

Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie is a 2012 Japanese anime martial arts fantasy film based on Masashi Kishimoto's manga and anime series, Naruto, directed by the anime series primary director Hayato Date. It was released in Japan on July 28, 2012. It is the first Naruto film to have Kishimoto directly involved with its production, including its main story and new character designs. Set after the episode 251 and following the episode 311 of the Naruto: Shippuden anime series, The story focuses on the ninjas from the Hidden Leaf Village Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno who are trapped in an alternate version of their home by the true leader of the Akatsuki criminal organization, Tobi, who aims to take the mystic creature Nine-Tailed Demon Fox that was sealed inside in Naruto by his parents Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki during his birth to prevent the Fourth Great Ninja War.