Finally, we reached the end of this multi-week flashback!

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Honestly, the flashback started to feel way too long several chapters ago. Once Obito was not a teen anymore, Naruto pretty much felt a bit lifeless. The flashbacks had reiterated information that we already know; in addition to that, the flashbacks had limited action and limited and unfulfilling character interactions. Obito and Zetsu may have been funny and the Bakakashi outburst made me chuckle, but overall, it was just an alternative method of giving us an info-dump.

The flashbacks would have been more enjoyable if they brought new information to the table. For example, rather than having us go through the process of reiterating the plan or showing how Nagato and Pain met up, we could have been given information for why Kakashi had to kill Rin. Isn’t it odd that such a major moment in Obito and Kakashi’s life wasn’t detailed at all? We were shown her death but not given any reasons why. I find this to be the biggest and most glaring fault in this arc and this chapter.

The flashback ended on a good note. The summoning of the malignant and malicious nine-tailed demon fox versus the Hidden Leaf, combined with various clips of teen Obito, helped make this a worthy addition to this flashback series as a whole. These glimpses into the past when he was on a squad worked to develop him and Kakashi well. 

Back in the present, it’s dragon vs. dragon. Madara is a far better antagonist than Obito, and actually does feel evil and such. He goes on the offensive and tries to corner Naruto with this wooden dragon. For other characters, they seem to be in less important positions. Guy feels as if he has no relevance, and Bee is off doing something that no one cares about. Kakashi and Obito is an additional battlefield in this theater, however, their fight seem as if it will lead to some sort of understanding-type conclusion where they both die after dealing final blows. 

Overall, it was an alright chapter. The flashback was too long and left many questions unanswered. Ideas were repeated too much that it felt as if it was a waste of time. In the present, action was back to being at a high level, so that was the chapter’s saving grace.

GO Rating: 3/5

[mangastream]