The 10 Best Naruto Arcs, Ranked
Naruto. One of the greatest shonen anime ever created. Infamous for its highs and lows of breathtaking fights and brutally bad filler, the series is a flawed anime masterpiece. But this list? This is a highlight reel.
Let’s forget the flashbacks and the Ninja ostriches to focus on the best Naruto arcs ever made.
10. Kaguya Otsotsuki Strikes
The “final battle” of Naruto was actually a bit of a letdown. The series did so much legwork painting Madara Uchiha as the ultimate Big Bad, a terrifyingly powerful villain who, like Naruto’s best antagonists, is actually working towards the greater good. But then the writers throw a wrench in the gears with the underdeveloped Kaguya Otsotsuki, evil alien ninja goddess from the stars. But that’s okay, because the true final fight of this series was meant to be between Naruto and Sasuke all along. The rival ninja put their full, earth shattering power on display in an unforgettable animation spectacle that may just be the very best fight in the series.
9. The Land of Waves
The Land of Waves was the arc that converted casual fans of the series into diehards. And it all happened in the span of a moment. What was that moment? When Sasuke threw a fuma shuriken at arc antagonist Zabuza, only for Zabuza to easily dodge it, and then that shuriken TURNS INTO NARUTO BAM SUBSTITUTION JUTSU WHO GOTCHA ZABUZA NOW DODGE THIS KUNAI. It’s one of the best mid-fight fake outs in the entire series, and is a prelude for the many mind bending “gotcha” ninja battle moments to come.
8. The Konoha Crush Arc
The Konoha Crush Arc is when the series gets REAL. The upper rank ninjas of Konoha have been painted as invincible in the series so far, led by the invulnerable God of Shinobi the Fourth Hokage himself. The Konoha Crush Arc proved that in this world, the struggle for power is constant, and even the mightiest warriors can fall. Konoha takes a brutal hit from Orochimaru and the forces of the Hidden Sand, but Naruto and the gang are able to hit back at the very end … with a glorious giant monster battle that puts the hurt on Gaara so bad his MORALITY changes.
7. The Kazekage Rescue Mission
The Kazekage Rescue mission was a pivotal moment in Naruto, as it introduced the best antagonists in the series: The Akatsuki. Stylish, charismatic, and ruthlessly competent, The Akatsuki are ninja fashion statement and elite hit squad combined. The arc also contains the best (and really only) Sakura centered fight in the series, where she goes toe to toe with a deadly puppet master in a knock down, drag-out super strength showdown.
6. The Sasuke Retrieval Arc
The Sasuke Retrieval Arc was when boys became men. The arc centers around the efforts of Naruto, Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba, and Choji’s efforts to retrieve Sasuke from the clutches of the Sound Ninja Four. The boys are seemingly outmatched, fighting join-level ninjas with years more experience … and yet through grit and ingenuity, they make it out on top. The crown jewel? Rock Lee’s guest star appearance where he gets blitzed on sake and saves Naruto’s life.
5. The Chunin Exams
Despite being early show fights, the Chunin Exams are arguably some of the best in the series. The arc introduces the thing that makes Naruto a truly great series: the side characters. Who could forget Shikamaru’s shadow bending tactical battles? Naruto and Neji’s slugfest? And the series defining battle between Rock Lee and Gaara. If Naruto’s Land of Waves shuriken transformation didn’t make you a superfan, Rock Lee removing his training weights moment in his battle with Gaarra sure did.
4. The Fated Battle Between Brothers
Naruto is full of phenomenal twists, but the greatest twist of all? The motivations of Itachi Uchiha. This arc. THIS is the moment when Sasuke’s elder brother went from sociopathic family-killing maniac to tragic anti-hero motivated solely by brotherly love. It’s a shocking arc. A total bomb drop of a moment. And the genjustu meets sharingan meets Kirin meets Susanoo fight between Sasuke and Itachi? One of the greatest in the show’s history..
3. The Tale of Jiraya the Gallant
Jiraya didn’t begin Naruto as a likable character. Lazy. Cantankerous. Lecherous. He seemed more interested in drinking and creeping on girls rather than adding any sort of value to Naruto’s life. Slowly but surely Jiraya’s backstory was revealed, marking his gradual transformation from old goat to GOAT in the eyes and hearts of the audience. Jirara’s gallant tale culminates when he comes face to face with his former student Pain, a war orphan that he rescued from the hell of inter-Village warfare, and set on an unintended path from heroism towards villainy. Jiraya leaves the series just as he entered, smiling without a care in the world.
2. The Fourth Great Shinobi War
The Fourth Great Shinobi War was a monumental arc. So. Much. Happened. Insane battles. Shocking character deaths. Evil masterplans revealed. Heroes and villains of the series past resurrected to fight again. And it culminated in a 24 hour battle between the newly allied forces of good and the apex of ninja evil. It would be #1 if it wasn’t for its copious amounts of filler. Cool filler, but filler nonetheless. The fat could have been trimmed from this late series juggernaut of an arc, but it still makes for a visual feast.
1. Pain’s Assault
Some would say that Pain’s assault on Konoha Village is where Naruto truly peaked. Some would be right. The Pain arc centers around arguably the best villain in the series, a war orphan turned nigh-unstoppable guerrilla revolutionary Pain. Pain was able to do what Orochimaru could not: bring The Hidden Leaf Village to its knees. In one of the most shocking moments of the series, Pain quite literally wipes the village off the map with the power of the Almighty Push. What follows is the most stunningly animated fight in the series, a slugfest between Pain and the Ninetails awakened Naruto that drew animation inspiration from the real life physics of water balloons. But the cherry one top of this arc is its actually its gooey emotional core. It’s a battle that is finally resolved by words and not fists, and somehow feels totally earned.
Have a tip we should know? tips@themarysue.com
