Back in Konoha, Sakura's mom tells Sakura to bring some sweets to Ino's place.  She then thinks about giving some to Sasuke and Naruto.  She then remembers to a while ago when Naruto was asking Kakashi to teach him Chidori.  It was then when Sakura thanked Sasuke for saving her from Gaara, but Sasuke tells her that it was Naruto who saved her.  He used all his strength to save her.  She is slightly happy at the thought.  She then decides to definitely stop by Naruto's place to give him some sweets. 

Sasuke is training in the woods.  He's thinking about how Naruto is becoming much more stronger than him.  Somewhere on a cliff, Kisame and Itachi talk about Jiraiya.  They say that even if both of them attack, Jiraiya would kill them both.  Naruto and Jiraiya stop by a temple.  Naruto ask about the Fourth as a student.  Jiraiya mentions that he was trained by the Third.  Naruto then gets tangled up.  Jiraiya ask Naruto if he went through the bell training since Kakashi taught him stuff.  Naruto tells Jiraiya that he was the one tied up to the log.  Jiraiya is surprised since he was also the one tied to the log when the Third had him go through that training.  He then remembers that he fell for every trap.  Tsunade mocks Jiraiya when he is tied up.  The Third tells her and Orochimaru to go home and he talks to Jiraiya.  He tells Jiraiya he should be more like Orochimaru.  Jiraiya complains that Sarutobi talks too much about Orochimaru.  He also says that he has never been caught peeping with his cloaking techniques.  Sarutobi then says that he'll have to come next time.  Jiraiya then calls him a pervert.  Jiraiya laughs at the memory.  Naruto fixes the bells and wonders what Jiraiya was laughing at. 

In Kakashi's room, all the Jounin talk about Itachi's movements.  They hush when Sasuke comes in, but another ninja comes and blabs about it.  Sasuke immediately heads to Naruto's place.  He finds Sakura, but Naruto isn't there.  He thinks that if Itachi finds Naruto, then Naruto is dead.  Sasuke goes to the ramen place to ask.  The ramen guy says that Naruto left with Jiraiya.  Sasuke then leaves to track down Naruto.  Jiraiya and Naruto find a place to stay.  Just as they check in, a hot girl shows up and entices them.  Jiraiya tells Naruto to go up to the room and practice molding chakra.  Sasuke arrives in the village and finds a place that said a blond kid with a white-haired man were staying.  When he goes up to the room, he finds that it wasn't Naruto and Jiraiya.  Someone knocks on Naruto's door.  He opens it and finds Itachi in front of him.

Shoju's Rating: 8.5/10 - This whole episode only covered chapter 144 of the manga.  There were tons of filler added in to stretch the episode.  I think that's perfect.  I really think they need to up the filler amount now so that they won't unnecessarily catch up to the manga.  A forced ending is worse than a couple dozen filler episodes in my opinion.
One thing I really liked about this episode was that Sakura gained a lot of respect for Naruto.  This is episode is last time Sasuke will actually be concerned about Naruto's well being.

Shoju's Rating: 4.5/10 - I hate Sasuke.  Itachi is a bit less annoying, but he hasn't done enough to get a real opinion from me.  The manga is barely back to including some information about him so I might be able to make up mind about Itachi soon.

Shoju's Rating: 8/10 - Tsunade is finally heard.  It's not what I expected, but I like it.  Jiraiya's techniques are all interesting.

Shoju's Rating: 8.5/10 - It's Tsunade's first full appearance, and she is animated perfectly.  Rasengan also makes its first animated appearance, and I think it looks great.  I thought it would be a yellow-ish color though.

Shoju's Rating: 8.5/10 - I like the fatherly relationship Jiraiya shows to Naruto, but he really should show it more often.

Jiraiya shows Naruto that he has the same mark on his hand as the mark he just drew on Naruto's hand.  He explains why he drew it by using a piece of paper.  Naruto goes back to training, while Jiraiya goes back to gathering information.  The morning after the next day, Naruto complains to Jiraiya about not having any "master-apprentice bonding."  Naruto throws a ball at Jiraiya and he catches it in his mouth.  Jiraiya finally gets a lead when he finds the gamblers that Tsunade last lost to.  Tsunade is shown gambling at a slot machine and she's actually getting triple 7s.  She has a bad feeling since she's winning so much.

Naruto takes a break and is reminded of Jiraiya's funny face when he caught that ball in his mouth.  He then remembers back to when he was at the ninja academy when Iruka tried to teach him about concentration.  Naruto smears the mark and makes it into the Konoha leaf and he tries making the rubber ball pop again.  Naruto finally succeeds and fully pops the rubber ball.

Orochimaru makes his appearance in front of Tsunade.

