Movie Musings: Naruto the Movie Road to Ninja

As a Naruto fan I will admit that every time a new Naruto movie would be shown in Japan I would feel a pang of jealousy. I would get jealous because I would not be able to watch the movie in the big screen and would even have to make do with watching downloads from the internet with bad subtitles.  

So when the 9th Naruto Movie: Road to Ninja was about to be shown in Japanese theaters last July 8, 2012, I was seething green with envy with all the promotional material I saw posted all over the internet. 

Naruto everywhere! Naruto the Movie: Road to Ninja promotional material on buildings in a busy Japanese city. How many can you see in this photo? 

Posters in a Train Station in Japan. 

Whatever jealousy I have been feeling at the occurrence of every new anime movie it is slowly changing as Movie Punch is taking anime in the Philippines to new heights- which is the comfort of watching it in the movie house. As you are reading this, Anime movies is making ripples and a lot of noise in local cinema.While anime movies being shown in local cinema is nothing new since YuYu Hakusho and Dragon Ball were also screened here more than a decade ago- I know because I was in Grade 5 when YuYu Hakusho was shown and it was Tagalog dubbed. (Gasp! I know, I know it's practically considered taboo now,  especially for the modern Otaku). These past weeks have seen a new change and it is a big and good change; it's definitely a good time to be an Otaku. 

A trip to the Convenience Store is made even more better with Naruto meals and Naruto cup noodles- all promotional material for the movie. 

Naruto the Movie: Road to Ninja was (finally!) screened in local cinemas last April 9, 2013, we were lucky enough to be invited to the special advanced screening last April 8, 2013 - you can read about that in this blog post and check out more photos also. We may be a long way from all the cool promotional but I'm happy that we are getting some where and that anime movies have a place in local cinema. 

With Cosplayers Jin Joson and Marien Jose during the special advanced screening at the Director's Club at SM Mall of Asia. 

To be continued...? The Fourth and Fifth Hokages enjoying the special screening. 

Movie Musings: 

Caution SPOILERS ahead!

So before I trail away and become emotional about how anime is seemingly becoming a good investment in the Philippines as well as being a more socially acceptable hobby and interest (Try lifestyle?) here are my thoughts on Naruto the Movie: Road to Ninja. 

Unlike other Naruto movies whose conflict circles an entirely different plot with entirely different antagonists and characters. Road to Ninja does not steer away from the main arc of the series, rather it delves right into one of the strongest themes of Naruto which is family. 

My 15 year old brother who I took as with me to catch the movie the second time around (yeah it's that good) pointed out that he was in second grade when the series started and that he basically grew up with Naruto.  

I was surprised when he said this especially since there is some truth in what he says, watching Naruto grow up, you know and understand his quirks, his heartaches and sorrows and every since the beginning of the series, Naruto growing up alone and orphaned has always been a source of my heartaches. Even Sai 'belongs' to Anbu while Naruto goes home to a tiny apartment with trash and dirty clothes strewn on the floor, milk left out to go bad (which is a good source of a bad stomach-by the way) and basically live on a diet of cup noodles. (Even Sasuke grew up alone and unsupervised- wala bang DSWD sa Konoha?!) 

Aside from Naruto's unsanitary and unhealthy lifestyle the fact that he grew up without any parents causes a big pinch in my heart everything I think about it plus maybe a tear or two to trickle down my cheeks. He grew up alone because his parents - Minato and Kushina sacrificed their lives for the village and inadvertently placed a huge burden on Naruto's shoulders.  

Naruto the Movie Road to Ninja- takes Naruto and Sakura to an alternate universe when they are placed under 'Madara's' genjutsu - limited Tsukiyomi, which is basically a small scale version of his Tsukiyomi Project and as 'Madara' has been promising this false world where your 'wishes' come true and just like the Prince and the Pauper Sakura ends up with no nagging parents. her independence and a lot of what seemed to be like canned fruit cocktail, while Naruto - gets something that he has always secretly wanted deep down inside - his parents and a family.

Jin Joson with friends after catching Naruto in the movies. Kudos to Guy-Sensei- talk about being in character! :D 

While Sakura basks and enjoys her new found independence (she doesn't like her parents embarrassing her in front of everyone- oh boohoo!) Naruto fights only what is natural- being a son to his parents. He curses 'Madara' for 'messing with his emotions' since he knows his parents 'are just illusions'. 

Then things turn the other way when the loneliness catches up to Sakura 'So this is what Naruto felt all the time' she realizes (No! Sakura! That's not how Naruto felt- the villagers were afraid of him because of the Kyubi! While you got free fruit cocktail, admiration and high fives- Naruto was shunned and feared by an ignorant and ungrateful village- sorry guys I'm not a big fan of Sakura).

