Last updated: 1 November 2026
Naruto is a Japanese action anime by Studio Pierrot, adapted from Masashi Kishimoto's manga of the same name. The first series (2002–2007, 220 episodes) follows young Naruto Uzumaki, a lonely ninja with the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside him, as he trains with Team 7 and dreams of becoming Hokage; the sequel Naruto Shippuden (2007–2017, 500 episodes) finishes his story. People watch it for its heartfelt central rivalry, inventive jutsu battles and one complete, emotional underdog journey.
About Naruto
Naruto Uzumaki is a loud young ninja who dreams of becoming Hokage, the leader of his village, even though a dangerous fox spirit is sealed inside him. With his teammates Sasuke and Sakura he trains, fights and slowly earns everyone's respect. It is a classic coming-of-age action series. Created by Masashi Kishimoto and animated by Studio Pierrot, the Naruto anime became one of the most famous series in the world, running from 2002 to 2007 before continuing as Naruto Shippuden. Its mix of hand-to-hand combat, clever jutsu battles and raw emotion (loneliness, rivalry, forgiveness) made it a gateway anime for millions of fans. If you want to understand modern shonen, this is where much of it started. Its opening episodes are gentle, but the story's scale keeps growing, rival villages, legendary tailed beasts and a war that tests everything Naruto believes in.
Naruto is a TV anime from 2002, first released in Fall 2002. It belongs to the Action and Adventure genres and is listed as a completed series. The summary above is written by the AnimeYug team in our own words.
Official Trailer
Story & Plot
Naruto Uzumaki has been alone since birth. The Nine-Tailed Fox that once attacked the Hidden Leaf Village is sealed inside him, and the villagers who fear it shun the boy who carries it. Naruto's answer is pure stubbornness: he will become Hokage, the village's strongest ninja and leader, and make everyone acknowledge him.
Graduating near the bottom of his class, Naruto joins Team 7 with the brilliant, brooding Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, under the laid-back Kakashi Hatake. Missions beyond the village teach them the real cost of being a ninja, and when Sasuke's hunger for revenge grows, Naruto's promise to bring his friend home becomes the heart of a much bigger story.
The story's engine is the bond between Naruto and Sasuke, two boys carrying burdens other people placed on them, walking opposite roads out of the same pain. Around them, the series builds one of anime's richest ninja worlds: five great nations, legendary techniques passed between generations, and a long history of war that Naruto's generation must find a way to end without repeating it.
Story Arcs & Episode Guide
The Naruto anime is split into story sagas. Here is every saga in order, with its episodes and years.
| Arc | Episodes | Years | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land of Waves | Naruto 1–19 | 2002–2003 | Team 7's first real mission teaches Naruto what it means to protect someone |
| Chunin Exams | Naruto 20–67 | 2003–2004 | A tournament-style exam introduces Gaara, Rock Lee and the villain Orochimaru |
| Konoha Crush | Naruto 68–80 | 2004 | Orochimaru invades the Hidden Leaf during the exam finals |
| Search for Tsunade | Naruto 81–100 | 2004 | Naruto learns the Rasengan while Jiraiya searches for the next Hokage |
| Sasuke Recovery | Naruto 107–135 | 2004–2005 | Naruto's team chases the runaway Sasuke to a final clash at the Valley of the End |
| Kazekage Rescue | Shippuden 1–32 | 2007 | An older Naruto returns home and races to save Gaara from the Akatsuki |
| Akatsuki Suppression | Shippuden 72–88 | 2008 | Shikamaru's team faces Hidan and Kakuzu, the Akatsuki's near-immortal pair |
| Itachi Pursuit | Shippuden 113–143 | 2009–2010 | Sasuke hunts his brother Itachi while Jiraiya confronts the Akatsuki's leader |
| Pain's Assault | Shippuden 152–175 | 2010 | Pain destroys the Hidden Leaf, and Naruto answers with Sage Mode and mercy |
| Five Kage Summit | Shippuden 197–214 | 2011 | The five Kage meet to face the Akatsuki threat as Sasuke attacks the summit |
| Fourth Great Ninja War | Shippuden 215–479 | 2011–2016 | The allied shinobi forces unite against Obito, Madara and Kaguya in the final war |
Why Watch Naruto
- One complete story: 720 episodes across Naruto and Shippuden follow Naruto from outcast child to hero.
