[Premium Access] Naruto - Episode 41 Kunoichi Rumble: The Rivals Get Serious! - Group Reaction

So many people hate on my girl Sakura 😪 glad you guys don’t

The song is called Sadness and Sorrow

Ryan McKeon

Kunoichi means female ninja not whatever mickey said lol

John

Wow. This was a great comment

Zee

I find it so amusing and endearing when you guys find new ways to wear your headbands to switch it up (they look cool on you and compliment your black/white clothes!), muse about the episode names, and bodily sing or jam along with the opening song. I always crack up at Suraj. I love it when he just inanely shouts wrong homophonous lyrics or adlibs lololol :’D Like ‘Naruto and Sasuke’ or ‘society’ or ‘chuunin/jounin’ or whatever flows. Or when he mimes the instrumentals and mimics the rock growls ahaha. What’s even funnier here is how he and Chris were talking seriously about yoga near the end but it’s interrupted with this sudden bout of air guitaring and headbanging before it slips seamlessly back into the conversation. You are all too funny. I’m really glad you guys liked these two episodes enough. Like many others I didn’t remember them too favourably, but rewatching it now I’m surprised by how much I appreciate the backstory between Sakura and Ino. I think when I first watched it I was too captivated by all the other characters that had like you said a signature move or appeared much stronger physically and more complex internally. It felt like Sakura paled in comparison, and her cattiness with Ino over Sasuke felt one-dimensional and ultimately exasperating. That lacklustre first impression coloured a lot of my future interpretation of Sakura. But I realize now that that perception was a trap of viewing her through the lens of masculine ideals. I wrongly equated “strength” with fighting prowess, dominance, egoism, rationality, combativeness, stoicism and etc., as if those traditional “masculine traits” clearly visible in Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, Neji and others were the only acceptable representations of strength. But Sakura is incredibly strong not despite but because of her vulnerabilities, weaknesses, fears, desires, and emotions. Her feelings and motivations are as valid as any other character and her growth is astonishing when compared to who she used to be and her determination to be better than who she is now. She shows that women are diverse and complex, and not only “badass women” or women who adopt male behaviours, goals, and values are worthy of admiration. Even her ability to assert her feelings for Sasuke, fight for him is courageous and in no way diminishes her as an individual, much like Naruto and Lee’s affections for her do not diminish them. I also feel that Sasuke is only a surface component of her rivalry with Ino. Underlying it is a nuanced dynamic of friendship, mutual admiration, envy, competition, and finding one’s identity and confidence. I completely agree with Nahid that it’s great to see that Sakura is where she is today because of Ino and she acknowledges that. Her growth has been propelled by her emulation of Ino, whom she formerly put on a pedestal in terms of beauty, style, confidence, and capabilities. This impetus predates Sasuke. In that sense, the “rift” in their friendship is as much about Sakura needing to step out of Ino’s shadow, find her own identity and independence as a shinobi, and surpass the limits of childhood and a self-perception of inferiority as it is about Sasuke. Sasuke is a symbol around which to centre their rivalry but it’s a lot more layered than that, which is why Ino was supportive and affirming when Sakura declared that she would no longer chase after her or lose to her, returning her ribbon. I love how Chris pointed out that the ribbon represented a double meaning of holding her hair back and her personal growth as well. Relinquishing that was an act of confidence, conviction, and growing up, which is why I found that scene so poignant. And as such, I don’t necessarily think Ino held back during their fight because she pitied Sakura or assumed she was incompetent but rather it spoke to the strength of their friendship and love. Ino instinctively did not want to hurt an important childhood friend to her. Even in the forest of death like you said, amid a survival competition, she was willing to put her own safety at risk to help and protect Sakura. I think this kind of restraint borne of friendship, kindness, and empathy, even in the context of a fight, or especially in the context of a fight, is also a strength. I honestly love flashbacks like these that are atmospheric, understated, and poignant. (By the way it was hilarious how accurate Suraj’s spidey sense was in signalling this impending flashback hahaha. That’s when you know you’ve seen a lot of shounen anime. You can just tell by the prolonged staring and heightened emotions and pregnant pauses :’D) But Nahid I love the “sadness and agony” (lol) soundtrack too - I love all the music in Naruto, I can’t wait for you all to hear more of it - and I also thought that moment where Ino said Sakura might bloom to become a flower more beautiful than the cosmos was beautiful. I loved all the flower metaphors because it felt really apt with their class assignment and its purpose, Sakura’s name (it’s interesting that some of you didn’t know Sakura was a type of cherry blossom until now!), their innocence, and internal conflicts. I thought it was a creative way to illustrate their characters’ depth and relationship. And yes it’s hilarious how oblivious Naruto can be to social cues and his own behaviours lololol. I also laughed a lot when he asked why Sakura and Ino were getting all worked up just standing there looking at each other, as if he doesn’t do the same with Sasuke. His naivete and obliviousness make him very entertaining and loveable though. I felt it was also a bit of meta on the animators and creator’s part that they’re aware not much action and fighting is happening. But that’s actually something I appreciate about certain tournament arcs. I love tournament arcs that are purely a vehicle for character development and relating backstories as much as I do tournament arcs that are about spectacular fights and power plays. I think there’s something about using a tournament as a framing device to character storytelling that enhances the stakes and intensity - it’s a public, narrowed stage for the confrontation of divergent upbringings, histories, experiences, personalities, and ideologies. I think the preliminaries in Naruto are definitely the former because it’s the first time there’s individual focus on all the characters and it’s the show’s way of introducing them to us in more depth as opposed to laying out all their fighting skills at once. There are still many more arcs to come. Anyways sorry I wrote another essay! It’s probably tl;dr for all of you lmao but again Nahid I also feel so grateful and lucky to be rewatching this show with you guys! I’m glad it’s improving a little for you. Thank you so much for editing and posting these two reactions! I hope you’ll be more careful with the spicy chicken next time and you feel better lol. And Rana, I totally understand why this fight felt a bit underwhelming! I promise more memorable fights are coming and I always love your genuine reactions to everything! Thank you for being you :) And I hope you’re all having a good long weekend!

