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For a first watch, go through Naruto episodes 1–220, Naruto: Shippuden episodes 1–493, watch The Last: Naruto the Movie, finish Shippuden episodes 494–500, then watch Boruto: Naruto Next Generations episodes 1–293. You can skip clearly anime-original detours, but keep mixed episodes and the late Shippuden Blank Period adaptations.
The spoiler-safe Naruto and Boruto watch order
This order preserves the main storyline, Naruto and Hinata’s relationship development, and the wedding ending without requiring you to watch every optional film in release order.
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- Naruto, episodes 1–220. The manga-driven portion runs through episode 135. Episodes 136–220 are largely anime-original detours, so a canon-focused rewatch can move from episode 135 directly to Shippuden episode 1.
- Naruto: Shippuden, episodes 1–493. Watch the main story and mixed-canon episodes. Do not treat every late-series episode as disposable filler.
- The Last: Naruto the Movie. Watch it after Shippuden episode 493 and before episode 494. It is the essential canon film and supplies the relationship resolution that leads into the finale.
- Naruto: Shippuden, episodes 494–500. These episodes adapt material from the period between the main war story and the wedding.
- Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, episodes 1–293. The Chunin Exams storyline retells the Boruto: Naruto the Movie story in expanded anime form, so choose either the film or the anime arc for that particular plot.
Why mixed episodes stay in the route
Episode labels are database classifications, not a perfect measure of whether an episode matters. A mixed episode contains both manga-derived and anime-original material, and skipping it can remove transitions, character scenes, or setup needed for the next fully canonical episode. NarutoHQ’s 2026 classification counts 560 canon episodes, 132 mixed episodes, and 321 filler episodes across the 1,013-episode franchise. Those numbers are useful for planning, but they should not be treated as an automatic skip list.
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| Series | Total episodes | How to use the count |
|---|---|---|
| Naruto | 220 | Watch all for a complete run; a canon-focused route can stop after episode 135. |
| Naruto: Shippuden | 500 | Watch episodes 1–493, insert The Last, then watch 494–500. |
| Boruto: Naruto Next Generations | 293 | Watch the full researched run; the anime’s Chunin Exams arc duplicates the Boruto film. |
| Combined total | 1,013 | NarutoHQ’s 2026 database total for the three television series. |
Naruto and Shippuden each contain roughly 40 percent filler in that database, while Boruto is listed at 9.6 percent. The percentages depend on how a guide handles mixed and anime-original Boruto material, so use them as estimates rather than universal canon rules.
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Naruto (episodes 1–220)
Episodes 1–135: the manga-centered foundation
Episodes 1–135 establish Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, Kakashi Hatake, the village system, the major rivalries, and the first long-form conflicts. They contain the essential progression into the original series’ central confrontation. A first-time viewer should watch this section in full.
Episodes 136–220: anime-original missions
After episode 135, the original series spends most of its remaining run on missions created for the anime. They are optional for a canon-only rewatch, but they are still part of the 220-episode television order and can provide extra team interactions and world-building. If you skip them, resume with Shippuden episode 1 rather than trying to splice individual scenes back into the story.
Naruto: Shippuden (episodes 1–500)
Episodes 1–483: main story, mixed material and detours
Shippuden carries the central narrative from Naruto’s return to the village through the major conflicts involving the Akatsuki, the Fourth Great Ninja War and its aftermath. Follow the episode order and use a current filler guide only to identify episodes you intentionally want to omit. Mixed episodes should remain in a normal first watch.
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Episodes 484–500: Blank Period material
The ending stretch is often mislabeled as disposable filler. Naruto Legacy’s June 12, 2026 guide notes that the late Shippuden episodes adapt Blank Period novels and should not be discarded wholesale. The episodes around 484–493 provide post-war context, while 494–500 lead directly into the wedding conclusion. If you are watching for continuity, keep this run.
Where The Last: Naruto the Movie belongs
Place The Last after Shippuden episode 493 and before episode 494. NarutoHQ’s dated movie table and Naruto Legacy’s guide identify it as the one essential canon film. Its story takes place after the war and resolves Naruto and Hinata’s relationship, so watching it earlier can expose developments that the television ending has not yet set up.
The film is not a replacement for the final Shippuden episodes. Watch episode 493 first, then the movie, then episodes 494–500. This preserves both the film’s chronology and the wedding-ending material.
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Boruto: Naruto Next Generations (episodes 1–293)
The television route
After Shippuden’s finale, continue with Boruto episodes 1–293. The series shifts the focus to Naruto’s generation as adults and their children, while still relying on relationships, institutions and conflicts established in the earlier shows.
