Naruto: Shippuden season 8

Lore & Background

The eighth season is referred to by its DVDs as the chapter of Two Saviors (二人の救世主, Futari no Kyūseishu). Aniplex released six volumes between October 7, 2010 and March 2, 2011, with episodes 170 and 171 skipped to the sixth volume. Starting with episode 154, the series switched to native high-definition production; the series had always been in 16:9 widescreen format.

The season contains four musical themes: one opening and three endings. The opening theme is 'Tōmei Datta Sekai' by Motohiro Hata (episodes 154–175). The ending themes are 'Jitensha' by OreSkaBand (episodes 154–166) and 'Utakata Hanabi' by Supercell (episodes 167–175). The fourth feature film, Naruto Shippuden The Movie: The Lost Tower, was released on July 31, 2010; broadcast versions of episodes 172–175 include scenes from the film in the opening themes while retaining the music 'Tōmei Datta Sekai'.

Reader's Guide

The eighth season of Naruto: Shippuden marks a pivotal turning point in the series, centering on the invasion of the Leaf Village by the Akatsuki Leader Pain and Naruto's quest to master Sage Jutsu. Its narrative focus on two saviors—Naruto and Pain—underscores the season's thematic weight. The season also represents a technical shift, as from episode 154 onward the series was produced in high-definition, setting a new visual standard for the remainder of the show. The English dub premiered on Neon Alley in 2013 and later reached a wider audience on Adult Swim's Toonami in 2017. The inclusion of scenes from the concurrently released film The Lost Tower in the opening themes of episodes 172–175 demonstrates cross-promotion between the series and its film franchise. The season's musical contributions, including popular tracks by Flow, Motohiro Hata, and Supercell, further cemented its cultural impact among fans.

Story Premise & Production

The first season of Naruto: Shippuden picks up the narrative two and a half years after the conclusion of the original Naruto anime, finding its characters grown into teenagers. The central plot revolves around Naruto Uzumaki and his team working to rescue Gaara, who now holds the title of Fifth Kazekage, from the criminal organization known as Akatsuki. The season was directed by Hayato Date and produced by the studio Pierrot in partnership with TV Tokyo, drawing its story from Part II of Masashi Kishimoto's manga. The season ran from February through October 2007 on the TV Tokyo network, establishing the tone and direction for the entire Shippuden run. This opening arc set the stage for the series' ongoing conflict, introducing the heightened stakes that would define the sequel's narrative trajectory.

Japanese Home Media & Special Features

In Japan, the season was made available on DVD across eight discs spanning from August 1, 2007, to March 5, 2008. The collection carried the title Kazekage Rescue (Kazekage Dakkan), a name that directly reflected the season's central mission of liberating the Kazekage from Akatsuki's grasp. One notable bonus element appeared on the seventh compilation disc: a special feature titled Hurricane! "Konoha Academy" Chronicles (Shippū! "Konoha Gakuen" Den), which was based on the series' second ending. This extra content offered fans an alternate glimpse into the world of Konoha, presented in an academy setting that departed from the main storyline's tone. The staggered release schedule over roughly seven months gave Japanese audiences a steady stream of new material throughout the latter half of 2007 and into early 2008, keeping the franchise present in the home entertainment space well beyond its broadcast window.

International Broadcast & Home Video Distribution

Outside Japan, the season found audiences through multiple networks and home video formats over several years. In North America, Disney XD aired the season from October 28, 2009, through April 21, 2010. A separate run on Adult Swim's Toonami block followed from January 5 to August 10, 2014, introducing the series to a different demographic. On the home video front, eight individual DVD volumes hit North American shelves between September 29, 2009, and April 6, 2010, with the final volume also including episodes from the second season. Viz Media offered an alternative packaging in three DVD boxes released between January 26 and August 3, 2010, with the third box similarly sharing content with season two. In the United Kingdom, Manga Entertainment handled distribution with three DVD volumes spanning June 14 to October 4, 2010, followed by a box set containing the first 52 episodes on March 7, 2011.

Musical Themes & Film Crossover

The season featured a rotating cast of five musical themes across its run. Two opening themes served the episodes: "Hero's Come Back!!" by Nobodyknows+ covered episodes 1 through 29, while "Distance" by Long Shot Party took over for the remainder. On the ending side, three songs cycled through: "Nagareboshi (Shooting Star)" by Home Made Kazoku for episodes 1 to 17, "Michi (To You All)" by Alüto for episodes 18 to 29, and "Kimi Monogatari" (Your Story) by Little by Little for the final stretch. A notable crossover occurred with the first Shippuden film, Naruto Shippuden the Movie, which premiered on August 4, 2007. Broadcast versions of episodes 24 through 27 incorporated scenes from that film into both the opening and ending sequences, though the original musical tracks were retained rather than replaced.