Naruto & Naruto Shippuden: The Ultimate Watch Order Guide

720 episodes. Two series. One story. Before you commit, here’s what you’re actually signing up for. Full series history at the Naruto Wikipedia page.

Series	Episodes	Key detail
Naruto (Part I)	220 episodes (2002–2007)	Naruto’s childhood through Part I. About 90 episodes are filler.
Naruto Shippuden (Part II)	500 episodes (2007–2017)	Naruto as a teenager. Darker tone, heavier filler load — 203 non-canon episodes.
Movies (non-canon)	11 films total	3 Naruto films + 6 Shippuden films + The Last (canon) + Boruto film.
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations	293 episodes (2017–2023)	Sequel. Naruto’s son is the main character.
Filler-free total	~427 canon episodes	Both series filler-free: around 160–170 hours.
With filler, everything	720 episodes + 11 films	Full watch with filler runs about 278 hours, not counting Boruto.

Naruto vs Naruto Shippuden: What’s the Difference?

Probably the most common question people ask. Short answer: Shippuden picks up 2.5 years after Part I ends. Same characters, older, higher stakes. The official Naruto site treats them as one continuous story — which is exactly what they are.

Naruto	Naruto Shippuden
Naruto’s age	12–14 (pre-time skip)	15–17 (post-time skip)
Tone	Coming-of-age. Friendship and rivalry.	War, grief, sacrifice. Noticeably heavier.
Main conflict	Retrieve Sasuke. Survive the Chunin Exams.	The Akatsuki. The Fourth Great Ninja War. Madara Uchiha.
Canon episode count	~130 canon of 220	~297 canon of 500
Required?	Yes. Don’t skip Part I. Shippuden relies on everything it sets up.	The main event. Where most fans say the story peaks.

The Recommended Watch Order

Start at episode 1. That’s the recommendation. Release order is also story order here — there’s no reshuffling needed.

Step-by-step path

Step	What to watch	Episodes	Notes
1	Naruto (Part I)	Eps 1–220	Don’t skip this. Canon: eps 1–19, 21–52, 67–96, 107–135, 220.
2	Naruto movies (optional)	Films 1–3	All non-canon. Fine to skip entirely, or drop them in at the episode point each one is set.
3	Naruto Shippuden	Eps 1–500	Use the filler guide below to skip the stretches that don’t matter.
4	Shippuden films	Films 4–8	Non-canon. Optional. Insert at the episode each film is set at.
5	The Last: Naruto the Movie	After ep 479	Canon. Watch it. It’s actually part of the main story.
6	Boruto: Naruto the Movie	Film 11	Canon. You can watch the film or skip straight to the Boruto series, which retells it.
7	Boruto: Naruto Next Generations	Eps 1–293	Optional but worth it after episode 65 or so. Slow start.

Naruto Shippuden Filler Guide

Shippuden’s filler problem is real. About 200 of its 500 episodes don’t come from the manga. Most are safe to skip. A few are genuinely worth your time. Here’s how to tell them apart.

What counts as a filler episode?

Filler episodes weren’t written from the manga. Studios produced them to stop the anime from overtaking the source material. They don’t affect the main plot. You can skip them without losing anything.

Major filler arcs — skip or watch?

Arc	Eps	Verdict	Notes
Three-Tails Appearance	89–112	Skip	Entirely non-canon. Never referenced again.
Six-Tails Unleashed	144–151	Skip	Safe to skip completely.
Paradise Life on a Boat	170–196	Skip	Long, unnecessary filler block. Nothing carries forward.
Pre-war filler block	223–242	Skip	Transition filler. Skip entirely.
Power Arc	290–295	Optional	Non-canon but short, well-animated, self-contained. Fan-favorite.
Kakashi’s Anbu Arc	349–361	Watch it	Fills in Kakashi’s backstory in a way the manga never does. Worth the time.
Itachi Shinden	451–458	Watch it	Itachi’s full backstory. One of the most-praised filler arcs in the series.
Wedding Arc (Konoha Hiden)	494–500	Watch it	Naruto and Hinata’s wedding. Light-hearted. A good close to the main series.

