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Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower (2010) movie poster

Timeline

Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower (2010) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2010 · 85 mins · Japanese
Directed by
Masahiko Murata
Starring
Toshiyuki Morikawa, Mutsumi Tamura, Saori Hayami, Rikiya Koyama, Satoshi Hino, Nobuaki Fukuda

While on a mission to capture the rogue missing‑ninja Mukade, Naruto Uzumaki tracks him to the ancient ruins of Ouran. Mukade intends to awaken a dormant leyline hidden there; he releases its energy, a burst of light surrounding Naruto and thrusting him twenty years into the past, before the series began. Awakening in that era, Naruto meets his father, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, and must navigate the unfamiliar time while confronting the unleashed power.

Adventure Animation Action Cast, crew & box office
On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower (2010)

Where can you watch Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Netflix, Netflix Standard and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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14 events in order · contains spoilers

Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower (2010) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Mission briefing: capture Mukade in Loran

    Naruto, Sakura, Yamato, and Sai are assigned a dangerous mission to capture the missing-nin Mukade. The team prepares to confront him in the ancient desert city ruins of Loran. This high-stakes assignment sets the stage for a race against a foe who wields overwhelming power.

    When
    Present
    Where
    Loran ruins

  2. Seal shattered; time travel begins

    Mukade shatters the Ryūmyaku's seal, and a brilliant light engulfs Naruto and Yamato. The light tears them through time, sending them twenty years into the past. They must navigate a different era to thwart Anrokuzan's growing threat.

    When
    Twenty years ago
    Where
    Loran ruins

  3. Naruto meets Sāra and learns Anrokuzan's origin

    Naruto awakens in the past and meets Sāra, the queen of Loran. He learns that Mukade traveled even earlier in history and renamed himself Anrokuzan, a minister who has already claimed Sāra’s mother’s life. Naruto vows to protect Sāra and joins the past's defenders.

    When
    Twenty years ago
    Where
    Past Loran

  4. Allied with past defenders: Minato, Shibi, Chōza, Kakashi

    Naruto aligns with Minato Namikaze, Shibi Aburame, Chōza Akimichi, and Kakashi Hatake to form a core defense against Anrokuzan. The team races to save kidnapped citizens and thwart Anrokuzan’s Puppet Ninja Forces. Naruto clutches Minato’s kunai as a symbol of hope.

    When
    Twenty years ago
    Where
    Past Loran

  5. Anrokuzan builds a colossal puppet

    Anrokuzan uses tower components to assemble a colossal defensive puppet that looms over the battlefield. The new weapon escalates the threat and tests the defenders’ resolve. The group braces for a confrontation that could change history.

    When
    Twenty years ago
    Where
    Past Loran

  6. Sāra's lullaby memory resurfaces

    Sāra’s memories begin to stir as she recalls Sēramu’s lullaby. The moment strengthens her bond with Naruto and anchors their fragile alliance. The memory fuels their determination to resist Anrokuzan.

    When
    Twenty years ago
    Where
    Past Loran

  7. The puppet assault intensifies

    Anrokuzan escalates the conflict by integrating tower parts into a colossal puppet, creating a formidable foe. The group fights a high-stakes battle against the Puppet Ninja Forces. Each defender must push beyond their limits.

    When
    Twenty years ago
    Where
    Past Loran

  8. Climax: Super Rasengan unleashed

    In the heat of the battle, Minato and Naruto unleash a regenerative chakra surge that culminates in the legendary Super Rasengan. The attack shakes the battlefield and opens a path to victory. The puppet’s defenses begin to crumble as hope rises.

    When
    Twenty years ago
    Where
    Past Loran

  9. Anrokuzan's defeat: Sāra disables final technique

    Sāra disables Anrokuzan’s final technique, cutting off his last bid for power. Naruto then pierces the puppet’s core, delivering the decisive strike. The minister’s reign of danger ends as the puppet collapses.

    When
    Twenty years ago
    Where
    Past Loran

  10. Escape to safety and sealing

    Yamato and Kakashi pull Naruto and Sāra to safety as the crisis winds down. Minato seals the power again with the kunai to prevent any lingering threat. The past’s danger subsides, and the heroes prepare for the return home.

