A rest stop at a hot spring town turns into a comedy of debts and disguises as Naruto tries to help two debt collectors chasing Tsunade, while Shizune scrambles to keep her secret buried.
Main Characters (4)
Summary
On the road home to Konoha, Tsunade floats the idea of pausing a day at a hot spring town. Jiraiya waves it off until she teases that beautiful women await there, at which point he happily agrees. As they talk, a pair of strangers keep watch over the group. During the stay, Naruto learns the two are Senta and Bunzo of the Akagi gang, men who cannot go back home until they recover the debts Tsunade owes, and he sets out to help them.
Key Events
Shizune panics that any exposure of those debts could sink Tsunade's chances of becoming Hokage. To shut Naruto down, she disguises herself as Tsunade and interferes. In the end the whole scramble is for nothing, since neither Shizune nor the collectors realize the debt had actually been cleared long ago.
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
The entry falls within the Search for Tsunade arc and stands as the second filler episode in the original Naruto anime. It runs on light comedy, using Jiraiya's weakness for women and Shizune's frantic cover-up as its main engine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kidnapped! Naruto's Hot Spring Adventure! a filler episode?
Yes, Kidnapped! Naruto's Hot Spring Adventure! is a filler episode, the second in the original Naruto anime. It falls within the Search for Tsunade arc.
What happens in episode 97 of Naruto?
In episode 97, Tsunade's group stops at a hot spring town where Naruto learns that two men, Senta and Bunzo, are trying to collect on debts Tsunade owes. He tries to help them while Shizune scrambles to keep the debts secret to protect Tsunade's chances of becoming Hokage.
Why do Senta and Bunzo approach Naruto's group?
Senta and Bunzo are members of the Akagi gang who cannot return home until they recover debts that Tsunade owes them. Naruto learns of their situation and sets out to help them collect.
How does Shizune try to protect Tsunade's secret in this episode?
Shizune disguises herself as Tsunade to interfere with Naruto's efforts to help the debt collectors, fearing that any exposure of the debts could hurt Tsunade's chances of becoming Hokage.
How does the debt collection storyline resolve in this episode?
The entire scramble turns out to be for nothing, since neither Shizune nor the debt collectors realize that Tsunade's debt had actually been cleared long before. The episode plays the mix-up for comedy centered on Jiraiya's weakness for women and Shizune's frantic cover-up.
Sources & Information
Looking for more on Kidnapped! Naruto's Hot Spring Adventure!? 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.
