The Hidden Leaf Village is finally starting to cool off.
Culture Festival
Leaf Village Council
It's that time again...
Yes! The culture festival!
Looks like the Hokage will be here.
Now you're talking.
Boy, this is so fun!
Enjoying yourself, Sai?
What's wrong? Got a stomachache?
Sai!
We're at the culture festival!
Get excited! Have fun!
That's too excited...
You're right.
It must be fun being the center of attention.
I could never do it like you, though.
Is Sai always like that?
Not particularly...
Something's up.
Maybe he's upset about something?
I'm Sai's New Agent!
I've got it!
Got what?
I know what Sai's upset about!
Sai doesn't really stand out.
So when he sees everyone focusing on me,
he wishes he could be the same way.
No way!
And people only pay attention because you act like an idiot!
It's possible.
That's how Sai feels?
Chalk up two more idiots...
We have to find a way to make...
...Sai the center of attention at this culture festival!
Culture Festival
Yeah!
What is going on here?!
Okay, Sai, let's solve your problem!
Doggies, doggies, they make the best pets.
Forget about cats, doggies are the best!
Go out for a walk, all around the block!
Bands are culture festival staples.
Do well and you're sure to stand out!
Now for our next song!
Wh-What?
What the heck is that?!
His normal look is a little plain,
so I used some stage makeup.
"Some"?
There's so much I can't even tell it's him!
Let's rock!
I'll show you!
I can't really see Sai...
The three of them stand out too much!
Listen to my guitar!
Listen to my punchline!
Boo!
Sai, we're just starting!
Starting what?
You fools crashed our stage.
The crowd wasn't into our hard-rocking passionate song...
Buncha philistines.
You guys were awful! Don't make excuses!
No one could possibly enjoy that noise!
Exactly. You've gotta give the fans what they want.
What they want...
Tenten, you're brilliant!
Place your orders here!
When you want to relax, you head for a café!
The waiters and waitresses are the flowers of the festival!
He's sure to stand out here.
You might be right.
Why are they maids?
Naruto, show him how it's done!
Yeah!
Welcome home, Master―
I'm sorry, I'm sorry!
Klutz.
The waitresses here are all people who couldn't make it as idols.
The plan here is to turn a flaw into an asset and get popular that way!
You're making enemies of maids everywhere!
Okay, go for it, Sai.
If places like this make you happy...
...you must lead pretty pathetic lives.
Now all of Akihabara's your enemy!
Look at Sai's emotionless smile!
It's the same fake smile you get from fast food joints!
Welcome.
That's not a compliment!
And now you've turned the whole world against you!
Forget this place!
C'mon!
Take care.
Hey, you jerks...
Why're you insulting my customers?!
There must be a way to use Sai's natural traits...
...to make him stand out.
Natural traits...
Of course.
Haunted House
Sponsored by the Ninja Academy
Looks like it worked.
Sai's ghostly paleness...
...and barely-noticeable presence are perfect in here.
This is your idea of standing out?!
And why are you running away?!
See? He's the center of attention.
I guess that's true...
But...
He's so scary, everyone left!
So you guys are the reason we've got no more customers!
We worked so hard to build this place!
Konohamaru...
We...
Leave me alone!
I don't understand what you're doing,
but can you please leave me out of it?
Sai, wait up!
Sai!
From where I stand,
you're a lazy man who won't even try to solve his own problems!
Are you comfortable with someone thinking that about you?!
To solve a problem,
you have to charge forward,
and hit it head on without fear or trepidation!
You're right.
I'll do just that.
Yes, that's the spirit!
I'd like to take part in this.
Momotaro
Performance by the Hokage
Here, have a dumpling.
We've done nothing but butt in today.
I'd prefer you say "sneak" in.
I'm off to fight the ogres!
We'll be taking the lead role.
We're not sneaking anywhere!
Look at us, we're out on the main stage!
I'm off to fight the monsters!
You four are the real monsters!
We've finally made it.
Yes.
Countless people sacrificed themselves so we could get this far.
You guys were the ones behind all that.
