Naruto is one of the longest-running and most popular anime of all time. Based on Masashi Kishimoto's manga of the same name, the series has captivated audiences with its story of one young ninja’s dream to become the Hokage of his village. However, with a two-part anime series, a spinoff series, and 11 anime movies, the Naruto franchise can be daunting to dive into. Hence, this guide will demonstrate where and how to watch every Naruto show and film in order.
The TV series kicked off in 2002 with Naruto, which follows Naruto Uzumaki, an orphaned boy who is ostracized by his village for having the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed in his body. Eager for acceptance, Uzumaki works to prove his skill as a ninja, eventually ing Kakashi Hatake’s Team 7 with Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno to complete missions and protect the village.
After Naruto concluded in 2007 with 220 episodes, Naruto Shippūden was released that same year. Naruto Shippūden is considered Part 2 of the anime series, serving as a direct sequel to the original series and following Uzumaki during his teenage years. The series begins with a two-year time skip, during which Uzumaki was training with ninjutsu master Jiraiya. Upon returning, he resumes his ninja missions with Team 7 and seeks to bring Sasuke home after the boy leaves, seeking revenge on his brother.
Interspersed throughout both series are 11 films; three premiered during Naruto’s run, while the latter eight premiered during Naruto Shippūden. Of all the films, only the 2014 movie, Road to Ninja: The Naruto Movie are also often heralded as fan favorites.
As mentioned above, the Naruto series received a spinoff series, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, which focuses on the eponymous son of Naruto. The series’ first part concluded last year, while the second part, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, is still awaiting a release date as the manga tries to get ahead of the show.
How to watch the Naruto franchise in chronological and release date order
Although the movies aren’t canon, they are meant to accompany the series and sometimes reference events from their complementary episodes. For those who don’t mind jumping between the shows and movies, the chronological order of the Naruto franchise is as follows:
Naruto Episodes 1 - 101
Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow
Naruto Episodes 101 - 160
Naruto Episodes 161 - 196
Naruto Episodes 197 - 220
Naruto Shippūden Episodes 1 - 32
Naruto Shippūden Episodes 33 - 71
Naruto Shippūden Episodes 72 - 126
Naruto Shippūden Episodes 127 - 143
Naruto Shippūden Episodes 144 - 196
Naruto Shippūden Episodes 197 - 251
Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie
Naruto Shippūden Episodes 252 - 493
The Last: Naruto the Movie
Naruto Shippūden Episodes 494 - 500
Boruto: Naruto the Movie
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episodes 1 - 293
However, since the movies aren’t canon to the series, another option is to watch each series in full, followed by their respective films in release date order, as seen below.