Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		2.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 Blu-ray Movie Review

Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 action-adventure comedy continues the epic journey. Created by Masashi Kishimoto, Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 includes episodes 83-110. Produced by Fukashi Azuma (Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok, Shaman King) and Tomoko Gushima (The Prince of Tennis, Saiyuki: Requiem), Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 offers more Shonen action for the target fanbase. The release features voice cast performances by Junko Takeuchi, Masaki Terasoma, Kazuhiko Inoue, Takaya Hashi, Chie Nakamura, and Noriaki Sugiyama. As the journey continues, Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 amps up the action.

Naruto Uzumaki (Junko Takeuchi) is back for more exciting adventures. The journey of Naruto is never over. There are plenty of new and exciting things going on for the gifted ninja warrior. Kakashi Hatake (Dave Wittenberg) is on a new journey himself. Kakashi is now seeking revenge. Alongside Team 10, Kakashi is working on the revenge mission due to the fallen allies who were killed by Hidan (Masaki Terasoma) and Hatake Kakashi (Kazuhiko Inoue).

These killer warriors were part of the Akatsuki. Everything is at risk as the stakes are raised by these dangerous villains. The Shinobi pose an enormous threat to everyone. It may be up to Naruto to save the day. There’s even a big battle impending over Three Tails. The battle of the Leaf Ninja is an intense one with many obstacles. Naruto faces new challenges. Can Naruto defeat his enemies and emerge the victor? Or will it be the end of Naruto?

Naruto is such a likeable character and it is so easy to enjoy spending time with him. Naruto has always been a fun and bright-spirited character for me. Ever since I started reading the Naruto manga in my youth, I always have enjoyed the ninja and his journeys. The character is so in tune with exploring his path that one can be drawn into his world of action-packed adventure. The supporting cast of characters are excellent, too. Kakashi, a personal favorite, is another fun character and he takes on a strong role as a leader.

The dynamics between these characters are well-done. The character designs by Hirofumi Suzuki (Naruto Shippūden: The Lost Tower, Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie) and Tetsuya Nishio (The Last: Naruto The Movie, Naruto Shippūden: The Lost Tower) also add to the production. An impressive production merit, the designs are faithful to the manga. These designs add a lot of value to the production as the series adapts the manga.

The animation is a highlight of Naruto Shippuden: Set 4. The Naruto Shippuden series features quality art direction by Norihiko Yokomatsu (Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie, Call of the Night) and Shigenori Takada (Tokyo Mew Mew, Yu Yu Hakusho). The animators did a solid job with the production. The animation creates a vibrant aesthetic. The background animation and line art are well detailed, too. There is plenty to appreciate about the detailed art – the trees, the grass, the ninja-moves – and the special skills of the entire clan of warriors. These elements add a lot to the animation and help it to be more enjoyable.

The cinematography by Atsuho Matsumoto (Naruto Shippūden, Emma: A Victorian Romance) helps to highlight the animation, too. Matsumoto is a gifted cinematographer and adds something special. An important part of the cinematography is the attention to lighting. The cinematographer highlights the ninja-warrior moves with style.

The score composed by -yaiba- (Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations) and Yasuharu Takanashi (Fairy Tail, Tokyo Mew Mew New) is a solid part of the production, too. The score highlights the action. The action beats of the story are more well-rounded because of the efforts that were made. The end result is something more spectacular and impressive. Fans of action anime scores will certainly appreciate what the score has to offer.

Written by Junki Takegami (Pokémon: Black and White, Beast Fighter - The Apocalypse), Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 delivers more fun for series fans. Takegami is a good choice for the series. An impressive sense of ninja-fun is inherent in the writing. Dialogue is well-done and the character interactions are handled well.

Directed by Hayato Date (Convenience Store Boy Friends, Tokyo Underground), Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 provides the goods anime fans are looking for. Action-adventure fans who love the Shonen genre and ninja titles will find plenty to appreciate. Dedicated fans who are continuing the journey will find the series well worth exploring. Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 brings plenty of spectacle to the table for the fanbase.

Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by VIZ Media, Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio. The series is presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The series presentation is a standard-definition upscale. The materials used are not native high-definition. As a result, VIZ used lower-quality materials for the presentation. These presentation materials can be a little bit underwhelming at times. In fact, some of the picture-quality elements seemed even worse this go-around.

The video is often choppy looking. Detail is weak and it looks too processed. There are a lot of moments of sharp-edged video with jaggies causing issues with the presentation. The presentation colors are decent at best and don't pop as much as on a native HD presentation. There may be subtle at best improvements over a standard DVD disc. Don't expect to find some revelatory upscale bringing the standard-definition material to the table beautifully.

Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The sound direction by Yasunori Ebina (Ranking of Kings, Majestic Prince) is capably presented on the release. Dialogue sounds clear and is easy to understand. The soundstage is somewhat average-sounding and underwhelming. The audio doesn't sound as crystal clear or robust as on modern productions.

The track is often thin sounding, without being as expansive or detailed as ideal. The audio isn't as robust as one can often expect with lossless encoding and this is surely due to the source limitations of the audio. The audio isn't particularly impressive sounding and it doesn't stand out as a good example of ideal sound presentations. Fans will find the presentation serviceable but don't expect too much either.

Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release includes an o-card slipcover. The slipcover is well-done and adds to the collectability of the release. The artwork is the same on the slip and it is underneath the slip. The release may have been a little better looking in hand with some alternate art under the slipcover but the results are still nicely handled by VIZ Media.

On disc supplements include:

Storyboards includes 5 click-through pages of storyboard slides.

Art Gallery includes 53 pages of click-through artwork.

Opening and Ending Videos:

Opening (HD, 4:33)

Ending (HD, 3:01)

Trailers (HD, 1:22)

Unfortunately, the release doesn't have the most in-depth supplemental package. The art gallery does provide a few nice inclusions. However, the set could have still benefited by including some audio commentaries or cast/crew interviews. Even a modest boost in supplementals may have made everything about the set feel a bit more well-rounded for supplement fans.

Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Naruto Shippuden: Set 4 offers more action and spectacle for fans of the series. The action-packed adventure delivers more of the goods fans have come to expect from the production. The series certainly does a solid job adapting the manga. Established fans have plenty to appreciate – for enthusiasts following along, it's worth continuing the journey.

The Blu-ray release offers a somewhat underwhelming standard-definition upscale – with sub-par looking video that is sometimes a distraction. The release provides a small assortment of bonus features for fans to enjoy. The release also comes with an o-card slipcover. Nonetheless, Naruto Shippuden fans picking up these sets may still wish to consider making a purchase for their growing collection.