Naruto is a beloved series that has captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world, and a big part of that success is some of the best story arcs in any shonen series. With its sympathetic main character, thrilling battles, and intricate plotlines, there’s no doubt Naruto’s plotlines have earned it worldwide acclaim.
Throughout the series, there have been many memorable story arcs that have left a lasting impression on viewers. Some are universally praised while others, understandably so, receive a substantial amount of criticism. Though some Naruto arcs have notable flaws, Naruto’s best story arcs balance action, drama, and character development like no other shonen before or since.
20 Tenchi Bridge
Chapters 282 – 310 & Episodes 33 – 53 of Naruto Shippuden
With Kakashi and Sasuke out of the picture temporarily, a new Team 7 with the additions of Yamato and Sai works together to lure out Kabuto at the Tenchi Bridge. While successful, Orochimaru makes a sudden appearance, leading to Naruto losing himself to his power and letting Kurama take over. Meanwhile, Sai’s real intent was to assassinate Sasuke, abandoning the team in favor of his real mission. While he did find him, the rest of the team managed to catch up, and one of the most heartbreaking scenes followed with Naruto pleading to Sasuke to return but to no avail.
The drama between the team was a highlight of this arc, and Sai’s nasty personality rubbing off Naruto and Sakura the wrong way gave a good starting point for the friendship that was about to bloom. The fight between a transformed Naruto and Orochimaru was equally great as well, but it was unfortunately the last good fight from the Snake Sannin.
19 Search For Tsunade
Chapters 139 – 171 & Episodes 81 – 100 of Naruto
The Chunin Exams, Konoha Crush, and the Sasuke Retrieval arc are all some of the most iconic and well-loved arcs in Naruto history, and unfortunately that can lead fans to ignore the arc that came in between them, the Search for Tsunade arc. The arc sees Naruto teaming up with the Sannin Jiraiya to find a replacement for the Third Hokage, Tsunade. Along the way, Jiraiya teaches Naruto what would end up as his strongest attack, the Rasengan.
Though not as epic as the Sasuke Retrieval arc, the Search For Tsunade arc is still critical for Naruto’s character development and in how it established Tsunade as a major character. Jiraiya and Naruto’s relationship would become an important element of the series going forward, and that all started with the Search for Tsunade arc.
18 Kakashi Gaiden
Episodes 119 – 120 of Shippuden
Kakashi Hatake’s origins and past were long overdue, and fans finally got to see the fan favorite’s flashback after the Sasuke Retrieval arc and before the first arc of the time skip kicked off. This is where Obito and Rin were formally introduced, and how Kakashi received his Sharingan was answered. Furthermore, there was a callback to Kakashi’s philosophy of treasuring his friends, and how he came to learn this lesson.
This arc was everything one could want in a flashback. It clearly explains the character’s motivation, sets up future events, answers much-needed questions and gives the character even more depth. Interestingly, this arc wasn’t the full backstory of Kakashi and it was in the war arc where it was revealed what happened after Obito died.
17 Akatsuki Suppression Mission
Chapters 311 – 342 & Episodes 72 – 88 of Shippuden
Shikamaru is one of Naruto’s best characters, and though the Akatsuki Suppression Mission arc isn’t solely about Konoha’s resident lazy genius, the arc features his best fight. Setting aside everything involving Kakuzu, the major developments of the Akatsuki Suppression Mission arc are Hidan killing Asuma and then Shikamaru getting revenge for his fallen master. Given Shikamaru’s incredible intellect, it’s always been clear that he’s a threat, having him take down the Akatsuki’s resident immortal though truly cements his status as a Shinobi.
While Asuma wasn’t exactly one of the series’ most beloved characters, his death still hit fans hard, partially due to just how much it clearly impacted Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji. Part 2 of Naruto truly shows the deadly stakes at play when facing the Akatsuki, so having Shikamaru succeed where Asuma failed confirms just how much the new generation of Konoha shinobi are surpassing their predecessors.
16 Konoha Hiden: The Perfect Day for a Wedding
Episodes 494 – 500 of Shippuden
Naruto has never really been a romance series, yet relationships and love have always been on the periphery. Though some fans might balk at ending Naruto Shippuden with a wedding, it’s a perfect way to bring Naruto’s story full circle and to establish how much hope there is for the new age of peace fans see at Naruto: Shippuden’s end. To see Naruto surrounded by so many people who care about him is genuinely heartwarming considering just how isolated and lonely the young ninja started.
