Naruto is one of the greatest anime ever made — and also one of the most heavily padded. Across its two main series, Naruto (2002–2007) and Naruto Shippuden (2007–2017), the franchise ran for a combined 720 episodes. Of those, a staggering percentage is filler content: episodes and entire arcs that do not adapt the original manga and exist primarily to allow the source material time to get ahead of the anime adaptation.
The original Naruto series has a filler percentage of approximately 41%, with 90 filler episodes out of 220 total. Naruto Shippuden fares slightly better in quality but adds even more filler volume across its 500-episode run. For new viewers, the prospect of sitting through hundreds of non-canonical episodes is understandably daunting.
The good news is that not all filler is created equal. Some of it is genuinely terrible and should be skipped without hesitation. But a surprising amount of Naruto’s filler content offers real character depth, entertaining standalone stories, and moments that longtime fans remember fondly years after finishing the series. This guide separates the worthwhile from the wasteable — covering both the original Naruto series and Naruto Shippuden in full.
Understanding Naruto Filler: A Quick Primer
Filler episodes in Naruto fall into two categories. The first is standalone filler — single episodes or two-parters that interrupt the main story for a self-contained adventure that has no impact on the larger plot. The second is filler arcs — multi-episode storylines, sometimes spanning 20 or more episodes, that introduce entirely new characters, villains, and missions never seen in the manga.
Both types can range from genuinely charming to completely unwatchable. The standalone episodes tend to be lighter, often comedic, and occasionally reveal something meaningful about secondary characters. The filler arcs are more variable: the best ones expand the world and flesh out beloved supporting characters, while the worst ones introduce forgettable villains and drag for episodes on end without any payoff.
The simplest approach for a first viewing is to skip all filler arcs entirely and cherry-pick the standalone episodes that have genuine character value. The guide below tells you exactly what to do with each major filler section.
Original Naruto: Filler Guide (Episodes 1–220)
Episode 26 — “Special Report: Live from the Forest of Death!” — SKIP
The very first filler episode of the series is essentially a clip show. Konohamaru and his friends interview Team 7 about the second stage of the Chunin Exams, recycling footage from recent episodes. It has mild charm if you love Konohamaru’s comedic energy, but there is no meaningful content here. Skip it and continue to Episode 27.
Episode 97 — “Kidnapped! Naruto’s Hot Spring Adventure!” — OPTIONAL
This standalone filler follows Naruto, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Shizune on a detour involving Tsunade’s gambling debts. It is light, humorous, and features more screen time for Shizune — a character who often feels sidelined in the main story. Shizune fans will find it worth the 20 minutes. For everyone else, it is an easy skip.
Episodes 101–106 — The Land of Tea Escort Mission Arc — WORTH WATCHING
This short arc sends Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura on an escort mission to the Land of Tea without Kakashi. While non-canonical, it is one of the better original Naruto filler arcs for a specific reason: it subtly reinforces the growing tension between Naruto and Sasuke and illustrates how Sasuke begins measuring himself against his teammate. The action is competent, and seeing Team 7 operate without their Jonin leader adds something genuine. At just six episodes, the time investment is modest.
Episodes 136–141 — The Land of Rice Fields Investigation Mission — OPTIONAL
This arc functions as a quiet epilogue to the Sasuke Retrieval Arc and explores the aftermath of Sasuke’s decision to defect. Fans deeply invested in Sasuke’s emotional trajectory may find value here. Others can safely skip it. The pacing is slow, but the emotional context it provides is legitimate.
Episodes 142–147 — Mizuki Tracking Mission — SKIP
The Mizuki arc brings back an early villain from the series’ very first episode, but the execution is poor. The storyline is poorly paced, the new characters are forgettable, and it contradicts established canon in ways that are difficult to ignore. Skip without hesitation.
Episodes 148–151 — Bikochu Search Mission — OPTIONAL (Hinata Fans Only)
The Bikochu arc follows Team 8 on a mission to find a rare beetle that can track any scent. Its main draw is a quiet, sweet subplot involving Hinata developing a new defensive technique and some early moments building her connection to Naruto. Naruto and Hinata fans will find it charming. For everyone else, it is entirely skippable.
