Weighed down by the coming war, Shikamaru is sent on a supply run with Tenten and reunites with Naruto's group at sea, where a fog-shrouded bay traps their ship in an endless loop and lures out a band of looters.
Main Characters (7)
Summary
The looming Fourth Shinobi World War starts to weigh heavily on Shikamaru, who feels the burden of being responsible for his comrades' survival. Hoping to clear his son's head, Shikaku pairs him with Tenten and sends the two to Mokuzu Island to restock supplies. Once there, Shikamaru links up with Naruto's traveling party.
Their voyage soon runs into trouble as a dense fog rolls in and the ship keeps meeting the same reefs, a towering rock, and swirling whirlpools over and over. Shikamaru works out that the vessel has been circling the same bay, so he directs Naruto and the others to steer straight ahead and let the current pull them under. A criminal watching from shore spots the apparent wreck and rushes in with his gang to plunder it. The ship, however, has been safely tucked away inside Tenten's scroll, and the group turns the ambush around to defeat the looters.
Key Events
Shikamaru admits the strain of the approaching war to his father, who assigns him the Mokuzu Island errand alongside Tenten. The pair meet up with Naruto's crew. At sea the ship becomes trapped in a repeating loop of hazards inside a fogbound bay. Shikamaru deduces the trick and sails deliberately into the whirlpool. Mozuku and his gang move in to raid the wreckage, only to find the ship stored inside Tenten's sealing scroll, and the shinobi rout the raiders.
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Notes
This is a filler entry in the anime-original Paradise Life on a Boat storyline, numbered 231 in Naruto: Shippuden. It premiered in Japan on October 6, 2011, and aired in English on March 1, 2014. The opening theme is Newsong and the ending theme is Place to Try.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "The Closed Route" episode about?
"The Closed Route" follows Shikamaru and Tenten on a supply run to Mokuzu Island where they reunite with Naruto's group at sea. Their ship becomes trapped in a repeating fog-shrouded loop before the crew defeats a band of looters.
Why does Shikaku send Shikamaru on the Mokuzu Island mission with Tenten?
Shikamaru is weighed down by the pressure of the coming Fourth Shinobi World War, so his father Shikaku pairs him with Tenten and sends them to Mokuzu Island to restock supplies and clear his head.
How does Shikamaru figure out the ship is trapped in a loop?
Shikamaru notices the ship keeps meeting the same reefs, a towering rock, and the same whirlpools, which lets him deduce that the vessel has been circling the same fogbound bay over and over.
What happens to the looters who try to raid the ship?
A criminal named Mozuku and his gang spot what looks like a wrecked ship and rush in to plunder it, but the ship has actually been safely stored inside Tenten's sealing scroll, so the shinobi turn the ambush around and defeat the raiders.
Is "The Closed Route" a filler episode?
Yes, "The Closed Route" is a filler entry in the anime-original Paradise Life on a Boat storyline, numbered episode 231 in Naruto: Shippuden.
Sources & Information
Looking for more on The Closed Route? The Naruto Wiki on Fandom has a dedicated page with community notes.
View on FandomThis content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the Naruto anime series, manga, and official materials. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
Rights holders
- Created byMasashi Kishimoto
- Published byShueisha
- Animated byStudio Pierrot
All rights belong to their respective owners.
Character and scene imagery on this site is original artwork by Daddy Jim Headquarters, not screenshots or licensed imagery. Official cover art is used on three types of pages for editorial commentary:
- Movie pages: theatrical posters and key visuals, credited to Studio Pierrot and Toho.
- Game pages: official box art for the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm games, credited to Bandai Namco.
- Manga chapter pages: Jump Comics volume covers, credited to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto.
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