Meanwhile Naruto goes home to a well lit (very clean and hygienic  home with a a father reading the paper and a mother preparing a warm (and real) meal and a  photo album full of memories he never had - bring on the waterworks! Yes! The movie will make you cry a lot and even if I watched it two times I was still crying during the second screening as much as I was crying during the first one. 

I'd just like to note the subtle and genius inputs during the movie, like one 'false' photo in the album where Naruto was on the swing while his mom was pushing him- if you have been following Naruto for a long time you would know that the swing is actually a symbolism of Naruto's loneliness during his childhood days and now there is actually a photo were he is on the swing with a big smile on his face with his mom pushing the swing. (Can you please pass the tissue...? snif snif) 

And did you guys notice - that in the real world - that Naruto's favorite ramen did not have Naruto fish cakes but was instead replaced with Menma (wink ^_-) 

Aside from the heart wrenching moments during the film, I also really liked the (very) hilarious exchange of personalities that Naruto's classmates had - Akamaru has gone all Cujo, Kiba wants to be a cat, Shino hates insects to the point of spraying them, Neji was a pervert with a Byakugan (a deadly combination), Lee was a cross dresser and Sai painted like a 3 year old; while some obvious pairings exchanged personalities right off the bat it was so ridiculous it was painful laughing so much. 

Hinata and Ino not only exchanged personalities but hemlines as well. Can I just say though that I kinda like sexy and aggressive Hinata :p (You go get em girl!) Meanwhile aside from exchanging personalities, Choji and Shikamaru exchanged appetites as well. Gai was feeling the aches and sores of old age while Kakashi was all energized. Aside from getting a new lipstick, Shizune got Tsunade's bra size while the latter got a pair of glasses. Even Tonton was turned into a sour-tempered black pig. Oh I almost forgot Sasuke was still full of himself but was also a rose wielding playboy with the same line to pick up girls. (@Sakura: BUUUURNNN!)   

Speaking of the alternate universe, a big WTF moment was when The Akatsuki turned up to help Naruto - Yup! You read that right! You have to admit that the Akatsuki are probably the coolest of the antagonists in the series to the point of being fan favorites. I for one see a person wearing an Akatsuki jacket or shirt even on an ordinary day and seeing them as the 'good guys' for once was fun to the point that it was amusing.  

Watched the movie the second time with my not so baby brother to my right and his best friend Sean- he was in second grade when Naruto was first shown and look at him now! Wearing my Naruto shirt from Movie Punch - thank you! ^_^  

While the animation was not as impressive and fluid as I had hoped since it was a movie after all, but the graphics for the fight scenes were just amazing! The epic fight scene between the two Kyubis should be a good enough reason to catch the movie in the cinemas. 

I just feel sorry for those who opted to make do with a downloaded version of the movie- if you have the chance to catch the movie in cinemas then you should. Not only are you supporting the industry but you are also ensuring that there will be more anime movies on it's way to cinemas. 

I loved the fact that the movie retained most of the series' already very beautiful background music- playing familiar themes for certain characters which easily brought out the already associated feelings with those background music. 

More good things to come. Had my photo taken by the huge posters by the cinema which was a feat since so many people were having their photos taken as well. Right behind me- Naruto is already showing while One Piece Movie Z is up next! 

Towards the end of the movie, Naruto was able to realize that you may get your deepest wish to come true but if you are just living a lie then you are only fooling yourself. Sometimes reality may be harsh and cruel but that is life and it makes us who we are. At the beginning of the movie Naruto was having a really bad day and said that he regretted that his parents had to save the village - 'His face got carved on the mountain' - he spat at Iruka sensei, 'I regret the fact that he's a hero because he's not with me' but towards the end of the movie, Naruto was able to value the sacrifice that his parents had to make, he was unselfish and proud when he said: 'I am the son of two heroes!' referring to his parents of course. 

When the movie was coming to an end and everything was going back to normal - Sakura was back with mommy and daddy and Naruto was on his way back to his tiny room - I was seething and cursing deep down that if Naruto goes home to an empty and dirty apartment and says 'Tadaima' (I'm home) to an empty room - I will scream and wail right where I sat but Naruto didn't go home to an empty room - Iruka-sensei was there, with food and cake and that was the last piece that fit the puzzle and it rounded up to be a great movie indeed. 

It's a great thing to note that creator Masashi Kishimoto supervised the creation and production of the movie and that it is the highest grossing Naruto movie to date. 

While you will probably get on buy without seeing the Naruto films, this is the one film you should not miss. 

Naruto the movie is showing in SM Cinemas and is brought to you by Movie Punch.