Episodes 162–167 — Cursed Warrior Extermination Mission — SKIP (Except Episode 165)
This arc is largely skippable, but Episode 165 — “The Death of Naruto” — is a pleasant exception. The episode has Naruto and his team using a whodunit setup to flush out a real villain, with comedic energy reminiscent of classic detective cartoons. It is lighthearted, self-aware, and genuinely funny. Watch Episode 165 in isolation if you want a taste of what original Naruto’s standalone filler can do when it commits to comedy.
Episodes 178–183 — Star Guard Mission — SKIP
This arc introduces the Star Village and a ninja who uses a dangerous star fragment as a power source. The premise is creative enough, but the execution is forgettable. No canonical characters are developed meaningfully, and the arc is too long for its limited content. Skip.
Episode 184 — “Kiba’s Long Day!” — WORTH WATCHING
A completely standalone comedic episode following Kiba trying to take care of Akamaru during a chaotic day while Naruto accidentally causes problems. It is funny, character-specific, and exactly the kind of low-stakes filler that works well as a palate cleanser between heavier arcs.
Episode 186 — “Laughing Shino” — WORTH WATCHING
Shino Aburame is one of Naruto’s most underused characters, and this episode gives him a rare spotlight. The comedy around Shino desperately trying to make people laugh while his insect abilities keep ruining the moment is genuinely charming. Shino fans should not miss it.
Episodes 216–220 — Sunagakure Support Mission — OPTIONAL (Gaara Fans Only)
The final filler arc of the original Naruto series takes place in the Sand Village and centers on Gaara’s attempts to stabilize his village’s political situation. The arc is competently made and features one of the series’ most beloved characters. For Gaara fans, it is worth watching before the time skip into Shippuden. For others, the main story’s opening of Shippuden addresses Gaara’s situation more impactfully anyway.
Naruto Shippuden: Filler Guide (Episodes 1–500)
Episodes 57–71 — Twelve Guardian Ninja Arc — WORTH WATCHING
The Twelve Guardian Ninja arc fleshes out Asuma Sarutobi’s backstory in ways the manga never fully explored. Given that Asuma’s fate in the canonical story is one of Shippuden’s most emotionally impactful moments, understanding more about who he was and what shaped him adds genuine weight to what follows. The arc is not flawless, but it is one of the few filler arcs that meaningfully enriches the main story. Watch before continuing.
Episodes 91–112 — Three-Tails’ Appearance Arc — WORTH WATCHING
This arc introduces a fully animated version of the Three-Tails capture mission that the manga skipped over in a single panel. The anime expands it into a full multi-episode arc featuring Guren, a character who wields Crystal Release — one of the rarest and most visually distinctive jutsu in the franchise — and her complex relationship with Yūkimaru, a child with an unusual connection to the Tailed Beast. Guren is widely considered one of the best filler-original characters the franchise ever created. Do not skip this arc.
Episodes 144–151 — Six-Tails Unleashed Arc — WORTH WATCHING
The Six-Tails arc follows Utakata, a loner shinobi who has become the jinchūriki of the Six-Tails, and his reluctant relationship with a student who wants to learn from him. The arc expands the world’s mythology around Tailed Beasts and jinchūriki in ways that enrich the series’ later canonical arcs about the Akatsuki’s mission. It is poignant and well-paced, and Utakata is a compelling character worth the investment.
Episodes 176–196 — Past Arc: The Locus of Konoha — SKIP
This is one of the largest and most skippable filler blocks in all of Shippuden. It consists almost entirely of flashback episodes covering characters’ pasts — content that largely retreads familiar emotional ground without adding anything new. Skip the entire block and resume at Episode 197.
Episodes 223–242 — Paradise Life on a Boat Arc — SKIP
Following the Pain arc — one of Shippuden’s greatest canonical arcs — this filler block drops the series into a near-comic tone as characters travel by sea. The tonal whiplash is jarring and the content is almost entirely forgettable. Skip and continue immediately to the Five Kage Summit arc.
Episodes 257–260 — Naruto-Sasuke Flashback Arc — SKIP
These four episodes are purely a recap of the Naruto-Sasuke rivalry using existing footage. No new scenes, no new information. Skip and move on.
