Naruto Uzumaki’s journey from ostracized orphan to Hokage is one of anime’s most beloved stories. But with hundreds of episodes, multiple series (Naruto and Naruto Shippuden), and a handful of movies that can seemingly fit anywhere, figuring out the right order to experience the complete Naruto saga can feel like trying to decipher a complex jutsu. A poorly planned watch order can lead to major spoilers, disrupt the pacing of character development, and ultimately lessen the impact of key plot points. Don’t let the sheer volume of content intimidate you; with the right guidance, you can experience Naruto’s epic adventure in its intended form and truly appreciate the artistry and emotional depth of this iconic series.
Knowing the optimal viewing order for Naruto, including when to incorporate the movies, enhances the overall narrative and prevents confusion. Watching movies out of sequence can inadvertently reveal future events or character arcs, undermining the emotional payoff. Furthermore, understanding where the movies fit within the timeline helps avoid continuity errors and ensures a smooth, immersive experience. By following a chronological or production-based approach, you can savor Naruto’s evolution and fully appreciate the thematic threads woven throughout the entire series.
What’s the best way to watch Naruto and its movies without getting confused?
What’s the best Naruto watch order including movies?
The generally accepted best way to watch Naruto and Naruto Shippuden with the movies is to integrate them chronologically within the series based on their release date relative to the anime’s plot progression. This approach minimizes filler interference with the main storyline and ensures the movies’ narratives align with the characters’ power levels and relationships at that point in the overall timeline, leading to a more seamless viewing experience.
Watching Naruto and Naruto Shippuden in chronological order with the movies enhances the experience because the movies often contain minor spoilers or character developments that are best understood after certain arcs in the main series. Placing the movies in their intended spots ensures viewers don’t encounter plot holes or inconsistencies that arise from watching them out of order. It also allows the emotional impact of certain events in the anime to resonate more fully during the movies. However, it’s worth noting that some of the Naruto movies are considered non-canon, meaning they don’t directly impact the main storyline. While they offer entertaining side stories, their placement is primarily based on timeline consistency rather than essential plot integration. Enjoying them in this order offers the best balance between experiencing the core narrative and engaging with these additional adventures.
Where do the Naruto movies fit into the series timeline?
The Naruto movies are generally considered non-canon side stories that take place within specific windows of the anime’s timeline, but they don’t directly impact the main plot. To enjoy them without spoilers, it’s best to watch them after reaching certain points in the series.
While not essential to understanding the core narrative, the Naruto movies offer fun, self-contained adventures that expand on the characters and world. However, they often feature techniques, character developments, or even plot inconsistencies that don’t align perfectly with the established canon. Therefore, watching them in the correct order is primarily about avoiding spoilers for ongoing plot threads in the main series. Here’s a recommended watch order integrated with the anime series progression, designed to minimize spoilers:
- Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow: After episode 101 of *Naruto*.
- Naruto the Movie 2: Legend of the Stone of Gelel: After episode 160 of *Naruto*.
- Naruto the Movie 3: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom: After episode 196 of *Naruto*.
- Naruto Shippuden the Movie: After episode 71 of *Naruto Shippuden*.
- Naruto Shippuden the Movie 2: Bonds: After episode 128 of *Naruto Shippuden*.
- Naruto Shippuden the Movie 3: The Will of Fire: After episode 171 of *Naruto Shippuden*.
- Naruto Shippuden the Movie 4: The Lost Tower: After episode 220 of *Naruto Shippuden*.
- Naruto Shippuden the Movie 5: Blood Prison: After episode 275 of *Naruto Shippuden*.
- Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie: After episode 311 of *Naruto Shippuden*.
- The Last: Naruto the Movie: After episode 493 of *Naruto Shippuden*.
- Boruto: Naruto the Movie: After episode 21 of *Boruto: Naruto Next Generations*.
Should I watch Naruto movies during or after the main series?
Generally, it’s best to watch the Naruto movies after the corresponding sections of the main series to avoid spoilers and maintain narrative flow. Most Naruto movies are standalone stories that fit loosely within the established timeline, but they often feature characters with abilities or plot elements revealed later in the series. Watching them in release order, relative to the anime episodes, will enhance your overall viewing experience.
The Naruto movies are not strictly canon to the main storyline, meaning they don’t directly impact the events of the core narrative. However, they often offer fun side adventures and character interactions that fans enjoy. Watching them in the correct order prevents accidental spoilers regarding character development, new techniques, or the overall power scaling of the ninja world. For example, watching a movie featuring a character using a specific jutsu before it’s introduced in the anime can lessen the impact of its unveiling in the series itself. This preservation of surprise and plot progression is a key reason to follow a recommended viewing order.
To ensure the best viewing experience, consider looking up a dedicated Naruto watch order guide. These guides usually list the movies alongside the corresponding episodes they should be watched after. This approach allows you to enjoy the movie in its proper context without accidentally stumbling upon spoilers. Ultimately, the decision is yours, but watching the movies in relation to their release order relative to the anime series is the most recommended and fulfilling path for most viewers.
What are the essential Naruto movies to watch?
To watch Naruto in order with movies and maintain story coherence, focus on *Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow*, *Naruto the Movie 2: Legend of the Stone of Gelel*, *Naruto the Movie 3: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom*, *Naruto Shippuden the Movie*, and *Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Blood Prison*. These films, while not strictly canon, fit reasonably well within the timeline and offer enjoyable side stories that enhance the overall Naruto experience.
The original *Naruto* movies are best viewed after completing the Land of Waves arc in the anime (episodes 1-19) and before the final episodes of the original *Naruto* series. This placement ensures you won’t encounter major spoilers or inconsistencies with the main plot. *Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow* can be watched after episode 101. *Legend of the Stone of Gelel* fits best after episode 160, and *Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom* after episode 196, leading up to the end of the original series.
