Episode Title:
Homecoming / The Akatsuki Makes Its Move.
Episode Description:
Episode 1 Homecoming: The episode begins with the preview of episode 51 with Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno and Sai reuniting with Sasuke Uchiha who seeks Naruto's power and suppresses the Nine-Tailed Fox within his subconscious. The first episode begins with Naruto returning home after two and a half years of training with Jiraiya, and seeing Sakura and Konohamaru, many people from the village congratulate him. Konohamaru and his fellows are on a mission and somehow successfully complete it. Jiraiya accompanies Naruto home and meets Tsunade who assigns Naruto and Sakura on their first mission, but first they must defeat someone to prove their growth and progress in the last two and a half years.
Episode 2 The Akatsuki Makes Its Move: Learning that all of his friends were promoted to Chunin, Neji Hyuga as Jonin and Gaara as the Fifth Kazekage, Naruto gives a copy of Jiraiya's new book Make-Out Tactics to Kakashi Hatake, who challenges Naruto and Sakura for the bell retrieval test. Jiraiya converses with Kakashi about the Akatsuki searching for the Tailed Beasts and Gaara who is in the Hidden Sand Village, before Yura senses Sasori and Deidara arriving there to capture the One-Tailed's Jinchuriki Gaara. Meanwhile, in the Hidden Leaf Village, Sakura and Naruto fight Kakashi with their new skills and strength.