Episodes 347–361 — Kakashi’s ANBU Arc (Shadow of the ANBU Black Ops) — DO NOT SKIP
This is the single best filler arc in all of Naruto Shippuden, and arguably one of the best character-focused stories in the entire franchise. The arc depicts Kakashi’s life in the ANBU Black Ops in the aftermath of Rin’s death — the event that defined him as a person — and features a young Itachi Uchiha operating within the intelligence corps before the Uchiha massacre.
The animation quality is high, the emotional content is devastating and beautifully executed, and the character writing matches the best of the canonical series. By the time you reach this arc in Shippuden, Kakashi is one of your most beloved characters. His backstory delivered here adds enormous resonance to everything you already feel about him. Do not skip a single episode.
Episodes 376–377 — Mecha Naruto Arc — SKIP
A mechanical robot version of Naruto is inserted into the story for comedic effect. The concept is exactly as odd as it sounds and divides even the most dedicated filler tolerators in the fanbase. Skip unless absurdist comedy is genuinely your preference.
Episodes 480–483 — Childhood Arc — WORTH WATCHING
This short filler arc depicts childhood flashbacks for Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and other characters. Positioned near the end of Shippuden, these episodes feel like a genuine love letter to the characters and their origins. The emotional resonance is high after 400+ episodes of investment in these people. Recommended as a warm, nostalgic watch before the series finale.
Episodes 484–500 — Epilogue Arcs (Sasuke’s Story, Shikamaru’s Story, Hidden Leaf Story) — WORTH WATCHING
The final stretch of Shippuden filler consists of short story arcs that take place after the Fourth Shinobi World War and bridge the gap toward Boruto. Sasuke’s Story (Ep. 484–488), Shikamaru’s Story (Ep. 489–492), and Hidden Leaf Story (Ep. 493–500) all offer closure for beloved characters and meaningfully transition the world forward. These are among the most purposeful filler episodes in the franchise’s history.
The Complete Verdict at a Glance
| Arc / Episode(s) | Series | Verdict | Reason |
|---|
| Arc / Episode(s) | Series | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep. 26 | Naruto | ⛔ Skip | Clip show, no new content |
| Ep. 97 | Naruto | ⚠️ Optional | Fun, Shizune and Tsunade moments |
| Ep. 101–106 | Naruto | ✅ Watch | Sasuke/Naruto tension context |
| Ep. 136–141 | Naruto | ⚠️ Optional | Sasuke post-defection context |
| Ep. 142–147 | Naruto | ⛔ Skip | Contradicts canon, weak plot |
| Ep. 148–151 | Naruto | ⚠️ Optional | Hinata/Naruto early moments |
| Ep. 162–167 | Naruto | ⛔ Skip (except Ep. 165) | Ep. 165 is funny and clever |
| Ep. 184 | Naruto | ✅ Watch | Great standalone Kiba comedy |
| Ep. 186 | Naruto | ✅ Watch | Rare and charming Shino spotlight |
| Ep. 216–220 | Naruto | ⚠️ Optional | Gaara fans only |
| Ep. 57–71 | Shippuden | ✅ Watch | Enriches Asuma’s story |
| Ep. 91–112 | Shippuden | ✅ Watch | Guren is an excellent character |
| Ep. 144–151 | Shippuden | ✅ Watch | Expands Tailed Beast mythology |
| Ep. 176–196 | Shippuden | ⛔ Skip | All-flashback recap, no new info |
| Ep. 223–242 | Shippuden | ⛔ Skip | Tonal whiplash, forgettable |
| Ep. 257–260 | Shippuden | ⛔ Skip | Pure recap footage |
| Ep. 347–361 | Shippuden | ✅ Must Watch | Best filler arc in the franchise |
| Ep. 376–377 | Shippuden | ⛔ Skip | Mecha Naruto, highly divisive |
| Ep. 480–483 | Shippuden | ✅ Watch | Emotional childhood retrospective |
| Ep. 484–500 | Shippuden | ✅ Watch | Essential epilogue, bridges to Boruto |
Navigating Naruto’s filler wisely transforms the experience of watching the series. Instead of dreading the padded sections, you end up with a curated viewing journey that keeps the main story’s momentum intact while still allowing the best filler moments — Kakashi’s ANBU arc, Guren’s Crystal Release, Kiba’s chaotic day, Shino’s desperate bid for laughter — to enrich your time in the Hidden Leaf Village.