8.5/106 votes#1 - Gaara vs. Rock Lee: The Power of Youth Explodes!
Season 1 Episode 48 - Aired 9/3/2003
The second-to-last match finally arrives! Rock Lee must face down the mysterious and dangerous Gaara, a ninja who is said to have never been truly injured in a fight before.
Director: Toshiyuki Tsuru
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.4/105 votes#2 - Run, Kankuro
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 3/29/2007
Gaara, his strength completely exhausted, is whisked away by Deidara. Kankuro ignores Baki’s efforts to stop him and immediately sets out in pursuit with a platoon to rescue Gaara.
Director: Hayato Goda
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.4/105 votes#3 - Puppet Fight: 10 vs. 100!
Season 1 Episode 26 - Aired 8/23/2007
Sakura and Granny Chiyo are engaged in a fierce battle with Sasori, who is able turn himself into a human puppet. They somehow bring Sasori down within the time limit, but he ends up reviving.
Director: Atsushi Nigorikawa
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.4/105 votes#4 - Impossible Dream
Season 1 Episode 27 - Aired 8/30/2007
Although stung with poison herself, Granny Chiyo uses the last of the antidote on Sakura. Mocking the tender scene between Granny Chiyo and Sakura, Sasori attempts to end Granny Chiyo's life.
Director: Akitaro Daichi
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.4/105 votes#5 - Aesthetics of an Instant
Season 1 Episode 30 - Aired 9/27/2007
Naruto loses all reason to anger and is gradually taken over by the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit. Having been forewarned by Jiraiya, Kakashi narrowly manages to suppress the Nine-Tailed Fox.
Director: Shigeharu Takahashi
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.3/106 votes#6 - The Jinchuriki of the Sand
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 3/1/2007
Gaara is quick to detect Deidara’s presence, and an aerial battle ensues with Deidara on his giant bird and Gaara atop sand.
Director: Kiyomu Fukuda
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.2/105 votes#7 - The Medical Ninja's Student
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 4/26/2007
Sakura treats a critically ill Kankuro. After extensive training she’s now a full-fledged Medic Ninja, and Sakura amazes everyone with her sure, steady hands.
Director: Atsushi Nigorikawa
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.2/105 votes#8 - Naruto's Growth
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 5/17/2007
Guy prepares to use a forbidden secret jutsu. Meanwhile, Naruto falls under Itachi’s genjutsu, and all the anti-genjutsu training he underwent with Jiraiya races through Naruto’s mind.
Director: Mitsutaka Noshitani
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.0/103 votes#9 - Roar, Chidori! Brother vs. Brother!
Season 2 Episode 84 - Aired 5/19/2004
Sasuke remembers the day that Itachi single-handedly wiped out the entire Uchiha clan as he desperately searches for Naruto. However, Itachi and Kisame have already found him.
Director: Tsuyoshi Matsumoto
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.0/105 votes#10 - The Kazekage Stands Tall
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 3/15/2007
Naruto and Sakura defeat Kakashi in the survival challenge. Tsunade assigns them to a three-man squad led by Kakashi, who tells them they are now his equals.
Director: Yuki Kinoshita
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.0/105 votes#11 - Mission Cleared
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 3/29/2007
In order to protect his village from Deidara’s explosive clay, Gaara uses his chakra to create a giant sand shield.
Director: Mitsutaka Noshitani
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.0/105 votes#12 - A Meeting With Destiny
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 5/10/2007
Guy prepares to use a forbidden secret jutsu. Meanwhile, Naruto falls under Itachi’s genjutsu, and all the anti-genjutsu training he underwent with Jiraiya races through Naruto’s mind.
Director: Neko Okuma
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.0/105 votes#13 - Traps Activate! Team Guy's Enemy
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 7/5/2007
Breaking the five-seal barrier set off a trap, which now has Team Guy battling amazingly accurate copies of themselves. Back at the Akatsuki hideout, Deidara and Sasori struggle to take the Nine-Tail Jinchûriki.
Director: Atsushi Nigorikawa
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.0/105 votes#14 - Hiruko Vs. Two Kunoichi!
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 7/19/2007
At last, the showdown between the old woman and her grandson begins. Sakura is confused by Sasori’s strange appearance, and Granny Chiyo explains that this is Hiruko…
Director: Kiyomu Fukuda
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.0/104 votes#15 - The Legacy
Season 1 Episode 31 - Aired 10/18/2007
Relying on Naruto's power, Granny Chiyo performs the Transmigration Jutsu on Gaara.
