Naruto Shippuuden Episode 12

[Munsu]

Was the girl on Temari's team Matsuri?
You know... filler character from the last filler arc.
Despite being a bad arc, it was the one of the only two filler characters I liked (along Sasame from Fuuma Clan).

Ichibi and Kyuubi are the first and last Bijuu. But if Ichibi is called Shukaku... does that mean Kyuubi has a name as well? Or was Shukaku the name of the first priest possessed by Ichibi and the Suna-nin simply left the name?

I thought someone mentioned those characters from Temari's team were in the manga...

[RyougaZell]

Psyke:
Yeah. I knew that. But since Kishimoto decided to introduce this concept, he should be giving Kyuubi no Yoko another name apart from Kyuubi. Or at least cover himself by saying Shukaku was the name of the first Ichibi Jinchuuriki.

Munsu:
I believe she was alone in the manga, but can't confirm it since I don't the have the scans in this computer.
But the girl DOES resemble Matsuri, which would be a first. I mean, every other filler character practically no longer exists, since they were all (thankfully) thrown out / forgotten. I wouldn't mind her returning though.

[Mr. Roboto]

i really enjoyed this episode. it looks like kisame really wants a shot at gai. it was interesting what neeji said about kisame having the most chakra he's seen other than naruto. team gai is going to have their hands full with him. also, i liked having itachi go up against kakashi again. i want to see how kakashi changes how he fights given how itachi trapped him in his world in the prior fight. and i'd also like to see if kakashi really did learn a new technique like he said after the bell challenge with naruto and sakura.

[Assertn]

What's wrong with just saying "Shukaku is the Ichibi"?

Also....as for the nine beasts adopted after shukaku's introduction.....wasn't the ichibi supposed to be a tanuki anyway, based on chinese mythology?

Edit: Looks like that unknown pink-eyed akatsuki guy almost made an appearance. Maybe we need a third group to show up =]

[Kagari]

just what i missed...unbearable suspense, leaving me with a "NO! SERIOUSLY? GOD DAMN YOU!" at the end of the episode for ending it where they did.

Kisame didn't seem too frighting the first few times we saw him...but all of sudden he's brimming with confidence, and what Neji said just makes him scarier.

Kakshi's face when seeing itatchi...wow...By the looks of it, Itatchi will be donating some of his chakra to continue the process of extracting ichibi from gaara, since Kisame was told to give 30% of his chakra. I assume Itatchi will have to give the same. Maybe that's the reason Naruto's group will survive.

[Crash]

Kisame didn't seem too frighting the first few times we saw him...but all of sudden he's brimming with confidence, and what Neji said just makes him scarier.

The first thing i thought of when Neji said that was that Kisame must be one of the Akatsuki who has obtained his Bijuu. After all, Naruto's massive chakra is due to the fact that the nine tails is sealed within him so it would make sense that if Kisame has a similarly massive amount that he must have also obtained one. Really excited to see what happens next episode

[boilerph]

The first thing i thought of when Neji said that was that Kisame must be one of the Akatsuki who has obtained his Bijuu. After all, Naruto's massive chakra is due to the fact that the nine tails is sealed within him so it would make sense that if Kisame has a similarly massive amount that he must have also obtained one. Really excited to see what happens next episode

A possibility but I am leaning more towards the theory that his sword actually retains the chakra that it "eats" and transfers it to Kisame.

[masamuneehs]

The first thing i thought of when Neji said that was that Kisame must be one of the Akatsuki who has obtained his Bijuu. After all, Naruto's massive chakra is due to the fact that the nine tails is sealed within him

I am leaning more towards the theory that his sword actually retains the chakra that it "eats" and transfers it to Kisame.

I'm tempted to go with the Sword holding massive chakra theory. It's in line with what Kisame said about his sword and also, since Akatsuki seems to have three Jinchuurikis (including Gaara), there's no guarantee that Kisame has the strongest out of those three. In fact, we don't even know if each of them is trying to get a Bijuu or if they're doing something else.

Very interesting that he's the one with the most Chakra. However, that makes me very happy, because Chakra != power level, and I was afraid Naruto would devolve into a DBZ-like "Strength is all that matters" shit-show.

However, i'm not happy with the fact that Kisame and Itachi are only fighting with a diminished portion of their chakra. I know it has to happen, but I hate it when people hold back their powers in fights...

It's true that each member is targeting a Bijuu. From Deidara and the pink-eyed guy, it might be true that each of them intends on absorbing an individual Bijuu. However, I don't think that's the case, and I've got 3 arguments as to why.

1. The absorption thing that's sucking the Ichibi out of Gaara and Chiyo's mention of taking alot of effort to do such indicates that the massive, eye-opening thing that Zero summoned is the only one of its kind. Basically, either the nine would each have to be able to gather in the power of a Bijuu into themselves or be totally dependent on Zero. He needs them to participate in the draining, but it seems like he's really the one running the show.

2. Akatsuki was originally ten, not nine, meaning one of the ten would be left empty-handed (the reason Orochimaru left?). But Psyke saying that Kishimoto came up with this storyline after he had Orochimaru being a member of the group, so it could be a plothole...

3. I just can't see how this group would go about saying "you get the Ichibi, you get the Kyuubi, you get..." and all the members being fine with it. They'd need a very strong hierarchy and anyone with too much ambition would run afoul of the plan. Also, once one member got a Bijuu's powers, why would he stick around? Hell, could he be forced to stick around with that much power? He'd help the others, for their sakes? Pft, I don't know, but that kind of honor code among villains would truly be unique.

At this point I think they split up the energy they get from the Bijuus, making them all a bit more powerful. That or Zero's Bijuu Sucker is holding on to all of that chakra somewhere and will form a super-weapon/monster when they catch them all. I just feel that there'd be too many potential conflicts with each of them getting a Bijuu of their own.

I thought Zetsu was stationing copies of himself all around his perimeter. But now I don't think that's the case, but who knows? Maybe his scouting abilities let him "see" everything happening in that area

I thought Gai was purposefully forgetting Kisame, to try to enrage him or just for kicks. I thought the music wasn't properly done in this scene, but it was still funny.

[Psyke]

Also....as for the nine beasts adopted after shukaku's introduction.....wasn't the ichibi supposed to be a tanuki anyway, based on chinese mythology?

Yes, the Shukaku is based on the racoon. However, the Tanuki originates from Japanese folklore, rather than Chinese. It is most well known in anime from the Studio Ghibli film Pom Poko. Interesting movie, I must say. Go check it out if you can.