As a bonus, the short and non-canonical OVA Konoha Annual Sports Festival (木ノ葉運動会 Konoha Undōkai) was included with the Japanese release of the film. The ten minute opening short revolves around Naruto’s inability to use the bathroom while participating in a sports tournament. It is notable because virtually every character, living or dead, in the Naruto universe makes an appearance in it (most of them standing in a restroom-queue). The dead 4th Hokage also makes an appearance in the shot.

In America, the film was released as a one-day showing on June 6, 2007. Instead of the OVA included with the Japanese release, the American release included a short featurette entitled “World of Naruto”, as well as a behind the scenes featurette afterwards with interviews with the main English cast and select members of the main Japanese cast. The OVA will, however, appear in the U.S. DVD release. The DVD release is set for September 4, 2007. The movie premiered on Cartoon Network on September 8, 2007. The film also played at Cineplex Odeon and Empire Theatres cinemas in Canada, distributed via Bell TV to play the film at all cinemas at the same time. The film aired at the Great British Museum in London, U.K. on July 28, 2007 for a single showing. The film was also slated for one-day showings in Australia on October 14.

On November 13, 2007, a 3-Disc Deluxe Edition of Naruto the Movie was released in the United States. It has many extras and features that the standard U.S. DVD , released a few months earlier, did not include. It includes the ten-minute short “Konoha Annual Sports Festival” that was originally shown with the Japanese release of the film, the complete soundtrack to the movie, documentaries of the American voice recording of the movie, movie art postcards, and more.

Plot

The movie begins with a heroine previously unknown in the Naruto continuity: Princess Fuun (Princess Gale in the US version). Fuun’s nemesis, Mao, challenges her group with an army of undead soldiers. His dark intentions seem to prevail, that is, until Princess Gale and her cohorts, Shishimaru, Brit, and Tsukuyaku, unleash the power of the Seven-Color-Chakra upon him. They save the day, and Naruto, watching from afar, couldn’t be more elated.

As it turns out, Naruto is actually watching the scene in a movie, as is the rest of Team 7. But then, the audience of the movie starts to throw objects at the team for making so much noise while arguing with the cinema manager. Kakashi had sent them to watch it as preparation for their next mission: guarding Yukie Fujikaze, the actress who plays Princess Fuun, while she makes the next movie in the Land of Snow. As it turns out, Yukie is actually the princess of the Land of Snow, which was taken over by rogue ninja when she was a child. The leader of the rogue ninja, Doto Kazahana, wants Yukie’s crystal necklace to unlock the Land of Snow’s treasure, which Yukie’s father had hidden before being assassinated. After various battles between Team 7 and the rogue ninja, resulting in the defeat of all and the death of Nadare their leader, Doto succeeds in obtaining Yukie’s necklace, only to discover that the “treasure” of the Land of Snow is a generator designed to melt the snow and bring Spring to the country. Doto is then defeated by Naruto in a manner reminicient of Princess Fuun’s defeat of Mao, involving “rainbow chakra”.

With the rogue ninja all gone, Yukie has decided to resume her position as the princess of the Land of Snow, which will eventually become the Land of Spring after the technology behind the generator is perfected. Despite being a princess, Yukie intends to continue acting, and the next film she’s starring in is an adaptation of one of Jiraiya’s Icha Icha novels,(Makeout Paradise: The Movie) much to Kakashi’s delight, who says “That script! She’s perfect!” (This was actually seen on episode 101, Kakashi staring amazed at a billboard advertisement of the movie). Apparently, the autograph-wanting Naruto received an envelope from Sasuke afterwards, who got shocked looks from the other members of Team 7, including Naruto himself. Inside was a signed picture from Yukie. The picture was of a bandaged up (and apparently unconscious) Naruto in the hospital, receiving a kiss on the cheek from the actress. At the end of the credits, the crew that make the Princess Gale movie say cut and all cheer. At box office the movie was a huge hit, making $42,134,123 US.

Other Information

• Director Tensai Okamura
• Composer Toshio Masuda
• Studio Studio Pierrot

Links

• Wikipedia
• Naruto the Movie

Plot

The movie opens with a battle taking place at night on a desolate seaside beach between Sand Ninja and mysterious warriors wearing bulky suits of armor. Despite their best efforts, the Sand Ninja are slowly overwhelmed by the sheer strength of their mysterious opponents. The timely arrival of reinforcements led by Kankuro and Gaara turns the tide, with Kankuro slicing apart a suit of armor with his puppet, and Gaara dispatching a large number of enemies en mass with his signature Desert Imperial Funeral. However when Gaara orders the Sand Ninja to shine a flare at the retreating enemies, a large warship appears. The ship then opens fire with its guns, and Gaara’s sand armor barely manages to protect his comrades.

