Introduction (New Member)
I'm a new member to these forums and this is my first post. I've lurked on these forums and read posts a few times before.
What I've noticed from day one is that Chapter reviews and ratings cause a great deal of controversy and bring out peoples emotions. That more than anything tells me how much people care about this story.
Suggestion/Ideas About the Thread
I wish to raise a few issues that are somewhat controversial. I don't intend to hurt or offend anyone especially since I'm new. I'd like to be friends with you guys and get along. So please do take what I say next in the right spirit and forgive me if I've caused you any distress.
The threads titled yet "Chapter XXX Discussion and Chapter XXX+1 Predictions" and yet, there seems to be very little of that going on in any of them. Most discussion seems to center around how good or bad the plot is or what the manga should be like. In every such thread, there seems to be a lot of griping and little productive discussion about the chapter and what is to come. Sometimes, very good ideas get tossed out and the discussion of the ideas is short, often drowned out by people who hate what happened. I may be wrong, but that's the way it felt the few times I did read the thread. In my humble opinion, it would be great to do away with the rating process. Instead of thinking of how good or bad the chapter was, then we can all as a community focus on theories and discussion and prediction. We could improve old theories or create new ones and have a great deal of fun.
I should also take this time to point out that while the moaning and griping does wear on the nerves of people, some of the responses to them can get preachy or even rude and condescending. Both parts are noise because they really take away from what the thread title says it is about.The whole problem as I see it would be solved by having the rating and reviews moved into it's own thread, where people can talk about what they hate or love and just vent and gain sympathy. Because, let us face it, we all have times when we're disappointed and having some support is good. This disappointment doesn't even have to be very rational. Anyway, that's a suggestion to whoever controls this sort of thing.
Chapter Discussion, Theories and Ideas
As for this chapter, I too was disappointed in a couple of ways. Usually, when I read a chapter, I go in with zero expectations. Today, I expected to learn of the Izanami. My simple curiosity about the technique left me disappointed that it wasn't revealed. I have no great love or disdain for the Uchiha as a whole. So let me make it clear that I'm not a 'fanboy'. Secondly, I was disappointed that we didn't find out more about Kabuto. The flashback was well and good, but we really got trolled when we still didn't find out Kabuto's true origins. Since even Kabuto doesn't know, it's an epic troll. I laughed pretty hard that we know where he got his first pair of glasses, but not who he really was!
That said, I've always been pretty curious about Kabuto's past. I've always wanted to know who he was and even though I was still denied the real knowledge of who he was (before "Mother" found him) in this chapter, we at least did get a tiny bit closer to the truth of his true origins. I still wonder when he met with Sasori and how he ended up tangled in the battle of Kikyo pass. It probably doesn't matter to him or his motivations, but I still would like to know those things. In fact, I was pretty excited to learn what Kabuto did reveal about himself in one of the past two chapters!
A few people said that Kabuto was "nothing", but if we really look at it, he _had_ nothing (he even says it in the last panel of the chapter) and now, thanks the the borrowed power of Sage Mode, the Edo Tensei and all his scheming, he's filling up that void by borrowing power from outside, instead of seeking stuff within him. I have to say that Kabuto is a pretty cliched villain by any stretch of imagination. That's why a lot of people don't really care about him or his back story for the most part, if you ask me. Though I say that, I actually feel that this chapter remedied that a bit.
I've seen people remark that Kishimoto is setting up for Kabuto's death. I for one hope that he doesn't die before the Edo Tensei ends. It'd be disastrous if that happens. I'm really curious though.
I've also seen people remark that Itachi is using a form of therapy jutsu on Kabuto. I have to agree. It almost seems like Kishimoto is giving him depth and might even end up redeeming him a little bit. As an aside, when did Itachi really see Naruto use it? I find it humorous that he might have copied the technique with the Sharingan!!! Just kidding!
I was surprised to see Christian missionaries or at least religious missionaries of some sort involved in the story. It's the first real hint of religion that we've seen in the manga, right?
