Naruto stands as a pinnacle in the world is one of the most anime, celebrated for its widespread popularity.
For a glimpse of its finest moments, explore these exceptional episodes!
10. White Past: Hidden Ambition (Season 1, Episode 17)
The early arc introduces a formidable pair in Haku and Zabuza. It becomes clear that if Kakashi and his group aren't careful, they could easily fall victim to these skilled adversaries. As Kakashi deals with one of the legendary Mist Ninja Swordsmen, Haku traps Sasuke and Naruto, repeatedly piercing them with needles until Sasuke sacrifices himself to save Naruto.
This intense situation triggers Naruto's anger, leading him to unleash the power of the Nine-Tails on Haku, shattering his mask. Only then does Naruto recognize Haku from a previous encounter in the forest during his training, prompting him to calm down. Haku, sharing his tragic backstory, pleads with Naruto to end his life, adding a profoundly sorrowful dimension to the story.
9. The Sharingan Revived: Dragon-Flame Jutsu! (Season 1, Episode30)
Fans really loved Sasuke's fights, especially in the arc about the Chunin Exams. So, it makes total sense that this episode is highly praised because it combines both of these things. The episode shows Sasuke facing off against Shiore, and their duel is one of the most surprising moments in Naruto.
Just when Sasuke thought he was winning, Shiore's face changed to reveal Orochimaru underneath. Orochimaru did something unexpected: he bit Sasuke and escaped. Even though Anko tried to stop him, she couldn't. This event set Sasuke on a new path for the rest of the series. Sasuke got a curse mark and became connected to Orochimaru, wanting to learn from the villain. So, this episode marked the beginning of Sasuke's journey.
8. Live or Die: Risk it to Win All (Season 1, Episode56)
Naruto is in a very exciting part of his journey. He's learning a special technique called the summoning jutsu, and this training is super interesting because it shows how much Naruto still needs to learn to become the Hokage, the leader of the village.
During this training, a new character, Jiraiya, is introduced. Even though he's a bit of a naughty character, many fans really like him. Jiraiya, feeling a bit frustrated with Naruto's progress, decides to try something extreme. He throws Naruto off a cliff, hoping that this will make Naruto use the power of the Nine-Tails inside him and summon a strong creature. And guess what? It works! Naruto successfully summons a powerful creature named Gamabunta, and this moment becomes one of the coolest parts of the whole show.
7. The Broken Seal (Season 2, Episode16)
Even though this episode is only the 16th one in the anime, it gives us an early look at the strong connection between Sasuke and Naruto. While they were rivals for a long time in the show, Naruto later became really determined to save Sasuke, treating him like a brother. This episode marks the start of that bond as they face Haku together, ready to sacrifice themselves for each other and refusing to give up the fight.
It's also the first time we see how powerful Naruto can be. When he thinks Sasuke is hurt, the seal holding the nine-tailed fox inside him briefly breaks, giving him a surge of power. The whole episode gives us a taste of what's to come in the story, and there's also an exciting fight sequence.
6. Naruto's Ninja Handbook (Season 2, Episode21)
Naruto used to seem not very good at fighting for a long time. He often did things in his fights that were a bit careless. But, it's really impressive how determined and powerful Naruto is. He faced tough situations in his battle against Gaara.
Naruto did some amazing things to make the fight more fair, like using his special Shadow Clones and even calling for help from Gamabunta when things got really tough. Even though he finally beats Gaara in the next episode, the fight between them is super fun to watch. It shows how Naruto can overcome challenges and make the battles exciting.
5. Beyond The Limit of Darkness and Light (Season 2, Episode22)
The fight between Gaara and Naruto is like a really cool story. It shows how much Naruto has changed from being a mischievous ninja who liked playing pranks. Thanks to his training with Jiraiya, he's now able to outsmart Gaara and even get help from Gamabunta to wake Gaara up.
What makes this battle so special is the history it reveals in the village. The people who used to be in the Ino-Chika-Sho group and the parents of other ninjas show how strong and determined the folks in Konoha are. When Gaara's fight against Naruto comes to an end, you can't help but feel excited, showing how amazing the world in the series is.
4. Attack! Fury of the Resengan (Season 2, Episode94)
When Naruto left the village with Jiraiya to find Tsunade, he spent a lot of time learning a special move called Rasengan. In this episode, during a fight with Kabuto, he got to use it. Jiraiya, Shizune, and Naruto tried to help Tsunade when she got scared and couldn't move during the battle with Orochimaru. Jiraiya fought Orochimaru, while Naruto and Shizune dealt with Kabuto, and Tsunade watched, scared of blood.
Even though the episode had a tough fight, Naruto surprised everyone. He was determined to protect Tsunade and fought really hard, showing how strong he was becoming. This episode is from the early part of the series, where Naruto's determination was a big focus before he learned many other skills in the later series.
3. A Plea from a Friend (Season 3, Episode33)
Naruto was doing well in the fight, but then Sasuke got stronger. Sasuke's eyes, called Sharingan, grew more powerful, helping him see and avoid Naruto's moves easily. In the end, Sasuke decided to finish Naruto with a powerful move.
But, the Nine-Tailed Fox inside Naruto had a surprise. It covered Naruto with its energy and fought back. Sasuke was in a tough spot, so he used the next level of his special power, the Cursed Seal, to try to balance things out.
2. Good-Bye Old Friend... I'll Always Believe in You! (Season 3, Episode114)
When Shikamaru had to search for Sasuke Uchiha, he brought many of his male classmates with him because they all had useful skills. But, he had to leave behind his best friend, Choji, early on.
Choji told the others to go ahead and used special pills from his Akimichi Clan to fight a member of the Sound Four. This episode showed most of the fight and shared a lot about Choji and Shikamaru's friendship. It made many fans like Choji more if they didn't already. This episode was a big step in making fans appreciate Choji because he didn't get much attention before this.
1. Losing is Not an Option (Season 3, Episode117)
The "Sasuke Recovery Mission" arc is a favorite among fans because each episode focused on a different character in the big group. It felt good to see the young characters take on a tough mission and come out okay. In this chapter, we get to see Neji in action.
In "Losing Is Not An Option," Neji had to fight one of the Sound Four all by himself. Even though he was at a disadvantage, Neji used his smarts. When his enemy shot an arrow at him, Neji let it hit him. Then, he sent his energy back through the arrow to paralyze his opponent. Neji got really hurt, and fans worried he might not survive the mission, but he pulled through. This episode helped fans like Neji more, especially after what happened to Hinata.
