Board Thread:Episode Discussions/@comment-1018594-20150604121840/@comment-5273810-20150604124808

An excellent episode, wasn't what I was expecting(was expecting the whole bad ass team up fight this episode) but it definitely exceeded by expectations. Addressed a few of the issues I was having with the Naruto Universe Lore/Timeline, which I will take anyday(even if it postpones something I have been wanting for forever).

I really liked that it deepened the relationship between Obito and Rin, doing this makes him losing her all the more a big deal and how he could go bad off of that. (I know its much deeper than that but the people who criticize Obito as a character rightly do point out that it was because of Rin he started down that path though they do conveniently forget that Madara is the master of manipulation and propoganda the combination is what got him but anyway...). Finding out he lived with his grandmother also explains how he got along before becoming a ninja and also why he loved helping old people so much.

Its also addressing the timeline issue with the 3 year plot hole. This is something I have been having serious issues with. Its also nice to know, that the 2 things aren't irreconcilable issues. We'll see how they solve the issue next week but nice to know they're working on it!

While we didn't really see Obito go bad ass on Madara, it was good for the bit we got, very moving and just what I expected from him. Also the transition to the flashback was pretty seemless, something they haven't always been the best at, so that's a little shout out to that.

And I know I'm jumping around but the whole Rin/Obito interaction simultaneously made Rin more important to me as a viewer(removed from her importance to Obito I mean) and made Obito's love for Rin even deeper. The fact they were like best friends before even meeting Kakashi, makes his loving Rin most definitely not a rivalry thing(not that I believed that but somebody might come out with something like that) and Obito got friendzoned(the subtle change in Rin during the competitions is very good, going from rooting for Obito, to rooting for both, to all out Kakashi, nice subtle storytelling Pierot!)

Also as one final note, just because he's living with his grandmother now does not mean that she will be alive later. For all we know she died a few months to a year before his "death", which would compound his reasons for the Infinite Tsyuchiomi.

Solid 5/5, can't wait for the next episode.