For fans diving into the world of Naruto, the sheer number of episodes can be daunting. With 220 episodes in the original Naruto series alone, knowing where to start and what to prioritize is key. A significant portion of this beloved anime is filler – episodes not based on the original manga storyline. In fact, a substantial 89 episodes, or roughly 41% of Naruto, are filler. This means that less than 60% of the anime directly adapts Masashi Kishimoto’s manga, a fact that can be frustrating for purists wanting to experience the core narrative efficiently before moving onto Naruto Shippuden.
The most effective way to watch Naruto and stay true to the intended story is to navigate around these filler episodes. By strategically skipping them, you can save approximately 1,780 minutes, which translates to nearly 30 hours of viewing time. This is valuable time that can be better spent progressing through the main storyline and reaching the highly acclaimed Naruto Shippuden sequel sooner.
To make your Naruto viewing experience streamlined and enjoyable, we’ve created the ultimate filler guide. Below, you’ll find a comprehensive episode list broken down by season, clearly marked to indicate whether each episode is filler, canon (manga-based), or mixed (containing both canon and filler content). For mixed episodes, we’ll pinpoint the exact minutes you need to watch to stay on the canon track. Our color-coded system will help you easily identify each episode type:
| FILLER | Filler episodes are marked in red. These are original anime content and non-essential to the main Naruto storyline. It’s recommended to skip these for a manga-faithful experience. |
|---|---|
| MIXED | Mixed episodes are highlighted in blue. These episodes contain both canon and filler material. We’ll specify the exact minutes to watch to follow the manga story and skip the filler portions. |
| CANON | Canon episodes are shown in black (or white in dark mode). These episodes are adapted directly from the manga and are essential viewing for the core Naruto plot. |
| SPECIAL | Special episodes like movies and OVAs are marked in green and placed chronologically within the list. For a detailed viewing order including movies and OVAs, check out our article: ‘How to Watch Naruto in Order’. |
To help you avoid spoilers, we offer an option to hide battle descriptions within the episode list.
Naruto Episode List by Season: A Complete Filler Guide
Here’s a season-by-season breakdown of every Naruto episode, categorized for your viewing convenience:
Season 1 (Episodes 001–026)
This inaugural season consists of 26 episodes and adapts manga chapters 1 through 44. The opening themes are ROCKS (episodes 1-25) and Haruka Kanata (episode 26), while the ending themes are Wind (episodes 1-25) and Harmonia (episode 26).
| # | Title | Chapters | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 001. | Enter: Naruto Uzumaki! | 1 | CANON |
| 002. | My Name is Konohamaru! | 2 | CANON |
| 003. | Sasuke and Sakura: Friends or Foes? | 3 | CANON |
| 004. | Pass or Fail: Survival Test | 4, 5, 6 | CANON |
| 005. | You Failed! Kakashi’s Final Decision | 6, 7, 8 | CANON |
| <————– OVA 1: Find the Four-Leaf Red Clover! ————-> | SPECIAL | ||
| 006. | A Dangerous Mission! Journey to the Land of Waves! | 9, 10, 11 | CANON |
| 007. | The Assassin of the Mist! | 11, 12 | CANON |
| 008. | The Oath of Pain | 13, 14 | CANON |
| 009. | Kakashi: Sharingan Warrior | 15, 16 | CANON |
| 010. | The Forest of Chakra | 17, 18 | CANON |
| 011. | The Land Where a Hero Once Lived | 19, 20 | CANON |
| 012. | Battle on the Bridge! Zabuza Returns!! | 21, 22 | CANON |
| 013. | Haku’s Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors | 23, 24 | CANON |
| 014. | The Number One Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja Joins the Fight!! | 25 | CANON |
| 015. | Zero Visibility: The Sharingan Shatters | 25, 26 | CANON |
| 016. | The Broken Seal | 26, 27 | CANON |
| 017. | White Past: Hidden Ambition | 28, 29, 30 | CANON |
| 018. | The Weapons Known as Shinobi | 31, 32 | CANON |
| 019. | The Demon in the Snow | 32, 33 | CANON |
| 020. | A New Chapter Begins: The Chunin Exam! | 34 | CANON |
| 021. | Identify Yourself: Powerful New Rivals | 35, 36 | CANON |
| 022. | Chunin Challenge: Rock Lee vs. Sasuke! | 37, 38 | CANON |
| 023. | Genin Takedown! All Nine Rookies Face Off! | 38, 39, 40 | CANON |
| 024. | Start Your Engines: The Chunin Exam Begins! | 40, 41, 42 | CANON |
| 025. | The Tenth Question: All or Nothing! | 43, 44 | CANON |
| 026. | Special Report: Live from the Forest of Death! | N/A | FILLER |
Season 2 (Episodes 027–052)
Season two continues with 26 episodes, adapting manga chapters 45 to 90. The opening theme remains Haruka Kanata (episodes 27-52), and the ending themes are Harmonia (episodes 27-51) and Viva ★ rock ~ Japanese side ~ (episode 52).
