The Pain Invasion Arc
[ranking: 1]
The Pain Invasion arc is considered one of the greatest parts of Naruto Shippuden. There are a few moments where the animation gets a little funky, but it contains some of the most important moments in series history.
This arc sees Pain and his lackeys invading Konoha, reveals the devastating tale of Kakashi's father's suicide, and shows Hinata confessing her love for Naruto and fighting on his behalf.
What's more, the titular protagonist really shines in this arc. Naruto is able to understand Pain's motivations and sympathize with him, even after all the damage he's done, but the hero still holds him accountable for his actions.
For the first time, the former outcast is hailed as a champion, making this one of the most emotionally satisfying arcs of all time.
The Fated Battle Between Brothers Arc
[ranking: 2]
The Fated Battle Between Brothers arc will make even the toughest, most hardened anime fans shed a tear. This arc, which depicts the final battle between Sasuke and Itachi, is utterly devastating.
At first, it seems like Sasuke is finally getting the revenge against his older brother he's been seeking since the beginning of the series. However, while Sasuke is ultimately able to kill Itachi, the victory feels hollow - especially after he finds out the terrible truth Itachi was hiding.
Itachi didn't want to slaughter every member of the Uchiha clan. He did it because a government official named Danzo offered him an opportunity. He could do the deed himself, saving his own life and the life of his beloved younger brother, or Root would kill the whole clan.
When Sasuke learns this, it's too late to reconcile with his once-beloved brother - Itachi is already dead. All Sasuke can do is direct his fury onto the corrupt government that put them in this situation.
The Tale Of Jiraiya The Gallant
[ranking: 3]
Aside from having an amazing name, the Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant is also one of the more touching arcs in the series. Prior to this arc, Jiraiya wasn't a very well-developed character. His primary attribute was being a pervert - a controversial trait that appeals to some viewers, but not others.
This arc turns him into a finely developed, memorable character by further developing his mentor relationship with Naruto and taking a deep dive into his past. It depicts the time he raised three orphans for months on end, training them to defend themselves in a war zone before returning home to Konoha.
The arc shows both his kindness and the consequences of not doing enough. Jiraiya eventually has to leave those orphans, and their subsequent suffering turns them into enemies of Konoha in a later arc. Furthermore, this arc includes Jiraiya's death; not a happy moment, but one of the most emotionally wrenching ones.
The Chunin Exams Arc
[ranking: 4]
The Chunin Exams arc is one of the most well-regarded arcs in all of Naruto. During this arc, each of Naruto's former classmates gets to show off the skills they acquired as genin, facing off against one another in battles that range from funny to brutal.
Naruto wins his fight against Kiba with a well-timed fart, but Neji nearly kills his cousin Hinata. It's a great arc with just the right amount of tension, balanced with an ample dose of laughs.
The Akatsuki Suppression Mission
[ranking: 5]
The Akatsuki Suppression Mission arc focuses on two members of the Akatsuki, Hidan and Kakuzu, and the fight to defeat them. When Team 10 attempts to take them out, Asuma ends up dying in the process. While this doesn't come as a total shock thanks to the episode's spoilerific title, "Asuma Dies," it still packs a punch.
In what follows, Asuma's loved ones mourn his death, and Team 10 fights to get revenge. Using a plan designed by Shikamaru, the three ninja track down Hidan and brutally murder him for what he did to their teacher. It's one of the most cathartic moments in the series.
The Land Of Waves Arc
[ranking: 6]
The Land of Waves arc details Team 7's first mission of any real consequence. They're hired to escort a worker to his bridge-building job, but as it turns out, there's a lot more to the job than Team 7 thought.
These inexperienced ninja end up caught in a conflict between a mob boss trying to take over a village, and those who oppose him. Team 7 ends up fighting Zabuza and Haku, not because they're truly evil, but because they happen to be on the opposite side of a conflict.
This arc shows viewers exactly how politically messy things are going to get in Naruto. It's not always easy to determine who in the show is right and who is wrong. It also features two of the most painful deaths in the series: Zabuza and Haku both go down just before they're able to resolve their interpersonal problems.
Kakashi Gaiden
[ranking: 7]
Kakashi Gaiden is the arc where viewers get to learn what Kakashi meant when he told Sasuke everyone he cared about had already died.
In this arc, Kakashi's teammate Obito is crushed under a rock and gives Kakashi his sharingan eye under the assumption he'll soon be dead. However, Obito ends up being rescued and nursed back to health by his ancestor Madara, who uses the opportunity to try to recruit him to his cause, which involves destroying and resetting humanity.
Madara succeeds in the cruelest way possible - he forces Obito to helplessly watch as Kakashi kills Rin, Obito's former teammate and first love. Seeing an ancient villain manipulate a little boy and indirectly murder a little girl is harrowing, but it sheds light on the villain's motivations, the brutality of the anime's world, and Kakashi's tragic personal history.
