Source: Wikipedia
“Search for the Rare Bikochu Beetle”
“Naruto is frustrated by Mizuki’s inability to lead him to Sasuke or Orochimaru and begins pestering Tsunade to allow him to look for him. Hinata sympathises with Naruto and suggests trying to find a way to help him. Shino realises that a Bikochu, a very rare insect, could track down Sasuke if it smelled his scent. As Kurenai Yuhi is being hospitalised for injuries suffered during the prison break, Shino is tasked with leading Team 8 to find the Bikochu, and Naruto joins as the fourth member. It is also revealed that Hinata is practising a new defensive technique and has nearly mastered it.”
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Analysis
The following analysis will examine a mix of hope, humour, and suspense. It will also look at:
Naruto’s determination to find Sasuke
More details about the Bikochu insect.
Hinata’s new defensive technique
Sakura’s determination to become a medical Ninja
The Mysterious Shinobi
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Naruto’s determination to find Sasuke
Naruto is frustrated by Mizuki’s inability to lead him to Sasuke or Orochimaru and begins pestering Tsunade to allow him to look for him. In this episode, Team 8 visits Kurenai at the hospital. Shizune informed Kurenai that, despite Tsunade interrogating Mizuki, he doesn’t know the whereabouts of Orochimaru. This frustrated Naruto to the extent that he kept pestering Tsunade, which caused her to go to the hospital to avoid him. However, Naruto was also there, and that’s when he came face-to-face with Hinata, the rest of Team 8, and Lady Tsunade. Tsunade explains to Naruto that they don’t have any leads on Orochimaru or Sasuke. It shows Naruto’s determination to bring Sasuke back because he considers him a brother, and he is willing to keep his promise to Sakura to bring Sasuke back. Therefore, Naruto remains relentless and caring toward the people he values most in his life.
We are also shown a glimpse of Neji training with Hinata’s father at his place. While they took a break, Hinata’s father said something worth noting. He said that it was a shame that Hinata was not there to observe Neji. He believes it would be of great help to her because it could improve her training. Moreover, while Neji is training with Hinata’s father, she trains with her comrades, Shino and Kiba. It makes one think, why isn’t she training with her father? Why is she training with Team 8 instead? It’s probably because she doesn’t have confidence in herself as a Shinobi yet, and her father might feel she’s not ready. Henceforth, he wants her to observe his training with Neji in hopes that it will help her improve.
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The Bikochu insect
Hinata sympathises with Naruto and suggests trying to find a way to help him. Shino realises that a Bikochu, a very rare insect, could track down Sasuke if it smelled his scent. As Kurenai Yuhi is being hospitalised for injuries suffered during the prison break, Shino is tasked with leading Team 8 to find the Bikochu, and Naruto joins as the fourth member. More details concerning the insect are revealed through dialogue when Team 8 visits Tsunade at her office.
Tsunade: From what I’m told, they died off ages ago.
Shino: When it became clear that they were close to extraction, the Abarami clan immediately stopped using them so that the remaining few might survive.
Shizune: Lady Tsunade, what are these beetles exactly?
Tsunade: To be honest, it’s no big surprise you haven’t heard of them. The Bikochu hadn’t been put into use since before the last of the great wars. They are species of beetles used by insect handlers. Once their larvae are hatched, they quickly move into the crystal’s phase and emerge as full-grown imago. They then familiarise themselves with specific scents so that they can later track them. No matter how faint that scent has become, their olfactory perception is several thousand times greater than that of ninja hounds. Their usefulness in espionage is hardly dismissed. However, the Bikochu only lays eggs once every several years.
Shino: It just so happens that this is that year, and this is the season that they hatch.
Tsunade: Well, what do you know?
Kiba: And I’m betting Sasuke left most of his stuff behind, didn’t he?
Hinata: If we expose one of these Beatles to his scent,
Tsunade: Then it will hopefully lead us straight to Sasuke’s current location.
Team 8 nods
Tsunade: What’s the probability of finding one now?
Shino: Frankly speaking, not very high; maybe around 10%
Tsunade: A whopping 10%, huh? As you all know, the situation in the village is grey now. I don’t have the luxury of letting my Genin lounge around and play; however, fortunately or unfortunately, Kurenai has been hospitalised, which leaves Squad 8 without a mission. But what will sitting around get us? I’d rather put my money down on that 10% chance.
Kiba: Huh, you mean?
Positive music plays in the background with a mix of electric guitar, drums, Japanese chants, and Japanese guitar.
