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Summary
I’m always happy to talk aboutNarutoand my favorite character,Shikamaru Nara, given that he embodies much of what I feel a brilliant, calculating ninja should be like, minus perhaps the attitude. Not only is he proficient in the usual arts expected of shinobi his age, like chakra control and weapon mastery, but his family’s special ninjutsu feels uniquely appropriate for a ninja franchise. So, it’s unsurprising that it works so well when Shikamaru uses all of these abilities inone ofNaruto’sgreatest grudge match battles.
Only one grudge match comes to mind for Shikamaru inNaruto, and that’s his battle against Akatsuki’s Hidan as vengeance for killing his teacher, Asuma Sarutobi.This, combined with Hidan and his partner, Kakuzu, having different perceived forms of immortality, may make it surprising thatthe battle would feel the most like a proper ninja fight inNaruto.
But stripping down the series to its basic elements, featuringguile, deception, and manipulation of shadows themselves to seize victory from seemingly unkillable opponents, is a premise that I immediately found enticing.
Naruto’s Original Disciple Surpassed His Master in Just One Way
While Boruto’s storytelling and character arcs are often seen as being controversial, there are a few key moments in which the series stands out.
Shikamaru’s Battle Against Hidan Was the Most Thrilling to Watch
Few Other Ninja Battles in Naruto Feel Quite as Satisfying
I felt an emotional stake in this fight, as it’s my favorite character devisingthe usual genius Shikamaru-style big-brain playagainst the man who killed his mentor. I’ve already written about another crucial point in the Akatsuki Suppression Mission Arc inNarutoand the power ofone of the anime’s best moments to teach me about masculinity, but there’s still more to discuss. Shikamaru gathers his allies from Team 10, and Kakashi and Naruto, to bring the fight to Hidan and Kakuzu. Shikamaru’s first plan is to separate Hidan from the rest of the party.
Despite this not even being the bulk of the fight, the scenes of Shikamaru’s genius ploy are mesmerizing to watch, with him using his shadow strangle jutsu in ways I’d never pictured, yet perfectly adhering to the logic of Masashi Kishimoto’s fictional world. Shikamaru even incorporates Asuma’s chakra blade, such as having his shadow tendrils throw the blade at Hidan, baiting him into a defensive stance,only for Shikamaru to use that to his advantage, connecting their shadows and controlling the threat. It’s brilliant,and certainlyone of the best Akatsuki fights inNaruto.
Shikamaru’s Genius Prompts Viewers to Observe All Details
High IQ and Prep Time Are Classic Plot Armor but Highly Entertaining
Shikamaru had just enough prep time, channeling his inner Bruce Wayne, to concoct a brilliant play to separate Hidan and Kakuzu and evento turn Hidan’s greatest strength against his partner.This completely strips the arrogant,mysterious Jashinist shinobiof any advantages yet deceives him so that Hidan doesn’t realize it until he leaves himself open again. Shikamaru can only use his Shadow Imitation jutsu to capture Hidan for five minutes, so he gets creative in the moments between before he can use it again.
This is partially because Hidan is a shrewd tactician, often observing Shikamaru’s limitations. Despite the presence of an immortal cultist and somebody who can control others using only shadows,it still feels like the closest to a ninja battle inNaruto, entirely because of the deceptive tactics in play and in how Shikamaru drags Hidan out into the woods, separate from Kakuzu. Shikamaru’s trickery causes Hidan to use Kakuzu’s blood in his ritual by accident, helping Kakashi and Team 10 without even being in the vicinity, which feels as shinobi-like as possible.
Few Moments Were as Cathartic as the Conclusion of This Fight
Shikamaru’s Fight Transforms Him as a Character as Well
Shikamaru as a character was somewhat stagnant in his routine up until the Akatsuki Suppression Mission Arc; even in the Sasuke Retrieval Arc, he was seen as a leader, yet his father coached him after his failure not to stop being a shinobi. The difference is thatShikamaru learns from his lossand exacts his toll while becoming a true leader and brandishing the Will of Fire to succeed Asuma as an elite ninja.
That’s without even getting into the cathartic perfection of how Shikamaru’s ninja battle with Hidan ends in spectacular flames inNaruto. Shikamaru gets his catharsis from defeating Hidan in a way not usually seen inNaruto, with its titular character often being more concerned with winning over his opponents rather than defeating them. However, Shikamaru is not bound by the same quixotic levels of mercy, seeing Hidan as irredeemable and the monster who killed his mentor, offering a different type of victory.
This comes inNaruto Shippudenepisode #87, when Shikamaru reveals one more deception, keeping enough chakra to wrap all the paper bombs scattered across the woods around Hidan. He then unveils a massive pit where he obliterates Hidan’s body bythrowing Asuma’s lit zippo lighter, a keepsake from his mentor, at the bombs to ignite them, dropping Hidan’s dismembered body into the pit. Hidan resentfully claims he’ll get revenge, but not without Shikamaru caving in the pit, crushing and trapping the Akatsuki member for the foreseeable future.
I wasn’t quite as fond of Asuma as a character, not that he wasn’t likable, but that he didn’t feel unique or exciting enough. However, I saw how much Shikamaru, as a character, looked up to him and knew his loss would be devastating, so seeing it avenged in such a glorious fashion is nothing short of cathartic. This is especially true in light of chapter #342 when Shikamaru rejoins his father for shogi and remembers what Asuma taught him, namely that the king in shogi was the child who would carry Konoha on their shoulders.
Shikamaru Imparts His Wisdom on Asuma’s Daughter
Teaching Future Generations Their Stake in Konoha’s Future
In the years following Shikamaru’s fantastic fight against Hidan, some things never change, as Mirai Sarutobi, daughter of Asuma and Kurenai Sarutobi, frequently comes to Shikamaru for guidance. In the recentNarutospinoff mangaKonoha’s Story: The Steam Ninja Scrolls, Shikamaru plays shogi with Mirai, noting her similarities with Asuma and cryptically alluding to the same king reference.
The Fight Against Hidan Is When Shikamaru Grows Up
No Longer Merely the Boy with Cloud Envy
Practically everything of substance about Shikamaru’s key developments, outside his epiphany about wanting to become an advisor to Naruto once he becomes Hokage, and marrying Temari, happens around his battle with Hidan.
Shikamaru encounters 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 helping raise Kurenai’s child. This results in him becoming a role model of a shinobi, even coaching Naruto through the loss of his mentor in one ofthe best quotes in theNarutofranchise. Shikamaru becomes wise to flesh out his already razor-sharp intellect further, becoming quite lovable and admirable as aNarutocharacter.
As a reader, I think I cling to these moments because they remind me of my formative moments when I started grasping at adulthood.
As a reader, I think I cling to these moments because they remind me of my formative moments when I started grasping at adulthood. Nothing quite like blowing a scythe-wielding cultist to smithereens or using the shadows to control my enemies, but coping with grief, not backing down from a challenge, and understanding what it means to protect the future.
I’ll keep practicing myNarutohand signs in case there’s still more I can learn from the series, but at the very least, I can be grateful for its varying and thoughtful depictions of boys growing up to be men.
Naruto: Shippuden
Cast
Naruto: Shippuden follows Naruto Uzumaki as he returns to Konoha after two and a half years, facing new challenges and enemies, including the Akatsuki organization. The series continues Naruto’s journey and growth as a shinobi while navigating complex alliances and adversaries.
