Shonen Beam

[chapter link]

Nice to see Naruto becoming calm as he advances towards mastery of the power available to him, rather than becoming a berserker type. Also, his positivity here is a huge plus. This series got too bogged down in angst and negativity. Hopefully Naruto will soon be strong enough to back up his convictions and return the series to its enjoyable roots.

Assuming Naruto can use Rasengan Barrage outside of his own body, he’s becoming a far more formidable fighter already, even before the upcoming upgrade.

P8: Excellent art, and such ridiculous strength.

P12: What a moment. It’s going to be interesting to see exactly what Naruto will be capable of henceforth. Also, stand by for imminent Naruto re-tiering in our Great Shonen Tier List project.

Cracks are beginning to appear in Kyuubi’s strong facade. For his importance to the story, he’s barely been developed. Naruto’s reassuring statement to him seems to hint at a possible development in both Kyuubi as a character and the symbiosis between the two.

Kushina being the previous Jinchuuriki may not be hugely surprising, but it’s great that we’ll tackle the entirety of the past of Kushina, Minato, and Naruto within this arc. Also, a truth-unveiling flashback is a fitting time for the series to hit chapter 500.

Final Flash: Naruto is firmly back in the echelon of good shonen. Pleased by this chapter and excited for the next.