The wildly successful TV series easily translates to feature-film length with a diverting narrative that incorporates more characterization than is found in most anime programs. The titular hero, young Uzumaki Naruto, is possessed by the spirit of a demon and thus discriminated against by his fellow villagers. But Naruto remains undaunted by this, er, handicap, and he inspires those around him. Enter a popular actress, Yukie Fujikaze, whom Naruto and his squad are guarding, and the story really begins to take off. Naruto fans will definitely enjoy this stunning yarn, which sustains its narrative and overall quality from start to finish.

Shelf Talk: One of the most popular Manga characters to emerge in recent years (he made his debut in 1999), Naruto is by far Viz’s best-selling Manga series to date. The Naruto anime series, which is popular in its native Japan, has been broadcast stateside on the Cartoon Network for a couple of years now and is making some serious headway outside of its obvious anime fan base. Naruto the Movie might have the same reaction if adventurous audiences know it’s out there.