The Grand Mudang Saga

帰郷

A figure passes through the gates. It's an older Naruto, who has returned from a long training journey with Jiraiya. Naruto Uzumaki is back!

暁、始動

Naruto and Sakura team up and challenge Kakashi to a survival challenge to show off their progress.

修業の成果

Naruto’s and Sakura’s combined skills force Kakashi to use his Sharingan right off the bat. Naruto masterfully unleashes his jutsu one after another.

砂の人柱力

Gaara is quick to detect Deidara’s presence, and an aerial battle ensues with Deidara on his giant bird and Gaara atop sand.

風影として...!

Naruto and Sakura defeat Kakashi in the survival challenge. Tsunade assigns them to a three-man squad led by Kakashi, who tells them they are now his equals.

ノルマクリアー

In order to protect his village from Deidara’s explosive clay, Gaara uses his chakra to create a giant sand shield.

疾走れカンクロウ

Gaara, his strength completely exhausted, is whisked away by Deidara. Kankuro ignores Baki’s efforts to stop him and immediately sets out in pursuit with a platoon to rescue Gaara.

出撃, カカシ班

An urgent message from the Sand Village detailing the Akatsuki’s kidnapping of the Kazekage reaches the Hidden Leaf Village. Tsunade wastes no time in ordering Team Kakashi to the Sand Village.

人柱力の涙

On her way to the Sand Village, Temari encounters Kakashi and his team. Kakashi admonishes Naruto when he tries to rush ahead…

封印術·幻龍九封尽

The Sand ninja fight against time to treat Kankuro. Even the Sand’s poison expert, Granny Chiyo, is baffled. The only hope lies with the reinforcements sent by Tsunade.

医療忍者の弟子

Sakura treats a critically ill Kankuro. After extensive training she’s now a full-fledged Medic Ninja, and Sakura amazes everyone with her sure, steady hands.

隠居ババアの決意

Pakkun finds the hideout of the Akatsuki. Team Kakashi and Temari prepare to set out to get Gaara back, but Temari is ordered to stay behind and help guard the village.

因縁あいまみえる

Team Kakashi encounter Itachi Uchiha, who had dealt them a bitter defeat in the past. Kakashi warns everyone not to look into Itachi’s Sharingan Eyes.

ナルトの成長

Guy prepares to use a forbidden secret jutsu. Meanwhile, Naruto falls under Itachi’s genjutsu, and all the anti-genjutsu training he underwent with Jiraiya races through Naruto’s mind.

隠し玉 名付けて...!

Granny Chiyo and Sakura rescue Naruto from Itachi’s genjutsu. Without a moment’s delay, Kakashi begins a counterattack.

人柱力の秘密

Chiyo and Kakashi realize that the attack was just a diversion, and that the Akatsuki have already begun the process of extracting the Tailed Beast from Gaara.

我愛羅死す!

Teams Kakashi and Guy take a short rest. Granny Chiyo watches Naruto dozing off and is reminded of Sasori as a child. The pursuit resumes, and when Chiyo wonders why Naruto puts such effort into rescuing Gaara…

突入!ボタンフックエントリー

Teams Kakashi and Guy reach the Akatsuki hideout. They hurry to infiltrate but are thwarted by a five-seal barrier. The only way to break the barrier is to remove all five seals at once.

罠作動!ガイ班の敵

Breaking the five-seal barrier set off a trap, which now has Team Guy battling amazingly accurate copies of themselves. Back at the Akatsuki hideout, Deidara and Sasori struggle to take the Nine-Tail Jinchûriki.

ヒルコVS二人の女忍者

At last, the showdown between the old woman and her grandson begins. Sakura is confused by Sasori’s strange appearance, and Granny Chiyo explains that this is Hiruko…

サソリの素顔

Granny Chiyo and Sakura manage to expose Sasori, who amazingly looks no older than he did twenty years earlier. Chiyo is even more shocked at the second puppet that Sasori produces.

チヨの奥の手

Sakura is caught by Sasori’s tactic and surrounded by a poison cloud. But she uses a Paper Bomb to blow herself free from the poisonous fumes.

「父」と「母」

Chiyo and Sakura take cover, and Sasori wastes no time unleashing a ruthless attack. Chiyo fights back to protect Sakura, but in an instant the Father and Mother puppets are sealed by the Iron Sand.

三代目風影

Sakura counters the Iron Sand attack of the Third Kazekage puppet with superhuman strength. She learned from Tsunade that the most important skill of a Medic Ninja is the ability to evade an attack.

生と死の三分間

Sakura destroys the Third Kazekage puppet thanks to a secret antidote she had taken. Sakuro explains to a surprised Granny Chiyo that this antidote converts the poison into harmless protein and is effective for about three minutes.

