Narutois undoubtedly one of the most popular shōnen series to exist within the anime world. Though not as popular asDragon BallorOne Piece,Narutohas made its place in anime, remaining iconic and memorable for years to come. Though the premise may seem rather simple, its the story deep within that makesNarutospecial and unique.
Narutois only as great as it is thanks to its beautiful storytelling, impressive cinematography, wonderful worldbuilding, and high-stakes enemies. All of these aspects can be seen in its long list of episodes, and whileNarutomay be filled with filler at times, there are also plenty of episodes that are perfect from start to finish, proving thatNarutois one of the best shonen.
Naruto: Shippuden
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10"Gaara vs Rock Lee: The Power of Youth Explodes"
‘Naruto’: Season 1, Episode 48
In “Gaara vs Rock Lee: The Power of Youth Explodes,” Rock Lee and Gaara are matched against each other; and although Rock Lee uses Taijutsu against Gaara and misses him, Rock Lee is given permission to remove his weights, in which he suddenly increases his speed and almost touches the seemingly invincible Gaara. It was the closest anyone had ever gotten to Gaara, and it simply took our collective breaths away that anyone could even dream, let alone get close, to touching Gaara.
Gaara vs Rock Lee is one of the best episodes in the early seasons of theNarutoseries. From the get-go, fans were interested in seeing this match play out, though it’s been somewhat proven that Gaara is hard to touch, which is why we were shocked by Rock Lee’s near-miss. But once Rock Lee detaches the weights from his body, every moment moving forward is nothing but hype. This episode is thrilling from start to finish, making it a perfect episode, and one that would be pretty hard to beat if it weren’t for the other stellar episodes on this list.
9"The End of Tears"
‘Naruto’: Season 4, Episode 3
The simply flawless “The End of Tears” sees Sasuke and Naruto face off against each other, exhibiting their newfound powers to try and destroy each other. While Sasuke uses his Cursed Seal techniques, Naruto begins to unleash his nine-tailed fox powers, which are simply awe-inspiring, especially for first time viewers of the anime. At the end, Sasuke decides to leave Konoha, and he does so without harming Naruto further, which made for a very emotional climax to this thrilling battle.
This episode is one of the more emotional episodes in earlyNaruto,asIt forces viewers to watch the great and nerving tension unfold between two beloved characters, making for an extremely powerful episode that highlights just how good theNarutoanime can be, and, more importantly, just how diverse it is. From the battles and powers to the flashbacks and emotional dialogue, all these factors help make the episode pitch perfect.
8"I Will Love You Always"
‘Naruto Shippuden’: Season 15, Episode 19
In “I Will Love You Always,” Sasuke gets to meet with his deceased brother once more through Kabuto’s reanimation jutsu/ All the while, Sasuke confesses to his resolve to destroy Konoha, which leads to Itachi, before fading away, the truth behind the clan massacre.
Much like “The End of Tears,” “I Will Love You Always” is another emotional episode that perfectly demonstrates the strength of a brotherly love. Ever since Itachi’s death earlier on in the series, fans have felt sorry for the brotherly duo and the strife they’ve been through. With these factors in mind, this episode is perfect for the closure between Itachi and Sasuke. Make sure you have your box of Kleenex on deck, as you’re going to need it.
7"The Fourth Hokage’s Death Match"
‘Naruto: Shippuden’: Season 12, Episode 6
Ah, now this episode was an absolute gem to watch from beginning to end. In “The Fourth Hokage’s Death Match,” the episode follows the birth of Naruto when Konoha village is under attack by the tailed beast, an attack orchestrated by Tobi. This episode examines the fight between Minato and Tobi.
“The Fourth Hokage’s Death Match” bringsNarutoback to its thrilling, fighting roots, with the episode being extremely exhilarating from start to finish, as viewers learn the truth behind Naruto’s tragic birth, which ultimately resulted in the death of his two parents. But withthis being one of the best combat sequencesinNaruto, it’s no wonder this episode was perfect from start to finish, as it contains backstory and intriguing combat.