Episode ranges above are approximate. The Naruto Fandom wiki keeps a precise, episode-by-episode filler list that’s worth bookmarking.

The Naruto Movie Watch Order

Most films are non-canon side stories. You can watch them or ignore them — they don’t affect the main plot. Two are different. The Last is canon and matters. Boruto: Naruto the Movie is also canon.

Film	Placement	Canon?
Naruto the Movie 1: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow	After ep 101	Non-canon. Skip if you want.
Naruto the Movie 2: Legend of the Stone of Gelel	After ep 106	Non-canon. Skip if you want.
Naruto the Movie 3: Guardians of the Crescent Moon	After ep 196	Non-canon. Skip if you want.
Naruto Shippuden the Movie	After ep 32	Non-canon. Skip if you want.
Bonds	After ep 71	Non-canon. Skip if you want.
The Will of Fire	After ep 121	Non-canon. Skip if you want.
The Lost Tower	After ep 143	Non-canon. Skip if you want.
Blood Prison	After ep 196	Non-canon. Skip if you want.
Road to Ninja	After ep 261	Non-canon. Skip if you want.
The Last: Naruto the Movie	After ep 479	Canon. Don’t skip.
Boruto: Naruto the Movie	After The Last	Canon. Watch or go straight to the series.

Release Order vs. Chronological vs. Filler-Free

People ask this a lot. Here’s the honest answer: release order is the right call for first-time viewers. The other approaches have their uses, but not for a first watch.

Approach	What it means	Best for
Release order (recommended)	Naruto → Shippuden → The Last → Boruto. This is the order the story was told and how it was meant to land.	All first-time viewers.
Chronological order	Mostly the same as release order. The gap is in flashback arcs like Itachi Shinden, which fit earlier in the timeline.	Rewatchers who want a new angle.
Filler-free	Canon episodes only, in release sequence. About 280 episodes across both series for the main plot.	Viewers who want the story without the detours.
Full experience including Boruto	Naruto → Shippuden → The Last → Boruto film or series.	Fans who want the whole story through to the next generation.

Where to Watch

Both series are on most major legal streaming platforms. Regional availability varies. The Naruto Official Website is always an option if other platforms don’t carry them in your region.

Platform	Naruto	Shippuden	Notes
Crunchyroll	Yes	Yes	Sub and dub. Most complete library.
Netflix	Regional	Regional	Varies heavily by country.
Hulu	Yes (US)	Yes (US)	US only. Sub and dub.
Amazon Prime Video	Regional	Regional	Check regional store.
Naruto Official Website	Yes	Yes	Official platform.

Boruto and What Comes After

Shippuden ends at episode 500. That’s not actually the end of the story.

What’s next	Details
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations	293 episodes (2017–2023). Naruto’s son Boruto is the lead. The first 65 episodes are slow and heavily filler. The series gets much better after the time-skip arc.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex (manga)	Ongoing manga sequel set after a time skip. Not yet adapted to anime as of May 2026. Most manga readers say it’s a significant improvement.
Rock Lee & His Ninja Pals	Comedy spin-off. Non-canon, chibi art style. Worth watching only if you want something lighter between the heavy arcs.
Naruto Shippuden filler specials	Several standalone specials alongside the main series. Itachi Shinden and the Kakashi Anbu arc are the ones worth tracking down. Everything else is optional.

Why Bother Watching Naruto in 2026?

Naruto started airing in 2002. Shippuden wrapped in 2017. So why do new fans still pick it up? The Naruto Shippuden IMDb page lists 500 episodes and still carries consistent viewer ratings across the entire run.

Short answer: the character work is patient in a way most modern anime isn’t. Naruto’s arc from ignored outcast to respected hero takes hundreds of episodes to complete — but it earns every step.

Shippuden specifically rewards viewers who watched Part I. Characters who seemed minor return with full histories. Villains become understandable without becoming sympathetic. The Pain arc is still one of the most-referenced combat sequences in the medium.

