Naruto Shippuden, Volume 7 continues the fight between Team Guy and Team Kakashi against the Akatsuki and wraps up the story arc that involves reclaiming Gaara's body. This volume begins the end of the "Rescue Gaara" arc which will be wrapped up in the next volume.

Highlights
The fight between Sasori and Sakura and Lady Chiyo is looking bad as the poison continues to take its toll on both Sakura and Lady Chiyo while Sakura struggles with Sasori's sword in her side. Due to the determination of Sakura and the quick thinking of Lady Chiyo, the battle changes hands as we are shown a flashback to Sasori's childhood in the Sand village. We are shown the reason for his fondness of puppets and it is actually quite touching – for a mad puppeteer that wants to kill Sakura and his grandmother. It is during this time that Sakura learns of a way to find the location of Orochimaru.

As Sakura and Lady Chiyo are busy fighting their battle, Team Guy is busy fighting their counterparts. Their every attack and action is mimicked as they try to get the upper hand. As their fight continues, it appears that their opponents are getting stronger as they continue the fight, but through some quick thinking, Rock Lee makes the squad realize that their mistake is not that their enemy is getting stronger but that the enemy does not tire. Through a one-shot attack, they manage to overcome their doppelgangers spectacularly! With their respective fights underway, Kakashi and Naruto continue their pursuit of Deidara as they try to catch up with him and his doughy-bird. It is here that Kakashi unleashes a new attack from his sharingan. Following this attack and the reacquisition of Gaara's body, Naruto has a freak out and there is a minor disturbance with the Nine-Tailed Fox Beast inside Naruto's body. This volume comes to an explosive end as Lady Chiyo begins a dangerous technique on Gaara's body.

Overall
Naruto Shippuden, Volume 7 has some well animated fights. I also enjoyed Johnny Yong Bosch as Sasori; seeing a guy that normally plays hot blooded, loud heroes play a soft spoken villain was a cool distraction to the otherwise higher voiced main characters. But my biggest complaint would have to be when the Nine-Tailed Beast was being unleashed – it just ended too quickly. I feel that they missed a moment that could have been filled with a great amount of drama and action.

I also enjoyed the effects of Kakashi's mangekyou sharingan on Deidara; the effect was a real trip, watching as the warped effects go over its target. It was almost as painful just seeing it as it must have been had it been a real attack.

ComicsOnline gives Naruto Shippuden, Volume 7: 3 out of 5 sharingan

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