Ep 88. the Mark of the Leaf

The Mark of the Leaf is the 88th episode of the second season of Naruto, an anime television series based on the manga of the same name written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. In this episode, the Konoha ninja prepare to welcome their hero, Naruto, back from his 3-year training with Jiraiya. However, they soon discover that Naruto has returned with a mysterious mark on his hands that has a connection with the Four-Tailed Beast, Son Goku.

As soon as Naruto reunites with his friends and fellow ninja, they are eager to hear about his training and how he has improved his skills over the past years. Naruto is happy to see all his old friends and show off some of his latest training techniques, including the Rasengan, a powerful spinning sphere of chakra that can devastate anything in its path. However, they soon notice a curious marking on Naruto's hand that looks like the symbol of the Hidden Sound Village, the enemies of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Concerned about the marking, Naruto's old sensei, Kakashi Hatake, examines it closely and discovers that it has a connection with a powerful demon, the Four-Tailed Beast, Son Goku. Naruto is shocked to hear this and wonders how he got it as he does not remember anything about it.

Kakashi decides to investigate the matter further and takes Naruto to the Hokage's office where they meet with the Sand Village's messenger, Temari. She informs them that an organization called Akatsuki is targeting the Jinchuriki, hosts of the powerful Tailed Beasts, including Naruto who is the host of the Nine-Tailed Fox. This organization aims to capture all the Tailed Beasts and use them for their own selfish purposes.

Meanwhile, Sasuke, one of Naruto's old friends and a former teammate, is on a mission of his own to learn new jutsus and improve his skills so that he can defeat his brother Itachi, who killed his entire clan. He meets with Orochimaru, a former leader of the Hidden Sound Village who is known for his evil experiments on humans, and strikes a deal with him. Orochimaru offers to train Sasuke and give him the power he needs to defeat his brother in exchange for his body, as he is seeking a new host to transfer his soul into. Sasuke accepts the offer and begins his training with Orochimaru, determined to become stronger and exact his revenge.

As the story unfolds, Naruto and his friends learn more about the true nature of the marking on his hand and the connection it has with the Four-Tailed Beast, Son Goku. They team up with their allies from the Sand Village and set out on a mission to protect their village and prevent Akatsuki from capturing Naruto and the other Jinchuriki. They face several challenges along the way, including battles with other ninja clans, but ultimately they succeed in their mission and manage to keep the village safe.

Overall, The Mark of the Leaf is an action-packed episode filled with suspense, drama, and friendship. It sets the tone for the rest of the season and introduces new characters and plotlines that keep the viewers engaged and wanting more. The animation and character designs are top-notch, and the voice acting is impressive, making it a must-watch episode for any Naruto fan.