    When
    Twenty years ago
    Where
    Past Loran

  11. Memory erasure returns present: history preserved

    The present moment returns as Minato makes the difficult choice to erase the participants’ memories of the mission. This preserves history by preventing any ripple effects in the timeline. The team regroups back in the ruins, unaware of the full truth of what happened.

    When
    Present
    Where
    Loran ruins

  12. Present reunion and encounter with Sāra's daughter

    Sakura and Sai rejoin Naruto and Yamato in the ruins, and the immediate danger is resolved. They encounter Sāra’s daughter, who now guards the ancient chakra blade once wielded by Naruto. The scene hints at a continuation of ties between the past and present.

    When
    Present
    Where
    Loran ruins

  13. Blade origins and Naruto's missing weapon

    The blade had been entrusted to Sāra by a Hero in a Dream, revealing a deeper legacy behind Naruto’s own weapon. Naruto instinctively reaches for his familiar blade, only to discover it is not there. Sakura teases him, reminding him that dreams do not supply blade handles.

    When
    Present
    Where
    Loran ruins

  14. Ending note: legends return in unexpected forms

    The closing moments suggest that legends can return in unexpected forms and that Naruto’s legacy continues in subtle ways. The group senses there are still mysteries to uncover about the chakra blade and the Hero in a Dream. The memory-erasing mission leaves a calm, lingering curiosity in their minds.

    When
    Present
    Where
    Loran ruins

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:59

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Timeline questions answered

Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower (2010): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Naruto travel twenty years into the past?

Mukade shatters the seal on the Ryūmyaku, a powerful chakra leyline hidden beneath Loran. This releases an overwhelming burst of light that engulfs Naruto and Yamato, propelling them twenty years into the past, before the series began, to the era when Minato Namikaze was alive.

Foreshadowing: The seal on the Ryūmyaku was placed by Minato, hinting at his connection to the event.

  • time travel
  • mukade
  • ryumyaku
  • light seal
Q2

What is the Ryūmyaku and why does Mukade want it?

The Ryūmyaku is a deep, world-spanning chakra leyline hidden beneath the land of Loran. It contains enormous dormant energy. Mukade wants to awaken and seize this power to control the Puppet Ninja Forces and dominate the region.

  • ryumyaku
  • chakra
  • leyline
  • mukade power
Q3

How is Mukade connected to Anrokuzan?

Mukade traveled even earlier in history than Naruto, twenty years prior, and renamed himself Anrokuzan. In the past, he becomes a minister who has already killed Sāra's mother, Sēramu, and seized control of Loran.

Foreshadowing: The timeline notes mention Mukade traveling "even earlier," revealing his identity shift.

  • mukade
  • anrokuzan
  • villain identity
  • time travel
Q4

Why does Minato erase the team's memories at the end?

Minato erases the memories of Naruto, Yamato, and others to preserve the timeline. If they remembered their time in the past, it could create paradoxes or alter history, potentially changing events that were meant to happen.

Foreshadowing: The mission involves preventing changes to history throughout the film.

  • minato
  • memory erasure
  • time travel
  • timeline preservation
Q5

What is the "Hero in a Dream" that Sāra's daughter mentions?

Sāra's daughter reveals that her mother was entrusted with an ancient chakra blade by a "Hero in a Dream", which is Naruto himself, traveling back in time. This explains why Naruto instinctively reaches for a familiar blade at the end, only to find it missing.

Foreshadowing: Naruto wields the chakra blade throughout the past battle.

  • hero in a dream
  • chakra blade
  • sara daughter
  • legacy
Q6

How do Naruto and Minato create the Super Rasengan?

Naruto and Minato combine their chakra in a regenerative surge, pooling their massive combined power into a single technique. This creates the legendary Super Rasengan, which overwhelms Anrokuzan's colossal puppet and shatters its defenses.

  • super rasengan
  • minato
  • naruto
  • chakra fusion
Q7

Why does Sāra's lullaby matter in the story?

Sāra's memories of her mother Sēramu's lullaby begin to stir during the conflict, anchoring her bond with Naruto and strengthening her resolve. The lullaby represents her heritage and motivation to resist Anrokuzan.

Foreshadowing: Sēramu's death by Anrokuzan sets the emotional stakes for Sāra.

  • sara
  • lullaby
  • seramu
  • memory
  • mother
Q8

What happens to Sāra after the battle in the past?

