Summary
The Kyuubi initiates a conversation with Naruto, asking him if he really intends to stop the war and take on all the hatred built up inside people all by himself, even though he can’t save his own best friend from being consumed by hatred.
Impression
Gah, I’m slightly annoyed that we never got very far plot-wise this episode. Instead, it was more talk about hatred, Naruto’s ideals and saving everyone, which is all very nice until you realize that it’s not the first time we’ve heard this, as well as how it’s accompanied by the usual helping of Naruto flashbacks.
I did find funny how high quality the art style in the flashbacks were, as well as how different everyone looked – it was an exaggerated touch by the animators I’m sure, and the current versions of the Konoha 11 are definitely way different to how they were in the past. Everyone’s mentality seemed really advanced for kids who are supposed to be 8 or 9, though that was mostly Shino and Shikamaru being slightly more mature. The shrieking fangirls (and I saw one fanboy!) were annoying as usual, and I think that period of time was just recently after Itachi massacred the Uchiha clan, with Sasuke still looking freshly traumatized from the incident. I recognized the OST from the original series, which was really nice to hear after so long of not having any slice-of-life in Naruto.
It’s really ironic hearing the Kyuubi, hatred personified, asking Naruto whether he can take on everyone’s hatred and save them all. I was surprised that he even cared in the first place – well, cared enough to initiate his own conversation with Naruto rather than the other way round, especially after what happened with Kushina and Naruto taking away his chakra. Really, if the Kyuubi’s been paying attention to much of Naruto’s life, he would have realized that this naivety is exactly what makes Naruto’s willingness to take on hatred not so impossible, with his personality having actually gotten through to people in the past. Like Gaara – I doubt he would have ever become Kazekage had Naruto not saved him from his Shukaku-induced blood lust. Naruto dealing with the hatred of the Kyuubi himself is definitely food for thought, at least for the Bijuu that is.
For the first time, I’m looking at Naruto and finding that he’s really matured. It might seem really obvious given that they just presented an Academy flashback, but from the way he acted around the Kyuubi and didn’t back down even once, as a protagonist he was kinda cool there xD Let’s leave him and Bee for now and head back to the front lines, where stuff is going on in the camps at night! Oh, and Itachi and Nagato appear too ^^