Only a Naruto fight feels like a real ninja fight, and that’s why I love it

I always like to talk about Naruto and my favorite character, Naruto Snakeas he embodies much of what I think a brilliant, calculating ninja should be, except perhaps the attitude. Not only does he master the usual arts expected of shinobi his age, such as chakra control and weapon mastery, but his family’s special ninjutsu feels uniquely fitting for a ninja franchise. So it’s not surprising that having Shikamaru use all of these skills in one of Naruto’s biggest grudge battles.

Only one grudge match comes to mind for Shikamaru in Narutoand this is his fight against Hidan of Akatsuki as revenge for the killing of his teacher Asuma Sarutobi. This, combined with the fact that Hidan and his partner Kakuzu have different forms of immortality, may make it surprising that the fight would feel most like a real ninja fight in Naruto.

But if you reduce the series to its basic elements, GCunning, deceitful, and manipulating the shadows themselves to gain victory over seemingly invincible opponents is a premise I found immediately appealing.

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Shikamaru’s fight against Hidan was the most exciting to watch

Few other ninja fights in Naruto are as satisfying

I felt emotionally involved in this fight as it is my favorite character development the usual ingenious Shikamaru-like brain game against the man who killed his mentor. I have already written about another crucial point in the Akatsuki Suppression Mission Arc in Naruto and the power of one of the anime’s best moments to teach me about masculinity, but there’s more to discuss. Shikamaru gathers his allies from Team 10, as well as Kakashi and Naruto, to fight Hidan and Kakuzu. Shikamaru’s first plan is to separate Hidan from the rest of the group.

While this doesn’t even make up the majority of the fight, the scenes of Shikamaru’s genius ploy are fascinating to watch, using his Shadow Choke Jutsu in ways I never imagined, yet perfectly fitting the logic of Masashi Kishimoto’s fictional world. Shikamaru even incorporates Asuma’s chakra blade, for example by using his shadow tendrils to hurl the blade at Hidan and lure him into a defensive stance. only for Shikamaru to use this to his advantage by connecting their shadows and controlling the threat. It’s brilliant, and certainly one of the best Akatsuki fights in Naruto.

Shikamaru’s genius challenges viewers to pay attention to every detail

High IQ and preparation time are classic plot elements, but highly entertaining

Shikamaru had just enough time to prepare and channeled his inner Bruce Wayne to concoct a brilliant move that separated Hidan and Kakuzu and even to use Hidan’s greatest strength against his partner. This robs the arrogant, mysterious Jashinist shinobi of any advantages, but deceives him so that Hidan doesn’t notice until he leaves himself vulnerable again. Shikamaru can only use his Shadow Imitation Jutsu to capture Hidan for five minutes, so he gets creative in the moments in between before he can use it again.

This is partly because Hidan is a clever tactician who often respects Shikamaru’s limitations. Despite the presence of an immortal cultist and someone who can only control others with shadows, it still feels like a ninja fight, which is the closest thing to Narutoentirely because of the game’s deceptive tactics and the way Shikamaru drags Hidan into the forest, separated from Kakuzu. Shikamaru’s trickery leads to Hidan accidentally using Kakuzu’s blood in his ritual and helping Kakashi and Team 10 without even being around, which feels as shinobi-like as possible.

Few moments were as cathartic as the conclusion of this fight

Shikamaru’s fight also changes him as a character

Shikamaru as a character was somewhat stagnant in his routine until the Akatsuki Suppression Mission Arc; even in the Sasuke Retrieval Arc he was seen as a leader, but his father trained him after he did not stop being a shinobi. The difference is that Shikamaru learns from his loss and takes its toll as he becomes a true leader and wields the Will of Fire to succeed Asuma as an elite ninja.

And that’s without mentioning the cathartic perfection with which Shikamaru’s ninja fight with Hidan ends in spectacular flames. Naruto. Shikamaru experiences his catharsis by defeating Hidan in a way not normally seen in Narutowith the title character often more interested in winning over his opponents than defeating them. Shikamaru, however, is not bound by the same otherworldly grace, viewing Hidan as incorrigible and the monster who killed his mentor, and offers him a different kind of victory.

This comes in Naruto Shippuden Episode #87, when Shikamaru uncovers another deception and retains enough chakra to wrap all the paper bombs scattered in the woods around Hidan. He then reveals a giant pit where he destroys Hidan’s body by Throwing Asuma’s lit Zippo lightera memento from his mentor, grabs the bombs to detonate them, and drops Hidan’s dismembered body into the pit. Hidan angrily claims he will get revenge, but not before Shikamaru gives in in the pit, crushing the Akatsuki member and trapping him for the foreseeable future.

I wasn’t quite as taken with Asuma as a character, not because he wasn’t likable, but he didn’t seem unique or exciting enough. However, I saw how much Shikamaru looked up to him as a character and knew his loss would be devastating, so it’s downright cathartic to see him avenged in such a glorious way. This is especially true in light of Chapter 342, when Shikamaru returns to his father’s house to play shogi and remembers what Asuma taught him, that the king in shogi was the child who would carry Konoha on his shoulders.

Shikamaru shares his wisdom with Asuma’s daughter

Giving future generations their share in Konoha’s future

In the years following Shikamaru’s fantastic fight against Hidan, some things never change, as Mirai Sarutobi, the daughter of Asuma and Kurenai Sarutobi, regularly comes to Shikamaru for advice. In the most recent Naruto Spinoff mangaKonoha’s History: The Steam Ninja ScrollsShikamaru plays shogi with Mirai, noting her similarities to Asuma and cryptically alluding to the same king reference.

In the fight against Hidan, Shikamaru grows up

No longer just the boy with cloud envy

Aside from his revelation that he wants to be Naruto’s advisor once he becomes Hokage and his marriage to Temari, virtually all of Shikamaru’s major developments revolve around his fight with Hidan.

Shikamaru experiences many of his most significant developments in the Akatsuki Suppression Mission Arc: He loses a mentor and father figure, leads a team of shinobi against an elite threat, and takes responsibility for the upbringing of Kurenai’s childThis leads to him becoming a role model for a shinobi and even coaching Naruto through the loss of his mentor, in one of the best quotes in the Naruto Franchise. Shikamaru becomes wise to further develop his already razor-sharp intellect and is named Naruto Character.

As a reader, I cling to these moments because they remind me of my formative moments when I first started grasping for adulthood. There’s nothing like blasting a scythe-wielding cultist into a thousand pieces or using the shadows to control my enemies, but coping with the grief, not backing down from a challenge, and understanding what it means to protect the future.

I will continue to practice my Naruto Show of hands if there’s more I can learn from the series, but at least I can be thankful for its varied and thoughtful portrayals of boys growing into men.

Naruto Shippuden

Set two and a half years after the events of Masashi Kishimoto’s original anime, Naruto Shippuden continues the titular hero’s attempts to become the best ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village and bring his former friend Sasuke Uchiha back to light. The 500-episode series features the return of allies such as Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki’s mentor Jiraiya, as well as the villainous organization Akatsuki.

Release date

15 February 2007

Seasons

22