User Reviews

This was the best episode of all Naruto, and surely of all anime (though I haven't seen many). One of the most tearful, heartbreaking, touching, memorable, saddest stories of all time. Such sacrifice from a mother and a father, who loved their son with all their heart, so much, from the bottom, and were forced to sacrifice their lives, not only for him, also for their village. The most strongest act of love in all Naruto's universe was made by Minato and Kushina. The storyline was excellent, brilliant, heartfelt, original, and loving. The score, soundtrack played a significant role, making each scene very touching and tearful, could reach the heart of any person. The voice acting, another highlight. The cinematography, every image, picture, the details of the expressions of the two protagonists of such tragedy, were perfect. How is possible for this chapter not to get a 9.9 of rating?

The plotline follows the moment after Tobi disappears, after telling Minato that he will control the world, he is going to get the Kyuubi eventually, there are other ways. The Nine Tailed Fox is still wreaking havoc in the village, this time free, releasing his anger and hatred against the persons, like an enraged lion after being caught and mistreated for decades. A young Iruka is protected by her mother, who is seriously injured. His father orders him to run away, it's his duty to protect his family, despite Iruka's protests. Hiruzen and other shinobis try to contain the Kyuubi, but many are easily beaten. At the woods, Shinko Yuhi orders his daughter Kurenai, Kakashi, Gai, Asuma and other young shinobis to stay safe, this is an intern issue. Kurenai protests though Asuma tries to calm her down, so Shinko tells her that they must protect the younger, and makes her promise to pass the Will of Fire to his grandsons. At the battlefield, after Iruka's parents dead along many other shinobis, Hiruzen summons Enma, to convert into the adamantine staff, which he uses to push the Kyuubi outside Konoha. The Fox grows in anger and creates another Bijuu dama. Minato finally returns and watches in shock, so summons Gamabunta to stop the Kyuubi for a while. Remembering Tobi's threat to dominate the world, he thinks I'm sorry Kushina. As Hiruzen and others watch, the Yellow Flash takes the chance to teleport him and the Kyuubi away, at a safe distance from Konoha (which demands a lot of energy for the Hokage) He also takes back his wife and their son there. Despite not having much energy, Minato creates a barrier to prevent the Kyuubi to escape. Kushina still has enough chakra, and throws her Adamantine sealing chains to keep the Fox restrained. The noise wakes up Naruto, so Kushina apologizes to her son. Then, she tells Minato to seal back the Kyuubi on her so she can drag the creature, and die with it. That way, there is going to be a time before the Fox reappears again somewhere else. She says it's the only way to save her son and the village, and thanks him. As Naruto cries, Minato gets saddened, she was the one who made him a man, he is Hokage only thanks to her, and she made him the father of their son. Kushina comforts him, she is happy because he loves her and for their son's birth. She could imagine a life the three together, and would be the happiest, so she regrets not being able to see her son grow. While tears run on his face, Minato then tells her his idea, to keep her energy for an encounter with Naruto grown up. He wants to seal her remaining chakra inside Naruto, and use the Shiki Fujin with the intention to seal half of the Kyuubi with him. There's no way to seal the complete creature (it's impossible given how powerful it is) as he is not a jinchuriki. He also says that if the Kyuubi revives somewhere else, the Bijuu balance will be broken and the whole the village will be in danger. And remembering Jiraiya's words about the prophecy an the destined child, Minato is going use the eight trigrams seal for the other Kyuubi's half inside Naruto. The masked man will bring chaos and destruction to the shinobi world, and Naruto, whose godfather is Jiraiya, is destined to stop him. He summons the Shiki Fujin, and says that by sealing Kushina's remaining chakra inside Naruto, she can help him eventually to control the Kyuubi, and see their son grown up. She knows that then Minato will die, as the cost of the jutsu for sealing such creature, and opposes. She says that he must raise Naruto, protect him as he grows. Kushina also doesn't want to put Naruto such burden, of being a jinchuriki and grow alone, only with the reason for her to see him for a time. She asks why he would sacrifice their son's future for the Bijuu balance, for the village, and sacrifice himself for her. Then Minato tells that turning their back on their village is like abandoning