Tsunade: Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka and Hinata Hyuga, your orders are to go seek out the Bikochu.
Team 8: Got it!
Shino: I’m designating Shino as a leader, and as for you, you lousy little snake!
Tsunade tossed a kunai at the ceiling, and it was revealed that Naruto was hiding there. He falls to the ground.
Hinata: Naruto.
Tsunade: You’ll go no matter what I do, right?
Naruto: You got it!
Tsunade signs: I guess there’s no point in trying to stand in your way. All right, this is your last chance; you got me. If you don’t come back here with that beetle in your toe, you’re going to give up on Sasuke once and for all. Are we clear?
Naruto: Not a problem; I’ll find you that bug without fail.
Tsunade: Good! I’m holding you to that, okay?
Naruto (upbeat): Ha! No sweat, lady; I got this one in the bag!
The music stops playing in the background.
As is evident in the dialogue, Naruto and Team 8 need to find the Bikochu beetle. Even though the probability of finding the Beatles is 10%, it is their only clue in attempting to find Sasuke. Naruto remains positive and relentless, believing that he will find the beetle no matter what.
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Hinata’s new defensive technique
It is also revealed that Hinata is practising a new defensive technique and has nearly mastered it. After they meet with Tsunade, everyone goes home and gets ready to prepare for their mission. At Hinata’s place, she lets her father know about her mission. He responds by saying, “Try not to be a burden to those around you if you’re able to help it.” In this case, her father gives her tough love. He only wants the best for his daughter to become a shinobi, hence why he said those words. Moreover, when she was about to leave, she almost bumped into Neji. However, she quickly maintained her composure, as is evident by Neji’s words, “Her response was so quick.” It seems her training is paying off; she is aware of her surroundings, and her response is quick. Therefore, it means that when she is faced with attacks, she will be able to deflect those attacks easily. What is the new defence technique? This will probably be revealed in the next episode.
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Sakura’s determination to become a medical Ninja
While Naruto and Team 8 left the village, Sakura remained behind in training. Tsunade wonders why she didn’t want to go with them. However, Sakura is mainly focused on becoming a medical ninja as fast as she can, hence the element of change in Sakura. The old Sakura would have left to find Sasuke in a heartbeat. Yet, the new Sakura is setting her priorities straight. She knows if she had left with others, she would not be of any help and probably would have been a burden. Therefore, her training as a medical ninja will prove to be fruitful in the future.
There was also a bit of humour in this episode. For instance, when Team 8 and Naruto slept during the night, Hinata woke up and went to a waterfall. After a while, Naruto gets up and goes outside, and, in the process, he is amazed to see a mysterious woman at a waterfall. When he wanted to greet her, the mysterious woman vanished, and later it was revealed to the audience that it was Hinata who was taking a bath.
The next day, Naruto tells Kiba that he saw a waterfall with a beautiful woman standing in the middle of it. While he was describing what happened, Hinata’s face turned red, and Naruto wondered why her face was red, thinking she might be sick. Naruto hasn’t realised that the mysterious woman is Hinata, and as the audience knows, Hinata has a crush on Naruto, which makes us cackle a bit.
We also see a sense of humour when Team 8 and Naruto find fruit to eat. Shino warns them not to eat the ones the size of a human being because they are not safe to eat. However, Naruto ends up eating one of them, which causes him to have a runny tummy. This scene is hilarious to the extent that when he thought he was done taking a dump, his tummy started acting up again, and his pants fell. Hinata looks away, while Kiba just sighs. Moreover, during the night, Hinata gets up to train, which shows her determination to perfect her skills as a shinobi.
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The Mysterious Shinobi
After two days of travelling, they reached their destination, the Forest of Bikochu. Suspicious music starts to play in the background when enemies are spying on them. A dialogue takes place among them.
First Man: There is no mistake; those are Leaf Shinobi
Second Man: They are not passing through, though. There’s only one reason why they would come here.
The Woman: Yeah, the same reason we are here. The Bikochu,
First Man: They are not taking a single one.
The Woman: Because all of the bikochu belong to the Kamizuru clan.
The episode ends with suspense. Who are the Kamizuru clan? This will be revealed in the next episode.
The lesson from this episode is that when you’re determined to get what you want, sometimes you will get it, just like Naruto did when he kept pestering Tsunade to find Sasuke until she eventually gave him the go-ahead to travel with Team 8.
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and then Add to home screen.