Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Bonds

Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Bonds (劇場版 NARUTO−ナルト− 疾風伝 絆, Gekijōban Naruto Shippūden: Kizuna)^[1] is the fifth overall Naruto film, and is the second Naruto: Shippūden film. It was released on August 2, 2008. The movie was announced in Weekly Shōnen Jump along with the DVD release date for the first Shippūden movie. Additionally, the teaser trailer for the second movie was aired with Naruto: Shippūden episode(s) 40–41, and again with episode 66–67. In episodes 70–73 the opening sequence was replaced with footage from the movie. The English dub version of the movie was released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 25, 2011 in America.^[2] The official theme song for this movie is "No Rain No Rainbow" by Japanese hiphop group Home Made Kazoku.

Plot

A mysterious group of ninja called the Sora from the Sky Country makes a surprise attack on Konoha for vengeance due to Konoha nearly destroying the Sky Country during the Second Great Shinobi World War. At the same time Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata are sent along to help a boy's village. They accompany Amaru, the boy, and Shinnō, his sensei, back to the village. Later, Naruto notices that Amaru is in fact a female due to her falling into the water for her scapel.

Meanwhile at Konoha, the Sora-nin retreat with their dwindling chakra supply. Tsunade sends another special team consisting of Kakashi, Shikamaru, Sai and Shino to look for their base and later on as the movie progresses Sai and Shino successfully destroy the ships which the sky ninja are stationed and thus leaving Konoha victorious.

At Orochimaru's lair, Orochimaru is now ill because the body transfer jutsu he uses is close to expiration. Orochimaru orders Sasuke to get a man who is able to help him perfect his reincarnation jutsu. Naruto and company reach Amaru's village and finds the village in ruins and its inhabitants missing. Amaru triggers a trap while searching for the villagers but Shinnō protects her and dies in the process. After Amaru comes to her senses they continue to look for villagers.

Later on, Hinata becomes separated from Sakura and Naruto. Naruto and Sakura later find themselves in front of an evil monster called Reibi the Zero-Tails, a being that feeds on the darkness of human souls and had somehow possessed Amaru. Sakura proves to be no match for the beast; the creature senses that Naruto has a huge dark energy inside of him so it taunts Naruto and tries to make him use that power causing him to take on the Nine-Tailed Fox chakra and, eventually, goes into four-tails state. The present Sakura gave Naruto from Jiraiya contained a seal, which suppressed the Nine-Tailed Fox chakra, allowing Naruto to take over. Naruto tells Amaru to ignore the darkness in her heart which finally results in the beast getting defeated.

Eventually they decided to separate; Naruto going on to look for the villagers and Sakura returning to the village for help. Amaru, who was supposed to go with Sakura stays to help Naruto. Immediately, the ruins rise from the ground to reveal Ancor Vantian, a floating fortress. They decide to search in some ruins and find Shinnō alive. Amaru, excited that her sensei is alive runs to hug him, but Naruto notices something is not right and Shinnō laughs at Amaru for trusting him, breaking her heart. Shinnō mentions that he's been using Amaru the whole time, researching the power of darkness for about 15 years and he's finally found it in Konoha, a secret scroll. He then transforms into a powered-up form allowing him to even access the eight gates and fights with Naruto, overwhelming Naruto with his Revival technique and beating him badly. Meanwhile, a traumatized Amaru tries to commit suicide with a blade, but Naruto stops her, getting stabbed instead. Amaru reminisces about her past. When she was small, she suffered from a strange illness. No one tried to help her, fearing that they would be infected. Only Shinnō cared for her and managed to cure her. She admits her love to Shinnō, but he laughs at her cruelly, distracting him and angering Naruto, allowing him to attack Shinnō and gain the upper hand, beating him. Naruto prepares to finish Shinnō off with Rasengan when Sasuke appears and intervenes Naruto's attack with Chidori. Sasuke tells Shinnō that Orochimaru needed help with the reincarnation jutsu. At first Shinnō refuses to cooperate and tries to defeat Sasuke until he collapses and all his power and muscle drain away. Sasuke reveals that he had attacked Shinno minutes earlier with Chidori Senbon at his vital chakra points to cut off his chakra flow. Shinnō gives Sasuke the scroll to perfect the reincarnation jutsu and leaves via a trap door.

Sasuke leaves and is pursued by Naruto and end up in a room with a giant cocoon which is absorbing dark chakra. Shinnō reveals the cocoon to be Zero-Tails. He then fuses with the cocoon and transforms into a monster. They battle but Shinnō captures them and starts to absorb their chakra; Sasuke releases the curse seal and Naruto releases the Nine Tailed Fox chakra, overloading him and freeing them from his grasp. Then they defeat him with a Chidori and Tornado Rasengan respectively. Shinnō reveals now that Reibi is unleashed, whose energy starts to overtake the fortress.

In the meantime, Konoha successfully infiltrates and destroys the Sora-ninja's base. Amaru finds the villagers and Hinata in a cell and frees them all. Naruto appears again and orders Amaru to leave the ruins while he remains there to destroy it. Amaru refuses to leave him but is forced to leave by Sasuke. Naruto thanks Sasuke for the help before using Rasengan to send Sasuke away also, smiling and saying a silent goodbye. Naruto, encouraged by memories of Jiraiya, then proceeds destroying the ruins with Determination Rasengan, sending him in a freefall. Amaru, from a distance sees Naruto and grabs a pair of sora-ninja wings and tries to save him. Upon reaching him, she grabs him and they fall together. Jiraiya suddenly appears out with Gamabunta and catches the two, saving them. Sasuke returns and gives Orochimaru the scroll. Sasuke later thinks of Naruto's goodbye to him: "I will definitely bring you back to Konoha, Sasuke".

Voice Cast

Additional English voices by Steven Blum, Roger Craig Smith, Henry Dittman, Derek Stephen Prince & Jamieson Price.

References

External links

• Official website (Japanese)
• TV-Tokyo's Naruto site (Japanese)
• Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Bonds at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Naruto Shippuden The Movie: Bonds at the Internet Movie Database