Naruto - The Movie 2 - Die Legende des Steins von Gelel

I liked this movie, the second Naruto feature film. I enjoyed the one in the snow a tad better though as I found the story here a bit disjointed as I was not sure where certain things were supposed to be happening or when. Still, like the first film this one too has a nice run time to it of a hour and a half, plenty of time for a nice well developed movie with some really cool fights. The story starts off with ninja from the village hidden in the sand in combat with unknown assailants. It then shits to Naruto, Sakura, and Shikumaru hunting down a ferret for what they think is going to be an easy assignment. They soon find out otherwise as they are also attacked and Naruto is separated from his friends after he has a fight with a strange young warrior clad in armor. They both are injured and taken in by a caravan and soon after Naruto is invited to join this strange organization that wishes to create a utopia. Of course, all is not as it seems and there are plenty of fights to go around. My favorite was the one involving Garaa fighting this strange woman who takes him very lightly which is a very big mistake. The concluding fight is rather good too involving Naruto and this strange man who is a better villain than any of those in the previous movie.

I'm a big fan of Naruto, even though I haven't watched every episode or read every manga.

I really liked the first Naruto movie, and to tell you the truth I was a little nervous that this one wouldn't be as good (or action packed) as the first (mainly because this one in Australia only had a PG instead of an M, which is a PG-13 US or 12 UK). But I was wrong (thankfully)! The animation was more improved (although some drawings of the characters at points looked rushed) and was very good especially in the fight scenes.

Speaking of that, let's talk about the fight scenes! The animation and action in the fight scenes was spectacular and very entertaining! I especially enjoyed the genjutsu battle with kankuro and the fight with Gaara fighting the shape shifting female warriors! All the characters you want are here! Naruto, Sakura, Gaara, Kankuro and Shikamaru! If only Temari was in the movie, Shikamaru could save her from the female warriors in dramatic fashion! And maybe they could have a PASSIONATE KISS! In my summary at the top I say that this qualify's more as a piece of Cinema than just an extended episode. And it does! The action is very cinematic and the animation quality looks very fancy especially during the fighting! Overall, this is a excellent anime Film that is a must-see for any Naruto fan! 5/5! 10/10! 50/50! 100/100! Alright I'll stop!

By definition, "Utopia" is simple in context, but every individual has their take on what their Promised Land truly is. How far must we reach to obtain tranquility, and what must we sacrifice to reach that goal?

Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru find themselves embroiled in a power struggle between a hypocritical faction forging their road to peace and the outside world in a nation where hopelessness and despair are perpetually at odds. We are once again given a meager amount of a series that has cemented its position in anime history, complete with eye-catching animation and a few fresh, believable characters.

Plot complexity can provide challenges, particularly when the authors are only allotted the running time of a movie to fully develop the story's complexities. The simple task of capturing and delivering a ferret quickly spirals out of control and becomes, well, difficult. We are left with a convoluted story and a few well-animated battles that, for the most part, lacked much substance because there wasn't much time to devote to character development.

Three of the main series' most memorable characters, Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru-shine, and fortunately their boldness translates to the big screen to partially offset the lackluster new characters. We are introduced to an organization controlled by the cunning man Haido, who wants to use the Vein of Gelel, an ancient source of supreme power, to end all conflict in the globe. Haido is an instantly disliked character whose purpose is obvious from the outset and who adds nothing original to the narrative save the clichés that come with his position.

Temujin, a key player in the narrative and one of Haido's goons, is the only positive component of the film. Being one of the only (relatively) fully realized characters in the movie, we get to know him and his ideas about what it takes to reach "Utopia." The only function of the other henchwomen, Fugai, Kamina, and Ranke, is to display some amusing animation gimmicks throughout the battle scenes.

Although it is difficult to say if Naruto: Legend of the Stone of Gelel truly provides the answers we have been wondering about, we do get to see a somewhat fascinating character study. Though conceptually we are left wondering whether a "Utopia" can ever exist or whether a "necessary sacrifice" is ever justified, the novel itself is nothing special.

This movie at times was a little bit boring for me and the animation was average at best but nevertheless, I still really enjoyed the fight scenes and I would definitely watch this movie again.

This felt less like Naruto then the first movie. One thing I hate about these is their insistence on over advancements that don't match the era setting of the Naruto universe, honestly it feels like they're just forcing these advancements just to please the people who only like the action scenes but in doing so the take away the feeling that Naruto normally has. The story itself wasn't that interesting but it wasn't that bad, it was definitely made for the people who like the action more then the story.