"Despair" (絶望, Zetsubō) is episode 69 of the Naruto: Shippūden anime.
Synopsis[]
Naruto and Asuma arrive just in time to witness Sora giving in to the nature of the Nine-Tailed Fox. Asuma realises that Furido is none other than Sora's father, Kazuma, whom he thought he had killed years ago. Kazuma explains to Naruto that some of the Nine-Tails' leaked chakra was sealed and suppressed inside of Sora, but now that the seal had been removed, the fox's chakra was taking over Sora's body, all part of Kazuma's plan to sic a miniature Nine-tails' on Konoha. Sakura and Yamato arrive as well, surprised to see Sora possessing the Nine-Tails' Cloak. As Asuma and Kazuma begin their bout, Naruto attempts to sympathise with Sora, who uses his roar towards Sakura. Naruto protects Sakura, telling Sora that he had once used the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox to hurt Sakura and that he wouldn't allow the same to happen again. Using his Wood Release, Yamato binds Sora, although he is unable to suppress his chakra due to Sora not possessing the First Hokage's Necklace. Sora enters into his one-tailed form, but Team Asuma arrives at the nick of time, with Shikamaru using his Shadow Imitation Technique to trap Sora in place. He has Chōji use his Partial Multi-Size Technique to grab a hold onto Sora. Naruto tells Sora that he cannot allow Sora to use their power for evil. When Sora asks what he means, Naruto explains that he is the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox.
Sora does not believe him, as he claims those with tailed beast spirits within them are meant to be outcasts for life, and questions how Naruto could have friends. Naruto explains that when he was younger he was just like Sora, receiving the hateful, angry glares from adults; however, he had always pulled stunts for attention to distract himself from his loneliness and in the process ended up making friends. When Sora cries that he never had any friends, Naruto tells him that he and the others are his friends. Ino uses her Mind Body Switch Technique on Sora, but Sora gives in to the fox spirit within him, causing Ino pain and dispelling her. The burning sensation caused by the fox's chakra burns Chōji's hands, and Shikamaru's chakra runs out, freeing Sora. Sora then succumbs to his rage and enters into his three-tailed form.
Credits[]
| Role | Seiyū | English Voice Actor | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Japanese | Rōmaji | ||
| Naruto Uzumaki | Junko Takeuchi | 竹内 順子 | Takeuchi Junko | Maile Flanagan |
| Sakura Haruno | Chie Nakamura | 中村 千絵 | Nakamura Chie | Kate Higgins |
| Yamato | Rikiya Koyama | 小山 力也 | Koyama Rikiya | Troy Baker |
| Sora | Daisuke Hirakawa | 平川 大輔 | Hirakawa Daisuke | Michael Sinterniklaas |
| Asuma Sarutobi | Jurota Kosugi | 小杉 十郎太 | Kosugi Jūrōta | Doug Erholtz |
| Furido | Kazuya Nakai | 中井 和哉 | Nakai Kazuya | Pete Sepenuk |
| Shizune | Keiko Nemoto | 根本 圭子 | Nemoto Keiko | Megan Hollingshead |
| Fifth Hokage: Tsunade | Masako Katsuki | 勝生 真沙子 | Katsuki Masako | Debi Mae West |
| Shikamaru Nara | Shotaro Morikubo | 森久保 祥太郎 | Morikubo Shōtarō | Tom Gibis |
| Ino Yamanaka | Ryoka Yuzuki | 柚木 涼香 | Yuzuki Ryōka | Colleen O'Shaughnessey |
| Chōji Akimichi | Kentaro Ito | 伊藤 健太郎 | Itō Kentarō | Robbie Rist |
| Kiba Inuzuka | Kosuke Toriumi | 鳥海 浩輔 | Toriumi Kōsuke | Kyle Hebert |
| Rock Lee | Yoichi Masukawa | 増川 洋一 | Masukawa Yōichi | Brian Donovan |