It’s long. The filler load is real. But the moments it’s remembered for — the Chunin Exams, Pain’s assault on Konoha, the final confrontation with Sasuke — are genuinely earned.

Arcs worth anticipating on a first watch

• Chunin Exams (Naruto, eps 20–67).  Where the world opens up. Most of the supporting cast is introduced here.
• Sasuke Retrieval (Naruto, eps 107–135).  The emotional climax of Part I.
• Pain’s Assault (Shippuden, eps 152–169).  Widely considered the high point of the series.
• Fourth Great Ninja War (Shippuden, eps 261+).  The large-scale final arc. Heavy filler in the surrounding episodes — use the guide.
• The Last: Naruto the Movie.  The actual emotional resolution to Naruto’s relationship story. Canon. Don’t skip it.

For Naruto Fans Who Collect

Blokees produces officially licensed Naruto collector kits based on characters from across both series. Browse the Naruto Toys lineup for the full range.

The lineup covers characters from both Part I and Shippuden — including a Naruto Uzumaki kit, the Kurama Nine Tails Legend Edition, and Minato Namikaze alongside.

Conclusion

Start with Naruto Part I. Don’t skip it. Move straight into Shippuden. Use the filler guide for the non-canon stretches. Watch The Last after episode 479 — it’s canon and it matters.

For extra credit: Kakashi’s Anbu arc (349–361) and Itachi Shinden (451–458) are the filler arcs worth going back for. The Wedding Arc (494–500) is a satisfying close before Boruto starts.

Full Naruto collector kit lineup at Blokees.

FAQs

What is the difference between Naruto and Naruto Shippuden?

Naruto covers ages 12–14 — the Chunin Exams, early friendships, and Naruto’s first shot at bringing back Sasuke. Shippuden picks up two and a half years later. Older characters, heavier themes, bigger stakes.

Can I skip Naruto fillers?

Most of them, yes. Use a filler guide. The Kakashi Anbu arc and Itachi Shinden are worth watching. The Three-Tails arc, the Paradise Life stretch, and most of the pre-war filler blocks are safe to drop.

How long does it take to watch Naruto and Shippuden?

Everything including filler: about 278 hours. Filler-free main story only: around 90–95 hours. Still a big commitment either way.

Should I watch Naruto movies in order?

Most are non-canon side stories — watch them whenever or skip them, it doesn’t matter. The one exception is The Last: Naruto the Movie. That one is canon and should be watched after Shippuden episode 479.

Can I watch Naruto on streaming services?

Yes. Crunchyroll and Hulu (US) have the full series. Netflix carries it in some regions. Check the Naruto Official Website if other platforms don’t serve your country.

Can I watch Naruto Shippuden without watching the original Naruto?

Technically possible, but not recommended. Shippuden references Part I constantly — relationships, jutsu, backstory. A lot of the emotional payoff won’t land without that groundwork.

What is episode 69 in Naruto?

Naruto episode 69, “Red Sand Showdown,” is a canon episode from the Chunin Exams arc. It covers the Preliminary Rounds.

What is Naruto’s most famous line?

“I’m not gonna run away, I never go back on my word! That’s my nindo: my ninja way.”  Delivered early and echoed throughout. It’s the line that defines the character.

Who has the highest IQ in Naruto?

Shikamaru Nara. The series explicitly describes him as having an IQ above 200. His entire character arc is built around being smarter than everyone in the room.

Sources

1. Series overview: Wikipedia — Naruto (TV Series), April 2026.
2. Official series page: Naruto Official Website, April 2026.
3. Cast and episode data: IMDb — Naruto Shippuden TV Series, April 2026.
4. Filler guide reference: Naruto Fandom — Filler Episodes, April 2026.
5. Naruto collector lineup: Naruto Toys — Blokees, official Blokees Naruto IP collection.
6. Character kit: Naruto Champion Class Naruto Uzumaki, Blokees.
7. Character kit: Naruto Shippuden Legend Edition Kurama Nine Tails, Blokees.
8. Character kit: Naruto Champion Class Minato Namikaze, Blokees.
9. Additional kit reference: Naruto Shippuden GV Ultimate Bond, Blokees.