Well met, Momotaro!
What're you doing here?
We defeated the fake Momotaro.
I see.
So you're saying you're here to interrupt my play.
Let's go, guys. For Sai!
Rasengan!
Eight Trigrams Air Palm!
Leaf Whirlwind!
All right, Lady Tsunade!
This is so not Momotaro anymore...
We're not done...
Time for our secret team super move!
A new move? It looks strong!
Here we come!
Weak!
The main character's still there...
Super Beast Scroll!
Rogue ninjas!
When did they―
Shoot, they saw us?
Those rogues infiltrated the village.
I noticed them while you and the others...
...were dragging me around, Lee.
Since they were looking for Lady Tsunade,
I did as you told me.
I charged forward and hit them head on,
without fear or trepidation.
I-I completely overlooked them...
Excellent job.
Sai, I'm so very sorry for calling you lazy.
And hey, you really stood out back there!
What's that supposed to mean?
Oh, come on!
You wanted to be the center of attention just like me, right?
No, not really.
Actually I was worried about what kind of annoyances...
...you were going to make me suffer.
A-Annoyances?
But, well...
I wouldn't say it wasn't fun.
Sai...
So we went through all that because of a misunderstanding?!
Damn it!
We all have our good points and bad points.
But everyone has the potential to take the lead role.
When you're out there enjoying the culture festival,
don't forget about the after party on the last night!
Where should we go next?
What's wrong, Lee?
I...
I have to do this.
The Mr. Leaf Village Contest
The main event of the final night!!
Win two tickets to a five-star restaurant!
The Mr. Leaf Village Contest?
Win two tickets to a five-star restaurant?
Sakura, your eyes are more beautiful than the night sky.
Oh, Lee...
Hold it.
Naruto?
You can't have her.
Then it's a match.
Yup.
Oh boy.
Aren't you gonna enter, Neji?
I―
If Neji enters, it'll become the "Miss" Leaf contest!
What?!
Yeah, yeah.
With all that cross-dressing you do, you'd be a shoe-in!
What?!
That tears it!
I'll show you two that I'm a man amongst men!
Win Lady Tsunade's Heart!
And we're underway!
The first Mr. Leaf contest!
Here are our contestants:
Choji, Neji, Naruto, and Lee!
What're you doing here, Choji?
I want the prize, duh.
Our theme is, of course, "A man I'd like to date!"
Good luck to you all, gentlemen.
The first event is fashion!
What would you wear on a first date?
A first date should be casual, but stylish.
You're up, Choji.
Right!
Not bad at all.
Well, we did spend a week finding the perfect XXL-sized outfit.
Sounds troublesome...
Next, Neji.
I'm not a slave to the latest trends.
It's so non-trendy it's traditional!
Well, Lady Tsunade?
I'd think he'd be more at home in a kimono than a hakama skirt.
Not again...
N-Naruto, it's your turn!
My research tells me "natural" is the way to go for a first date!
That's not the kind of "natural" you want to go with...
This is less natural and more back-to-nature.
And what a scrawny body on him.
Scrawny?
F-Finally, we have Lee.
On a first date, wearing a leggy ant outfit will impress your date.
Leggy Ant
It's not "leggy ant," it's "elegant!"
Elegant
A pun... and a bad one.
Everyone except Choji ended up as the butt of a joke.
So cold...
Next is the pick-up!
Guys, how do you ask a girl out so that she can't help but say, "Okay"?
Your target is Lady Tsunade herself!
Wanna check this place out with me?
All-you-can-eat cake at a really famous bakery.
Well played!
Choji's banking on the fact that most girls love a sweet treat!
Okay.
Wow, I figured Choji would suggest getting Korean barbecue.
He actually almost bought all-you-can-eat BBQ tickets at first.
But then I thought about it.
First I entered a talent contest.
Whoa, whoa, what does this have to do with food?
I had my debut, got popular,
and ended up getting the street in front of the BBQ place closed off.
A live street show?!
Since the restaurant couldn't get supplies,
they had to close for the day,
and Choji had no choice but to go to the bakery next door instead.
