Review of Naruto The Movie: Ninja Clash In The Land Of Snow

Introduction

I once considered the lifecycle of a comic or manga. Starting off from the relatively inexpensive anthology or newspaper format, they would work their way up through dedicated publishing, television animation, specials and feature length animations before hitting the holy grail of live action movies. From the work of one dedicated artist sat at a desk with a piece of paper and some India ink, to the expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars and the effort of thousands of talented artists, and yet they always seem to make money. That`s not counting the inevitable computer game spin-offs and figurines with gripping action. The latest such title to be green-lit for the live action big budget treatment is another familiar anime, Dragonball, and writers` strike not withstanding, it should see Buffy alumnus James Marsters in a prominent role. It may be a sign that Hollywood`s love affair with all things Marvel and DC is coming to an end, and they are starting to look further afield for properties to plunder. One step behind on the exploitation trail is Naruto. This ongoing manga series has led to one of those anime shows that quickly surpass three figures in episodes. There are computer games galore, and as yet there are three animated theatrical features. No live action as yet, but give them time…

We`re a little behind when it comes to all things ninja in the UK. Naruto has only been around for a couple of years here, with a television showing on Jetix, and the uncut DVDs being released by Manga Entertainment. And curse the first Naruto film for having the word `snow` in the title, as it makes it ideal Christmas fodder. After a limited theatrical release in the UK (check Manga`s website for details), the DVD is released on Christmas Eve, making the shopping trip for Naruto fans even more treacherous as they have to avoid desperate parents battling for the last Cabbage Patch Doll (or the 2007 equivalent). The problem with releasing the film now is that it takes place after the Chunin exam arc. As yet, we haven`t concluded that arc in the television series, and we`ll probably have to wait for the next boxset for that to happen. Fortunately the only spoiler you get with the film is that our heroes survive to that point, and it would be a poor series that gets rid of its heroes barely as it was getting started.

12 years previously, the Hidden Leaf village was plagued by the Nine-Tailed fox demon. The Fourth Hokage ninja sacrificed his life to defeat the menace, and sealed up the spirit in the body of a newborn child. That orphan grew up as Naruto Uzumaki, a mischievous prankster with great ambition. Not only does he want to be a ninja, but he also wants to be the strongest ninja of them all and be granted the title Hokage. He has more than a little competition, the Hidden Leaf village is a community of ninja, and Naruto had great difficulty just passing his entrance exams to qualify as a lowly Genin. Even when he did manage to get his certification, he was assigned to undergo training by the demanding Kakashi, partnered with his rival Sasuke and Sakura, the girl on whom he has a crush. What makes things difficult is that few see him as Naruto, instead of the dreadful fox demon that was sealed inside him.

The movie catches up with our heroes as they are back in training with their sensei Kakashi. Just as in the earlier Land of Waves arc, Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura are taking missions from those who can afford to hire their services. For their latest mission Kakashi tells them to prepare by going to the cinema and watching an epic action movie starring Yukie Fujikaze. It isn`t just goofing off, as their next mission will be to escort Yukie Fujikaze to the Land Of Snow along with the rest of the cast and production crew, where they will be shooting the next instalment of the popular Princess Gale franchise. It seems like a dream assignment for Naruto, who has fallen for the screen siren on the strength of one picture. Unfortunately as is so often the case, reality bears no resemblance to the movies, and Yukie is not the heroine that she portrays. But Yukie is hiding a veiled and tragic past, and has a desperate reason not to go to the Land Of Snow.

Video

Naruto gets the widescreen treatment, and everything is bigger, more epic, there`s more detail in the world design and the action is more fluid and impressive. It does all this without straying far from the television roots, so the character designs are all instantly recognisable.

Unfortunately the 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer betrays all the signs of an NTSC to PAL conversion. The image is excessively soft where the movie visuals should surpass the television series. It`s also one of those transfers where whenever the screen pans or scrolls, it jerks as if suffering some sort of palsy. I`m used to seeing PAL transfers of filmed material from Manga, so this one comes as something of a disappointment.

Audio

You get a choice of English and Japanese, both in DD 2.0 and 5.1 flavours. The translated subtitles make a welcome return after the dubtitle debacle of the Season 2 boxsets. The dialogue is clear in both language tracks, and there is a bit of surround ambience to the proceedings. The music themes remain recognisable from the TV show and it`s a familiar experience. I`m a fan of the original language track on the best of days, but this film gave me another reason to hate dubs. The final end credit theme tune is replaced in the English version by an inferior `rawk` track that I found bearable for the time it took to switch the DVD off.

Features

The animated menus have changed from the series discs, but the music hasn`t. On this disc you`ll find trailers for Bleach (don`t watch as it`s filled with spoilers), Ghost In Shell Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig, Naruto and Karas.

Finally there is the Sports Festival Featurette. Less a featurette than it is a short animation, it sees our heroes taking part in a ninja Olympics competition. The winner gets a paid vacation, and Naruto`s team is determined to win. Alas, poor Naruto has got the squits. 11 minutes of toilet humour abounds, presented in letterbox format. You also get a choice of English and Japanese soundtracks, with or without subtitles.

Conclusion

Well this is a no-brainer. If you are a Naruto fan then this film is practically essential. The surprising thing is that Ninja Clash In The Land Of Snow is a good movie in its own right. Where most big screen translations of serial anime usually resort to copious comedy and random character cameos, this film focuses on the story first and foremost. It maybe disappointing for fans of characters like Rock Lee and Hinata not to see the supporting cast in this film, but it`s all the stronger for focusing on Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke.

The story is superficially similar to the Land Of Waves arc, with Naruto and his team escorting someone as part of their ninja training who hasn`t been forthcoming to them. Where this film differs is that it really has a strong focus on Yukie Fujikaze, and develops her character and those around her. It really is the story of the actress and her hidden past, and Naruto just serves as the key to unlocking her destiny.

The one thing that bugged me about the film highlights one of the differences between Japanese and Western cultures. Yukie is practically guilt-tripped into pursuing her destiny, even when it means walking into life-threatening danger. That isn`t much of a spoiler by the way; it would be a poor excuse for a ninja action anime without life-threatening danger. But it`s an indication of how duty and family outweighs selfish concerns like self-preservation and one`s own ambition. There were points in the film where I was yelling at the screen for her to follow her instincts, walk away and do the sensible thing.

There may be an issue with the film`s runtime, with IMDB listing it at 113 minutes, American retailers at 94 minutes (which adds up when you add the Sports Festival short), and my own measurement of 82 minutes. For what it`s worth, I didn`t feel at anytime that the film was cut or missing major plot points.

The first Naruto film is entertaining with plenty of ninja fighting action and a decent and engaging story at its heart. The transfer isn`t as good as it could have been, but it doesn`t hamper enjoyment of the film.