Hmm... they seem to have this thing where this big fight is going to happen. So instead of adding new parts (apart from all the other parts they added in the Anime from the Manga), they decided that they would recycle animation and waste precious time with Gaara looking at Deidara for half the episode. This fight was WAY quicker than this, so I believe the pacing is HORRID. they are stretching out some things that shouldn't be stretched... AND they're stretching them out without filling them up with something other than static staring or flying around...

And about that Rasengan, that move that's still overused (even tho it's naruto's finishing technique). But why after 85+ episodes of fillers, why is it the rasengans awesome power is still being used like a typical drill. They F'ed up the Rasengan by making everyone hit with it "spin" outta control, when you look at Kabuto animation compared to everyone else in the fillers. Maybe I must check the movies again (if they are considered canon), but the rasengan engulfs the target in chakra and rips them up with spinning charkra energy and carries them away. Why is it this technique still being used to mow down trees (it can probably cut grass too... ).

And besides, Naruto is a pretty ok ninja. He has two techniques, Kage boushin and Rasengan. For someone who uses most of his life using the same technique but developing new ways to use them, Naruto is pretty good. I mean look at the chidori, manga readers know what it can do in the hands of a master. So if the Kage Boushin works the same way, then Naruto is going to survive. I mean his Taijutsu and Ninjutsu is pretty good, he just sucks at genjutsu. But that's just my take on it.

Neji for hokage