And this week, we have Itachi deactivating Edo Tensei… not quite.

As expected, Kishimoto shifts back to the fight between the Kages and Madara after a brief exchange of words between the two Uchihas. And well, nothing much has changed on the battle front, as the Kages are being pushed to their limit by Madara’s insane abilities. It’s kind of ridiculous how overpowered the guy is… but at this point, I suppose it’s not really surprising. I mean, after Akatsuki, I’ve gotten used to people with insane abilities. And heck, with the past few chapters alone, I’ve seen so many new techniques that you could argue there’s at least one new one every chapter. As such, it’s definitely not surprising that there’s yet another Sharingan ability, but it’s starting to feel a bit “meh” that the Sharingan has so much powers in the first place. It’s like: “How in the world did the Uchiha not take over the ninja world back then!?”

Half joking comments aside, if there’s one plus about the new technique, it’s the fact we’re probably going to get another few chapters of the Kages trying to fend off the new “Ultimate Susanoo” before Itachi deactivates the Edo Tensei. Kage fights have been quite the highlight throughout the series and I’m definitely expecting some great battle scenes and techniques before it’s all said and done. Sadly though, it sure feels like there’s a high possibility we may see the death of one or two of the Kages too… as Onoki seems to have drawn Madara’s bullseye at the moment. Considering how much they’ve emphasized his age and the generational shift in the ninja universe, it definitely seems like at least the Tsuchikage will not survive.

On another note, I have to say that if the “Ultimate Susanoo” has the effect I’m presuming—total invulnerability at the cost of an eye or something—it might not actually be a technique that came out of nowhere per se. See, I remember quite a few comments from a few chapters back noting how Susanoo does have quite a few weaknesses for it being such a powerful technique. Thinking from that standpoint, it makes quite a lot of sense that there’s another more advanced version that covers the rest of the weaknesses that the original Susanoo does not. Considering the Susanoo already draws an insane amount of chakra, it’s probably not surprising that this technique ultimately costs an eye and is in turn another forbidden jitsu. And considering how few people have utilized this technique in the first place, it’s highly probably that only Madara knows this technique. Another possibility is that his combination with the infusion of Senju’s abilities gives him enough chakra to activate this technique and that Susanoo only possesses weaknesses because of the chakra cost.

And last but not least, a quick shift back to the discussion between Sasuke and Itachi. As expected, Sasuke mentions how he still can’t forgive the village for what they did… and well, there really was no real alternative to this I suppose. There was the possibility he’d stop his revenge against Konoha, but that’d pretty much render most of his actions the past hundred or so chapters quite moot. And I doubt Kishimoto would want to do this at this point.

In any case, with Sasuke intent on continuing his quest for revenge against Konoha, the pieces for the ending of Naruto are coming into place. Here’s my epic prediction: Itachi deactivates the Edo Tensei. Sasuke enters the fray and attempts to attack Konoha or the weakened Kages. Naruto steps in and they fight, resulting in Sasuke’s defeat. Tobi attempts his Moon Eye Plan. Naruto and the remaining ninja attempt to stop him, but are pushed to the brink. Sasuke returns to give them enough of a boost to fend of his plans. Naruto becomes next Kage. Story ends. No? Too farfetched?

Author’s Note: If you have some time, please check out my newly launched blog about anime, writing, photography, fansubbing, and everything in between. Thanks!

53 Comments

  1. TOBI is MADARA.

    Basically, Tobi is a created version of Madara before his death using “Creation of All Things” (Banbutsu Sōzō),
    which Tobi was talking about.
    We all know that Madara gained rinnengan before his death. It’s clearly not known why he died, but supposedly
    of the old age he should have died. So before his death, using “Creation of All Things” he created himself, but younger,
    with all his abilities, mind, spirit, ideas and everything what he had. When he instructed him, when time comes
    with rinnengan to brought him back to life.