A lot of people commented that Kabuto kept the glasses he got then throughout. I suspect he would at least change the lenses given that he is a med nin and probably wants to see well. That begs the question, "Why didn't he try repairing his eyes?" Is it because it's the only part of the true him that he had? One also has to consider that the glasses could've broken and he got glasses in the same style to keep that memory fresh. I'd guess that he even got a new pair and kept the originals safe at some point. The thing is, I have a hunch that Kishi will show that those glasses got broken when he separated from that 'orphanage'. Anyway, these are all guesses or hunches, but there is some logic in thinking that the glasses he wears now aren't the originals.
We got to see a new Snake-Sage-Mode technique this issue, the Muki Tensei. Honestly, it was far more interesting and enjoyable to me then the Hakugeki jutsu. But that's just me and what I think is cool/uncool.
The next thing I want to touch on is Sasuke and the Eternal Mangekyo sharingan. We don't really know that the EMS prevents blindness. As far as I can tell, the EMS does restore vision to 'blinded' eyes, but we can't really take the manga literally. Hey, it might even be possible that Madara was running out of the power of the EMS and needed the cells of the first to get them back in shape and that's how he got the Rinnegan. I know that this guess is out there. My real point is that we really don't know. That said, I was surprised that Sasuke bled while using the Amaterasu. To the best of my knowledge, he didn't bleed when he used the Susano'o, the Blaze-release magatama or the arrows coated with Amaterasu.
I do wish we knew for sure if the Susano'o has a new form. Even though people saw Sasuke's and Itachi's four armed Susano'o a while back and Sasuke's seemed to hold a sword, it kinda seemed like a new crossbow to look at. I'm really curious about that! Especially since Madara's is quite different! Is that a result of the EMS, the rinnegan or something else?
In this chapter, we saw Itachi's Susano'o protect Sasuke from Kabuto. I was really surprised that the Susano'o could protect from rock like that, though I guess I should've known. Was Sasuke not paying attention? I guess that is possibly why Itachi protected him, or it could be that Sasuke didn't react since Itachi was protecting him. Either way, it conserves chakra.
After this battle, will Sasuke go to the place where Naruto is fighting Tobi? I worry for that, because it seems Sasuke's chakra is being conserved while Naruto's is stretched thin from extended fighting. It'll be interesting to see what does happen.
Finally, I'd like to touch on Itachi's actions. He draws a paralell between himself and Kabuto which is rather interesting. I would love to know more about him and why he says that he deceived himself with his own lies. I've respected Itachi, but never quite liked him because of what he did to his younger brothers mind at a tender age. I guess Itachi wasn't perfect, even if he has several admirable qualities. It seems that Itachi in some sense is growing up and learning to rely on comrades, accepting and acknowledging his own strengths and limitations. Did he learn that from Naruto? Something tells me that he might have. This chapter seemed to show Itachi's growth. Sasuke might be learning about his brother, but somehow, I doubt that he was talking directly to Sasuke. With his paranoia and extreme planning, he might be, but somehow, I don't think so. Finally, I have to remark that when Itachi got pierced, his right eye was closed. Did the Izanami take effect and kill his eye just as the Edo Tensei forced him to regenerate or did he close his eye out of Pain? Am I mistaken? Do let me know.
Final Notes
Someone brought up a point about Suigetsu's find. I'm incredibly curious about that. The same goes for the pursuit of Mu, the battle of the Kage against Madara and Naruto's fight against Tobi. The fight against Tobi in particular is interesting since all of Naruto's friends are rushing to his aid. Part of me hopes to see new techniques, but whether we do or not, that is going to be awesome, if you ask me. I'm also curious about Black Zetsu. He was chopped up and dying, but he was lying on the ground. Since he has power over land, couldn't he escape? I hope that is resolved soon. It seems to me that the war is far from being completely over, even if it is wrapping up. The conversation between Itachi and Sasuke also promises to be interesting. We might get trolled with Itachi telling Sasuke to really listen to Naruto or something like that, but I'm very curious. If any of you guys have predictions on these things or about Kabuto or anything else that could happen next and if we'll see them in the next chapter, I for one would be really interested. Especially if it is backed up with facts and sound logic.
Thanks for reading this really long post from a newbie. Cheers!