Naruto: Shippuden (season 4)

Naruto: Shippuden (Season 4)

Season 4 Cover
Country of origin Japan
No. of episodes 17
Release
Original network TV Tokyo
Season chronology

The fourth season of the Naruto: Shippuden anime series is directed by Hayato Date, and produced by Studio Pierrot and TV Tokyo. They are based on Part II for Masashi Kishimoto's manga series. The season follows Shikamaru Nara attempting to avenge Asuma's death. The fourth season aired from August to December 2008 on TV Tokyo.[1] It was also released on four DVDs in Japan by Aniplex between January 14 and May 13, 2009.[2] The season was referred to by these DVDs as the chapter of Immortal Devastators — Hidan and Kakuzu (不死の破壊者、飛段・角都, Fushi no Hakaisha Hidan Kakuzu).[3]

On January 2, 2009 Viz Media and Crunchyroll began providing subtitled Naruto: Shippuden episodes.[4] The English dub aired on Disney XD between March 16 and July 23, 2011.[5] Viz Media released the season in two DVD boxes on April 26 and July 12, 2011.[6][7] Manga Entertainment collected it in two DVD boxes with the first one released on July 11, 2011 and the second set on November 7, 2011.[8][9]

The opening themes for this season were "Blue Bird" (ブルーバード, Burūbādo) by Ikimono-gakari to episode 77 and "Closer" by Joe Inoue from episode 78 onward, and the ending themes were "Broken Youth" by NICO Touches the Walls to episode 77 and "Long Kiss Good Bye" by Halcali from episode 78 onward. The broadcast versions from episode 70 to 73 include scenes from the film in the opening themes, while still retaining the original music.

