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.

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

Anata ga saikin taiken shita Shiawase wa ittai nan desuka Megumare sugiteite Omoidasenai kamo

Ima koko ni iru koto Iki wo shiteiru koto Tade sore dake no koto ga Kiseki da to kizuku

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

Hitodasuke wo gizen to Yubu yatsura mo iru keredo Shijiru no mo utagau no mo Hito sorezore dakara

Oitsuzuketekita yume Akiramezuni susume yo nante Kirei koto wo ieru hodo Nanimo dekichainai kedo

Hitonigiri no yuuki wo mune ni Ashita wo ikinuku tame ni

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

Oitsuzuketekita yume Akiramezuni susume yo nante Kirei koto wo ieru hodo Nanimo dekichainai kedo

Hitonigiri no yuuki wo mune ni Ashita wo ikinuku tame ni

English
All﻿ that is near us We must know Could disappear any day Be careful The main key to finding happiness Lies nowhere else but in my soul

You could reminisce; you could recall The very last time you felt joy Or maybe you are so blessed to a point Where you can't remember anything

It's a harmony, a miracle Being﻿ able to breathe and live at all So here is your one and only chance Life is an opportunity

All﻿ that is near us We must know Could disappear any day Be careful The main key to finding happiness Lies nowhere else but in my soul

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

Some people may call a kind deed An act of mere hypocrisy But never mind those who have lost faith You shouldn't give in to what they say

As a matter of fact, let﻿ me tell you Even if it was for a selfish cause A salvageable hypocrisy Is superior to murderous honesty

Everybody tells you from time to time To never give up like a phrase from﻿ a movie They tell you to stand up for yourself As if it was always that easy

Gather a﻿ handful of courage in my heart To go on and survive another day And I'll never take it for granted Let's go

All﻿ that is near us We must know Could disappear any day Be careful The main key to finding happiness Lies nowhere else but in my soul

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

Everybody tells you from time to time To never give up like a phrase from﻿ a movie They tell you to stand up for yourself As if it was always that easy

Gather a﻿ handful of courage in my heart To go on and survive another day 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
 * Hinata Hyūga
 * Kiba Inuzuka
 * Akamaru
 * Shino Aburame
 * 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

 * From episode 83 onwards, Asuma's spirit can be seen along side Team 10 during this opening.
 * On Disney XD, when Hidan cut Asuma's cheek the blood was edited out.

CLOSER