Ep 187: Practice!! Konoha's Moving Center

Three ninja watch over Nano Country plan to take it over.

Tsunade worries about only having Naruto, Hinata and Chouji left for the mission. It’s only a personal guard duty but she wants to send a good team since the head of Nano Country helped her out before and was patient about her debt. Tsunade recalls a cute princess and two ninja boys who wanted to marry her (Tsunade).

A group of people travel up a mountain while Naruto runs ahead followed by Hinata and Choji. He’s excited about the mission but Chouji says it's just a guard accompaniment mission, but Naruto plans to elaborate the story. They arrive at the group peddlers. Hinata hands them a bundle to prove they are from Konoha. It turns out to be robes with “Konoha Moving Center” on the back. Their mission is to help the peddlers move.

Choji eats even as he pushes the cart but he shares his chips with a little girl. Naruto argues with Shun, a young man who claims to be weak and doesn't help push the carts.

During the rest break Momiji’s grandmother shows them her dowsing rods used to find water and other objects.

Nano Country is a small country in the mountains but the peddlers were chased out during a war.

Momiji sees smoke from far away in the direction of Nano Country. Naruto goes to investigate while Chouji continues with the group.

Momiji is out of chips, but Shun offers her some if she tells him what she saw. She tells him about the smoke from Nano Country.

Naruto is attacked with shuriken as he tries to read a map. Two ninja attack Naruto’s clones as he runs to report to Hinata and Chouji.

Hinata wonders why pursuers from Nano Country are searching for this group since the peddlers are not originally from Nano Country. Naruto talks about fighting back but Hinata points out there are women and children with them. Chouji suggests changing their path since they are probably just headed in the same direction as what the enemy is searching for.

The three ninja from the beginning complain about the small treasure of Nano Country and mention that the little girl is their only problem since she may come back with military support from another country. A man comes in and tells them he has gathered the collaborators. He was the one who helped them take over. Screams are heard from the plaza – all the collaborators were killed. But the leader of the three, Renga also kills the man who helped them.

At the main road the peddlers take a side path. Kikusuke tells Yurinoshi to take care of “Haruna” while he slows down the pursuers - 3 jounin with unusual techniques.

Hinata set up traps just in case.

Kikusuke is confronted by Ruiga (the one with the tonfa). Kikusuke is actually a ninja who specializes in flower techniques from Nano Country. Flowers in the field turn to shuriken, but they are deflected by the tonfa. Kikusuke then tries hana inipo, hyakko seihou (flower ninja arts, a hundred blooming flowers) and ninpo kyouka sai (ninja arts, maximum cutting flowers) made from gunpowder swirl around Ruiga but he dispells it (genjutsu?) but then fiery rays fly from above. Hana ninpo, hyakka ryouran (flurry of a hundred flowers fire) strikes him but Ruiga is unaffected, protected by a large water bubble. Now it's Ruiga turn as he announces suiton seibun houfutsu (water cannon replica) and balls of water emerge from the ground.

Review: The three ninja brothers seem pretty ruthless, which is good. The flower techniques were rather inventive.

Notes:

Renga = oldest criminal brother

Ruiga = youngest criminal brother

Sanzo River = similar to the river Styx

Nano Country = Vegetable or Greenery Country

Momiji = the little girl

Kikusuke = older brother

Yurinoshin = younger brother

Haruna/Shun = young guy

hana ninpo, hyakko seihou = flower ninja arts, a hundred blooming flowers

ninpo kyouka sai = ninja arts, maximum cutting flowers

hana ninpo, hyakka ryouran = flurry of a hundred flowers fire

suiton seibun houfutsu = water cannon replica

Thoughts:

Another girl masquerading as a guy. Another feudal lord assassinated. A job with a high turnover rate.