- Joined
- Nov 16, 2005
- Messages
- 19,231
- Reaction score
- 1,275
- Gender
- Hidden
- Country
-
Mind if we crash this party!?
Sorry about the lateness. There was a lot of content to cover, and not so much time on my part, I'm afraid.
Gotta thank [user]Fnuckale[/user] for helping with the cleaned images again (Header, Comments 1-6), and Sleepy Fans for my first Edited Manga read (I used their images for Comments 7-10 and the end image). Also, HisshouBuraiKen for the translation that I used to typeset Fnuckale's images. And of course thanks go out to all the other contributors this week, too - you guys all do a fantastic job of keeping Naruto fans happy, as usual!
I don't have much to say here for the intro, so I'm going ahead and start. Hope the review's entertaining, feel free to comment afterwards.
* * * Gold Knight's Ten Comments on Naruto Chapter 419: Attack!!! * * *
"I'm all present? Good!
Now open your How to Destroy Konoha in 5 Simple Steps textbooks to page 01 and let's begin..."
"I'm all present? Good!
Now open your How to Destroy Konoha in 5 Simple Steps textbooks to page 01 and let's begin..."
1. Buddhism Meets Naruto...!!! Well, it's confirmed - Kishimoto must have developed a real love for traditional Buddhist cosmology, because he's found enough incentive to mix it along with old Japanese and Chinese folktales in his plot for Naruto. As if the series wasn't already involved enough. He's certainly referring to Buddhism a whole lot for Pain's background. I suppose it's something fresh and different from the usual mythological sources... I sure am learning a lot!
The Six Realms, also known as the six paths of suffering and rebirth based on the "karma" of their previous lives, is most commonly found in Tibetan Mahāyāna Buddhism. In case you aren't aware, you can read more about all the paths here... hey, wiki is your best friend.
So according to the information on wiki, we can sort of glean some guesses as to what the "Pains'" former personalities might have been, within the context of their revealed "Realms." For example...
- "Asura Realm" (demigod or "fighting demon") - was apparently jealous of others around him and very combative? He might have been envious because of his somewhat freakish looks...
- "Animal Realm" - may have been a very prejudiced and dense person, according to wiki, and since animals can be xenophobic and somewhat dumb at times...
- "Preta Sphere" ("hungry ghost") - could have been a very possessive and lusty sort of person. Not the sort of guy you'd want to date if you're looking...
- "Human Realm" - just somebody who was intelligent enough to be reborn into the "human realm" again? Apparently "humans" are very passionate, too.
- "Woeful State" (Naraka) aka "Hell Realm" - likely wasn't a very nice person at all, since the circumstances for that "rebirth" called for somebody with a strong hatred of other beings.
So would it be logical to speculate that the Deva Realm ("God") Pain - who we know to be originally Jiraiya's student Yahiko - was actually somebody who had been on the right path to "enlightenment" in his former life, as Jiraiya would have wished for him? Obviously, Yahiko ran into some kind of road-block along the way and possibly paid for it with his death. There had to be some kind of tragedy along the way, as Konan and Pain had seemed so bitter towards Jiraiya. But in order to qualify for the "deva" position... who knows, but Yahiko might've been doing pretty well for himself.
Notice, though, that devas in Buddhist cosmology aren't really gods - they aren't morally perfect, nor are they immortal, and so forth. They're passionless and do not desire anything, but they're still capable of being ignorant, arrogant, and prideful. Sounds about right, as Pain clearly views himself as a true god, and he sure doesn't seem like much of a joker. At least, how many different expressions have we seen on his face? Three?
So, these "Pains" are six formerly independent people now under the control of the merest whims of a power-hungry despot who wants to conquer the world and teach it the meaning of pain? Boy, karma sure is a bitch...
I mean, remember, we know from Jiraiya's dying message that the "real Pain" isn't really one of these bodies. The real one - whether it's Nagato or not is anybody's guess, but it's clear he has some connection to Jiraiya because he used so many of his former acquaintances' bodies - is likely orchestrating them all from a distance. He would have been the one to "resurrect" all the bodies to become his "six different incarnations of Buddhist beings." Maybe he had even been present to bring the three that Jiraiya had "killed" back to life?
Sounds suspiciously like the kinjutsu that Orochimaru had discovered and offered to Tsunade; the ability to resurrect dead people, eh? We never did really see it in action... could he have learned it from Pain? Is the jutsu even related to the Rinnegan at all? Or might there have been some drawback to the jutsu, much like Chiyo's own resurrection jutsu, that the Rinnegan solved, though?
Anyway, interesting stuff, to say the least, but I guess we'd better get a move on.
