysis of it by relying on the strengths of the medium and his readers to make the deeper connections. The Kyūbi snaps out of his recollection just as Naruto seems to lose the fight against the Four-Tails dentures...

Your heart on the other hand...

… and arrives within the inner world of the Four-Tails where he finds the beast chained in a similar manner to how the Kyūbi was following their final battle. The Four-Tails assumes that Naruto's arrived to steal his power and, after Naruto calls him by the name Four-Tails, reveals that the Sage of the Six Paths named him Son Goku. Naruto being Naruto gets confused by the Son Goku's introduction and keeps ignoring his explanations to ask what's going on. When Son Goku gets riled up, though, Naruto apologizes, an act Son Goku has ever witnessed a human perform towards a tailed-Beast. He figures out pretty quickly that Naruto is an honest enough human and, rather than being there to steal his power, was able to enter into Son Goku's territory because he was Kurama's vessel. That's right. The tailed-beasts were all given honorable names from the Sage. Kurama is the Kyūbi's proper name.

A New Ally: Son Goku!

When Goku begins disparaging humans as fools, Naruto chimes in that he also knows what it's like to have his existence denied. Naruto relates the circumstances of his childhood. It didn't matter that his name became associated with trouble or mischief so long as he didn't disappear from the world. This is also why he can't stand the thought of the tailed-beasts being controlled by somebody like Tobi to whom name/identity doesn't matter. In Tobi's place, he wants to be friends with the tailed-beast just like Killer B and the Eight-Tails are friends. Goku laughs at the idea until he realizes that Naruto's offer of friendship was sincere. Swayed by such honesty, Son Goku states that he may help Naruto out if Naruto frees him from his chains. Is Son Goku really a new ally or will he hang on to his freedom when freed? And will any of this be able to sway Kurama's heart?

This was another chapter that didn't drop the ball anywhere artistically. One of the highlights this chapter were the many expressive facial expressions and how Kishimoto used those expression in some areas to tell the story in lieu of dialogue. We don't need him to explicitly tell us just how angry and afraid Kurama is of humans when we can see that extreme mixture of emotion in his eyes. And when Naruto holds such a sincere expression awaiting Son Goku's response to his request of friendship, we as readers are just as disarmed by his sincerity as Son Goku was.

The action and composition of shots was as good as it usually was. Take the above, for example, in which Naruto is shown to scale against Son Goku's size. It visually emphasizes a point Naruto's making in that scene about how humbled he is both in Son Goku's presence and by knowing that it's possible for tailed-beasts and humans to have a healthy relationship with each other.

For my money, this double-page spread was my favorite sequence of panels. I love how Guy and Kakashi's actions mirror each other. The pages devote an equal amount of space to each character to show that they're equals in fighting power at the very least.

This was an excellent chapter. Aside from the dialogue, action, and plot movement, the relationship between Kurama and Naruto was further developed. Moreover, this was down while also:

• Further fleshing out the Naruto mythology, showing us the character flaws of former shinobi who were important in building the Hidden Leaf into what it was
• Continuing the thematic exploration of hatred and how instead of existing in a vacuum, it is often fostered and spread like a virus creature to creature until it either consumes the world (and even the best of people) or is cured by empathy for the suffering of your fellow sentient brothers.
• Delving into deeper philosophical territory on slavery and it's justifications. The tailed-beasts aren't just animals. They're sentient creature and capable of communicating (albeit in a limited way) with humans.

I gave last week's chapter a 6 out of 5 because it raised the bar on what it means for a chapter of Naruto to be excellent (which is a pretty arbitrary way to judge the manga anyway considering how small the portion of a story contained in a chapter is compared to the an volume/arc/full narrative) and so while under normal circumstances I'd give the current chapter a 6 out of 5 also, I don't think it quite exceeds (though it matches) what last chapter accomplished. Thus, Naruto 568 The Four-Tails: The Sage King of the Apes gets a ...

5 out of 5.

Predictions

My predictions for this week didn't pan out in the slightest. It remains to be seen whether our heroes will be overwhelmed by Tobi's power, but if Naruto can make more allies of the remaining tailed-beast, then the tide of battle has shifted back in their favor.

Last week I predicted a tailed-beast vs tailed-beast battle where all the tailed-beast were fully transformed. I think we might see that next week, but with Son Goku swinging for the heroes. I still think Kurama might fully transform when his heart is finally won over by Naruto, but we might also seem him help Naruto finish developing his Tailed-Beast Ball.

I also have some updated long term predictions about where things are headed that can be found here. Despite how things are going, I think if we don't see the Jubi before the wars end, I will be seriously disappointed.

Thanks for sticking around. I'll see you in a couple of weeks space shinobi...

Stray Observations

• "The next wave's getting ready."
• "OBEY!"
• "No matter how they say it … humans always say one thing."
• "Wait, which part was your name? 'Ho Haa Haa'...?"
• "Um...what was your name again?"

One Line Reviews

• BLEACH: To answer my question last time, yes, this is really the end. As much as I enjoyed this arc and the latest chapter, I still think we need more insight into Ginjo's time as a substitute shinigami and his betrayal by Soul Society to give the ending the weight that Kubo is going for.
• One Piece: The new arc is beginning as we're at that point where something new happens at the end of an arc to throw the series into a surprising new direction. Our heroes are stronger after the time skip and One Piece moving swiftly to make our erstwhile heroes one of the infamous Four Emperors of the New World, and hilarity ensues.
• D. Gray-Man spends a chapter setting up threats and going through the requisite motions of a reunion, so it's not essential reading per se.
• Tower of God is this manga good. Since MH gave the manga a forum here, I figured I check out what all the buzz is about since there were only ~77 chapters to catch up on. I went through them all in the course of a couple of days over holiday break and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this series. It's ongoing and the plot has reached a conclusive point in the current arc which means that all of you could catch up on the series without being stranded on a cliffhanger when you're finished. Check it out!

[mosesgunn]

Great Review! One of the things that I'm impressed with in this chapter is the idea that the tailed beasts may be won over in much the same manner as the Toads, Slugs, Snakes, Hawks and other animals within this world. I believe that all the tailed beasts will be freed along with Kurama (at least that's the direction this storyline is heading towards at the moment). I also believe that the 10 tails will make its appearance although it's yet to be decided who will be working with (or controlling???) that creature...a Uchiha or Naruto himself.

Another interesting aspect in this chapter is the idea of 'setting a beast free'. The Jinchuuriki were killed when the beasts were forcibly extracted, however, would they still be alive if they willingly set them free?

[Jack Van Burace]

I don't think so. A Jinchuuriki should die after a Bijuu is extracted. That's the price to pay for having such a godly power within yourself. It's Kishimoto's tax for making Naruto also a victim rather than a power-grubbing oppressor.

One thing that this chapter reminded me was one of my old theories that Rikudou actually bestowed sacred animals with Jyuubi's chakra, but that these animals were formerly living creatures. Son Goku could have been the highest elder of the Monkey clan, and those tails and colour a deformity caused by Jyuubi's monstrous chakra. Rokubi would be the same thing, but with the Slugs' clan (and thus would be known by Katsuyu). All these Bijuus would be special creatures that were chosen by Rikudou/offered themselves to bear this dreadful chakra, which eventually did change them into monsters and castaways.

[Newkerzy]

I don't think so. A Jinchuuriki should die after a Bijuu is extracted. That's the price to pay for having such a godly power within yourself. It's Kishimoto's tax for making Naruto also a victim rather than a power-grubbing oppressor.

One thing that this chapter reminded me was one of my old theories that Rikudou actually bestowed sacred animals with Jyuubi's chakra, but that these animals were formerly living creatures. Son Goku could have been the highest elder of the Monkey clan, and those tails and colour a deformity caused by Jyuubi's monstrous chakra. Rokubi would be the same thing, but with the Slugs' clan (and thus would be known by Katsuyu). All these Bijuus would be special creatures that were chosen by Rikudou/offered themselves to bear this dreadful chakra, which eventually did change them into monsters and castaways.

That's definitely an interesting theory. Rikudou may have had some animals as his pets and also prepared to use them as bearers of the Juubi's chakra.

