The Last: Naruto the Movie, The Finale in the Naruto Film Series to Feature Older, More Mature Naruto Characters

By Kara Michelle Oct 27, 2014 06:17 AM EDT

The Most Anticipated Finale: 'Naruto the Movie'

The Last: Naruto the Movie, The Finale in the Naruto Film Series to Feature Older, More Mature Naruto Characters

The Last: Naruto the Movie release date is December 6, 2014. Directed by Tsuneo Kobayashi based on a story written by Masashi Kishimoto, it will be the seventh Naruto Shippūden movie and the tenth overall Naruto movie. It will also be the first entry in the 'Start of a New Era Project' and the first film to be an official part of the canon Naruto storyline. The first 'The Last: Naruto the Movie' teaser was revealed on Japanese TV on 31 July 2014, offering up a quick 25-second burst of hype, according to Otaku USA.

Based on The Last: Naruto the Movie wiki, the confirmed characters who will be seen in the upcoming film are Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, Kakashi Hatake, Sai, Shikamura Nara, Choji Akimichi, Gaara, Temari, Tenten, Rock Lee, Hinata Hyuga, Ino Yamanaka, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Hanabi Hyuga. A recent report from the Anime News Network also says that in addition to the announced The Last: Naruta the Movie characters, the film will also feature a "mysterious" new character, a "handsome young man with a well-proportioned face" linked to the original source manga. Masashi Kishimoto, who created the manga, is credited with the original story, character designs, and chief story supervision for the upcoming anime movie. His designs for the older, more mature versions of Naruto, Sakura, Sai, Shikamaru, Lee, Gaara, Temari, Tenten, and Chōji have already been revealed courtesy of the Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine.

The Last: Naruto the Movie is set years after the events of the Fourth Great Ninja War. The moon that Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki created long ago to contain the Gedo Statue begins to descend towards the world. The approaching moon would destroy everything on impact. An older Naruto must deal with this new threat. The film's theme song is Hoshi no Utsuwa (Star Vessel) and it will be performed by the Sukima Switch jazz fusion duo of Takuya Ohashi and Shintaro Tokita. Film producer Takuyuki Hirobe reportedly asked the duo to make "a song that invokes a gentle yet powerful outlook of the world," according to the Anime News Network, since The Last: Naruto the Movie will be the finale in the Naruto anime film series. The soundtrack for The Last: Naruto the Movie will be available in stores by December 3.