Summary
- Naruto is a fan-favorite due to the legendary rivalry, great character arcs, and compelling stories.
- The best Naruto episodes include training arcs, emotional battles, and character growth moments.
- Iconic showdowns, fierce battles, and powerful techniques in the series captivate fans.
Naruto is among the most popular shonen anime of all time. The legendary rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke, along with other character arcs and excellent stories, makes for a riveting watch. Most fans have no problem binge-watching to the end.
Naruto: Every Main Character's Age, Height, And Birthday
Naruto's main characters are among the most iconic in anime, so let's go through their birthdays, heights, and ages.
Naruto and Naruto Shippuden are full to the brim with some of the greatest episodes ever. Given that the focus right now is on the former, it's time to take a trip down memory lane and look at some of the best Naruto episodes that fans still look back fondly on to this day.
Updated on November 28, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Naruto is one of the greatest shonen anime ever made that fans can't get enough of. Kishimoto's incredible writing, brilliant fight scenes, memorable characters, and sublime worldbuilding ensure that anyone who decides to check out Naruto will be infatuated by this series after watching it for a few hours. It helps that the pre-time skip run features some of the best Naruto episodes, which will help fans get invested in this amazing story in no time.
29 "Live Or Die: Risk It All To Win It All!"
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
- Episode Number: 56
- Japanese Title: " Sei ka shi ka!? Menkyo kaiden wa inochi gake!"
The arc in which Naruto trains to learn the summoning jutsu is riveting, showing just how much the ninja needs to learn if he truly wishes to be Hokage. This training also introduces Jiraiya, one of the most beloved characters in Naruto despite being a pervert who crosses the lines.
After getting exasperated in his quest to teach Naruto, Jiraiya decides to take it one step further and throw Naruto down a cliff, hoping that he will finally be able to channel the Nine-Tails' power and summon a powerful creature to do his bidding. This is precisely what happens, with Gamabunta's introduction being one of the best parts of the entire show.
28 "Light Vs. Dark: The Two Faces Of Gaara"
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
- Episode Number: 77
- Japanese Title: " Hikari to yami Gaara to iu na"
Gaara is one of the most fascinating characters in the entire series. He starts as a rather sadistic ninja before the truth about his tragic backstory comes to light, showing just how much hatred surrounds this poor child before a betrayal breaks his heart and places him on a dark path.
This leads to Gaara being viewed as more sympathetic in the eyes of viewers, although that doesn't change the fact that he was actively trying to harm Naruto and his friends. Thankfully, this fight was far from over, even if Naruto had botched up his summoning technique.
27 "A Cry On Deaf Ears"
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
- Episode Number: 128
- Japanese Title: " Todokanai sakebi"
The first fight between Naruto and Sasuke is one of the best moments in Naruto. It was a faceoff that audiences had been eager to see for the longest time, so it was satisfying to see both these characters finally communicate through their fists alone.
At the start of the fight, Naruto tries his hardest to convince his friend to see the light. However, Sasuke doesn't change his mind. The escalation leads to a battle that was in the making from the very start of Naruto and makes for an incredible way to end the series' original run before the time skip.
26 "White Past: Hidden Ambition"
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
- Episode Number: 17
- Japanese Title: " Shiroi kako: Himeta omoi"
For an arc that comes pretty early on, both Haku and Zabuza make for a fearsome duo. Viewers quickly understand that they can easily take out Kakashi and his trio of genin if they aren't sharp enough to deal with this threat. However, while Kakashi is busy tending to one of the legendary Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Sasuke and Naruto are trapped by Haku, who pierces them with needles over and over again until Sasuke has to sacrifice his own body to save Naruto.
.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=140&h=98&dpr=2)
Naruto: The 14 Strongest Forbidden Jutsu In The Series
Naruto has many powerful shinobi, but only a few have the knowledge of Forbidden Jutsu. These are the best, forbidden techniques in the series.
This causes Naruto to awaken his fury, unleashing the power of the Nine-Tails on Haku and breaking his mask in the process. It's only after he does this that he recognizes the person he met in the forest during his training, finally causing him to calm down. Haku implores Naruto to kill him, with the revelation of his backstory making for a truly tragic tale.
25 "Battle Formation: Ino–Shika–Cho!"
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Episode Number: 33
- Japanese Title: "Muteki no Fomeshon! Ino–Shika–Cho!"
The Chunin Exams is an arc full to the brim with some of the most iconic moments in Naruto. This includes the entire sequence in the Forest of Death, where Team 7 is on the verge of losing after being targeted by a psychotic Sound ninja. While Asuma's team decides to observe the fight for a while, the brutal manner in which their classmates are being beaten up doesn't sit right with them.
As a result, the trio finally show themselves and assist their Leaf Village comrades, leading to a tantalizing team-up that became iconic in the series. The Ino-Shika-Cho formation is a staple of the Leaf Vilage, and this trio more than lives up to the legacy of its predecessors. As a result, this becomes one of the best Naruto episodes for giving viewers a glimpse of what this team can achieve.
