The Last: Naruto the Movie

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THE LAST -NARUTO THE MOVIE-

AnimeManga2014Finished

Overview

The Last: Naruto the Movie is a 2014 anime film from Studio Pierrot that serves as a major turning point for the Naruto series. It matters because it gives long-overdue narrative weight to the relationship between Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga, placing their bond at the center of a world-threatening crisis. As the tenth Naruto film, it was created with original story input from Masashi Kishimoto and features adult designs for the cast, marking a clear transition from the teenage years of Naruto Shippuden.

The experience blends martial arts action, supernatural fantasy, and romance. A mission to stop the moon from falling and to rescue Hanabi Hyuga from Toneri Ootsutsuki provides the action framework, while the emotional core explores first love, sacrifice, and the courage to protect what matters most. The film's pacing and animation deliver the spectacle expected of a Naruto movie, but its lasting impact comes from the intimate character moments that pay off years of storytelling.

This work is most approachable for viewers already familiar with the Naruto series, as it references established relationships and assumes knowledge of the characters' histories. Fans who have followed Naruto and Hinata's journey will find the film rewarding, while newcomers may struggle without that context. Those who enjoy action-driven romance with high stakes and a canonical emotional payoff will appreciate what this movie offers. It is available with an English dub and can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

Synopsis

Set some time after the Fourth Great Ninja War, this animated feature follows an older Naruto Uzumaki and his comrades as a new crisis descends on the ninja world. The moon has slipped from its orbit and is falling toward Earth, giving humanity a limited window to prevent catastrophe. Amid the panic, Hanabi Hyuga, the younger sister of Hinata Hyuga, is abducted by Toneri Ootsutsuki, a powerful figure who blames humanity for the weaponization of chakra and intends to take Hinata as his bride.

Naruto leads a small rescue team that includes Hinata, Sai, Shikamaru, and Sakura, each bringing their own skills to a mission that spans from familiar villages to the lunar surface. Hinata's personal stake in recovering her sister places her at the center of the unfolding conflict, while her long-standing feelings for Naruto come into sharper focus as the two work side by side. The film presents its cast as young adults, with new character designs reflecting the distance they have traveled since their academy days.

The primary conflict sets the team against Toneri and the forces behind the falling moon, forcing Naruto to confront both an enemy of immense power and the question of what he is willing to protect. The story balances large-scale action with a quieter thread about first love, tying the fate of the planet to the choices of a single ninja and the people fighting beside him.

Trailer

Should You Watch It?

Watch it if you enjoy

  • Watch if you have followed Naruto and Naruto Shippuden and want the series' romantic turning point for Naruto and Hinata.
  • Watch if you enjoy martial arts action, supernatural fantasy, and romance blended into a feature-length ninja mission.
  • Watch if you want to see the cast as young adults with new Kishimoto designs, set after Shippuden episode 493.
  • Watch if you want an English-dubbed film available on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

It may not suit you if

  • May not suit viewers new to Naruto, as it references established relationships and assumes knowledge of character histories.
  • May not suit those seeking a fully standalone ninja adventure, since it is positioned within Shippuden continuity.
  • May not suit viewers uninterested in romance, because Naruto and Hinata's bond is central to the emotional core.
Volluble Test Drive Watch the movie About 1 hour 52 minutes

The primary starting work is a movie, so the full film is the natural Volluble Test Drive. This gives you the complete story instead of applying an episodic trial to a feature-length work.

Why It Connects With Audiences

Why people love it

  • It gives long-overdue narrative weight to Naruto and Hinata's relationship, placing their bond at the center of a world-threatening crisis.
  • Kishimoto contributed new adult character designs, marking a clear transition from the teenage Shippuden era.
  • The film delivers Studio Pierrot action spectacle while paying off years of emotional buildup.
  • Its original screenplay with Kishimoto input lets the movie focus on first love and sacrifice within a familiar ninja world.

Common criticisms

  • Its emotional payoff relies heavily on long-running franchise investment, so the romance and stakes may land less for newcomers.
  • The dual focus on a moon-fall crisis and Naruto-Hinata romance may feel uneven to viewers wanting one over the other.
  • As the tenth Naruto film, it builds on Shippuden continuity rather than offering a clean entry point.
  • The original story is not a direct manga adaptation, so it may feel supplemental to readers following the source.

Volluble DNA

A quick profile of the title’s dominant storytelling ingredients.

