Ep 149: How Is It Different? Don’t All Bugs Look the Same?

Tsunade enjoys a hot spring soak while drinking sake but Shizune shows up and forces her to catch up on paperwork. One report from the Anbu stationed in Earth Country states there is unrest in the Kamizuru clan, a clan of insect users from Hidden Rock Village. Tsunade explains long ago they were as famous as the Aburame clan. There should be few of them left, so there’s no reason to worry. Tsunade crumples up the report and throws it in the garbage.

Naruto observes there are a lot of bugs. Hinata worries about getting stung but Shino has an antidote which he doesn’t want to use since then the Bikouchuu won’t come. The Kamizuru clan is camouflaged against the rocks and recognizes Shino as from the Aburame clan.

Shino shows the team a picture of the Bikouchuu. Naruto thinks he’s seen a mass of them before in his kitchen. The rest of the team tells him he saw cockroaches. The Stone-nins plan to steal the bug from them. Shino uses Mushiyose no jutsu (bug summoning technique) and a web of chakra brings forth many different bugs but not the Bikoushuu. Shino (via his bugs), Kiba (via smell and Akamaru) and Hinata (via Byakugan) have noticed the Stone-nins. Shino decides not to fight since the Bikouchuu might be killed and decides not to tell Naruto. Naruto comes running up saying he found it but the bug in his hand is a helmet beetle. As the sun sets Naruto runs up to the rest of the team saying he found it and it does look like the Bikouchuu but it’s the size of an elephant! Shino says it is a Bikouchuumo which has a vicious personality. Naruto pokes its trunk with a stick and it gets really mad and chases the team and crashes into the Stone-nins.

At night Hinata trains again, but keeps her clothes on this time. She needs to improve her chakra control in order to find small things like bugs. Suzumebachi watches her.

The next morning the team observes it will rain soon so they must find the bug now. When it rains they start spawning and they hatch the next morning. They will be adult insects in 2 days.

Kurobachi asks Suzumebachi what they’ll do if the leaf genins don’t find the Bikouchuu. She says it was the Aburame clan that caused their clan to fall into ruin so she’ll kill them as payback for the clan’s many years of suffering. It starts to rain. Shino comments that the rain dropped the temperature so the plants and animals will be more distinct. She concentrates harder and sees the bug by Naruto. The bug flies away but Naruto defies gravity and catches it. Shino confirms it’s a female Bikouchuu. Naruto’s so excited and happy he hugs Hinata. The bug lays an egg that will hatch in 2 days.

Hinata is alone by the stream when kunais fly toward her. She dodges them and the Stone-nins appear. Suzumebachi uses Hachimichi no jutsu (Bee summoning technique) and bees fly from her body toward Hinata. She manages to cut some with her kunai but honey comes out and binds her body . One real bee stings her neck and she loses consciousness.

Shino and Kiba discuss the enemy while Naruto is waiting for Hinata to return. Kiba grabs Naruto as a kunai with a note barely misses them. It says they have the kunoichi and will exchange her for the Bikouchuu. Hinata is held in some sort of bee hive.

Review: Amusing episode with potential for action in the next episode.

Notes:

Jibachi – blonde guy

Suzumebachi – female, leader

Kurobachi – bearded guy

Thoughts:

"the rain dropped the temperature so the plants and animals will be more distinct" implies the Byakugan works based on heat or infrared radiation.