The Best Order to Watch Naruto

Trying to figure out how to watch Naruto in the correct order can be a real headache. There are many movies that don’t quite fit into the show’s timeline, and it’s easy to get confused. But don’t worry, this guide will go over everything you need to know, including the Naruto movies.

Naruto takes place in a world full of ninjas and focuses on a young ninja named Uzumaki Naruto. His dream is to become the leader of his village, and the series follows his journey to make that dream a reality.

Naruto is one of the most famous anime series worldwide, which means it has a ton of devoted fans as well as some haters. That being said, from 2007 to 2022, Naruto: Shippuden consistently ranked in the top 5 Google searches within the anime category, according to Google Trends Time Capsule. This solidifies its status as the king of shounen.

Updated on 05/04/2024 to fix information and address inconsistencies in the timeline.

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So, let’s take a look at our Naruto timeline guide for what order you should watch the Naruto movies and episodes in.

How to watch Naruto in order

To watch Naruto in the correct order, begin with the original series, Naruto (2002-2007), then transition to its sequel, Naruto Shippuden (2007-2017), and finally, conclude with Boruto (2017-2023).

Since Shippuden takes place two and a half years after the original, it’s a must-watch to conclude the story of our favorite protagonist. But because Boruto tells the story of Naruto’s offspring, it’s not necessary to watch it unless you are a super fan. Needless to say, the original Naruto cast makes frequent appearances. As of March 2023, there is also Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Part 2 in the works.

The official website for the Naruto anime franchise announced that it will be celebrating its 20th anniversary by broadcasting four “brand-new” episodes of the Naruto television anime in September. However, no further details were provided regarding the time period in which the episodes will take place or which characters will be involved.

However, the episodes haven’t aired. On August 29th, the production committee of the Naruto anime announced that the four-episode 20th-anniversary special will be postponed to improve its quality. The first episode was scheduled to premiere on September 3, with the others airing in the subsequent three weeks. However, a new premiere date has not been announced yet.

Now, we all know that there are 11 Naruto movies. If you love the series you might want to place them somewhere in the timeline, but this is the tricky part.

As a huge Naruto fan who has seen all of them, it’s not that important when you watch Naruto movies. They’re mostly non-canon, except for The Last movie, which is canon and should be watched after episode 493 of Naruto Shippuden. As a result, you can watch all the other Naruto movies whenever you feel like it, as they don’t really relate to the main story and sometimes even contradict it.

If you’re interested in organizing them into the timeline, I’ve created an order based on both the release and chronological order of the movies. Some of them are challenging to place due to inconsistencies, but after researching various fan forums extensively, I’ve done my best.

How to watch Naruto in order with movies

Naruto Filler Episodes You Can Skip

• Total episodes: 220
• Filler episodes: 89 (40%)
• Skip 026, 097, 101-106, 137-140, 143-219
• Saved time: ~32 hours (~1,3 days)
• Required time to watch it without fillers: ~48 hours (~2 days)

If you dedicate yourself to watching at least one hour of Naruto every single day, it will take you around one month and a half to finish the series without filler. If you watch the filler episodes as well, it will take you more than 2 and a half months to finish Naruto.

Naruto Shippuden Filler Episodes You Can Skip

• Total episodes: 500
• Filler episodes: 203 (41%)
• Skip 57-71, 91-112, 144-151, 170-171, 176-196, 223-242, 257-260, 271, 279-281, 284-295, 303-320, 347-361, 376-377, 388-390, 394-413, 416-417, 422-423, 427-450, 464-468, 480-483
• Saved time: ~78 hours (~3 days)
• Required time to watch it without fillers: ~113 hours (~4,7 days)

Using the same formula as with Naruto, if you watch Naruto Shippuden every single day for one hour, it will take you more than 3 months to finish it without filler episodes. With the filler episodes included, it will take almost 6 months. Still not as long as in the case of Detective Conan, though!

Please don’t check the explanation on how to watch Naruto in order below if you are not prepared for potential spoilers! 

Naruto movies in chronological order

1. Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow (2004)

Team 7 is tasked with the protection of a princess.

The reason why it’s recommended to watch the first Naruto movie, Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow, after episode 101 is that up until that point, Team 7 is unaware that Naruto has mastered the Rasengan technique.

2. Legend of the Stone of Gelel (2005)

Naruto Uzumaki, Shikamaru Nara, and Sakura Haruno are sent on a mission to find and return a lost pet ferret to its village. But as they are on their way to deliver the ferret, a mysterious person wearing knight armor attacks them.

The events take place after episode 160 of Naruto. After you finish the movie, start watching Naruto again until episode 196.

3. Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom (2006)

Prince Hikaru Tsuki and his father Michiru, the heir to the enormously affluent Land of the Moon, are sent on a journey back to their kingdom, and Naruto Uzumaki, Kakashi Hatake, Sakura Haruno, and Rock Lee are tasked with guarding them.

Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom is set after episode 196 because Sasuke is already missing. When you are done with the movie, finish the remaining episodes of Naruto.

