Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Naruto Shippuden: Set 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Naruto Shippuden Set 2 picks up the action with the second collection of the sequel to the fan-favorite anime franchise. Created by Masashi Kishimoto, Naruto Shippuden features animation production by Pierrot (Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations). Broadcast on the Bandai Channel, Kids Station, and TV Tokyo, Naruto Shippuden Set 2 features episodes 28-55 of the action-packed season. Produced by Fukashi Azuma (Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok, Sound of the Sky) and Tomoko Gushima (The Prince of Tennis, Medabots), Naruto Shippuden Set 2 includes voice-work by Junko Takeuchi, Noriaki Sugiyama, and Chie Nakamura.

Naruto Uzumaki (Junko Takeuchi) is on a new mission and the task isn’t as easy as at first glance. A long flight of epic battles are underway. New situations arise for the heroes and Gaara faces down evil – at any and all cost. Within the village, Naruro soon finds himself being violently attacked.

The shinobi Sai has decided it is time to fight tooth-and-nail. The fight will last to the bitter-end. Even as Sai is now set to become Naruto’s new teammate and ally, the fighting mark remains. Kakashi has decided to put together a spy mission and Naruto will soon be in serious danger as he awaits a showdown with Sasuke Uchiha (Noriaki Sugiyama).

Naruto Shippuden just wouldn’t be the same without such a wonderful cast of characters. The great characters are at the heart of why fans enjoy the franchise more than anything else and it sets things apart. Naruto is a great lead hero and someone who is full of spirited energy and a passion to help others.

This drive to be a good hero and to train to be the best ninja he possibly can be is a big part of what makes Naruto tick and what sets him apart from other ninjas who are training in the field – but cannot seem to compete with the excellence of Naruto himself. The supporting cast members are impressive, too. The cast certainly help to round out the series with the allies being at Naruto’s side. A compelling sense of friendship and alliance is formed and it adds to the charm of the series.

The score by -yaiba- (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Tiger Mask W), Musashi Project (Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom, Naruto the Movie: Legend of the Stone of Gelel), Toshio Masuda (Ninja Girl & Samurai Master, Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow), and Yasuharu Takanashi (The Ambition of Oda Nobuna, Farming Life in Another World) is a highlight of the production. The score is such a big part of the series and one of the reasons the anime feels energetic and fun. The music is uplifting in surprising ways and makes a nice difference in how the ninja fight sequences unfolds. The compositions are breezy, charming, and all part of the fun.

The character designs for Naruto Shippuden are by Hirofumi Suzuki (Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie, Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom) and Tetsuya Nishio (Jin-Roh - The Wolf Brigade, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG). The designs remain true to the roots of Naruto and what made the series a success in the first place. The designs certainly feel iconic and memorable. Without a doubt, Naruto has some of the best character designs for an anime series.

One of the most important elements on display remains the quality art direction by Norihiko Yokomatsu (Godzilla Singular Point, Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom) and Shigenori Takada (Tokyo Mew Mew, Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files). The animation is important to the series. It brings forth a lot of energy and charm – highlighting the whimsy of the characters and their ninja journeys alongside the adrenaline of the action beats.

The cinematography by Atsuho Matsumoto (Queen's Blade: Rebellion, Naruto) is bright and colorful and an essential aid to the visuals. The cinematography shines bright on the release and capably highlights the animation. A good effort for Naruto Shippuden by Matsumoto.

Written by Junki Takegami (Naruto, One Piece), Naruto Shippuden Set 2 continues the winning formula that has made the series such a hit with fans. The formula for the series continues to prove rewarding with the characters continuing to face new ninja training and battles. The storylines might seem a bit repetitive to some but the essence of the series is that there is a lot of fun to be had for action fans.

Directed by Hayato Date (Naruto Shippūden: The Burning Chūnin Exam! Naruto vs. Konohamaru!!, Tokyo Underground), Naruto Shippuden Set 2 won’t be the place to start off if newcomers want the full series experience but it is a nice place to pick-up with for die-hard fans. The series has always been a fun and memorable anime and fans of action anime with an emphasis on ninjas will find that Date is a strong director with a fun style – delivering those action goods that have made this series a worldwide hit.

Naruto Shippuden: Set 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by VIZ Media, Naruto Shippuden Set 2 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The series has received a high-definition upscale of the standard-definition video. The high- definition upscale is generally pleasing with a modest boost in quality. The video has slightly less compression woes comparatively when one compares it to the DVD version.

While not a big upgrade, the video presentation is a slight improvement for someone who wants the absolute best possible quality. Colors are reasonable looking and remain true to the aesthetic of the series – though sometimes are a bit more muted and not as robust as one would want to find with a native high-definition encode or a more recent and modern production. Though the differences are slight and subtle here, there remains modest improvements.

Naruto Shippuden: Set 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of audio options: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The audio quality on the release is reasonably good and does a decent job of highlighting the dialogue and sound effects. The voices are clear and are easy to understand on the release. The background sound effects are well reproduced and the soundstage works well. Even with a sometimes-modest sounding soundstage, the stereo audio track works well. A reasonable audio presentation. The sound direction by Yasunori Ebina (Date A Live, Fruits Basket) is well reproduced by VIZ Media.

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

The first print run of the release includes an o-card slipcover.

Voice Actor Featurette: New Faces of Naruto Shippuden (HD, 13:54) features interviews with voice actors who have been involved with the production. English dub voice-fans are sometimes quite passionate about their dub heroes and fans who want to enjoy some interviews with the cast should certainly consider this a featurette worth looking at.

Storyboards: Episode 53 includes 4 pages of click-through storyboards.

Art Gallery includes 16 pages of click-through illustrations. It is nice to see some art work highlighted as the art is one of the best things about Naruto. Fans who appreciate looking at artbooks and the like should find something rewarding to appreciate while looking at these illustrations.

Clean Opening (HD, 3:02)

Clean Ending (HD, 4:33)

Trailers (HD, 1:21)

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

Naruto Shippuden Set 2 offers an adrenaline-packed punch of action-adventure for series fans. The saga continues with more epic journeys for the hero, Naruto Uzumaki. The second collection will certainly please die-hard fans looking to add another set to their collection. The release offers decent video and audio quality alongside a selection of bonus features exclusive to the Blu-ray collection. Though a small supplemental package, it's nice to see the inclusion of some nice extras (including a voice-cast feature and an art gallery). Recommended.