All The Anime Episodes You Can Skip

This post contains spoilers for “Naruto.”

The tale of Naruto Uzumaki is a special one. Almost every Hayato Date-helmed “Naruto” episode etches out an essential aspect of the titular teen troublemaker’s life while laying the groundwork for the impressive worldbuilding that “Naruto: Shippuden” would later flesh out. The sheer breadth of “Naruto” — which only constitutes Part I of the overarching arc — spans over 220 episodes, mimicking the hero’s journey that is quintessentially rife with growing pains, the power of friendship, and the increasingly troubling realization that the Shinobi World is a bleak, ruthless space where only the most powerful emerge victorious. However, the reason “Naruto” is so deeply loved is its tendency to balance out its darker aspects with lighthearted slice-of-life adventures, leading to a mix of episodes categorized as canon and filler (where, oftentimes, the two intermingle).

The term “filler” can evoke complicated and diverging reactions, as some view filler episodes as completely skippable as they do not directly impact canon arcs or inform the core narrative as a whole. However, most of the filler episodes in the “Naruto” anime series are immensely enjoyable, introducing a sense of pleasant whimsy to the lives of the children forced to adopt the mantle of shinobi, where even the most stoic adults are allowed to unwind and reveal essential aspects of their motivations. This begs the question: are filler episodes mere distractions, or are they integral to this particular shonen experience that underlines the freedom and innocence inherent in childhood, despite the horrors? Well, the answer purely rests on the discretion of the viewer. While some filler episodes can be skipped to simulate a more compact viewing experience, others surely add to the series’ expansive world, at least when you’re watching it for the first time.

With that said, here’s a list of “Naruto” filler episodes that you can skip if you wish to, but are more than welcome to indulge in, depending on whether the quality and depth of the arcs appeal to you. I’ll be sticking to Part I, as “Shippuden” is a vastly distinct chunk of the Naruto Uzumaki saga, and I recommend not skipping the mixed filler-canon entries in Part I as they’re worth experiencing in their entirety.

First off, let’s list the episodes that are considered filler, i.e. ones that were not penned by mangaka Masashi Kishimoto and created solely to provide some breathing space between the adaptation and the source material (as the latter was still in the process of being made). To prevent the anime from getting ahead of Kishimoto’s manga, and to ensure that the series maintained a steady schedule, these episodes mostly explored whimsical tidbits about characters. They’re arcs that can be viewed as side-quests, or anything that can be considered a creative breather from a primary arc, including:

Episode 26

“Special Report: Live from the Forest of Death!”

Episode 97

“Kidnapped! Naruto’s Hot Spring Adventure!”

Episodes 101-106

Episodes 136-141

Land Of Rice Fields Investigation Mission Arc

Episodes 142-219

• Mizuki Tracking Mission Arc

• Bikochu Search Mission Arc

• Kurosuki Family Removal Mission Arc

• Gosunkugi Capture Mission Arc

• Cursed Warrior Extermination Mission Arc

• Kaima Capture Mission Arc

• Daimyo Heir Escort Mission (One-Off)

• Buried Gold Excavation Mission Arc

• Stopping The Courier Ninja (One-Off)

• Star Guard Mission Arc

• “Kiba’s Long Day!”

• “A Legend from the Hidden Leaf: The Onbaa!”

• “Laughing Shino”

• Peddlers Escort Mission Arc

• Ino’s Princess Disguise Mission (One-Off)

• Rock Lee’s Dojo Challenge (One-Off)

• Daimyo’s Wife Search Mission (One-Off)

• Third Great Beast Arc

• Konoha Plans Recapture Mission Arc

• Standout Battles During The Sasuke Recovery Mission (Recap)

• Yakumo Kurama Rescue Mission Arc

• Prized Artifact Escort Mission (One-Off)

• Gantetsu Escort Mission Arc

• Menma Memory Search Mission Arc

• Sunagakure Support Mission Arc

Now that we have a list, let us dive deeper into these filler standalone episodes and arcs, so as to better comprehend what they entail — and what makes many of them unskippable.

