Gekijô-ban Naruto: Daikôfun! Mikazukijima no animaru panikku dattebayo!

I watched this one on Netflix after I watched the entire first part of the naruto series. So naturally, I'd have a pretty food understanding of what the characters are capable of and what they look like..

But this movie throws what you know out the window!!

Firstly it's a new artstyle. I don't like change much but it's a dumb reason to stop watching a movie so I ofc trekked on. Whiiich made me realize the other visual inconsistencies. Most glaring one to me, Lee's headband tied around his waist. Lee and Guy both have red headbands. But now Lee's is blue just like everyone else's. Also, the anime pretty much turns Naruto's clones into poofs of clouds ON IMPACT. Even a weak punch will take out his clones. Not on this movie tho... Plus Lee's pain gate face was off too. Just made him look like a Lee tomato for crying out loud. It's very small details, but those all add up to an understanding of what was going on there. The new studio did not have that familiarity so the attention to detail was just not there. It's disappointing though. Most things I noticed would have been remedied by just watching maybe 3-4 episodes but instead they just put out their base level understanding and it shows.

This bare minimum knowledge is also shown during fights. Slight spoilers though I won't reveal anything integral to the actual story. Firstly, Lee has weapons all of a sudden. Then Kakashi seemingly won't use substitution now. One of his signature moves keep in mind. Naruto's sage mode just pops off again and again theyre never allowed to actually strategize like the other movies they just use one of their flashier moves and they instantly have the upper hand.

Which of course makes for a glaringly generic movie. Like ridiculously so. I won't say naruto is the most complex anime in the world but most the stories have interesting parts whether it's from the plot twist, the fight, or the growth. This movie.. had NONE. 0. Zip. Nada. Honestly the first bout 30 minutes is such a snoozefest I was bout ready to turn it off I'm ngl. Talk about basic storytelling. The rest was carried only by the fights that at least did look did look pretty cool visually I can't lie. Though really, the budget is what carried that part. We've seen more memorable fights in the series. More flashy more enticing.... something actually compelling to watch because it will actually change and develop the characters

Tldr: studio change = inconsistency and safe to a generic level writing. Just skip this one if you haven't already seen it. It's not like it's Canon anyway. This junk was not worth the time at all.

Villains were too conventional, storyline was a bit draggy and characters like Kakashi were nerfed pretty bad. I know the movie isn't Canon but it just seemed a bit unrealistic. Also a bit cliche but I really enjoyed the fighting scenes and the animation.

I liked this movie pretty good, but as it is the movies seem to be getting weaker. I liked the snow one the best, the stone one and this one last. The main problem stems in the form of very weak fight scenes. The bad guys in this one are very underdeveloped and I still do not get the point of the wigs. There is a bit to much sentimental stuff going on to as they did some best friends forever pinkie thing way to many times for my liking. Still, it had some good humor and the characters were their usual selves. I am disappointed also by the fact Rock Lee is in the movie, but he just does not seem to play a really big role in the story. He just seems there for the most part, though I liked his end fight the best. The story has our gang of Naruto, Sakura, Lee, and Kakshi guarding a prince and his son. For first part of the film it is basically just Naruto and the prince's son getting to know each other and come to understand each other. The only real action comes in the form of a ship they are traveling on being hit by a storm. Then they arrive at their destination only to discover the king has been overthrown and mysterious shin-obi are working with the councilman who took over. Well you have a clash and the prince gets captured and Naruto and gang have to go to the rescue. So that is basically it, like I said improve the fights a bit, make Lee a bit more important to the plot, and develop the bad guys and this one could have been as good as snow as it is though it was still fun to watch.

Naruto the Movie 3: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom is the final film in the original Naruto trilogy before Shippuden takes over. While it improves upon some aspects of its predecessors, it still suffers from familiar issues that plague the early Naruto movies.

Strengths: 1. Improved Animation & Fight Sequences - The action scenes are visually appealing, especially the final battle where Naruto, Rock Lee, Sakura, and Kakashi each get their moment to shine. The choreography is fluid, and the setting-a luxurious island kingdom-adds vibrancy to the visuals.

2. Naruto's Emotional Growth - The film focuses on Naruto's bond with Hikaru, a spoiled prince who must learn humility. While cliché, this dynamic allows Naruto to showcase his never-give-up attitude and his ability to inspire change in others.

3. Rock Lee's Inclusion - Unlike previous films, Rock Lee plays a significant role, filling in for Sasuke and adding his own brand of humor and unique fighting style. His battle against the circus-like assassins is one of the highlights.

Weaknesses: 1. Weak Villain - Prince Michiru's scheming advisor, Shabadaba, is forgettable and lacks menace. His motivations-overthrowing the monarchy for selfish gain-are bland and uninspired. Even his hired ninjas feel like generic obstacles rather than real threats.

2. Predictable & Formulaic Plot - Like most Naruto movies, the story follows a predictable arc: Naruto bonds with a reluctant ally, learns a lesson, faces a seemingly unstoppable enemy, and wins with the power of determination. This formula makes the film feel repetitive.

3. Underuse of Sakura & Kakashi - While they participate in fights, neither Sakura nor Kakashi contribute meaningfully to the emotional or narrative stakes. They feel like side characters in their own movie.

Verdict: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom is visually appealing and has some solid fight sequences, but it remains a standard, forgettable Naruto movie. It works as a fun, lighthearted adventure, but it lacks the emotional depth and high stakes that make the main series compelling.

Score: 5.5/10 - generic story.

Looking at the many "Naruto" movies, I came across this one and found it to have the lowest score on the IMDb, but you know what? It's still by no means terrible. I think the biggest fault with this film is how it's paced. We spend too much time setting up the prince's son and too late to introduce the villains. Still, Naruto has never really given us a terrible movie and this definitely has its good points. I guess overall it was just okay. The prince's son is pretty annoying at first, but he does get better later. Weird how everyone's mad at Naruto mistreating the son of a prince.

Little do most of them know, he's the son of the hokage! It was nice to see Rock Lee even if he's not quite that useful. The best part was probably the animation. I really do like the villain's powers too, with the ability to turn people into stone. It's been too long since I've watched "Naruto" so I was glad to finally see him in action again. I do like how that crescent island kingdom is drawn. It was cool to feature circus performers (especially the animals!) as side characters who contribute to the final fight. **1/2