How to watch Naruto in order
If you're wondering where to begin with Naruto, we have what order to watch everything.
While Crunchyroll continues to be the top anime streaming platform, Netflix is a worthy competitor. The international streaming giant has smaller titles like Blue Box and Sakamoto Days, but it also has the juggernauts of anime, with titles like Naruto and Death Note.
And when it comes to anime, there's nobody and nothing as recognisable in pop culture like Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto is one of the most iconic characters in anime history, alongside legendary characters like Goku from Dragon Ball and Ichigo from Bleach.
First published in September 1999 for Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine by writer and illustrator Masashi Kishimoto, the manga was well-received by fans. With the manga so popular, it went on to spawn an anime adaptation, spin-offs, and several other mediums, including the popular Naruto video games.
There's even a Naruto musical, for those who like to watch their anime with a side of musical goodness. The anime series has span decades with its fanbase growing larger and larger – it's not hard to see why it's considered one of the best anime franchises ever. Its even been added to popular streaming publisher, Netflix.
The series has done so well on Netflix that in 2024, despite being added late in the year, it quickly became the most-watched anime of the year. Considering it was competing with new seasonal anime and hits like My Hero Academia, it's plain to see that Naruto remains as beloved as ever.
The Naruto anime isn't just a small watch that you can get done and dusted with in a weekend, however. With over 1,000 episodes, you're going to want to commit at least a month or two if you want to watch Naruto. Better (or worse, depending on your perspective) yet, there's even a Naruto spin-off series following Naruto's son: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. The series has Boruto taking the reins from his father and going on his own adventures.
But before you jump in feet-first into the world of Naruto, it's best to know exactly where to jump. There's a lot of Naruto episodes and movies out there, and it can get incredibly overwhelming for newcomers if you don't know what you're doing. Thankfully, we're here to help guide you through all of it.
To help you make the most of your Naruto experience, we've researched and presented the ultimate viewing order for the series, from the beginning to the latest iteration.
How to watch Naruto in order
Naruto original series
With the original Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden series, you will find yourself jumping around between the show and the various movies that have come along to accompany them. While none of these movies are essential to understanding the narrative arcs of Naruto as a whole, they are highly entertaining.
Start at the beginning and continue through the first 101 episodes. Once there, the movies get mixed into the arcs, and below is where to slot them all in.
- Naruto (1-101)
- Naruto The Movies: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow
- Naruto (102-160)
- Naruto The Movie: The Legend Stone of Gelel
- Naruto (161-196)
- Naruto The Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom
- Naruto (197-220)
Buy Naruto on Blu-Ray for £26 at Amazon (at the time of writing). Several of the movies are available to be watched on platforms like Crunchyroll, Netflix, and even YouTube.
Naruto Shippuden
Naruto Shippuden follows Naruto as a teenager. The Naruto of this series is older, more mature (without losing his boyish humor, of course), and determined to become the best shinobi Konoha has ever seen.
When starting the series, start Naruto Shippuden from the beginning. But this time, you won't have as many episodes to get through before you run into your first movie break - 32 episodes to be precise.
- Naruto: Shippuden (1-32)
- Naruto Shippuden: The Movie
- Naruto: Shippuden (33-71)
- Naruto Shippuden The Movie: Bonds
- Naruto: Shippuden (72-126)
- Naruto Shippuden The Movie: The Will of Fire
- Naruto: Shippuden (127-143)
- Naruto Shippuden: The Lost Tower
- Naruto: Shippuden (144-196)
- Naruto Shippuden The Movie: Blood Prison
- Naruto: Shippuden (197-251)
- Naruto The Movie: Road to Ninja
- Naruto: Shippuden (252-493)
- The Last: Naruto The Movie
- Naruto: Shippuden (494-500)
There is a lot to get through with this show, but you can start by buying the first season of Naruto Shippuden on DVD for £36 at Amazon. Several of the movies are currently streaming on Crunchyroll, Netflix and YouTube.
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
While Boruto: Naruto The Movie was released during the Naruto Shippuden era, the watch order for Boruto is slightly more complex than just watching in chronological order.
The events of Boruto: Naruto The Movie are covered within the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations series during episodes 53-66. If you want to get up to speed with Boruto before the movie, we'd suggest starting after episode 52 and then continuing with the rest of the episodes up until Boruto episode 293. As of the moment of writing, the first part of Boruto is complete, and the series is effectively on hiatus. It has not yet been confirmed when the series will return.
This is the most recent entry in the franchise, focusing on Naruto's son, Boruto.
The first season of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is on DVD for £13.50 at Amazon.
How to watch the English dub of Naruto
The show’s English dub is available on Netflix for UK Naruto fans. However, no such luck for anyone who prefers to watch the epic ninja saga over on Crunchyroll.
Viewers in North America will also find that the English dub of Naruto is available on Netflix and Hulu. UK viewers with HBO Max may also access this on Apple TV+.
Can I skip the Naruto movies?
While the Naruto movies are fun to watch, most fans generally agree that you don't need to watch them as they're typically filler movies and don't add much to the show itself, and instead exist in isolation. You should check them out if you're feeling like a completionist, but the only two you should watch are The Last: Naruto the Movie and Boruto: Naruto the Movie, as both are part of the show's timeline. They bookend Naruto's life and begin Boruto's.
That's not to say that each movie won't expand your appreciation of the characters, though—Naurto Shippuden the Movie: Bonds explores the relationship between Sasuke and Naruto as they team up to take on the newest threat against the Hidden Leaf Village. It's an extended peek into their friendship's trials and tribulations that prove why it's been so endearing across the decades and sequels Naruto has been on.
How to watch Naruto in the UK
In the UK, Naruto is available on American streaming service Crunchyroll and Netflix. Though be aware that Naruto's arrival to Netflix is fairly recent and so not all episodes are available on the streaming platform.
As detailed above, each series is also available to buy on Amazon.
If you're in the US, loads of anime shows, including Naruto, are now streaming for free on YouTube. However, it's only for fans in the States, and it's only the subtitled versions – so fans who prefer to watch the show dubbed should look at other options.
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