Naruto Shippuden Episode 265: This Is War

Summary

Zabuza, Haku and two other kekkei genkai users ambush Sai’s squad, and nearly take them out until Kakashi and his platoon arrive as backup. Zabuza quickly recognizes Kakashi and reminisces over their previous encounter, before Kabuto activates the Edo Tensei to the max to wipe away the resurrected’s emotions and force them to attack the platoon. The Allied shinobi find it hard to counterattack due to the dense mist around them, and Kabuto makes it even worse by summoning the previous generation of the Seven Swordsmen onto the battlefield for them to fight.

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Impression

At times like this, I’m reminded by how cool Naruto Shippuden has become. True, it might seem cheap to reuse old enemies from the past, but hey, at least they’re not following the cycle where the protagonist beats up increasingly powerful bad guys. Arguably, you don’t get more overpowered than Tobi, but this is a world war we’re talking about. Speaking of old enemies, I’ve just realized that Zabuza and Haku have always been the “weakest” enemies to me given how easy they were defeated, but it’s becoming apparent that Team Kakashi’s defeat of them was more down to pure luck (and the fact that the series was just starting) than talent, since the current Zabuza and Haku, fighting at full power are somehow a match to Kakashi and Gai.

Even though this is where I usually complain about flashbacks wasting time, it was really nostalgic to see all the scenes that played out on TV when I was a kid. Seeing Haku’s Demonic Ice Mirrors and Ice Style (sorry, I only know those names in dub) all over again reminded me of those times where Naruto seemed like the coolest thing imaginable. Anyway, those two aren’t really “bad guys” even if they seemed like it back then, so I’m pissed at Kabuto for making them suffer more than they already have, even beyond the grave. He’s putting Nagato, Itachi and Kakuzu in the field though. It’ll be fun to see how that plays out!

The reality of this actually being a real war really hit home this ep, and we’re seeing multiple nameless ninja die one after another in oddly violent ways, like being melted inside out or literally blown up by some questionable kekkei genkai. Gai being scarily serious and everyone struggling under these conditions reminded me that this isn’t Bleach, in which nobody dies. Well…Bleach the anime at least. Add that to Kabuto clearly enjoying himself by making the odds even more impossible and you now have a bunch of ninja that were already finding the battle hard fighting the old Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Ouch.

• Random Notes: Wow, you can really see the difference in art styles from all those years ago to what they use now.
• Dead bodies can summon more dead bodies? Kabuto…really?