Director: Shinji Satoh
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
8.0/103 votes#16 - The Tenchi Bridge
Season 2 Episode 39 - Aired 12/13/2007
Yamato disguises himself as Sasori after creating a wood replica of Hiruko, and goes to meet the spy. The spy turns out to be Orochimaru's right-hand man, Kabuto Yakushi, who reveals the location of Orochimaru's current hideout to Yamato. Orochimaru interrupts the meeting, appearing to attack Kabuto, and while it initially appears that Orochimaru has come after Kabuto, Kabuto attacks Yamato and reveals that he is truly loyal to Orochimaru. Orochimaru calls out Naruto, Sakura and Sai from where they are hiding and observing the meeting, and prepares to fight the team.
Director: Masaki Takano
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
7.8/104 votes#17 - The Fifth Gate: A Splendid Ninja is Born
Season 1 Episode 50 - Aired 9/17/2003
The match between Gaara and Lee draws to an end as Lee unleashes his ultimate move. But will even this be enough to defeat Gaara? Even if Lee does make it out in one piece, even more shocking news awaits him.
Director: Mitsutaka Noshitani
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
7.8/108 votes#18 - Homecoming
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 2/15/2007
A figure passes through the gates. It's an older Naruto, who has returned from a long training journey with Jiraiya. Naruto Uzumaki is back!
Director: Masaaki Kumagai
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
7.8/105 votes#19 - The Retired Granny's Determination
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 5/3/2007
Pakkun finds the hideout of the Akatsuki. Team Kakashi and Temari prepare to set out to get Gaara back, but Temari is ordered to stay behind and help guard the village.
Director: Kiyomu Fukuda
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
7.8/105 votes#20 - Three Minutes Between Life and Death
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 8/16/2007
Sakura destroys the Third Kazekage puppet thanks to a secret antidote she had taken.
Director: Masaaki Kumagai
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
7.7/103 votes#21 - The New Target
Season 2 Episode 33 - Aired 11/8/2007
Teams Kakashi and Guy return home to Konoha. As Kakashi rests in the infirmary, Sakura tells Tsunade about the information Sasori gave her as a reward for defeating him. Sasori had a meeting scheduled with a spy from within Orochimaru's ranks in 10 days. 4 days have passed since Sakura received this information, and now Naruto and Sakura need to recruit a new team member to go and investigate. As Naruto searches Konoha for a willing recruit, he meets some of his old friends. Just as Choji agrees to help, Shikamaru, Choji, and Naruto are attacked by a Konoha shinobi unknown to them, Sai.
Director: Masaaki Kumagai
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
7.6/105 votes#22 - Team Kakashi, Deployed
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 4/12/2007
An urgent message from the Sand Village detailing the Akatsuki’s kidnapping of the Kazekage reaches the Hidden Leaf Village. Tsunade wastes no time in ordering Team Kakashi to the Sand Village.
Director: Hiroshi Kimura
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
7.6/105 votes#23 - The Secret Weapon is Called...
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 5/24/2007
Granny Chiyo and Sakura rescue Naruto from Itachi’s genjutsu. Without a moment’s delay, Kakashi begins a counterattack.
Director: Hayato Date
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
7.6/105 votes#24 - The Death of Gaara!
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 6/7/2007
Teams Kakashi and Guy take a short rest. Granny Chiyo watches Naruto dozing off and is reminded of Sasori as a child. The pursuit resumes, and when Chiyo wonders why Naruto puts such effort into...
Director: Masaaki Kumagai
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
7.6/105 votes#25 - Charge Tactic! Button Hook Entry!!
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 6/21/2007
Teams Kakashi and Guy reach the Akatsuki hideout. They hurry to infiltrate but are thwarted by a five-seal barrier. The only way to break the barrier is to remove all five seals at once.
Director: Akitaro Daichi
Writer: Satoru Nishizono
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Satoru Nishizono Ratings Summary
"Gaara vs. Rock Lee: The Power of Youth Explodes!" is the best rated episode written by Satoru Nishizono. It scored 8.5/10 based on 6 votes. It was directed by Toshiyuki Tsuru. It aired on 9/3/2003 and is rated 0.1 points higher than their second-best episode, "Run, Kankuro".