Though The Perfect Day for a Wedding Arc isn’t in the Naruto manga, it does contain one element that should be viewed as an essential part of the series. Naruto’s relationship with Iruka goes criminally under-explored throughout much of Naruto’s story, which is why it’s so incredible to see Naruto ask his father-figure to walk him down the aisle at his wedding.
15 Six Tails Unleashed
Episodes 145 – 152 of Shippuden
Naruto and his team meet Utakata, the jinchūriki of the Six-Tails, and a girl named Hotaru. Utakata, scarred by his past, is wary of others, while Hotaru is targeted because of a dangerous jutsu sealed inside her. As Naruto forms a bond with Hotaru, he tries to protect them from the enemies pursuing them, including the Akatsuki.
This filler arc, while interrupting the flow of the Fated Battle Between Brothers and Pain arc, did a great job making viewers attached to Utakata and feel the loss of a Jinchuriki to Pain and the Akatsuki. The series never explored the other Tailed Beasts besides Kurama and Gyuki, so this arc at the very least helped with the series’ worldbuilding. Furthermore, this arc perfectly replicated the manga’s theme of a master and student relationship, with Utakata and Hotaru having an amazing and wholesome relationship, which made that much more heartbreaking when Utakata was killed.
14 Kakashi’s Anbu Arc: The Shinobi That Lives in the Darkness
Episodes 349 – 361 of Shippuden
Naruto: Shippuden is filled with filler, but as Kakashi’s Anbu Arc proves, filler doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. The arc, as its name implies, details Kakashi’s time in the Anbu and gives more details about his tragic past. Fans already knew something of Kakashi’s time in the Anbu, such as his partnership with Itachi, but Kakashi’s Anbu Arc goes a long way to filling out the details of what that partnership was like. The result is that it isn’t just Kakashi who has his backstory fleshed out, but also Itachi, Hiruzen, and Yamato.
The problem with much of Naruto’s filler is that it doesn’t expand the story or the characters in meaningful ways. At worst, much of the filler are attempts at comedy that come across as off considering the wider events going on in canon. With Kakashi’s Anbu Arc though, the series shows just how effective filler can be. The arc is a must-watch for any fan of Kakashi and is good enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the series’ best canon arcs.
13 Sasuke Shinden
Episodes 484 – 488 of Shippuden
Sasuke investigates a mysterious illness spreading across a village, causing people to behave violently. His search leads him to clash with rogue shinobi and uncover hidden conspiracies. Throughout the novel, Sasuke struggles with loneliness, guilt, and his new role as a protector, while also reflecting on his bonds with Team 7, especially Naruto.
This novel adaptation of Sasuke Shinden side stories really helped Sasuke’s character by showing his commitment to atonement and finding out the truth of the ninja world after being used for so long. It’s a crucial exploration of his path to redemption, offering a more introspective look at one of the most complex characters in the Naruto series.
12 The Fourth Great Shinobi War
Chapters 484 – 639 & Episodes 215 – 375 of Shippuden
The Fourth Great Shinobi War was undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated arcs in Naruto history. Never before had the stage been set so precisely, with moving pieces placed all over the ninja world. The return of many once-prominent ninjas and the unification of the world’s great armies was a sight to behold as the arc unfolded.
Naruto’s Fourth Shinobi World War arc is actually three arcs consisting of Countdown, Confrontation, and Climax. Given that all the arcs center around one event though, it makes sense to consider them all apart of one mega-arc.
Highlights of this action-packed arc include Kakashi’s bitter fight against Obito in the Kamui realm, the return of big Naruto villains Madara and Itachi, and Might Guy’s Gate of Death. Unfortunately, the arc was also bogged down with just as many fights that lacked significance, such as Kankuro’s Special Ops team battling Sasori and Deidara. While the arc was full of amazing moments, it really needed to narrow down its focus to ensure that every battle was relevant to the plot at hand.
11 The Kazekage Rescue Mission
Chapters 248 – 281 & Episodes 1 – 32 of Shippuden
The Kazekage Rescue Mission arc saw Naruto and his friends travel to the Hidden Sand Village in order to rescue Gaara, who had recently become the Kazekage. This arc begins with a great tactical battle between Gaara and Deidara. The Akatsuki had already been established in Naruto’s first part with Itachi and Kisame, but it wasn’t until Part 2 that fans got a wider picture of the group with the likes of Deidara and Sasori.
