One of Naruto’s Best Moments Belongs to Shikamaru and Don’t Forget It

It goes without saying that Naruto is focused on its titular hero, but that doesn’t mean the Uzumaki is the only character of importance. The Hidden Leaf Village has plenty of characters worth paying attention to, and some of them have very important roles in the series. That can be said of Shikamaru Nara, and it is time fans remembered the ninja had one of the best lines in Naruto to date.

The moment in question hails from Naruto: Shippuden during one of the show’s darker arcs. After Naruto returns to the village from a training trip with Jiraiya, the stakes are set high for the Hidden Leaf. The Akatsuki is determined to collect all the Bijuu no matter what, and Asuma is one of the first major heroes killed fighting the foes.

Of course, Asuma’s team is none too happy about their teacher dying, and Shikamaru is stricken over the ordeal. This leads him to undertake a mission with his teammates and Kakashi to defeat the Akatsuki members who killed Asuma. While the rest take care of Kakuzu, Shikamaru corners Hidan for an eventual win.

It is there Shikamaru shares his iconic line, and it might be one fans overlooked. The quick moment follows the Hidden Leaf ninja as he traps Hidden in a pit where he will be stuck forever. The Jashinite is terrified by the turn of events, so you can imagine how good it felt for Shikamaru to deliver this line:

“See, you and I have very different beliefs. I believe in the Will of Fire. And that pathetic Lord Jashin or whatever isn’t your God anymore. I am.”

This foreboding line is not something you’d expect from Shikamaru, but the man was changed after Asuma died. The death of his mentor and the looming war twisted the hero into someone else for a moment. So it should come as no surprise Naruto now warns opponents from enraging a Nara lest they face the clan’s wrath.

What did you think about this Naruto arc? Which moments from the anime still stand out to you? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!