The Sasuke Recovery Mission
[ranking: 8]
Throughout the series, one of Naruto's driving forces is his desire to rescue Sasuke Uchiha from himself. The Sasuke Recovery Mission arc is where that motive first develops.
Before Sasuke left Konoha, Naruto viewed him as a rival, though also as a friend. In this arc, Sasuke agrees to receive training from Orochimaru, who offers assistance assuming he'll eventually kill Sasuke and transfer his own consciousness into the boy's body.
Naruto and his fellow ninja attempt to bring Sasuke back to the village, but utterly fail at doing so. Not only is this failure emotionally devastating, it also proves this is a show where the heroes don't always succeed.
The Five Kage Summit Arc
[ranking: 9]
The best part of the Five Kage Summit arc is the moment when Sasuke defeats Danzo. His battle with Itachi is emotionally resonant, but it's not the revenge he's seeking, as Itachi is as much a victim of their family's demise as Sasuke.
Danzo is the one who's actually responsible for forcing Itachi to slaughter the Uchiha clan. He claims he did so for the safety of the village, but he really just wanted power for himself. Watching Sasuke destroy the man who embedded the Uchiha clan's eyeballs in his arm is supremely satisfying.
The arc also offers other cool moments, such as getting to see the Kages from different nations in action, the initial declaration of the Fourth Shinobi War, and some truly epic battles with interesting matchups like Killer B vs. Kisame.
The Birth Of The Ten-Tails' Jinchuriki Arc
[ranking: 10]
The Birth of the Ten-Tails' Jinchuriki arc is a messy, chaotic fight scene where the Fourth Shinobi World War is at its most dramatic. Obito is defeated, Naruto and Sasuke combine their incredible powers to launch a massive attack, and Gai goes toe-to-toe with Madara in one of the most unexpectedly epic fights in the series.
It seems like all hope of the protagonists escaping the war alive is lost when Madara activates the Infinite Tsukuyomi, creating some of the most intense action Naruto has ever seen.
The Kaguya Otsutsuki Strikes Arc
[ranking: 11]
The final arc in Naruto Shippuden is undeniably epic, if only for depicting the end of the series. While the alien princess Kaguya was a less compellingly threatening ultimate villain than Madara, this mild disappointment is more than made up for with the final battle between Naruto and Sasuke.
The two rivals push themselves to their absolute limits as they try to impress their personal ideals onto one other, draining themselves of the ability to perform any jutsu and eventually resorting to a bar-fight-style brawl.
Though the fight damages both opponents physically, it leads to a level of mutual understanding and respect never previously seen. The rest of the arc wraps up loose ends with memorial services, medical treatment, and political decisions.
Kakashi's Anbu Arc: The Shinobi That Lives In The Darkness
[ranking: 12]
Kakashi's Anbu arc may be filler, but it answers several questions the original manga does not. It goes into detail about Kakashi, Yamato, and Itachi's time in Anbu. This provides insight into the inner workings of Anbu and also into each character's past.
Viewers learn Yamato, who is a largely mysterious figure, was once a member of Root and Kakashi's enemy. It also digs into how the city handled the Uchiha massacre after it happened and reveals Itachi had been allowed to periodically come back and check on his brother in secret.
The Search For Tsunade Arc
[ranking: 13]
The Search for Tsunade arc is exactly what it says on the tin - a new Hokage is required, so Naruto and Jiraiya are tasked with tracking down Tsunade, the best candidate for the job. This arc sees Naruto's first experiences training under Jiraiya, as well as a spectacular face-off between the Legendary Sannin.
It also introduces the Akatsuki, an organization that has connections to nearly all the serious threats that appear in the anime. Seeing Itachi interact with Sasuke for the first time is painful and makes it easier to sympathize with Sasuke's desire to destroy his brother. Upon a rewatch, it's heartbreaking to see Itachi put on an act of cruelty when all he wants is to protect his brother.
Sarada Gaiden Arc
[ranking: 14]
Boruto hasn't done as well as its predecessors, but it's still worth watching. The sequel boasts some pretty incredible arcs, and one of the best arcs so far is the Sarada Gaiden arc.
There are two really great things about this arc. First, viewers get to see Team 7 working together for the first time since Shippuden. One problem with Boruto is its focus is on new characters, rather than the heroes fans already know and love, so this is a breath of fresh air. The second great thing is getting to see how Sasuke behaves around his daughter.
It's wonderful to watch Naruto try to be a parent even though he's often too busy to give his children his full attention and never really had parents himself. Watching Sasuke - whose family was brutally murdered when he was 8 - utterly fail at showing affection to his child is depressing, but it's also startlingly realistic.
New Random Display Show all by ranking(15 items)