| # | Title | Chapters | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 027. | The Chunin Exam Stage 2: The Forest of Death | 45, 46 | CANON |
| 028. | Eat or be Eaten: Panic in the Forest | 46, 47 | CANON |
| 029. | Naruto’s Counterattack: Never Give In! | 48, 49 | CANON |
| 030. | The Sharingan Revived: Dragon-Flame Jutsu! | 49, 50 | CANON |
| 031. | Bushy Brow’s Pledge: Undying Love and Protection! | 51, 52 | CANON |
| 032. | Sakura Blossoms! | 53, 54 | CANON |
| 033. | Battle Formation: Ino-Shika-Cho! | 55, 56 | CANON |
| 034. | Akamaru Trembles: Gaara’s Cruel Strength! | 57, 58, 59 | CANON |
| 035. | The Scroll’s Secret: No Peeking Allowed | 60, 61 | CANON |
| 036. | Clone vs. Clone: Mine are Better than Yours! | 62, 63 | CANON |
| 037. | Surviving the Cut! The Rookie Nine Together Again! | 63, 64, 65 | CANON |
| 038. | Narrowing the Field: Sudden Death Elimination! | 65, 66 | CANON |
| 039. | Bushy Brow’s Jealousy: Lions Barrage Unleashed! | 67, 68, 69 | CANON |
| 040. | Kakashi and Orochimaru: Face-to-Face! | 69, 70 | CANON |
| 041. | Kunoichi Rumble: The Rivals Get Serious! | 70, 71 | CANON |
| 042. | The Ultimate Battle: Cha! | 72, 73 | CANON |
| 043. | Killer Kunoichi and a Shaky Shikamaru | 73, 74 | CANON |
| 044. | Akamaru Unleashed! Who’s Top Dog Now? | 75, 76 | CANON |
| 045. | Surprise Attack! Naruto’s Secret Weapon! | 76, 77 | CANON |
| 046. | Byakugan Battle: Hinata Grows Bold! | 78, 79 | CANON |
| 047. | A Failure Stands Tall! | 79, 80, 81 | CANON |
| 048. | Gaara vs. Rock Lee: The Power of Youth Explodes! | 81, 82, 83 | CANON |
| 049. | Lee’s Hidden Strength: Forbidden Secret Jutsu! | 83, 84, 85 | CANON |
| 050. | The Fifth Gate: A Splendid Ninja is Born | 85, 86, 87 | CANON |
| 051. | A Shadow in Darkness: Danger Approaches Sasuke | 87, 88, 89 | CANON |
| 052. | Ebisu Returns: Naruto’s Toughest Training Yet! | 89, 90 | CANON |
Season 3 (Episodes 053–080)
Season three spans 28 episodes and covers manga chapters 91 to 139. Opening themes include Haruka Kanata (episode 53), Kanashimi wo Yasashisa ni (episodes 54-77), and GO!!! (episodes 78-80). Ending themes are Viva ★ rock ~ Japanese side ~ (episodes 53-64), ALIVE (episodes 65-77), and Ima Made Nando Mo (episodes 78-80).