"Ever since Konoha moved to ADT we've been having a hard time breaking in >("
2. Sneakily Now...! Gee, suddenly Konohagakure doesn't feel so vulnerable anymore. Who knew it had a barrier erected to protect it against enemies all this time? Not me. >.>
Though it's understandable and would definitely be handy against all the powerful shinobi out there who would like nothing more than to see Konoha ruined. Imagine a big shot like Orochimaru casually walking in any time he wanted to - without anybody being aware of it! Though he seemed to do that just fine anyway, but I digress...
So, we know "simply walking in" the village isn't the way to go, and that Pain decided to employ diversionary tactics in order to enter a little less hindered. But let's speculate here a bit.
What about illusions? Would a person be able to henge into a rabbit and be able to pass through the barrier undetected, for instance? We know that there's somebody monitoring what passes through the barrier at all times. Can he see through genjutsu then, too? I'd have to assume he would be able to.
Would Konan be able to confuse him by passing through with her "origami form?" Or would the monitor have been able to detect that all the paper dolls are all one person in actuality? Again, I think I would have to guess on the last one, too...
Maybe we'll still get to see whether Konan can do that or not in a later chapter.
"The secret password? SasukexItachi"
3. Details, Details! I found it kinda amusing that Kishimoto is at the very least attempting to explain away at least one possible plot hole here. I suspect the barrier around Konohagakure was a recent idea of his, and he's now trying his best to avoid the possibility of dealing with the question of past intruders.
So here the topic in question he attempts to answer is when Itachi and Kisame came to Konohagakure way back in Chapter 139. (Heh, notice that even back then, Kishimoto hinted that Itachi might have missed his village.) Anyway, he gets the question out of the way by claiming that Itachi would have known a way to get into Konohagakure due to his ANBU experience.
But ah, he's not getting away with that answer SO easily. After all, wouldn't they have changed the passwords after they knew that they had an escaped ex-ANBU criminal on the prowl? Unless, of course, Pain meant that by virtue of Itachi's experience as a former Konoha assassin, his knowledge of the ANBU organization, and not to mention the use of his genjutsu, he would have obtained the code from an ANBU. Wasn't explained too well here, though.
What about the other invaders that Konohagakure has had in the past? For instance, the Sand Invaders during the Chuunin Exams? How did they get in undetected? Well, actually, they didn't. Their presence, and even their numbers, was reported to Ibiki, so it would appear the barrier squad did their job there. Okay, no plot hole there.
Hey, I got it. What about the Sound Four? Remember them? They came in and fought Sasuke, and somehow left before anybody even knew what was happening.
I guess I'll give Kishimoto an out here. Since the Four were shown to have some knowledge of barriers, they might have known how to bypass Konohagakure's force field.
Still, it's very obvious that the barrier is a new idea. Cool concept though, but kinda sudden that it would just appear out of nowhere!
"Hey guys, stop playing cards! You actually have to DO something now!"
4. Defenses Up! Not much to say here, but... I had thought we'd be finished with Konohagakure and were moving on to seeing other countries, and here, obviously, Kishimoto is saying, "wait a second." So we get more of a glimpse into the inner workings of Konohagakure and how they defend themselves against unwanted intruders. Surprise, surprise, it has nothing to do with the ANBU - which I always assumed helped them in that capacity. We see a pope-like figure who diligently guards the village borders for the good of the entire community - and several other minor assistants, all connected to a patrol we'd never heard of before, the Barrier Squad. (Makes sense a Hyuuga would be involved, though, with the all-seeing ability of the Byakugan. Good call there, Kishi!)
Makes you wonder just how more there is that we don't know about Konohagakure. Obviously, we've yet to really get into learning about Danzou's Root organization, which is likely to play a major part in the story later on. What else? We've already seen that they have a "code-breaking" group with Shiho and her superior. Shizune also apparently leads the Leaf's version of forensic experts. What about prison guards? Naruto mentioned once before to Kabuto that Konohagakure had a jail. Oh, and will we be learning more about the medics, as well?
Now, this is a little bit off-topic, but with the release of the third Databook, I'll be expecting a surge of new minor characters - and a resurgence of the older ones, too - all just for the sake of providing enough new information to put in the next unreleased one, which is likely four years or so away. New portraits (such as the cover we just got of Naruto last chapter). New data. Of everything. Including, I guess, Konohagakure. Kishimoto's just getting started early, I guess. So, watch for even more revelations to come, folks!
I've got SOUL!
5. We're Under Attack! Noes! I'm only speculating here, but I think the "fake Pains" surrounding Animal Realm for her(?)- I'm not completely convinced it's a girl, knowing Kishimoto, heh - diversion, are actually summoned animals which were henged into copies of the other Pains.
