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Naruto Filler List

Last updated: - Reviewed by: Anime Filler List Editorial Team

Naruto banner
Filler percentage (High)
41%
Total episodes
220
Watch time saved by skipping filler
35h

The original Naruto anime runs 220 episodes, and roughly 41% of them — about 90 episodes — are filler that doesn't advance the manga storyline. This guide gives you the complete Naruto filler list with every episode marked clearly as canon or filler, plus a quick "skip or watch" verdict so you can breeze through the series without missing anything that matters or wasting time on episodes that don't.

Quick answer: Naruto filler at a glance

If you only want the canon story, here's the short version:

Canon arcs you should watch:

  • Episodes 1–19, 20–67, 68–80, 81–100, 107–135, and 220.

Skip these filler runs:

  • Episode 26, 97, 99, 101–106, 136–140, and the long filler stretch from 143–219 (with a handful of exceptions noted below).

Skipping every filler still leaves the entire core story intact — about 130 canon episodes.

How much of Naruto is filler?

Out of 220 total episodes, around 90 are filler — roughly 41% of the series. The first half of Naruto sticks closely to Masashi Kishimoto's manga, with filler only becoming heavy after about episode 100. From there, long filler arcs stack up while the studio waited for the manga to build a lead. That's why the back third of the series (episodes 143–219) is almost entirely original, non-canon material.

Full Naruto filler list (every episode)

Episodes are marked Canon (follows the manga — watch) or Filler (original, skippable). Any episode containing canon story is listed as Canon, since you shouldn't skip it.

Arc 1: Prologue — Land of Waves

1 Manga Canon Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!
2 Manga Canon My Name is Konohamaru!
3 Manga Canon Sasuke and Sakura: Friends or Foes?
4 Manga Canon Pass or Fail: Survival Test
5 Manga Canon You Failed! Kakashi's Final Decision

Arc 2: Land of Waves

6 Manga Canon A Dangerous Mission! Journey to the Land of Waves!
7 Mixed Can/Fil The Assassin of the Mist!
8 Manga Canon The Oath of Pain
9 Mixed Can/Fil Kakashi: Sharingan Warrior
10 Manga Canon The Forest of Chakra
11 Manga Canon The Land Where a Hero Once Lived
12 Manga Canon Battle on the Bridge! Zabuza Returns!!
13 Manga Canon Haku's Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors
14 Mixed Can/Fil The Number One Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja Joins the Fight!!
15 Mixed Can/Fil Zero Visibility: The Sharingan Shatters
16 Mixed Can/Fil The Broken Seal
17 Manga Canon White Past: Hidden Ambition
18 Mixed Can/Fil The Weapons Known as Shinobi
19 Mixed Can/Fil The Demon in the Snow

Arc 3: Chūnin Exams

20 Mixed Can/Fil A New Chapter Begins: The Chunin Exam!
21 Mixed Can/Fil Identify Yourself: Powerful New Rivals
22 Manga Canon Chunin Challenge: Rock Lee vs. Sasuke!
23 Mixed Can/Fil Genin Takedown! All Nine Rookies Face Off!
24 Mixed Can/Fil Start Your Engines: The Chunin Exam Begins!
25 Manga Canon The Tenth Question: All or Nothing!