Action
92
Comedy
10
Emotion
88
Mystery
35
Romance
85
Horror
0
Philosophy
45
Anime/Manga Convention Intensity
75
Characters and Voice Actors25 characters

Naruto Uzumaki

Main character
  • Japanese: Junko Takeuchi
  • English: Maile Flanagan

Kakashi Hatake

Main character
  • Japanese: Kazuhiko Inoue
  • English: Dave Wittenberg

Sakura Haruno

Main character
  • Japanese: Chie Nakamura
  • English: Kate Higgins

Hinata Hyuuga

Main character
  • Japanese: Nana Mizuki
  • English: Stephanie Sheh

Sai

Main character
  • Japanese: Satoshi Hino
  • English: Benjamin Isaac Diskin

Shikamaru Nara

Main character
  • Japanese: Shoutarou Morikubo
  • English: Tom Gibis

Toneri Ootsutsuki

Main character
  • Japanese: Jun Fukuyama
  • English: Robbie Daymond

Sasuke Uchiha

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Noriaki Sugiyama
  • English: Yuri Lowenthal

Rock Lee

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Youichi Masukawa

Guy Might

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Masashi Ebara

Gaara

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Akira Ishida

Chouji Akimichi

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Kentarou Itou

Ino Yamanaka

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Ryouka Yuzuki

Iruka Umino

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Toshihiko Seki

Tsunade Senju

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Masako Katsuki

Pain

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Kenyuu Horiuchi

Kiba Inuzuka

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Kousuke Toriumi

Konohamaru Sarutobi

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Ikue Ootani

Shizune

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Keiko Nemoto
  • English: Megan Hollingshead

Kurenai Yuuhi

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Rumi Ochiai

Kurama

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Tesshou Genda

Katsuyu

Supporting character

Hayate Gekkou

Supporting character

Hanabi Hyuuga

Supporting character
  • English: Colleen O’Shaughnessey

Izumo Kamizuki

Supporting character
Production and Staff26 credits
Animation StudioStudio Pierrot
Original CreatorMasashi Kishimoto
DirectorTsuneo Kobayashi
Character DesignHirofumi Suzuki
Character DesignTetsuya Nishio
Sound DirectorYasunori Ebina
MusicYasuharu Takanashi
StoryboardKouichi Arai
StoryboardHiroyuki Yamashita
Chief Animation DirectorHirofumi Suzuki
Chief Animation DirectorTetsuya Nishio
Animation DirectorHiroyuki Yamashita
View all 14 additional credits
Animation DirectorKouichi Arai
Animation DirectorTetsuya Nishio
Animation DirectorYasuhiro Aoki
Animation DirectorHidetsugu Itou
Animation DirectorNaoyuki Asano
Animation DirectorSeiko Asai
Animation DirectorYoshiharu Shimizu
Animation DirectorYouko Suzuki
Animation DirectorIchirou Uno
Animation DirectorKouji Yabuno
Animation DirectorKazumasa Orii
Animation DirectorYi Zhang
Animation DirectorShingo Okano
Animation DirectorTsuguyuki Kubo

Production Background

The Last: Naruto the Movie is a 2014 Japanese animated film produced by Studio Pierrot and directed by Tsuneo Kobayashi. It stands as the tenth feature film tied to Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto manga and anime franchise, yet its screenplay is credited as original material rather than a direct adaptation of an existing manga storyline. The film premiered on 6 December 2014 and runs 112 minutes. Kishimoto contributed new character designs for the production, a necessary step because the cast appears as young adults rather than the teenage versions seen throughout Naruto Shippuden. The narrative is positioned after episode 493 of that television series, with the now grown members of Naruto Uzumaki's ninja team sent to stop the moon from falling and to rescue Hanabi Hyuga from Toneri Ootsutsuki.

The Japanese voice cast includes Junko Takeuchi as Naruto, Nana Mizuki as Hinata, Chie Nakamura, Showtaro Moritubo, Satoshi Hino, Kazuhiko Inoue and Noriaki Sugiyama. An English dub was produced, and the film has been made available through the streaming services Crunchyroll and Netflix, giving the feature a continuing reach beyond its theatrical debut.

Franchise Path

  1. Franchise path: watch Naruto Shippuden through episode 493, then The Last: Naruto the Movie as the tenth Naruto film and an anime-continuity movie step.
  2. The film is original material with Kishimoto designs, not a direct manga adaptation, so treat it as a feature within the Naruto anime timeline.

After You Finish

Continue with

  • After finishing, return to Naruto Shippuden after episode 493 to continue the main anime timeline; The Last itself is a complete film with no further part.
  • No sequel to this specific movie is identified in the supplied data.

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Sources2 sources
  1. AniList - The Last: Naruto the Movie
  2. Wikipedia: The Last: Naruto the Movie

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