Ep 159: An Enemy of Friend!? The Bounty Hunter of the Desert!

Kiba runs with Akamaru while Naruto and Hinata sit for a picnic. Hinata has made food in the shape of Naruto! The three are on a mission to capture a thief. Naruto replaces Shino who is away on another mission. They are to capture Gosunkugi who stole the Tea Country’s feudal lord’s Misogi. He is currently hiding out in Stone Country.

Naruto finally takes a bite of his riceball even though he thinks it’s weird to eat something that looks like himself. It’s good and he tells Hinata she’ll make a good wife someday. She blushes deeply.

The team arrives at the first outpost town in Stone Country. As they walk through the town, people stare. Akamaru jumps to the ground and growls at something. Naruto throws a kunai, but it’s only a wanted poster of Gosunkugi for 3 million ryou. The team enters a bar to ask for info but the bartender says they have to be customers so Naruto orders ramen and Kiba orders a cheeseburger and milk. The bar patrons laugh and the bartender gets mad. Naruto takes out his wallet to show he has money, but then a big bald guy tries to take his wallet. Naruto kicks him in the head and then the other bar patrons start to gang up on them but one stands up and asks the bartender for milk saying it’ll be the fat bald guy’s treat. The bald guy attacks but his sword gets sliced in half and he's knocked out. The man says he was Manaka Michizou, a wanted bounty. He gives the bounty to the bar tender to pay for the milk and table repairs then leaves. The team follows him and compliment his skills and speed. He tells them about bounty hunting then Naruto shows him a picture of Gosunkugi. The man says he is a major A-rank criminal who’s killed hundreds of people just to steal. Naruto tells him they are ninja from Konoha assigned to capture him.

The man Sazanami, offers to treat them to food and Naruto and Hinata ask for ramen while Kiba asks for a cheeseburger. But it’s the desert and there’s nothing around! The guy plans to kill them so he can get Gosunkugi by himself. He grabs Hinata from behind. Kiba uses Geju ninpou, hikyaku no jutsu (Ninja Art, beast imitation technique). The man knocks out Hinata then clashes with Kiba. He disappears and then appears behind Kiba. He knocks out Kiba and then Akamaru (who never transformed). Only Naruto is left and he uses kage bunshin. The clones attack but the man cuts through them quickly with his sword. Naruto comes from under and behind the man but he knocks Naruto out with the hilt of his sword.

At night the man follows Gosunkugi and his gang. Naruto’s team finally wakes up They head back to town but can’t find the bountry hunter. Akamaru indicates a path leading to the mountain. The bounty hunter catches up to the gang, but Gosunkugi throws nails in the air. The nails sink into the ground and he performs a seal for ninpou, yoraishin:ninja art, god of the night’s lightning. Sazanami steps forward onto a nail. Nails fly from the ground, cutting his body. Naruto shows up and performs kage bunshin to surround them. The gang withdraws. Sazanami collapses to the ground. The team takes shelter in a hut and cares for him. Kiba notes that Gosunkugi is a shinobi. Another bountry hunter crashes in. Naruto and Kiba beat him up and he runs off. Naruto recognizes him from the bar. He leaves behind a wanted poster for a man named Toukichi who killed three family members. He has a mark on his chest the shape of a bird. Hinata points out Sazanami has that mark.

Review: A Naruto western, could be interesting.

Notes:

Misogi = (a tool used for self reflection in) a shinto purification practice

Stone Country, as opposed to Hidden Rock Village in Earth Country

ryou = an ancient form of currency from pre-Meiji Japan; translations claim 3 million ryou is 3 billion U.S. Dollars in modern day currency; but that's probably present day value. In the Naruto world it should be about $30,000 based on the cost of Naruto's ramen, 100 ryou = $1

Geju ninpou, hikyaku no jutsu = Ninja Art, beast imitation technique

Ninpou yoraishin = ninja art, god of the night’s lightning

Thoughts:

Naruto’s team wakes up hours after Sazanami hits them, longer than other times facing shinobi.

Apparently Kiba is unable to catch Sazanami's scent and he's not a shinobi!