Naruto Shippuden Episode 196: Drive Towards Darkness
Filler/LOW
OSHIMETER
8.1
61 Fans
5
4
3
2
1
PacingVisualWritingEmo ImpactSoundtrack
OSHIMETER
8.1
61 Fans
5
4
3
2
1
PacingVisualWritingEmo ImpactSoundtrack
QUICK TAKES
master_kohga
The comedy with Naruto pretending to be Sasuke was great but the ending with Sasuke thinking about Orochimaru felt a bit heavy for a filler episode
dr_zager_349
Naruto doing his best Sasuke impression was actually hilarious and it made the whole mission with Naho worth it
sailor_aluminum_seiren_391
Naruto's bumbling attempt to impersonate Sasuke really just emphasized for me how far gone the *real* Sasuke was, swallowed by darkness. It's such a gut punch seeing that Sannin rivalry reflection with Team 7, and I can't shake the feeling they might be trapped in a cycle, fated to repeat the exact same heartbreaking history as Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
cattleya_baudelaire
I didn't expect a filler to actually bother with Sasuke's perspective and his obsession with being stronger than Naruto instead of just being random noise
asuka_langley_181
Watching Naruto act like a cool guy while wearing that outfit was the funniest thing this season and the flashbacks to the hospital roof really showed how far Sasuke fell
toshiro_tempest_105
Sasuke's absolute meltdown when that guy badmouthed the Uchiha name honestly surprised me, like, I totally forgot he still had that raw fury simmering. It really showed me how close he is to the edge and makes me question if he’s ever gonna be able to let go of all that dark history from his clan.
chad_champion
I seriously cracked up seeing Naruto doing his silly stuff, but in Sasuke's clothes! It was such a hilarious sight, and honestly, I really needed that laugh before everything inevitably gets heavy again; it's like the show knows just when to throw in some absurd fun.
yoko_littner_186
Oh my god, finally no more filler, I was getting so antsy! But honestly, I'm kinda glad we got this last one because it really opened my eyes to just how deep Sasuke's jealousy of Naruto ran even back during their early training, it makes so much more sense now why he was always pushing himself so hard.
zenitsu_zap
Sasuke was just completely losing his mind over his clan getting slandered, and honestly, I felt like every single punch he threw had this raw, desperate weight to it because of how unhinged he was getting. It's wild how I still kinda rooted for him, even seeing him go full dark side again.
sophocles_343
Sasuke's brutal beatdown of that guy was genuinely disturbing, and I was pretty frustrated watching Kakashi just stand there, letting it happen for so long. It really drove home how far gone Sasuke was even then, completely consumed by that dark anger. I can definitely see how this was a stepping stone to his later, even more intense obsession.
luck_lightning
My heart literally sank when Kakashi had to intervene, keeping Sasuke from totally crossing that line, and honestly, it just reminded me how much he was losing himself, even before things got *really* dark.
eschuu
I actually thought it was kinda sweet seeing Sasuke save Naho, but then I was totally taken aback by how fast he just lost it when those guys started badmouthing his family. It really shows how deeply his past still affects him, and honestly, it kinda made me feel a little sorry for him even though he was being so intense.
karakasa_kozo
Sasuke's absolute fury, seeing him just lay into opponents with that much raw aggression, honestly made my stomach drop a little. I kept thinking about how far gone he seemed, wondering if he'd ever find his way back to being the Sasuke I remember from before all this revenge messed him up. Plus, the animation was shockingly crisp for a filler, which only made his rage even more unsettling.
setsuna_meioh
It's actually kinda chilling how much Sasuke was starting to echo Orochimaru in this one, I remember just feeling this pit in my stomach realizing that his desperate need to surpass Naruto was twisting him into something ugly, and honestly, it made me really anxious about his future.
cyprine
Naruto attempting to be all suave and brooding like Sasuke for that girl was hilariously off the mark; I couldn't help but laugh at how he totally misses the essence of Sasuke's vibe, just coming across as his usual, loveably awkward self. It really makes me wonder if he even *gets* why Sasuke is popular with girls, or if he just copies whatever he thinks looks cool without understanding the emotion behind it.
near_nemesis_114
Ugh, finally no more filler, what a relief, but honestly, Sasuke going totally ballistic on that random guy just for talking smack about his clan really threw me for a loop; I mean, I know he's got issues, but that raw rage was genuinely unsettling and made me wonder just how far gone he really is.
nanami_nexus
Finally, the filler's over! I was getting so antsy for the actual story to pick up again, and now with the Kage Summit kicking off, I'm genuinely hyped to see what kind of political drama and big fights are gonna go down.
tael
Gah, it really got to me seeing Kakashi have to physically restrain Sasuke, you know? My heart ached for him, having to confront his student as such a threat after all they've been through – it just shows how completely lost Sasuke is now, and it's heartbreaking.
senkaimon_sentry
I was genuinely taken aback by Sasuke's terrifying glare when he defended his clan's honor, honestly, his aggression has just been building up so much lately that I'm starting to worry about how far he'll go.
tatsumaki_tornado
Honestly, Naruto pretending to be Sasuke totally cracked me up, and I really needed that laugh. It felt like a little breather, you know, before everything inevitably goes back to being super serious, which I'm kinda dreading.