Special Report: Live from the Forest of Death

26 Filler Special Report: Live from the Forest of Death!

Arc 3: Chūnin Exams

27 Mixed Can/Fil The Chunin Exam Stage 2: The Forest of Death
28 Mixed Can/Fil Eat or be Eaten: Panic in the Forest
29 Mixed Can/Fil Naruto's Counterattack: Never Give In!
30 Mixed Can/Fil The Sharingan Revived: Dragon-Flame Jutsu!
31 Manga Canon Bushy Brow's Pledge: Undying Love and Protection!
32 Manga Canon Sakura Blossoms!
33 Manga Canon Battle Formation: Ino-Shika-Cho!
34 Manga Canon Akamaru Trembles: Gaara's Cruel Strength!
35 Manga Canon The Scroll's Secret: No Peeking Allowed
36 Manga Canon Clone vs. Clone: Mine are Better than Yours!
37 Mixed Can/Fil Surviving the Cut! The Rookie Nine Together Again!
38 Mixed Can/Fil Narrowing the Field: Sudden Death Elimination!
39 Mixed Can/Fil Bushy Brow's Jealousy: Lions Barrage Unleashed!
40 Mixed Can/Fil Kakashi and Orochimaru: Face-to-Face!
41 Mixed Can/Fil Kunoichi Rumble: The Rivals Get Serious!
42 Manga Canon The Ultimate Battle: Cha!
43 Mixed Can/Fil Killer Kunoichi and a Shaky Shikamaru
44 Mixed Can/Fil Akamaru Unleashed! Who's Top Dog Now?
45 Mixed Can/Fil Surprise Attack! Naruto's Secret Weapon!
46 Mixed Can/Fil Byakugan Battle: Hinata Grows Bold!
47 Mixed Can/Fil A Failure Stands Tall!
48 Manga Canon Gaara vs. Rock Lee: The Power of Youth Explodes!
49 Mixed Can/Fil Lee's Hidden Strength: Forbidden Secret Jutsu!
50 Manga Canon The Fifth Gate: A Splendid Ninja is Born
51 Manga Canon A Shadow in Darkness: Danger Approaches Sasuke
52 Mixed Can/Fil Ebisu Returns: Naruto's Toughest Training Yet!
53 Mixed Can/Fil Long Time No See: Jiraiya Returns!
54 Mixed Can/Fil The Summoning Jutsu: Wisdom of the Toad Sage!
55 Mixed Can/Fil A Feeling of Yearning, A Flower Full of Hope
56 Mixed Can/Fil Live or Die: Risk it All to Win it All!
57 Mixed Can/Fil He Flies! He Jumps! He Lurks! Chief Toad Appears!
58 Mixed Can/Fil Hospital Besieged: The Evil Hand Revealed!
59 Mixed Can/Fil The Final Rounds: Rush to the Battle Arena!
60 Mixed Can/Fil Byakugan vs. Shadow Clone
61 Manga Canon Ultimate Defense: Zero Blind Spot!
62 Manga Canon A Failure's True Power
63 Mixed Can/Fil Hit it or Quit it: The Final Rounds Get Complicated!
64 Manga Canon Zero Motivation: The Guy with Cloud Envy!
65 Manga Canon Dancing Leaf, Squirming Sand
66 Mixed Can/Fil Bushy Brow's Jutsu: Sasuke Style!
67 Manga Canon Late for the Show, But Ready to Go! The Ultimate Secret Technique is Born!

Arc 4: Sand-Sound Invasion

68 Manga Canon Zero Hour! The Destruction of the Hidden Leaf Village Begins!
69 Mixed Can/Fil Village in Distress: A New A-Ranked Mission!
70 Mixed Can/Fil A Shirker's Call to Action: A Layabout No More!
71 Mixed Can/Fil An Unrivaled Match: Hokage Battle Royale!
72 Mixed Can/Fil A Mistake from the Past: A Face Revealed!
73 Manga Canon Forbidden Secret Technique: Reaper Death Seal!
74 Mixed Can/Fil Astonishing Truth! Gaara's Identity Emerges!
75 Manga Canon Sasuke's Decision: Pushed to the Edge!
76 Manga Canon Assassin of the Moonlit Night
77 Manga Canon Light vs. Dark: The Two Faces of Gaara
78 Manga Canon Naruto's Ninja Handbook
79 Manga Canon Beyond the Limit of Darkness and Light
80 Manga Canon The Third Hokage, Forever...

