Naruto: Takigakure no Shitou - Ore ga Eiyuu Dattebayo!

This Naruto special was immensely enjoyable, thanks to its treatment akin to the original show. Although 40 minutes long, which makes it the longest Naruto special feature, it was pretty fast-paced and action-packed to make the time fly by very quick. Also, while the animation is clearly dated at times by today's standards, it never becomes an issue since this is the style we've come to associate with Naruto. There are even a few moments where you might end up shedding a tear. I almost did.

It did have another simple fighting plot, but it was done with finesse and enough surprises on the way. Most ... importantly, it managed to hit home emotionally, especially in the second half, and the characterizations worked well. It was good to see Team 7 in action overall, even though it's just Naruto and Sasuke who dominate. Shibuki is a surprisingly well-written and developed character, and his scenes were emotionally impactful in the latter half. Humor was minimal but there were moments that were outright hilarious. The music was also good.

All in all, this one has a good plot, well-written characters, solid action and a nice emotional investment. As a Naruto fan, that managed to tick all the boxes for me and I would recommend watching it if you too are a fan of the character or the original show.

<Potential Spoilers>
Out of all the Naruto specials, this one is by far my favorite.

The other specials are either not for me or just unnecessary. However, this special combines a simple yet enjoyable short story with brilliant animation, sound design, and characters.

The story presents a new village with its own backstory and a conflict that is generic but is a strong conflict for a special featuring a younger Naruto. I love the idea of a hidden falls village and the idea of hero water. The name is beyond generic and cliche but its function makes this village stand out. The village is also mentioned in other ... parts of the anime too and serves a somewhat deeper role. However, many concepts within the story are overly generic.

The animation and art style are brilliant, everything that is required to create good animation is executed greatly in this special. I have already talked about the animation of the show in my main Naruto review so I will not further discuss this.

The same goes for the sound design. Great sound effects, voice acting, and the iconic soundtrack are all brilliant. I just don’t want to repeat what I said in my main Naruto review as this is the same.

I want to focus on Shibuki’s character, as this special had him develop the most. He is hailed as the village hero and yet he is a coward who can barely fight. Through his journey, and interactions with Naruto. He overcomes said cowardly nature and fights for his village. A short but sweet character journey that is the highlight of this special.

Most specials in most anime are rarely for me, this special is one of those rare ones and it makes sense. Brilliant story, animation, sound design, and characters serve to make a great short special.

Overall, I rank this 7/10