Summary
Narutois among the most popular shonen anime of all time. The legendary rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke, along with other character arcs and excellent stories, makes for a riveting watch. Most fans have no problem binge-watching to the end.
NarutoandNaruto Shippudenare full to the brim with some of the greatest episodes ever. Given that the focus right now is on the former, it’s time to take a trip down memory lane and look at some of thebestNarutoepisodesthat fans still look back fondly on to this day.
Updated on Jul 24, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:Naruto is one of the greatest shonen anime ever made that fans can’t get enough of. Kishimoto’s incredible writing, brilliant fight scenes, memorable characters, and sublime worldbuilding ensure that anyone who decides to check out Naruto will be infatuated by this series after watching it for a few hours. It helps that the pre-time skip run features some of thebest Naruto episodes, whichwill help fans get invested in this amazing story in no time.
29"Live Or Die: Risk It All To Win It All!"
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
The arc in which Naruto trains to learn the summoning jutsu is riveting, showing just how much the ninja needs to learn if he truly wishes to be Hokage. This training also introduces Jiraiya, one of the most beloved characters inNarutodespite being a pervert who crosses the lines.
After getting exasperated in his quest to teach Naruto, Jiraiya decides to take it one step further and throw Naruto down a cliff, hoping that he will finally be able to channel the Nine-Tails' power and summon a powerful creature to do his bidding. This is precisely what happens, with Gamabunta’s introduction being one of the best parts of the entire show.
28"Light Vs. Dark: The Two Faces Of Gaara"
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Gaara is one of the most fascinating characters in the entire series. He starts as a rather sadistic ninja before the truth about his tragic backstory comes to light, showing just how much hatred surrounds this poor child before a betrayal breaks his heart and places him on a dark path.
This leads to Gaara being viewed as more sympathetic in the eyes of viewers, although that doesn’t change the fact that he was actively trying to harm Naruto and his friends. Thankfully, this fight was far from over, even if Naruto had botched up his summoning technique.
27"A Cry On Deaf Ears"
The first fight between Naruto and Sasuke is one of the best moments inNaruto. It was a faceoff that audiences had been eager to see for the longest time, so it was satisfying to see both these characters finally communicate through their fists alone.
At the start of the fight, Naruto tries his hardest to convince his friend to see the light. However, Sasuke doesn’t change his mind. The escalation leads to a battle that was in the making from the very start ofNarutoand makes for an incredible way to end the series' original run before the time skip.
26"White Past: Hidden Ambition"
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
For an arc that comes pretty early on, both Haku and Zabuza make for a fearsome duo. Viewers quickly understand that they caneasily take out Kakashiand his trio of genin if they aren’t sharp enough to deal with this threat. However, while Kakashi is busy tending to one of the legendary Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Sasuke and Naruto are trapped by Haku, who pierces them with needles over and over again until Sasuke has to sacrifice his own body to save Naruto.
This causes Naruto to awaken his fury, unleashing the power of the Nine-Tails on Haku and breaking his mask in the process. It’s only after he does this that he recognizes the person he met in the forest during his training, finally causing him to calm down. Haku implores Naruto to kill him, with the revelation of his backstory making for a truly tragic tale.
25"Battle Formation: Ino–Shika–Cho!"
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
The Chunin Exams is an arc full to the brim with some of the most iconic moments inNaruto. This includes the entire sequence in the Forest of Death, where Team 7 is on the verge of losing after being targeted by a psychotic Sound ninja. While Asuma’s team decides to observe the fight for a while, the brutal manner in which their classmates are being beaten up doesn’t sit right with them.
As a result, the trio finally show themselves and assist their Leaf Village comrades, leading to a tantalizing team-up that became iconic in the series. The Ino-Shika-Cho formation is a staple of the Leaf Vilage, and this trio more than lives up to the legacy of its predecessors. As a result, this becomes one of thebestNarutoepisodesfor giving viewers a glimpse of what this team can achieve.