Arc 5: Search for Tsunade

81 Manga Canon Return of the Morning Mist
82 Manga Canon Eye to Eye: Sharingan vs. Sharingan!
83 Mixed Can/Fil Jiraiya: Naruto's Potential Disaster!
84 Manga Canon Roar, Chidori! Brother vs. Brother!
85 Manga Canon Hate Among the Uchihas: The Last of the Clan!
86 Manga Canon A New Training Begins: I Will Be Strong!
87 Manga Canon Keep on Training: Pop Goes the Water Balloon!
88 Manga Canon Focal Point: The Mark of the Leaf
89 Manga Canon An Impossible Choice: The Pain Within Tsunade's Heart
90 Manga Canon Unforgivable! A Total Lack of Respect!
91 Manga Canon Inheritence! The Necklace of Death!
92 Manga Canon A Dubious Offer! Tsunade's Choice!
93 Manga Canon Breakdown! The Deal is Off!
94 Manga Canon Attack! Fury of the Rasengan!
95 Manga Canon The Fifth Hokage! A Life on the Line!
96 Manga Canon Deadlock! Sannin Showdown!

Kidnapped! Naruto's Hot Spring Adventure

97 Filler Kidnapped! Naruto's Hot Spring Adventure!

Arc 5: Search for Tsunade

98 Mixed Can/Fil Tsunade's Warning: Ninja No More!
99 Mixed Can/Fil The Will of Fire Still Burns!
100 Mixed Can/Fil Sensei and Student: The Bond of the Shinobi

Gotta See! Gotta Know! Kakashi-Sensei's True Face

101 Filler Gotta See! Gotta Know! Kakashi-Sensei's True Face!

Land of Tea Escort Mission

102 Filler Mission: Help an Old Friend in the Land of Tea
103 Filler The Race is on! Trouble on the High Seas!
104 Filler Run Idate Run! Nagi Island Awaits!
105 Filler A Fierce Battle of Rolling Thunder!
106 Filler The Last Leg: A Final Act of Desperation

Arc 6: Sasuke

107 Manga Canon The Battle Begins: Naruto vs. Sasuke
108 Manga Canon Bitter Rivals and Broken Bonds
109 Manga Canon An Invitation from the Sound
110 Manga Canon Formation! The Sasuke Retrieval Squad
111 Manga Canon Sound vs. Leaf
112 Mixed Can/Fil Squad Mutiny: Everything Falls Apart!
113 Mixed Can/Fil Full Throttle Power! Choji, Ablaze!
114 Mixed Can/Fil Good-bye Old Friend...! I'll Always Believe in You!
115 Manga Canon Your Opponent Is Me!
116 Manga Canon 360 Degrees of Vision: The Byakugan's Blind Spot
117 Manga Canon Losing is Not an Option!
118 Manga Canon The Vessel Arrives Too Late
119 Manga Canon Miscalculation: A New Enemy Appears!
120 Manga Canon Roar and Howl! The Ultimate Tag Team
121 Manga Canon To Each His Own Battle
122 Manga Canon Fakeout: Shikamaru's Comeback!
123 Manga Canon The Leaf's Handsome Devil!
124 Manga Canon The Beast Within
125 Manga Canon The Sand Shinobi: Allies of the Leaf
126 Mixed Can/Fil Showdown: Gaara vs. Kimimaro!
127 Mixed Can/Fil Vengeful Strike! The Bracken Dance
128 Manga Canon A Cry on Deaf Ears
129 Manga Canon Brothers: Distance Among the Uchiha
130 Mixed Can/Fil Father and Son, the Broken Crest
131 Mixed Can/Fil The Secrets of the Mangekyo Sharingan!
132 Manga Canon For a Friend
133 Manga Canon A Plea From a Friend
134 Manga Canon The End of Tears
135 Manga Canon The Promise That Could Not Be Kept

Land of Rice Fields Investigation Mission

136 Filler Deep Cover!? A Super S-Ranked Mission!
137 Filler A Town of Outlaws, the Shadow of the Fuma Clan
138 Filler Pure Betrayal, and a Fleeting Plea!
139 Filler Pure Terror! The House of Orochimaru
140 Filler Two Heartbeats: Kabuto's Trap
141 Mixed Can/Fil Sakura's Determination

