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"Honestly...going right for the head of the snake...so rudimentary..."
Madara Uchiha
Last chapter, Madara mentioned that the Juubi had reached maturity, so I asked you guys whether or not this meant it was infinite genjutsu time. The majority of you said it wasn't and it turns out you guys are correct. And much as I'd like to get to that final plot point, I'm glad I was wrong, because what Kishimoto delivered was well worth the delay.
Naruto 613 Head
The images in this review are credited to Mangastream.
The chapter picks up from the last with Naruto and co. about to attack Madara and Obito while the Juubi has been temporarily taken out of play. Or at least that's what the allies thought they did. It turns out that the Juubi has finally reached maturity, revealing its true form as a towering, thin, many horned monstrosity with a bulb on it's back and ten wiggly arms for tails. Viewed from HQ, the beasts appears to have nigh as much chakra as the planet.
The casualties quickly mount, and its obvious to the higher ups that they won't be able to attack the masterminds while the Juubi runs rampant. The Allies need a new strategy and Shukaku seemingly puts one together while the Uchihas strengthen their hold over the hard to control beast.
Even more devastation awaits when the Juubi starts firing off super Tailed Beasts Bombs. The first one misses its target because the Allies mess with the Juubi's footing. But further blast proves that the creature can target and obliterate any town in a matter of moments. The initial attacks are meant to shake their resolve, but the final attack borrows a strategy that Madara dismissed as simple at the beginning of the chapter: strike directly at the head, which in this case is Shinobi HQ. Fully knowledgeable of their impending deaths, the HQ shinobi communicate Shukaku's plan to the army with their final moments. And then they die.
In the face of such overwhelming power, just how can the Allies hope to prevail? What did Shukaku plan?
So, how 'bout that Juubi, huh? I know a few of you weren't fans of his initial design, and I can see that. He was rather bland compared to some of the other-tailed beasts and lacking the WTF factor you'd expect a beast of such importance to the story to possess. Well, that's all fixed here. Personally, I thought his previous design was serviceable and didn't mind so much. But the new design truly succeeds in accentuating how foreign and not-human this thing is. Ten hands for tails. That gangly, distorted shape. The juubi looks like a proper movie monster, something that wouldn't be out of place in a Cloverfield-type movie.
Let's start straight up with the rating. I'm giving this chapter a 5, not because it was flawless or exceptional. I'm giving it such a high score because of the ending. I know that in comics and manga, death can be cheated unless a death is explicitly shown in panel. But I don't think that's the case here. I believe and hope the command structure was taken out and that Shukaku died coming up with a last great plan, because it continues to add the already absurd stakes in this arc.
Casualties are often a sore point in shonen where creator's are loath to kill off even secondary characters that the readership grows attached to. You're risking alienation, character related product revenue, or accusation of shock value rating over plot. In the course of this war, though, there haven't been any big character deaths. Kabuto remains comatose, the Kage are assumedly still alive, and the half the army that died somehow doesn't include any of the Konoha rookie eleven or any other named shinobi.
Shukaku represents a step in the right direction. His death makes sense from a plot perspective, he is the brains of the operation after all. But it's also significant in that we've gotten to know this character as well as any of the grown-up shinobi who advise the main characters.
And it's not just Shukaku. Ao is presumably dead. So too for Ino's dad (whose name escapes me at the moment). Does this event signal further curtain calls? There's a litany of characters left whose deaths would make a lot of sense. Guy could go anytime and I'd be fine with that because we'd likely see the Eighth Gate. Tsunade or Onoki dying has seemed a given for months now. Orochimaru could redeem himself with a death, as could Kabuto. It's all very exciting.
5 out of 5
Predictions
Still no infinite genjutsu. It looks like Kishimoto's going to let this battle draw out a little longer. I will predict, though, that Shukaku's strategy involves the Ino-Shika-Cho, which is jutsu specifically geared towards restricting an opponent's movements. Perhaps Kamui can be used to get a party close to the Juubi, and a recharged Kurama can lend energy enough to maintain a Shadow Binding on it.
One Line Reviews
- D.Gray-Man 217 is out and introduces a new general. While the chapter doesn't offer closure to any of the revolving mysteries, I'm just glad this series is back.
- One Piece 692 wraps up a lot of the action but introduces a few interesting complications in Kinoman, a new assassin, and Luffy's trademark whims screwing up plans.
- S.I.U drops some revelations in Tower of God S02 Ch42. Can you say human experiments and living ignition weapons? But most exciting is the one on one fight the chapter sets up.
- Perhaps my favorite Gotei 13 captain becomes the Captain Commander in Bleach 520 and that's only how the chapter starts. There's also a no-nonsense meeting between the new appointee and the Central 46 Chambers that culminates in two shocking reveals, one of which is the identity of the original Yachiru that Kenpachi so respected.
- This was a hard week to pick a best for. Naruto introduced some real casualties. Bleach had a great beginning and ending. But ultimately, I think that Tower of God was the Best of the Week with a flashback that definitely changes the status quo. How the tower works, it's purpose, the ignition weapons, headon, and the titular God, all of these things are given a new context.
