Naruto: Set 8 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Naruto: Set 8 Blu-ray Movie Review

Naruto: Set 8 brings audiences more action-packed fun with the popular and long-running anime franchise. The eighth collection of episodes brings audiences the superb adventure fans crave. An adaptation of the original manga by Masashi Kishimoto, Naruto is a fan-favorite for a reason: the characters are great and the action-packed mayhem delivers edge-of-your-seat fun. Broadcast on TV Tokyo in Japan, Naruto offers more ninja-style fun. Featuring animation from production studio Pierrot (Naruto: Shippûden, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations), Naruto: Set 8 is another must-own set for series fans.

Naruto is on a new mission and this time the stakes are as high as Mount Fuji. Naruto and his close allies must head out on a dangerous scavenger hunt while seeking to protect a lone ninja (with a life that is in perilous danger). As the scavenger hunt unfolds, Naruto finds danger around every corner of the epic journey. The Four Celestials clash and war rages on. Gaara and Shikamaru must test their strengths. Even Naruto’s abilities are put to the test. As Naruto trains alongside Jiraiya, the quest to save the Village Hidden in the Leaves unfolds. Time to multiply!

The series continues to expand on the ninja adventures of Naruto with the eighth volume of the series. The set includes plenty of excitement for fans of the anime medium. The set explores a brand-new mission and a compelling scavenger hunt. These elements certainly help the narrative expand and audiences are in for a wild ride.

There is little doubt that Naruto would not be as successful an anime series without the beloved fan-favorite cast of characters. These characters are central to the storytelling and the canvas of the production. Naruto is a gifted ninja and his strengths and abilities are constantly put to the test. Exploring some new terrain while training with Jiraiya in the eight box-set of the series, Naruto is consistently a charming protagonist with great strength, will-power, and determination to do well throughout the course of his journey: the saga wouldn’t be the same without him.

Naruto returns for more ninja-style fun!

Naruto features exquisite animation. The series art style is outstanding and there is so much to appreciate about the designs. The series has a compelling creative spirit and the animators on production bring out the best of the characters and the world of the ninjas. The manga is an impeccable foundation for the series and the animators bring forth great detail with the production. The scenery of the outdoor sequences is especially compelling and there is a vibrancy to the natural landscapes.

The character designs are essential. Without these incredible designs (adapted from the original manga character designs by Masashi Kishimoto), the storytelling wouldn’t be able to ebb and flow so well. An outstanding effort on the anime. The design for Naruto is instantly iconic and memorable. The design fits the personality of the protagonist perfectly. The supporting cast of characters have compelling designs as well – unique and complex.

Without the stunning action sequences, Naruto simply wouldn’t be as entertaining as it is. At the core foundation of Naruto is an action-packed series that audiences will find enjoyable for the ninja fun it provides. The wonderful sense of adrenaline- packed fun provided by Naruto is essential to why the series is such a gem. The action showcases the skills of Naruto and his mastery as a ninja (with the duplication moves being especially impressive – as four Naruto ninjas can be better than one).

The writing on Naruto is entertaining as well. The scripts have a wonderful balance of comedy and pathos. The heart of the series is about the characters and the journey (not the destination) but enjoying the ride along the way is something that makes the writing all the more effective. The screenplays certainly provide good dialogue and character-moments. The scripts exhibit plenty of charm.

Naruto is a beloved anime and with good reason: the series is one of the most compelling anime series around. The directing is ace and the filmmakers behind the series imbue each episode with plenty of excitement. Striking a solid visual foundation and expanding on the narrative, Naruto: Set 8 offers audiences even more entertaining episodes of the anime classic.

Naruto: Set 8 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from VIZ Media, Naruto is presented in 1080i MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The presentation quality is good for an upscale. The release is not as impressive looking as a native high- definition presentation yet the video quality still manages to showcase the beautiful animation at the best quality available. The upscaled presentation simply can't match a native scan or encode but this is unfortunately the best fans can expect from the production given the time-period in which the anime was produced (as many anime series produced in the same time-period were animated using digital outputs at a lower resolution). A native HD scan from a film scan simply isn't possible for Naruto. Nonetheless, the art looks great and the background detail is better than expected for an upscale. The image is a bit soft and not as refined as one might hope for but it still is better than a standard DVD and the Blu-ray release doesn't have as many compression issues inherent in the DVD format.

Naruto: Set 8 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Blu-ray release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles). The lossless, high resolution audio sounds great. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The soundtrack sounds superb and dynamic. The stereo audio sound mix is entertaining and engaging. A solid encode by VIZ.

Naruto: Set 8 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Storyboards – Episode 193 includes five pages of storyboards.

Storyboards – Episode 200 includes five pages of storyboards.

Storyboards – Episode 201 includes five pages of storyboards.

Art Gallery includes 10 click-through sketch illustrations.

Making Of Cover Art Gallery showcases the box-set covers (sans logo and set information) side-by-side for comparison and for fans to see the "complete" image.

Clean Opening & Closing:

Clean Opening (HD, 3:02)

Clean Closing (HD, 3:02)

More from VIZ (HD, 1:14)

Naruto: Set 8 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Naruto: Set 8 packs more of a mighty punch with episodes 193-220 of the worldwide hit. Anime fans will want to continue to explore the saga of Naruto and his fellow ninja friends. The adventures are full of action and intrigue. The Blu-ray release features a solid video presentation and an excellent audio encode. The release also includes some exclusive bonus features (including storyboard extracts, an art gallery, and additional illustrations). Recommended.