After defeating Anrokuzan, Sāra is pulled to safety by Yamato and Kakashi alongside Naruto. However, Minato erases her memories along with everyone else's, so she returns to the present unaware of the connection, though her daughter later carries forward the legacy of the chakra blade.

  • sara
  • fate
  • memory erasure
  • daughter
Q9

Why does Naruto reach for a blade that isn't there at the end?

Naruto instinctively reaches for the chakra blade he wielded in the past, having formed a muscle memory of the weapon. However, it's not in the present because he never actually possessed it, it existed only in the timeline where he was the "Hero in a Dream."

Foreshadowing: The blade was given to Sāra in the past, not brought to the present.

  • naruto
  • blade
  • memory
  • instinct
  • dream
Q10

What are the Puppet Ninja Forces that Anrokuzan commands?

Anrokuzan uses the Ryūmyaku's power to create the Puppet Ninja Forces, an army of massive mechanical puppets controlled by chakra. He even assembles a colossal defensive puppet from tower parts to overwhelm the defenders.

  • puppet ninja forces
  • anrokuzan
  • army
  • mechanical puppets
Q11

Why does Naruto vow to protect Sāra?

After learning that Anrokuzan killed Sāra's mother and now threatens her kingdom, Naruto makes a vow to protect Sāra. This stems from his nature as a protector and his emotional connection to her despite meeting her in a different time.

  • naruto
  • sara
  • protect
  • vow
  • alliance

Movie threads

More Movies Like Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Action-Packed Time-Travel Movies like Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower

Heroes jumping through time to fix the past while facing high-stakes battles. If you enjoyed the high-energy time-travel adventure in Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower, you'll find similar stories here. These movies feature heroes on urgent missions across time, blending intense action with the consequences of changing history, perfect for fans of fast-paced sci-fi and anime adventures.

  • time travel
  • action-packed
  • adventurous
  • tense
  • determined
  • high-stakes
  • Tone: hopeful, tense
  • Pacing: fast
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically begin with a catastrophic event that sends a protagonist into a different time period. The core conflict involves stopping a villain or preventing a disaster, often requiring the hero to form unlikely alliances with figures from the past. The journey is defined by a race against time, culminating in a resolution that secures the future but often comes with a personal cost.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are grouped by their shared foundation of time-travel as a catalyst for action-driven plots. They feature a consistent tone of hopeful determination amidst chaos, fast pacing to maintain excitement, and a blend of sci-fi/fantasy mechanics with character-focused emotional stakes.

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2007
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1983
Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger vs. Ninninger the Movie: Super Sentai’s Message from the Future movie poster

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Movies with Bittersweet Legacies like Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower

Emotional stories where saving the day means sacrificing personal connections. For viewers who appreciated the emotional ending of Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower, this collection highlights stories with similar bittersweet resolutions. These films explore the idea that true heroism often involves personal sacrifice, leaving characters with a victory that feels meaningful yet personally costly, perfect for those who enjoy emotionally resonant action and adventure.

  • bittersweet
  • emotional
  • nostalgic
  • hopeful
  • determined
  • father-son
  • Tone: bittersweet, hopeful
  • Pacing: fast, steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The stories in this thread often follow a protagonist who forms a deep, transformative bond—often with a parental figure or a lost loved one—during their quest. The central conflict is resolved successfully, preserving the greater good, but the resolution mechanism (like memory erasure or a necessary separation) severs the personal connection. The ending thus delivers a satisfying conclusion to the plot while leaving a lingering sense of melancholic nostalgia for what was gained and lost.

Why they belong together: These movies are united by their specific emotional arc: a blend of high-stakes action with a profoundly personal journey that concludes on a bittersweet note. They share a moderate emotional weight and a tone that balances hope with the sadness of sacrifice, creating a uniquely resonant viewing experience.

Bookworm movie poster

Bookworm

2024
A Father’s Legacy movie poster

A Father’s Legacy

2020
Farewell, Sarah Jane movie poster

Farewell, Sarah Jane

2020
The Boy and the Beast movie poster

The Boy and the Beast

2015
Brothers of the Wind movie poster

Brothers of the Wind

2018
Bridge to Terabithia movie poster

Bridge to Terabithia

2007
Bastards y Diablos movie poster

Bastards y Diablos

2015
On Borrowed Time movie poster

On Borrowed Time

1939

Every angle

Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower (2010) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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