Naruto: Shippuden season 6

Lore & Background

The season is referred to by its Japanese DVD box set as the chapter of Master's Prophecy and Vengeance (師の予言と復讐, Shi no Yogen to Fukushū), released by Aniplex. Seven DVD volumes were released in Japan between January 13, 2010 and July 7, 2011. A limited edition of the seventh DVD includes a special DVD titled Behind the Scenes of Uchiha, containing an interview mixed with footage from episodes. Episodes 119 and 120, detailing the story of Kakashi and Obito Uchiha, were released on a separate disc on December 16, 2009 under the title Kakashi Chronicles: Boys' Life on the Battlefield (カカシ外伝～戦場のボーイズライフ～, Kakashi Gaiden ~Senjō no Bōizu Raifu~).

Reader's Guide

The sixth season of Naruto: Shippuden is significant for advancing the central conflict between Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha, a pivotal storyline in the series. It also expands the lore through dedicated arcs for Kakashi Hatake and Jiraiya, deepening character backgrounds. The season's English television debut on Adult Swim's Toonami from May 2016 to January 2017 brought it to a wider Western audience. Its musical themes, including opening tracks 'Hotaru no Hikari' by Ikimono-gakari and 'Sign' by Flow, and ending themes by Super Beaver, Seamo, Kishidan, and Azu, contributed to its atmosphere. The third feature film, Naruto Shippūden The Movie: Inheritors of the Will of Fire, released on August 1, 2009, is based on the series, and broadcast versions of episodes 119 to 124 include scenes from the film in their opening themes. The season's legacy lies in its key narrative developments and character explorations that are central to the overall Naruto saga.

Did You Know?

• Episodes 119 and 120 were released on a separate disc titled Kakashi Chronicles: Boys' Life on the Battlefield.
• The season uses six musical themes: two opening themes and four ending themes.
• Broadcast versions of episodes 119 to 124 feature opening themes with scenes from Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Bonds, or no film scenes.

Story Premise & Production Origins

The first season of Naruto: Shippuden picks up the narrative two and a half years after the conclusion of the original Naruto anime, a gap that allows the characters to grow into teenagers. At the helm is director Hayato Date, with production handled by the studio Pierrot in partnership with TV Tokyo. The story adapts Part II of Masashi Kishimoto's manga, centering on Naruto Uzumaki and his team as they mount a rescue mission to save Gaara—who now holds the title of Fifth Kazekage—from the criminal organization known as Akatsuki. This premise sets the tone for a more mature, action-driven continuation of the series, shifting the stakes from village-level conflicts to a direct confrontation with a shadowy syndicate. The season's narrative framework establishes the world at a pivotal moment: the former rival from Suna has ascended to leadership, and the threat of Akatsuki looms large enough to demand coordinated action from Naruto's group.

Japanese Broadcast & DVD Release

The season ran on Japanese television from February through October 2007 on TV Tokyo, giving viewers a full eight-month window to follow the Kazekage rescue arc in weekly installments. The home video rollout in Japan stretched from August 1, 2007, to March 5, 2008, spanning eight individual discs. Collectively, the set was marketed under the title Kazekage Rescue (Kazekage Dakkan), a name that directly references the season's central plot. One notable extra appeared on the seventh compilation DVD: a special feature titled Hurricane! "Konoha Academy" Chronicles (Shippū! "Konoha Gakuen" Den), which was built around the second ending theme of the series. This bonus content offered fans an alternative, lighter take on the characters' world, distinct from the main rescue storyline. The staggered release schedule over roughly seven months meant that dedicated collectors had to wait through the winter of 2007-2008 to complete the full set, a pattern common for anime DVD launches in Japan during that era.

International Broadcast & Home Media

Outside Japan, the season found multiple broadcast homes across different markets and time periods. In North America, Disney XD premiered the episodes from October 28, 2009, through April 21, 2010, while Adult Swim's Toonami block later aired the season from January 5 to August 10, 2014, reaching a different audience several years after the initial run. The North American DVD release came in two formats: a straight eight-disc set rolling out between September 29, 2009, and April 6, 2010 (with the final volume also carrying episodes from the second season), and a Viz-branded three-box collection released between January 26 and August 3, 2010, where the third box again shared space with season two material. In the United Kingdom, Manga Entertainment handled the release with three DVD volumes spanning June 14 to October 4, 2010, followed by a comprehensive box containing the first 52 episodes on March 7, 2011.

Musical Identity & Film Crossover

The season's sonic identity was built on five distinct musical themes—two openings and three endings—each assigned to specific episode ranges. The first opening, "Hero's Come Back!!" by Nobodyknows+, carried episodes one through twenty-nine, before "Distance" by Long Shot Party took over for the remainder. On the ending side, "Nagareboshi (Shooting Star)" by Home Made Kazoku served episodes one through seventeen, followed by "Michi (To You All)" by Alüto for episodes eighteen through twenty-nine, and finally "Kimi Monogatari" (Your Story) by Little by Little for the closing stretch. Adding to the musical crossover, the first Naruto Shippuden film hit theaters on August 4, 2007, and broadcast versions of episodes twenty-four through twenty-seven wove scenes from that film into both the opening and ending sequences while still retaining the original theme music. This blending of theatrical and television content created a unique viewing experience for those watching during the film's promotional window.