    Arguments (why Tobi is Madara):
    1)they have the same plan;
    2) when Tobi defeated Konan, he said to her, that not Nagato but he is the second Sage of the Six paths, and Nagato
    was the third. In manga we all know that Madara also has rinnengan. Logic states, that they ar the same person, because Tobi
    and Madara both had rinnengans after the first and before the third.
    3) when Kisame first met Tobi (he was standing behind fourth Mizukage) he had the silhouette of real Madara.
    That he was Tobi is confirmed by anime, because he had the same voice as Tobi.
    4) Tobi said to Naruto that the only person he respected and hated in the same time was Hashirama Senju. Madara
    has the same feelings.
    5) of course, everyone will say that Tobi’s character is different than Madara’s. But I say, that it should be different! Why? First,
    when Madara created Tobi he gave him all his memories, so, Tobi lived and experienced more life. More pepole live,
    more they change. Time and life is changing people (maybe not their ideas, but attitude, speech etc.). Basically,
    by mind Tobi is older than Madara. Second, that explaines Tobi’s attitude, why Tobi don’t want to be anyone. That’s because he is just a substitute,
    a created man, he is not real Madara, but his “clone”. Just think everyone for a moment, how you feel, and what will you do, what will
    change in you, what attitude you’ll have, when, suddenlly, this minute you learn that you ar not REAL, you are created,
    your REAL person is someone else, you are just a “clone”?! I think all these points explain why Tobi’s character
    is a little different than real Madara’s.
    But it doesn’t change a fact that they are the same person!

    Aldebaran
    1. 1) Agreeing with someone doesn’t make you that person. I agree with MLK’s idea of judging people based on character, but that doesn’t make me MLK.
      2) Tobi got his Rinnegan from Nagato’s corpse. We may not know how Madara got his, or how Tobi got the Rinnegan he gave to Nagato in the first place, but the Six Paths of Pain have shown that it is possible to find others, so Tobi and Madara aren’t necessarily connected by this.
      3) We’ve seen Tobi with Madara-like hair before, and we know that Tobi’s acted under Madara’s name before. So that was simply Tobi acting as Madara again.
      4) Another popular theory is that Tobi is Madara’s brother, who would have held the same feelings of resentment for Senju at the time. It’s also a more likely theory than Madara’s corpse being around at the same time as Madara being alive, yet acting very different.
      5) Saying it should be different doesn’t make it different. All of this point is entirely speculation with no basis. If Tobi was Madara, why would he change from continuing to act like Madara and do what Madara would do?

      Anyway, I think it far more likely that Madara’s brother used Senju’s cells to stay alive after the fight at the Valley of the End and continue his brother’s vengeance.

      Da5id
    2. All of that is sort of rendered moot by his whole “I am nobody” speech he gave a few chapters back and whatnot…he’s essentially admitted that his whole “Madara” persona was a facade.

      Lately, I tended to think that Tobi could actually be some perfected version of Zetsu who himself was quite possibly an experiment in mixing Senju and Uchiha DNA together (based on Tobi’s whole explanation on Senju + Uchiha = new Rikudo Sennin). After all, we clearly see that all the white Zetsu were created using Hashirama’s cells, yet we NEVER see another Zetsu with a black half to them. I can only assume that the black half of the original Zetsu is meant to represent the Uchiha cells present. The white half is more polite, calm, thinking more and such while the black half is more sinister, darker-sounding, and whatnot, thus how opposite the Senju and Uchiha were to eachother. Then there’s how Zetsu was easily able to make Tobi a new arm after he lost it, as if they’re “compatible” to eachother.

      And if Tobi were a newly-created Madara body, then why would he need to transplant a Rinnegan eye? (Much less only taking one and not both?) Why did he never show any sort of Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan? Why not just make a COMPLETE “Madara” with everything there?

