NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: COLLECTION 5 (EPISODES 53 – 65)
April 2nd 2011 03:30
Based on the Naruto manga by: Masashi Kishimoto
Director: Hayato Date
Producers: Tomoko Gushima (TV Tokyo) & Ken Hagino
Starring: Maile Flannigan (Naruto), Kate Higgins (Sakura), David Wittenberg (Kakashi Hatake), Debi Mae West (Tsunade), Troy Baker (Captain Yamato), Megan Hollingshead (Shizune), Colleen O’Shaughnessy (Ino Yamanaka/Konohamaru), Crispin Freeman (Ebisu), Wendee Lee (Moegi), Liam O’Brien (Kotetsu), Brian Donovan (Rock Lee), Kyle Herbert (Kiba Inazuka), Johnny Yong Bosch (Genma), Tom Gibis (Shikamaru Nara), Robbie Rist (Choji Akimichi), Doug Erholz (Asuma Sarutobi), Benjiman Diskin (Sai), William Frederick Knight (Danzo), Steven Jay Blum (Orochimaru), Henry Dittman (Kabuto), Yuri Lowenthal (Sasuke) Michael Sinterniklaas (Sora), Pete Sepenuk (Furido/Kazuma), Vic Mignonga (Fuen), Travis Wallingham (Fudo), Laura Bailey (Fuka) & Kirk Thornton (Chiriku)
Produced by: TV Tokyo & Studio Pierrot
Released by: Madman Entertainment
Running Time: 325 minutes Rating: M
It could be said that with this particular collection in the ongoing Naruto Shippuden series is the first of the many filler arcs that will be found scattered periodically throughout the show, although I have to say that unlike the Bleach anime there is an attempt at continuity. The writers of the series like to keep things consist, working in their filler as part of the overarching whole which is a good way to be as no one loses sight of the main storyline and its dramatic narrative in spite of the slight deviations here and there. So Collection 5 is the first of many such deviations along the road that is Naruto Shippuden but it is one that explores interesting avenues whilst at the same time remaining as true to the main narrative as much as possible.
When you have an anime that is based on a very popular ongoing manga series the phenomena of filler is very much a likely given that most anime frequently catch up with the manga, this means that in order for the continuity to be maintained a filler arc is necessary. Of course this is only when an anime is based on a manga that has easily broken past the hundred chapter mark and is still going. Shorter manga series such as Death Note don’t have this kind of problem as by the time the manga is made into an anime the manga is already finished and ready to be shown as an anime in its entirety. This makes things easier on the makers, even though it constrains them in one way it liberates them from having to come up with additional story arcs and characters for filler.
Events in this particular DVD collection open with Naruto and friends finally confronting Sasuke, their former comrade and team mate. The only problem with this scenario is that Sasuke after several years of living as a rouge ninja has no real intentions of returning to the Hidden Leaf with Naruto. Even if it means having to surrender his body and soul to the villainous Orochimaru he will do so all in order to gain the power to be able to defeat and kill his hated older brother; Itachi Uchiha. Revenge is his driving goal and nothing will dissuade him from what potentially looks to become a blood soaked path of tears…
Team Kakashi are unable to thus complete their mission of capturing Sasuke and returning him to the Leaf village, yet despite this setback they’re bloodied but unbowed. Once back home they let the Hokage know the results of their efforts and Naruto seeks the advice of his recovering sensei Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja and only member outside of the Uchiha clan to possess their legendary Sharingan ocular jutsu. Whilst this legendary shinobi has been recovering from his bout with Deidara as well the over use of his own unique Mangekyo Sharingan, he’s been racking his brains. He knows Sasuke well and has suspected that his growth may have improved in comparison with Naruto’s and has been seeking out a possible solution should this prove the case, which it does.
But the son of the legendary White Fang of Konoha has risen to the task and when Naruto goes to visit him in the hospital with his friends he informs him that he has hit upon a plan. A plan that will accelerate Naruto’s training and enable him to improve upon the Rasengan and develop his own unique jutsu. The announcement of the new training regime is sidetracked though by the appearance of Asuma Sensei and his team. Deciding to enjoy a bit of down time Naruto, Sakura decide to introduce their new team mate Sai to the others over some BBQ at a local eatery. Much hijinks ensue as Sai being an operative of the Foundation and incapable of social interaction makes several catastrophic faux pas.
