Hi. Been reading Naruto for years now... started watching the Anime, then turned to the Manga. I never entered a discussion regarding the chapter, but more maybe than a year or so I've been occasionally lurking to read peoples' take on current events. This chapter went a little over the top for me, and I just had to register to voice my thoughts.
I don't care for the friends/rivalry thing. Seriously. Naruto-Sasuke, Jiraiya-Orochimaru, Kakashi-Obito,
Now it turns out that the Hashirama-Madara relationship is... another friendship turned into a rivalry. Same old BS. I've been reading this for years now.
I also find the idea of a young Hashirama scolding his father[?] for the current state of affairs ludicrous. They are fighting wars in which their clan, family members, die - sympathy for the enemy? Kishi is a little detached from reality here. Impressionable child soldiers would not pop out as mini-Narutos with such lofty moral standards. Yeah, it's fiction, and somewhat for kids/teenagers, so you can't have a child Hashirama seeking bloody vengeance, but come on. We had children working in the fields and in mines not long ago. But because Naruto would make a fuss, so would Hashirama.
I'll also echo a sentiment I saw in last week's discussion - of the giant summons, the DBZ action. That thousand-hands thing Hashirama pulled out was unbearable. You didn't see any giant monsters or explosions in the panels so many issues ago, when the fight between them were advertised in previous episodes. No, then it was skill. NOW, it's big flash. Madara and Hashi were actually advertised. No, back then, it looked like a pure physical battle.
Shock and Awe is lame - compare the Madara Hashirama fight with what that genuis Shadow-manipulating-kid did. (The one that beat the Sound girl by making her back up into a wall that he was far away from).
Heck, compare ANY Chuunin Exam fight!
Yeah, they're the gods of Shinobi, so it's gotta be big, I get it. But if that's what the battle of the gods of shinobi looks like, then the gods of shinobi suck.
But it's not something I'll make a big issue out of, since everything in the manga has been going in that direction. It's perfectly normal, to want to top yourself that way, and after months or years, result will be mountains being destroyed.
Also, seeing Madara as an overreactive, comical kid was amusing, but totally destroyed the image of him as a serious and seriously angry character. Now he's just another bitter Tobi. Sasuke has a reputation as being 'emo' and whatnot... but at least he never had these comical moments.
Ignoring the same old Friends/Rivals plan/layout/plot,M.O/, and how it flows with recent chapters (Since the war began, etc). I give it a 3/5. Taking into account the entire manga and the direction its gone (or lack thereof, after a certain point,) 2/5 at most.
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