: Pain gathers the organization to discuss their progress and rising reputation, offering a glimpse into the bureaucracy and planning behind the group's operations. Critical Reception

💡 : This episode serves as a bridge that helps explain why Orochimaru left the Akatsuki and why he eventually became so fixated on acquiring a Uchiha body.

: The episode highlights Orochimaru’s growing, almost obsessive interest in Itachi as a potential vessel—a plot point that foreshadows his eventual focus on Sasuke.

: Reviewers from Anime News Network noted that while the episode feels disjointed and focuses heavily on "bureaucracy," the glimpse into Itachi's past remains consistently entertaining.