When an army of mysterious flying ninja appears over the skies above the Hidden Leaf Village and launches an unexpected aerial attack that leaves the village in a state of destruction, the finger of suspicion points towards the Sora-nin from Sky Country. The assault is believed to be an act of revenge against Konoha’s actions against the Sky Country during the previous Shinobi World War. When it becomes known that another village on the outskirts of Fire Country has suffered the same fate, Naruto and his friends set out on an offensive mission to prevent any further attacks. During the course of the journey, Naruto crosses paths with Sasuke, his former friend who has since parted ways with the people of the Leaf Village...

Naruto Shippuden: The Movie 2 - Bonds is the fifth feature-length Naruto adventure, and the second directed by Hajime Kamegaki. The story features a brand new story revolving around Naruto and Sasuke following the events of the Twelve Guardian Ninja arc detailed in episodes 54 to 71 (which have been released on DVD across box set 5 and 6) of the Naruto Shippuden anime series.

The main story follows Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata as they head to a young boy's village, which has also been attacked in the same way the Leaf Village has - by mysterious flying men. The boy, Amaru, is not all he seems and Naruto is about to discover something about him. Amaru is being trained by Shinnō, an amazing healer whose believes that all life is sacred. Naruto encountered him in the Leaf Village attack, but he disappeared before he had time to find out who he was.

While saving Amaru from a trap, Shinnō is mortally wounded. But appears to the group sometime later, admitting that he's finally discovered the power of darkness - something he's been researching for years. Naruto and co must fight him, but it won't be easy as he's managed to master all of his chakra points.

The animation is a blend of traditional art and CGI - which works well, as it's used sparingly. The story works well as a standalone tale but equally it slots neatly into the Shippuden universe.

Extras include Movie Trailers; Special Opening Theme (1 min, 36 sec); Production Art; and Trailers.

Audio options are for English 5.1 or Japanese 5.1 with subtitles.

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Darren Rea