Today we find ourselves in the Hidden Sand Village,
far, far away from the Hidden Leaf.
There are ninja villages in other countries, too,
but the Leaf and Sand are especially close allies.
And that's why Rock Lee and his team are visiting the Hidden Sand on a mission.
We should be there any minute now.
Huh? What's that?
I want to be friends with Gaara!
Oh, it's you.
I thought you were enemy shinobi.
For those not aware,
this is Gaara, the Kazekage,
otherwise known as the Hidden Sand's leader and top ninja.
Gaara and Lee once met in battle.
Lee went so far as to sacrifice his safety to use a forbidden move,
but still lost and suffered severe injuries as a result.
G-Gaara... Nice to see you again...
You're too nervous, you're gnashing your teeth!
I may have lost when we fought that day,
but I've been working hard.
I won't lose next time!
Follow me.
Ignored?!
He doesn't even see you as an opponent.
Well, Gaara is the Kazekage after all.
Don't be sad.
Now, about this mission.
We've got word rogue ninjas have infiltrated the village,
and I want your help in rooting them out.
You can count on us. We'll do everything we can.
Maybe Lee still has a grudge against Gaara?
He injured him so badly back then, and completely brushed him off today.
And Lee's been glaring at him...
Too close, too close!
What're you doing to Gaara?!
Temari, Kankuro!
For those not aware, this is Temari and Kankuro,
Gaara's older sister and older brother.
Don't try anything with our Kazekage, 'kay?
Sheesh.
What do you mean, try anything?
I thought he was about to steal my first kiss!
Enough!
You're acting weird, Lee, you should be apologizing!
Come on, I'll apologize with you.
I apologize, 'kay?
Sorry, 'kay?
Don't copy me!
And that wasn't an apology!
You didn't mean it!
Something's definitely up with Lee today.
Yeah, he's being an instigator.
Not the kind of cooperation we need.
Don't worry, I've got a good idea.
An idea?
Welcome to the 138th Annual...
Welcome to the 138th Annual Leaf vs. Sand Alliance Building Barbecue Cook-Off!
And more!
...Leaf vs. Sand Alliance Building Barbecue Cook-Off!
And more!
Why a barbecue?
You don't know?
Nope.
Barbecues, a summer tradition when students come together,
mess up the riverbank,
and let their youthful passion burn along with their cheap beef!
That really doesn't sound very nice.
And also an arena where boring fathers everywhere fight...
...for their wives' attention and children's respect!
Stop making barbecues sound so awful!
The point is, barbecues are events...
...where both bored students and boring families...
...can get jazzed up and learn to get along with each other!
So then, the plan is to have Lee and Gaara clear the air at a barbecue, then?
Will you help us?
Do we have a choice?
You're sure this'll work?
Absolutely, leave it all to me.
Lee, Gaara, the food's cooked!
I think this guy's more well done than the food.
Lee, Gaara, how intense are these flames?!
It's intense all right.
Especially his moves.
Lee, Gaara, how about a spit roast?!
Look at the pig spin! How fun is this?!
He's spinning even faster.
I think his brains are more roasted, too.
It's no good.
Normally he'd go along with Guy Sensei's foolishness...
We'll have to quit.
At this point,
we need the big guns.
Time for something drastic!
Let's dance!
Let your hearts burn with the flames...
...of youth and dance, dance, dance the night away!
What happened to the barbecue?!
Do you want to do a summer anime ending, is that it?!
Kinda...
I fear for the Leaf's future.
Infiltration successful! Let's wreck this town!
He's here.
You're the rogue ninjas targeting my village?
Gaara, I'm going to beat more of them than you!
Lee's still fussing about Gaara at a time like this?
I won't lose this time.
What're you doing?
I'm faster than his sand.
You are! You are, but who cares?!
Lame!
What's with them?
Get 'em!
Sand Coffin!
Can't... move...
I'll do it, too!
Sand Squeeze
Sand Squeeze!
Sand Squeeze
What the heck are you doing?!
Sand Shower!
I'll show you...
Sweat Shower!
Ew, that's nasty!
Gross!
I'm pelting them with refreshing, youthful sweat!
That's not refreshing, it's disgusting!
I can't use any big moves in the village.
I'll have to fight with just the sand in my gourd.
Keep it up, Lee!
Go!
Gaara's sand hit Lee by mistake!
But the Kazekage's still calm and collected, even though he missed...
S-Sorry...