their son. Kushina knows what means given her home village was destroyed, the life of persons without land, foreigners, besides, they are a family of shinobi. He also says that he alone would be not like her. He can't tell or give Naruto the things she can. It's the mother's role. So Minato will be glad to die for the sake of his son, that's his duty. Meanwhile, Hiruzen has reached the barrier, and realizes he can't get through. He can only stare along two other shinobis, while Minato and Kushina take care of the Kyuubi. Then, the 4th proceeds to seal the half of the Kyuubi's chakra on him, and his body gets colder. Hiruzen and the others notice the Fox has lost weight and the chains are less tight. Still, Minato prepares a small pedestal for the other half, and places Naruto there. The Kyuubi is furious when he realizes his plan, so in the moment Kushina tries to get up to see her son, she almost falls, so Minato goes to help her, and the Nine tailed Fox takes the chance to attack the baby. Both parents rush to rescue their son and get impaled, restoring the string chains to trap the Kyuubi. Kushina tells her husband that to protect her son it's her role too, still, now understands his reasons and recognizes this as the first time she loses an argument with him. He thanks her, summons Gerotora, and tells him to deliver the key to Jiraiya. The toad quickly obeys, scared of the Kyuubi, and disappears. As Minato is running out of time, and both are losing energy, Kushina gives her last words to their baby Naruto: to not be picky on food, eat a lot to grow strong, don't stay up late as he will need lots of sleep, to make friends, they don't have to be many, just a few he can trust is enough. She wasn't good, but study hard ninjutsu and do his best at school, everybody has strengths and weaknesses, so he shouldn't get sad if he can't do everything great. To respect his teachers and seniors at the academy. About the three shinobi prohibitions, be careful to lend and borrow money, save mission wages, don't drink until his 20. She is a woman, so she doesn't really know much, just remember the world is made up of men and women, so it's going to be natural for him to like girls. Just don't pick up on bad or weird girls, "Find someone just like me". Also about the prohibitions, "be wary of Jiraiya tebane". "Naruto, from now on, you're going to face lots of pain and hardship. Be true to yourself. Have a dream and have the confidence to make it come true. There are so many, many many, many other things that I want to pass on to you. I wish I could stay with you longer. I love you". Then she says sorry to Minato for taking his time, but he is fine with it. He simply tells their son that his "message would be the same as your talky mother". And then, he closed the seal, and both died. Kushina finishes the story, and tells Naruto how sorry she is for putting such burden by making him a jinchuriki, and for not being present during his growing. Naruto says that it was hard his life as a jinchuriki, that he was sad for not knowing the love of a mother and a father, but he never blamed them. Now he knows that they gave up their life for him, and that though he is a jinchuriki, his life is filled with love. Kushina cries, and hugs him, telling Minato how their love and wishes reached their son. She thanks Naruto for letting them be his parents, and fades away.

It's worth to write it and read it because it's a beautiful story. Tragic, touching, sending all the love of a family. Minato's decision was questionable, but he made that decision for the greater good, for the sake of his son and Kushina. Otherwise, the Fox would have reappeared and caused more deaths in the future, and Minato himself would have been forced to deal with him again. He made a selfless choice to protect his village and the world. Besides, what he said about Kushina's role was right. The feelings she sent to Naruto and the viewer are special. It's the deep love of a mother, caring, sensible, kind, loyal, honest, humble, warming. In four episodes, Kushina proved to be one of the best characters of the anime, surely the best woman. And for choosing her, Minato is the one of the greatest man as well. The last words and the farewell are the most memorable moments of the story.

Then, both parents surviving the needed time after being impaled by the Kyuubi was a little unrealistic, but at the end, such detail loses relevance. What matters is what they did to save their son. Also, to show briefly how Iruka's parents suffered the same fate for their own son, was touching as well. That's what both parents must do. The father and the mother's role.

The drama in this episode was so emotional, I loved Naruto cause these scene.

How Minatu sacrificed himself just to till this scene, ooooh it's so dramatic.