Shoju's Rating: 7.0/10 - Nothing noteworthy happens really.  Jiraiya's bit with the ball was funny though.

Orochimaru tells Tsunade that he's been looking for her everywhere.  Tsunade then notices that he's sick for some reason.  Tsunade asks about what Orochimaru did to get his wounds.  He just says that he got it when he killed the Third.  Tsunade is a bit surprised.  Orochimaru says that she shouldn't be surprised since all people have to die one day.  Tsunade already has lost two of her loved ones.  Shizune then tries attacking them, but Kabuto is able to defend against her attacks.  Tsunade commands Shizune to stop, and she tells Orochimaru to stop joking around.  She then hits the wall behind her and it completely crumbles.

Jiraiya and Naruto finally reach Tanzaku City. 

Kabuto tells Tsunade that they came here to negotiate.  Tsunade just keeps telling them to get lost.  She begins counting down from 5.  Before she reaches 0, Orochimaru tells her that he can revive her brother and lover with a forbidden technique he developed.

Jiraiya and Naruto go to a gambling hall to see if they can locate Tsunade.  They have information, but Jiraiya has to gamble for it with dice.  Later, Naruto wins some money with a fortune slip.

Tsunade ask what Orochimaru will do after she heals his arms.  He says that he'll crush Konoha.

Shoju's Rating: 8.0/10 - In the manga, the scene where Tsunade hits the wall looks much more badass than the same scene in the Anime.  They could have made it better, but it's still a very nice scene.

Kabuto wants an answer.  Shizune tries to reason with Tsunade as she remains silent.  She suddenly snaps and tells her to shut up.  Kabuto then says she has a week to give an answer, and that the technique will require sacrifices if she wants that deal.  Orochimaru then bites his finger to make it bleed.  Tsunade starts trembling because she has a fear of blood.  Orochimaru and Kabuto then leave.  By the time Jiraiya and Naruto arrive Tsunade and Shizune are gone.

Later that night, Jiraiya and Naruto finally find Tsunade in a bar.  Tsunade mumbles that she's been meeting old acquaintances today.  Jiraiya knows it was Orochimaru and asks what happened.  Tsunade gives a quick stare at Shizune and says he just said hello.  Tsunade wants to know what Jiraiya wants from her.  He tells her that the village wants her to be the Fifth Hokage.  Naruto chokes on his food as soon as he hears it.  Jiraiya asks her if she had heard about the Third.  She tells him that Orochimaru told her himself about it.  Naruto then goes off asking a bunch of questions.  Jiraiya then tells him to be quiet.

Jiraiya asks again if she will accept the job.  She says she refuses.  Naruto makes another outburst.  Jiraiya says that only she is qualified to be the Fifth.  Tsunade then says that only idiots bet their lives so easily.  Jiraiya notes that she has changed quite a bit.  Tsunade then insults the Hokage title by saying only an idiot would want it.  That remark pushes Naruto over the edge and tries to hit Tsunade.  Naruto says that anyone that disrespects the Third or Fourth deserves to be punched in the face even if it was a woman.  Tsunade tells him to step outside.

Tsunade says that all she'll need against Naruto is a single finger.  Naruto goes at her, but she easily evades and knocks him back with a single flick of her finger.  Tsunade asks him why he cares about the Hokage title.  He tells her it's his dream to take that title.  She gets distracted and Naruto uses that opening to try to hit her with a Rasengan.

Shoju's Rating: 8.5/10 - In the bar, when Jiraiya is talking to Tsunade about her being chosen to be the next Hokage, that card playing between the two of them was filler.  That had to be the weirdest filler so far.  I have no idea why they put that in there.
 

Later, Shizune goes to Naruto's room to tell him more about Tsunade.  She tells him about her little brother and her former lover.  Naruto then goes off to train.

Jiraiya goes to have a drink with Tsunade.  He says that he thought that she would've given away that necklace in a bet already.  He asks if Naruto bothers her since he's so much like her little brother.  He then asks if she's going to meet Orochimaru again.  He says that he could tell by Shizune's face.  Tsunade should know about the ideals of all the Hokages.  If she should ever betray Konoha, Jiraiya will kill her himself.  Tsunade tells him to stop lecturing her.

The next morning, Jiraiya wakes up with a headache.  He sees that Naruto didn't come back last night.

Shoju's Rating: 8.5/10 - My favorite scene in this episode was when Jiraiya said that he would kill Tsunade if she ever betrayed Konoha.

Jiraiya is shown leaving what looks like a whore house.  He sees that Naruto hasn't come back at all since he made the bet.  Shizune finds Naruto passed out.  Jiraiya invites Tsunade to go out for a drink.  As they drink, Tsunade slips something into Jiraiya's sake.  When she gets back, Shizune brings her to check on Naruto.  She says that he just needs some sleep.  Shizune pleads with her to not go to Orochimaru tomorrow.  She says that she'll stop her if she goes.  Tsunade then knocks her out and leaves her in Naruto's room.