| # | Title | Chapters | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 053. | Coming Soon! : The Pervy Sage Returns! | 91 | CANON |
| 054. | The Summoning Jutsu: Wisdom of the Pervy Sage! | 91, 92 | CANON |
| 055. | A Feeling of Yearning, A Flower Full of Hope | 92, 93 | CANON |
| 056. | Live or Die: Risk it All to Win it All! | 94, 95 | CANON |
| 057. | He Flies! He Jumps! He Lurks! Chief Toad Appears! | 95, 96 | CANON |
| 058. | Hospital Besieged: The Evil Hand Revealed! | 96, 97 | CANON |
| 059. | The Final Rounds: Rush to the Battle Arena! | 98 | CANON |
| 060. | Byakugan vs. Shadow Clone | 99, 100 | CANON |
| 061. | Ultimate Defense: Zero Blind Spot! | 100, 101, 102 | CANON |
| 062. | A Failure’s True Power | 103, 104, 105 | CANON |
| 063. | Hit it or Quit it: The Final Rounds Get Complicated! | 105, 106 | CANON |
| 064. | Zero Motivation: The Guy with Cloud Envy! | 106, 107, 108 | CANON |
| 065. | Dancing Leaf, Squirming Sand | 109, 110 | CANON |
| 066. | Bushy Brow’s Jutsu: Sasuke Style! | 111, 112 | CANON |
| 067. | Late for the Show, But Ready to Go! The Ultimate Secret Technique is Born! | 112, 113, 114 | CANON |
| 068. | Zero Hour! The Destruction of the Hidden Leaf Village Begins! | 115, 116 | CANON |
| 069. | Village in Distress: A New A-Ranked Mission! | 117, 118 | CANON |
| 070. | A Shirker’s Call to Action: A Layabout No More! | 118, 119 | CANON |
| 071. | An Unrivaled Match: Hokage Battle Royale! | 120, 121 | CANON |
| 072. | A Mistake from the Past: A Face Revealed! | 121, 122 | CANON |
| 073. | Forbidden Secret Technique: Reaper Death Seal! | 123, 124 | CANON |
| 074. | Astonishing Truth! Gaara’s Identity Emerges! | 125, 126 | CANON |
| 075. | Sasuke’s Decision: Pushed to the Edge! | 127, 128 | CANON |
| 076. | Assassin of the Moonlit Night | 129, 130 | CANON |
| 077. | Light vs. Dark: The Two Faces of Gaara | 131, 132 | CANON |
| 078. | Naruto’s Ninja Handbook | 133, 134, 135 | CANON |
| 079. | Beyond the Limit of Darkness and Light | 136, 137 | CANON |
| 080. | The Third Hokage, Forever… | 138, 139 | CANON |
| <————– OVA 2: Mission: Protect the Waterfall Village! ————-> | SPECIAL |
Season 4 (Episodes 081–106)
Season four consists of 26 episodes and adapts manga chapters 140 to 173. The opening themes are GO!!! (episodes 81-103) and Seishun Kyosokyoku (episodes 104-106). Ending themes include Ima Made Nando Mo (episodes 81-89), Ryusei (episodes 90-103), and Mountain a Go Go two (episodes 104-106).