The Kazekage's sweating!
Sweating so much his sand armor's cracking!
I... I'm fine.
Your hand!
Fall back. You can't fight with that injury.
No.
What?
Why are you pushing yourself so hard?
Yeah, why do you keep trying to one-up Gaara?
Even if you do resent him...
Resent?
I don't resent Gaara at all.
When I fought him,
I was injured so badly I thought I'd have to quit being a ninja.
But...
If you lose your dream,
you'll suffer even more than you are now.
Get the surgery, Lee!
I have reawakened so that I can keep chasing my dream.
I'm not competing with Gaara out of anger.
I'm doing it because I'm following my own "ninja way."
To prove that with enough hard work, I can overcome a genius!
That's why I'll beat you!
So that's it.
Well, I talk big,
but I've tried forever to think of a way to surpass Gaara,
and still can't come up with anything.
I may just have to resign myself－
Wait, Lee.
I'm... I'm sorry for thinking so little of my star pupil.
Guy Sensei.
You're living life to the fullest!
You're glowing!
I'm so moved I can't sit still!
You call that moved?!
And that's so inappropriate!
Guy Sensei!
Ah, yes...
That's it!
Sand Coffin!
Leaf Sandstorm!
He hijacked the sand!
You certainly have moved above Gaara!
Not how he wants!
He's literally above him!
I thank the Leaf for its aid.
Gaara, you really are amazing.
It's really thanks to you that we beat them.
But I made a promise with the nice-guy pose,
so I will surpass you with hard work one of these days!
Let's face each other again someday!
Sure...
You got it.
Promise.
Gaara!
Enough already!
What's wrong with you, Lee?!
It's a razor-thin line between refreshing and sweltering.
But today, Rock Lee got a little closer to Gaara.
One day,
on the way back from a mission.
Someone's coming.
Make sure you greet him.
It's a mountain climber custom.
Is it?
Understood.
I'm ready to exchange business cards and phone numbers.
That's a businessman!
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs climbed the corporate mountain...
...to the very peak of the business world.
How high are you trying to climb?!
Good afternoon!
The Rock Lee Impostor Strikes!
Huh?
So he ran as soon as he saw you?
Yeah...
And then...
While we were walking though a town on the way back,
everyone panicked as soon as they laid eyes on me.
I don't understand why people I don't know are so scared of me.
Maybe they're scared this shady-looking dude is walking around town.
Oh man. What about me is shady or suspicious?
I'm as pure and innocent as a newborn babe.
What's shady is your ability to instantly strip naked...
...in broad daylight, and in public!
I figured it out.
A Lee impostor?
Exactly.
Apparently someone who looks just like Lee...
...has been running amuck doing terrible things the people of that town.
You say terrible, but they all seem pretty dumb.
But why would someone run around impersonating Bushy-Brows?
Publicity?
No, maybe piggybacking.
Huh?
Looks like, now that the show is starting to get popular,
we've got phonies trying to piggyback off our success.
That's a stupid reason.
Because we're starting to get popular?
That's making a mockery of the long grind our staff has to work!
He's gonna get it!
That's what you're mad about?!
Anyways, I'll take care of this fake.
I'll give you a hand.
Thanks, Naruto.
There's no guarantee we'll find him easily.
We'll need to work hard and be vigilant.
According to what I learned, he's just like Lee in every way.
In every way...
I got it!
Get back here!
No!
Why does it always have to be me?
Help me!
That's enough running.
The magistrate wants you for himself!
Peek-a-boo!
I see, if he really is just like you, he'll definitely show up here.
Good thinking, Naruto!
How's that? Feeling less constipated yet?
No!
What the heck is he doing now?
Freeze, ruffian!
That's him! Get him, Lee!
I, Rock Lee, may be a ninja that can't use ninjutsu,
but I will not stand by while the weak are bullied!
What is the point if the real you shows up?!
You're right! I was drawn in by their amazing acting!
It's all for nothing if you reveal yourself.
But you revealed yourself, too.
It's your fault!
Uh...
Should we, um...
Freeze, ruffian!
It's the fake!
I, Sock Lee, may be a ninja that can't use ninjutsu,
but I will not stand by while the weak are bullied!
He's got the same clothes, but he looks nothing like Lee!
And did he call himself Sock Lee?
W-Wow, it's the real thing!
Did you come here to take me down?
That's right. You're ruining Lee's good name!
