“KURAMA!”
Impression
This was it, guys, this was it. The fist bump for the ages. And it was glorious.
Everything over the past couple of weeks has led up to this – including Naruto’s conversation with Son Goku and Kurama’s monologue amidst all those flashbacks. The brief return to Iruka’s words back in Episode 1 highlights just how far Naruto has become, as well as how far he’s taken his relationship with Kurama. The manga actually stops right as Naruto unlocks Kurama’s cage, and finishes the chapter with the Kyuubi just grinning at Naruto’s back. That really did produce a lot of laughs at the time, with some of the fans speculating that, just maybe, Kurama would decide to eat Naruto and end it all instead 😀
But thankfully, those were all misplaced fears! Naruto’s tailed beast mode is truly impressive – he’s really risen above and beyond his father now, as a shocked Kakashi noted. Just his arm extensions could flick away five Bijuudama at the same time, whereas just one from Naruto could compete with a massive combined version from all 5 of the opponent Bijuu. It really did seem like one huge monster brawl (an epic one nevertheless) which is something the Allied shinobi, no matter how powerful, would have struggled against. They’re just human after all. At the moment, Naruto’s transformation feels more like raw power than a solid form (like how Bee’s version ends up looking like the real Hachibi), though that might just be due to Kurama’s imperfect link with Naruto.
I love how tsundere Kurama ended up being. Even while he was suggesting a sharing of chakra he claimed it was “just to pass the time”, and Naruto didn’t have to do it, it was “only if he really wanted to”, hehehe. It’s okay Kurama, we understand. It’s not like you wanted to give him chakra, or anything. And since it’s his first time, he can only do it for five minutes. Wait, what?
All jokes aside, it seems like the Yonbi managed to convince the rest of the Bijuu to trust Naruto. Seeing his relationship with Roshi (who refuses to call him by his name) the Yonbi seems pretty conservative about the whole relationship thing. To see him suddenly support Naruto must have made it easier for the Bijuu to back him up, too. Oh, and maybe because he’s also the reincarnation of the Rikudo Sennin. I’m not sure whether Kurama meant it spiritually or physically…possibly both? It’s not something that’s really been delved into even in the manga. Yet.
Finally, look at all the tiny Bijuu, sitting in a circle together! D’aww 😀
