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The Fourth Hokage's Death Match

EpisodeEp. 248

The Fourth Hokage's Death Match is the 248th episode of Naruto: Shippuden. On the night of Naruto's birth, the masked Tobi strikes, extracts the Nine-Tails from Kushina, and turns it loose on Konoha as Minato races to counter him.

Japanese Airdate: 2012-02-09
English Airdate: 2014-06-28
Chapters: 500, 501, 502, 503
Opening Song: Newsong
Ending Song: By My Side
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Summary

Kushina delivers Naruto, but the moment turns to horror when Tobi kills the midwives Biwako and Taji and seizes the newborn. He fixes explosive tags to the infant and throws him skyward, forcing Minato to catch the baby, tear off the tags, and teleport clear with his Flying Thunder God Technique. Tobi exploits the opening, using Kamui to whisk Kushina away, where he draws the Nine-Tails out of her and takes command of it with his Sharingan, aiming it at Konoha. Minato stashes his son in one of his safehouses, warps back to rescue Kushina from the beast by way of the seal marked on her, and returns her to the child before donning his Hokage garb.

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Key Events

In the village, Guy badgers Kakashi for another contest as Tobi slips inside and summons the Nine-Tails to run wild. Hiruzen, Chōza, Shikaku, and Inoichi rally to the defense. Minato arrives, and when the fox launches a Tailed Beast Ball at him, he redirects it to safety with Flying Thunder God: Guiding Thunder. He is drawn into a duel with Tobi, evading a Kamui attempt at the last instant, and after Tobi praises his teleportation, Minato deduces that a Sharingan strong enough to dominate the fox and breach the village unseen could only belong to Madara Uchiha, though he dismisses the idea since Madara should be long dead.

Tobi's intangibility keeps Minato's blows from landing, so Minato hurls a Flying Thunder God Kunai at his head and charges. As the kunai passes through, Tobi materializes to grab him, but Minato forms a Rasengan, teleports to the blade behind him, and lands the strike, branding him. Tobi's left arm begins to crumble and fall away. With his mark placed, Minato instantly warps to Tobi and applies a Contract Seal, wrenching control of the Nine-Tails away from him.

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Notes

The episode adapts chapters 500 through 503. Team Tobirama and Torifu Akimichi, present in the manga version, are absent here. Minato's glare at the fox and Tobi is repositioned relative to the manga, occurring when Kushina names Tobi's goal as Konoha's destruction. The Sharingan shown as Tobi uses Kamui is a standard eye rather than the Mangekyō, a continuity slip carried across earlier episodes, and the peeling of Tobi's left arm is another error, since that arm was his original while the right was artificial.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Fourth Hokage's death match about?

The Fourth Hokage's Death Match covers the night of Naruto's birth, when the masked Tobi kills the midwives, kidnaps the newborn, and extracts the Nine-Tails from Kushina Uzumaki. Minato Namikaze then fights Tobi to reclaim control of the fox and protect his family and Konoha.

Why does Tobi attack Kushina and Naruto on the night of his birth?

Tobi attacks to seize the newborn Naruto Uzumaki and later uses Kamui to whisk Kushina Uzumaki away so he can extract the Nine-Tails from her. He then takes command of the fox with his Sharingan and turns it loose on Konoha.

How does Minato save baby Naruto from Tobi's attack?

When Tobi throws the explosive-tagged infant skyward, Minato Namikaze catches him, tears off the tags, and teleports both of them to safety using his Flying Thunder God Technique.

How does Minato manage to brand Tobi during their fight?

Minato Namikaze hurls a Flying Thunder God Kunai at Tobi's head, and when Tobi turns intangible to let it pass through and grabs him, Minato forms a Rasengan, teleports behind the kunai, and lands the strike, branding Tobi and causing his left arm to begin crumbling.

Why does Minato doubt that Tobi could be Madara Uchiha?

Minato Namikaze reasons that only a Sharingan as strong as Madara Uchiha's could dominate the Nine-Tails and breach Konoha unseen, but he dismisses the idea because Madara should have been dead long before this attack.

Sources & Information

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This 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.

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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:

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  • 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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