      HalfDemonInuyasha
    3. I think Tobi is Obito. That guy who gave the Sharingan to Kakashi. I mean, his appears if you write “tobi” twice: t”obito”bi, he has a sharingan, the other eye is missing, and, if you review, the rinnegan is where kakashi’s sharingan used to be. I dont think an Uchiha as him would be used just as “the guy who gave Kakashi the sharingan”. I dont believe in a character in Naruto that just die easily (and once). We dont know his reasons, but that will give us another year of manga full of flashbacks.

      Mamotte
      1. Tobi is not Obito imo. When the fourth died Kakashi was still a teenager and Obito was the same age. When the 4th fought Tobi he was a grown man with lots of skill. Who taught Obito all those moves to be almost on par with the 4th?

        Ohnam
    1. [Yusei]
      There’s just no way that we can win, his cards are epic beasts.
      He duels too well because he’s from another time.

      [Yami]
      Listen both of you! He’s gonna’ rewrite history!
      He’s gonna’ wipe out our card games.

      [Jaden]
      Never!

      [Yami]
      Unless we break his massive monster into pieces.

      [Jaden]
      Homies. We’ve been through so much stuff.

      [Yusei]
      I had to hear Jaden rapping.

      [Yami]
      That was rough.

      [All]
      Now it’s time to take this sucker down!

      [Jaden]
      C’mon guys, now it’s time to blow doors down.

      [Yusei]
      I hear’ya Jaden, now it’s time to blow doors down.

      [Jaden]
      So make your move ‘cos I’m throwing a face down.

      [Yami]
      Okay, just make sure you don’t summon a gay clown.

      [All]
      Now we’ve got to take this sucker down!

      [Yami]
      My hairy balls will make sure he won’t take us down.

      [Kuriboh]
      Do-do-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-laa.

      [Paradox]
      No! This can’t be happening how do I take them down?!

      [Jaden]
      We’re gonna’ beat ya! Oh Paradox!
      No doubt about it, our card game rocks!

      [Yusei]
      As far as villians go in anime!
      I hate to tell you, you’re just cliché.

      [Yami]
      That’s right you messed with the wrong show.
      We’re not just anyone, we’re YuGiOh!

      [All]
      We’re YuGiOh! (x17)

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Be42Ciha8

      Suppa Tenko
      1. [Oonoki]
        There’s just no way that we can win, his eyes are epic beasts.
        He fights too well because he’s not a mortal man.

        [Tsunade]
        Listen both of you! He’s gonna’ rewrite history!
        He’s gonna’ wipe out our ninjas.

        [A]
        Never!

        [Tsunade]
        Unless we break his massive monster into pieces.

        [A]
        Homies. We’ve been through so much stuff.

        [Oonoki]
        I had to hear A rapping.

        [Tsunade]
        That was rough.

        [All]
        Now it’s time to take this sucker down!

        [A]
        C’mon guys, now it’s time to blow doors down.

        [Oonoki]
        I hear’ya A, now it’s time to blow doors down.

        [A]
        Light up the stage cuz it’s time for a showdown.

        [Tsunade]
        Okay, just make sure you don’t summon a gay clown.

        [All]
        Now we’ve got to take this sucker down!

        [Tsunade]
        My hairy balls will make sure he won’t take us down.

        [Gaara]
        Do-do-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-laa.

        [Madara]
        No! This can’t be happening how do I take them down?!

        [A]
        We’re gonna’ beat ya! Oh Madara!
        No doubt about it, we ninjas rock!

        [Oonoki]
        As far as villians go in anime!
        I hate to tell you, you’re just cliché.

        [Tsunade]
        That’s right you messed with the wrong show.
        We’re not just anyone, we’re the Kages!

        [All]
        We’re the Kages! (x17)

        Suppa Tenko
  2. Hopefully, Sasuke will no longer try to attack the village.

    It is one thing for him not to forgive them, but quite another for him to outright try to murder everyone. He could simply still harbor resentment towards the elders, but leave the rest of the village alone.