Sally

Loved the after discussion - and yeah .... we don't know Sakuras special ability yet - if she has one ..... Kakashi dropped before thou that her Chakra control is superior to Naruto, Sasuke and possibly her peers.

CatBRO

yay you should love guy he is awsome

Please triple drop 48-50!!! Or at least watch it in the same sitting

Corey

We share a first name xD minus one N.

Idun V

i’ve always that that thought that too and mickey will also. They’re all skikamarus

weeniehutjr

Spoiler? And... light spoiler?

Keep It Zen

"Girl you a whole tree, you're a cherry blossom, you don't even fuck with the flowers" Haha sorry Iknow just quoting comments in the video is lame,but that was awesome :)

Idunn Pil Søndergaard

The wait for episode 48 is killing me!

Ez

You’re really overthinking and wrote a essay on this fight in a need to hate on the episode / characters. They’re still children. Shit like this is expected. Every character’s reasoning isn’t gonna be some layered out deep history. “Other kunoichi” yet TenTen’s dialogue contradicts that. Just say you personally didn’t like the episode, it’s okay.

Zee

Trust me, Sakura and Ino get in way better fights than this.

Adam Vialpando

In the grand scheme of shinobi life, in all honesty, both Ino (a clan heir) and Sakura (smartest academic student of her year) are huge disappointments.. It’s not the worst fight in the series, but these two have their priorities so skewed that it’s not very redeemable after you’ve seen the turmoil and struggle of so many characters at a similar or younger age throughout the show. Like, even the foreign shinobi and other kunoichi watching this match show they’re not impressed. Then again, most of the fans rewatching this with you guys seem to love Sakura and will probably axe me for being hard on her. That’s fine. I just think Kishimoto - who is admittedly one of my favorite mangaka’s ever - got the negative feedback he deserved because of how poorly written his female characters are. If you don’t recognize the problem, you can’t find the solution, something I feel Horikoshi (a fan of Kishimoto) is working on as a result of this.

Champion Bescos

If u think this was an amazing fight just wait till my boy Rock Lee fights..

Abs Mahamud

I was the same. I went back and rewatched it yesterday so the episodes could be familiar to me. And I enjoyed it sooo much. Honestly reviewing the series, sure her character can occasionally get frustrating but Sakura hate is really unwarranted.

Zee

I have a good feeling Suraj and Chris are gonna love Shikamaru. I think he’ll grow on all of them but I feel those two will really fuck with him.

Zee

Man, I'm glad you guys enjoyed this. These Ino/Sakura scenes are actually some of my favorites, but they're reeaaally not popular in the wider fandom. I just love their relationship and initial support of each other, the mutual respect they find at the end of this fight, and everything. I've always enjoyed this one!

Arianne Kay

Nah, Zaku isn't dead... Yet. He will be next time we see him. Ino also makes a lot of flower metaphors because her parents own a flower shop.

Ryan Graham

Good battle between these two.

STEAMY_DA_GOD

@Nahid That song is called "Sadness and Sorrow". Honestly, it's probably Naruto's most famous OST.

GoldArthur

Kunoichi is a female Ninja

George Guess-Nelson

Chris doing cosplay of someone from the shippuden hahahaha

Gabriel Moreira

I rewatched this episode a day ago, I remember originally not liking it but for someone reason, I feel this, and the follow Up were better then I thought

Zee

Can't wait for episode 50. Only 4 more weeks lol

Ruben Lopez

Damn, this was a early upload!

Zee

If they liked it and thought it was amazing... they liked it.. and thought it was amazing 🙃

Zee

Was it really an amazing battle thou? was it? You don't have to lie for us :')

Nick

Thanks for the early upload! :)

SHINOBI SQUAD

kinky28

Do you guys plan on having Chris, Marketa and Rama play Detroit Become Human?

Marcb92

Wow what an early upload! Thank you!

MOB12