Recaps

Aizen orchestrated the Third Kazekage’s death, using the resulting turmoil to draw Sunagakure and Iwagakure into war with Konoha while building alliances and preparing his plans. As the fighting began, Minato confronted the Hyuga Clan and attacked Hyuga Soshi.

• Aizen traveled to Sunagakure with Minato and Ulquiorra, where Minato tested Sasori’s puppets before Aizen welcomed Sasori into his plans.
• Aizen and Sasori ambushed the Third Kazekage on his journey to Iwagakure, and Aizen killed him while Sasori retrieved the body.
• Sunagakure announced the Third Kazekage’s disappearance, and Aizen met with Ōnoki to arrange an alliance in exchange for the Five-Tails.
• Sunagakure and Iwagakure declared war on Konoha, Chidong became the Fourth Kazekage, and Kinnara and Yahiko learned that Aizen’s plan had succeeded.
• Konoha and Kumogakure formed an alliance as the great villages prepared for war, while Minato continued training with Jiraiya.
• Hyuga Soshi and Namuie led Hyuga and Cloud forces across the border to attack Rock and Sand outposts, while Nanli Hu warned Rock Ninja about Sosuke’s past battles.
• Minato, Ulquiorra, and Sasori appeared before the allied forces, and Minato confronted Soshi over the Hyuga Clan’s treatment of him.
• Minato revealed that his Caged Bird Seal was gone and struck Soshi, while Sasori blocked Namuie and the Cloud Ninja from intervening.

Aizen expanded Las Noches by recruiting Hyuga Sotsugu, Sasori, and Barragan while securing the Five-Tails’ power. After revealing his deception to Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru, he let them escape and hinted that Tsunade’s coming surprise could bring disaster to Konoha.

• Minato killed Hyuga Soshi’s followers, took Soshi’s Byakugan, and presented it to Aizen, while Aizen freed Sotsugu from the Caged Bird Seal and tasked him with uniting the Branch Family.
• Aizen sent Sotsugu toward Konoha and directed Minato, Sasori, and Ulquiorra against the Cloud Ninja, then secured Iwagakure’s support by accepting Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Aizen used Han’s Yin Release Chakra to summon Barragan, whose power had been stripped away, and Ulquiorra defeated him and became commander of the Espada.
• Nawaki fought Barragan with Wood Release and the Thousand-Armed Buddha, but Aizen stopped Barragan from finishing him and ordered Las Noches to prepare to take over the world.
• Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya escaped a Rock Ninja ambush, only to encounter Aizen, who revealed that Sosuke had been a false identity and that he had manipulated them.
• Jiraiya summoned Fukasaku and prepared to use Sage power, while Orochimaru faced Aizen and Tsunade reeled from the revelation.
• Aizen let Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru leave, invited Orochimaru to join his search for power, and warned that a surprise for Tsunade could bring disaster to Konoha.

Aizen maneuvered the Rock, Sand, and Mist forces toward war with Konoha while old allies confronted what his departure meant. As the invasion neared, Teuchi brought Tsunade, Jiraiya, Minato, and Kushina to Aizen’s former home, where Aizen appeared and declared that Sosuke had disappeared from the world.

• Aizen killed Nanto and the pursuing Rock Ninja, while Ōnoki blamed Konoha and declared war.
• Orochimaru revealed Aizen’s role to Konoha’s leaders, and Ōnoki secured a Sand alliance as Aizen prepared Nawaki for the coming conflict.
• Sakumo discovered Dai’s brutal training, and Dai survived it while Sakumo vowed to face Sosuke in the war.
• Fugaku became Uchiha Clan head and tested Minato, who defeated him with his teleportation technique.
• Madara ordered Tokino to draw Kirigakure into the war and help Nagato kill Aizen, while Aizen exposed Tokino’s hidden motives and White Zetsu pledged himself to Aizen.
• Ōnoki and Rasa prepared their forces to attack Konoha after nightfall, while Jiraiya and Tsunade debated whether to oppose Sosuke.
• Minato defended his belief in Sosuke, and Teuchi led Tsunade, Jiraiya, Minato, and Kushina to Aizen’s rebuilt childhood home.
• Aizen arrived at the old house with Minato and Nawaki, urged Tsunade to grow stronger, and told Teuchi that Sosuke had disappeared from the world.

Aizen’s allies joined the Rock and Sand invasion as Shukaku rampaged through Konoha, while Aizen revealed his plan to overthrow the world’s unseen rulers. After Kumamoto defeated Shukaku, Aizen faced Konoha’s strongest fighters and used Kyoka Suigetsu to confound them, leaving Might Duy to challenge him with the Eight Gates.

• Aizen revealed Nawaki to Tsunade and left with him as the attack on Konoha began, while Tsunade vowed to grow strong enough to bring her brother back.
• Rock and Sand shinobi ambushed Konoha reinforcements, and Ōnoki’s forces pressed their attack as Aizen waited for his plans to unfold.
• Rasa unleashed Shukaku in Konoha, where Orochimaru and Manda tried to stop the beast before Aizen’s group entered the village.
• Shukaku confronted Aizen, who revealed that he had arranged to use it against Konoha, then summoned Kumamoto to fight it.
• Kumamoto defeated Shukaku, and Aizen told Sakumo and the others that he would slay the gods and establish new rules.
• Jiraiya, Sakumo, Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Might Duy attacked Aizen, but he caught Sakumo’s blade and wounded Tsunade before revealing that he had never truly lied to her.
• Aizen used Kyoka Suigetsu to make Sakumo, Duy, and Orochimaru miss their attacks, then struck Jiraiya despite the Toad Sages’ warnings.
• Duy opened the fourth and sixth gates and unleashed his secret techniques against Aizen, collapsing the battlefield into a vast chasm.