Naruto Arcs Guide: All 49 Arcs in Order

Here’s a detailed list of all the story arcs in the Naruto series and a list of filler episodes you can avoid.

The Naruto series is one of the biggest shonen titles in this medium, and it has garnered a massive fanbase over the years. This series, created by Masashi Kishimoto, had a massive impact on the genre. The character tropes seen in the modern era of anime stem from some of the tropes that were created in this series. 

While it might not be the best anime from a technical standpoint, it certainly acted as a gateway to the wonderful medium of anime. Given the sheer length of the series, there are plenty of story arcs, each varying in importance to the overall plot. This is a guide to all the story arcs in the series. The article also contains a separate filler episode list that fans can refer to.

A Detailed List of All the Arcs in the Naruto Anime Series

Arc	Episodes	Chapters
Prologue – Land of Waves Arc	Episodes 1–19	1-33
Chunin Exams Arc	Episodes 20–67	34-115
Konoha Crush Arc	Episodes 68–80	116-138
Search For Tsunade Arc	Episodes 81–100	139-171
Land Of Tea Escort Mission Arc	Episodes 102–106	—
Sasuke Recovery Mission Arc	Episodes 107–135	172-238
Land Of Rice Fields Investigation Mission Arc	Episodes 136–141	—
Mizuki Tracking Mission Arc	Episodes 142–147	—
Bikochu Search Mission Arc	Episodes 148–151	—
Kurosuki Family Removal Mission Arc	Episodes 152–157	—
Gosunkugi Capture Mission Arc	Episodes 159–160	—
Cursed Warrior Extermination Mission Arc	Episodes 162–167	—
Kaima Capture Mission Arc	Episodes 169–173	—
Buried Gold Excavation Mission Arc	Episodes 175–176	—
Star Guard Mission Arc	Episodes 178–183	—
Peddlers Escort Mission Arc	Episodes 187–191	—
Third Great Beast Arc Arc	Episodes 195–196	—
Konoha Plans Recapture Mission Arc	Episodes 197–201	—
Yakumo Kurama Rescue Mission Arc	Episodes 203–207	—
Gantetsu Escort Mission Arc	Episodes 209–212	—
Menma Memory Search Mission Arc	Episodes 213–215	—
Sunagakure Support Mission Arc	Episodes 216–220	—

A Detailed List of All the Arcs in Naruto Shippuden

Arcs	Episodes	Chapters
Kazekage Rescue Mission Arc	Episodes 1–32	245-281
Tenchi Bridge Reconnaissance Mission Arc	Episodes 33–53	282-310
Twelve Guardian Ninja Arc	Episodes 54–71	—
Akatsuki Suppression Mission Arc	Episodes 72–88	311-342
Three-Tails’ Appearance Arc	Episodes 89–112	—
Itachi Pursuit Mission Arc	Episodes 113–118	343-367
Kakashi Gaiden	Episodes 119–120	—
Tale Of Jiraiya The Gallant Arc	Episodes 127–133	368-383
Fated Battle Between Brothers Arc	Episodes 134–143	384-412
Six-Tails Unleashed Arc	Episodes 144–151	—
Pain’s Assault Arc	Episodes 152–169 & 172–175	413-453
Past Arc: The Locus Of Konoha	Episodes 176–196	—
Five Kage Summit Arc	Episodes 197–214	454-483
Fourth Shinobi World War: Countdown Arc	Episodes 215–222	484-515
Paradise Life On A Boat Arc	Episodes 223–242	—
Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation Arc	Episodes 261–270, 272–289, 296–310, & 312–321	516-559
Power Arc	Episodes 290–295	—
Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax Arc	Episodes 322–348 & 362–375	560-639
Kakashi’s Anbu Arc: The Shinobi That Lives In The Darkness	Episodes 349–361	—
Birth Of The Ten-Tails’ Jinchuriki Arc	Episodes 378–388, 391–393, 414–421, & 424–431	640-677
Jiraiya Shinobi Handbook: The Tale Of Naruto The Hero	Episodes 432–450	—
Kaguya Otsutsuki Strikes Arc	Episodes 451–455, 458–468, & 470–479	678-699
Itachi Shinden Book: Light And Darkness	Episodes 453–458	—
Childhood Arc	Episodes 480–483	—
Sasuke Shinden: Book Of Sunrise	Episodes 484–488	—
Shikamaru Hiden: A Cloud Drifting In Silent Darkness	Episodes 489–493	—
Konoha Hiden: The Perfect Day For A Wedding	Episodes 494–500	—

A Detailed List of Filler Episodes in Naruto

• Episode 26
• Episode 97
• Episodes 101-106
• Episodes 136-140
• Episodes 143-219

These are all the filler episodes in the first installation of the series. Fans can skip them as these episodes have little to no impact on the story. Furthermore, the filler episodes also have a negative impact on the pacing of the series. Therefore, we strongly urge the fanbase to avoid them. 

A Detailed List of Filler Episodes in Naruto Shippuden

• Episodes 57-71
• Episodes 91-112
• Episodes 144-151
• Episodes 170-171
• Episodes 176-196
• Episodes 223-242
• Episodes 257-260
• Episode 271
• Episodes 279-281
• Episodes 284-295
• Episodes 303-320
• Episodes 347-361
• Episodes 376-377
• Episodes 388-390
• Episodes 394-413
• Episodes 416-417
• Episodes 422-423
• Episodes 427-450
• Episodes 464-468
• Episodes 480-483

These are all the filler episodes that fans can avoid should they wish to watch anime-canon episodes only. The fillers in Shippuden aren’t particularly enjoyable, and many fans have complained about its effect on the overall pacing. 

What is the Best Arc in the Naruto Series

Each viewer will have their own favorite arcs based on their preferences. However, the Pain Assault arc is something that most fans absolutely love. Many loved this arc mainly because of the primary antagonist and the fight sequences. Pain is a villain who is beloved by many. His ideals, past, and circumstances that led him on his path are some of the reasons why he is loved. That, paired with the well-animated Taijutsu-focused fights, made for an entertaining viewing experience.

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