Naruto: Shippuden is an anime series adapted from Part II for Masashi Kishimoto's manga series. It is set after two and a half years after Part I in the Naruto universe. It follows the ninja teenager Naruto Uzumaki and his allies in their fights against the criminal organization Akatsuki who wish to obtain nine creatures known as the Tailed Beasts. The series is directed by Hayato Date, and produced by Studio Pierrot and TV Tokyo. It began broadcasting on TV Tokyo on February 15, 2007.
In 2008, Viz Media and Crunchyroll began providing eight English subtitled Naruto: Shippuden episodes on the official Naruto website every week until it caught up to the Japanese anime. In 2009, Viz began providing subtitled versions of the latest Naruto: Shippuden episodes a week after they first air in Japan, with a new episode being added to the Naruto website each subsequent Thursday. The English dub of Naruto: Shippuden made its US premiere on Disney XD on October 28, 2009. On July 24, 2009, Viz Media announced that the series would be released on the iTunes Store. The first DVD release of the series in North America was released on September 29, 2009.
While Naruto: Shippuden was cancelled on Disney XD on November 5, 2011 after 98 episodes, DVD box sets generally containing thirteen dubbed episodes from episode 1 onward are being released quarterly in their uncut format. The English dub was streamed on Neon Alley from its launch in October 2012 and, beginning December 29, 2012 with episode 98, new episodes are released every week uncut. Toonami began airing the series from the beginning on January 4, 2014 in an uncut format.
The series is being released to Region 2 DVD in Japan with four or five episodes per disc. There are currently six series of DVD releases divided by arc. The first covers episodes 1 through 32 over eight DVDs, the second covers episodes 33 through 53 over five DVDs, the third covers episodes 54 through 71 over four DVDs, the fourth covers episodes 72 through 88 over four DVDs, the fifth covers episodes 89 through 112 over six DVDs, and the sixth is currently being released from episode 113 onward. There is also a special feature included with the seventh Naruto: Shippuden compilation DVD based on the second ending of the series called Hurricane! "Konoha Academy" Chronicles. Limited edition of Seventh DVD of "Master's Prophecy and Vengeance" comes with special DVD Behind the Scenes of UCHIHA containing interview mixed with footage from episodes.