And being controlled by presumably the other Pains at the border. We've seen that Pain had a talent for this - Shouten no Jutsu, "Form Transfer" jutsu. For example, Kisame and Itachi's "fakes" that were controlled from a distance by the real Kisame and Itachi.
[gk]EDIT: Robotic Red pointed out where I erred on this observation. I agree with his viewpoint now on the subject. Quoting him here... thanks, RR![/gk]
Anyway, it would also seem that Animal Realm possessed the same primary ability as the former Animal Realm that was killed by Jiraiya - summoning.
That makes me think that it may be actually the original Pain (whoever he is) who learned all these arts due to his Rinnegan and its ability to learn all jutsus. Summoning, water ninjutsu, even the "rockets" - and they were simply passed each on to his different six bodies based on their capacity for each talent. Yahiko had an aptitude for water, for example, so...
Although, Asura Realm, or "Rocket-man" as I call him, seems to have more of a kekkai genkai or clan-specific ability. Shootin' rockets out of his arm. Or maybe it's more science than ninjutsu? He seems more of a cyborg than human!
And Human Realm - the skinny one - can consume the souls of others!? Yikes! Good thing Jiraiya took him out first. Whew, that's kind of a scary talent. Reminds me of the "ghosts" that Tayuya once summoned that could take a bite out of Shikamaru's soul, except of course, this guy obviously can take it all at once.
Will we be getting to see the others soon? This seems to have all the making of a Pain-specific arc...
And somebody do the morse code for HELP, please!
Everything went accordingly to Pain's plan, it would seem! As we saw, the Barrier Squad became completely flustered and confused by the number of aggressors wrecking up the village, as they had expected only one of them to have passed through the barrier. So they're going to call everybody to fight Animal Realm and his... "fake Pains?" and give everybody else even more leeway to walk around the village unnoticed. I guess...
Frankly, I'm not sure that this was that great a plan. Wouldn't the uncertainty of the numbers of the enemy actually give the Konoha nins even more incentive to keep a lookout for any more of them - everywhere else?
But then, I suppose, by the time they finish dealing with the diversions - Pain might have already obtained the information he wanted of Naruto's location. Will he obtain it from somebody like Shiho? Uh-oh... poor girl... all she ever wanted to do was suck face with Shikamaru... okay, I'm letting my imagination get carried away here now. >.> Sorry.
Will Konoha send out teams like Team 8 and 9 and Gai to combat the several Pains wrecking havoc, though? That would be a good way to get them all back into the story! But that almost makes too much sense...
"To Hokagy-chun from your best pen pal!"
6. Raikage's Orders - Revealed. Ah, so Samui's team isn't going after Sasuke, after all, as we all previously thought. They're going to personally deliver the Raikage's message to Tsunade that Raikage is going to deal with Sasuke, and I guess, summon her to a Kage meeting at the same time. Hmm.
Well, that threw me off a bit... I had thought Raikage would use some carrier pigeons or something like that to relay that message. Isn't that the standard mode of communication between countries these days? XD
Something tells me the Summit is still a ways off. Of course now that Pain's in the village, Tsunade will be too busy to attend now, probably... And she may even be indisposed, thanks to the invasion!
That would be a darn shame.
This must be what it would be like to have Gai for a Hokage...
Also revealed was the fact that Team Samui were all formerly students of Bee's and obviously they all care about him a great deal - at least Karui and Omoi does.
We see the worry on their faces, which of course, makes it all the worse that Killer Bee... well, I'm getting ahead of myself here, sorry! XD
But it's a bit startling. Killer Bee obviously isn't one of these jinchuuriki that Deidara once mocked for being alone and unloved, he certainly seems to have done well for himself.
Guess we're seeing why Kumogakure is such a major rival of Konohagakure's - they have extremely loyal shinobi, too.
Well, maybe if somebody stopped talking to themselves, something could get done!
7. Comedy of Errors! Wait a minute here! I thought the Akatsuki were going to wait for Pain and Konan before commencing the ritual!?? Gee... they jumped the gun a bit!
Guess they decided that since Pain and Konan were going to deal with Konohagakure, they went ahead and started the ritual since it might take so long that it won't be finished before Pain comes back.
Odd, though...! Remember when Pain told Hidan and Kakuzu that the ritual took priority over everything else? But I suppose that doesn't count Bijuu-hunting...
That's messed up.
And of course, people got a giggle out of this one. I mean, like, uh-oh, Sasuke didn't exactly accomplish his objective for the Akatsuki after all - he brought only part of the Hachibi back! Oopsy!