6"The Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant"
‘Naruto Shippuden’: Season 6, Episode 21
In “The Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant,“viewers get to watch Jiraiya’s epic last battleagainst the Six Paths of Pain, and you know that this would be a battle to (nearly) end all battles. While Jiraiya puts up a good fight, he is no match for Pain, ultimately resulting in his tragic death.
With Jiraiya being a fan-favorite character, this episode was perfect from start to finish. It deals heavily with flashbacks and Jiraiya’s fond memories of those close to him, adding to the emotional depth of his death scene as he is killed by someone who he was once close with. Viewers will find themselves in teas after watching Jiraiya’s farewell.
5"Sasuke’s Answer”
‘Naruto Shippuden’: Season 17, Episode 9
The episode “Sasuke’s Answer” begins with a history lesson from Hashirama as he dictates the battle between him and Madara. Within this lesson, viewers learn more about the past of the Uchihas and the past of Konoha, which viewers knew little of. The episode ends with the four deceased Hokage preparing to enter the battlefield.
Though more informational than anything else, “Sasuke’s Answer” has proven to be nearly-perfect, from its storytelling to the build-up of the tension. With Madara returning to bring harm to others, it’s thrilling to see the Hokages prepare themselves for battle. It’s the excitement that makes this episode one of the best in the series, and one that should be required viewing for anime fans in general.
4"The End”
‘Naruto Shippuden’: Season 6, Episode 26
“The End” follows the conclusion between Sasuke and Itachi’s long and exhausting battle. However, with both brothers exhausted, Sasuke finally wins the long battle, losing his Cursed Seal along the way, thanks to the help of Itachi. Brothers are always going to look out for each other.
While the battle was exciting from the get-go, the ending might just be the best part. This is mostly because after a thrilling battle, it’s nice to see some closure between the two brothers. Though open-ended and emotional, viewers will find themselves satisfied with the ending to their battle, as while Itachi outmatches Sasuke, his own power becomes too much, and he ultimately overexerted himself.
3"Confessions"
‘Naruto Shippuden’: Season 8, Episode 15
When Naruto is trapped and pinned by Pain’s receptors, Hinata comes to his aid as she recounts her first encounter with him. Though Naruto questions her about coming to his aid, Hinata finally confesses her love for Naruto. Though Hinata gets severely beaten by Pain, she keeps getting back up.
This episode ofNarutois extremely heartfelt in regard to Hinata’s feelings. Though viewers were aware of her feelings initially, this is the first time that Hinata has expressed her feelings truly, proudly, and readily. Not to mention, her determination to assist Naruto, even when the battle is impossible, is actually wholesome.
2"Pain to the World"
‘Naruto Shippuden’: Season 8, Episode 11
“Pain to the World” is the beginning of Pain’s attack and ambush on Konoha. With other characters meeting the various Paths of Pain, Naruto readies himself to defend Konoha as necessary, though Pain is determined to show pain to Konoha.
This is a wonderful introduction to the Six Paths of Pain and its attack on Konoha. It’s an intriguing set-up with a tense battle beginning to unfold, making the viewer worry as to what will happen next or if any other characters will die. One of the biggest threats in all theNarutoseries, ‘Pain to the World’proves what a powerful foe Pain is.
1"Thank You"
‘Naruto Shippuden’: Season 12, Episode 7
‘Thank You’ is the episode that examines the nine-tailed beast and Tobi’s attack on Konoha. Though Tobi is defeated, the tailed beast continues to reign in terror as shinobi try to push it away. Only thanks to Minato and Kushina’s sacrifice are they able to seal the beast within Naruto. At the end of this flashback, Kushina apologizes to Naruto for abandoning him.
This was probably the most emotional episode in all ofNaruto, topping that of Sasuke and Itachi’s farewell. The tale of Kushina and Minato’s sacrifice and their love for Naruto is felt by the viewers. From the backstory to Kushina’s wishes for Naruto, this episode is perfect from start to finish.
