"Naruto's Favourite Pupil" (ナルトの愛弟子, Naruto no Manadeshi) is episode 234 of the Naruto: Shippūden anime.
Synopsis[]
Konohamaru, Udon and Moegi are training to prepare for the Fourth Shinobi World War, with Konohamaru perfecting his new technique — Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning. After asking Sakura how they could aid in the war effort, she makes them carry and stock boxes. Konohamaru, wanting something more important to do, leaves with his team ranting. They approach Shikamaru, who asks Konohamaru who the "King" he must protect is and writes the kanji for 'king' on a stone shaped like a shōgi piece and gives it to him. Konohamaru then goes to see Tsunade for permission to join the front lines, who outright refuses and tosses him out.
Team Ebisu then spots Temari, who has arrived to deliver a message from Suna as well as check on the state of Konoha following Pain's assault. Konohamaru decides to engage in combat against Temari, introducing himself and claiming to be Naruto's favourite pupil. However, Temari uses her Sickle Weasel Technique to easily dispel Konohamaru's Ash Pile Burning technique as well as his Multiple Shadow Clone Technique. Temari insults Naruto, and in anger, Konohamaru rushes toward her with his Rasengan. Shikamaru, who had been alerted of the battle earlier by Moegi and Udon, uses his Shadow Sewing Technique to save Temari from being struck by the Rasengan. Temari is shocked that Konohamaru mastered such a devastating technique and tells Konohamaru that he would be a fine shinobi someday, and that she would report to Gaara about Konoha's new generation. Meanwhile, Moegi tells Konohamaru that as genin, their duty is to protect the children and seniors of the village, and Konohamaru realises that they are the "king" he is to protect, and declares to Shikamaru that he would fight Naruto for the title of Hokage one day.
Shikamaru reports the outcome of the battle to Tsunade, who is reminded of her little brother Nawaki, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Konohamaru; in addition, they both proclaimed themselves as future Hokage who would protect Konoha as grandsons of the former Hokage. Nawaki also reminds her of Naruto, and she wonders what Naruto may be up to now.
Trivia[]
- In this episode, Shikamaru uses the Shadow–Neck Binding Technique in a similar manner to the Shadow Sewing Technique. This is most likely an animation error.
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 |
| Konohamaru | Ikue Otani | 大谷 育江 | Ōtani Ikue | Colleen O'Shaughnessey |
| Moegi | Noriko Shitaya | 下屋 則子 | Shitaya Noriko | Wendee Lee |
| Udon | Tomo Shigematsu | 重松 朋 | Shigematsu Tomo | Kate Higgins |
| 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 |
| Shikaku Nara | Hiroshi Yanaka | 家中 宏 | Yanaka Hiroshi | Jonathan Fahn |
| Kotetsu Hagane | Tomoyuki Kono | 河野 智之 | Kōno Tomoyuki | Liam O'Brien |
| Izumo Kamizuki | Tomohiro Tsuboi | 坪井 智浩 | Tsuboi Tomohiro | Richard Cansino |
| Temari | Romi Park | 朴 璐美 | Paku Romi | Tara Platt |
| Nawaki | Yumiko Kobayashi | 小林 由美子 | Kobayashi Yumiko | Brianne Brozey |
| Sōta | Mariko Mizuno | 水野 マリコ | Mizuno Mariko | Stephanie Sheh |
| Mom | Ikuko Watanabe | 渡辺 育子 | Watanabe Ikuko | Kate Higgins |