What bothers me, though, is how Sasuke's Sharingan didn't see through the genjutsu? And for that matter, why didn't Madara's, either?
Well, I suppose you could make the argument that the tentacle was *technically* Hachibi - yes, only a part of him, but it was enough to fool the all-seeing Sharingan because it represented a part of the Hachibi's being, so Killer Bee seemed like the genuine article.
Or did Sasuke know all along? I know that Sasuke's sent us conflicting signs already, and this may be yet another one. Could he have allowed the Hachibi to get away? By the same token, could the Cloud nin that we saw apparently assassinated last chapter by Sasuke's team actually be alive? If he is, that would definitely clinch it - Sasuke may not be a saint, but he's still going out of his way to not harm anybody else. XD
But what about Tobi? Wouldn't he have known? Or was he so convinced that Sasuke had done the deed that he didn't even bother to check?
Is that scary emo boy gone?
8. Can't Keep a Bad Rapper Down...! Well, look who's back, Rambo-style.
Judging by the scenery of where Killer Bee came out of the water, I'd assume that he's still back at the site where he fought with Sasuke, where Amaterasu nearly devoured the Hachibi. So he's not right outside the Akatsuki den, but further into the Cloud Country. So he's pretty safe.
So let's get this straight. The Hachibi broke off a tentacle to create a hiding place for Killer Bee, while snapping off yet another tentacle and transformed it into a replica of Killer Bee in order to fool Sasuke. Then the Eight-Tails secretly withdrew himself into the real Bee's body within the submerged tentacle.
Ok, I guess I can accept that. What I'm really more excited about is the fact that it seems Hachibi isn't done yet. He's not a throw-away character like all the other jinchuurikis in the past that's unfortunately been killed. There's still another jinchuuriki in the world besides Naruto! Will they meet someday? What do you think?
Way to say it like it really is, Hachibi!
9. Familiar Spirits! So between Killer Bee and the Hachibi, we also get our first real glimpse into a working relationship between a bijuu and a jinchuuriki.
I mean, the Kyuubi never really worked with Naruto - he just gave him a little bit of his power when he asked for it, and tried his best to take advantage of that opportunity to take control of Naruto's body. Likewise with the Shukaku and Gaara, I think.
With Killer Bee and his bijuu, though - even despite the Hachibi's obvious distaste of his quirky personality - there seems to be mutual respect between the two to the point where they're willing to communicate with each other almost constantly!
I found that very interesting. Will we be seeing that happen with Naruto and the Kyuubi someday? Or is the Hachibi just less "evil" in that sense, and more willing to work with humans?
Deidara once said that there were some bijuus that required the additional brainpower of their hosts to really do well for themselves, like the Sanbi. Maybe the Hachibi is one of them to an extent - he didn't seem overly smart, and it appeared that Killer Bee was the one to formulate the plan for their escape (to the Hachibi's dismay).
Kyuubi does seem malevolently intelligent enough that it doesn't need that type of symbiotic relationship, so we may never see this with Naruto... but who knows, don't rule it out.
Somebody's not being very responsible!
10. Lost on The Road of Life... Uh-oh. So you're telling me that Killer Bee may wander off, leaving Kumogakure in disarray and looking all over the Five Lands for him, and not even leaving a message behind that he was actually safe?
Gee... I guess that's what you get with when you have somebody as eccentric as Killer Bee protecting your village.
Actually, Bee reminds me of Jiraiya in a lot of ways - although, yes, Jiraiya wouldn't have been as irresponsible. But somebody travelling the world, jotting down notes, etc... what does that remind you of, exactly? Though, yes, it remains to be seen as to whether Bee is a "super pervert" or not - ha!
I'll wager he'll run into Naruto, who will then point out his mistake, and Killer Bee will go back to Kumogakure - thereby forging another alliance between the two nations. Happy endings galore!
The problem is, will it be too late by then for Konohagakure...?
RATING: 4 of 5 - Another OK chapter. Maybe a bit too jumbled with various story elements. We get a barrier we've never heard of before protecting Konohagakure, Pain attacking, the Raikage's message, the Akatsuki discovering they don't have Hachibi, and we see Killer Bee making his escape and making plans for his vacation. Overall pretty good content for one chapter - a lot happened - but maybe not very well executed - and both the writing and art, I feel, are at fault for that.
PREDICTIONS: I think we're definitely going back to Naruto's training again, perhaps for the entire chapter. I think because Kishimoto wanted us to feel like time has passed by some before showing us Naruto again, he didn't appear in this one. Though a glimpse would certainly have been nice...
Whew, 419's over with. Your go now, guys.
They phail at commenting!
Your turn!
Last edited:
