Naruto has loads of rage moments, loads. His character, arc and development leans into and is built around it.
His anger fuels the demon fox chakra and that since it's made or fueled entirely of hate makes him more angry.
Then when you understand that he's a misunderstood kid, an orphan, broke, has bad luck, not the best of looks and is actually dumb; there's a lot to be angry about actually.
Yet the rage moment in the pain arc is one of the most significant because of just what happened on this arc.
Now after a month + from my last rage anime post I've decided on a better and cleaner way to rate these individual characters rage moments and review them.
It's a simple method, yet effective. I'll rate the rage in these 4 moments.
- Length
- Damage Accrued (to rage victim and/or raging character)
- Emotional Impact
- Validation of Rage.
Now let's begin.
Length
In the manga chapters, this period was just 3 chapters while in the anime it was just one episode which is about 20-25 minutes. In the anime universe time though, the rage moment was about 10-15 minutes.
Yet the animation, voice acting and the feel of the rage would make you realize that sometimes, a shorter rage is a better one.
Damage Accrued
Ohh Pain took damage.
It was clear immediately that the pain was overwhelmed. Six tails kyuubi was no laughing matter and Naruto was ready to go all the way in killing before Minato came in and saved the show.
The rage was well needed to show Nagato, Naruto, the villagers watching and all the fans just how powerful this Jinchuuriki is and the kind of monster they are all playing with.
The damage to Naruto himself is sadly not as much as gone because of Minato's interference.
It is interesting to note that this doesn't happen normally.
Only reason Naruto didn't end up helpless, skin all burnt up and a few minutes from dying without professional medical care after the rage burst was because Minato helped reseal his Bijuu.
Also the fact that he had a shadow clone collecting nature chakra on standby too so he could rejuvenate easily.
Emotional Impact
Naaa, this one hit.
Hinata's death scare was one I didn't expect in this arc.
Everyone was dying!!!
Pain was killing any and everybody.
Every character we and Naruto have grown to love and the one and only love interests from Shizune who was new in that arc to Kakashi that we met in episode 2.
They were all going and gone.
Yet Hinata's death was foul.
It wasn't needed and it was just the ragebait that pain clicked that worked.
The one and only heroine we've paired for Naruto (everybody hates Sakura)
And Pain kills her like a dog on the streets.
Emotional Impact of the rage?
Very very valid!.
Validation of Rage
This part of the review is meant to be something of a blessing to the antagonist or a person raged against.
Cause even though emotionally, the rage is valid; sometimes the rage really isn't valid in the grand scheme of things.
Like Gon and Pitou... Truly, Gon didn't know a kite like that. Not enough for him to sacrifice his Nen and be willing to bet his life just to kill her.
It's in the job description, sometimes people die as a hunter, kite was just unlucky.
Yet here? In this episode?
Pain deserved it like mad!!!
He had killed Jiraiya, Naruto's Father Figure; killed Kakashi, Naruto's sensei; Nearly killed Tsunade and decimated the full leaf village, killing at least 80% of the population, just before Naruto came.
He came back to his village to a wasteland.
Here's the before;
Plus he killed his girl. So yes, pain deserved it all.
And I assure you, the picture isn't doing justice to the rage moments, so just watch the video.
Naruto was throwing hands, tails, chakra, rocks and everything he could lift!
(Best video I could find)
Regardless, I'd give this rage moment a stunning 10/10 on all fronts.