I have no idea what just happened,
but an IQ of 200 is something else...
Next up is Neji!
Lady Tsunade, I'll be waiting at the gates.
Please accept these.
Neji opts for a direct strike!
What a huge bouquet! Thank you very much!
Yes, one rose for each year of your age.
In other words, fifty―
You don't need to say it!
Forget the sissy flower games!
All you gotta do is look her dead in the eyes.
Sunday.
You and me...
Ah, forget it.
I can't get into it when it's just you, Granny Tsunade.
All those wrinkles under your eyes.
Wrinkles
Look into her eyes, not under them!
That's terrible, Naruto!
I'll show you how to get a woman to say yes!
Lady Tsunade, will you train with me on our next day off?
I don't care if you're fifty-four and have wrinkles!
As fellow singles, we can overcome the age gap with enough hard work!
I know we―
You're killing her...
Single Wrinkles
L-Lady Tsunade!
You didn't get an "okay," you got a "KO!"
I'm sorry...
It's time for a ten-minute break.
Come on, Lee, are you even serious?
That was horrendous.
I...
I'm giving it my all, I swear.
But now I'll never be Mr. Leaf!
Lee...
What kind of man gives up and starts crying?
If you don't stick to your guns,
you'll never manage to date Sakura!
Tenten...
That..
That was awesome!
Don't get snot on me!
Tenten, you're so cool!
Get away!
Gross, gross!
The final event is "confessions."
It's the end of the first date, admit how you...
...really feel and win the woman's heart!
And I'm your girl.
Choji, you're up first.
Right!
Um...
I know this sounds cheesy, but would you...
Would you eat barbecue with me every day for the rest of our lives?!
Y-You stink...
Oh no, a blast of bad breath at the critical moment!
Shikamaru, you didn't prep anything for him this time?
Nah, too troublesome.
Everything you did for the last two events was totally troublesome!
My restaurant tickets...
You've gotta be more romantic than that.
Have at it, Neji!
We need to talk.
Yes?
Would you be mine forever?
Yes.
There's something important you need to do...
...to become part of the Hyuga clan.
I made a quick mock-up.
Well?
You need to have the same face?!
It's true that everyone in the Hyuga clan looks the same...
Th-That's bad?
When you're confessing your love,
don't act like a big shot.
Your turn, Naruto.
I've never had a girl over before.
So I was hoping... you know...
I-Is this a dust rag?
We'll wipe up the table with this first―
Actually that's a dirty sock.
Gross!
Forget it.
Come on! If you love someone,
you shouldn't care about their dirty laundry!
How naive of you, Naruto.
The most important thing...
...is to always stick with your woman, no matter what!
What're you doing?!
Tenten told me to stick to my guns.
Not that kind of sticking, I'm sure!
I'll stick by you, and love you every day!
Disgusting!
Girls hate clingy guys, Lee!
We'll just have to determine the winner right here.
Yeah.
Fine by me!
Lady Tsunade!
Please...
...go out...
...with me!
You idiots!
What have you done to Lady Tsunade?!
Lady Tsunade!
I'm fine.
Thank goodness...
And now for the results.
Mr. Leaf Village is...
Mister...
...Tenten!
M-Me?!
After all she's done to protect me,
I'd definitely rather date Tenten.
And so, I award Tenten with two tickets to the "Heaven's Doorstep Restaurant!"
Th-That's so random...
As for you four...
I've got a special prize for all of you.
My fists!
Don't feel bad.
Lee and the boys ended up right by the Heaven's Doorstep Restaurant, too.
Next week is "Gaara's First Crush!"
Gaara's First Crush! A Gift From Orochimaru!
and "A Gift From Orochimaru!"
Wasn't Gaara just here?
Is it okay for him to leave his village so often?
The Sand Village has it rough, too, you know.
They just set up his new work visa.
Work visa?
So he's here on a mission?
No. There's nothing out there but desert.
Maybe he's here to earn money and send back remittances?
The Kazekage working on the road?!
Stop casually insulting the Sand Village like that!