5/5 Gaara gets kidnapped!
  by Kit (Marlborough, MA)
Gaara gets kidnapped and Team Kakashi sets out to help save Gaara. It is great to see Sakura as strong as one of the guys in the new Naruto Shippuden.

5/5 A Pleasant Surprise
  by Tristan A. Hayes (Richmond, VA USA)
Before I begin this review, I will just comment and say that this Volume 3 offers Shippuden DVD buyers a pleasant surprise; the volume features 125 minutes of content, 5 episodes at 2 hours! The previous two sets only offered 4 episodes, but this one has five.

Now Shippuden fans will enjoy this set because it kicks off right on the high note that the last sets left us.

Episodes are as follows (I will avoid major spoilers again).

Episode 9: The Jinchuriki's Tears (scenes from Manga Vol 28, Chapters 251, 252)
Episode 10: Sealing Jutsu: Nine Phantom Dragons (scenes from Manga Vol 28, Chapters 253, Vol 29, Chapters 254 & 255)
Episode 11: The Medical Ninja's Student (scenes from Manga Vol 28, Chapters 253, Vol 29. Chapters 254 & 255)
Episode 12: The Retired Granny's Determination (Manga Vol 29, Chapters 254, 255, 256, and 257)
Episode 13: A Meeting With Destiny (Manga Vol 29. Chapters 256, 257, 258)

The opening song ("Hero's Come Back by Nobody Knows) remains as well as the ending song ("Shooting Star" by Home Made Kazoku)still remain perfect matches and actually dont feel old at all.

I will say that the episodes give the chapters justice and even helps with getting the personality of Granny Chiyo across in the first and second episodes of this set. Another bonus is that we get to see and hear more of the members of the Akatsuki, see the influence that Naruto had on Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari, and see nice fights in the final episode of this set.

Extra's include: Trailers (Naruto Shippuden (arent we already watching Naruto Shippuden, why do we need a trailer for it on the DVD?, lol), Naruto Shippuden the Movie (an awesome movie!), Naruto Shippuden Ninja Council 4 (DS), Bleach Movie 2: Diamond Dust Rebellion trailer (nice movie)), New From Viz Media (images of Shonen Jump manga offerings), Online Features (images of where you can download episodes (Playstation Network Video front, Amazon on Demand, iTunes, Xbox Live), and places streaming the latest episodes from Japan for free (hulu, joost)). Lastly, it is bilingual (Japanese audio, English audio, English subtitles)

This is a great set to get for those interested in the next set of episodes, and for newcomers, it is possible to jump into the Naruto Shippuden series with episode 9 since it concludes the Gaara fighting incident and moves on to the arrival of Naruto and others in the Sand Village. Finally, the episodes are original and uncut, so you will get the full versions of the opening and ending without it being cut off like on tv, and the extra scenes at the end of the episode.

As usual, the final episode leaves us on a cliffhanger, making us beg for the release of the 4th DVD, which should come out soon.

5/5 Naruto: Shippuden, Vol 3
  by R. Aparicio (Camarillo, CA USA)
Christmas gift for niece - In perfect condition & shipped quickly. Great price, was able to purchase 3 volumns for her - niece was thrilled!

Naruto: Shippuden, Vol. 3 Summary Gaara of the Sand has been kidnapped, and Team Kakashi are on their way! Sakura uses her skills as a medic ninja to treat the wounded Kankuro, impressing everyone with her sure and steady hands. Granny Chiyo of the Sand decides to accompany Team Kakashi, but before they can get to Gaara and the Akatsuki lair, the team is confronted by a familiar enemy--Itachi Uchiha. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:

Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 11/24/2009 Run Time: 100 Minutes

Director Hayato Date ramps up the excitement as the second Naruto series continues. Sakura demonstrates her exceptional skill as a medical ninja when she saves Kankuro of the Village Hidden in the Sand from Sasori's terrible poison. While Naruto fidgets, Granny Chiyo reveals what the sinister cabal the Akatsuki are seeking. Nine extremely powerful tailed demons exist in the ninja world: the single-tailed demon is sealed within Gaara's body, the Nine-Tailed Fox in Naruto's. Chiyo warns that these demons wield far more power than anyone can be allowed to control. As she delivers her warning, the Akatsuki are trying to draw the demon's chakra from Gaara to bring a ghastly stone idol to life. But help is on the way: Team Kakashi, aided by Chiyo and Temari from the Sand Village, square off against Sosuke's murderous brother, Itachi; Team Guy (Guy-sensei, Tenten, Neji, and the perpetually upbeat Rock Lee) tackle Kisame, who fights with enchanted cascades of water. Date skillfully juxtaposes color and black-and-white sequences and introduces some snazzy effects: as the members of the Akatsuki begin their rituals, they turn into shadowy black figures edged in prismatic color. (Rated T+ Older Teen, but suitable for ages 12 and older: violence, grotesque imagery) --Charles Solomon

(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)

Naruto: Shippuden Vol. 3 DVD Techincal Details Cast:
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Rated: Unrated
Running Time: 125 mins
UPC: 782009239888
Binding: DVD
Studio: Viz Media
Release Date: 2009-11-24
Region Code: 1
Specs: Animated, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC

Language & Subtitles Japanese (Original Language), English (Subtitled), English (Dubbed),