How many episodes of Naruto are there in total?

Naruto has 220 episodes and Naruto Shippuden has 500. Together that is 720 episodes, and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations adds 293 more if you continue.

Can I skip Naruto filler?

Yes, and with Naruto it helps a lot. Both series contain long filler stretches, especially late in the original run and through the middle of Shippuden. Following a canon-episode list keeps the story tight without missing anything important.

Should I watch Boruto after Shippuden?

Only if you are curious about the next generation. Boruto follows Naruto's son and a new team of young ninja. It is a bonus for fans who want more of the world, not a required ending to Naruto's own story, which finishes in Shippuden.

Naruto Watch Order: Naruto, Shippuden and Boruto in Order

The Naruto story is told across three TV series made over twenty years, which can look confusing from the outside. The order itself is actually simple. It is the release order. What really needs explaining is the filler: both of the first two series contain long anime-only stretches that you can skip safely. Here is the full path.

Step 1: Naruto (2002–2007): 220 episodes

Start with the original series. Young Naruto Uzumaki, a loud ninja-in-training with a fox spirit sealed inside him, joins Team 7 with Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno under their teacher Kakashi Hatake. The Chunin Exams and the search for Sasuke are the heart of this run. One honest warning: after the main story reaches its turning point around episode 135, the remaining episodes are almost entirely filler adventures. Many viewers move straight to Shippuden at that point and lose nothing.

Step 2: Naruto Shippuden (2007–2017): 500 episodes

Shippuden picks up about two and a half years later. Naruto returns to the village stronger, the criminal group Akatsuki starts moving in the open, and the story builds towards a full-scale ninja war. This is where Naruto's story truly ends, so treat Shippuden as the main event. It also has a lot of filler. Whole blocks of anime-only episodes sit between the big story arcs, especially in the middle and later years. A canon-episode guide is your best friend here: follow the manga-based episodes and the 500-episode mountain becomes a much friendlier climb.

Step 3: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations (2017–2023): 293 episodes

Boruto is optional. It follows Naruto's son, Boruto Uzumaki, and a new generation of young ninja in a more peaceful, modern Hidden Leaf Village. Naruto and his friends appear as adults, which is a treat for long-time fans, but Boruto's own story stands apart, and it also has a high share of anime-original episodes. Watch it if you finish Shippuden hungry for more of the world, not because you need it to complete Naruto's journey.

What about the movies?

There are eleven Naruto and Shippuden movies plus Boruto: Naruto the Movie. None of them are required. They are side stories made to be enjoyed alongside the series. Two are worth a special mention: The Last: Naruto the Movie (2014) is the one film that connects to the main story, best watched near the end of Shippuden, and Road to Ninja is a fan favourite for its alternate-world twist. Everything else is bonus material.

The short version

Watch Naruto until about episode 135, continue with the canon episodes of Naruto Shippuden to the end, and add Boruto only if you want more. That path gives you one of the most loved stories in anime history without the filler fatigue. Ready to begin? Start with the Naruto series page, and meet the cast on our character pages for Naruto Uzumaki and his rivals and teachers.