    MasterDragonKnight
  3. Itachi will end the jutsu, Kabuto will be left with a Very pissed off Sasuke. Thats when suigetsu will show up with that scroll. Kabuto will prob finally do something with anko. I don’t see a bright and happy ending for Kabuto at all after everything he did and all the shinobi he pissed off and/or killed.

    RokLe
  4. Ok madara is the cocky badass we all know but itachi is the real king of the trolls. How is he feels ready to pass away? hey itachi, you made a promise!!! do u remember that?!
    I love itachi but still, he is heartless…

    waterfallmelon
  5. “Dear Onoki,

    Please stop waving everyone else’s death flags, IE all the talk about the next generation blah blah blah go out with a bang etc etc.

    Some of us still have a backstory to be told, and jutsu to show off.

    Regards,
    The other 4 Kage.”

    Kidding aside, I am enjoying the ride though I do agree it is pretty much what we all expect from shounen.

    Nanashi
  6. Perfect Susano? Lol power ups on top of power ups. To be expected no doubt.

    The five kages bit was kinda cool, but it was balanced by Sasuke’s usual whiny bullshit logic.

    TOP2NE1
  7. Am I the only one who feels like Naruto will end up sacrificing himself somehow in order to save the world and his friends. And in the final panel, we’ll see Naruto’s face carved into the hokage mountain despite not becoming kage but just in memoriam…
    Sorry, I just dont want a happy ending for everyone. -.-

    Killowatt
    1. No, the greatest dues ex machina is being named Kurosaki Ichigo.

      Tite Kubo no Jutsu. Guaranteed to steal the spotlight from every other character and granting new ridiculous powers as the story demands.

      MasterDragonKnight
    2. Sharingan may be a device for Deus Ex Machina, but it’s not a complete asspull. Everyone’s always been talking about how bloody overpowered the Uchihas were.

      Suppa Tenko
  8. I’m hoping that Tobi is defeated before Sasuke and Naruto fight. It would have so much more impact if they once again recreated that battle between Madara and Hashirama, and Naruto would be forced to make a tough decision about Sasuke’s fate at the end.

    I feel like Kishimoto could do something great by having the two ninja reconcile, only to have Sasuke die anyway. It would make for a great, bittersweet ending and a reminder for future generations of ninja to avoid the path of hatred he took. He’s killed people, so it would be strange to have him reintegrated into society.

    caramel_cod
    1. Only potentially, at this point not confirmed (though I suspect if theres a final battle between naruto and sasuke, kishimoto will make sasuke achieve it to counter naruto’s kyuubi form). They might not have enough chakra to reach and maintain the perfect form. Madara was able to do it since he was a legendary ninja that fought the 1st hokage and was able to use kyuubi as a summon.

      Sharingod
    2. Um…if you bothered even looking at what the thing looks like, you’ll see that there’s a VERY clear difference between the 2.

      Up until this point, we were lead to believe that Itachi’s form was meant to be the “true” form of Susano’o (considering we see how Sasuke’s was constantly imperfect until he briefly awakened it against Kakashi and co. before his eyes went out up until it’s shown killing Zetsu), but now we’re seeing an EVEN STRONGER form. I actually wouldn’t be surprised if it’s ONLY accessible to someone with Senju + Uchiha blood and the Rinnegan as they make it a point to show Madara using the Rinnegan when using it.

      Itachi’s and Sasuke’s Susano’o both clearly look like armored warriors with very minimal differences between the 2 (Sasuke’s only looking slightly darker and more demonic with its violet aura and such, but otherwise the same as Itachi’s). Madara’s “perfect” Susano’o looks like some hooded priest/monk/etc making a hand-sign, almost like what a SAGE would look like. (Rikudo Sennin = Sage of Six Paths.)

      HalfDemonInuyasha
      1. Both Itachi’s and Sasuke’s Susano’o had full hooded cloaks. The diffrence in there looks was in the cloak they had and weapons they had. As we have seen no Susano’o looks the same. Aww they are like snow flakes… Susano’oflake)
        Madara’s is just a lot bigger. I thinks it’s just because of Madara’s power up, as we have seen in the past the amount of chakura an Uchiha has when he is using Susano’o matters. The stronger someone is the more of his Susano’o he can create.