24"Late For The Show, But Ready To Go! The Ultimate Secret Technique Is Born!"
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Sasuke loves to make a late entrance, and this can be seen when he appears at the last second to take out Gaara. Given how eager Gaara was for battle, it’s easy to see why this confrontation was going to be a deadly one. However, fans knew that Sasuke’s training with Kakashi was bound to bear some fruit, and this is evident when Sasuke lands the first blow in one of thebestNarutoepisodes.
He uses the Chidori for the first time,piercing Gaara’s ultimate defenseand inflicting a wound that causes the Shukaku’s Jinchuriki to howl in pain. It would’ve been interesting to see how the fight would unfold from this point forward, but Orochimaru put a stop to these plans by starting the attack on Konoha, ending the Chunin Exams at that very moment.
23"Deadlock! Sannin Showdown!"
For the longest time, the Sannin had been built up as a trio of some of the most legendary ninjas inNarutohistory. To see this trio flex their muscles and bring their A-game into battle makes for one ofNaruto’s best episodes. The trio use their summons to up the ante in battle, with Orochimaru holding his own against his ex-teammates before beating a hasty retreat.
Even after this battle is over, the episode ends on a satisfying note with Tsunade accepting the role of the Fifth Hokage. She has overcome her demons at this point, thanking Naruto for helping her see the light after the horrors of war had traumatized her. It marks the end of this engaging arc before Sasuke’s dark side overcomes him, setting the stage for a bombastic finale toNaruto’s original run.
22"Showdown: Gaara Vs. Kimimaro!"
It was easy to hate Gaara during the Chunin Exams, given his bloodthirst and the horrid injuries he inflicted on Lee. However, his backstory changed everyone’s opinion of him, and watching him come back to save the taijutsu master is an epic moment that establishes the Sand trio as stalwart allies of the Leaf. Despite Lee’s amazing drunken boxing shenanigans, Kimimaro would’ve made quick work of him had it not been for Gaara’s timely intervention.
What follows is an amazing battle where Gaara and Kimimaro engage in a battle of the ages, with everyone’s favorite characters putting their lives on the line to retrieve Sasuke. Not only are Gaara’s sand powers a joy to witness, but Kimimaro’s tragic backstory makes him a hard character to hate despite his villainous allegiances. It’s no wonder why many people consider this showdown to be one ofNaruto’s best episodes.
21"The Broken Seal"
Foran opening arc, the Land of Waves mission does a great job of enhancingNaruto’s world-building while also allowing for the characters to bond. Haku and Zabuza are riveting antagonists, with the former trapping Naruto and Sasuke in his Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals technique, slowly damaging the duo with his needles before Sasuke protects his friend and is heavily wounded.
This makes for one of thebestNarutoepisodeswhen the protagonist regains consciousness and sees that his friend is on the brink of death. The unfiltered rage triggers the strength of the Nine-Tails harbored deep inside his soul, unleashing it in an impressive display that spells doom for Haku’s plans. While the beatdown occurs in the later episode, this moment is one of many that cements the Land of Waves arc as one of the greatest introductory arcs in shonen history.
20"An Unrivaled Match: Hokage Battle Royale!"
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
The Konoha Crush arc lets fans witness the might of a Hokage firsthand, with Sarutobi being called to the forefront of the action after his pupil attempts to destroy Konoha. To achieve this, he revives the first two Hokage in a bid to take out his former sensei. What follows is a battle on a scale that shows just how powerful the strongest ninja in the Leaf Village are, with the three Hokage showing their immense power in a battle for the ages.
Sarutobi is pushed to the limits in one of thebestNarutoepisodesthat fans feasted on. He reached a point of utter desperation and had to whip out the Reaper Death Seal technique to seal away the souls of the revived Hokage for good. While he was too weak when he attempted to seal away Orochimaru, the Third Hokage took away his pupil’s arms, removing his ability to perform ninjutsu. This was his last act as the Hokage before he passed away.
