How Many Seasons Does Naruto Have? Complete Season Breakdown

Few anime series have left an impression on global pop culture quite like Naruto. Created by Masashi Kishimoto and adapted by Studio Pierrot, the franchise ran for over a decade, producing one of the longest-running and most beloved anime series of all time. Whether you are a first-time viewer trying to figure out where to start, or a seasoned fan who wants a structured breakdown, this comprehensive guide covers how many seasons Naruto has, what happens in each one, and everything you need to know before diving in.

The Naruto anime is split into two major series: the original Naruto (Part 1) and Naruto: Shippuden (Part 2). Combined, these two series contain a staggering 720 episodes spread across 26 seasons (5 in Part 1, 21 in Part 2).

Complete Season Count at a Glance

Naruto (Part 1) — 5 Seasons

The original Naruto series aired from October 3, 2002 to February 8, 2007 on TV Tokyo in Japan. It was produced by Studio Pierrot and adapted the first 244 chapters of Kishimoto's manga. The series follows young Naruto Uzumaki, a ninja outcast from the Hidden Leaf Village (Konohagakure) who dreams of becoming Hokage — the strongest and most respected ninja in the village.

For home video and international distribution purposes, the original Naruto series was divided into 5 seasons, each covering a major story arc or collection of story arcs.

Season 1 — Enter Naruto

Episodes 1–52  ·  Arc: Introduction & Land of Waves

Season 1 introduces Naruto, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno as Team 7 under the guidance of Kakashi Hatake. The season covers the Introduction Arc (episodes 1–19), which establishes the world of ninjutsu, the Hidden Leaf Village, and Naruto's desire to become Hokage. It then moves into the beloved Land of Waves Arc (episodes 6–19), where Team 7 faces Zabuza Momochi and the tragic story of Haku — a fan-favourite arc that introduces themes of purpose, sacrifice, and the true nature of shinobi.

Season 2 — The Chunin Exams

Episodes 21–67  ·  Arc: Chunin Exams

Widely considered the peak of Part 1, Season 2 covers the iconic Chunin Exams Arc. Teams from all over the world compete in a rigorous series of tests designed to rank genin (rookie ninja) for promotion. This season introduces fan-favourite characters including Rock Lee, Gaara, Hinata, Neji, Shikamaru, Temari, and the terrifying Orochimaru. It culminates with Sasuke's battle against Gaara and the invasion of the Hidden Leaf, setting the tone for everything that follows.

Season 3 — Invasion of Konoha & Aftermath

Episodes 68–101  ·  Arc: Konoha Crush & Search for Tsunade

Season 3 picks up with the full scale invasion of Konoha during the climax of the Chunin Exams. This season features the Konoha Crush Arc and the death of the Third Hokage (Hiruzen Sarutobi). Naruto and Jiraiya then embark on the Search for Tsunade Arc, where Naruto learns the Rasengan and Tsunade is recruited as the Fifth Hokage. The arc also deepens the Orochimaru vs. Sanin rivalry, adding significant backstory and lore.

Season 4 — Sasuke Retrieval Arc

Episodes 107–135  ·  Arc: Sasuke Retrieval

Season 4 is dominated by the emotionally charged Sasuke Retrieval Arc, arguably the most important arc of Part 1. After Sasuke decides to defect to Orochimaru in search of power, Naruto and a squad including Shikamaru, Choji, Neji, Kiba, and Rock Lee pursue him. This arc delivers some of the most beloved fights in the entire series — Shikamaru vs. Tayuya, Choji vs. Jirobo, Neji vs. Kidomaru — before reaching its emotional climax at the Valley of the End.

Season 5 — Filler & Transition

Episodes 136–220  ·  Arc: Various Filler + Kakashi Gaiden

Season 5 is largely composed of filler episodes as the anime caught up to the manga. However, it also includes the important Kakashi Gaiden story (episodes 119–120), which explores Kakashi's past with Obito Uchiha, Rin, and Minato Namikaze. The season ends with episode 220, "Departure," setting the stage for the time skip and the beginning of Naruto Shippuden.

Naruto Shippuden — 21 Seasons

Naruto Shippuden premiered on February 15, 2007 and ran until March 23, 2017, concluding with 500 episodes across 21 seasons. Set two and a half years after the original series, Shippuden follows a significantly older and more powerful Naruto as he faces increasingly deadly threats — most notably the Akatsuki organization and the revelation of Madara Uchiha's grand plan for the world.

Shippuden is generally considered darker, more complex, and more emotionally resonant than Part 1. It contains some of the greatest animated fight sequences ever produced and tackles themes of war, genocide, loss, and the cycle of hatred.