Of course, since you look nothing alike, I guess we don't－
Wow, he really is the spitting image!
Crazy!
Your eyesight is what's crazy!
Is there a mirror here?
Not you, too!
Snap out of it!
Argue!
Anyway, you won't escape!
You're serious, huh?
All right...
Reji, Zenzen!
Don't tell me...
No resemblance!
Hey, Boss, can you man the register for a sec?
He just works a store register, so he's Reji?
This one doesn't look anything like you, Tenten!
Not one bit.
So Zenzen didn't take it any further than a similar name.
I need to teach them to put more effort into their disguises!
Like here, we need to reduce the bust a lot,
and straighten out these curves－
That's the rudest advice I've ever heard!
With such bad teamwork,
who could tell the real from the fake?
We'll defeat you and assimilate your names.
Wise guy...
You're on. Let's rock!
I'll rip your guts out!
That's so childish!
Face the wrath of my secret move!
Get ready, Bushy-Brows.
He probably uses the same attacks as you!
Lee doesn't have moves like that!
That's right out of a battle anime from last century!
Lee!
Oh no!
Fight back, Lee!
If you use your best moves, there's no way you'll lose to that fake!
Got it. My best moves...
Extending punch!
It didn't extend. That's not even your move!
Hey, Boss, I got hair extensions. Whatcha think?
Hair extensions don't count!
You're quick with the punchlines, huh?
You need to be, too, if you're mimicking me!
This is the end!
Shimura Death Strike!
Baddabing.
That had to hurt!
This... is so wrong, but I can't make a joke...
I have won.
At this rate I'll lose. What do I do...
What's wrong with you, Lee?!
You can't lose!
The real one can't lose to a fake!
Tenten... Neji...
Remember the bonds between you,
and you can't lose!
My... bonds with Tenten and Neji...
I need toilet paper!
Toilet Paper (Two-Ply♥)
Tools, T.P. Summoning Jutsu!
That enough for you?
Well?
Why are you remembering the bathroom?!
Don't you have any nicer memories?!
No.
Helping a friend through such a painful, trying situation...
That's a true bond!
Some phony who's never experienced that can't beat me!
Back for more?
A fake is just that, a fake.
Top-secret move! "Often Imitated, Never Duplicated!"
Often Imitated, Never Duplicated!
Morning Peacock featuring Rock Lee!
Morning Chicken!
Lee!
Tenten, Neji!
Too much! This is weird!
I couldn't beat the real Lee.
I'll never be a ninja.
Say what?
I used to want to be a ninja even though I can't use ninjutsu, too.
One day I learned about Rock Lee,
another man who can't use ninjutsu,
yet aims to become a splendid ninja regardless.
But I don't have any friends to train with,
or a sensei to push me...
So I got jealous, and started doing bad things.
So that's what this is all about?
Then I hired Reji and Zenzen for about 850 yen.
Hey, Boss, are we fired?
I expect every bit of my share.
Seeing the close relationship between you and your comrades has opened my eyes.
A physical resemblance doesn't mean anything.
I'll learn from this experience and keep trying!
Causing mischief while posing as someone else is wrong,
but learning through imitation can be necessary sometimes.
Take your cues from Bushy-Brows and you'll be fine.
You may not look like him,
but you're both in the same boat not being able to use ninjutsu.
No, this man and I are very different.
I've been blessed with wonderful friends,
but he's always been alone.
In that sense, he's stronger than me.
The real Lee...
So I permit you to use my name!
What the heck?!
You can't change your name!
We'd have to change the show's title!
Call yourself "New Rock Lee."
And I'll be "Original Rock Lee."
Oh no, I couldn't...
Please, I insist.
Oh no, no, no, I couldn't.
Please, please, I insist, I insist...
Oh no, no, no, I couldn't, I couldn't...
Enough already!
Freeze, you violent femme!
I, Pac Lee, may be a ninja that can't use ninjutsu,
but I will not stand by while the weak are bullied!
It's getting popular.
I'll rip your guts out, you faker!
Next week is "A Hot Night for a Chilling Tale,"
A Hot Night for a Chilling Tale The Hokage Tears Aren't for Decoration.
and "The Hokage Tears Aren't for Decoration."
A chilling tale...
Actually, ever since this anime started,
I've always felt like there's someone behind me, watching...
Me, too. It gives me the chills...
Maybe there's a ghost floating behind us!
One that follows us wherever we go!
I'm scared!
That's just Yamato Sensei.