- Team 7's bond (Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi) drives one of anime's defining rivalries.
- Inventive jutsu battles where clever plans, teamwork and timing beat raw power.
- Villains shaped by real pain: Pain, Itachi and Obito all mirror Naruto's own loneliness.
- Based on one of the best-selling manga series ever, with over 250 million copies sold worldwide.
Who Is It For?
Naruto is rated TV-PG in the US, so it suits older children, teens and adults best. Expect frequent ninja battles, some blood, the deaths of loved characters and dark themes such as war, revenge and loss, with Shippuden growing more serious than the first series.
Main Characters
View all characters →
Voice Actors
The Japanese voices behind the main characters of Naruto.
- Naruto UzumakiTeam 7 ninja who dreams of becoming HokageJapanese voiceJunko Takeuchi
- Kakashi HatakeTeam 7's teacher, known as the Copy NinjaJapanese voiceKazuhiko Inoue
- Sasuke UchihaTeam 7 ninja driven by revenge against his brotherJapanese voiceNoriaki Sugiyama
- Sakura HarunoTeam 7 ninja; medical ninja trained by TsunadeJapanese voiceChie Nakamura
- Hinata HyugaShy Hyuga clan ninja of Team 8Japanese voiceNana Mizuki
- Shikamaru NaraTeam 10 strategist who fights with shadow techniquesJapanese voiceShowtaro Morikubo
- GaaraSand Village jinchuriki who becomes KazekageJapanese voiceAkira Ishida
- Rock LeeTeam Guy taijutsu specialist who cannot use ninjutsuJapanese voiceYoichi Masukawa
- Neji HyugaHyuga prodigy of Team GuyJapanese voiceKoichi Tochika
- JiraiyaLegendary Sannin and Naruto's mentorJapanese voiceHochu Otsuka
- TsunadeLegendary Sannin who becomes Fifth HokageJapanese voiceMasako Katsuki
- Itachi UchihaSasuke's older brother and Akatsuki memberJapanese voiceHideo Ishikawa
- OrochimaruLegendary Sannin turned rogue villainJapanese voiceKujira
- Obito UchihaMasked man leading the Akatsuki's war from the shadowsJapanese voiceWataru Takagi
- Madara UchihaLegendary Uchiha who co-founded the Hidden Leaf VillageJapanese voiceNaoya Uchida
Staff & Production
- Original Creator
- Masashi Kishimoto
- Animation Studio
- Studio Pierrot
- Director
- Hayato Date
- Series Composition
- Katsuyuki Sumisawa (Naruto episodes 1–135); Junki Takegami (Naruto episodes 136–220 and Shippuden)
- Music
- Toshio Masuda with Musashi Project (Naruto); Yasuharu Takanashi (Shippuden)
Manga & Source Material
Naruto began as a manga by Masashi Kishimoto. The anime adapts it in two parts that match the manga's own split: Naruto's pre-teen years, then his teenage years in Shippuden.
- Written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto
- Serialised in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump from 21 September 1999 to 10 November 2014
- 700 chapters collected in 72 volumes, Part I fills volumes 1–27, Part II volumes 28–72
- Over 250 million copies sold in 46 countries, making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time
- Grew from Kishimoto's 1997 Naruto one-shot manga, after his earlier one-shot Karakuri (1995)
- The story continues in Boruto, which follows Naruto's son
Music
The first series used 9 opening and 15 ending themes, and Shippuden added 20 openings and 40 endings: 29 openings and 55 endings in total. Toshio Masuda scored Naruto, blending traditional Japanese instruments with rock; Yasuharu Takanashi took over the score for Shippuden.
