Naruto Shippuden Episode 10
A large chunk of the original stories in the Naruto series involved young students learning the skills they would need to be successful shinobi, including the endlessly quotable Naruto Uzumaki, but NarutoShippuden is where the stakes are raised. Most episodes involve life-or-death fights, and those stakes, not knowing if a beloved character would make it out alive, are part of what keeps the audience invested in the story. In addition to this, characters learn more, grow more, and have much more intricate fights in Naruto Shippuden. The best episodes of the series truly reflect the emotional growth of the main characters as well as showcase some of the coolest fighting in the franchise.
Naruto Shippuden Episode 10
When Pain came to Konoha, it created a memorable arc. Not only did the series seemingly lose Kakashi, but Naruto appeared to be bested by a dangerous enemy. In this episode, Pain and Naruto come to something of a standstill as the former explains his motivations. While most of the episode in the long-running Naruto arc focuses on the talk between Naruto and Pain, other characters aren't completely abandoned. Shikamaru Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka have the B plot of the episode as they track down the real Pain while his Six Paths are otherwise occupied. Despite the episodes that feature mostly slow speeches, this one keeps the audience on the edge of their seat.
Because Naruto spent the bulk of his childhood being ostracized by his village and constantly having to prove himself as more than the nine-tailed fox inside of him, this episode could have acted as his happy ending. It lands among the best Naruto Shippuden episodes solely because Naruto is finally seen by the village the way he always wished: respected and as a hero. Naruto isn't just welcomed back to the village after he defeats Pain, he's carried around and cheered. It's a turning point for the way he was treated by others in the franchise.
Fans of Naruto fight sequences were in for a treat with the arc surrounding Pain. This episode is one of the best of Naruto Shippuden since it isn't just Naruto throwing whatever he has at an enemy or talking him to death, he actually gets to strategize a little. The episode is also a peek into how Naruto's mind works as he battles Pain and realizes just which of the Paths of Pain he needs to take out first. Even though he couldn't sustain Sage Mode throughout the episode, fans can't completely count him out.
This episode goes a long way toward making Itachi a fan favorite. Sasuke, after all, ends up defecting from Konoha and wanting revenge against the village he thinks betrayed his brother. This episode reveals the truth to Sasuke, however, that Itachi was protecting the village and his little brother all along. Itachi saying goodbye to his brother is heartbreaking for Sasuke, but it provides a big leap forward in the story for the audience and allows Itachi's character arc in Naruto to be better understood. Knowing the truth allows Sasuke to move on.
Flashback episodes became a big part of the Naruto franchise as it continued. Some of them clarified story ideas, while others were filler episodes meant to flesh out little-known characters. One of the best Naruto Shippuden episodes gives fans a look at just what happened the night Naruto was born. Focused on Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze's point of view during the night, the episode shows him getting Naruto to safety just after his birth and then battling a mysterious masked stranger. The audience knows that the masked stranger was Tobi, but Minato didn't, adding to the tension of the episode as he fights to save the village from someone who could control the nine-tailed fox.
Being dead doesn't stop Madara Uchiha from being stronger than nearly everyone else in the series. This episode allows fans to see just what he can do. Right in the middle of the Fourth Shinobi World War, a reanimated Madara Uchiha takes on the Fourth Division himself, and it cements Madara as one of the most powerful Naruto characters. Naruto doesn't have enough chakra left at this point in the fight to use the nine-tailed fox to fight him, so this means dozens of other shinobi go up against Madara instead - and lose. The fighting is intense and impressive to watch.
The Naruto franchise has given the anime community some of its most iconic openings of all time, but for some reason, the series doesn't seem to garner nearly as much acclaim for its endings. While skipping an outro in order to quickly get to the next episode is completely understandable, it shouldn't take away from the quality of these sequences in Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden.
For those not in a hurry to continue binge-watching, Naruto's endings can be a great way to decompress and reflect on the events of an episode. Thanks to the series' extended syndication, there is no shortage of endings to sort through, including a few of which are among the best that the shonen genre has to offer.
"Pino and Amelie" is sung by Huwie Ishizaki and serves as the ending for episodes 467 to 479. Akin to the Naruto Shippuden opening, "Line" by Sukima Switch, this ending functions as a tribute to the brave shinobi who lost their lives during the events of the series.
"ALIVE" is sung by Raiko and appears at the end of episodes 65 to 77. While the vocals may catch some off guard, Raiko's infectious rapping eventually gets even the quietest fans singing along. Although the ending doesn't show anything extravagant, it does convey a lot about the story without becoming overcomplicated.
"Many Times Before," performed by The Mass Missile, is the ending for episodes 78 to 89 of Naruto. This outro is a rare example of a Naruto ending where Sasuke is included. It depicts Naruto sitting alone during a sunset before Sakura and Sasuke come to greet him, bringing along the Konoha 11 when they do so.
Naruto may end with one of the most notorious filler stretches in anime history, but that doesn't mean that these episodes didn't yield some quality endings. "Because You are With Me," sung by AMADORI, serves as the ending for episodes 154 to 165, bringing with it throwback R&B vocals reminiscent of a simpler time for shonen anime.
"Rainbow's Sky" by FLOW is the series' outro sequence for episodes 418 to 431 of Naruto Shippuden. Keeping in line with the trend of Shippuden endings that have a nostalgic feel to them, this ending is performed by the same band who performed "GO!" and spawned the iconic catchphrase, "Fighting Dreamers."
"Lost Words" is sung by No Regret Life, and it functions as the ending for episodes 129 to 141 of the original Naruto. Relying heavily on the emotional weight of Sasuke's departure from the Hidden Leaf Village, this outro hits home on a deeply emotional level.
If there were ever a Naruto ending that depicted the history of shinobi in a minute, it would be Naruto Shippuden's 33rd ending: "A Promise That Doesn't Need Words." Performed by sana, this quick history lesson only appeared from episodes 406 to 417.
"Wind" is sung by Akeboshi and serves as the perfect ending for the first 25 episodes of the Naruto franchise. As the first outro of the series, its haunting visuals, gritty art style, and wistful score set the tone for the entire story, creating one of the best, most recognizable endings in anime history. 041b061a72