Rogue ninja from Takumi Village snatch a Sand student to lure out Gaara's power, and Shikamaru rallies the young Leaf shinobi into paired teams to back up the Sand Siblings.
Main Characters (5)
Summary
A band of deserters out of the Takumi Village strikes Sunagakure and abducts the Academy trainee Matsuri, aiming to use Gaara's power to restore their homeland's ultimate weapon. Gaara sets out after them with only Kankurō and Temari at his side. In parallel, Shikamaru gathers the Konoha 11, absent Tenten, and organizes them into two-person cells so each can support one of the three Sand Siblings.
Key Events
The pairings send Shikamaru with Ino, Naruto with Lee, and Kiba with Chōji, each cell assigned to one sibling. Neji and Hinata are told to steer clear of fighting and scout ahead instead, while Sakura and Shino handle medical duty and coordination, relaying orders through Shino's insects.
Related Reading
See all
Naruto vs Luffy: Does the Fight Change if Luffy Tickles Hinata?
Naruto vs Luffy with the twist nobody asked for: Luffy tickled Hinata on date night, and she kind of liked it. We break down the whole fight and commit to a winner....
Who Is Naruko? What Naruto's Transformation Jutsu Does to the Whole Hidden Leaf
Naruto built the transformation jutsu himself, and the Hidden Leaf has been quietly not talking about it ever since. The story behind our 90s R&B record about the Naruko question everybody dodges....
Notes
Episode 216 of the original series opens the Sunagakure Support Mission arc. It premiered in Japan on January 11, 2007, and in English on November 22, 2009. The opening theme is Swaying and the ending theme is Scenario.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens in episode 216 of Naruto?
In The Targeted Shukaku, rogue ninja from Takumi Village abduct the Academy trainee Matsuri from Sunagakure to try to draw out Gaara's power and restore their village's ultimate weapon, prompting Gaara to give chase with Kankuro and Temari while Shikamaru organizes the Konoha 11 into support teams.
Why do the Takumi Village ninja kidnap Matsuri in The Targeted Shukaku?
The deserters from Takumi Village kidnap the Academy trainee Matsuri hoping to draw out Gaara's power so they can use it to restore their homeland's ultimate weapon.
How does Shikamaru organize the Konoha 11 in The Targeted Shukaku?
Shikamaru splits the Konoha 11, minus Tenten, into two-person cells, pairing Shikamaru with Ino, Naruto with Lee, and Kiba with Choji, with each cell assigned to support one of the three Sand Siblings.
What role do Neji and Hinata play in The Targeted Shukaku?
Neji and Hinata are told to avoid direct combat and instead scout ahead, while Sakura and Shino handle medical duty and coordinate the operation through Shino's insects.
What arc does The Targeted Shukaku open?
The Targeted Shukaku opens the Sunagakure Support Mission arc, which first aired in Japan on January 11, 2007.
Sources & Information
Looking for more on The Targeted Shukaku? 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.
Official resources:
Help Us Keep This Wiki Accurate
Daddy Jim Headquarters maintains this encyclopedia. If you spot an error, a translation issue, or something that doesn't look right, let us know.