Opening Themes
- “R★O★C★K★S”by Hound DogThe very first Naruto opening (2002)
- “Haruka Kanata”by Asian Kung-Fu GenerationSecond Naruto opening, from the Chunin Exams era
- “GO!!!”by FLOWFourth Naruto opening
- “Yura Yura”by Hearts GrowFinal Naruto opening (2006)
- “Hero's Come Back!!”by nobodyknows+First Shippuden opening (2007)
- “Blue Bird”by IkimonogakariShippuden's third opening and one of its most loved themes
- “Sign”by FLOWShippuden opening from the Jiraiya and Itachi era
- “Silhouette”by KANA-BOONShippuden opening from the war era
- “Blood Circulator”by Asian Kung-Fu GenerationShippuden opening for the war's climax (2016)
- “Kara no Kokoro”by AnlyFinal Shippuden opening (2016–2017)
Ending Themes
- “Wind”by AkeboshiThe very first Naruto ending (2002)
- “Scenario”by SABOTENFinal Naruto ending (2006–2007)
- “Nagareboshi ~Shooting Star~”by HOME MADE KazokuFirst Shippuden ending (2007)
- “Absolutely”by SwimyFinal Shippuden ending (2017), the 40th ending theme
Series Timeline
- 1997
Kishimoto publishes the original Naruto one-shot manga, reworking its fox-boy hero into a ninja story.
- 1999
The Naruto manga begins in Weekly Shonen Jump on 21 September 1999.
- 2002
The Naruto TV anime, animated by Studio Pierrot, premieres on TV Tokyo on 3 October 2002.
- 2004
The first film, Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow, opens in Japanese cinemas.
- 2007
Naruto ends after 220 episodes on 8 February; Naruto Shippuden begins a week later, on 15 February.
- 2014
The manga ends on 10 November after 700 chapters, and The Last: Naruto the Movie opens in December.
- 2015
Boruto: Naruto the Movie introduces Naruto's son and the next generation.
- 2017
Shippuden ends on 23 March after 500 episodes; the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations anime begins on 5 April.
Quick Answers
Is Naruto finished?
Yes. Naruto has finished airing, so you can watch the complete story from start to end without waiting for new episodes.
What genre is Naruto?
Naruto is a Action and Adventure anime. You can browse more titles like it on our Action anime page.
When did Naruto release?
Naruto first released in Fall 2002. It is a TV series.
Should I watch Naruto or Naruto Shippuden first?
Start with Naruto (2002). It covers Naruto's childhood and Team 7's formation. Naruto Shippuden is the sequel series, set about two and a half years later, and it continues the same story to its conclusion.
How much filler does Naruto have?
The original Naruto series has a long stretch of filler episodes after its main story arc ends. Roughly the last third of the show. Many viewers watch up to around episode 135 and then move to Shippuden, returning later for any filler that sounds fun.
Is Naruto good for beginners?
Yes. Naruto is one of the classic starter anime. Its early episodes are simple and fun, the characters are easy to love, and the story grows more serious as you go.
Watch Order
Here is the release order for Naruto and the series connected to it. Start at step 1 and work your way down.
- 1NarutoTV series (2002–2007): this series; start here. 220 episodes covering Naruto's early ninja years.
- 2Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of SnowMovie (2004): optional standalone story from the original series era.
- 3Naruto the Movie 2: Legend of the Stone of GelelMovie (2005): optional standalone story from the original series era.
- 4Naruto the Movie 3: Guardians of the Crescent Moon KingdomMovie (2006): optional standalone story from the original series era.
- 5Naruto ShippudenTV series (2007–2017): the sequel, set about two and a half years later. 500 episodes that finish the main story.
- 6Naruto Shippuden the MovieMovie (2007): optional standalone Shippuden story.
- 7Naruto Shippuden the Movie: BondsMovie (2008): optional standalone Shippuden story.
- 8Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Will of FireMovie (2009): optional standalone Shippuden story.
- 9Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost TowerMovie (2010): optional standalone Shippuden story.
- 10Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Blood PrisonMovie (2011): optional standalone Shippuden story.
- 11Road to Ninja: Naruto the MovieMovie (2012): optional standalone story set in a dream world.
- 12The Last: Naruto the MovieMovie (2014): story-linked film set after the war; watch after Shippuden's war arc.
- 13Boruto: Naruto the MovieMovie (2015): introduces Naruto's son Boruto and the next generation.
- 14Boruto: Naruto Next GenerationsTV series (2017–2023): optional sequel following Boruto; its first part runs 293 episodes.
Where to Watch
Naruto is officially available to stream on these platforms:
Streaming availability changes often and differs by country. Please check the platform in your region.