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The Boruto film versus the Chunin Exams arc
Boruto: Naruto the Movie is canon, but Boruto’s Chunin Exams storyline retells and expands the same basic events. Watching both is optional duplication rather than a missing chapter. For the most complete version, watch the anime arc because it has additional episodes and character material. For a shorter film-inclusive route, watch the movie instead and continue with Boruto after the duplicated storyline.
Do not assume that every Boruto episode labeled anime-original is irrelevant. Canon terminology is especially inconsistent for Boruto because the television series expands material beyond the manga and adapts several stories in its own format.
Optional Naruto and Boruto movies in chronological order
The first nine films in NarutoHQ’s dated table are side stories. They can be watched after the indicated episode ranges without changing the main canon route. GamesRadar’s chronological sequence provides the following interleaving:
| Watch point | Film | Status and guidance |
|---|---|---|
| After Naruto 101 | Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow | Optional side story. |
| After Naruto 160 | Legend of the Stone of Gelel | Optional side story. |
| After Naruto 196 | Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom | Optional side story. |
| After Shippuden 32 in GamesRadar’s sequence | Naruto Shippuden the Movie | Optional side story. Some movie tables place it later, after episode 53; either placement should be treated as an approximate spoiler-safe window rather than a hard canon event. |
| After Shippuden 71 | Bonds | Optional side story. |
| After Shippuden 126 | The Will of Fire | Optional side story. |
| After Shippuden 143 | The Lost Tower | Optional side story. |
| After Shippuden 196 | Blood Prison | Optional side story. |
| After Shippuden 251 | Road to Ninja | Optional side story. |
| After Shippuden 493 | The Last: Naruto the Movie | Canon and essential; watch before episode 494. |
| During the Boruto era | Boruto: Naruto the Movie | Canon but duplicated and expanded by Boruto’s Chunin Exams arc. |
These side-story films are not prerequisites for understanding the television plot. Add them when you want extra missions, alternate settings or a complete franchise film run, not because the main narrative requires them.
OVAs, event shorts and specials
Most Naruto and Boruto OVAs are short promotional or side pieces. Naruto Legacy describes them as optional and skippable. They generally work best after you have met the relevant characters, because many assume familiarity with a specific team or arc.
Keep the main anime order intact when adding them. A short OVA does not replace an episode in the numbered series, and it should not be used to fill a canon gap unless an official release explicitly identifies it as part of the television story.
One important distinction prevents a common mistake: the canon Kakashi side-story episodes in Shippuden are regular numbered episodes, not OVAs. Do not remove them merely because a filler list groups their surrounding material with anime-original content.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choosing a route by time and completeness
| Route | What you watch | Story completeness | Time cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete television route | Naruto 1–220, Shippuden 1–500, Boruto 1–293 | Highest for the animated series | All 1,013 episodes | Viewers who want every numbered episode. |
| Canon-focused route | Naruto through 135; Shippuden with canon and mixed episodes; The Last; Shippuden 494–500; Boruto with a guide | Preserves the principal story while removing clear detours | Substantially shorter, but exact savings depend on the filler guide | Rewatchers and viewers with limited time. |
| Film-inclusive route | Complete or filtered television route plus the optional films at their episode windows | Adds side stories without altering the main continuity | Episodes plus 11 films | Fans completing the animated franchise. |
No route can guarantee identical results across every filler database. If two guides disagree, favor the one that marks an episode as mixed and watch it, especially near a major arc transition or the end of Shippuden.
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GamesRadar reports the full Naruto and Boruto franchise on Crunchyroll in the United States and United Kingdom. It also reports the original Naruto series on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in the United States. Streaming catalogs are regional and can change, so check the service in your country before starting a long watch.
A complete Naruto Blu-ray box set is available as a physical option for viewers who want offline access; the documented set contains all 220 episodes of the original Naruto series. Before buying, confirm the exact edition, region compatibility, subtitle and dub tracks, and whether the listing includes the discs you need. A box set for the original series does not automatically include Shippuden, Boruto or the films.
Quick Recap
Common watch-order mistakes
- Skipping every episode marked filler: Mixed episodes can contain story material, and the late Shippuden Blank Period adaptations are not a single block to discard.
- Watching The Last at the end of all 500 Shippuden episodes: Its correct placement is between episodes 493 and 494.
- Watching the Boruto film and assuming the anime arc is mandatory too: Choose one presentation of the Chunin Exams story unless you specifically want the expanded version.
- Treating OVAs as numbered episodes: Specials are extras; they do not change the television sequence.
- Assuming a platform’s catalog is universal: Rights differ by country, season and language track, so verify availability in your region.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
