15th Feb 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!

15th Feb 2007

Naruto and Sakura team up and challenge Kakashi to a survival challenge to show off their progress.

22nd Feb 2007

Naruto’s and Sakura’s combined skills force Kakashi to use his Sharingan right off the bat. Naruto masterfully unleashes his jutsu one after another.

1st Mar 2007

Gaara is quick to detect Deidara’s presence, and an aerial battle ensues with Deidara on his giant bird and Gaara atop sand.

15th Mar 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.

29th Mar 2007

In order to protect his village from Deidara’s explosive clay, Gaara uses his chakra to create a giant sand shield.

29th Mar 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.

12th Apr 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.

12th Apr 2007

On her way to the Sand Village, Temari encounters Kakashi and his team. Kakashi admonishes Naruto when he tries to rush ahead…

19th Apr 2007

The Sand ninja fight against time to treat Kankuro. Even the Sand’s poison expert, Granny Chiyo, is baffled. The only hope lies with the reinforcements sent by Tsunade.

26th Apr 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.

3rd May 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.

10th May 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.

17th May 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.

24th May 2007

Granny Chiyo and Sakura rescue Naruto from Itachi’s genjutsu. Without a moment’s delay, Kakashi begins a counterattack.

31st May 2007

Chiyo and Kakashi realize that the attack was just a diversion, and that the Akatsuki have already begun the process of extracting the Tailed Beast from Gaara.

7th Jun 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...

21st Jun 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.

5th Jul 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.

19th Jul 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…

26th Jul 2007

Granny Chiyo and Sakura manage to expose Sasori, who amazingly looks no older than he did twenty years earlier.

2nd Aug 2007

Sakura is caught by Sasori’s tactic and surrounded by a poison cloud.

2nd Aug 2007

Chiyo and Sakura take cover, and Sasori wastes no time unleashing a ruthless attack.

9th Aug 2007

Sakura counters the Iron Sand attack of the Third Kazekage puppet with superhuman strength.

16th Aug 2007

Sakura destroys the Third Kazekage puppet thanks to a secret antidote she had taken.

23rd Aug 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.

30th Aug 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.

13th Sep 2007

Team Guy senses the result of the Sakura and Granny Chiyo’s desperate struggle while still in battle with his deadly copy. Although Guy’s team members are showing fatigue, their copies remain strong!

27th Sep 2007

Sakura hurries to get to Naruto with Granny Chiyo, who is suffering from the poison. The members of Team Guy rush to assist Team Kakashi. Meanwhile, with all preparations complete, Kakashi reveals his Mangekyo Sharingan.

27th Sep 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.

18th Oct 2007

Relying on Naruto's power, Granny Chiyo performs the Transmigration Jutsu on Gaara.

25th Oct 2007

Gaara and his rescuers make a triumphant return to the Hidden Sand Village.