Blue Bird

, performed by Ikimono-Gakari, was the third opening for Naruto: Shippūden. It replaced Distance and ran from episode 54 up until episode 77 before being replaced by Closer.

Rōmaji
Habataitara modorenai to itte Mezashita no wa aoi aoi ano sora

Kanashimi wa mada oboerarezu Setsunasa wa ima tsukami hajimeta

Anata e to idaku kono kanjou mo Ima kotoba ni kawatteku

Michi naru sekai no yume kara mezamete Kono hane wo hiroge tobi datsu

Habataitara modorenai to itte Mezashita no wa aoi aoi ano sora

Tsuki nuketara mitsukaru to shitte Furikiru hodo

Aoi aoi ano sora Aoi aoi ano sora Aoi aoi ano sora

English
You said that if you could fly, You would never come down You only have eyes For the blue, blue sky

You've yet to learn what sadness is And are now just grasping what pain is like Even the feelings I have for you Must be expressed in words

As you awake from a dream into an unknown world Spread your wings and take flight!

You say if you could fly, you’d never come back down You only have eyes for that blue, blue sky You know if you can just make it through, you’ll find what you seek So keep trying to break free

To that blue, blue sky To that blue, blue sky To that blue, blue sky

Rōmaji (Full Version)
Habataitara modoranai to itte Mezashita no wa aoi aoi ano sora

Kanashimi wa mada oboerarezu Setsunasa wa ima tsukami hajimeta Anata e to idaku kono kanjou mo Ima kotoba ni kawatteku

Michinaru sekai no yume kara mezamete Kono hane wo hiroge tobitatsu

Habataitara modorenai to itte Mezashita no wa shiroi shiroi ano kumo Tsuki nuketara mitsukaru to shitte Furikiru hodo Aoi aoi ano sora Aoi aoi ano sora Aoi aoi ano sora

Aisou tsukita you na oto de Sabireta furui mado wa kowareta Miakita kago wa hora soteteiku Furikaeru koto wa mou nai Takanaru kodou ni kokyuu wo azukete kono mada wo kette tobitatsu

Kakedashitara te ni dekiru to itte izanau no wa tooi tooi ano koe

mabushi sugita anata no te mo nigitte motomeru hodo aoi aoi ano sora

ochite iku to wakatteita soredemo hikari wo oi tsuduketeiku yo

Habataitara modoranai to itte sagashita no wa shiroi shiroi ano kumo tsukinuketara mitsukaru to shitte furikiru hodo aoi aoi ano sora aoi aoi ano sora aoi aoi ano sora

Opening Sypnosis
Flashbacks are shown of Naruto's tragic failure to stop Sasuke in the previous season, the Sasuke and Sai Arc after meeting him again after two-and-a-half-years. A blue bird flies through the screen and the logo is shown. Naruto appears hurdling down through the sky dazed. An image of Sasuke is shown in a blue background while Naruto's becomes red. A worried Sakura is shown in a green background after. Allies from Konohagakure are shown then the still free-falling Naruto flips and summersaults through the sky forming the Shadow Clone hand-sign snapping out of his apparent trance. Fūka, Fūen, and Fūdo use some of their skills while Asuma and Kazuma are seen clashing. Naruto and Sora appear with the Fourth Hokage and Kurama are in the background. The Akatsuki appears and so does Sasuke alone. Naruto then arises from a river in which he landed from his fall and picks up a leaf in the water.

Characters
The characters in order of appearance:
 * Sasuke Uchiha
 * Naruto Uzumaki
 * Sakura Haruno
 * Shikamaru Nara
 * Chōji Akimichi
 * Ino Yamanaka
 * Yamato
 * Sai
 * Kurenai Yūhi
 * Asuma Sarutobi
 * Kakashi Hatake
 * Jiraiya
 * Tsunade
 * Iruka Umino
 * Fūka (First Version)
 * Fudō (First Version)
 * Fuen (First Version)
 * Sora (First Version)
 * Minato Namikaze (First Version)
 * Kazuma (First Version)
 * Izumo Kamizuki (Second Version)
 * Kotetsu Hagane (Second Version)
 * Pain
 * Konan
 * Hidan
 * Kakuzu
 * Tobi
 * Deidara
 * Itachi Uchiha
 * Kisame Hoshigaki
 * Zetsu
 * Orochimaru
 * Kabuto Yakushi
 * Hinata Hyūga (Movie Version)
 * Amaru (Movie Version)
 * Shinnō (Movie Version)
 * Neji Hyūga (Movie Version)
 * Yamato (Movie Version)
 * Zero-Tails (Movie Version)
 * Shino Aburame (Movie Version)

Trivia

 * In order to promote Naruto Shippūden 2: Bonds, the broadcast versions of episodes 70-73 include scenes from the movie in the opening themes, while still retaining the original music.
 * This is the first opening to be transmitted in High Definition.