๐ฅNaruto
Naruto began on 21 September 1999 as a one-shot in Weekly Shonen Jump by Masashi Kishimoto, a young mangaka from Okayama prefecture whose first serialised attempt had failed. The one-shot became a regular serialisation in 1999, ran for 700 chapters over fifteen years, sold over 250 million copies worldwide, spawned a 720-episode anime adaptation that ran on TV from 2002 to 2017, eleven theatrical films, dozens of video games including the still-beloved Ultimate Ninja Storm series, and an entire sequel franchise (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, then Boruto: Two Blue Vortex) that continues today. Naruto Uzumaki, the loud orange-clad outsider who carries a nine-tailed demon fox sealed inside him and wants to become Hokage of his village, became one of the most recognisable anime protagonists in history. His rivalry with Sasuke Uchiha, the prodigy whose entire clan was murdered by his own brother, is the emotional engine of the entire story. Kakashi Hatake, the silver-haired masked sensei who reads suspicious novels in public, is one of the most beloved supporting characters in shonen. The Akatsuki, the criminal organisation of S-rank rogue ninjas in black cloaks with red clouds, are the most iconic villain ensemble in anime. The Pain Invasion arc is widely considered one of the greatest single arcs in shonen history. The Naruto vs Sasuke fight at the Valley of the End in the Shippuden finale ran for the best part of four episodes and is still the standard by which shonen finales are measured. For two decades Naruto has been the gateway drug for new anime fans, and asking 'best Naruto arc' on moomz delivers one of the most reliably engaged polls in the app.
Naruto Part 1, Shippuden, and the arc debates
The anime is structurally split into the original Naruto run (220 episodes, ages 12 academy to start of timeskip) and Shippuden (500 episodes, ages 15 to 17, the great ninja war). Part 1 contains the most beloved early arcs: Land of Waves (Haku and Zabuza), Chunin Exams (still a top-three arc in any ranking), Sasuke Retrieval (the first Naruto vs Sasuke fight). Shippuden contains the heavyweights: Hidan and Kakuzu, Itachi Pursuit, Pain Invasion (the consensus best Shippuden arc), Five Kage Summit, and the long Fourth Great Ninja War which contains some of the highest highs (Madara, Obito's redemption, the Itachi reveal) and some of the most criticised filler ever produced. Naruto Shippuden's filler ratio is famously brutal - about 40% of all Shippuden episodes are filler, and most fans recommend a 'filler skip' guide. Ranking the arcs is a permanent moomz favourite and the result is never the same twice.
Naruto vs Sasuke and the rivalry that defined a generation
Kishimoto has said in interviews that the central relationship of Naruto is not Naruto and Sakura but Naruto and Sasuke. The two characters are mirror images: an outsider who wants connection (Naruto) and an insider who has lost it all (Sasuke). The entire 700-chapter story is essentially the long arc of Naruto refusing to give up on his lost friend. The Valley of the End fights bookend the series. The Sasuke Retrieval arc in Part 1 ends with Naruto failing to bring Sasuke back. The final Naruto vs Sasuke fight at the same location in Chapter 698-699 ends with both characters losing an arm and finally, exhausted, reconciling. The relationship is the emotional spine of shonen storytelling and the template for almost every protagonist-rival pair that followed (Deku and Bakugo, Asta and Yuno, Itadori and Yuji's various rivals, etc). moomz polls about 'who is the better character, Naruto or Sasuke' usually run 60-40 toward Sasuke, which never fails to start an argument.
Boruto, the sequel problem, and Naruto's living legacy
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations launched in 2017 and ran 293 episodes, following Naruto's son Boruto and a new generation of Hidden Leaf ninja. It is one of the most divisive sequels in anime history - critics and many old-school Naruto fans dislike the pacing, the over-reliance on cameos, and the early arcs' filler-heaviness. Younger viewers who grew up on it are more positive. The manga sequel Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, which started in 2023, has been widely praised as a major creative recovery. Separately, the original Naruto is in the middle of a high-budget anniversary re-animation project that started in 2023 - Studio Pierrot has been re-airing key episodes with film-quality animation, which has produced major nostalgia waves on social media. Naruto-themed merchandise, cosplay, and Akatsuki cloak Halloween costumes continue to sell at scale every year. The franchise refuses to fade, and that is partly because the moomz-style debates around it never end - best arc, strongest jutsu, most overrated character, best opening (Blue Bird is the answer, but the poll keeps running).
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Frequently asked
Q.Is Naruto worth watching in 2026?+
Yes, if you can commit to a long-form story. The original Naruto plus Shippuden is around 500 episodes of actual story (skipping filler). Use one of the established filler-skip guides on r/Naruto. The pay-off is enormous - the Pain Arc, Itachi's reveal, and the final Naruto vs Sasuke fight remain among the best moments in any shonen ever.
Q.What is the best Naruto arc?+
Pain Invasion is the most-cited answer, often followed by Chunin Exams, Itachi Pursuit, and Sasuke Retrieval. Land of Waves has the best early-series tone. The Five Kage Summit is a top-tier political arc. moomz polls consistently land Pain Invasion at the top with Chunin Exams a strong second.
Q.Should I watch Boruto?+
Watch the original Naruto and Shippuden first - Boruto assumes you know everyone. The Boruto anime has a slow start but improves significantly after the Vessel arc. Many fans prefer the manga, especially the Two Blue Vortex sequel which has been a major creative recovery. Sample one arc and decide.
Q.Who is stronger, Naruto or Sasuke?+
At the very end of the series, both are roughly equal - Naruto with Six Paths Sage Mode and Kurama, Sasuke with the Rinnegan and Indra's chakra. The Valley of the End final fight is intentionally written as a draw. moomz polls usually split 55-45 in Naruto's favour after Boruto-era developments, but the gap is small and the argument is forever.