Every truly great anime needs a few inside jokes or running gags that longtime viewers canenjoy, laugh, and meme about; and of course, being one of the most iconic shonen anime series out there,Narutoof course has a handful of these.
RELATED:Naruto: Funniest Naruto Moments In The Anime
Spanning over roughly 700 episodes (NarutoandNaruto: Shippudencombined), the series has built up an entire world, a beloved cast of characters, and its own set of hilarious gags that show up just in time, giving viewers a laugh to break up the tenser moments in the anime. Here are some of the funniest running gags throughout all ofNaruto.
Disclaimer: Series spoilers!
10Kakashi Always Being Late
Kakashi is notorious for being late for almost everything he has planned for his day; whether it be missions, lessons, or meetings with his fellow sensei. He is often scolded by Sakura and Naruto whenever the group is called for a training session. Kakashi is the teacher, after all, he should be the one to set a good example for his students by not being tardy!
Kakashi may have used the “getting lost on the path of life” line among other lame excuses when arriving late, but behind his humor wasa rather sad story. Apparently, Kakashi always made time to visit his dear friend Obito’s grave before heading off to continue his daily errands. Maybe if he was more honest about his tardiness, Sakura wouldn’t be so quick to yell at him every morning!
9Guy Never Remembering Kisame
The Naruto universe may be a bit far-fetched at times with the existence of numerous physics-defying jutsu, nine-tailed beasts, and impossibly powerful fighting techniques that could never exist in the real world. However, Kisame Hoshigaki, would still surely stand out among all the other shinobi or Akatsuki members just by his appearance alone, right?
Apparently, his blue shark-like appearance isn’t enough for Guy sensei to be able to remember exactly who Kisame is. Whether Guy sensei is just feigning ignorance or genuinely can’t remember Kisame’s face or name is still up for debate, but at the very least Guy eventually came to remember him when Kisamefinally met his end.
8Naruto’s Love For Naruto
Despite being an incredibly talented and strong-willed shinobi, always looking for ways to challenge himself, Naruto still definitely enjoys the occasional day off to appreciate the little things. One of Naruto’s favorite things ever is ramen; specifically Ramen Ichiraku. He enjoys the traditional Japanese dish so much it eventually became one of his identifying characteristics.
RELATED:The Most Iconic Anime Foods
This love for ramen most likely stems from the fact that Naruto’s name is actually the name of one of the mostcommon ingredients in ramen; which is the narutomaki fishcake. The little white fishcakes with ridged edges and the signature pink swirl are actually where Naruto likely got his name; referring to not only Naruto’s love for ramen but also the swirl marking he has on his stomach to seal the nine tails within him.
7Shikamaru’s Overwhelming Laziness
Shikamaru isone of the smartest shinobiout there, but there’s just one crucial thing holding him back from finally reaching his full potential: his lethargy. Shikamaru is synonymous with laziness and is always seen complaining about a mission being far too troublesome.
One of the most memorable moments that truly displayed the lengths Shikamaru will go through in order to avoid any real work was the chunnin exam arc. Shikamaru was up against Temari for his battle and eventually fought until he had her at his will with the help of his shadow technique. However, instead of finally finishing her off and taking the win, Shikamaru willingly forfeits the tournament; all because it was simply “too troublesome” to continue!
6Naruto’s Sexy Jutsu
Naruto may be constantly scolded by his sensei for being too brash or being a bit of a slacker, but no one can deny that he knows how to think creatively. The Sexy Jutsu (also known as Cutie Jutsu or the Art Of Eros), was something Naruto created on his own in his early days of learning to become a shinobi.
Starting off as a way to prank men and distract them, Naruto’s Sexy Jutsu ended up becoming one of themost popular memesthat came from the series. Despite this jutsu only really appearing in the early episodes of the show, Naruto can take pride in knowing his technique has earned its special place in the fandom forever.
5Sakura And Ino’s Love/Hate Friendship
Everyone knows about the rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke or Kakashi and Guy, but Sakura and Ino also have their own battle going on as well. When the series started, Team 7 were only around twelve or so years old; so it’s only natural they still go through the emotions kids their age experience; like puppy love.
RELATED:Controversial Anime Couples
Sakura and Ino may begood friends most of the time, but seeing them butt heads is by no means uncommon. While they are known to quarrel about just about anything, their rivalry that stemmed from their clashing love for Sasuke was usually what sparked a fight.
4Sasuke Being An Uninterested Ladies Man
From all the talk Sasuke puts outabout “reviving his clan"one would think that finding a nice girl to settle with would be at the top of Sasuke’s list but for most of the series, he couldn’t care less. Sasuke is rather popular in Konoha village and while he pays no mind to the girls fawning over him, this monopoly he had over all the girls' hearts fueled the ongoing rivalry between him and Naruto.
While Naruto was constantly trying to impress Sakura, Sakura was much too busy trying to win over Sasuke’s heart. Of course, fans already know Sakura eventually won Sasuke over in the end, but for most of the series, he paid her no mind.
3Naruto Always Ending Up Kissing His Fellow Teammates
Oddly enough, Naruto somehow ended up being both his teammates' very first kiss. No fan could ever forget the hilarious moment Naruto accidentally kissed Sasuke in class and then onceagainwhen their hands were bound together! Luckily Naruto eventually got to “kiss"his longtime crush, Sakura as well.
However, he had only gotten the chance to have this moment with Sakura because she had no choice but to perform CPR on him after a dangerous battle. Fans may be left wondering what Hinata thinks about Naruto stealing so many kisses during their younger years!
2Guy And Rock Lee’s Touching Mentorship
Almost every Naruto fan has had that moment in the early stages where they mistook Guy sensei and Rock Lee as father and son instead ofteacher and mentor. Guy and Lee are the prolific comedy duo of the entire series and serve as a great lesson in never judging a book by its cover.
RELATED:Naruto: Best Teachers In The Series
While they may stand out a bit from the other characters in the series and are often ridiculed for their thick eyebrows and strange wardrobe, they are some of the strongest and most well-respected shinobi in the entire village! Nonetheless, these two are always bursting onto the scene in an explosive spectacle of emotion; teary-eyed and raving on about teamwork, training, and of course, youth.
1A Thousand Years Of Death
A Thousand Years Of Death is the official name of the highly questionable “jutsu” that is first seen being used by Kakashi on an unsuspecting Naruto. Essentially, the move entails the user putting their hands together, fingers intertwined (minus the index and middle), and using the weight of their entire body, thrusting their fingers into the rear-end of their target. Ouch.
While this seemed like a one-off gag at first, Naruto later on actually goes on touse the bizarre moveon Gaara in an actual fight! However, he did have the good mind to tweak the move a bit, utilizing a kunai (dagger) with an exploding tag on it to do some actual damage instead of being a (fairly) harmless prank.