Mizuki Tracking Mission

142 Mixed Can/Fil The Three Villains from the Maximum Security Prison

Genin Team Shuffle

143 Filler Tonton! I'm Counting on You!
144 Filler A New Squad! Two People and a Dog?!
145 Filler A New Formation: Ino-Shika-Cho!
146 Filler Orochimaru's Shadow
147 Filler A Clash of Fate: You Can't Bring Me Down

Bikōchū Search Mission

148 Filler Search for the Rare Bikochu Beetle
149 Filler What's the Difference? Don't All Insects Look Alike?
150 Filler A Battle of Bugs: The Deceivers and the Deceived
151 Filler Blaze Away Byakugan: This Is My Ninja Way

Kurosuki Family Removal Mission

152 Filler Funeral March for the Living
153 Filler A Lesson Learned: The Iron Fist of Love
154 Filler The Enemy of the Byakugan
155 Filler The Dark Creeping Clouds
156 Filler Raiga's Counterattack
157 Filler Run! The Curry of Life

Follow My Lead! The Great Survival Challenge

158 Filler Follow My Lead! The Great Survival Challenge

Gosunkugi Capture Mission

159 Filler Bounty Hunter from the Wilderness
160 Filler Hunt or Be Hunted?! Showdown at the O.K. Temple!

The Appearance of Strange Visitors

161 Filler The Appearance of Strange Visitors

Cursed Warrior Extermination

162 Filler The Cursed Warrior
163 Filler The Tactician's Intent
164 Filler Too Late for Help
165 Filler The Death of Naruto
166 Filler When Time Stands Still
167 Filler When Egrets Flap Their Wings

Mix It, Stretch It, Boil It Up! Burn, Copper Pot, Burn!

168 Filler Mix It, Stretch It, Boil It Up! Burn, Copper Pot, Burn!

Kaima Capture Mission

169 Filler Remembrance: The Lost Page
170 Filler The Closed Door
171 Filler Infiltration: The Set-Up!
172 Filler Despair: A Fractured Heart
173 Filler The Battle at Sea: The Power Unleashed!

Celebrity Ninja Art — Money Style Jutsu

174 Filler Impossible! Celebrity Ninja Art - Money Style Jutsu!

Buried Gold Excavation Mission

175 Filler The Treasure Hunt is On!
176 Filler Run, Dodge, Zigzag! Chase or Be Chased!

Please, Mr. Postman!

177 Filler Please, Mr. Postman!

Star Guard Mission

178 Filler Encounter! The Boy with a Star's Name
179 Filler The Remembered Lullaby
180 Filler Hidden Jutsu: The Price of The Ninja Art: Kujaku
181 Filler Hoshikage, The Buried Truth
182 Filler Reunion, The Remaining time
183 Filler The Star's Radiance

Standalone Side Stories

184 Filler Kiba's Long Day!
185 Filler A Legend from the Hidden Leaf: The Onbaa!
186 Filler Laughing Shino

Peddlers Escort Mission

187 Filler Open for Business! The Leaf Moving Service
188 Filler Mystery of the Targeted Merchants
189 Filler A Limitless Supply of Ninja Tools
190 Filler The Byakugan Sees the Blind Spot
191 Filler Forecast: Death! Cloudy with Chance of Sun

Standalone Interludes

192 Filler Ino Screams! Chubby Paradise!
193 Filler Viva Dojo Challenge! Youth Is All About Passion!
194 Filler The Mysterious Curse of the Haunted Castle

The Third Super-Beast

195 Filler The Third Super-Beast!
196 Filler Hot-Blooded Confrontation: Student vs. Sensei

Hidden Leaf Village Plans Recapture

197 Filler Crisis! The Hidden Leaf 11 Gather!
198 Filler The ANBU Gives Up? Naruto's Recollection
199 Filler The Missed Target
200 Filler The Powerful Helper
201 Filler Multiple Traps! Countdown to Destruction

