Losing is Not an Option!
Episode 117 · Naruto (2002)
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Filler or Canon?
Yes — Naruto Episode 117 is canon. It adapts the original manga and is essential to the main story. Do not skip it. Neji's near-death victory — the completion of his arc from fate's prisoner to its defier, and the squad's second life-or-death win.
Series
Naruto (2002)
Episode
117 / 220
Status
Manga Canon
Arc
Sasuke Recovery
SASUKE RECOVERY · EP 102–135 · 34 EPISODESYOU ARE HERE · 16 OF 34
Episode Summary
Pierced, poisoned and out of chakra, Neji refuses the verdict. The episode is his eulogy delivered mid-fight: the caged-bird seal, his father's chosen death, the years of believing the sky was sealed to a branch-house bird — all reframed in a final Eight Trigrams strike fired up a spider's own thread. Kidomaru falls. Neji, bleeding out against a tree, hears his father's voice tell him he was always free, and survives on the thinnest margin the arc allows. Losing, he decides, is not an option he'll accept.
Frequently Asked
What arc is it in?
It's part of the Sasuke Recovery arc.
Can I skip it?
No, this is essential canon — do not skip it.
Sasuke Recovery · Ep 102–135 · 34 episodes
102Mission: Help an Old Friend in the Land of TeaFiller103The Race is On! Trouble on the High Seas!Filler104Run, Idate, Run! Nagi Island Awaits!Filler105A Fierce Battle of Thunder and Lightning!Filler106The Last Leg: A Final Act of DesperationFiller107The Battle Begins: Naruto vs. SasukeManga Canon108Bitter Rivals and Broken BondsManga Canon109An Invitation from the SoundManga Canon110Formation! The Sasuke Retrieval SquadManga Canon111Sound vs. LeafManga Canon112A Sudden Plea for RainMixed Canon/Filler113Full Throttle Power! Choji, Ablaze!Mixed Canon/Filler114Goodbye Old Friend! I'll Always Believe in You!Mixed Canon/Filler115Your Opponent is Me!Manga Canon116360 Degrees of Vision: The Byakugan's Blind SpotManga Canon
117Losing is Not an Option!Manga Canon
118The Vessel Arrives Too LateManga Canon119Mistake: New Enemies Appear!Manga Canon120Roar and Howl! The Ultimate Tag TeamManga Canon121To Each His Own BattleManga Canon122Fake: A Sudden Appearance!Manga Canon123Ninja DropoutManga Canon124The Beast WithinManga Canon125The Sand Shinobi: Allies of the LeafManga Canon126Showdown: Gaara vs. KimimaroMixed Canon/Filler127Vengeful Strike! Bracken Dance!Mixed Canon/Filler128A Cry on Deaf EarsManga Canon129Itachi and Sasuke: The Distant BrothersManga Canon130Father and Son: The Broken CrestMixed Canon/Filler131The Secrets of the Mangekyo Sharingan!Mixed Canon/Filler132For a FriendManga Canon133A Plea From a FriendS+Manga Canon134The End of TearsManga Canon135The Promise That Could Not Be KeptManga Canon720 episodes — canon, mixed, filler and best animation moments.
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