"My Friend" (友よ, Tomo yo) is episode 71 of the Naruto: Shippūden anime.
Synopsis[]
After seeing Sora in his four-tailed form, Kazuma states that his job is done and attempts to flee, but is pursued by Asuma. In the woods, Asuma attempts to strike Kazuma, only for the latter to keep evading. However, Kazuma is stealthily bound by three ink snakes, created by Sai, who had left the hospital when he heard the commotion in the village. Kazuma breaks out of Sai's binds and attempts to rush at Asuma, but Asuma stabs him with his chakra blades. As Kazuma dies, Asuma spots his white Land of Fire sash, recalling Sora's words about how the only thing he could remember about his father was his spotless white sash.
Meanwhile, Naruto attempts to get through to Sora, who keeps attacking him. Sakura attempts to jump in and heal him, but Sora fires a Tailed Beast Ball. While Yamato protects himself, Team Asuma, Kiba, Akamaru and Rock Lee with his Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall, Naruto shields Sakura's body with his own. He tells Sakura to standby until he can save Sora from the Nine-Tailed Fox's spirit, and asks Sakura to heal him first. However, Sora's body is not strong enough to contain the fox's chakra and rejects it. As the chakra is expelled from Sora's body, it takes on the monstrous shape of a fox's head; however, without a host body to take over, the chakra dissipates. Sora is restored to his human self, although he is unconscious. Naruto attempts to wake him up, and Sora manages to hear Naruto and recalls their interactions. As Sora wakes up, Naruto proclaims that Sora could now go home. Sora tells him that he has no home, and Naruto tells him that Konoha is his new home, filled with his new friends. The other Konoha shinobi surround Sora and smile, leaving Sora happy for the first time in his life. Sai also shows up, asking to join, but Naruto rebuffs him, causing everyone to laugh.
After Sora and Naruto are discharged from the hospital, Sora tells Naruto, Sakura and Yamato that he is departing Konoha in order to travel the world and try to make friends. He tells Naruto that he has finally thought of a name for him in the afterlife, which irritates Naruto, who had just learned what the afterlife meant. However, he asks Naruto to convey his well wishes to Asuma. Elsewhere, Asuma and Shikamaru play a game of shōgi where they discuss the king of Konoha. Shikamaru states that it is the Hokage, and Asuma tells him that he once thought the same thing, but that Shikamaru would one day learn otherwise.
Elsewhere, two members of the Akatsuki, Hidan and Kakuzu, track down a woman in Kumogakure. Hidan attempts to strike her with his Triple-Bladed Scythe but misses, and Kakuzu warns his partner not to take the woman lightly, as she is the Two-Tails' jinchūriki.
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 |
| Sai | Satoshi Hino | 日野 聡 | Hino Satoshi | Benjamin Diskin |
| 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 |
| Hidan | Masaki Terasoma | てらそま まさき | Terasoma Masaki | Chris Edgerly |
| Kakuzu | Takaya Hashi | 土師 孝也 | Hashi Takaya | Fred Tatasciore |
| Yugito | Mie Sonozaki | 園崎 未恵 | Sonozaki Mie | Wendee Lee |
| 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 |
