Episode Summaries

Lee reveals when he exchanged fists with Shira, he felt that both of them are alike, notably that they both lack skill in ninjutsu and genjutsu. Sen tells Lee and the others that Shira was not allowed to enter the Academy when he was a child because of this reason, as he was deemed unfit to be a shinobi. Despite this, Shira trained hard on his own, which eventually caught the attention of Sen and Yome. One time during training, Shira accidentally destroyed a boulder, which was there to prevent sand erosion. Gaara, then the newly appointed Kazekage, eventually noticed this, and met Shira.

As Shira apologised and revealed that he cannot use ninjutsu and genjutsu, Gaara tested his strength by attacking him with his sand. Impressed by the youth's display, Gaara declared to Shira that he will be a shinobi from that day forth, and abolished the rule established by his father. After hearing Shira's story, Lee is overfilled with contempt for the men that treated Shira harshly, and runs off to pursue them. While en route, Lee remembers his own painful childhood. Confronting Goji and his team-mates, Lee tells them to apologise to Shira for their harsh words. However, the men refuse, and Lee is caught in yet another genjutsu. As Neji and Tenten arrive to his rescue, Lee attempts to finish off what he started. Shira intervenes, and states he has only himself to blame having not trained hard enough. Not only that, Shira goes as far as to handing over his scroll to Team Goji, but his offer is declined, and instead, they offer their scroll to Shira. As Team Goji departs, Lee asks for a fight with Shira, which he accepts.