Season 1 of “Naruto” only features one strictly filler episode in the form of “Special Report: Live from the Forest of Death!” — an installment that quickly brings us up to speed on the aftermath of the written assignment of the Chūnin Selection Exams. Now, the Chūnin arc is foundational to Naruto’s growth as a shinobi, along with that of his classmates, as it provides the opportunity for a rank-up for genin after a string of extensive and, frankly, dangerous trials. This bi-annual tradition paves the path for the other shinobi villages to flex their most promising talent, putting the Kakashi Hatake-helmed Team 7 — comprising Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura — in a precarious position amid ambush attacks from antagonistic parties. There isn’t much to this episode, though; it’s mostly a recap where Konohamaru conducts a sneak interview before the second test in the Forest of Death.

Let’s move on to season 2, where the stakes are noticeably higher, with the advent of Orochimaru and the death of a beloved character, which leads to a power vacuum eventually filled by Lady Tsunade. The Tsunade filler episode is a classic breather entry, where she suggests that the group take a day off at the hot springs, and the remainder is just an exploration of the current Hokage’s (supposed) accumulating debt, meant to offer pure comedic relief. Now, for season 3, I recommend not skipping “Gotta See! Gotta Know! Kakashi-Sensei’s True Face!” for obvious reasons: the trio attempts to unmask their sensei, Kakashi, who evades their shenanigans in increasingly hilarious ways. The Moya Triad is introduced to make way for a revenge subplot, and Kakashi’s eventual “unmasking” is something to look out for.

As for the mission arcs, the Rice Fields Investigation emerges as the stronger one, as Jiraya accompanies Naruto and Sakura on a mission to gather information on Orochimaru, and by extension, Sasuke. Although nothing too unmissable happens, we are given key context for Orochimaru’s motivations and the inner workings of a perfect “host” that Sasuke is meant to embody, while the episode lays the groundwork for Naruto’s eventual one-on-one fight with Sasuke.

By this point, the line between pure canon and mixed canon starts to blur, as integral events are often amalgamated between arcs that are loosely important to our understanding of the core timeline. However, the best way to go about the final seasons is to watch every episode that piques your interest, as some of the secondary or tertiary characters experience their defining moments here, or a seemingly innocuous arc connects back to the main story in unexpected ways. For instance, the Bikochu Search Mission episodes might feel a bit silly, but they’re also where Naruto gives into rage and starts drawing from his tailed beast chakra, before everyone is saved by Hinata’s technique, allowing her to shine (and express her admiration towards a bamboozled Naruto).

Similarly, the Cursed Warrior Extermination Mission episodes provide us with a glimpse into the Land of Birds and edge the series towards darker elements, such as when Naruto, Neji, and Tenten face a formidable opponent who melts himself to death to evade capture. These episodes also test Naruto’s mettle, throwing curveballs at him that demand much more than physical strength and allowing him to defeat the cunning Hōki. Yet another unmissable string of episodes make up the Third Great Beast and the Konoha Plans Recapture Mission arcs, which present us with integral worldbuilding via the nitty-gritties of Konoha that eclipse the struggles of our protagonist, and the primary characters we follow.

Episodes 209-219 are also worth watching — I would classify them as essential — as they provide a solid bridge to Part II, which is where the children grow up and walk into the heart of war. The overwhelming cheerfulness and lighthearted pathways of “Naruto” might often feel cloying and tough to put up with, but they emerge as indispensably precious in hindsight, especially after you start watching “Shippuden.” There’s a heartwarming simplicity to these side missions, character team-ups, and wayward adventures, which act as building blocks for our titular ninja’s evolving personality and how he ends up viewing the world. Whether you think that’s essential to your viewing experience or not, is a choice that is worth mulling over. Believe it!