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

The first 100,000 people to see the movie in certain theaters were to receive a Naruto themed yo-yo. It has a picture of Naruto Uzumaki on it, and when spun it lights up, imitating the appearance of a Rasengan.

Cartoon Network has dropped Toonami effective on September 20, 2008, but the movie was still shown on Cartoon Network at its release date on November 8, 2008, at 9:00 P.M., as part of the Action Flicks programming block. After it aired on Cartoon Network, it was then released to DVD November 11, 2008. The movie was available for viewing via the Toonami Jetstream website until December 15, 2008.

Naruto Uzumaki, Kakashi Hatake, Sakura Haruno, and Rock Lee are assigned to protect the prince of the Land of the Moon, Michiru, during his world trip; other escorts had been hired, but quit due to being treated poorly. The Land of the Moon is a very wealthy nation, so Michiru tends to buy whatever he wants, and has a very materialistic worldview. His son, Hikaru, also acts in much the same manner, annoying Naruto.

During the trip, the caravan stops at a circus. When Hikaru takes a liking to a rare sabertoothed tiger, Chamu, featured there, Michiru ends up purchasing not only it, but the whole circus as well, placing it under the team’s protection. Hikaru attempts to befriend the tiger, but finds that it dislikes humans. He loses interest in the circus and during a sea voyage, when a storm hits, he appears unconcerned about the animals’ well-being, causing Naruto to become disgusted at his lack of value for them. Upset by Naruto’s view of him, Hikaru goes out to help Chamu get to safety, and Naruto saves both of them after they wash overboard. The next day, Naruto and Hikaru become friends.

After returning to the Land of the Moon, the team finds that the country has been taken over by Shabadaba, one of the nobles, a former friend of Michiru. Having hired three powerful ninja to assist him, Shabadaba has disposed of the king and plans to do the same with Michiru and Hikaru, the remaining heirs to the throne. He orders the military forces to kill them all, but the team is able to escape with the help of some soldiers still loyal to the king.

Escaping to a hidden cave, Michiru finds that his father is still alive, but Sakura, although able to heal his petrified arm, is only able to keep him alive for a little while. The king revealed that he had suspected that something like this would happen, and arranged for the journey to keep Michiru out of harm’s way. Before dying, the king tells Michiru and Hikaru that people are truly important in life, not material goods. During an attempt to escape the country by boat, the three ninja hired by Shabadaba attack, disabling Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura, and Lee with sense-dulling poison that slows their reactions. The prince is captured, but the emergence of Naruto’s fox chakra allows him to repel the attacking ninja before the prince’s son can be taken.

At the castle, Shabadaba’s reasons for taking over the country are revealed to be purely material, the same things Michiru considers important, as he intends to use the nation’s wealth for himself rather than the people. Michiru is disgusted by Shadabada’s attitude, and realizes the truth of what his father had said. Shabadaba decides to put him to death, by a drawn-out hanging: he has Michiru balance on a board of wood not strong enough to support his weight while wearing a noose, ensuring that sooner or later he will fall and be hanged.

With the help of the circus Michiru purchased earlier, Kakashi’s team makes a rescue attempt with Hikaru and the rogue soldiers, infiltrating the palace by disguising as members of the circus. One by one, Kakashi and his team fight individual battles: Kakashi fights the many soldiers in the courtyard while each of the Genin fight one of the ninja. Lee wields a pair of nun-chuks that have the ability to connect to other staffs hidden in his leg weights, creating weapons such as a long staff and a chain whip. He defeats his opponent after some effort and by driving him down through the floor to the bottom level with a ferocious burst of punches from above. Sakura is able to dispatch her poison and genjutsu-using opponent by shattering a chandelier to locate her by watching where she moves and subsequently defeat her with one punch.

