Naruto: Episode 94

Excellent storytelling, terrible animation. Why can’t Naruto be provided with a better production staff when it comes to climactic action sequences? Remember a couple of episodes back where Naruto first attempted the Rasengan whilst facing Tsunade? The animation of that scene was better than average. The inconsistencies of current episode’s quality definitely lessen the viewing experience.

Don’t get me wrong, except for my usual nitpick, this was definitely a great episode. Truly worthy of an ‘A’ from David, storywise.

In previous arcs, Naruto relied on the nine-tails demon whenever an opponent puts him in a corner. Thanks to Jiraiya’s guidance, Naruto developed his own strength to complete the Rasengan. Kabuto, underestimating his enemy, was caught unprepared for Naruto’s attack.

My Kabuto-theory still stands. He had the opportunity to kill Tsunade, instead he senselessly gave her a beating as if taking out his anger. He also gave Naruto a choice to run away. He tells Naruto to leave the battlefield or else the dream of becoming Hokage will never come true. He seems to have a mentality of enduring detestable choices in order to achieve a goal. Could Orochimaru only be a means to an end?

I find the Naruto-Jiraiya and the Sasuke-Orochimaru parallels interesting. All we need is Sakura-Tsunade to complete the pairings. The sins or mistakes of the powerful sannins should not be repeated by these gennins. Will Naruto leave his village instead of leading it? Will Sasuke succumb to power? And can Sakura just be written out the manga?