Ebisu Returns: Naruto's Toughest Training Yet!

is episode 52 of the original Naruto anime.

Synopsis
The episode begins with Naruto in the hospital, asking if he can visit Sasuke's room. When the nurse tells him "no visitors," he begins shouting and complaining. Kakashi comes down the hallway and tells Naruto to quiet down because it's a hospital. Naruto is happy to see Kakashi and says he needs to ask a favor, but Kakashi interrupts and says that he's already found Naruto a trainer for the next stage of the Chūnin Exams. Naruto insists that he wants Kakashi to train him, and when Kakashi says that he has other things to do and won't have time for Naruto, Naruto points an accusing finger and asks him if he's going to be training Sasuke instead. Kakashi tells Naruto not to complain, adding, "I've found you an even better teacher than me." When Naruto asks who, he hears a voice saying, "It is I." Turning around, Naruto is shocked to see Ebisu standing there.

Naruto is not happy about Kakashi's choice; he thinks Ebisu is a "closet pervert" and a weak ninja because he once fell victim to the Harem Technique. Ebisu immediately covers up Naruto's mouth as Kakashi wonders what the Harem Jutsu is. To placate Naruto, Ebisu offers to treat him to lunch anywhere he wants if he drops the subject. After Naruto calms down, Ebisu tells Kakashi that it was nothing. Kakashi then departs, leaving an angry Naruto who still refuses to train with Ebisu, saying that Kakashi is better. Ebisu then makes Naruto a bet: if Naruto can escape him, then he'll persuade Kakashi to train Naruto instead. If he can't escape, then he'll have to accept Ebisu as his trainer.

Naruto immediately agrees to the bet and runs out of the hospital and down the street, thinking that there is no way that Ebisu will catch him. He eventually pauses on top of the Hokage Tower, thinking that he's already won, but then hears Ebisu's voice above him, and he looks up to see Ebisu standing on the pole at the top of the tower. Naruto drops a smoke bomb and runs again, stopping in front of a billboard with a girl and a boy on it. Naruto quickly comes up with a plan. Ebisu arrives and looks at the billboard. At first he starts drooling over the girl in the picture, but then he comes to his senses and tells Naruto to stop his trick. Naruto had tried to camouflage himself by transforming into the girl on the billboard.

Still unwilling to admit defeat, Naruto uses the Shadow Clone Technique and he and his clones flee in all directions. Ebisu promptly creates his own shadow clones, and one by one they catch and eliminate all of Naruto's clones. The real Naruto is taking a break on the bridge where Kakashi gave Team 7 the Chūnin Exams pamphlet, convinced that he finally got away this time. When Ebisu appears yet again, Naruto falls off the bridge in surprise. Wet and frustrated, Naruto attacks Ebisu, but only ends up back in the water when he turns out to be another clone. The real Ebisu then leans over the rail and tells him he isn't strong enough to win the bet. Naruto finally gives in.

Later, Ebisu and Naruto are having lunch at the Ichiraku Ramen Bar. As they eat, Ebisu lectures about chakra control. Naruto questions why it's so important. He gives Naruto an example, using the Clone Technique. He explains that Sakura's chakra buildup and control are both perfect, so she can create five clones with no wasted energy. Sasuke's chakra buildup is poor, but his control is also perfect, so he can create five clones with only a small amount of wasted energy. Naruto's chakra buildup and control are both poor, so all the energy he puts in is barely enough to make one clone; Sakura or Sasuke could make ten clones with the amount of chakra it takes Naruto to make one. Naruto objects, pointing out that there have been times when he was much stronger than either Sasuke or Sakura. Ebisu retorts that it's only because his stamina levels are beyond human, but he promises Naruto that if he goes through this training it will make him stronger. As they are preparing to leave, Teuchi and Ayame give Ebisu the bill. He is shocked when he sees how many bowls of ramen Naruto ate.

After lunch, Naruto and Ebisu walk over to the private hot springs. Naruto accidentally starts to go to the women's bath area, but Ebisu stops him. They go to their own hot spring and Ebisu says that the first lesson will be learning to walk on water. He explains that Naruto's previous lesson in walking on the trees was easier, because it was a solid surface, so it only took a steady chakra flow. Water is more difficult because the surface changes constantly, so the walker has to make constant chakra adjustments to maintain grip. Naruto still doesn't understand, so Ebisu gives a demonstration, walking on the surface of the spring as he continues the lesson. Naruto thinks it looks cool and wants to try it. He repeatedly falls in, but keeps picking himself back up and trying again.

As he watches Naruto practice, Ebisu has a flashback to Konohamaru doing hard push-ups. Ebisu asks him if he was planning another sneak attack on the Hokage. Konohamaru says no, that he's learned there are no shortcuts to becoming Hokage. He then tells Ebisu that Naruto taught him that.

Back in the present, Naruto is starting to be able to keep his balance on the water's surface, though he can't really walk well yet. Ebisu is surprised how fast he's catching on. He thinks to himself that perhaps Naruto, in knowing that there are no shortcuts to anything, had been a smarter teacher than he was, and that he's not just a demon fox, he's become a splendid ninja. Just then Ebisu hears laughing, and turns to see a white-haired man peeking at the women's bath. Shouting that he won't tolerate indecency, he charges the white-haired man. Annoyed, the person turns around and quickly summons a large toad. The toad catches Ebisu with its tongue and slams him to the ground, knocking him unconscious. Stunned, Naruto wonders how the "closet pervert" lost to this "open pervert."