Naruto Shippuden, le film : The Lost Tower

If I were a kid back then, I would have been overwhelmed by the beautiful scenery of Rouran, I would have been moved by the reunion of father and son, I would have been excited by the action scenes, and I would have a crush on Princess Sara. But, I was no longer a kid. I saw a bland villain with the nothing new purpose of world domination. I saw a story that started with high expectations, smooth visual but continued to be full of mediocrity and lack of excitement. I saw a group of characters with nothing special, no matter what their personalities were at the beginning, they ended up the same. I saw absurdities like how Minato knew his son's name before he picked that from his sensei's book. And how a ninja could be punched and kicked repeatedly by a giant robot and still ok. And Sai's bird is still flying in the sky throughout the story that takes place in the past, that is, in the present, time has barely passed. Yet Sara's daughter with her escort can appear immediately. The theme of returning to the past is not new but has potential. Unfortunately, the story is not convincing. The ending song is my favorite highlight.

The action scenes are superb, animation its awesome as usual in studio pierrot movies, the story is actually pretty good. it has time travel and a crazy villain. its more about naruto alone which is very cool.

some thing that i like in naruto movies are the villains, in most shonen anime movies the common cliché is a team of some villains and their boss vs all the main characters. in naruto movies they come with some good creative ideas for this. This time there's only one villain, a puppetmaster (i thought at the beginning of the movie he was pretty weak but at the last part when he is kicking everybody's ass he feels pretty strong. he fights trough his puppets so we see various shapes of him.

its was great but i felt like naruto was the naruto from the time the previous movie came out, and i was expecting to see him in sennin mode kicking ass. the villain is good but the girl its only here for the almost give up-cheesy song before naruto's speech. About minato and the others from the past: it totally feels like a metal gear experience, because they just appear at sometimes say some things and disappear, letting you return to the video game. They say that they have something important to do, which is not really important because every major event happens in front of naruto. also i read about kid kakashi being proud and bla bla bla in this movie: kakashi has 2 lines in the whole movie so don't expect character development with him. I'm nitpicking i guess, its a great movie, its just that I'm a bitch like most anime fans.

JUST ONE THING, the last technique of the movie, BLEW MY MIND! that technique its the most awesome thing in all naruto movies ever, it all comes down to a final razengan...

Masahiko Murata's action-packed film "Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower" follows Naruto as he looks for a rogue ninja entering the enigmatic "Roran." A time aspect is introduced in the movie, which opens up imaginative action scenes and character growth. It displays Naruto's development as a ninja and leader, with heightened emotional resonance as he faces his prior struggles. The animation quality is excellent, vividly illustrating Roran's complex designs and perfectly encapsulating the intensity of conflicts. "The Lost Tower" skillfully carries on the Naruto story, emphasizing themes of sacrifice, friendship, and the unwavering spirit of the Hidden Leaf Village.

The Lost Tower, the fourth Naruto Shippuden movie, takes a bold leap into the past, quite literally, sending Naruto back 20 years to a time when his father, Minato Namikaze, was still alive. While this premise sets up an emotionally rich opportunity for character development and lore expansion, the film struggles to fully capitalize on it.

Strengths: One of the most compelling aspects of The Lost Tower is its setting-Roran, an ancient, towering city powered by mystical energy. Visually, the architecture and vibrant energy constructs give the film a unique aesthetic flair that stands out from the usual ninja villages. The animation is fluid, and the action scenes are fast-paced and well-choreographed, especially the final showdown.

The emotional core of the movie-Naruto unknowingly working alongside his father-is handled with a certain poetic subtlety. There are moments when Minato seems to recognize something familiar in Naruto, and these fleeting beats resonate well with longtime fans. The themes of legacy, sacrifice, and the unspoken bond between father and son are quietly moving, even if they aren't deeply explored.

Weaknesses: Despite its intriguing setup, the film falls into familiar filler territory. The villain, Mukade (Anrokuzan), is underwhelming-yet another generic antagonist lusting for power with little depth or charisma. His motivations are shallow, and his transformation into a puppet monstrosity feels like a rehash of enemies we've seen before, offering little in terms of threat or originality.

Character development is also minimal. Naruto is much the same from beginning to end, and supporting characters like Yamato, Sakura, and Sai are largely sidelined. The opportunity to deeply explore the father-son dynamic or the implications of time travel is passed over in favor of standard action sequences and light comedy.

Final Verdict: The Lost Tower is a visually impressive but narratively shallow installment in the Naruto Shippuden movie series. While it delivers decent action and a few touching moments for fans of the series, it ultimately plays it safe and doesn't dive deep enough into its most promising emotional and thematic elements. A worthwhile watch for completionists and fans of the Namikaze legacy, but not a standout within the franchise.

Rating: 5.9/10.