Anime DVD Review: Naruto Shippuden Vol. 3

Naruto Shippuden continues its fast paced thrill ride in Volume 3, featuring episodes 9 through 13.

As the Sand Shinobi try to recover from the losses suffered at the hands of the Akatsuki, team Kakashi continues to move at top speed to help the Village Hidden in the Sand. Unfortunately, they’re fighting against time. Kankuro continues to suffer from the rare poison injected by Sasori of the Red Sand. While, Gaara is still in the hands of the Akatsuki. The Sand villages council has sought out Granny Chiyo, a retired sand shinobi with a vendetta against the Leaf Village, in order to help cure Kankuro of the rare poison. However, she too is powerless against Sasori’s poison. To her chagrin, the only medical ninja with the expertise to cure Kankuro is Lady Tsunade.

In this set, viewers will finally get to see what Sakura in action. Throughout the earlier Naruto series, Sakura was nothing more than a ninja with a childhood crush on Sasuke Uchiha. When Sasuke left, she was left as Naruto’s comic relief crush. It was always great seeing her eyes explode as she chased down Naruto, but fans have longed to see what she can really do. Shortly after Lady Tsunade took over as Fifth Hokage of the Leaf, Sakura began training as a medical ninja. It has always been stated that ninja teams should have a medical ninja on board, and Sakura felt that this was the one way she could really shine. And, that’s exactly what she does in Naruto Shippuden Volume 3.

Naruto’s determination once again shines in this set. When Kankuro sees Naruto, he doesn’t see the goof-off from the original series. Instead, he sees the ninja who helped to save his younger brother’s soul, and in the process helped to forge a new relationship between Kankuro and Gaara. When Naruto promises to rescue Gaara, Kankuro is assured that the fate of his brother is in the most capable of hands.

The volume concludes with Team Kakashi and Team Guy taking up the hunt for Gaara and the Akatsuki. Team Guy goes up against Kisame, who bears a grudge against Guy-sense for landing a kick in the original Naruto series. Team Kakashi fights Sasuke’s older brother, Itachi, the person responsible for the death of the Uchiha clan.

Naruto Shippuden Vol. 3 continues to deliver more exciting Naruto action. The series takes on a more adult tone, and builds on the awesome characters you’ve come to love in the original series.

Episodes:
9. The Jinchuiki’s Tears
10. Sealing Jutsu: Nine Phantom Dragons
11. The Medical Ninja’s Student
12. The Retired Granny’s Determination
13. A Meeting with Destiny)