Naruto fights against Ishidate, the leader of the three ninja, while helping Hikaru reach his father. Hikaru shoots an arrow, severing the rope around Michiru’s neck, and Naruto’s shadow clones catch the prince and his father. Ishidate is enraged and attempts to kill Naruto, but Shadabada orders him to deal with Michiru. Ishidate then turns on Shadabada, petrifying him. In the penultimate scene, Naruto, his leg disabled by his opponent’s strange petrification jutsu, rides on Michiru’s back to attack with his Crescent Moon Rasengan which reflects the light of the moon in such a manner that it grows and takes on a crescent shape. He hits Ishidate with this attack, sending him flying and destroying Shadabada’s stone remains.

After Ishidate’s defeat, Michiru takes the throne of the country and promises to rule as his father did. As Kakashi is immobilized due to overuse of the Sharingan, his team decides to take a vacation in the Moon Country while he recovers.

Other Information

• Genre Comedy, Action
• Animated film
• Director Toshiyuki Tsuru
• Composer Toshio Masuda
• Studio Studio Pierrot
• Released :Japan August 5, 2006, United States November 8, 2008
• Actors: Naruto
• Format: Animated, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English, Japanese
• Run Time: 135 minutes

Links

• Naruto the Movie 3 Official Website
• Naruto the Movie 3

One of the big titles in anime, “Bebop” is set in a time when “astral gates” make interstellar travel possible. Humanity, decimated by a lunar explosion resulting from a gate accident, has spread out across the solar system, as has crime, giving rise to the use of bounty hunters.

Reeves would play Spike Spiegel, a bounty hunter and former member of a crime syndicate. Spiegel and Jet Black, a fellow bounty hunter and former cop, are the pilots of the spaceship Bebop.

Peter Craig is writing the script.

The show, which first aired on Tokyo TV and satcaster Wowow during the late ’90s, was influenced strongly by American music, featuring action sequences — both space battles and mano a mano fights — timed to U.S. melodies.

Reeves’ association with the project leaked in the summer when Fox and 3 Arts Entertainment began the process of acquiring the rights from Sunrise Studios.

“Bebop” marks a return to Fox for Reeves, who starred in the studio’s December release “The Day the Earth Stood Still.”

Reeves leads cast of futuristic Bebop

VIZ Media welcomed rare in-person appearances by BLEACH Character Designer Masashi Kudo and Producer Ken Hagino, who will offered insights to the audience prior to the start of the film. A costumed version of the character KON from the movie was also on-hand to welcome guests and pose for pictures. The first 100 attendees on June 11, at the Regal Union Square Stadium 14 location received a special BLEACH armband courtesy of Great Eastern Entertainment, Inc., a leading licensed manufacturer of animation and entertainment merchandise.

DEATH NOTE was first released in Japan in July 2006, grossing over *$28 million* with 2.3 million tickets sold.
Its sequel, DEATH NOTE: THE LAST NAME, was released in Japan in November 2006 and was even more successful, grossing over *$52 million* with 4.3 million tickets sold.

Both movies stayed at #1 on box office for weeks not only in Japan, but also in Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand.

As a result of this success, a spin-off film directed by Hideo Nakata (director of the original Japanese version of The Ring) will be released shortly on February 9, 2008, titled L: Change the World.

Adapted from the bestselling manga, with original characters and plot twists developed only for live-action film, the story takes unexpected turns before arriving at a shocking ending.

Ace student Light Yagami finds the Death Note, a notebook intentionally dropped by a rogue “Shinigami death god named Ryuk. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies. Upset with the current justice system, Light takes matters into his own hands and vows to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of all evil, and become the God of the new world.

Soon, the number of suspicious deaths of reported criminals catches the attention of the International Police Organization.

A mysterious detective known only as L quickly learns that the serial killer, nicknamed Kira by the public, is located in Japan. Light realizes that L will be his greatest enemy, and a game of psychological cat and mouse between the two begins.

Other Information

• Actors: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Kenichi Matsuyama, Takeshi Kaga
• Directors: Shusuke Kaneko
• Format: Anamorphic, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Surround Sound
• Language: Japanese, English
• Subtitles: English
• Studio: VIZ Pictures
• DVD Release Date: September 16, 2008
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• IMDB entry: Death Note
• IMDB entry: Death Note: The Last Name
• Wikipedia : Death Note