EPISODE CONTEXT
Sitting between 'Team 10's Teamwork' and the pivotal 'The Sixth Hokage Danzō' arc, this filler episode acts as a character-driven breather before the story shifts into heavy political territory. It revisits the emotional dynamics within Team 7, providing a reflective pause that thematically bridges the collaborative spirit of the preceding episodes with the darker, more fractured world that lies ahead. No canon material is advanced here, but the thematic groundwork around rivalry and personal darkness loosely echoes what's coming.
QUICK TAKES
master_kohga
The comedy with Naruto pretending to be Sasuke was great but the ending with Sasuke thinking about Orochimaru felt a bit heavy for a filler episode
dr_zager_349
Naruto doing his best Sasuke impression was actually hilarious and it made the whole mission with Naho worth it
sailor_aluminum_seiren_391
Naruto's bumbling attempt to impersonate Sasuke really just emphasized for me how far gone the *real* Sasuke was, swallowed by darkness. It's such a gut punch seeing that Sannin rivalry reflection with Team 7, and I can't shake the feeling they might be trapped in a cycle, fated to repeat the exact same heartbreaking history as Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
cattleya_baudelaire
I didn't expect a filler to actually bother with Sasuke's perspective and his obsession with being stronger than Naruto instead of just being random noise
asuka_langley_181
Watching Naruto act like a cool guy while wearing that outfit was the funniest thing this season and the flashbacks to the hospital roof really showed how far Sasuke fell
toshiro_tempest_105
Sasuke's absolute meltdown when that guy badmouthed the Uchiha name honestly surprised me, like, I totally forgot he still had that raw fury simmering. It really showed me how close he is to the edge and makes me question if he’s ever gonna be able to let go of all that dark history from his clan.
chad_champion
I seriously cracked up seeing Naruto doing his silly stuff, but in Sasuke's clothes! It was such a hilarious sight, and honestly, I really needed that laugh before everything inevitably gets heavy again; it's like the show knows just when to throw in some absurd fun.
yoko_littner_186
Oh my god, finally no more filler, I was getting so antsy! But honestly, I'm kinda glad we got this last one because it really opened my eyes to just how deep Sasuke's jealousy of Naruto ran even back during their early training, it makes so much more sense now why he was always pushing himself so hard.
zenitsu_zap
Sasuke was just completely losing his mind over his clan getting slandered, and honestly, I felt like every single punch he threw had this raw, desperate weight to it because of how unhinged he was getting. It's wild how I still kinda rooted for him, even seeing him go full dark side again.
sophocles_343
Sasuke's brutal beatdown of that guy was genuinely disturbing, and I was pretty frustrated watching Kakashi just stand there, letting it happen for so long. It really drove home how far gone Sasuke was even then, completely consumed by that dark anger. I can definitely see how this was a stepping stone to his later, even more intense obsession.
luck_lightning
My heart literally sank when Kakashi had to intervene, keeping Sasuke from totally crossing that line, and honestly, it just reminded me how much he was losing himself, even before things got *really* dark.
eschuu
I actually thought it was kinda sweet seeing Sasuke save Naho, but then I was totally taken aback by how fast he just lost it when those guys started badmouthing his family. It really shows how deeply his past still affects him, and honestly, it kinda made me feel a little sorry for him even though he was being so intense.
karakasa_kozo
Sasuke's absolute fury, seeing him just lay into opponents with that much raw aggression, honestly made my stomach drop a little. I kept thinking about how far gone he seemed, wondering if he'd ever find his way back to being the Sasuke I remember from before all this revenge messed him up. Plus, the animation was shockingly crisp for a filler, which only made his rage even more unsettling.
setsuna_meioh
It's actually kinda chilling how much Sasuke was starting to echo Orochimaru in this one, I remember just feeling this pit in my stomach realizing that his desperate need to surpass Naruto was twisting him into something ugly, and honestly, it made me really anxious about his future.
cyprine
Naruto attempting to be all suave and brooding like Sasuke for that girl was hilariously off the mark; I couldn't help but laugh at how he totally misses the essence of Sasuke's vibe, just coming across as his usual, loveably awkward self. It really makes me wonder if he even *gets* why Sasuke is popular with girls, or if he just copies whatever he thinks looks cool without understanding the emotion behind it.
near_nemesis_114
Ugh, finally no more filler, what a relief, but honestly, Sasuke going totally ballistic on that random guy just for talking smack about his clan really threw me for a loop; I mean, I know he's got issues, but that raw rage was genuinely unsettling and made me wonder just how far gone he really is.
nanami_nexus
Finally, the filler's over! I was getting so antsy for the actual story to pick up again, and now with the Kage Summit kicking off, I'm genuinely hyped to see what kind of political drama and big fights are gonna go down.
tael
Gah, it really got to me seeing Kakashi have to physically restrain Sasuke, you know? My heart ached for him, having to confront his student as such a threat after all they've been through – it just shows how completely lost Sasuke is now, and it's heartbreaking.
senkaimon_sentry
I was genuinely taken aback by Sasuke's terrifying glare when he defended his clan's honor, honestly, his aggression has just been building up so much lately that I'm starting to worry about how far he'll go.
tatsumaki_tornado
Honestly, Naruto pretending to be Sasuke totally cracked me up, and I really needed that laugh. It felt like a little breather, you know, before everything inevitably goes back to being super serious, which I'm kinda dreading.
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