This thread has gotten over 500 replies in less than 24 hours... That's about how much most Weekly Chapter Threads get in, well, a week. I suppose this means I'm not the only one that was insanely happy to see something other than flashbacks and Kabuto-centric themes this chapter. Good, good. Finally getting out of that is a serious blessing.
Now that Kishimoto actually got away from Kabuto and to Itachi and Sasuke's interaction, I really wanted them to have a heart-to-heart, I'll admit. And when Kishi switched scenes? I was upset. But I'm happy with what I got from the three or so pages Kishimoto gave us of non-Sharingan related dialogue. Itachi finally said something about Naruto directly; that's what I've been waiting on, or at least one of the things, since Sasuke and Itachi were reunited. I like that Itachi mentioned Naruto, seeing as how I've always felt like Sasuke may hate the Leaf, but Naruto is a different story. It's just the way he reacts towards Naruto/the mention of Naruto in comparison to the Leaf that leaves me intrigued.
I feel kind of conflicted in terms of Itachi's declaration that only Naruto can change Sasuke now. Beforehand, I was like many others and thought that Itachi, above only Naruto out of the rest of the cast, could really change Sasuke and finally alter his heart. And I feel like he has, to an extent. But now Itachi himself is insisting that he has no more attachments to the world of the living; that changing Sasuke isn't exactly in his range of possibility. I don't know how I feel about any of that portion of the chapter.
Kabuto didn't say a word throughout the whole chapter. Good, good.
Now, from Page 4 onwards...
I was strangely pleased and very satisfied with the chapter's content. I'm not a very big fan of this Kage versus Madara fight, I suppose because I only ever semi-like Madara, if anything, and yet I really found myself liking this main portion of the chapter.
Those Susanoos are... eh...
Page 6, Bottom Two Panels: I like how Mei and Gaara are so beaten up and low on faith, but then on Page 7 Tsunade is clumsily trying to stick it to everybody. And A thinks it's an appropriate time to comment on her current fighting status. I'm being sarcastic, obviously. About this whole paragraph.
Oonoki, I love you.
He's got so much faith in himself and everyone else, even though it's a pretty empty bag of faith. This is where I realized where this chapter's name comes from: being a Kage, you bear a cross, as the phrase goes. Except in this case, they bear the name "Shadow" for each of their five countries in the Shinobi World. It's their job to keep going, fighting for their countries and their people. It's a high honor, but sometimes it comes with very high risks. You can't just step down when you're one of the ones on top of the world; they can't step down.
Page 15, "Sand in the Water." I thought of Tahno's combo move with his partner from The Legend of Korra, Episode Six, if anyone knows what I'm talking about. You know, when his team mate breaks the earth disc and puts it inside Tahno's water, which he seriously smacks Korra in the face with illegally and gets away with.
The last page is just.... Holy Hell.
Can we go to next Wednesday, now? And make a quick, half hour long stop on Saturday morning so I can watch LoK? Thanks =DD
My Rating for this Chapter: 5/5.
Feels good to be able to say that again ^