Do we need to have watched the show to understand this?

Not really. The movie explains the basics of who the characters are. As long as you know 'Naruto is a ninja who wants to be leader,' you're good. It's a self-contained story.

Is it better than the other Naruto movies?

It's middle-of-the-pack. The first movie (Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow) is generally considered the best of the original trilogy, but this one has better fight scenes for Rock Lee fans.

Is there anything scary or inappropriate for an 8-year-old?

There's no sex or heavy gore. The main 'scary' elements are the villains, who use some dark magic and can be a bit intimidating, but it's nothing a kid who has seen a Marvel movie couldn't handle.

It clocks in at about 95 minutes, which is the perfect length for a family movie night without getting bogged down in the massive 'filler' arcs the TV show is famous for.

Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2006

68%

WISE Score

A spoiled prince learns that money can't buy ninja bodyguards—or actual respect—during a high-stakes tropical vacation.

Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom

movie

PG-13, 2006

68%

WISE Score

A spoiled prince learns that money can't buy ninja bodyguards—or actual respect—during a high-stakes tropical vacation.

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Screenwise Verdict

This is a 'side quest' movie. It doesn't impact the main Naruto storyline, but it's a fun enough diversion if you're already a fan of the Leaf Village crew. It’s basically a tropical vacation episode with a few high-octane fights thrown in.

Don't expect groundbreaking animation or a complex plot. It’s a 2006 time capsule that delivers on the basic Naruto promise: big speeches about friendship and cool special moves. It's a safe bet for a rainy Saturday if they've already burned through the main series.

Age Fit

Best for ages 10 and up. It’s essentially a long episode of the original series. If they’ve seen the show, they know exactly what they’re getting. The '15+' rating from some sources is likely being overly cautious about the combat.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The core message is a solid critique of materialism. Watching the spoiled Prince Michiru and his son Hikaru realize that people aren't objects you can just buy is a classic, healthy arc. It highlights the value of hard work and genuine friendship over a fat wallet.

Imaginative

It's the Naruto universe, so you're getting creative 'jutsu' and ninja tech. The setting of the Land of the Moon adds a tropical, slightly different flavor to the usual forest-heavy backgrounds of the series, and the circus-animal integration in the fights is a fun touch.

Safe

Standard shonen anime violence. Expect punching, kicking, and supernatural energy blasts. There isn't much in the way of gore, but the villains are genuinely mean-spirited, and there's some moderate peril for the younger characters.

Enriching

Beyond the 'friendship is magic' tropes, the movie explores the burden of leadership and the reality that wealth doesn't solve character flaws. It's not deep philosophy, but it's better than your average mindless action flick.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Rock Lee spotlight: If your kid loves the bowl-cut-wearing master of taijutsu, he gets some great fight choreography here.
Redemption arc: The transformation of the prince from a materialistic brat to someone who actually cares about his people is satisfying.
Classic Naruto energy: It captures that mid-2000s era of the show perfectly—bright, loud, and heavy on the 'never give up' spirit.

⚠

What to Watch For

Stylized combat: It's a ninja movie, so characters get beat up, slammed into walls, and hit with energy attacks. It's not bloody, but it's constant.
Dated animation: Released in 2006, the visual fidelity won't match modern anime like Demon Slayer. It can feel a bit flat on modern high-res screens.

Conversation Starters

"Why did Prince Michiru think he could just buy everything he wanted?"
"Naruto says his 'way of the ninja' is about more than just fighting. What do you think he means by that?"
"If you were a prince with all that money, what's the first thing you'd realize money can't actually solve?"

Deep Dive

The 'Filler' Problem

In the world of anime, there's a concept called 'filler'—content created to pad out the schedule while the creators of the original manga catch up. Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom is the definition of high-budget filler. It doesn't move the needle on the overarching plot of Naruto's quest to become Hokage, which means the stakes can feel a little lower than the main show.

Why it still works

What makes this one worth a watch is the dynamic between Naruto and the young Hikaru. Naruto is at his best when he's acting as a big-brother figure to kids who are just as lonely or misunderstood as he was. Seeing him navigate the prince's arrogance with his trademark bluntness is genuinely funny.

The Visuals

By 2026 standards, the animation is definitely showing its age. This was the third Naruto movie, and while the budget was higher than the weekly TV episodes, it lacks the fluid, cinematic 'wow' factor of modern theatrical anime releases. However, the fight scenes—specifically those involving Rock Lee and his 'Seven-Colored' attacks—still hold up for fans of the genre. It's a comfortable, nostalgic watch that doesn't ask too much of the audience.

What Parents Ask

Stills

Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom — still 1

Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom — still 2

Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom — still 3

Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom — still 4

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