If this collection of 12 episodes manages to rediscover that appeal, then maybe there will be eager Naruto fans queuing around the block the day Naruto Shippuden is released, the way they did for Naruto back in 2006.

Meanwhile, Sakura and Ino go to pay Sasuke a visit in hospital, only to find that he has disappeared. Damit komme ich gleich zu meinem Hauptkaufgrund für diese visuell und akustisch vollkommen zufriedenstellende DVD-Box: Die Möglichkeit das Anime im Original (inkl.This is the 17th instalment, the final Naruto collection to be released in the UK, the conclusion of what seemed like an interminable arc of filler, and with it comes the realisation that I never have to set eyes on the perky little Genin ever again. Meanwhile, Naruto is having problems of his own with his two brothers and Iruka is finding it difficult to get Mizuki back to his old self. But while Todoroki's past is coming back to haunt him, it's becoming clear that Gantetsu isn't the murderous criminal that his reputation suggests.

I had thought that only the final episode of series 9 would be essential, that you could skip all the other filler episodes and go straight back to the story proper as this instalment came to a close.

I'll say it again, if the standard of the Naruto filler had been this high for the duration, you would have heard a whole lot less whinging from me for the last five and bit volumes. Not only does he want to be a ninja, but he also wants to be the strongest ninja of them all and be granted the title Hokage.

It's trouble that comes first to the Sand Village, where Gaara of all people is taking the next generation in hand to pass on his ninja skills. Criminals they may be, but perfect they certainly aren't and one of their number, Gantetsu has finally been caught.During a recent trip to Tokyo I watched an episode of Naruto Shippuden on tv and was instantly hooked. Once a 5 year old Naruto fan I know took a bad fall, but he never cried or complained once, only saying that Naruto wouldn't like it if he did.