Naruto Anime Analysis

Season 3: Episode 117

Source: Wikipedia
"Losing is not an option!"

"After advancing his cursed seal to its second state and creating a bow and arrow with his webs, Kidomaru begins taking shots at Neji's blind spot. Neji can block the attacks enough to keep them from hitting vital areas, though he is still left heavily damaged by each of Kidomaru's attacks. Ready to finish the battle, Kidomaru prepares his most deadly arrow for use and fires it at Neji. Neji takes the arrow full force, though already aware of his blind spot, and moves at the last second to keep the arrow from piercing his heart. With Kidomaru's arrow connected to him by a web, Neji sends his chakra into the web, paralyzing Kidomaru. As Kidomaru lies helpless, Neji approaches him and deals a finishing blow. His injuries are too severe; Neji collapses, leaving the retrieval of Sasuke up to the others."

Analysis

I will highlight two important scenes in this episode.

1. Kidomaru was analyzing Neji's techniques all this time.

Kidomaru said something crucial. In the episode, he said, "He's got 360 degrees of vision. He can sense all attacks within a 15-meter radius. But for some reason, he wasn't able to evade a few of the kunai." He eventually figures out Neji's weakness. Moreover, intense music plays in the background as Kidomaru says, "He couldn't see them, or rather, his seemingly perfect jutsu has a blind spot. So if one of the kunai hits that blind spot, he can't react. That's what the other justu (rotation jutsu) was for. To compensate for the blind spot in his defence, I analyzed all my attacks and fully grasped the implications of their outcomes. He has a blind spot emulating from a small point that's behind the first elastic vertebrae." Kidomaru's analysis gives the audience a better understanding of Neji's techniques. Moreover, it also shows that Kidomaru has analytic skills.

2. Naruto plays a huge part in this episode.

Neji takes the arrow full force, though already aware of his blind spot, and moves at the last second to keep the arrow from piercing his heart. At this particular moment, an intense piano is playing in the background as it signifies the damage Neji endured from the arrow. Moreover, in this particular scene in the forest, Neji remembers that time when Naruto refused to give up during their match in the Chunin exams, saying, "I vow to win." This influences Neji to continue fighting the battle with Kidomaru.

With Kidomaru's arrow connected to him by a web, Neji sends his chakra into the web, paralyzing Kidomaru. Afterwards, Neji used his gentle fist technique to have the upper hand against Kidomaru. As a result, triumphant music plays in the background until the music stops when Kidomaru falls to the ground. Although Neji damaged some of his organs, he can still move. Moreover, Neji has memories of Naruto refusing to give up when Naruto said that he would define his destiny. Naruto also said that Neji can change his destiny as well. At this moment, Naruto is the one indirectly giving Neji the strength to not give up, hence highlighting Naruto's significance in this episode.

In the other scene with Kiba, Shikamaru, and Naruto, Naruto believes that Neji will catch up because he is a genius. This again highlights Naruto's significance in this episode. As a result, drums start playing in the background. Moreover, it is also followed by an uproar in the background with words like "ha!" and then mixed with a Japanese flute. At that moment, Neji keeps repeating the affirmation, "I cannot lose," as he charges forward into the forest to look for Kidomaru. Afterwards, an electronic guitar plays in the background, and the music intensifies as Neji strikes back at Kidomaru with his gentle fist. Therefore, Kidomaru goes back to normal because he lost a lot of chakra; hence, Naruto's influence on Neji is one of the reasons why Neji had the upper hand in this match.

It is also revealed that Neji had a plan all this time. For instance, he deliberately took the hit of the kunai, and he knew he had a weakness. With each hit he took from the kunai, he used his chakra to analyze Kidomaru's attacks; hence, the music continued to intensify with a Japanese guitar playing in the background. As Naruto said, Neji is a genius because he had a plan all this time.

As Kidomaru lies helpless, Neji approaches him and deals a finishing blow. Neji also said another crucial thing that highlights Naruto's importance in this episode. Neji said to Kidomaru, "Not so long ago, the strongest person I have ever fought out of everyone said to me, 'You can do it too, because after all, unlike me, you're not a failure'." Naruto's words had an impact on Neji, which compelled Neji to not let down those who believed in him.

Neji also said to Kidomaru, "Faith isn't something for you to decide." At that moment, Neji remembers his father saying, "The Hyuga bloodline trait flows stronger in you than in any other member of our clan." Therefore, his father also, in a way, motivated him to not give up.

His injuries are too severe; Neji collapses, leaving the retrieval of Sasuke up to the others. Before he collapsed, Neji believed that Naruto would save Sasuke from the darkness because Naruto had saved him from it. Again, this highlights Naruto's importance in the anime series. 

Naruto has made a huge impact on Neji. At the end of the episode, sad piano music plays in the background as Neji reflects on his memories. For example, his childhood, being a genin, chunin exams, and the village up to the present highlight how the people in the village are important to him, especially Naruto. Afterwards, the episode finishes off when Neji and Kidomaru both pass out on the ground.

The lesson from this episode is that one should not let anyone define their destiny. Instead, they should define their destiny, just like Naruto and Neji.