Naruto: Shippuden is set approximately two and a half years after the events of the original series in the Naruto universe and follows the journey of the ninja teenager Naruto’s return to Konoha and his dream of becoming the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf. Shippuden runs for exactly 500 episodes. Adapted mainly from part II of Masashi Kishimoto’s original manga series, Shippuden has 27 different arcs. Some of these storylines are core to the Naruto story, while others (207 episodes, to be precise) are filler, i.e., they aren’t tied to the contents of the original manga. So, if you want to binge-watch the show along the main storyline, here is the complete Naruto Shippuden filler list to help you along the way. Using this list, you can skip the filler arcs and watch the canon episodes at one stretch.
Naruto Shippuden Filler List – All episodes you can skip
Filler episodes are used to break the canon storyline, allowing production studios and showrunners to wait for more original manga chapters. Usually, nothing on a filler episode affects the long-term story arcs, and returning side characters also do not appear. While filler episodes can be entertaining on their own, fans often find them unpleasant as they appear in the middle of the main story and disrupt the viewing experience. Moreover, some canon episodes contain filler parts, making it difficult to skip them. You can use the following Naruto Shippuden filler list as a quick guide to finding the episodes you can skip.
ICYMI – What happens in each filler arc?
In case you missed it, here is a detailed Naruto Shippuden Filler List with brief insights into what happens in the filler arcs.
Twelve Guardian Ninja Arc (57-71)
Arguably one of the best filler arcs in the series, the Twelve Guardian Ninja arc mainly fills in gaps in the manga and introduces the twelve Ninja Guardians, where Asuma was a member. This arc focuses on multiple characters and has a very cool fight scene between Naruto and Sora.
Three-Tails Appearance (90-112)
A lot of the early filler arcs were used to fill in gaps in the manga, and this arc is another example. In the manga, Tobi and Deidara briefly battle Isobu and seal the tail beast, but here, both Konoha and Orochimaru’s team, led by Guren, make an appearance.
Six-Tails Unleashed (144-151)
This arc mainly focuses on the relationship between the six tails Jinchuriki, Utakata, and his pupil Hotaru and concludes with Akatsuki capturing Saiken. It is one of the rare arcs where Konoha takes a backseat and for the better, as the concluding episodes are really emotional.
Past Arc: Locus of Konoha (176-196)
Aptly named, Locus of Konoha mainly focuses on flashbacks of different characters, allowing viewers to learn more about their favorite ninjas and how Naruto has been a major influence on their lives. Some of the really emotional, and you should not miss the episode with Iruka sensei and when he first met Naruto.
Paradise Life on a Boat (223-242)
More of a collection of short stories than a proper arc, Paradise Life on a Boat introduces the Land of the Lightning and Naruto’s journey. The episode focusing on the rivalry between Guy and Kakashi is really cool. It will be etched into your memories forever, especially when Might Guy fights Madara in the Fourth Great Ninja War. The rest of the episodes are a hit or miss.
Episodes 284 to 295
Nothing notable really happens in these episodes, so we are clubbing them together to provide an overview. It is mostly flashbacks with a few exceptions, like the episodes on Jinin Akebino and Pakura, which later tie into the Great Ninja War. The fight scenes get really awesome toward the end, so do keep an eye out for them.
Power (290-295)
This is one of the more highly appreciated arcs of the anime, focusing on Team Kakashi and their search for Kabuto after their massacre of the Tonika Village. The animation quality is really amazing, and the storyline sets up Kabuto as a legitimate threat beyond playing second fiddle to Orochimaru and Tobi / Obito.
Episodes 303 to 320
Again, these are fillers you can mostly skip with a few exceptions. The reanimated Sound Village Four fight Konoha shinobi, a callback to their original fight in Naruto. Of course, Konoha shinobi are now stronger and tell a beautiful story of friendship and how they can find their way back to each other. Make sure that you watch episodes 303-305, 307-309, and 317 before returning to canon.
Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato Flashback (347-348)
Episodes 347 and 348 focus on the formation of Akatsuki by the original founders Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato. It tells the story of how the group was formed for a noble cause and how it was twisted to become the evil organization we know it to be today.
Kakashi’s Anbu Arc (349-361)
As the name suggests, episodes 349-361 focus on the early days of Kakashi and tie into his connections with Yamato and Itachi. Watch this arc only for the amazing fight sequences between the young ninjas when they were chunin.
Hinata and Hanabi Childhood (388-390)
One of the filler arcs you should not skip, episodes 388-390 are really emotional even though they contribute very little to the original story. In episode 388, we see Gaara pleading Shukaku and other tailed beasts to help Naruto. Episodes 389-390 focus on Hanabi superseding Hinata as the leader of the Hyuga clan’s main family due to the latter’s weakness, but finally finding respect for Hinata after she challenges Pain.
The New Chunin Exams (394-413)
This arc does nothing to the main story and does not add to character motivation, so you can skip it entirely. It focuses on the Chunin Exams that took place in the two-year skip between Naruto and Naruto Shippuden. There are some amazing combinations and new moves from the young shinobi, and we see some Shikamaru genius too.
Shinobi History (464-468)
This arc focuses on the Otsutsuki clan and how they influenced the story of Naruto Shippuden. We learn so much about Indra and Ashura, Hashirama and Madara, and even Naruto and Sasuke. Watch this arc as it not only explores the original motivation of the Otsutsuki clan but also why they want to destroy the world.
Kakashi’s Face Reveal (Special Episode)
The iconic mask of Kakashi is an important part of his character throughout the series. In the original Naruto series ep. 101, Team 7 tries some goofy shenanigans to unmask their sensei but to no avail. In Episode 469 of Shippuden, you can finally see the face of the great copycat ninja, and you should not miss it at all costs.
Childhood Days
One of the last true fillers of the series, this arc does not break any new ground but provides insights into character motivation. The episode focusing on Hinata and Naruto is really cute and explains why Hinata grew up harboring feelings for Naruto.
How many fillers are in Naruto?
Naruto Shippuden runs for 500 episodes and is divided into 27 arcs, of which are 192 filler episodes. Combined with 20 mixed and 2 specials, filler episodes make up 42% of the series.
What Naruto Shippuden fillers can I skip?
You can use the complete Naruto Shippuden filler list to find the episode numbers you can skip when watching the series. The episodes you can skip are 90-112, 170-171, 223-242, 257-260, 271, 279-281, 286-287, 290-295, 307-310, 313-315, 319-320, 376-377, 394-413, 427-450.
Which Naruto Shippuden fillers not to skip?
There are several filler arcs with good storylines and character motivation that you should not skip. We have the complete list of filler episodes you should not skip in the list above. Some of these include the Twelve Guardian Ninja Arc, Past Arc: Locus of Konoha, “The Helmet Splitter: Jinin Akebino!”, “The user of the Scorch Style: Pakura of the Sand!”, Shinobi History, and Childhood Days. Find the episode numbers in the list above.