The next morning, the barkeep find Jiraiya completely out of it.  As Kabuto and Orochimaru go out to meet Tsunade, Orochimaru tells Kabuto to go kill Shizune.  He then remembers back to the Chuunin Exam where Orochimaru tells Kabuto that if he wants to stop him, he has to kill Sasuke.

Naruto wakes Shizune, who is surprised that he's even up.  As Shizune tries to leave through the window, Jiraiya stops her.  He tells them that Tsunade has drugged him and he can't mold chakra very well.  When Kabuto arrives, he retreats back because Jiraiya is with Shizune.  Jiraiya tells Shizune to tell him about what happened.  Shizune says that she'll explain on the way there.

Tsunade says she'll heal his arms, but not to touch the village.  She begins walking towards him.  Kabuto arrives and watches them from afar.  Just as she is about to heal his arms, Kabuto throws a kunai between them.  They both jump back.  Orochimaru is surprised that Tsunade would turn on him.

Shoju's Rating: 9.0/10 - They could have added a little more stuff to make it plausible that Kabuto might betray Orochimaru.

When Jiraiya's group arrive, Orochimaru and Tsunade are nowhere to be found.  Naruto finds Tsunade coat and Tonton leads the way towards her after a quick whiff.

Kabuto eats a food pill and readies himself to attack Tsunade.  He goes at her and is able to cut some of her muscles with chakra.  He is able to get an attack on her chest, but it's not enough.  She gets him with an attack that makes his nervous system go haywire.  Tsunade takes the time to heal herself, but Kabuto is able to figure out how to move with the new nerve paths.  He tries to attack her, but Jiraiya and company arrive.

Naruto is surprised to see Kabuto.  Tsunade pushes Jiraiya aside and attacks Kabuto.  Kabuto is able to defend long enough to get a kunai out and make himself bleed.  Tsunade is overcome with fear and Kabuto punches her.  Kabuto tells Naruto that he has no talent like Sasuke.  Naruto is nothing compared to the Sannins around him, and if he decides to interfere, Kabuto will kill him.  Naruto tries to attack Kabuto and makes shadow clones.  Kabuto easily defends and eats a blood replenishment pill.  Jiraiya tells Shizune to take Kabuto while he get Orochimaru.

Shoju's Rating: 9.3/10 - I loved Tsunade's scene in the beginning where she tells Orochimaru why she made her decision.  I think they took out the reference to Tsunade's fat tits that was in the manga when she was fighting Kabuto.  Too adult of a joke for the kids I guess.

Jiraiya and Kabuto use the summoning technique, but Jiraiya only summons Gamakichi while Kabuto summons two huge snakes.  Orochimaru notices that something is wrong with Jiraiya.  It looks like Tsunade had planned on using him as a sacrifice.  Naruto gets mad at them for making fun of Jiraiya and tries to summon also, but he too can't summon anything but the little brother of Gamakichi.

Orochimaru and Kabuto go to attack.  Naruto gets eaten by one of the snakes.  Jiraiya summons a swamp to trap the snakes, but it isn't big enough to completely disable them.  Kabuto is able to disable Shizune's legs.  Naruto is able to get out of the snake's mouth, but he is whipped against a rock.  Jiraiya uses a technique to make his hair needle sharp, but Orochimaru just extends his neck and bites onto Jiraiya's neck.

Kabuto walks up a scared Tsunade and starts kicking her.  Orochimaru says to him, Naruto is ordinary.  To Jiraiya, Sasuke is no fun because he learns things too quickly.  Jiraiya says that the most important talent for a ninja to have is not techniques, but the will to never give up.  Naruto protect Tsunade from Kabuto's punch, and tries to attack him with Rasengan.  Kabuto dodges and hits Naruto's leg with his chakra scalpel.  Kabuto begins to taunt him.  He says that Naruto should just run away.  Kabuto then begins kicking him, until Naruto pushes his leg out of the way.  Naruto stands up, but Kabuto hits his chakra scalpel across Naruto's neck.  Naruto stands yet again and tells Tsunade that he's going to win the bet.  He makes a single shadow clone and waits for Kabuto to attack.  Tsunade yells for Naruto to stop protecting her and to just run away.  Naruto grabs Kabuto's hand so he can't go anywhere.  Naruto's clone begins concentrating the chakra onto Naruto's free hand with both of his hands.  Naruto then thrusts it into Kabuto when it's finished forming.

Shoju's Rating: 10/10 - There were a lot of good fight scenes.

Shoju's Rating: 10/10 - This was a very nice one-hour special to end the arc.  Time for the filler to start!  ^_^