Naruto Episode 041 Rivals Clash! The Hearts of the Girls are in Serious Mode

The episode immediately goes into the match between Kankuro and Misumi; but even from the get-go, Misumi ensnares Kankuro with rubber-like arms and legs. Misumi reveals that he can dislocate his limbs and use them freely, and just like a snake, he can strangle his victim to death.

Just then, Kankuro reveals his move, after feigning a broken neck, even the judge had been fooled. Kankuro had replaced himself with his strange-looking marionette, while controlling it from a different place, where his marionette had been before. Kankuro is revealed to be a puppeteer, who uses Chakra to control the puppet’s movements. Almost unbelievably, Kankuro instantly ends the match by breaking Misumi’s bones without hesitation; therefore Kankuro is proclaimed the winner.

The scene then switches to Sakura and Ino in one of the arena’s bathrooms, with some words being thrown at each other. Ino, especially seems to be trying to scare Sakura away from battle; but Sakura is determined and ready to battle.

The next match is announced to begin, this time between Saukra and Ino. This battle begins with Sakura being the underdog of the match. Everyone agrees that this match-up is disagreeable. The match is anything but boring. Both girls fight with each other with seriousness; however, at the end of things, they cannot go 100% against each other, as is shown when Ino just slaps Sakura, instead of a punch in the face. The two realize that they do not wish to fight against one another, as they remember the times in their youth when they were good friends, and weren’t forced to fight.

But now, Sakura realizes that it would only be fair if Ino fought against her with 100% of her abilities, so Sakura gets Ino shaken up by words, coercing Ino to a real battle. Sakura wishes to have a truly fair fight with her Rival. This rivalry is compared tt Sasuke and Naruto, and Gai and Kakshi. A fair fight is the same as respecting one another.

Both girls agree to a fair fight, and so then the real battle begins as the episode ends.