This was an excellent filler episode and connected the show to the Naruto Road to Ninja Movie. They did a good job bringing in the emotion of the movie. It would have been nice if it was more detailed, but still nice.
2 Reviews
The Other side of Road to Ninja
tomasmmc-771988 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This filler episode was done incredibly well to complete the story of the movie Road to Ninja. In the film, Naruto and Sakura are sent to another dimension by Tobi, who was making a test for the Infinite Tsukuyomi. There they meet all their friends who behave different than normal. Naruto also finds his doppelganger Menma, a different version of himself, more cold and dark. But this episode shows what happened to the Sakura of that world during the events of the movie. Turns out that she was misteriously sent to the actual world, and Ino found her lying on the woods. Here, Ino took her with Tsunade and Shizune, who diagnosed amnesia. But Sakura-2 has no amnesia, she simply remembers the different versions of each character. She notices the differences of breast size between Tsunade and Shizune, both get offended and try to hit her. Comic relief. Then, Ino takes Sakura with her parents, but they went out. So, Ino took her to Naruto's house, but he is not present (as he was with the real Sakura on the Tsukuyomi universe). Plus, Sakura-2 can't remember Naruto because Ino doesn't know that in the other dimension he is called Menma and his personality is different. Still, Ino had a good idea by taking Sakura-2 to Naruto's house, she knew both they were usually together, he surely could have helped. Then, Ino mentioned Sasuke, but Sakura-2 recognized the name because in her dimension he is a womanizer. When they went to see their friends, though they tried to help, wasn't possible. Comedy situation: Sakura-2 made them act like the way he remembers them (Kiba as a cat lover, Shino as someone obsessed and fearful of insects, Shikamaru as dumb, Neji and Lee as perverts who scared her, Hinata dressing seductively, Choji being serious). They did it thinking it would help her memory. When they return her home, which Sakura-2 doesn't remember, her parents Mebuki and Kizashi Haruno, arrive after shopping near a bridge's store. Ino is glad to see them, but Sakura-2 feels heartbroken, loses her necklace and runs away. Ino reaches her after a while, and Sakura-2 tells that she is not from this world and then, realizes she lost her necklace. When Kizashi and Mebuki catch them, he thinks a joke hurt his daughter, as Sakura-2 remains shocked. When he gives her back the necklace she lost, which is identical to his necklace, she remembers: the night of the incident (which seemingly occurred in another time given Sakura's age), Kizashi gave the necklace to his daughter before going with his wife outside to face the danger outside. She was merely a kid, and was saddened seeing her parents leave. So now that she sees them alive, she rushes to hug them. They are surprised but comfort her. Later, when they leave, Sakura-2 explains Ino that she is not the Sakura she knows, she belongs to other world. Ino doesn't under4and still thinks her memory is wrong. Sakura-2 is glad that they are friends on this world too, and then, surprisingly disappears. Ino is stunned and wonders where is the real Sakura then.
Overall was a nice filler given the connection to the movie Road to Ninja. Was great to see some of Sakura's parents. She wasn't written as deserved during the first part of Naruto, and though in Shippuden the character had a great development until the finale, there were flaws on her story. One was that her parents were never shown on canon material. She lived with them as she was 16, but Naruto never was showed to meet them, same as Ino or the others. All the other characters had well known parents, but not Sakura. It's bad, a mistake from Kishimoto. The co protagonist deserved more, a better background story. At least here they were showed as intense but good hearted loving parents. And for what it looked in the other dimension, Mebuki and Kizashi Haruno are actually shinobis, but with unknown power. They surely must be chunin, like Iruka, and that's why they were not relevant on battles and the storyline. I really liked the movie Road to Ninja, so this episode is well done too. Comedy for one side, showing a true friendship between Sakura and Ino, and a nice emotive part with an orphan Sakura-2 from another dimension, who was glad to see her parents alive. I liked also Ino's protagonism, she was pretty forgotten in Shippuden. Another character who deserved more, considering she is the daughter of Inoichi Yamanaka.
Overall was a nice filler given the connection to the movie Road to Ninja. Was great to see some of Sakura's parents. She wasn't written as deserved during the first part of Naruto, and though in Shippuden the character had a great development until the finale, there were flaws on her story. One was that her parents were never shown on canon material. She lived with them as she was 16, but Naruto never was showed to meet them, same as Ino or the others. All the other characters had well known parents, but not Sakura. It's bad, a mistake from Kishimoto. The co protagonist deserved more, a better background story. At least here they were showed as intense but good hearted loving parents. And for what it looked in the other dimension, Mebuki and Kizashi Haruno are actually shinobis, but with unknown power. They surely must be chunin, like Iruka, and that's why they were not relevant on battles and the storyline. I really liked the movie Road to Ninja, so this episode is well done too. Comedy for one side, showing a true friendship between Sakura and Ino, and a nice emotive part with an orphan Sakura-2 from another dimension, who was glad to see her parents alive. I liked also Ino's protagonism, she was pretty forgotten in Shippuden. Another character who deserved more, considering she is the daughter of Inoichi Yamanaka.
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