This arc serves as a great reintroduction to Naruto and Sakura after the timeskip and contains Sakura’s most memorable battle in Naruto history. This is also the first time fans were introduced to Kakashi’s Mangekyo Sharingan in the hunt for Deidara. While this arc develops sympathy for new additions to the cast like Sasori and Granny Chiyo, other characters that should have been prominent were left to the wayside, like Kankuro and Temari.
10 Itachi Shinden
Episodes 451 – 458 of Shippuden
Adapting the Itachi Shinden novels, this short arc easily stands out for exploring one of the series’ most important and nuanced events: the Uchiha massacre. With one of Naruto’s best characters in the spotlight, this arc explored how Itachi Uchiha came to be, his motivations, personality, dynamics with his clan, and more. It showed what led to this tragedy, and the key players such as Danzo, Hiruzen, Fugaku, Shisui, and others whose carelessness led to this boiling point.
One strength Naruto has over most shonen is how deeply it explores politics and real-life tragedies, and this adaptation made this aspect even better. Not only that, it also made a great character even better, and Itachi’s complexity was really shown. However, the Itachi Shinden anime adaptation was not completely faithful to the novels, tweaking aspects of the massacre and not fully conveying the weight of Izumi’s death at the hands of her beloved.
9 The Five Kage Summit
Chapters 453 – 483 & Episodes 197 – 214 of Shippuden
Can any fan of Naruto say they weren’t hoping for Danzo to get exactly what he deserved in this arc? The Five Kage Summit is one of the most intense arcs in Naruto, raising the stakes to global levels. The Five Kage Summit also has some of Naruto’s most memorable scenes, with Sasuke standing on the ceiling, looking down at every single Kage at the summit after cutting their banners down.
The utter contempt Sasuke displays in this arc is so raw that one can’t help but stand in awe of how far he’s willing to go after learning the truth about Itachi. The emergence of his Susanoo during the battle against the Raikage and Gaara was also incredible. That being said, there are, again, characters that feel as though they should be important in these scenarios and just aren’t. Mei, the Mizukage, notoriously gets little time to do anything relevant in her introductory arc, and the Konoha 11 banding together to stop Sasuke ultimately amounts to nothing.
8 The Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant
Chapters 363 – 383 & Episodes 127 – 133 of Shippuden
The tale of Jiraiya is hands down one of Naruto’s most emotional arcs. The dilapidated setting of the war-torn Hidden Rain Village makes for a backdrop that perfectly encapsulates this arc’s tone. Jiraiya’s valiant battle against Pain is heartbreaking; watching the fight draw longer and longer as the situation only grows increasingly dire had fans waiting for each development with bated breath.
The reveal of Pain’s abilities in this arc is also handled well, even more so than in the Pain Arc itself. He feels almost unstoppable in the battle against Jiraiya, even when Incomplete Sage Mode is used. On that note, one of the few downsides to this lengthy battle is how Jiraiya so easily loses against the Six Paths of Pain. While it certainly plays up the danger of Pain, Jiraiya himself more or less goes out with a whimper, taking away from a lot of the weight that was once attached to the title “Sannin.”
7 The Konoha Crush Arc
Chapters 116 – 138 & Episodes 68 – 80 of Naruto
The Konoha Crush arc deals with the aftermath of the Chunin Exams and Orochimaru’s plan to destroy the Hidden Leaf Village. The alliance between Sound and Sand villages had been teased ever since the beginning of the Chunin Exams and seeing it come to fruition was truly a spectacle.
Orochimaru’s relentless plotting to seek revenge against the Third Hokage is a highlight of the Konoha Crush arc, and the temporary resurrection of the First and Second Hokages brings the threat level of this arc into a league of its own. Moreover, this arc treated fans to the giant kaiju battle between Gamabunta and Shukaku. Unfortunately, the arc does still fall flat in a few areas, however, as it has to compete with some of the much more interesting fights that preceded it in the Chunin Exam arc.
6 The Chunin Exams
Chapters 34 -115 & Episodes 20 – 67 of Naruto
Unsurprisingly, the Chunin Exams are often included in lists of Naruto’s best story arcs- and for good reason. One of Naruto’s biggest draws early on was the fact that every ninja had different abilities and talents, creating a diverse landscape of abilities. While some of those abilities were shown off in the Land of Waves arc, it wasn’t until the Chunin Exams that many of the series’ side characters were truly able to establish themselves and their capabilities.
