Naruto: Set 2 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Naruto: Set 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

More action-packed fun.

Naruto returns for more action-packed adventure. The series is based on the beloved manga written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The anime was first broadcast on TV Tokyo in Japan. The series is a creation of acclaimed animation studio Pierrot (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto: Shippûden). Naruto: Set 2 includes episodes 28-55 of the fan-favorite anime series. Time for more action-packed fun!

The saga continues to explore the series of adventures of ninja student Naruto and his best friends – the badass Sakura and the cold-but- efficient Sasuke. The three heroes of the story face new threats on the journey towards becoming ninja experts. More excitement awaits.

Upon taking a visit to the Forest of Death, Naruto faces a villainous foe with attributes usually reserved for snakes. After the epic battle unfolds, Naruto has exams to pass – leading up to a new training session by ninja expert Jiraiya. Can Naruto succeed in becoming a Ninja master?

The second set of Naruto continues to showcase the wonderful adventure of the series. The anime is exquisite fun for action fans. There is a lot of thrilling adventure and the action scenes make this a thrilling anime. The fun action is one of the key reasons Naruto has been such an enormous hit.

The saga continues.

The animation is one of the greatest attributes of Naruto. The art-work has exquisite line art and background designs. The character designs are exquisite as well – conveying each of the main characters efficiently and with a sense of personality. The animators did a solid effort with the production. The end result is a series that works on many levels. Action scenes are well animated as well.

The production benefits from great music as well. The original score composed by Musashi Project and Toshio Masuda (Excel Saga) is energetic fun. The music fits the backdrop of the action scenes with an enormous sense of ease. There is much to appreciate about the score and the way it is integrated in to the production.

Naruto has entertaining scripts penned by Katsuyuki Sumisawa (Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon). The screenplays help to bring to life the original manga. The manga is a fun read and the anime does a superb job of translating that sense of adventure. The writing imbues a sense of charm: with the characters making a great impression. There is something magical about the writing of Sumisawa – who provides a great voice to the central characters.

Directed by Hayato Date (Revolutionary Girl Utena, Naruto: Shippûden), Naruto is such an energetic and action- packed thrill ride that it is no wonder the series became such a global success. This is an anime series with a lot of charm. The direction finds a great balance between the adventure and the character moments. Naruto continues to be a great anime series that fans won't want to miss out on.

Naruto: Set 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from VIZ Media, Naruto is presented in 1080i MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The presentation is upconverted high-definition. The release does not include a native high-definition presentation. There are some soft sequences during the presentation.

The release is simply not as impressive (or crisp) as a native high-definition presentation would provide. However, the source materials are limited, and the standard-definition upscale is the best option available. The colors on the release aren't as robust as one might hope to find – sometimes a little underwhelming – and there are blurry scenes with too much processing. Even so, the release is a marginal improvement for fans of Naruto.

Naruto: Set 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options for fans: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo. The lossless, high resolution presentations are superb. Dialogue is crisp and clear throughout the presentation. There is so much clarity and detail in the presentation. The music soundtrack is well preserved as well. The sound is somewhat reserved compared to a 5.1 mix but for stereo-only audio the presentation is top-notch.

Naruto: Set 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Interview with Kate Higgins – English Voice of Sakura (HD, 6:54)

Art Gallery featuring 15 click-through sketches from the production.

Storyboards showcases four pages of a Naruto sequence.

Cleaning Opening (HD, 3:01)

Clean Closing (HD, 1:30)

Trailers (HD, 3:54) promoting other releases available from VIZ Media.

Naruto: Set 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Naruto returns for more action-packed fun. The series continues to be a thrilling adventure that will please anime fans. The animation is top-notch throughout the series and the character designs are distinctive. The original score is exciting and relevant too. The direction thrilling – a fun ride. A wonderful release for fans of the series, Naruto: Set 2 is a must-own for enthusiasts. The release provides a decent video-audio presentation and a small but worthwhile supplemental package. Recommended.