| # | Title | Chapters | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 081. | Return of the Morning Mist | 140, 141 | CANON |
| 082. | Eye to Eye: Sharingan vs. Sharingan! | 142, 143 | CANON |
| 083. | Jiraiya: Naruto’s Potential Disaster! | 143, 144 | CANON |
| 084. | Roar, Chidori! Brother vs. Brother! | 145, 146 | CANON |
| 085. | Hate Among the Uchihas: The Last of the Clan! | 147, 148 | CANON |
| 086. | A New Training Begins: I Will Be Strong! | 149, 150 | CANON |
| 087. | Keep on Training: Pop Goes the Water Balloon! | 151 | CANON |
| 088. | Focal Point: The Mark of the Leaf | 152, 153, 154 | CANON |
| 089. | An Impossible Choice: The Pain Within Tsunade’s Heart | 155, 156, 157 | CANON |
| 090. | Unforgivable! A Total Lack of Respect! | 157, 158 | CANON |
| 091. | Inheritence! The Necklace of Death! | 159, 160 | CANON |
| 092. | A Dubious Offer! Tsunade’s Choice! | 161, 162, 163 | CANON |
| 093. | Breakdown! The Deal is Off! | 163, 164 | CANON |
| 094. | Attack! Fury of the Rasengan! | 165, 166, 167 | CANON |
| 095. | The Fifth Hokage! A Life on the Line! | 168, 169 | CANON |
| 096. | Deadlock! Sannin Showdown! | 170, 171 | CANON |
| 097. | Kidnapped! Naruto’s Hot Spring Adventure! | N/A | FILLER |
| 098. | Tsunade’s Warning: Ninja No More! | 172, 173, 174 | CANON |
| 099. | The Will of Fire Still Burns! | 177 | MIXED Watch from minute 5:54 to 6:10 |
| 100. | Sensei and Student: The Bond of the Shinobi | 179, 180 | CANON |
| 101. | Gotta See! Gotta Know! Kakashi-Sensei’s True Face! | N/A | SPECIAL * 1st DataBook |
| <————– OVA 3: Hidden Leaf Village Grand Sports Festival! ————–> | SPECIAL | ||
| <————– OVA 4: Finally a clash! Jonin vs. Genin!! Indiscriminate Grand Melee Tournament Meeting!! ————–> | SPECIAL | ||
| <————– OVA 7: Naruto, the Genie, and the Three Wishes, Believe It! ————–> | SPECIAL | ||
| <————– Movie 1: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow ————–> | SPECIAL | ||
| 102. | Mission: Help an Old Friend in the Land of Tea | N/A | FILLER |
| 103. | The Race is on! Trouble on the High Seas! | N/A | FILLER |
| 104. | Run Idate Run! Nagi Island Awaits! | N/A | FILLER |
| 105. | A Fierce Battle of Rolling Thunder! | N/A | FILLER |
| 106. | The Last Leg: A Final Act of Desperation | N/A | FILLER |
Season 5 (Episodes 107–135)
This season features 29 episodes, adapting manga chapters 174 to 238. Opening themes include Seishun Kyosokyoku (episodes 107-128) and No Boy, No Cry (episodes 129-135). Ending themes are Mountain a Go Go two (episodes 107-115), Hajimete Kimi to Shabetta (episodes 116-128), and Nakushita Kotoba (episodes 129-135).
| # | Title | Chapters | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 107. | The Battle Begins: Naruto vs. Sasuke | 173, 174, 175, 184 | CANON |
| 108. | Bitter Rivals and Broken Bonds | 176, 177 | CANON |
| 109. | An Invitation from the Sound | 178, 179, 181 | CANON |
| 110. | Formation! The Sasuke Retrieval Squad | 182, 183 | CANON |
| 111. | Sound vs. Leaf | 183, 184, 185, 186 | CANON |
| 112. | Squad Mutiny: Everything Falls Apart! | 186, 187 | CANON |
| 113. | Full Throttle Power! Choji, Ablaze! | 188, 189 | CANON |
| 114. | Good-bye Old Friend…! I’ll Always Believe in You! | 189, 190, 191 | CANON |
| 115. | Your Opponent Is Me! | 191, 192, 193 | CANON |
| 116. | 360 Degrees of Vision: The Byakugan’s Blind Spot | 194, 195 | CANON |
| 117. | Losing is Not an Option! | 196, 197, 198 | CANON |
| 118. | The Vessel Arrives Too Late | 198, 199 | CANON |
