Naruto Shippuden Episode 267: Tactical Advantage

Summary

The resurrected Second Tsuchikage, Mu, summons the Third Raikage, Fourth Kazekage and Second Mizukage to the battlefield, and Gaara notices their presence. At Darui’s First Company, an army of Zetsu’s and other notable past ninja like Dan, Asuma, Kakuzu and Hyuuga Hizashi make their way towards the shore. Meanwhile, the 5 Kages discuss tactics with Nara Shikaku, and agree to go ahead with the plan he laid out, with Oonoki leaving headquarters to engage Mu, the only other user of Jinton.

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Impression

It’s quite clear that things are slowly falling into place at this point, but this war sure is taking its time to explain itself. I guess it makes up for the fast-paced action we’ve had thus far, since this episode only covered slightly under one chapter of the manga – but at least we’ve been given a good grasp of the various companies and what they’re up against. I didn’t fail to notice that the portrayal of the companies only showed the useful people…uh, I mean, representations of the groups, since as we’ve seen with Gaara, the size of the Allied group isn’t anything to scoff at. (Come on, we know only a few ninja will actually be any use against enemies like the former Kages. Why would Oonoki go out to fight otherwise?)

Speaking of those former Kages, they don’t seem to be a pushover at all. Mu in particular, the Second Tsuchikage is definitely dangerous, if he was the one that taught Jinton to Oonoki. Kekkei Touta sounds like something really random if they’re going to introduce random new abilities in that fashion – and I might be wrong, but the way they said it (combining 3 elements) makes it sound like its not genetic like with Sharingan/Byakugan, and that anyone can learn it if they have the ability to. The old Mizukage and Raikage look scary, and of course there’s Gaara’s dad, who tried to kill him more than once as a baby. I bet he’ll be surprised to learn that his son’s now Kazekage. Gaara looks quite pissed actually, the last time I saw him like that was back before the timeskip, when he was still a homicidal maniac.

I can see where Shikamaru got his brains and tactical strategy from, because he’s the spitting image of Shikaku, who has more battle experience to boot. I remember Shikamaru saying once that he could never beat his dad at shougi, and this is coming from the guy who beat an Akatsuki all by himself o.O The tactic seems to work really well in theory, but of course, in war there’s a limit to how much you can predict, especially with the fact that there are some truly exceptional past ninja that some of the companies will have to face. Gold and Silver Bros, anyone? They even have Naruto whiskers from the Kyuubi chakra.