But in spite of all the good natured enjoyment all is not well within the Land of Fire, there are forces lurking on the fringes intent on some dastardly plan although precisely the nature of this plan is yet to be revealed. The first hint comes from a series of attacks of villages on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain, hearing of these incidents the Hokage; Tsunade, elects to dispatch Asuma and his team to the border to find out just exactly what is going on. Meanwhile though there are other concerns for the Hokage, concerns involving the Temple of Fire and certain legendary shinobi buried in the vicinity of this sacred complex…
It seems that someone or something is trying to rob the tombs of these legendary shinobi, members of the group known as the Guardian Shinobi Twelve. Asuma Sensei was a member of this group before it was disbanded after an attempt by members within the group to stage a coup d’état. However as he’s been sent to the border of the Land of Rain it falls to Team Kakashi to venture to the Temple of Fire and discover what is behind these attempted tomb robberies. As mentioned there is more to all this than meets the eye and whilst trying to uncover the plot behind the tomb robberies Naruto and his friends, along with a young monk from the temple Sora, encounter some decidedly serious opposition. It seems that apart from the tombs the robbers themselves have other objectives that appear to be either focused on Naruto or the young monk…could they be working with the Akatsuki? Time will tell…even though this is filler it proves to be entertaining and ties in fairly well with the overall story. Definitely worth tracking down and watching with a hot bowl of ramen…
Director: Hayato Date
Producers: Tomoko Gushima (TV Tokyo) & Ken Hagino
Starring: Maile Flannigan (Naruto), Kate Higgins (Sakura), David Wittenberg (Kakashi Hatake), Debi Mae West (Tsunade), Troy Baker (Captain Yamato), Megan Hollingshead (Shizune), Colleen O’Shaughnessy (Ino Yamanaka/Konohamaru), Crispin Freeman (Ebisu), Wendee Lee (Moegi), Liam O’Brien (Kotetsu), Brian Donovan (Rock Lee), Kyle Herbert (Kiba Inazuka), Johnny Yong Bosch (Genma), Tom Gibis (Shikamaru Nara), Robbie Rist (Choji Akimichi), Doug Erholz (Asuma Sarutobi), Benjiman Diskin (Sai), William Frederick Knight (Danzo), Steven Jay Blum (Orochimaru), Henry Dittman (Kabuto), Yuri Lowenthal (Sasuke) Michael Sinterniklaas (Sora), Pete Sepenuk (Furido/Kazuma), Vic Mignonga (Fuen), Travis Wallingham (Fudo), Laura Bailey (Fuka) & Kirk Thornton (Chiriku)
Released by: Madman Entertainment
Running Time: 325 minutes Rating: M
It could be said that with this particular collection in the ongoing Naruto Shippuden series is the first of the many filler arcs that will be found scattered periodically throughout the show, although I have to say that unlike the Bleach anime there is an attempt at continuity. The writers of the series like to keep things consist, working in their filler as part of the overarching whole which is a good way to be as no one loses sight of the main storyline and its dramatic narrative in spite of the slight deviations here and there. So Collection 5 is the first of many such deviations along the road that is Naruto Shippuden but it is one that explores interesting avenues whilst at the same time remaining as true to the main narrative as much as possible.
Events in this particular DVD collection open with Naruto and friends finally confronting Sasuke, their former comrade and team mate. The only problem with this scenario is that Sasuke after several years of living as a rouge ninja has no real intentions of returning to the Hidden Leaf with Naruto. Even if it means having to surrender his body and soul to the villainous Orochimaru he will do so all in order to gain the power to be able to defeat and kill his hated older brother; Itachi Uchiha. Revenge is his driving goal and nothing will dissuade him from what potentially looks to become a blood soaked path of tears…
Team Kakashi are unable to thus complete their mission of capturing Sasuke and returning him to the Leaf village, yet despite this setback they’re bloodied but unbowed. Once back home they let the Hokage know the results of their efforts and Naruto seeks the advice of his recovering sensei Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja and only member outside of the Uchiha clan to possess their legendary Sharingan ocular jutsu. Whilst this legendary shinobi has been recovering from his bout with Deidara as well the over use of his own unique Mangekyo Sharingan, he’s been racking his brains. He knows Sasuke well and has suspected that his growth may have improved in comparison with Naruto’s and has been seeking out a possible solution should this prove the case, which it does.
But the son of the legendary White Fang of Konoha has risen to the task and when Naruto goes to visit him in the hospital with his friends he informs him that he has hit upon a plan. A plan that will accelerate Naruto’s training and enable him to improve upon the Rasengan and develop his own unique jutsu. The announcement of the new training regime is sidetracked though by the appearance of Asuma Sensei and his team. Deciding to enjoy a bit of down time Naruto, Sakura decide to introduce their new team mate Sai to the others over some BBQ at a local eatery. Much hijinks ensue as Sai being an operative of the Foundation and incapable of social interaction makes several catastrophic faux pas.
But in spite of all the good natured enjoyment all is not well within the Land of Fire, there are forces lurking on the fringes intent on some dastardly plan although precisely the nature of this plan is yet to be revealed. The first hint comes from a series of attacks of villages on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain, hearing of these incidents the Hokage; Tsunade, elects to dispatch Asuma and his team to the border to find out just exactly what is going on. Meanwhile though there are other concerns for the Hokage, concerns involving the Temple of Fire and certain legendary shinobi buried in the vicinity of this sacred complex…
It seems that someone or something is trying to rob the tombs of these legendary shinobi, members of the group known as the Guardian Shinobi Twelve. Asuma Sensei was a member of this group before it was disbanded after an attempt by members within the group to stage a coup d’état. However as he’s been sent to the border of the Land of Rain it falls to Team Kakashi to venture to the Temple of Fire and discover what is behind these attempted tomb robberies. As mentioned there is more to all this than meets the eye and whilst trying to uncover the plot behind the tomb robberies Naruto and his friends, along with a young monk from the temple Sora, encounter some decidedly serious opposition. It seems that apart from the tombs the robbers themselves have other objectives that appear to be either focused on Naruto or the young monk…could they be working with the Akatsuki? Time will tell…even though this is filler it proves to be entertaining and ties in fairly well with the overall story. Definitely worth tracking down and watching with a hot bowl of ramen…
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