The Best Episodes Directed By Masaaki Kumagai

#1 - Ah, the Medicine of Youth

Season 9 Episode 186 - Aired 11/18/2010

Back before Rock Lee had his surgery, Naruto, after donning the suit given to him by Guy, set out on a mission with Sakura and Ino to obtain a special flower which was a necessary ingredient for Lee's medicine. When Naruto picked one of the flowers, however, he had to face a strange technique that had taken on the form of Gaara.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Daisuke Watanabe

#2 - Sai's Day Off

Season 11 Episode 238 - Aired 12/1/2011

Given the day off, Sai spends it strolling the village and drawing. He initially encounters three children that he at first finds it difficult to interact with but later realises that two of them remind him of his team-mates Naruto and Sakura. He has several flashbacks of their time together and the bonds they share. In the end he uses the doors of a destroyed house and paints a mural of Team 7 along with Sasuke holding hands.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Yasuyuki Suzuki

#3 - The Fourth Hokage's Death Match!

Season 12 Episode 248 - Aired 2/9/2012

Minato is forced to use his Flying Raijin jutsu and leave his wife Kushina behind to save their newborn son, Naruto, from a masked assailant.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Junki Takegami

#4 - User of the Scorch Style: Pakura of the Sand!

Season 13 Episode 285 - Aired 10/25/2012

A group of Allied Shinobi, including Omoi and Maki of the Sand, battle against several reanimated enemies. Maki recognizes one of them as Pakura, her former master who was a Sand Village hero.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Katsuhiko Chiba

#5 - Power - Episode 2

Season 13 Episode 291 - Aired 11/29/2012

The reborn Team Kakashi continues to investigate the recent attack by Kabuto and the reincarnated shinobi when Naruto gets swallowed by a giant snake, but manages to escape using shadow clones, and accidentally ingests snakes that were present in the pond which Kabuto uses to summon Hidan.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Toshiyuki Tsuru

#6 - The Secret of the Transportation Technique

Season 15 Episode 342 - Aired 12/12/2013

Having absorbed the chakras of all nine Tailed Beasts, the Gedo Statue begins its transformation into Ten Tails. Naruto, Killer Bee, Kakashi, and Guy try to destroy the Gedo Statue but are stopped by the masked man.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Shin Yoshida

#7 - Orochimaru's Test Subject

Season 16 Episode 353 - Aired 3/6/2014

While pursuing Orochimaru, Kakashi wanders into a village inhabited by the Iburi Clan, a group of people with the unique ability to turn into smoke. Kakashi is soon captured and learns that the villagers all serve under Orochimaru.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Yasuyuki Suzuki

#8 - The Ties That Bind

Season 17 Episode 364 - Aired 6/5/2014

The Allied Shinobi Forces begin their onslaught against Obito and Madara. But Ten Tails suddenly transforms and hurls powerful Tailed Beast Bombs toward distant towns.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Shin Yoshida

#9 - Pain to the World

Season 8 Episode 162 - Aired 5/27/2010

Pain confronts Tsunade and questions her about Naruto's whereabouts. Tsunade argues with Pain about his motives, but Pain soon gets the info he needs from another source. Before preparing to depart, Pain unleashes a devastating attack on the village! Meanwhile, Naruto prepares to return to the Leaf Village, but he may be too late.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Shin Yoshida

#10 - Something to Fill the Hole

Season 17 Episode 372 - Aired 8/14/2014

Ten Tails is on the brink of its final transformation and begins to form a massive Tailed Beast Bomb.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Katsuhiko Chiba

#11 - The Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant

Season 6 Episode 133 - Aired 10/29/2009

Jiraiya realizes that the six Pains are all ninja he's met before. Putting various pieces of information together, Jiraiya figures out Pain's true identity, but Pain doesn't intend to allow Jiraiya to leave with that information alive. Elsewhere, the fated meeting between Itachi and Sasuke arrives, and Sasuke foresees Itachi's death.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Junki Takegami

#12 - Origin of Pain

Season 8 Episode 173 - Aired 8/12/2010

Nagato reveals the truth about what happened to Yahiko and what made him disregard Jiraiya's ideals. With his story done, he demands to hear Naruto's answers. Will Naruto's answer be enough to convince Nagato to stop his evil plans, or will Naruto be forced to kill Nagato?

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Masahiro Hikokubo

#13 - War Begins

Season 12 Episode 262 - Aired 5/10/2012

Kankuro’s commando unit enters enemy territory to set up a stronghold for the Allied Shinobi Forces. They are immediately ambushed by the Akatsuki’s own commando unit comprised of the reanimated Deidara and Sasori.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Shin Yoshida

#14 - A Will of Stone

Season 15 Episode 332 - Aired 9/26/2013

The Five Kage are outmatched by the real Madara Uchiha’s devastating attacks. Just when Third Tsuchikage Ohnoki is about to give up, he remembers the words of the previous Tsuchikage.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Yasuyuki Suzuki

#15 - Pursuing Hope

Season 18 Episode 383 - Aired 10/23/2014

Naruto's past, thoughts, and feelings flow into the consciousness of every shinobi, unifying their hearts.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Katsuhiko Chiba

#16 - Madara Uchiha Arises

Season 18 Episode 391 - Aired 12/11/2014

Naruto and the Allied Shinobi Forces successfully extract the Tailed Beasts from Obito. Only Madara remains, and Naruto heads out to tackle this foe.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Yasuyuki Suzuki

#17 - Connecting Thoughts

Season 20 Episode 470 - Aired 8/4/2016

Before Naruto and Sasuke can attempt to seal Kaguya away, she transports Sasuke into a different Time-Space. Obito realizes that Kaguya’s ability to travel through Time-Space is similar to Kakashi’s and his own Visual Prowess. Obito and Sakura team up and begin the search for Sasuke.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Katsuhiko Chiba

#18 - The Sixth Hokage Danzo

Season 10 Episode 197 - Aired 2/10/2011

Naruto and Sakura learn that Danzo has been made Hokage and that his first order is to eliminate Sasuke. The two go to Sai and inquire about Danzo, but Sai reveals that a curse mark given to all members of the Foundation prevent him from revealing anything about the new Hokage. Soon afterward, Karui and Darui attack them, demanding information about Sasuke.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Katsuhiko Chiba

#19 - The Unbreakable Mask and the Shattered Bubble

Season 15 Episode 324 - Aired 8/8/2013

Naruto and Killer Bee face off against the masked man originally thought to be Madara Uchiha, in addition to the reanimated Jinchuriki. Naruto is shocked when he recognizes one of the Jinchuriki.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Junki Takegami

#20 - The Wanderer

Season 7 Episode 144 - Aired 1/21/2010

After failing to bring back Sasuke, the Leaf ninja start heading back to the Hidden Leaf Village. Tsunade, however, sends Katsuyu to inform them that the barrier of Mount Katsunagi of the Tsuchigumo Clan, which holds a powerful forbidden jutsu, is broken. While Kakashi and Team 8 head back to the Leaf Village, Team 7, lead by Yamato, must check out what events are taking place.

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: Junki Takegami

#21 - Things that Go Bang in the Night

Season 1 Episode 39 - Aired 1/1/1991

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: N/A

#22 - Moomin Builds a House

Season 1 Episode 45 - Aired 2/14/1991

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: N/A

#23 - The Treasure Hunt

Season 1 Episode 52 - Aired 4/4/1991

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: N/A

#24 - The Secret Dish

Season 1 Episode 56 - Aired 5/2/1991

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: N/A

#25 - Witch-Walking

Season 1 Episode 62 - Aired 6/13/1991

Director: Masaaki Kumagai

Writer: N/A