Episode listing

No. Title Original air date English air date
72 "The Quietly Approaching Threat"
"Shinobiyoru kyōi" (忍び寄る脅威) 		August 21, 2008March 16, 2011[10]
Asuma apologizes at the grave of the Third Hokage for not understanding his advice concerning what the "king" he is to protect is. At the hospital, Naruto and Sai recover before the former resumes his training. Tsunade receives a report from Kakashi that the Akatsuki are again on the move. Elsewhere, the Two Tails Jinchuriki, Yugito Nii of the Village Hidden in the Clouds in the Land of Lightning, struggles against Hidan and Kakuzu prior to allowing the Two Tailed Cat to fully manifest. However, Hidan defeats Yugito and the Two Tails with him and Kakuzu knowing their next destination is the Land of Fire. 
73 "Akatsuki's Invasion"
"Akatsuki shinkō" (“暁”侵攻) 		August 28, 2008March 23, 2011[10]
Zetsu arrives to take Yugito away as Hidan and Kakuzu head off for their next assignment, arriving to the Fire Temple where they decimate the monks with Kakuzu recognizing Chiriku as a member of the Shinobi Guardian Twelve and wants to claim the bounty on his head. Chiriku puts up a strong fight, but is ultimately defeated and killed by Hidan. Afterwards, despite Hidan's complaints, Kakuzu sets out to collect the bounty on Chiriku before resuming their mission. Meanwhile, Naruto proceeds to the next step of his training: Cutting of the flow of a waterfall. 
74 "Under the Starry Sky"
"Hoshizora no moto de" (星空の下で) 		September 4, 2008March 30, 2011[10]
As Naruto becomes the second stage of his wind chakra nature training, Tsunade sends out the Niju Shotai, twenty teams composed of four ninja each, to deal with and exterminate the Akatsuki members in their territory. Shikamaru leaves with Asuma, Izumo and Kotetsu, whereas Ino and Choji leave with Raido and Aoba. That night, Sakura cries over her picture of Team 7, and Naruto, after witnessing a shooting star, manages to clear the second stage of his training, but subsequently collapses from hunger and exhaustion almost immediately afterward. 
75 "The Old Monk's Prayer"
"Rōsō no inori" (老僧の祈り) 		September 11, 2008April 6, 2011[10]
Asuma's team arrives at the Fire Temple and mourns Chiriku's death. Izumo realizes that the Akatsuki must be trying to claim the bounty on his head. Elsewhere, Hidan and Kakuzu continue towards the bounty exchange point with the two bantering each other over their opposing ideals. At Ichiraku, Kakashi tells Naruto that he has something up his sleeve that will surprise him. Back at the training ground, Kakashi informs Naruto what the true purpose of his final training regime is to complete the Rasengan. 
76 "The Next Step"
"Tsuginaru suteppu" (次なる段階) 		September 25, 2008April 13, 2011[10]
Kakashi reveals that the Rasengan is an incomplete jutsu as he is not able to combine his own elemental chakra affinity into it, just as its creator, the Fourth Hokage could not do. He then presumes that Naruto might be the first one to be able to do so. Naruto's training increases his stress to the point that the Nine-Tails almost manifests before Yamato manages to suppress it entirely. Meanwhile, Asuma sends word to the other teams about the Akatsuki’s location and proceeds on. Kakuzu eventually reaches the checkpoint and exchanges Chiriku's corpse, explaining to a concerned collector that there is a reason why he and Hidan are partners. 
77 "Climbing Silver"
"Bōgin" (棒銀) 		September 25, 2008April 20, 2011[10]
Asuma’s team reaches the bounty station and ambushes Hidan. Izumo and Kotetsu attack, but are unable to kill him despite stabbing vital organs due to Hidan's immortality. Asuma says that if they retreat, Konoha will be endangered. Shikamaru realizes that Asuma is considering sacrificing himself to help defeat the enemy. Asuma begins fighting Hidan, while Shikamaru distracts him by forcing him to dodge his Shadow Sewing Jutsu. Hidan cuts Asuma on the cheek with his scythe, drinking the blood while drawing a circle of blood on the ground. Asuma then uses a Fire Style Jutsu on Hidan as he steps into the circle, his skin pigment changing while he is engulfed in the flames. 
78 "The Judgment"
"Kudasareta sabaki" (下された裁き) 		October 2, 2008April 27, 2011[10]
Asuma’s Fire Jutsu strikes Hidan, but, to his team's surprise, Asuma gets burnt as well. Hidan then reveals that he is conducting a ritual that allows him to create an empathic link between himself and the one whose blood he swallowed. Asuma rushes at Hidan, but collapses after Hidan stabs himself in the leg, thereby injuring Asuma. Shikamaru realizes Hidan needs to be in the circle for his curse ritual to take effect, and so, uses his Shadow Possession Jutsu to force Hidan to step out of it. As he does so, Asuma is able to use his chakra knife to decapitates Hidan. 
79 "Unfulfilled Scream"
"Todokanu zekkyō" (届かぬ絶叫) 		October 2, 2008May 4, 2011[10]
Despite being beheaded by Asuma, Hidan is still alive yet unable to move his body. Seeing this while his partner humbles himself to request his help, Kakuzu sews Hidan's head back on his body with threads that sprout from his body. Izumo and Kotetsu try to attack Kakuzu, but he manages to grab them both by using his body threads, restraining them and suffocating them as well. Hidan, now able to move again, returns to the circle and stabs himself with the blades of his scythe, and he finishes the ritual by stabbing himself in the chest with another spike, fatally wounding Asuma. 
80 "Last Words"
"Saigo no kotoba" (最期の言葉) 		October 16, 2008May 11, 2011[10]
Asuma is mortally wounded and collapses. Shortly thereafter, Ino, Choji, Aoba and Raido appear as the team's backup. Hidan and Kakuzu prove to be a match for them too, but they're ordered back to the hideout by their "leader" to seal the Two Tails. They retreat, warning the group that they will return. Ino tries to treat Asuma with her medical jutsu, but fails, as Hidan's attacks had damaged his vital organs. Asuma leaves advice for his students, and whispers to Shikamaru the identity of the "king" that Konoha must protect. As he smokes a final cigarette, he dies. 