十機vs百機

Sakura and Granny Chiyo are engaged in a fierce battle with Sasori, who is able turn himself into a human puppet. They somehow bring Sasori down within the time limit, but he ends up reviving.

叶わぬ夢

Although stung with poison herself, Granny Chiyo uses the last of the antidote on Sakura. Mocking the tender scene between Granny Chiyo and Sakura, Sasori attempts to end Granny Chiyo's life.

蘇る獣たち

Team Guy senses the result of the Sakura and Granny Chiyo’s desperate struggle while still in battle with his deadly copy. Although Guy’s team members are showing fatigue, their copies remain strong!

カカシ開眼!

Sakura hurries to get to Naruto with Granny Chiyo, who is suffering from the poison. The members of Team Guy rush to assist Team Kakashi. Meanwhile, with all preparations complete, Kakashi reveals his Mangekyo Sharingan.

瞬間の美学

Naruto loses all reason to anger and is gradually taken over by the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit. Having been forewarned by Jiraiya, Kakashi narrowly manages to suppress the Nine-Tailed Fox.

継がれゆくもの

Relying on Naruto's power, Granny Chiyo performs the Transmigration Jutsu on Gaara. Sakura is saddened when she realizes the cost of this jutsu.

風影の帰還

Gaara and his rescuers make a triumphant return to the Hidden Sand Village. After paying their respects at Granny Chiyo's grave, Naruto and the Leaf ninja reluctantly take their leave.

新たなる目標 [ターゲット]

Everyone has returned to the Hidden Leaf Village. Kakashi is hospitalized for a week due to the strain caused by his Mangekyo Sharingan.

結成!新カカシ班

After attacking Naruto, Sai predicts that they will meet again soon, then vanishes. Tsunade meets with the village elders, Homura and Koharu…

画蛇添足

Naruto is enraged when he discovers that Sai attacked him in order to test his strength. Sakura pulls them apart, but tensions are running high between the members of Team Kakashi.

偽りの笑顔

The new Team Kakashi heads for Tenchikyo. To Naruto, Sai is just temporarily filling in for Sasuke. When Sai shows his contempt for Sasuke, the antagonism comes to a head.

無題

Sakura comes across Sai working on an abstract painting. He tells her that he's unable to give it a title. Bothered by his manner, Sakura finds an unusual picture book among Sai's things.

模擬戦闘訓練 [シミュレーション]

In preparation for Tenchikyo, Yamato conducts a half-day simulation in order to get a grasp on the fighting skills and jutsu of Team Kakashi. Sai abandons Naruto to conclude the simulated mission successfully.

天地橋

The day for capturing the spy is finally here. Just as planned, Yamato takes on Sasori's likeness and waits until the Akatsuki spy appears. The spy turns out to be none other than Kabuto.

九尾解放!!

Faced with Orochimaru, his sworn enemy, Naruto suddenly releases the power of his Nine-Tailed Fox. When Yamato sees Naruto's fourth tail appear, he recalls Jiraiya's tale of how he nearly lost his life to the transformed Naruto.

極秘任務スタート

When his third tail appears, all that Naruto can see is Orochimaru. He is blind even to his teammates.

大蛇丸VS人柱力

With the release of his fourth tail, Naruto completely loses his awareness and is overtaken by destructive impulses.

サクラの涙

Although he has changed almost completely into his animal form and has lost all awareness, Naruto refuses to give up the idea of bringing Sasuke home.

戦いの顛末

Taking advantage of the confusion, Sai makes contact with Orochimaru. After reviewing the contents of the documents given to him, Orochimaru decides to take Sai back to the hideout.

裏切りの果て

Naruto and Sakura are shocked when they hear that Danzo's goal is to work with Orochimaru to once again attempt to defeat the Leaf Village.

未完の頁 [ページ]

Naruto is shocked to learn that he was the one responsible for the destruction around them and for Sakura's injuries.

潜入! 毒蛇の巣窟 [アジト]

Sai shudders when he finally meets Sasuke face to face in Orochimaru's hideout. The list that Sai gave to Orochimaru lists the members of the Anbu Black Ops, the corps under the direct control of the Hokage.

つながり

Team Kakashi is able to find Sai with Yamato guiding them. They immediately begin questioning Sai about Danzo's plans for destroying the Leaf Village, and surprisingly, Sai divulges everything.

大切なモノ

Kabuto carries out a surprise attack on Team Kakashi to take back Sai, but a change has come over Sai since Sakura pointed out his contradictions.

絵本が語る物語 [ストーリー]

Naruto, while nursing his injuries caused by the release of the Nine-Tailed Fox, searches frantically for Sasuke. Seeing this, Sai recalls the feelings he once had for his older brother and finally manages to complete his unfinished picture.