Just when it appears the world has been saved from destruction. Sasuke plays his hand to capture the Tailed Beasts and enforce his violent revolution. Only Naruto stands in his way.
The Good
**Rhythmic sound of my head pounding at my desk** Sorry, I got nothing.
The Bad
You see, people. This is what I was talking about a few weeks ago when I brought up the concept of fiction-based PTSD. Kishimoto couldn't let this end, and Sasuke goes from semi-rational back to emo-psychopath as quickly as if someone had flipped a switch. His motivations have never seemed any more rational than a kid who demands ice cream for dinner. When he doesn't get what he wants, he decides to burn the house down with everyone inside. This chapter is no different.
I understand that the series still needs a final showdown between Naruto and Sasuke, but would it have been so difficult for Kishimoto to at least give Sasuke a rational justification? Sasuke is holding the currentFive Kage responsible for events that were set into motion before four-fifths of them were even alive. Did he just miss the part about how Madara and Obito had been manipulating the nations into this war for decades? Yet during the conflict, they've put aside past grudges to come together and gained mutual respect for one another.
I'm honestly unsure if it's creator or Sasuke that doesn't realize that for a revolution to be successful you need the support of the masses. When you plan to murder the heads of several nations while they're vulnerable then appoint yourself leader, that sounds less like a revolution and closer to a violent coup.
What makes this almost laughable is that Naruto makes a point of stressing to the Sage of Six Paths that he and Sasuke aren't likeAshura and Indra, then they fall into those exact roles by the closing of the chapter. Let's also not forget that while these two settle their immature rivalry the population of the planet is already transforming into White Zetsu-like creatures.
Verdict 1/5
Building tension in a story is normally a good thing to have, but there's also the risk of dragging that out for too long. A good story is similar to a roller coaster. It builds up, has ups, downs, sudden turns, twists, and ends before you've realized. It makes you want to get back in line to ride. Now imagine being on a nonstop roller coaster that runs for thirty minutes at a time. You'd likely be both physically ill and done with roller coasters in general. That's what NARUTO has felt like to me during this story. A coaster that has run waaay past the point of being fun.
You need to let the audience decompress occasionally. Yet, for some reason, Kishimoto just can't let go of this war that's been stretching on for four real-world years. This has to be the longest three to four days in fictional history, and it's still going. It's certainly blown the "Planet Namek blowing up in five minutes" scenario out of the water.
To top it all off, NARUTO is on break next week. It's probably for the best, because this chapter just left me feeling disgusted. I need a respite.
Follow along with the latest NARUTO chapters yourself, tune in for the SJ Podcast, and check out the free starter pack sampler at ShonenJump.com here. You can download the free app for both iOS and Android devices.
About the Author
 | Kristoffer Remmell (FoxxFireArt) is a freelance graphic artist, writer, and over all mystery geek. Follow for news updates: @AnimeVicers/@FoxxFireArt / http://kristofferremmell.tumblr.com/ |
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