Naruto Complete Guide 2026: Watch Order, Filler List, Boruto
Introduction
Naruto is one of the “Big Three” classic shōnen alongside One Piece and Bleach. The story of an orphan ninja who wants to become village leader spans 720 anime episodes across 15 years (2002-2017), plus the sequel series Boruto. It’s a serious commitment — but the payoff is some of the most beloved character moments in anime history.
This guide gives you the canonical watch order, what to skip, and where to start.
The 3-part franchise
| Series | Episodes | Years | Story |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naruto | 220 | 2002-2007 | Naruto’s childhood, Team 7, early ninja missions |
| Naruto Shippuden | 500 | 2007-2017 | The two-and-a-half-year time skip onward, the Akatsuki, Fourth Great Ninja War |
| Boruto: Naruto Next Generations | 293+ (ongoing as of 2026) | 2017-present | Naruto’s son’s generation |
Plus 11 movies, mostly non-canonical.
Watch order — basic
- Naruto episodes 1-220
- Naruto Shippuden episodes 1-500
- The Last: Naruto the Movie (2014) — between Shippuden and Boruto, canon
- Boruto: Naruto the Movie (2015) — optional bridge
- Boruto: Naruto Next Generations episodes 1-current
Watch order — filler-free (recommended)
About 41% of original Naruto and Shippuden is filler (anime-original content not in the manga). Skipping filler cuts roughly 300 episodes.
Original Naruto canon-only
Most filler-free guides recommend stopping after Episode 135 (end of canonical content) and skipping to Shippuden. Some viewers skip directly from Episode 135 to Shippuden Episode 1.
The major arcs you should NOT skip:
- Episodes 1-26: Land of Waves (intro)
- Episodes 21-67: Chunin Exam
- Episodes 68-80: Sasuke Recovery
- Episodes 107-135: Sasuke Recovery & ending
Shippuden canon-only
Shippuden has dense filler from Episodes 144-151 (Three-Tails Arc), 170-171, 176-196 (Six-Tails Arc), 223-242 (Past Hokage Arc), 257-260, 271 (Tsuchikage), 279-281, 284-289, 290, 295, 303-320 (Power Arc), 347-361, 376-377, 388-390, 394-413, 416-417, 422-423, 427-450, 480-483, 486-488, 492.
Filler-free guides cover Shippuden in roughly 300 episodes vs the full 500.
Practical recommendation
- Use a filler list site (NarutoFiller.com, Anime Filler List) and tick episodes as you watch
- Don’t skip filler that builds character relationships — some are fillers but worth watching (Kakashi’s backstory ep 119-120, Itachi’s pursuit of Sasuke)
- The Last: Naruto the Movie is canon — watch it after Shippuden ends
Story essentials (no spoilers)
Naruto (original)
- Naruto Uzumaki — an orphaned, hyperactive ninja-in-training, hated by the village for housing the Nine-Tails fox
- Sasuke Uchiha — Naruto’s rival, last of the Uchiha clan after his brother Itachi murdered them
- Sakura Haruno — the third member of Team 7
- Kakashi Hatake — their teacher
- Major arcs: Land of Waves, Chunin Exams, Sasuke’s defection, training with Jiraiya
Naruto Shippuden
- 2.5 years later, Naruto returns more powerful
- The Akatsuki organisation hunts the tailed beasts
- Climaxes in the Fourth Great Ninja War (Episodes 261-479)
- Resolves Naruto/Sasuke’s rivalry definitively
Boruto
- Naruto is now Hokage; his son Boruto attends ninja academy
- Slower pacing in early seasons, picks up significantly from the Mujina Bandits arc (Episode 75)
- Major arc: Kara organisation, Vessel arc, Time-skip into “Two Blue Vortex”
Manga vs anime
The Naruto manga (1999-2014, 72 volumes, 700 chapters) is widely considered tighter than the anime due to the absence of filler. Many fans recommend reading the manga and watching the anime for the canon-arc fights.
The original mangaka Masashi Kishimoto is now writing Boruto: Two Blue Vortex (sequel manga, 2023+), which is regarded as significantly stronger than the original Boruto manga.
Movies — which are worth watching?
Skip these (non-canonical):
- Naruto: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow (2004)
- Naruto: Legend of the Stone of Gelel (2005)
- Naruto: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom (2006)
- Naruto Shippuden: The Movie (2007), Bonds (2008), The Will of Fire (2009)
- Most Shippuden movies
Watch these:
- The Last: Naruto the Movie (2014) — canonical, romantic resolution, bridges to Boruto
- Boruto: Naruto the Movie (2015) — optional but introduces Boruto’s arc
Where to watch (April 2026)
| Platform | What’s available |
|---|---|
| Crunchyroll | Original Naruto, Shippuden, Boruto — all subbed and dubbed |
| Hulu (US) | Limited Naruto seasons |
| Netflix | Selected seasons in some regions |
| Disney+ | None (different studio licensing) |
Always check JustWatch.com for your country.
Top 10 episodes (canonical)
- Naruto Ep 19: Naruto’s first major battle (Zabuza)
- Naruto Ep 133: “The End” — Sasuke vs Naruto at the Valley of the End
- Shippuden Ep 167-168: Pain’s invasion of Konoha climax
- Shippuden Ep 137-138: Itachi vs Sasuke
- Shippuden Ep 261: Fourth Great Ninja War begins
- Shippuden Ep 364: Madara’s full revival
- Shippuden Ep 472: Naruto vs Sasuke final clash, Valley of the End rematch
- Naruto Ep 80: Tsunade’s introduction
- Shippuden Ep 478: Sasuke and Naruto’s final reconciliation
- The Last: Naruto the Movie: Naruto and Hinata’s romantic conclusion
Practical tips
- Don’t binge — pace yourself. 720 episodes is many months of viewing
- Filler lists evolve — check 2-3 sources before committing
- Subs vs dubs: Both excellent. The English dub of Naruto is one of the best dubs ever made
- Boruto manga > Boruto anime for many fans — try the manga if the early anime drags
Summary
For the optimal experience: filler-free Naruto + Shippuden (roughly 420 episodes ≈ 130-150 hours), then The Last: Naruto the Movie, then jump to Boruto: Two Blue Vortex when its anime adaptation airs (date TBA). The journey is long but the character arcs are some of the most rewarding in shōnen.
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