Naruto watch order
Watch Naruto first, then Naruto Shippuden. Near the end of Shippuden, watch The Last: Naruto the Movie before the final seven episodes. Boruto comes afterward if you want to follow the next generation.
You don't need to move back and forth between flashbacks or squeeze a movie between every arc. This is a first-watch route that keeps the numbered episodes in order. Use the linked skip sheets if you want the same journey without filler.
The simple first-watch order
| Step | Watch | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naruto, episodes 1-220 | Start at 1. Use the Naruto filler list to skip optional episodes. |
| 2 | Shippuden, episodes 1-493 | The episode count starts again. Follow the Shippuden filler list if you're cutting filler. |
| 3 | The Last: Naruto the Movie | Our recommended movie break, before Shippuden's closing arc. |
| 4 | Shippuden, episodes 494-500 | Return to the series for the final seven episodes. |
| 5 | Boruto: Naruto Next Generations | Start at episode 1 if you want the sequel. Use the Boruto filler list for its episode labels. |
The break after 493 is a viewing recommendation, not an official episode boundary for the film. It lets you finish the numbered episodes in order and see The Last before the closing wedding story. Strict timeline lists can place the late novel stories differently; you don't need that reshuffle for a first watch.
Naruto watch order without filler
Keep the same series order. The only change is which numbered episodes you watch. Our two lists remove episodes labelled filler and keep manga canon, mixed, anime canon and any labels still awaiting review.
- Original Naruto: follow the Naruto episodes to keep in ascending order.
- Shippuden: start at 1 and follow the Shippuden episodes to keep. Pause after 493 for The Last, then finish 494-500.
- Optional filler: add back a pick only if it interests you. Our Naruto filler recommendations and Shippuden filler worth watching give the episode ranges.
Across Naruto and Shippuden, that's 438 episodes in our watch plan instead of all 720. The movie is extra. These counts come from the same episode labels as the skip sheets, so they change together if a label is corrected.
Don't treat “not manga canon” as a blanket instruction to skip. Mixed episodes contain manga scenes, and our anime canon label covers adaptations of official novels or one-shots. The label guide explains what each one means.
Where to leave Naruto and start Shippuden
Episode 135 closes the main Part 1 story arc, but it isn't the last episode in our route. After 135, keep 141, 142 and 220. Our dataset keeps manga material in those episodes; 142 is mixed. Most of the episodes around them are filler.
After 220, start Shippuden at episode 1. Don't look for episode 221 in your streaming app. The two shows have separate episode counts, even when a guide adds them together.
Season numbers can make the change harder to follow. Match the episode title against our tables if your app resets the number each season. The Naruto numbering notes and Shippuden numbering notes sit above the full episode lists.
Which Naruto movies do you need?
The Last is the movie to include in this route. It takes place after the main conflict and follows Naruto and Hinata. Watching it before Shippuden's final arc gives that part of the ending more context.
The earlier films are optional side adventures. You can watch them after the relevant series if you don't want to interrupt the TV episodes. This avoids trying to force every movie into a precise gap where its cast and events might not fit cleanly.
Optional movies, in release order
- Original Naruto: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow, Legend of the Stone of Gelel, then Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom.
- Shippuden: Naruto Shippuden the Movie, Bonds, The Will of Fire, The Lost Tower, Blood Prison, then Road to Ninja.
Those are side trips, not prerequisites for the next TV episode. Save them for after their series to avoid meeting characters or abilities early. The list above gives the order among the films, not an instruction to watch all of them.
What comes after Shippuden?
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations follows the next generation. It's a separate sequel, so you can finish Shippuden and stop there if Naruto's story is what you came for.
If you continue with the anime, begin Boruto at episode 1. Boruto: Naruto the Movie also introduces that generation, but the TV series later retells and expands its central story. You don't need both versions to understand the same event. Use the Boruto arc sheet to follow the anime route.
Questions before you start
Can I watch Shippuden without watching Naruto?
You can start the episodes, but it isn't a good first-watch route. Shippuden continues relationships and conflicts built in the original series. Skip the optional filler rather than the whole first show.
Should I watch Naruto in release or chronological order?
For the TV episodes, follow the numbered order. Flashbacks are told where the show expects you to see them. Moving every backstory to its place on a timeline can reveal things before the main story introduces them.
Can I skip Shippuden's final episodes?
Our route keeps 484-500 as anime canon. They adapt official novels and provide the closing stories after the main manga conflict. They're different from the optional Childhood filler at 480-483.
Do I have to watch all the movies?
No. Include The Last for this route. The earlier movies are optional, and the Boruto anime offers its own version of the Boruto movie's story.
Sources and scope
This is a practical first-watch order, not a scene-by-scene timeline. Episode counts and labels come from our Naruto sources and Shippuden sources.
Movie details and release sequence: List of Naruto media, VIZ on The Last and Boruto: Naruto the Movie. The movie break before 494 is our recommended viewing order.