The Top 5 Ninja Battles

202 Filler The Top 5 Ninja Battles

Yakumo

203 Filler Kurenai's Decision, Squad 8 Left Behind
204 Filler Yakumo's Sealed Ability
205 Filler Kurenai's Top-Secret Mission: The Promise With the Third Hokage
206 Filler Genjutsu or Reality?
207 Filler The Supposed Sealed Ability

The Weight of the Prized Artifact

208 Filler The Weight of the Prized Artifact!

Gantetsu Escort Mission

209 Filler The Enemy: Ninja Dropouts
210 Filler The Bewildering Forest
211 Filler Memory of Flames
212 Filler To Each His Own Path

Menma Memory Search Mission

213 Filler Vanished Memories
214 Filler Bringing Back Reality
215 Filler A Past to Be Erased

Sunagakure Support Mission

216 Filler The Targeted Shukaku
217 Filler Sand Alliance with the Leaf Shinobi
218 Filler The Counterattack!
219 Filler The Ultimate Weapon Reborn

Departure

220 Mixed Can/Fil Departure

Naruto filler arcs (grouped)

Most of the filler lives in self-contained arcs. Here they are grouped, with a skip-or-watch verdict.

  • Special Report: Live from the Forest of Death

    4.3

    Skip — recap only.

  • Kidnapped! Naruto's Hot Spring Adventure

    6.1

    Skip.

  • Land of Tea Escort Mission

    6.7

    Skip.

  • Land of Rice Fields Investigation Mission

    6.6

    Safe to skip.

  • Genin Team Shuffle

    6.2

    Safe to skip.

Which Naruto fillers are worth watching?

You can skip all of them without losing the plot, but a few are genuinely fun:

  • Team 7 schemes to see under Kakashi's mask. Pure comedy, fan favorite.
  • Silly, harmless, and a good laugh.
  • Worth it if Shino is a favorite; you see a rare side of him.
  • Guy and Rock Lee in the spotlight.
  • The final arc — catches up with nearly everyone right before Shippuden.

Canon-only watch order

If you want the cleanest run with zero filler, watch these arcs in order:

  1. Prologue — Land of Waves:
  2. Chunin Exams:
  3. Konoha Crush:
  4. Search for Tsunade:
  5. Sasuke Recovery Mission:
  6. Sunagakure Support (lead-in to Shippuden):

That's the complete canon story in about 130 episodes. When you're done, continue straight into Naruto: Shippuden.

Where to watch Naruto

All 220 episodes of the original Naruto are available to stream on Crunchyroll and Hulu, with both subbed and dubbed options. A selection is also on Netflix in some regions.

Frequently asked questions

How many filler episodes are in Naruto?
There are about 90 filler episodes out of 220 total — roughly 41% of the series. The exact count varies slightly depending on whether you count mixed canon/filler episodes.
Can I skip every Naruto filler?
Yes. Skipping all filler leaves the entire canon storyline intact. You'll still follow Naruto's full journey through the Land of Waves, Chunin Exams, Konoha Crush, Search for Tsunade, and the Sasuke Recovery Mission.
When does Naruto filler start?
Filler is light for the first half. The first major filler episode is 26 (a recap), with the heavy, continuous filler beginning around episode 136 and running to 219.
Which Naruto fillers are worth watching?
Episode 101 (Kakashi's face), episode 161 (fake Guy and Lee), the Third Great Beast arc (195–196), and the final Sunagakure Support Mission (216–219) are the most-recommended.
How long is Naruto without filler?
Roughly 130 canon episodes — a little under two-thirds of the series.
Are "mixed" episodes safe to skip?
No. If an episode contains any canon story, it's listed here as Canon and you should watch it — even if part of it is filler. The skip list only includes episodes that are 100% filler.
What's the difference between Naruto and Naruto Shippuden filler?
The original Naruto (2002–2007) has about 90 filler episodes across 220. Naruto: Shippuden (2007–2017) has around 200 filler episodes across 500. See our Naruto Shippuden filler list for that full breakdown.