Summary:

Starts off with Naruto telling Kiba that Kakashi said that "elite ninja should be able to talk" refering to Akamaru. Pak-kun was able to say Kakashi’s name at four months old. Akamaru thinks of Pak-kun in diapers with a graduation hat and pacifier. Akamaru tries to speak but sounds like a cat. Finally he yaps out Happy New Year!

Actual episode starts off with Neji using his jyuuken and hitting Kidoumaru multiple times at various tenketsu points, counting to 64 strikes. Kidoumaru is hit so hard he crashes through a tree. When the dust clears, Kidoumaru has a mask covering his face and a golden substance all over his body. He had covered himself with the same substance that came from his mouth. Neji realizes that attacking his pressure points won’t work. Kidoumaru thinks that his spider bind won’t work and he can’t engage in close combat because of the jyuuken so he has to attack at range.

Kidoumaru drops a kunai with an exploding tag which misses Neji, but it was just a distraction. He shoots out a number of spikes (Kunais formed from his mouth) but Neji uses hakkeshou kaiten (divine whirl) and deflects all of them. Kidoumaru notes that Neji used chakra to deflect a physical attack.

Neji suddenly turns around and flings a kunai at Kidoumaru who is shocked that Neji can possibly see him. Kidoumaru activates his cursed seal. Neji notes that he’s like a different person and his chakra activity is overwhelming. Kidoumaru notes that Neji was able to avoid his attack from the back and knew where he was hiding which means he has a wide field of vision and is able to see through. Kidoumaru performs a seal for kuchiyose no jutsu (summoning technique) and a huge spider appears. The spider produces a monstrous egg sac. Kidoumaru cuts it open and hundreds of spiders drop down on Neji! Neji uses kaiten to deflect the spiders but after a while he slows down. Kidoumaru throws another spike at his back, but Neji releases chakra at the last minute to deflect it. Neji notes that he tried to stop the chakra spin with a chakra web. He cuts the web but thinks that if he can’t use kaiten he will have to dodge each one.

Kidoumaru releases a large number of spikes but Neji jumps up to avoid them, but more spikes are shot up at him. He avoids those as well with a nice back flip, but more spiders are released. Neji uses hakke rokujuu yonshou and starts striking at all the spiders, but there are too many and he switches to hakke hyaku nijuu hachi shou (divine 128 strikes). Now he’s hitting the spiders at super speed! But there are too many and he can’t use kaiten because of their web. Kidoumaru throws more spikes and this time one cuts Neji’s right shoulder. He notes that Neji was unable to dodge one spike. More spiders drop down. Neji takes a stance to prepare to use his jyuuken but a spike hits him from the back. He was unable to see this one. More spikes and spiders fly toward him but Neji is able to dodge them though he loses his hair band. But as Kidoumaru predicts, two spikes hit him in the back. Kidoumaru taunts Neji saying how his defense was to compensate for his weakness. Neji stands up on shaky legs. Kidoumaru calls him trash and Neji has a flashback to him beating up Lee, insulting Hinata, and arguing with Naruto.

The giant spider drops down on Neji but he uses jyuuken to force chakra into the spider and it explodes. Then a large number of spikes fly toward Neji. This time Neji is down with six spikes protruding from his back. Neji stands up again. He managed to avoid being hit in a vital area. Kidoumaru activates stage 2 of his cursed deal.

Sakon and Tayuya comment on Kidoumaru’s penchant for playing around. Tayuya calls him an octopus. Sakon says if he goes to stage 2 his opponent will be given an instant death.

Kidoumaru aims a huge bow and arrow at Neji!

Review:

Some good action and byakugan analysis.

Notes:

Kidoumaru explains that his Kumo nenkin is a metal that instantly hardens when it comes out. It doesn’t let chakra pass through and can be secreted from the sweat glands.

Kidoumaru analyzes Neji’s abilities to include 360 degree vision, penetrating vision and telescopic vision, and able to perceive attacks within a 50 meter radius.

Thoughts:

No conservation of matter here – where is all that metal coming from? Chakra apparently has the power to transmute substances.