Naruto Shippuden 493 see’s Shikamaru facing against Gengo while Ino vs Sai, Choji vs Ro and finally Soku vs Temari. Shikamaru realises that he can defeat Gengo and his ability to just face his past, this is included when Naruto shows up and helps Shikamaru out. At the end, Sai asks Ino on a date, Shikamaru does the same to Temari.

Naruto Shippuden begins as Ino faces Sai, Choji faces Ro and Soku against Temari. All while Temari and Gaara talk about the issue Shikamaru had, to which she was told to follow him by Gaara. She learns about this alongside Choji and Ino from Kakashi. They begin their fight while Ino and Sai start about first.

Choji uses his expansion while Temari uses her wind and fan to block. Shikamaru follows Gengo as he climbs some steps. Sai and Ino fight, she tries to wake him up. Choji is fooled by Ro’s jutsu manipulation here, this is when he grabs him and throws him, then expands his hand and punches him, it disables the brainwashing on him.

Temari now also follows through using her wind to cancel the brain washing. Sai is told that he is their friend, he cries giving Ino the opportunity to use her Mind Transmission to talk to him from the inside. Shikamaru enters a room where he’s talked to by Gengo, talking about the past and how he picked up Zabuza’s plans when he could no longer.

Gengo tries to manipulate Shikamaru. All while Ino is in Sai’s mind, she helps him come home when he realises that he has friends. He wakes up to tell them that Shikamaru is in danger. Shikamaru goes through a few stressful moments as he talks to Gengo, but Naruto appears in front of him and shouts Ramen!

Shikamaru realises this and turns around to find his young self who didn’t have a clue as he tells himself that it’s okay to take it easy from time to time. This allows him to talk to it as it disappears. Gengo is shocked that he was not able to take control of Shikamaru, his heart is full of cracks but he couldn’t possible do it now.

Shikamaru understands that Gengo once has friends but now he has none, to which he’s killed or they’ve been taken control. Shikamaru’s friends appear, Ro and Soku help out as they capture Gengo. After it all, we see them getting captured, Shikamaru and Temari have a moment when he tries to ask her on a date, all the while the same happens with Sai and Ino as he asks her on a date. Naruto Shippuden 493 ends here.

A pretty good episode if you ask me, seems like a lot of these episodes are pointing to the future of the relationships within the Naruto world. This arc ends as the next begins in next week’s Naruto Shippuden 494, titled “Hidden Leaf Story, The Perfect Day for a Wedding, Part 1: Naruto’s Wedding” can’t wait, should be a good 1 hours special.