Naruto Shippuden movies in chronological order

1. Naruto Shippuden: The Movie (2007)

A strong spirit that once posed a threat to end the planet has returned! Shion, a priestess who is the only person with the ability to seal the monster away, is the focus of Naruto’s protective mission.

Since Sai and Yamato don’t appear in this movie, it should be watched before episode 33 (that’s when Sai joins the crew).

2. Bonds (2008)

The Sora-nin from the Sky Country, a mysterious group of ninjas, launch an unexpected assault on Konoha. This is due to the fact that Konoha almost destroyed the Sky Country during the previous Shinobi World War, but they managed to survive and are now seeking revenge on Konoha and the Fire Country.

In episodes 70 and 73 the opening sequence was replaced with footage from the film. Also, Bonds aired before episode 70 of Naruto Shippuden was released.

Since episodes 70 and 71 of Naruto Shippuden are considered non-canon filler episodes, you have the flexibility to watch the Bonds movie either before or after these episodes without affecting the continuity of the main story. This means you can choose to watch the Bonds movie after either episode 69, 70, or 71 and then return to the canon storyline at episode 72 without encountering any significant inconsistencies in the story.

3. Inheritors of the Will of Fire (2009)

All around the world, ninjas with bloodline limits start to vanish, and the fire country is to blame. To avert all-out war, Tsunade orders the sacrifice of Kakashi. Through both allies and enemies, Naruto fights to avoid his death.

Inheritors of the Will of Fire are meant to be watched around episode 120. It was also released around that time. It makes references to the series and is set approximately after the Kakashi Gaiden episodes.

4. The Lost Tower (2010)

Naruto is pushed into the past by a strange chakra that has ensnared him. The City of Loran is where he finds himself. Can he use the past to save the present as he runs into odd things?

The Lost Tower is located somewhere between episodes 153 and 154, after a major character’s death but before Naruto learns a key technique.

5. Blood Prison (2011)

After being falsely accused, Naruto Uzumaki is imprisoned and forced to use all means necessary to escape.

Blood Prison is one hell of a topic for Naruto fans because there are a bunch of confusing story elements that make it hard to place. But if you wanna take a crack at it, the general consensus is that it sits somewhere after episode 220.

6. Road to Ninja (2012)

Madara kidnaps Naruto and Sakura in a parallel universe with the goal of stealing the Nine-Tails from Naruto.

Although the exact timeline is unclear, it’s recommended to watch Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie after episode 311 of Naruto Shippuden. This is because episode 311, titled ‘Prologue of Road to Ninja’, serves as an introduction to the events that occur in the movie.

7. The Last: Naruto the Movie (2014)

In order to save Hanabi and the world, Naruto, Hinata, Sai, Shikamaru, and Sakura must face immense danger.

The Last: Naruto the Movie is the only canon movie that should be watched before the Final Arc of Naruto Shippuden. For that reason, it’s recommended to watch the movie after you finish episode 493 of the anime.

8. Boruto: Naruto The Movie – The Day Naruto Became Hokage (2015)

Boruto: Naruto The Movie – The Day Naruto Became Hokage is a short and heartwarming OVA that takes place after episode 500 of Naruto Shippuden.

There is not much to say about it, it’s pretty self-explanatory. The anime shows us hilarious events that took place on the day when Naruto finally became a Hokage.

The OVA was bundled in the limited edition DVD and Blu-ray releases of Boruto: Naruto the Movie. It was a strategic move to promote the new anime, Boruto.

9. Boruto: Naruto The Movie (2015)

Boruto: Naruto The Movie takes during the chūnin exams of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.

If you plan on watching the Boruto anime series, it’s a good idea to watch episodes 1 through 49 before watching this movie. However, since this movie was released two years before the anime, it’s also acceptable to watch it even before starting the Boruto series.

It’s important to note that the events in this movie are covered in the Boruto anime series, but with some changes. Therefore, you can also completely skip the movie.

10. Boruto (2017–currently airing)

Boruto is an anime about Naruto’s child. Unfortunately, it has never replicated the success of its parent anime. When I made this guide, I decided to include it BUT you definitely don’t have to watch it. In fact, I don’t watch it myself and I am a big fan of Naruto.

The biggest problem this show has is that it’s not properly thought out. The characters seem like replicas of their parents, whether it comes to personality or looks. Naruto was a success, so they wanted to give fans something almost like Naruto but it flopped. Boruto has a rating of 5.73/10 on MAL, which is extremely low. Just for comparison, Naruto is rated 7.98.

Even if you are a die-hard fan of Naruto, this anime will certainly fall short of your expectations. However, you can still see a grown-up Naruto in this anime, which is likely the biggest reason why you should still consider watching it as well.

Wrapping Up

So, there you have it—this is the complete guide on how to watch Naruto in order. By following this guide, you can easily enjoy the Naruto Universe without feeling too confused or overwhelmed.

If you have any questions about this Naruto watch guide, just drop a comment below, and I’ll try my best to help you out!