| 119. | Miscalculation: A New Enemy Appears! | 200, 201, 202 | CANON |
| 120. | Roar and Howl! The Ultimate Tag Team | 203, 204 | CANON |
| 121. | To Each His Own Battle | 205, 206 | CANON |
| 122. | Fakeout: Shikamaru’s Comeback! | 207, 208 | CANON |
| 123. | The Leaf’s Handsome Devil! | 209, 210 | CANON |
| 124. | The Beast Within | 211, 212 | CANON |
| 125. | The Sand Shinobi: Allies of the Leaf | 213, 214, 215 | CANON |
| 126. | Showdown: Gaara vs. Kimimaro! | 215, 216 | CANON |
| 127. | Vengeful Strike! The Bracken Dance | 216, 217 | CANON |
| 128. | A Cry on Deaf Ears | 218, 219 | CANON |
| 129. | Brothers: Distance Among the Uchiha | 220, 221, 222 | CANON |
| 130. | Father and Son, the Broken Crest | 223, 224 | CANON |
| 131. | The Secrets of the Mangekyo Sharingan! | 224, 225 | CANON |
| 132. | For a Friend | 226, 227, 228 | CANON |
| 133. | A Plea From a Friend | 229, 230, 231 | CANON |
| 134. | The End of Tears | 231, 232, 233, 234, 235 | CANON |
| 135. | The Promise That Could Not Be Kept | 235, 236, 237, 238 | CANON |
Season 6 (Episodes 136–160)
Season six contains 25 episodes and features minimal manga adaptation, primarily from chapters 236 and 238. Opening themes are No Boy, No Cry (episodes 136-153) and Namikaze Satellite (episodes 154-160). Ending themes include Nakushita Kotoba (episodes 136-141), Speed (episodes 142-153), and Soba ni iru kara (episodes 154-160).
| # | Title | Chapters | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 136. | Deep Cover!? A Super S-Ranked Mission! | N/A | FILLER |
| 137. | A Town of Outlaws, the Shadow of the Fuma Clan | N/A | FILLER |
| 138. | Pure Betrayal, and a Fleeting Plea! | N/A | FILLER |
| 139. | Pure Terror! The House of Orochimaru | N/A | FILLER |
| 140. | Two Heartbeats: Kabuto’s Trap | N/A | FILLER |
| 141. | Sakura’s Determination | 236 | MIXED Watch from minute 18:04 to 21:00 |
| 142. | The Three Villains from the Maximum Security Prison | 238 | MIXED Watch from minute 01:30 to 7:04 |
| 143. | Tonton! I’m Counting on You! | N/A | FILLER |
| 144. | A New Squad! Two People and a Dog?! | N/A | FILLER |
| 145. | A New Formation: Ino-Shika-Cho! | N/A | FILLER |
| 146. | Orochimaru’s Shadow | N/A | FILLER |
| 147. | A Clash of Fate: You Can’t Bring Me Down | N/A | FILLER |
| <————– Movie 2: Legend of the Stone of Gelel ————–> | SPECIAL | ||
| 148. | Search for the Rare Bikochu Beetle | N/A | FILLER |
| 149. | What’s the Difference? Don’t All Insects Look Alike? | N/A | FILLER |
| 150. | A Battle of Bugs: The Deceivers and the Deceived | N/A | FILLER |
| 151. | Blaze Away Byakugan: This Is My Ninja Way | N/A | FILLER |
| 152. | Funeral March for the Living | N/A | FILLER |
| 153. | A Lesson Learned: The Iron Fist of Love | N/A | FILLER |
| 154. | The Enemy of the Byakugan | N/A | FILLER |
| 155. | The Dark Creeping Clouds | N/A | FILLER |
| 156. | Raiga’s Counterattack | N/A | FILLER |
| 157. | Run! The Curry of Life | N/A | FILLER |
| 158. | Follow My Lead! The Great Survival Challenge | N/A | FILLER |
| 159. | Bounty Hunter from the Wilderness | N/A | FILLER |
| 160. | Hunt or Be Hunted?! Showdown at the O.K. Temple! | N/A | FILLER |
Season 7 (Episodes 161–186)
Season seven contains 26 episodes and is entirely filler. Opening themes are Namikaze Satellite (episodes 161-178) and Re:member (episodes 179-186). Ending themes include Soba ni iru kara (episodes 161-165), Parade (episodes 166-178), and Yellow Moon (episodes 179-186).