The most memorable fight from this Naruto arc has to be Rock Lee vs Gaara, a fight that features none of the main protagonists. This story arc is set up similar to a tournament arc, only with more intricate rules and dangers, showing clear growth from the rudimentary foundations of the genre set by industry giants like Dragon Ball.
5 The Fated Battle Between Brothers
Chapters 384 – 412 & Episodes 134 – 143 of Shippuden
The Fated Battle Between Brothers arc is a standout moment in Naruto, showcasing the intense turmoil and complex emotions between Sasuke and Itachi. This arc is a gripping examination of the bond between siblings and the lengths they will go to protect one another. Sasuke’s goal to kill Itachi had been a driving force for the series, and this arc pays that plot thread off in incredible fashion.
The battle scenes are visually stunning, and the emotional weight of the story is palpable. This is the moment in Naruto when most fans fell in love with the character of Itachi– the truth of his tragic fate as a tool of war is unsettling to say the least. This arc also introduces fans to some of the flashiest abilities in the series – such as the Susanoo and Sasuke’s signature Kirin. The aftermath of this arc ultimately defines the rest of the series going forward.
4 Pain’s Assault
Chapters 413 – 453 & Episodes 152 – 175 of Shippuden
This arc is notable for its high stakes and the sense of danger that permeates every moment. Prominent characters seem to drop like flies as Pain decimates the Leaf Village without anyone to stop his path of carnage. Naruto’s entrance during this arc is one of the most memorable in the entire series, destroying one of Pain’s bodies instantly just as it seemed the Leaf Village had run out of hope.
The character development in the Pain’s Assault arc is one of its standout features, with Naruto confronting his ideals and grappling with the harsh realities of the world presented to him by Nagato. In retrospect, though, while the Pain arc is the apex of Naruto for many, it still underserves many characters like Hinata who is reduced to a plot device. Additionally, Naruto’s promise of bringing peace to the Rain Village is never fulfilled, causing his final speech to ring hollow.
3 The Land of Waves
Chapters 1 – 33 & Episodes 1 – 19 of Naruto
The Land of Waves arc is Naruto’s first real foray into serious storytelling, and it sets the tone for the rest of the series. The arc introduces readers to the harsh realities of the ninja world and the complex relationships that exist between ninja, their comrades, and their clients.
The story is brought to life through the tragic relationship between Zabuza and Haku, which is heart-wrenching. It is all too easy to forget that Naruto is essentially a story about child soldiers and the devastation of war, but this arc pulls no punches when putting the disgusting reality of the ninja world on display.
2 Kaguya Otsutsuki Strikes
Chapters 678 – 699 & Episodes 459 – 479 of Shippuden
Naruto fans tend to be split on Kaguya Otsutsuki, the series’ final true villain. Despite the controversy though, it’s difficult to deny that the arc titled after her isn’t a series highlight. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura teaming up to take Kaguya down is thrilling and shows just how far Sakura in particular has come since the series’ early days. If that were all the arc was, then Kaguya Otsutsuki Strikes would be a strong arc, but not one of the series’ best. Where Kaguya Otsutsuki truly makes its mark is with Naruto and Sasuke’s final fight.
Naruto and Sasuke’s final fight isn’t just one of Naruto’s best fights, it’s one of anime’s best fights period. The emotional stakes, the strong fight choreography, and the incredible techniques on display all elevate the fight to a whole new dimension of quality. Naruto has its ups and downs, but the final Naruto Vs Sasuke fight makes the entire journey feel worthwhile.
1 The Sasuke Retrieval Arc
Chapters 172 – 238 & Episodes 107 – 135 of Naruto
For many fans, the Sasuke Retrieval Arc is the definitive Naruto story, encapsulating everything that makes the series great. This arc sees Naruto and his friends going on a dangerous mission to rescue Sasuke from the clutches of the Sound Four. The stakes are high, the action is intense, and the emotional payoff is huge.
The Sasuke Retrieval Arc also manages to balance having the spotlight on multiple characters outside the main protagonists in intense and complex battles that don’t take away from the plot’s progression. This arc is a culmination of everything that has come before it, and it sets the stage for the rest of the series. It is a testament to Naruto’s ability to tell complex, emotionally resonant stories, and it remains one of the best arcs in shonen history.