        Platue
  9. I think that the ultimate Susanoo is not something new. First we have the skeleton, flesh (Madara’s Susanoo that we have seen so far) and finally the armor. I think that what we are seeing is the same thing we saw with Sasuke’s susanoo when he fought the zetsu army or Itachi’s Susanoo when he fought the eight headed orochimaru.

    tasa
    1. It looks nothing like Itachi’s or Sasuke’s Susano’o…

      Itachi – http://www.mangahere.com/manga/naruto/v43/c392/4.html

      Sasuke – http://www.mangahere.com/manga/naruto/v60/c574/10.html

      Madara – http://www.mangahere.com/manga/naruto/v60/c588/16.html

      …as I said…both Itachi’s and Sasuke’s look like the same type of armored warrior, but Sasuke’s simply having a darker, more demonic appearance.

      Madara’s “perfect” Susano’o looks completely different.

      HalfDemonInuyasha
      1. I do believe that what tasa and jiggi meant was that this “perfect form” of Susanoo could very well be the same “3rd form”(bones, flesh and armor) that Itachi and Sasuke summon. Just like the appearance (and abilities) of the Mangekyou changes from one person to another, the powers of Susanoo also changes, since Madara has been using the 2nd(flesh) form until now. His Susanoo just put the “armor” now, which doesn’t looks like a Tengu (as you noted, it has a very different silhouette), like Itachi and Sasuke ones.

        Obviously, his “perfect form” must be insanely stronger than the Susanoo of the Uchiha brothers, thanks to the Rinnegan and his own abilities as a shinobi. As the perfect Uchiha, Madara’ Susanoo must also be a “perfect” one.

        JBelias
  10. Something tells me that Izanami would be critical in the ultimate finale… a jutsu that can change the destiny sounds awfully convenient, and it’s something that Sasuke is likely able to use later. With all these “unbreakable cycle of hatred” going on, highlighting the jutsu now seemed like an awfully fitting solution.

  11. Your ending prediction is pretty much what I had in mind too, though I’d love to be proven wrong, nobody likes predictable plots after all.

    At this point I’m just waiting for Fusion no Jutsu where Naruto and Sasuke do the fusion dance and become Narusuke~! Susano + SSJ3 Sharingan + sage mode + kyuubi mode + Rasengan. Overpowered much? Not even Madara can beat that! …probably.

    YanDaMan
  12. Assuming Edo Tensei ends, what of Suigetsu’s dead bro and the other swordsmen — Or ther other interesting fights?

    They’ve been showing us boring fights. Heck they even dedicated a chapter or 2 for the samurai dude.
    The mangaka has stepped on a land mine here

    Alec
  13. Here’s one thing that would be an epic lol/wtf/omg: Considering how Izanagi can create reality out of genjutsu what would be caused the epic lol/wtf/omg would be if Itachi deactivates Edo Tensei and realizing that he’s dying again Madara would use Izanagi to attach himself to reality so that he would not need Edo Tensei or if Tobi who forced Kabuto to teach him the mechanics of Edo Tensei would drop in and prevent Madara from dying by becoming the summoner.

    gawrshness
    1. probably think he will do more harm then good and want to leave this to his comrade as he accept that he can’t do things alone and need to trust in others – maybe getting too caught up the moment during the conversation between Itachi and Naruto 😛

      Ryuujin
  14. I knew we weren’t going to see the Edo Tensei end before seeing more of the Kage fight. As to who Tobi is, I find HalfDemonInuYasha’s Zetsu theory quite interesting, but who knows at this point. Also, anyone notice that the last 2 panels before seeing the perfect Susano’o looked like Madara’s actual face changed(Similar to the way Naruto looked while using the 4th and 6th tails. Could it turn out that the perfect Susano’o turns the user into Susano’o(Final Getsuga Tenshou anyone?) Well whatever it is, I can’t wait to read next weeks chapter.