| # | Title | Chapters | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 161. | The Appearance of Strange Visitors | N/A | FILLER |
| 162. | The Cursed Warrior | N/A | FILLER |
| 163. | The Tactician’s Intent | N/A | FILLER |
| 164. | Too Late for Help | N/A | FILLER |
| 165. | The Death of Naruto | N/A | FILLER |
| 166. | When Time Stands Still | N/A | FILLER |
| 167. | When Egrets Flap Their Wings | N/A | FILLER |
| 168. | Mix It, Stretch It, Boil It Up! Burn, Copper Pot, Burn! | N/A | FILLER |
| 169. | Remembrance: The Lost Page | N/A | FILLER |
| 170. | The Closed Door | N/A | FILLER |
| 171. | Infiltration: The Set-Up! | N/A | FILLER |
| 172. | Despair: A Fractured Heart | N/A | FILLER |
| 173. | The Battle at Sea: The Power Unleashed! | N/A | FILLER |
| 174. | Impossible! Celebrity Ninja Art – Money Style Jutsu! | N/A | FILLER |
| 175. | The Treasure Hunt is On! | N/A | FILLER |
| 176. | Run, Dodge, Zigzag! Chase or Be Chased! | N/A | FILLER |
| 177. | Please, Mr. Postman! | N/A | FILLER |
| 178. | Encounter! The Boy with a Star’s Name | N/A | FILLER |
| 179. | The Remembered Lullaby | N/A | FILLER |
| 180. | Hidden Jutsu: The Price of The Ninja Art: Kujaku | N/A | FILLER |
| 181. | Hoshikage, The Buried Truth | N/A | FILLER |
| 182. | Reunion, The Remaining time | N/A | FILLER |
| 183. | The Star’s Radiance | N/A | FILLER |
| 184. | Kiba’s Long Day! | N/A | FILLER |
| 185. | A Legend from the Hidden Leaf: The Onbaa! | N/A | FILLER |
| 186. | Laughing Shino | N/A | FILLER |
Season 8 (Episodes 187–212)
Season eight also contains 26 filler episodes. Opening themes are Re:member (episodes 187-202) and Yura – Yura (episodes 203-212). Ending themes include Yellow Moon (episodes 187-191), Pinocchio (episodes 192-202), and Scenario (episodes 203-212).
| # | Title | Chapters | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 187. | Open for Business! The Leaf Moving Service | N/A | FILLER |
| 188. | Mystery of the Targeted Merchants | N/A | FILLER |
| 189. | A Limitless Supply of Ninja Tools | N/A | FILLER |
| 190. | The Byakugan Sees the Blind Spot | N/A | FILLER |
| 191. | Forecast: Death! Cloudy with Chance of Sun | N/A | FILLER |
| 192. | Ino Screams! Chubby Paradise! | N/A | FILLER |
| 193. | Viva Dojo Challenge! Youth Is All About Passion! | N/A | FILLER |
| 194. | The Mysterious Curse of the Haunted Castle | N/A | FILLER |
| 195. | The Third Super-Beast! | N/A | FILLER |
| 196. | Hot-Blooded Confrontation: Student vs. Sensei | N/A | FILLER |
| <————– Movie 3: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom ————–> | SPECIAL | ||
| 197. | Crisis! The Hidden Leaf 11 Gather! | N/A | FILLER |
| 198. | The ANBU Gives Up? Naruto’s Recollection | N/A | FILLER |
| 199. | The Missed Target | N/A | FILLER |
| 200. | The Powerful Helper | N/A | FILLER |
| 201. | Multiple Traps! Countdown to Destruction | N/A | FILLER |
| 202. | The Top 5 Ninja Battles | N/A | FILLER |
| 203. | Kurenai’s Decision, Squad 8 Left Behind | N/A | FILLER |
| 204. | Yakumo’s Sealed Ability | N/A | FILLER |
| 205. | Kurenai’s Top-Secret Mission: The Promise With the Third Hokage | N/A | FILLER |
| 206. | Genjutsu or Reality? | N/A | FILLER |
| 207. | The Supposed Sealed Ability | N/A | FILLER |
| 208. | The Weight of the Prized Artifact! | N/A | FILLER |
| 209. | The Enemy: Ninja Dropouts | N/A | FILLER |
| 210. | The Bewildering Forest | N/A | FILLER |
| 211. | Memory of Flames | N/A | FILLER |
| 212. | To Each His Own Path | N/A | FILLER |
Season 9 (Episodes 213–220)
The final season is shorter, with only 8 episodes, and continues the filler trend. The opening and ending themes are both Yura – Yura and Scenario, respectively, for all episodes. It loosely adapts manga chapter 238.