81 "Sad News"
"Kanashiki shirase" (悲しき報せ) 		October 23, 2008May 18, 2011[10]
Naruto struggles to combine the shape and elemental manipulation in the Rasengan. Elsewhere, the Akatsuki begin sealing the Two Tails, their "leader" revealing the organization's plan to establish a war monopoly while obtaining all nine tailed beasts for their ultimate goal: world domination. Meanwhile, news of Asuma's death reaches Konoha just as Naruto realizes the solution is to use two shadow clones instead of one to stabilize the Rasengan and infuse wind nature chakra into it. 
82 "Team Ten"
"Daijuppan" (第十班) 		October 30, 2008May 25, 2011[10]
A funeral is held for Asuma, but Shikamaru does not attend it, choosing instead to sulk at home. After a careful prodding by his father during a game of Shogi, Shikamaru works through his emotions, and comes up with a strategy to defeat Hidan and Kakuzu. Team 10 visits Asuma's grave before setting out for revenge, but Tsunade stops them, telling them that they need a four-man squad and backup for the mission. But Kakashi volunteers as the leader of the team, when it becomes clear Team 10 has no intention of backing down. 
83 "Target: Locked On"
"Tāgetto Rokkuon" (標的捕捉) 		November 6, 2008June 1, 2011[10]
Tsunade tells Sakura that Team 7 will be Team 10's backup, but only if Naruto finishes his training within 24 hours. Elsewhere, Shikamaru quickly adjusts the team's strategy to include Kakashi and Yugito dies after the Two Tails is fully extracted from her and placed in the Gedo Statue. Hidan and Kakuzu resume their hunt of the Nine Tails Jinchuriki before they are found with Shikamaru pining their shadows with Asuma's chakra knives imbued with his chakra. Using his Shadow Possession Jutsu, he forces Hidan to attack Kakuzu, but Kakuzu dodges the attempt, after revealing that he had secretly detached his arm during Shikamaru's previous attack to remove the chakra knife pinning his shadow. With Kakuzu cornered, Choji then attacks Kakuzu from above. 
84 "Kakuzu's Abilities"
"Kakuzu no nōryoku" (角都の能力) 		November 13, 2008June 8, 2011[10]
Choji's spiked cannonball attack proves ineffective against Kakuzu's special ability, which enables him to harden his skin. In Konoha, Naruto learns more about the five elemental chakra natures and their strengths and weaknesses in relation to each other. Kakuzu gets struck by Kakashi's Lightning Blade right through his heart, but survives and produces four masked entities from his back, one of which dies, as it had been struck by Kakashi. Kakuzu then uses the masks to attack Team 10 with powerful Wind, Lightning and Fire Jutsus. 
85 "The Terrifying Secret"
"Osorubeki himitsu" (恐るべき秘密) 		November 20, 2008June 15, 2011[10]
Shikamaru realizes Kakuzu has five hearts, each of which must be killed to defeat him. He also reasons that separating Kakuzu from Hidan is the only way to defeat them, and, so he uses Shadow Possession Jutsu to lead Hidan into a dense forest. Kakuzu combines two of his hearts into a single entity and prepares to face Kakashi, Ino and Choji to get a replacement heart. At the same time, after taking Hidan into a forest amidst numerous explosive tags, Shikamaru's jutsu is canceled with his opponent appearing to have managed to strike Shikamaru with his spear. Hidan then drinks the apparent spilled blood and prepares to use his curse ritual to kill Shikamaru. 
86 "Shikamaru's Genius"
"Shikamaru no Sai" (シカマルの才) 		December 4, 2008June 22, 2011[10]
Hidan stabs himself in the chest, but instead of mortally wounding Shikamaru, he accidentally destroys another one of Kakuzu's hearts. When demanded an explanation from Hidan about why he still was alive, Shikamaru reveals to have poured Kakazu's blood (that Kakashi had retrieved earlier in a capsule) on Hidan's spear, and so he had killed one of Kakuzu's hearts. He also traps Hidan with his Shadow Possession Jutsu though the Akatsuki member is able to slowly move towards him. Being temporarily incapacitated, Kakuzu's masked beast constructs return to his body with one of them sacrificing itself to become his heart. Just as Kakuzu is about to finish them off with another Fire-Wind Jutsu, New Team Kakashi arrives in time to stop the attack with Naruto and Yamato's Wind-Water Jutsu combo with Naruto apologizing for being late as he and others brace themselves for battle against Kakuzu. 
87 "When You Curse Someone, You Dig Your Own Grave"
"Hito o norowaba ana futatsu" (人を呪わば穴二つ) 		December 4, 2008June 29, 2011[10]
Sakura and Sai leave to help Shikamaru. Hidan attempts to break out of Shikamaru's weakened Shadow Possession Jutsu on him, but Shikamaru reveals he was pretending as he uses another jutsu to pull the explosive tags onto Hidan's body. Shikamaru then opens a trap hole that he had prepared hours in advance while revealing the forest to be a place only members of the Nara Clan can freely enter, explaining that he intends to avenge Asama by burying Hidan in the forest. Shikamaru has a vision of Asuma entrusting his "Will of Fire" to him, and then throws his lighter to ignite the tags on Hidan, with the Akatsuki member's body being blown to bits. Meanwhile, Naruto prepares the new Jutsu that he had been developing: Wind Style: Rasen Shuriken. 
88 "Wind Style: Rasen Shuriken!"
"Fūton: Rasenshuriken!" (風遁·螺旋手裏剣!) 		December 11, 2008July 6, 2011[10]
Naruto attacks Kakuzu with his Rasen Shuriken, but his attack dissipates before he can land a hit. Meanwhile, with Hidan's dismembered remains in the trap hole, Shikamaru uses another explosive tag to fill in the hole over the remains of a dismembered yet living Hidan, ultimately avenging Asuma's death. He is joined by Sakura and Sai, and they head back to the others. Naruto once again creates a Rasen Shuriken, and Kakuzu switches to a long-range mode to counter his attack. As Naruto, with his shadow clones, rush towards Kakuzu, the latter flies over and nails the original Naruto. But this is revealed to be a shadow clone, and the real Naruto manages to lands a critical hit with a second Rasen Shuriken, destroying both of Kakuzu's replacement hearts. 

