The Show:
It's hard to deny that Naruto has become one of the world's most popular anime franchises. Heck, all you really have to do is hit an anime convention and see how many cosplay characters you can pick out of the crowd. The masterpiece created by Masashi Kishimoto has more volumes of manga than you can shake a stick at and an anime with over 200 episodes. You just know going into a DVD release that you need to be vested for the long haul and thankfully VIZ's uncut collections capitalize on that.
While you can find DVDs of Naruto edited for the younger American audience the original Japanese version is by far the better of the two. After all, would you want to watch some watered down shadow or one that packs more of a punch? Punch it is!
With five uncut volumes of Naruto out of the way the series has really gotten to a point where the action has gotten good. If you recall the previous installment left off just as Sasuke and Gaara were stepping into the ring for the final leg of their examinations. Something was amiss and forces were being set in motion that foreshadowed war within the village hidden amongst the leaves. Approaching the sixth volume I was more than eager to get started and man was the wait worth it.
This installment offers episodes that provided some of the most dramatic and satisfying moments yet. The beautiful thing about them is that they don't just revolve around Naruto. Heck, he remains unconscious for a good portion of what's going on. As the volume begins the action picks up right where it left off with Sasuke and Gaara starting to fight. It doesn't take long until we learn just what Sasuke and Kakashi were practicing while in seclusion and let's just say that the Sharingan Eye has a lot to do with Sasuke's new abilities. Just as things get interesting during there match all hell breaks loose as forces from the Villages of Sound and Sand unleash their onslaught against the Leaf Village.
Almost immediately Kazekage reveals his hand and turns out to be Orochimaru in disguise! The rest of this volume sees an interesting battle between Leaf's beloved Hokage and the vile snake ninja. Lives are put on the line and some fascinating Jutsu is revealed as the two go toe to toe. They also have some interesting interactions that prompt numerous flashbacks considering they are former master and pupil. In this particular storyline we do not see a conclusion in this volume but by the final episode here it's certain that at least one person is going to die.
Amidst the turmoil of the Hokage being engaged in a fierce fight the rest of the Leaf ninja are tackling opponents wherever they appear. Familiar faces drop like flies and several more rise above the ashes to be the heroes you'd assume they would be. Guy and Kakashi are shining examples of that. They stand against Orochimaru's forces and provide the means for Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru to escape and follow Sasuke he took off after Gaara and company.
The rest of this volume follows the storylines equally and splits off into different directions to offer a better scope of what's going on. There are so many things at stake in this volume and as things drew to a close I couldn't pull myself away. The final moments of this installment had me on the edge of my seat and I wanted to throw something at the TV when I realized where the last episode was going to be cut off.
It may be considered a kids show but Naruto has so much depth and more interesting concepts than you can shake a stick at. Sure it can be predictable and yes it's a little corny at times but at its core the series is a pure source of entertainment. It has just about everything and viewers both young and old can latch onto it. This release was one of the best yet and I can't recommend it enough!
The DVD:
Video:
Originally airing in 2002 Naruto is presented with a 1.33:1 fullframe aspect ratio and features a vibrant transfer. The characters absolutely pop from just about every frame with a bright palette and a pleasing art style. With the recent production date the show doesn't have a lot of visible flaws though it's hard to deny that there are some here and there. A slight amount of grain blankets areas of the feature where colors are shaded or murkier than most. Some bits of compression where identifiable as well. Apart from these minor borderline nitpicky gripes there really was nothing to complain about. This is a solid looking show that is presented well on DVD.
Audio:
The audio presentation for Naruto comes in the form of two 2.0 stereo tracks. The English dubbing offers up some irritating voices and an experience that one might call overacting. The Japanese language track was much better with easily acceptable vocals and equivalent quality in sound. With the limitations of a stereo track it's no surprise that there is little to no directionality. It wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination but a 5.1 offering would have gone a long way. Still, this collection is problem free; it just doesn't go out of its way to impress.
Extras:
The sixth installment of Naruto keeps things up with another storyboard booklet (this one for episode 66) and a few tidbits on the third disc. You can expect to find light fare once again with a production art gallery, preview for the seventh volume, and storyboard comparison for episode 78.
Final Thoughts:
Naruto is just one of those series that has lasting appeal with all audiences. It's rare that something is as widely accepted, but the action, humor, and heartfelt storytelling are perfect reasons for its success. The events leading up to this volume were phenomenal and the payoff here is equally as great. These episodes were rock solid from start to finish and things don't let up for one second. If you're a fan of the show you'll be in love and if you haven't seen it yet then definitely go back and start at the beginning. This is one of the most entertaining shows to come along in a while and it's something that all age groups can enjoy.
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Buy: