Closer

Closer, performed by Joe Inoue, was the fourth opening for Naruto: Shippūden. It ran from episode 78 up until episode 102. It was then replaced by Hotaru no Hikari.

Lyrics

Rōmaji

Michika ni aru mono
Tsune ni ki wo tsuketeinai to
Amari ni chikasugite
Miushinatte shimaisou

Anata ga saikin taiken shita
Shiawase wa ittai nandesu ka?
Megumaresugite ite
Omoidasenai kamo!

Ima koko ni iru koto
Iki wo shite iru koto
Tada soredake no koto ga
Kiseki dato kidzuku

Michika ni aru mono
Tsune ni ki wo tsuketeinai to
Amari ni chikasugite
Miushinatte shimaisou

You know the closer you get to something
The tougher it is to see it
And I'll never take it for granted

Let's go

Tatoe kari ni sore ga
Gizen de atta to shitemo
Dareka wo sukueta nara
Sorya mushiro nani yori mo riaru

Oitsudzuketekita yume
Akiramezu ni susume yo nante
Kirei koto wo ieru hodo
Nani mo dekichainai kedo

Hitonigiri no yuuki wo mune ni
Ashita wo ikinuku tame ni
And I'll never take it for granted

Let's go

Michika ni aru mono
Tsune ni ki wo tsuketeinai to
Amari ni chikasugite
Miushinatte shimaisou

You know the closer you get to something
The tougher it is to see it
And I'll never take it for granted

Oitsudzuketekita yume
Akiramezu ni susume yo nante
Kirei koto wo ieru hodo
Nani mo dekichainai kedo

Hitonigiri no yuuki wo mune ni
Ashita wo ikinuku tame ni
And I'll never take it for granted

Let's go

English

The things closest to you
You need to always pay the most attention to
If you get too close to something
You'll lose sight of it*

What in the world is the happiness
That you gained from your newest experience?
Maybe you're just too blessed
To remember!

That you're here
That you're breathing
Realise that's
just a miracle in itself

The things closest to you
You need to always pay the most attention to
If you get too close to something
You'll lose sight of it*

You know the closer you get to something
The tougher it is to see it
And I'll never take it for granted

Let's go

Though there are people that say
Helping someone is hypocritical
Each person
Can be trusted, or can be doubted, so...

Let's say that
Even if you are hypocritical
If you saved someone because of it
That would be real, more than anything

"Continue chasing after your dreams"
And "Go on without giving up"
The more you say pretty things like that
The less that actually gets done

I'll keep a handful of courage in my heart
To use to live through tomorrow
And I'll never take it for granted

Let's go

The things closest to you
You need to always pay the most attention to
If you get too close to something
You'll lose sight of it*

You know the closer you get to something
The tougher it is to see it
And I'll never take it for granted

"Continue chasing after your dreams"
And "Go on without giving up"
The more you say pretty things like that
The less that actually gets done

I'll keep a handful of courage in my heart
To use to live through tomorrow
And I'll never take it for granted

Let's go

Characters

The characters in order of appearance:

• Naruto Uzumaki
• Ino Yamanaka
• Sakura Haruno
• Chōji Akimichi
• Sai
• Kakashi Hatake
• Yamato
• Shikamaru Nara
• Neji Hyūga
• Rock Lee
• Tenten
• Kiba Inuzuka
• Akamaru
• Shino Aburame
• Kurenai Yūhi
• Hinata Hyūga
• Hidan (First Version)
• Kakuzu (First Version)
• Kotetsu Hagane (First Version)
• Izumo Kamizuki (First Version)
• Asuma Sarutobi
• Gozu (Second Version)
• Kigiri (Second Version)
• Nurari (Second Version)
• Rinji (Second Version)
• Guren (Second Version)
• Deidara
• Tobi
• Demonic Statue of the Outer Path
• Pain
• Kabuto Yakushi
• Orochimaru
• Sasuke Uchiha

Trivia

• In the second version of this opening, notable fights are shown that didn't happen, such as:
  • Sakura battling Rinji.
  • Hinata battling Gozu.
• Kihō is the only member of Team Guren to not be shown in the second version of this opening.
• From episode 83 to episode 102, Asuma's spirit can be seen along with Team 10 during this opening.
• On Disney XD, when Hidan cut Asuma's cheek, the blood was edited out.