[mosesgunn]

I don't think so. A Jinchuuriki should die after a Bijuu is extracted. That's the price to pay for having such a godly power within yourself. It's Kishimoto's tax for making Naruto also a victim rather than a power-grubbing oppressor.

One thing that this chapter reminded me was one of my old theories that Rikudou actually bestowed sacred animals with Jyuubi's chakra, but that these animals were formerly living creatures. Son Goku could have been the highest elder of the Monkey clan, and those tails and colour a deformity caused by Jyuubi's monstrous chakra. Rokubi would be the same thing, but with the Slugs' clan (and thus would be known by Katsuyu). All these Bijuus would be special creatures that were chosen by Rikudou/offered themselves to bear this dreadful chakra, which eventually did change them into monsters and castaways.

I think the Jinchuuriki should die when the Bijuu is extracted as well. But in Naruto's case, its obvious that his control of the seal will allow him to release Kurama. If that is indeed the case then the Bijuu would not be extracted but rather released so I think that means he would not die in that case. Thoughts?

[Jack Van Burace]

Imo, they already come out whenever they please, once they're free inside their hosts. But they remain attached to this host just as the host remains attached to them. It's a life sentence, they have been fused together and have become one, as a new entity.

Vodum, the religion, also has a similar ritual. Zombies are people that have fused their bodies with a certain force of nature (one of the many gods that represent forces of nature) and become this new entity with "superpowers". Vodum priests are even called '2-headed doctors', due to their connection with these natural entities/forces, and the way they exchange places with them: sometimes it's the priest talking, but others it's the entity who's in charge. They get this, as one of the many requirements, by making a deal with these entities after they discover their secret names. Ring any bells?

Imo, the only way to survive Bijuu extraction is the way Gaara did. Otherwise the Bijuu must wait till their host dies of ageing or gets killed in action, if they care for their Jinchuuriki.

[mattiaildivino]

just come back,hi men! and good review black! this chapter was really epic,with that explicit reference to DRAGON BALL !

[blackjack612]

just come back,hi men! and good review black! this chapter was really epic,with that explicit reference to DRAGON BALL !

I don't think the chapter was referencing DBZ. It's more likely that Kishimo was referencing the Journey to the West which some earlier DB characters were based on. It's a fairly popular piece of modern literature/mythology that many creative works borrow from. Even Damon Albarn of the musical groups Gorillaz and Blur wrote a chinese opera based on it.

[mattiaildivino]

I don't think the chapter was referencing DBZ. It's more likely that Kishimo was referencing the Journey to the West which some earlier DB characters were based on. It's a fairly popular piece of modern literature/mythology that many creative works borrow from. Even Damon Albarn of the musical groups Gorillaz and Blur wrote a chinese opera based on it.

to be honest,Kishi was really referencing DB ,rather than the famous Journey to the West. in fact kishi himself stated that the 4tails' jin,that is roshi,is inspired by MASTER MUTENROSHI of DRAGON BALL,and that he had chosen an ape as 4tails because it resembles an OOZARU. kishi does owe a lot to DB

[Wint]

Honestly... I understand that this poll is meant as a joke, but really, super saiyan? Naruto is only 1/4 influenced by DBZ, the remaining parts being Yu Yu Hakusho, Japanese and Chinese mythology.

So my answer is no, never.

[mattiaildivino]

I believe Blackjack made the poll to laugh, surely he didn't mean that naruto is following DB, but it would be cool if naruto in biju-mode(that is the yellow one) would influence the 4 tails,making him turn into a yellow ape,similar to a SUPER OOZARU (GOKU when he fought BABY)

[rocklee87]

I don't think the chapter was referencing DBZ. It's more likely that Kishimo was referencing the Journey to the West which some earlier DB characters were based on. It's a fairly popular piece of modern literature/mythology that many creative works borrow from. Even Damon Albarn of the musical groups Gorillaz and Blur wrote a chinese opera based on it.

It's not modern literature...but honestly some of the best manga pull ideas from previous works. It doesn't lessen the value of either!

[KuroNoJounin]

it was an obvious homage and yeah the poll question was hilarious!