Naruto Shippuden Box 31 contains episodes 388-401 of Naruto Shippuden. While some of these episodes depict Naruto & Co fighting against Madara, most of them focus on an extended flashback to the Chunin Exams. By the end of the last episode present the first round two rounds of the exams have been completed, and another round is well underway.
These episodes are far from bad. Plenty of them serves as decent character pieces for the characters they serve to highlight. Neji gets multiple opportunities to show off his style of leadership, Gaara reflects on his friendship with Naruto, and Rock Lee proves his resolve. All of these characters, and more get the time needed to properly explore key aspects of their personalities. Some of their internal reflections may not be anything new for long-time fans, but they are a good way for the character to take stock of previous character development and where they are in their personal arcs.
However, there is no escaping the fact that this is filler. As with previous filler in the series, it comes at a time when it looked like the series was about to receive a substantial pay off on a number of story threads, such pay-off is quickly all but forgotten. Any viewers who are put off by the thought of this much filler might not be missing a great deal if they chose to give this collection a miss. There are few (if any) key scenes that necessitate hanging on to these episodes in particular, especially when considering how easy it would be to find them on a streaming service.
The box’s two discs don’t have much to speak of in terms of extra features, but there is some present. The second of the two discs features a small selection of storyboards for viewers to scroll through and some production art as well (alongside the more typical inclusion of some trailers). These extras offer a decent insight into the transition that the art for the show goes through before the animation is completed, though the storyboard section, in particular, could have been improved with the inclusion of a couple more examples.
What viewers get from Naruto Shippuden Box 31 will ultimately be dependent on what they want from it. Fans of the show who are looking to see the main plot advance will have very little luck with this release. On the other hand, fans who find something to enjoy in the filler despite its function as show padding face the prospect of solid character moments and some engaging fights. Debates regarding filler aside, the Chunin exam episodes are good. The real question to ask before buying this is whether or not that is enough.
Extras: Storyboards/ Production Gallery/ Trailers
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN BOX 31 / CERT: 12 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: VARIOUS / STARRING: MAILE FLANAGAN, YURI LOWENTHAL, KATIE HIGGINS, DAVE WITTENBERG, BRIAN DONOVAN, STEVE STALEY, STEPHANIE SHEH / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
