Naruto: Set 3 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Naruto: Set 3 Blu-ray Movie Review

More action-packed fun awaits.

Naruto is back in action with another exciting collection. The series is adapted from the fan-favorite manga illustrated and written by Masashi Kishimoto. The series was broadcast originally on the TV Tokyo network in Japan. The series comes from acclaimed animation studio Pierrot (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto: Shippûden). Naruto: Set 3 includes episodes 56-82 of series. Cowabunga!

The time has come for the Chunin Exam. As a result, the battle wages on – who will emerge victorious from the difficult examinations? Naruto works his magic while bringing his Shadow Clones to the front and center of the exams. It's Naruto vs. Neji as the match unfolds.

Meanwhile, Sasuke and Gaara both face off. Making matters more complicated is the arrival of Orochimaru. Orochimaru joins forces with the Sound Ninja and seeks revenge on The Village Hidden. Can Naruto come to the rescue and save the day?

The third collection continues to explore the action-packed adventures of Naruto and his friends. The series is a great action-packed series for fans of the genre. The long-running anime series finds more ways to raise the stakes and up-the-ante. The action sequences are exciting and keep viewers on the edge of their seat.

The characters are one of the key reasons the series is such a wonderful gem. Naruto is a great leading character: brash, stubborn, and silly. Naruto is full of energy (and the character has so much fun with learning his ninja moves that fans will be entertained by all the missteps along the way to becoming someone who is a ninja master). The supporting characters are great as well. Sakura is a tough-and-smart fighter with a mind of her own. Sasuke is a calm but complex person. The trio are great.

Run, don't walk, to experience the fun of Naruto.

The animation on Naruto is one of the strengths of the series. The background artwork is well designed and conveyed. The level of detail in the animation is superb from beginning to end. There is so much worth appreciating here. The animators did a superb job of bringing the story to life in a compelling way.

The character designs are similarly impressive. Each of the central characters has a distinctive look and aesthetic. The character designs feel authentic to the personalities. A exceptional effort and something which improves the overall quality of the production.

The screenwriting is superb as well. Naruto is a series with a fun sense of comedic timing. The scripts often have great comedic sequences – especially when it comes down to highlighting the (mis)adventures of Naruto. The story can also become quite moving and have real dramatic gravitas when needed.

Naruto stands out as a well-directed production. This is an anime series which keeps viewers well entertained. The series is enjoyable fun for action anime fans – and that is what matters most. The series explores the ninja concepts well. Fans will be pleased.

Naruto: Set 3 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from VIZ Media, Naruto: Set 3 is presented in 1080i MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The release is not quite as impressive as some might hope to find. The presentation is generally quite soft and the image isn't anywhere near as pristine as modern HD presentations are.

Colors are a bit muted looking – and are never as robust as desired. Nonetheless, the high-definition upscale offers fans a modest color boost alongside a somewhat more refined encoding (with fewer compression artifacts). Far from a great looking presentation but one that is still worthwhile given the source-element limitations.

Naruto: Set 3 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo. The lossless, high-resolution audio tracks are excellent overall. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. The music soundtrack manages to sound engaging and robust. Though the stereo audio isn't as immersive as a surround presentation may have offered the encoding is still worthwhile and it gets the job done.

Naruto: Set 3 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Interview with Kyle Hebert – English Voice of Kiba (HD, 8:26)

Storyboards – Episode 56 showcases 5 original storyboard illustrations.

Storyboards – Episode 78 showcases 5 original storyboard illustrations.

Art Gallery features a click-through gallery highlighting 18 original illustrations.

Clean Opening (HD, 1:30)

Clean Closing (HD, 3:12)

More from VIZ Media (HD, 3:02)

Naruto: Set 3 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Naruto is an entertaining and action-packed adventure. The third set of the worldwide phenomenon, Naruto is well worth checking out for any and all anime fans. The series has great action sequences. The animation is creative and engaging. The Blu-ray release features a modest presentation (from a high definition upscale) and it is not perfect – yet it is worthwhile for fans seeking the absolute best presentation and ownership of the show. Recommended.