All three members of the shonen “big three” feature some of the most exciting, emotionally resonant, and creatively vibrant story arcs the anime medium has to offer. More recent anime arcs such as Infinity Castle v Demon Slayer and the Shibuya incident v Jujutsu Kaisen both hit hard but have nothing to say Naruto anime did in its heyday. Actually even the famous ones One piece can't beat Naruto when the other is firing on all cylinders.
Naruto it has some skippable filler arcs and some mid level arcs like the Gaara rescue sequence at the beginning Naruto Shippudenbut the best arcs are another story. Five specific story arcs Naruto stand above others as the pinnacle of shonen storytelling, introduction One piece's own arches to shame. These Naruto the story arcs have a little bit of everything: iconic ninja battles, innovative jutsu, intense character moments, and even some shocking plot twists that turn Naruto Uzumaki's world upside down.
The Land of Waves Arc is stronger than fans remember
Naruto's first interview Jutsu was probably his best
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It's not common for an anime's first full story arc to rank among the best. An early arc such as Naruto's Land of Waves Arc has limited world-building, a small cast of characters, and a simple combat system to begin with. The early arcs are just meant to warm up the audience and set the stage for later grandeur, but Naruto he did so much more with this arc. The first mini-arc was the setup and the Land of Waves Arc was the first big reward. The famous Chunin Trial arc was a real highlight, but no one should overlook the Land of Waves arc.
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Pound for pound, the Land of Waves Arc was an amazing creative achievement, including many key elements Naruto anime. The rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke was palpable, surpassing that between Sanji and Zoro, One piecebecause Naruto had so much to prove as a fool dreaming of being Hokage. Naruto's underdog felt so resonant as he struggled to get stronger during his first real mission. What's more, the “talk jutsu” that redeemed Zabuza from being an anti-hero can still make anime fans cry today, because the talk wasn't so much about changing the world, but rather about changing one man's heart.
The Chunin Exam arc set a bar that no other tournament arc had surpassed
Naruto became a big three anime with the Chunin Exams arc
It is common for shonen anime to have a tournament and/or trial arc, with examples from My Hero Academia's UA Sports Festival Arc to Hunter x Hunterthe first hunting trial at the start of the anime. These other tournament and trial arcs have their moments, but none can compete with what NarutoThe Chunin Trial Arc did it. It's tempting to say that the anime peaked early with this phase of the story, with the Chunin Trials arc introducing so many new characters and jutsu types.
The sheer hype of how to get much more of everything can't be matched even in One pieceespecially not with the likes of Rock Lee, Gaara, and Neji Hyuga thrown in for good measure. In addition to participating in excellent battles, these genin expanded generously NarutoKey themes in a way that Naruto Uzumaki himself couldn't handle, such as hard work versus talent or the power of friendship and even love. Characters like Rock Lee, Sakura, and Hinata were taught a stern lesson about self-confidence, even if it often hurt. As a bonus, the Chunin Trials arc had an extra layer to build tension when Orochimaru, the sinister Sannin made his move.
The Sasuke Retrieval mission arc ended on a bittersweet and open note
Defeat has never been so motivating in Shonen anime
After the chunin trial arc, Naruto pleased fans with the excellent Operation Konoha Crush and Search For Tsunade Arcs, but the Sasuke Retrieval Mission Arc was even stronger. This was the highlight of the original Naruto anime series, maximizing personal stakes without expanding the scope of world-building or lore. Bigger is often better, like anime One piece show, but the best stories will be more intimate.
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The Sasuke Retrieval Arc didn't need to center its stakes on the Great Line Islands or the secrets of the Void Century to be so powerful. It all boils down to one fractured friendship, a fiercely personal battle that helps Naruto such a legendary anime. On such an intimate level, the narrative is much more gritty, enhanced by the best battles of this era in anime. All the heroes gained strength and achieved great victories, but above all Naruto's failure to defeat Sasuke meant the most. Naruto lost, but that made it all the more inspiring to see him regardless of hope. It's easy to feel good after a win, but it takes a special kind of ninja hero to keep the faith and smile after such a painful personal loss.
The Pain Arc is the highlight of Naruto Shippuden
The Six Paths of Pain all ask the hard questions
Naruto Shippuden has had some notable story arcs such as the fateful Sasuke vs Itachi showdown, not to mention the tense rescue of Gaara Kazekage. Two concrete arches inwards Shippuden shine brightest as arcs that can compete with or even surpass anything One piece does, starting with an arc of pain. If Naruto fans chose only one arc to define Shippuden era, it would be an arc of pain. This phase of the story has excellent battles as Naruto and Jiraiya each fought in the Six Paths of Pain, but that's just the beginning.
Naruto: 6 Anime Moments That Were Better In The Manga
Many iconic moments are depicted in both the Naruto anime and manga. However, there are also those that shined more in the manga.
The real crux of the matter is the ethical ambiguity of what both Naruto and Pain are doing. They are dark counterparts as Jiraiya's former students, each interpreting Jiraiya's dream of world peace in a different way. Naruto and Pain are different expressions of the same hope for the world, and it's not always easy to determine who is right. This is why Naruto was at a loss for words when Pain pressed Naruto to explain why his vision of world peace was the superior one. Even after Pain's fall and Nagato's redemption, anime fans still ponder these questions about the cycle of hatred and violence.
The Five Kage Summit Arc explored the world's political landscape
The Kage meeting wasn't just to show off the new Jutsu
It is true that worldbuilding in Naruto not as deep or extensive as what One piece can offer, but it can be even more impressive when displayed in the right way. Sometimes it feels as if One pieceThe sheer scale works against this because it's exhausting to keep track of so many characters, places, and events that make up Luffy's world. Other similar anime Demon Slayer and Dandadan are much more limited in their world-building whereas Naruto Shippuden is a happy medium. No arc makes this more apparent than the gorgeous – and brutal – Five Kage Summit Arc.
More isn't always better with worldbuilding, as anime viewers need head space for character arcs and such, so it's ideal when worldbuilding doesn't take up too much space. That's what makes the Five Kage Summit Arc as great a piece of worldbuilding as it is Naruto the world came alive through its leaders and their political tensions. Even after the fall of villains like Orochimaru and Pain, the world remained a broken and troubled place, not to mention dishonest. Rounding out this arc was some stellar action with Kage-level jutsu, the arrival of Zetsu, and the resumption of Naruto and Sasuke's still hostile rivalry.
Naruto
- Release date
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2002 – 2007-00-00
- Showrunner
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Masashi Kishimoto
- directors
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Hayato's date
- Writers
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Masashi Kishimoto