The movie stars Naruto Uzumaki, Shikamaru Nara, and Sakura Haruno as they deliver a lost pet to its village. However, a mysterious knight called Temujin intercepts them and they fight, causing both Temujin and Naruto to be knocked off a cliff. As Shikamaru and Sakura realize what has happened to Naruto, a giant ship appears.

Naruto wakes up to find himself bandaged and traveling in a caravan. He also finds Temujin asleep beside him. When Temujin awakens, the lost pet seems to be attracted to him. The caravan is part of a moving country.

Meanwhile Sakura and Shikamaru split up to search for Naruto. Shikamaru spies on the fortress and finds a lab with children in capsules. Two women with similar armor to what Temujin was wearing are talking about the Gelel Stone.

The movie revolves mostly around a special mineral called the Gelel Stone, which has a strong and mysterious power. There was once a clan that could control the stone’s powers (the traveling caravan and Temujin are part of this clan), but they were destroyed because of fights for the stone.

Temujin is working for his Lord, Master Haido, who has his group searching for the Stones of Gelel, so that he can create at ‘utopia’, a world free from war and strife. But he also tells his group that sacrifices are for the greater good.

Temujin learns that the leader of the caravan knows where the Stones of Gelel are, so Temujin kidnaps the elder and forces him to lead him to a cave where the stones are sealed away. Naruto follows him to try and stop him. But Haido also follows him to the cave. Once there Haido reveals that he has a piece of Gelel Stone which he uses to attack the leader of the caravan. Eventually Temujin defends the man which angers Haido. He then explains that he was the one that killed Temujin’s family. He then attacks Temujin and destroys his piece of Gelel Stone. At this point Naruto intervenes and attempts to defeat Haido. He manages to hit him with a rasengan but it has no effect. He then convinces Temujin to help him fight. With Temujin’s help Naruto creates two rasengans. (one from the Nine Tailed Fox’s chakra and another from Gelel) He then defeats Haido and escapes along with Temujin and the leader of the caravan. Temujin then leaves with the other children stating that he will end all war.

Other Information

• Director Hirotsugu Kawasaki
• Composer Toshio Masuda
• Studio Studio Pierrot
• Released August 6, 2005 (Japan)
• July 29, 2008 (US)
• August 5, 2008 (Canada)
• December 26, 2008 (UK)
• Runtime 96 Minutes and 23 seconds

Links

• Naruto the Movie 2

Naruto Anime fans take note: Viz Media is taking Naruto online in an expansion of content.

One of the most popular Japanese animated and manga properties in the world, Naruto Shippuden, has officially arrived in America. Naruto was ranked #17 in Yahoo! Buzz top 20 overall searches. The series, by creator Kishimoto-sensei, depicts the adventures of a young boy who trains to become a ninja, and has sold more than 4 million copies of Naruto manga to date. The series also consistently ranks #1 across Cartoon Network’s Toonami programs each week.

Below are the new trailers trailer heralding the official new episodes airing in the US with English subtitles. Naruto is a huge hit for Cartoon Network as well.

Fans can catch up with past episodes at Naruto.com right now.

Viz Media negan their near-simultaneous Japan-U.S. release of new Naruto episodes on Naruto.com, (January 15th).

The latest episode (English-subtitled) animated series will be available for free viewing on the ultimate destination for anything Naruto – the official website, link, within days of its original airdate in Japan. A new English-subtitled episode will be added every Thursday thereafter.

Fans can also visit the site to see past episodes of the widely popular series for free courtesy of Viz Media–Eight uncut, English-subtitled episodes from the beginning of the series will stream here.

Each Friday thereafter there will be an additional eight uncut, English-subtitled episodes added on Naruto.com until the series eventually catches up to the current third season of the hit program.

All episodes on the site are authentic and authorized by Kisimoto-sensei with correct translations.

VIZ Media is a publishing, animation and licensing companies. Naruto has become one of VIZ Media’s most successful manga properties in terms of sales.

Naruto was also the first manga to ever win a noted Quill Award in 2006.

Cartoon Network’s Naruto Anime expands online