Home releases

Japanese

Volume Date Discs Episodes Reference
1 January 14, 2009 1 72–75 [11]
2 February 4, 2009 1 76–79 [11]
3 March 4, 2009 1 80–83 [11]
4 May 13, 2009 1 84–88 [11]

English

Viz Media (North America, Region 1 DVD box sets)
Box set Date Discs Episodes Reference
6 April 26, 2011 3 66–77 [6]
7 July 12, 2011 3 78–88 [7]
Madman Entertainment (United Kingdom, Region 2)
Volume Date Discs Episodes Reference
6 July 11, 2011 2 66–77 [12]
7 November 7, 2011 2 78–88 [13]
Madman Entertainment (Australia/New Zealand, Region 4)
Collection Date Discs Episodes Reference
6 July 20, 2011 2 66–77 [14]
7 November 16, 2011 2 78–88 [15]

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ NARUTO疾風伝. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  2. ↑ "NARUTO-ナルト- 疾風伝　不死の破壊者、飛段・角都の章" (in Japanese). TV Tokyo. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
  3. ↑ "Naruto: Shippuden DVD Series Four title" (in Japanese). Neowing. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
  4. ↑ "Naruto.com, Crunchyroll, Hulu Begin Shippūden Streams". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
  5. ↑ "Naruto Shippūden's Main English Dubbing Cast Announced". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  6. 1 2 "Naruto Shippuden Uncut, Vol. 6 (DVD Box Set)". wbshop.com. Retrieved 2011-01-20.
  7. 1 2 "Naruto Shippuden Uncut, Vol. 7 (DVD Box Set)". wbshop.com. Retrieved 2011-04-27.
  8. ↑ "Naruto Shippuden - Box Set 6 DVD". Amazon.com. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Naruto Shippuden - Box Set 7 DVD". Amazon.com. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Naruto Shippuden Disney XD schedule". toonzone.com. December 11, 2009. Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "不死の破壊者、飛段・角都の章 - TV DVD - NARUTO-ナルト- 疾風伝 - アニプレックス" (in Japanese). Aniplex. Archived from the original on August 12, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Naruto - Shippuden: Collection - Volume 6 - DVD". Xtra-vision. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Naruto - Shippuden: Collection - Volume 7 - DVD". Amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Naruto Shippuden Collection 06 (Eps 66-77) - DVD". Madman Entertainment. Archived from the original on March 22, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Naruto Shippuden Collection 07 (Eps 78-88) - DVD". Madman Entertainment. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016.
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