24 "Late For The Show, But Ready To Go! The Ultimate Secret Technique Is Born!"
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Episode Number: 126
- Japanese Title: "Date ni Okureta Wake Janai! Kyukyoku Ogi - Chidori Tanjo!"
Sasuke loves to make a late entrance, and this can be seen when he appears at the last second to take out Gaara. Given how eager Gaara was for battle, it's easy to see why this confrontation was going to be a deadly one. However, fans knew that Sasuke's training with Kakashi was bound to bear some fruit, and this is evident when Sasuke lands the first blow in one of the best Naruto episodes.
He uses the Chidori for the first time, piercing Gaara's ultimate defense and inflicting a wound that causes the Shukaku's Jinchuriki to howl in pain. It would've been interesting to see how the fight would unfold from this point forward, but Orochimaru put a stop to these plans by starting the attack on Konoha, ending the Chunin Exams at that very moment.
23 "Deadlock! Sannin Showdown!"
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Episode Number: 126
- Japanese Title: "San Sukumi no Tatakai"
For the longest time, the Sannin had been built up as a trio of some of the most legendary ninjas in Naruto history. To see this trio flex their muscles and bring their A-game into battle makes for one of Naruto's best episodes. The trio use their summons to up the ante in battle, with Orochimaru holding his own against his ex-teammates before beating a hasty retreat.
Naruto: All Akatsuki Members Ranked By Strength
Akatsuki is one of the most fearsome organizations in the Naruto anime, but not all its members are equal in strength.
Even after this battle is over, the episode ends on a satisfying note with Tsunade accepting the role of the Fifth Hokage. She has overcome her demons at this point, thanking Naruto for helping her see the light after the horrors of war had traumatized her. It marks the end of this engaging arc before Sasuke's dark side overcomes him, setting the stage for a bombastic finale to Naruto's original run.
22 "Showdown: Gaara Vs. Kimimaro!"
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Episode Number: 126
- Japanese Title: "Saikyou taiketsu! Gaara vs Kimimaro!!"
It was easy to hate Gaara during the Chunin Exams, given his bloodthirst and the horrid injuries he inflicted on Lee. However, his backstory changed everyone's opinion of him, and watching him come back to save the taijutsu master is an epic moment that establishes the Sand trio as stalwart allies of the Leaf. Despite Lee's amazing drunken boxing shenanigans, Kimimaro would've made quick work of him had it not been for Gaara's timely intervention.
What follows is an amazing battle where Gaara and Kimimaro engage in a battle of the ages, with everyone's favorite characters putting their lives on the line to retrieve Sasuke. Not only are Gaara's sand powers a joy to witness, but Kimimaro's tragic backstory makes him a hard character to hate despite his villainous allegiances. It's no wonder why many people consider this showdown to be one of Naruto's best episodes.
21 "The Broken Seal"
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Episode Number: 16
- Japanese Title: " Kaihosareta fuin"
For an opening arc, the Land of Waves mission does a great job of enhancing Naruto's world-building while also allowing for the characters to bond. Haku and Zabuza are riveting antagonists, with the former trapping Naruto and Sasuke in his Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals technique, slowly damaging the duo with his needles before Sasuke protects his friend and is heavily wounded.
This makes for one of the best Naruto episodes when the protagonist regains consciousness and sees that his friend is on the brink of death. The unfiltered rage triggers the strength of the Nine-Tails harbored deep inside his soul, unleashing it in an impressive display that spells doom for Haku's plans. While the beatdown occurs in the later episode, this moment is one of many that cements the Land of Waves arc as one of the greatest introductory arcs in shonen history.
20 "An Unrivaled Match: Hokage Battle Royale!"
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
- Episode Number: 71
- Japanese Title: "Kokon muso! "Hokage" toiu reberu no tatakai"
The Konoha Crush arc lets fans witness the might of a Hokage firsthand, with Sarutobi being called to the forefront of the action after his pupil attempts to destroy Konoha. To achieve this, he revives the first two Hokage in a bid to take out his former sensei. What follows is a battle on a scale that shows just how powerful the strongest ninja in the Leaf Village are, with the three Hokage showing their immense power in a battle for the ages.
Naruto: Longest Arcs In The Manga, Ranked
There were many story arcs throughout the original Naruto manga series, and some of the arcs were much longer than others.
Sarutobi is pushed to the limits in one of the best Naruto episodes that fans feasted on. He reached a point of utter desperation and had to whip out the Reaper Death Seal technique to seal away the souls of the revived Hokage for good. While he was too weak when he attempted to seal away Orochimaru, the Third Hokage took away his pupil's arms, removing his ability to perform ninjutsu. This was his last act as the Hokage before he passed away.