Review: Naruto 583: Who Are You?

Chapter Summary:
Kabuto remembers the time when he and mother aided several Konohagakure shinobi by healing them. He met Orochimaru there for the first time and was asked whether or not he had thought of being a shinobi, to which Kabuto declines. Nonou is later approached by Danzou, Orochimaru and another unknown shinobi, who blackmail her into undertaking an intelligence gathering mission based on the intel they had received that Iwagakure was planning a big attack on Konoha. Taking Kabuto along with them to replace a dead Root member, the young man was sent on several spy mission in different hidden villages inclusive of the Five Great Shinobi Countries. On a mission in Iwagakure, his cover was blown and as he attempted to escape he was confronted by an Iwa-nin. Kabuto attacked the ninja with his chakra scalpel severely wounding them. This person turned out to be Nonou much to Kabuto’s shock as he tried to heal her. She however did not remember him, which devastated Kabuto who ran off and left her as Kitsuchi and another Iwa-nin approached them. Devastated that she did not remember him and wondering who he was, Kabuto is once again approached by Orochimaru who states that Kabuto had become quite the shinobi.

Review:
This is interesting. I thought Kabuto’s flashback was gonna be uninteresting and poorly executed but from the spoiler alone, seeing how he’s twisted by not one but two power-hungry arses, Orochimaru and Danzo, and how “mother” doesn’t recognise him… ow that’s has got to hurt, having your surrogate roots pulled out like that. I actually pity the guy now, a bit more.

I’m reminded of the last time Kabuto was actually struggling between good/bad guy at the start of the Naruto series during the chuunin exams. He tried to kill Sasuke to prevent Orochimaru from taking Sasuke’s body, in a way to stop Orochimaru. I thought he’d really have something good left in him, even though it’s black as hell, but that’s the last time we see that side of Kabuto. That side is so gone now, so I hope the Uchiha brothers put him out of his indecisive misery. Now that I think about it, Kabuto’s character is very similar to another glasses-wearing villain from Saiyuki… come to think of it, a lot of megane characters tend to end up like this.