    Zero Hour 17
  15. It is possible that Tobi could be the son of the original sage, the one that was not chosen and attacked his brother out of rage. I say this because:

    1. Power which an individual desires is usually power which they themselves have experienced and were affected by. Only 3 people should know about the ten tails and it’s chakara being encased in the moon, and it reforming when all the tailed beasts are fused. These 3 people would be the original sage and his sons. Everyone else after them always considered the story of the original sage and the ten tails to be just a myth.

    2. Because of #1, Mandara, Obito, or a Zetsu doesn’t fit the character profile of Tobi.

    3. In the Naruto- verse I don’t think intelligence is based on how much research you do. I think its based on how much experience you have and the longer you live the more you experience. Considering what Tobi knows, research alone couldn’t have given him the knowledge he possesses. He had to have been alive for a very long time. Longer than Mandara.

    4. Back to #1 about desiring power that has been experienced. Only the sons of the original sage could have experienced the ten tails power because they trained with their father and he explained to them why his powers were so much greater than theirs even though they were his sons. Although they were born after they’re father defeated the ten tails they knew what it was like to possess its power because they’re father possessed it.

    5. The son that was born with the eyes of the original sage, the one that wasn’t chosen, would have most likely been the first to obtain renningan after his father. But since all three of these people were considered to be myths, Mandara is credited with being the first to have it, next Tobi, and finally Nagato.

    For anyone wondering how a son of the original sage could survive for so long, he must possess the strongest form of medical jutsu. Hushirama was able to heal himself during battle therefore the orignal sage and his sons must have been able to do the same.

    Andy
    1. You can’t forget that there’s the tablet left behind by the Rikudo Sennin that was always in the Uchiha Clan’s possession.

      Tobi had to have Nagato translate it for him since he had the Rinnegan, which is required if you want to be able to read all of it. (A Sharingan could only read some and a Mangekyo Sharingan could read a bit more.) If he were the Sennin’s actual son still alive, he wouldn’t need Nagato to do such a thing because he’d already have direct knowledge of it. And, as I brought up before, why would he need/want to transplant eyes? If he were the elder son still alive, he should’ve had the Rinnegan right from the get-go (the image sort of looks like it; http://www.mangahere.com/manga/naruto/v49/c462/12.html). He wouldn’t have to transplant Sharingan(s), much less Nagato’s Rinnegan (and only taking 1 of them, even if he “gave” it to Nagato).

      In terms of healing, it was only Hashirama (and Tsunade to a watered degree) who could do such a thing that we know of. Most likely because of the Rikudo Sennin blessing his younger son/successor with his “life force and physical energy”. The elder only got his “eyes and powerful chakra”. Basically that’s what helps the Senju (and Uzumaki most likely) have a longer natural lifespan, better healing, etc.

      HalfDemonInuyasha
    2. @Andy There are some points on which you are based and destroy your view.

      1. “Only 3 people SHOULD…” True, but in Naruverse we already learned, too many times, that not everything that should be, is. This statement, by itself, is full of personal opinion.

      2. Again, you don’t even know what a “Zetsu” is or how far the knowledge of Madara goes, just like all of us.

      3. One more time, it’s just your point of view.

      4. And again.

      5. And again. The author opinion may not be the same as yours. And, in Naruto, it’s fairly common for surprises to happen (which is one of greatest qualities of the series).

      All of your points are just based upon personal preference. Everything that we know about the character “Tobi” is that he has a vast knowledge and does want to be “no one”. To see more than that is just pure presumption.

      JBelias
  16. Tobi is the son of Madara (and one unfortunate woman), he is continuing his father’s crazy plan for world domination. That or maybe he is tired of cleaning the family estate the size of Texas and wants the world population to do his chores.

    Space Dreamer

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