For the *Naruto Shippuden* movies, *Naruto Shippuden the Movie* should be watched after episode 53 of *Shippuden*, *Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Bonds* after episode 91, *Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Will of Fire* after episode 121, *Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Lost Tower* after episode 175, *Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Blood Prison* after episode 221, and finally *Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie* after episode 271. *The Last: Naruto the Movie* bridges the gap between the end of the main series and the *Boruto* era and is best watched after episode 500 of *Shippuden*. Watching in this order minimizes plot holes and makes sure that the film’s events line up with the growth of the characters and their abilities within the main series.
Are any Naruto movies skippable without missing key plot points?
Yes, all the Naruto movies are technically skippable without missing key plot points in the main anime storyline. They are generally considered filler content, meaning they offer self-contained stories that do not directly impact or influence the overarching narrative of Naruto and Naruto Shippuden. While enjoyable, they don’t introduce crucial characters, resolve significant plot threads, or reveal information essential to understanding the main series’ progression.
While the movies don’t affect the core storyline, some offer worthwhile character development and explore interesting scenarios that provide additional context or enjoyment for fans. For example, certain movies might delve deeper into the bonds between Naruto and his friends or showcase unique jutsu and fighting styles. These elements can enrich the viewing experience, even if they aren’t vital for understanding the main plot. Think of them as extended, non-canon episodes offering a different perspective on the Naruto universe. However, it is worth noting that some movies are best watched after certain arcs of the main series to avoid spoilers or fully appreciate character relationships. For example, watching *Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Bonds* before the Pain arc would lessen the impact of certain character revelations. Therefore, while skippable, watching them in a suggested order based on their release date and placement within the anime timeline is recommended for maximum enjoyment and to minimize spoilers.
How does the filler content impact when I watch the Naruto movies?
Filler content within the Naruto anime series significantly impacts the optimal viewing order when you include the movies. Because many of the Naruto movies are not canon and often assume a certain point in the storyline, watching them during filler arcs can create inconsistencies or introduce elements that contradict the main narrative, leading to confusion or a less enjoyable experience. To ensure continuity and prevent spoilers, it’s best to watch the movies between canon arcs, following established viewing guides that place them strategically within the overall timeline.
Essentially, filler episodes, being non-canon, often exist in a state of narrative limbo. They don’t advance the main plot and can sometimes introduce temporary power levels or character developments that contradict the core storyline. Therefore, if you watch a Naruto movie smack-dab in the middle of a filler arc, the movie’s events (even if non-canon itself) might not align with the current state of affairs depicted in the surrounding filler episodes. This can disrupt the flow and make the overall viewing experience feel disjointed. Most resources dedicated to providing the optimal Naruto viewing order recommend specific placement for the movies relative to the anime episodes, specifically delineating where the movies fit *between* canon arcs. These guides aim to avoid placing movies within or adjacent to lengthy filler sequences. Consulting such a guide before embarking on a Naruto watch-through that includes the movies is the best way to minimize disruption and ensure the story’s progression remains as coherent as possible. Furthermore, some filler arcs directly precede a movie’s recommended placement, so you might want to familiarize yourself with the arc synopses to understand its significance, if any, to the movie’s context.
Is there a recommended Naruto watch order for first-time viewers with the movies?
Yes, there is a recommended viewing order that interweaves the Naruto and Naruto Shippuden movies within the main anime series to avoid spoilers and maximize enjoyment. Watching the movies in chronological release order alongside the series is generally considered the best approach for a first-time viewer.
The movies are not strictly canon, meaning they don’t directly affect the main storyline of Naruto. However, they often feature characters and techniques that hadn’t been introduced yet in the anime at the time of their release. Watching them out of order can therefore spoil future plot points or character developments. The recommended watch order attempts to place each movie after the anime episodes that introduce the necessary context for understanding and appreciating it.
It’s worth noting that some viewers prefer to watch all of the anime episodes first and then watch the movies afterward. This is also a valid approach, particularly if you are primarily interested in experiencing the core story first and then diving into the non-canon side adventures. However, integrating the movies chronologically offers a more immersive experience and avoids potential spoilers, making it the preferred choice for many first-time viewers. The watch order below includes both Naruto and Naruto Shippuden movies:
- Naruto Episodes 1-80
- *Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow*
- Naruto Episodes 81-160
- *Naruto the Movie 2: Legend of the Stone of Gelel*
- Naruto Episodes 161-220
- *Naruto the Movie 3: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom*
- Naruto Shippuden Episodes 1-53
- *Naruto Shippuden the Movie*
- Naruto Shippuden Episodes 54-91
- *Naruto Shippuden the Movie 2: Bonds*
- Naruto Shippuden Episodes 92-143
- *Naruto Shippuden the Movie 3: The Will of Fire*
- Naruto Shippuden Episodes 144-196
- *Naruto Shippuden the Movie 4: The Lost Tower*
- Naruto Shippuden Episodes 197-221
- *Naruto Shippuden the Movie 5: Blood Prison*
- Naruto Shippuden Episodes 222-479
- *Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie*
- Naruto Shippuden Episodes 480-500
- *The Last: Naruto the Movie*
- Boruto: Naruto the Movie (This is part of the Boruto series but concludes some Naruto storylines.)
Alright, there you have it! Your ultimate guide to diving into the world of Naruto in the perfect order, movies and all. I hope this helps you navigate the ninja-filled adventures of Naruto, Shippuden, and beyond. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the journey! Come back again soon for more anime tips and tricks!