| # | Title | Chapters | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 213. | Vanished Memories | N/A | FILLER |
| 214. | Bringing Back Reality | N/A | FILLER |
| 215. | A Past to Be Erased | N/A | FILLER |
| 216. | The Targeted Shukaku” Objective: Shukaku! | N/A | FILLER |
| 217. | Sand Alliance With The Leaf Shinobi | N/A | FILLER |
| 218. | The Counterattack! | N/A | FILLER |
| 219. | The Ultimate Weapon Reborn | N/A | FILLER |
| 220. | Departure | 238 | MIXED Watch from minute 18:56 to 21:00 |
Which Naruto Fillers Are Actually Worth Watching?
While filler episodes are generally skippable for those focused on the main storyline, some offer enjoyable side adventures and character moments that might be worth your time. Here are a few filler arcs considered enjoyable by fans:
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‘Bikochu Search Mission’ (Episodes 148-151): Join Team 8 and Naruto as they embark on a quest to find the Bikochu beetle, a rare insect with scent-tracking abilities, to locate Sasuke. This arc is lighthearted and focuses on Team 8’s unique skills.
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‘Cursed Warrior Extermination Mission’ (Episodes 162-167): When Naruto encounters Chishima, he teams up with Neji and Tenten to investigate a mysterious Cursed Warrior in the Land of Birds. This arc offers a blend of mystery and action, with a focus on Neji’s Byakugan abilities.
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‘Kaima Capture Mission’ (Episodes 169-173): Anko Mitarashi leads Naruto, Shino, and Ino on a mission to investigate a sea monster terrorizing the Land of the Sea. This arc provides a unique setting and allows Shino’s insect-based jutsu to shine.
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‘Yakumo Kurama Rescue Mission’ (Episodes 203-207): Naruto learns that Kurenai Yuhi, the leader of Team 8, stepped down from being a Jonin due to Yakumo, a former student with dangerous genjutsu powers. This arc delves into Kurenai’s past and explores the complexities of genjutsu.
Naruto Anime: Episodes, Seasons, and Key Facts
Naruto originally aired with 220 episodes across 9 seasons. Its broadcast run began on October 3, 2002, and concluded on February 8, 2007, spanning a total of 4 years, 4 months, and 5 days. The animation was produced by the renowned Studio Pierrot, with direction by Hayato Date.
Of the 220 episodes, 89 are filler, accounting for 41% of the entire Naruto anime series. Conversely, there are 131 canon episodes, including the 4 mixed episodes that contain both canon and filler content. This breakdown highlights that while a significant portion of Naruto is filler, a substantial amount of canon material is available to enjoy.
Navigating Naruto Fillers for an Optimal Watch
Naruto filler episodes include episodes 26, 97, 102-106, 136-140, and 143-219. The mixed episodes, which contain both canon and filler segments, are 99, 141-142, and 220. Remember, these mixed episodes are partially canon, so skipping them entirely will mean missing parts of the manga storyline.
By using this guide, you can confidently navigate the Naruto anime, choosing to watch only canon episodes or selectively enjoying filler arcs that pique your interest. This ensures you experience the core story efficiently while still having the option to explore the expanded Naruto universe.
