10 Best Episodes of ‘Naruto’
The anime ‘Original Naruto’ traces Naruto Uzumaki’s path from academy dropout to recognized ninja across 220 episodes that cover the Land of Waves mission, the Chunin Exams, the Search for Tsunade, and the Sasuke Recovery arc. Key installments introduce signature techniques, expand clan histories, and set up alliances and rivalries that ripple through later arcs in ‘Naruto’. These chapters also establish the politics of the Hidden Villages and the roles of organizations and bloodline abilities that shape the wider world.
This list gathers ten standout episodes from ‘Original Naruto’ that mark major turning points or complete decisive battles. Each entry notes the core conflict, the techniques at play, and the consequences for the characters and the village. The focus stays on plot and lore details so you can quickly place each episode within its arc and understand what changes because of it.
Episode 1 Enter Naruto Uzumaki
Naruto fails the graduation exam and gets deceived by Mizuki into stealing the Scroll of Seals, which contains forbidden techniques from the Hidden Leaf. Iruka confronts Mizuki and shields Naruto after the truth about the Nine Tails sealed within Naruto is revealed. Naruto learns the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique from the stolen scroll and uses it effectively for the first time.
By the end of the episode Naruto earns recognition from Iruka and receives his forehead protector, which confirms his status as a genin of the Hidden Leaf. Team 7 is then formed with Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura under Kakashi Hatake, setting up the trio that anchors much of ‘Naruto’.
Episode 19 The Demon in the Snow
The Land of Waves mission reaches its conclusion as Kakashi clashes with Zabuza and Haku sacrifices himself to protect Zabuza from Kakashi’s Lightning Blade. Naruto’s reaction to Haku’s death forces Zabuza to reassess his bond with his companion, while the crime lord Gatou arrives with hired thugs to seize the bridge.
Zabuza turns on Gatou and fights despite mortal injuries, clearing the way for the bridge to be completed and the client Tazuna’s village to regain hope. Naruto and Sasuke return to the Leaf with a deeper understanding of what it means to be a shinobi, and the bridge is named in Naruto’s honor, marking the mission’s lasting impact on the region.
Episode 50 The Fifth Gate A Splendid Ninja Is Born
Rock Lee removes his ankle weights during the Chunin Exams and raises his speed to keep up with Gaara’s sand defense. With Guy’s permission he opens several Eight Gates and executes the Hidden Lotus, pushing his body past safe limits in order to breach Gaara’s ultimate defense.
Lee’s arm and leg are gravely injured, which temporarily ends his ability to compete and underlines the real risk of forbidden powerups in ‘Naruto’. The match documents Gaara’s automatic sand shield and killing intent while also defining Lee’s training method of pure taijutsu without ninjutsu or genjutsu.
Episode 67 Late for the Show But Ready to Go The Ultimate Secret Technique Is Born
Sasuke returns to the arena during the delayed Chunin Exams match and demonstrates speed he learned by observing Rock Lee, along with the Chidori taught by Kakashi. He pierces Gaara’s sand defense for the first time, leading to Gaara losing blood and shifting toward a Shukaku transformation.
The intrusion forces the exam to break down as Orochimaru’s invasion begins and the Hidden Leaf faces an organized assault. Sasuke’s performance confirms the effectiveness of Lightning Release against Gaara’s sand and shows the strain of the curse mark, which becomes a central weakness targeted by future enemies.
Episode 73 Forbidden Secret Technique Reaper Death Seal
The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi fights Orochimaru on the stadium rooftop while the First and Second Hokage are summoned through Reanimation. Hiruzen counters with the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, a sealing technique that summons a death god and trades the user’s life for the target’s soul.
Hiruzen seals the arms of Orochimaru and ends his ability to perform hand signs properly, which halts many of Orochimaru’s plans in the short term. The First and Second are released from Reanimation, the invasion is repelled inside the village barriers, and the episode sets up the need to select a Fifth Hokage to fill the leadership vacuum.
Episode 85 Hate Among the Uchihas The Last of the Clan
Itachi and Kisame confront the Leaf while searching for Naruto, and Itachi demonstrates the Tsukuyomi against both Kakashi and Sasuke. The episode details the effect of Tsukuyomi as a space where Itachi controls time and perception, showing how genjutsu can incapacitate even elite opponents.
Backstory elements of the Uchiha clan surface as Itachi orders Sasuke to grow stronger and pursue the Mangekyo Sharingan. Jiraiya’s arrival pushes the Akatsuki pair to retreat, and the Leaf redirects focus to tracking down Tsunade so the village can restore Hokage level leadership.
Episode 101 Gotta See Gotta Know Kakashi Sensei’s True Face
Team 7 enlists help from classmates to reveal Kakashi’s face, using transformation techniques, decoys, and a staged picnic. Kakashi anticipates the schemes with misdirection and timely interruptions that keep the mask in place throughout the episode.
The story highlights Team 7’s teamwork methods outside combat and places side characters like Ino Shikamaru and Choji into collaborative plans. While no major battle occurs, the episode catalogs running gags and character habits that reappear across fillers and canon episodes in ‘Naruto’.
Episode 107 The Battle Begins Naruto vs Sasuke
Tensions that build through the Search for Tsunade arc spill over when Naruto and Sasuke confront each other on the hospital rooftop. Naruto forms a Rasengan while Sasuke prepares a Chidori, and Kakashi intervenes before the attacks collide, preventing a lethal outcome inside the village.
The aftermath shows the damage difference on the water tanks, which affects Sasuke’s decision to accept the Sound Four’s invitation. This incident leads directly into the Sasuke Recovery mission, establishing the team composition under Shikamaru and the timed pursuit route toward the border.
Episode 123 The Leaf’s Handsome Devil
Rock Lee returns after surgery with a limited clearance to fight and accidentally drinks medicinal alcohol, which activates his Drunken Fist style against Kimimaro. The style changes his movement pattern into unpredictable attacks that even Kimimaro notes as troublesome to read.
Kimimaro stabilizes the battle by unveiling the Shikotsumyaku kekkei genkai and bone armor, which reduces the effectiveness of Lee’s taijutsu. Gaara then arrives to assist, shifting the matchup and moving the pursuit mission into the next phase against the Sound forces near the border forest.
Episode 133 A Plea from a Friend
Naruto and Sasuke fight at the Valley of the End with power ups that escalate from the One Tail chakra cloak to the second stage of the curse mark. Rasengan and Chidori clash in different combinations as both characters rely on training from Jiraiya and Kakashi and on inherited powers from the Nine Tails and the Uchiha clan.
Sasuke chooses to continue to Orochimaru to seek strength while Naruto is left unconscious after the final exchange. Kakashi retrieves Naruto and the mission concludes with the Leaf team either injured or delayed, which sets the stage for new training plans and future searches in ‘Naruto’.
Share your favorite picks from ‘Original Naruto’ in the comments so everyone can compare notes on must watch episodes.