Shippuden Seasons 1–2 — Kazekage Rescue & Tenchi Bridge

Episodes 1–53  ·  Arc: Kazekage Rescue & Tenchi Bridge Reconnaissance

Shippuden opens with Team 7 reforming to rescue Gaara, who has been captured by the Akatsuki. These early seasons reintroduce the cast as mature ninja and debut key Akatsuki members including Deidara, Sasori, and Itachi. Sakura and Chiyo's battle with Sasori is a standout of the series.

Shippuden

Seasons 3–5 — Hidan/Kakuzu & Itachi Pursuit

Episodes 54–112  ·  Arc: Immortals, Itachi Pursuit, Three-Tails Filler

These seasons introduce the Akatsuki's most disturbing duo — Hidan and Kakuzu — and deliver one of the series' most emotionally powerful arcs as Naruto's team faces lethal enemies. The season leads into the build-up of the Itachi Pursuit Arc, culminating in the long-awaited Sasuke vs. Itachi showdown and the devastating truth about the Uchiha Massacre.

Shippuden Seasons 6–7 — Pain's Assault Arc

Episodes 152–175  ·  Arc: Pain's Assault

Widely considered the greatest arc in the entire Naruto franchise, Pain's Assault Arc sees the Akatsuki's enigmatic leader invade and destroy Konoha. Naruto faces the Six Paths of Pain in a spectacular battle before confronting Pain's true identity, Nagato, and delivering one of the most celebrated speeches in anime history about breaking the cycle of hatred.

Shippuden Seasons 8–10 — Five Kage Summit & Road to War

Episodes 197–243  ·  Arc: Five Kage Summit, Paradise Life on a Boat (Filler)

The Five Kage Summit Arc raises the stakes to a global scale. Sasuke makes his boldest move yet by attacking the summit of the five most powerful ninja leaders, while the revelation of Madara Uchiha looming behind everything sends shockwaves through the story. The Fourth Shinobi World War is declared.

Shippuden Seasons 11–17 — Fourth Shinobi World War Arc

Episodes 243–395  ·  Arc: Shinobi World War (Countdown, Climax, Birth of Ten-Tails)

The single largest arc in the series spans multiple seasons and hundreds of episodes. Every major character is mobilized as the Allied Shinobi Forces battle an army of reanimated legends. This arc includes the return of legendary ninja, Naruto learning to harness the Nine-Tails' full power, the truth about Obito and Madara, and ultimately the emergence of Kaguya Otsutsuki as the final villain. It is epic in scope but also contains a significant volume of filler content.

Shippuden Seasons 18–21 — Epilogue, Naruto & Hinata, The Last

Episodes 395–500  ·  Arc: Birth of Naruto, Kaguya, Epilogue

The final seasons resolve the war, provide origin stories (most notably Minato and Kushina's backstory), and lead into the emotional finale of Shippuden. These episodes bridge the gap to The Last: Naruto the Movie, covering Naruto and Hinata's relationship and ending with the wedding episode that concludes the series on a deeply satisfying note.

Complete Story Arc Reference

Below is a full reference table of every major canonical arc across both series — a useful cheat sheet for navigating the franchise.

Filler Guide — What to Skip

One of the most common questions new viewers ask is how to handle the filler content in Naruto. Filler episodes are anime-original stories not adapted from the manga — they were added to prevent the anime from catching up to the source material. While some filler arcs are entertaining, many are considered a drag on the pacing of the main story.

Naruto (Part 1)~41% Filler — 91 filler episodes out of 220

Naruto Shippuden~40% Filler — ~203 filler episodes out of 500

Pro Tip: If you want to watch Naruto without filler, focus on episodes 1–105 of Part 1 (skipping episodes 26, 97, and filler blocks 136–219), then proceed directly into Shippuden, skipping known filler arcs. The core canonical story is roughly 300–350 episodes of content across both series.

The most prominent filler blocks in Naruto Shippuden include the Three-Tails Arc (eps 89–112), the Six-Tails Unleashed Arc (144–151), the Paradise Life on a Boat Arc (223–242), and the lengthy Twelve Guardian Ninja Arc (54–71). These can be safely skipped without impacting your understanding of the main story.

Beyond Shippuden — What Comes Next?

After Naruto Shippuden ends, the story continues through multiple avenues. The Last: Naruto the Movie (2014) tells the canonical love story of Naruto and Hinata, set two years after the war. Boruto: Naruto the Movie (2015) introduces the next generation.

The main sequel series, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, began airing in 2017 and follows Naruto's son Boruto Uzumaki. The series went on hiatus in 2023 and was rebooted as Boruto: Two Blue Vortex in manga form, with an anime adaptation announced. For those who finish Shippuden and want more, Boruto provides a bridge between the ninja world fans know and an entirely new chapter of the story.