Ep 6. Sakura Blossoms!

Sakura Blossoms! is the sixth episode from the second season of Naruto, which is an anime television series based on the manga series of the same name. The episode debuted on February 25, 2003, and was directed by Hayato Date and written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa. The episode is approximately twenty-two minutes long and features both comedy and action.

The episode follows the fallout of the previous episode, "Lee's Hidden Strength: Forbidden Secret Jutsu!" where Rock Lee, another member of Team 7, took on Gaara of the Sand, a powerful ninja from the Sand Village. The fight ended with Lee being severely injured, and it is revealed that he might never be able to be a ninja again. Sakura is especially affected by the news, as she has a crush on Lee and has been training with him for several weeks.

The episode opens with Sakura, who feels powerless in the situation, despondently training alone. Meanwhile, Naruto and Sasuke, her teammates, are busy with their own missions. Naruto is chasing after Lee in an attempt to bring him his favorite kind of flowers (cherry blossoms), while Sasuke is pursuing Gaara, determined to avenge Lee's defeat.

As Sakura wanders the village, she sees the cherry blossoms in full bloom, and it reminds her of a time when she was a little girl. Her parents took her to see the blossoms, and she wished for something that had come true. She remembers how they disappeared before she could make another wish and becomes sad, realizing that Lee might not be able to see them this year as well. In the meantime, Naruto manages to find Lee and tells him that he needs to see the cherry blossoms.

The episode then switches to Gaara, who is still recovering from his fight with Lee. He is fascinated by the people of the Hidden Leaf Village, and one of his subordinates, Temari, tells him that they are planning something for the upcoming Chunin exams. Anxious to learn more about the village, Gaara agrees to participate in the exams.

Back in the village, Sakura is approached by Ino, one of her former friends who is now a rival in love. Ino, worried about her, tries to lift Sakura's spirits by reminding her of their childhood dreams. Sakura finally finds the strength to move on and decides to visit Lee in the hospital. Upon reaching there, she meets the Sand ninja who had fought and defeated Lee earlier. She is immediately on her guard, but the ninja turns out to be a medical ninja who wants to help.

The medical ninja tells Sakura that Lee can be saved but requires a vital operation, and for that, he needs someone with a blood type compatible with Lee's. For an unknown reason, Lee's blood type is unknown, which makes it difficult to find a compatible donor. Both Sakura and the Sand ninja volunteer to donate blood, but only one of them is needed. After a test, Sakura finds out that her blood type is not compatible with Lee's, and the Sand ninja, who had accompanied her, undergoes the operation.

After the successful operation, Lee wakes up, and the episode ends with him taking one of Sakura's hands and looking out of the window at the cherry blossoms. Sakura realizes that she has to let go of her feelings for Lee and accepts him as a friend. Naruto and Sasuke bring some cherry blossoms to Lee, and they all take in the beauty of the blooms.

Overall, Sakura Blossoms! is an emotional and uplifting episode that showcases the strength of friendship and the beauty of nature. It also introduces new characters and sets up an important plot point for the upcoming Chunin exams. The animation and music are both excellent, and the voice acting is top-notch. This episode is a must-watch for Naruto fans and anime lovers alike.