These Classic Naruto Arcs That Never Get Old

Naruto is the definition of a classic as a “Big Three” franchise that has continued to influence anime culture and new works for over two decades. Masashi Kishimoto’s coming-of-age story features Naruto Uzumaki in the shinobi world where war between nations and a great darkness looms. Naruto is a classic tale of the perpetual battle between good and evil at its core, but it delivers plenty of unique elements that still feel fresh many years later.

From Naruto to Naruto: Shippuden, many parts of the story have withstood the test of time, becoming classic sequences fans love to come back to. The Konoha Crush of Part I and Pain’s Assault during Part II remain among the most widely referenced Naruto arcs, and they’re still just as exciting to watch. Across seven hundred twenty episodes, the Naruto franchise delivers several classic arcs that never seem to get old with fans.

1 The Land of Waves Primes Team 7 For Shinobi Life

Naruto Arc: Prologue — Land of Waves

Naruto‘s first arc introduces the fateful attack that made Naruto Uzumaki become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and follows his life as a young shinobi from age twelve onward. Naruto Uzumaki’s first official mission in the Land of Waves reveals important elements that will influence the journey ahead of him, including the first glimpse of the incredible power sealed inside him.

The first nineteen episodes of Naruto don’t waste any time demonstrating the dangerous nature of the shinobi world during their Land of Waves mission. Naruto and Sasuke are quickly challenged to push beyond their limits to help Kakashi defeat the deadly duo of Zabuza and Haku. The emotional depth of this sequence paired with the debut of Sasuke’s Sharingan and Naruto’s Demon Fox Cloak make the introductory arc of the series an undeniable classic.

2 The Chunin Exams Expand Past the Hidden Leaf Village

Naruto Arc: Chunin Exams

The upcoming generation of genin in the Hidden Leaf Village showcases its power alongside the strongest genin from all Five Great Nations during the Chunin Exams. Naruto‘s ensemble of characters expands to include the beloved Konoha 11, the influential Sand Siblings, and Orochimaru during this recurring tradition in which genin-rank ninjas compete to be promoted to the chunin rank.

Although the Chunin Exams include three distinct qualifying phases, each with more dire potential consequences than the last, the most widely anticipated event is the final round featuring exciting one-on-one tournaments between the remaining genin. The classic Chunin Exams sequence asserts Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha as dominant forces in the shinobi world, further fueling their tense rivalry and drawing attention from beyond the Hidden Leaf Village.

3 The Konoha Crush Destabilizes the Hidden Leaf Village

Naruto Arc: Konoha Crush

The danger of the shinobi world is made incredibly clear from the beginning of Naruto, but the Konoha Crush arc delivers the first significant death of the series that still hurts fans to watch. The Konoha Crush is the true debut of Orochimaru’s villainy, and it has an important role in shaping Naruto Uzumaki’s path from that point onward.

The battle that ensues after Orochimaru ambushes Third Hokage Hiruzen Saurotobi is unforgettable for its dynamic choreography and emotional conclusion. As the Third Hokage makes his last brutal stand against his former pupil, Naruto Uzumaki and Gaara of the Sand demonstrate the awesome power of the Tailed Beasts. Although Orochimaru escapes, Naruto’s victory sets him on the path to keep fellow shinobi Sasuke Uchiha from falling into the villain’s clutches.

4 The Sasuke Recovery Mission Fails in Final Valley

Naruto Arc: Sasuke Recovery Mission

Sasuke Uchiha, the contradictory figure who is somehow Naruto’s closest friend and greatest enemy, teeters on the edge of darkness until the final canon arc of Naruto, in which he commits to joining Orochimaru to pursue the full power of the Curse Seal. In a last-ditch effort to prevent Sasuke from acting on his decision to defect from the Hidden Leaf Village, Naruto and a group of allies attempt to execute the infamous Sasuke Recovery Mission.

Orochimaru sends the powerful Sound Ninja Four to defend Sasuke, pitting Naruto’s allies against their strongest enemies yet in captivating battles that never fail to excite. Naruto and Sasuke eventually confront each other one-on-one in Final Valley, the iconic location where rivals Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju once battled, mirroring what once happened there. When Naruto loses the high-stakes battle, he must regroup and develop a new plan to save Sasuke.

5 The Akatsuki Suppression Mission Has Mixed Results

Naruto: Shippuden Arc — Akatsuki Suppression Mission

Various members of the Akatsuki’s dark ensemble present an increasingly dangerous threat to the shinobi world in Naruto: Shippuden as they race to capture all nine of the Tailed Beasts. When Akatsuki members Hidan and Kakuzu cross paths with the Hidden Leaf Village’s Team Asuma, a series-defining encounter quickly sets them up for a rematch to settle the scores.

In a heartbreaking turn of events, Asuma Sarutobi is killed by Hidan in front of his three beloved pupils. Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji are forced to retreat, but they refuse to allow the death of their sensei to be in vain. With Kakashi Hatake as their new lead, Team Asuma successfully takes revenge on the Akatsuki duo by improving on their mistakes from the first encounter. Although Asuma’s loss is heartbreaking, his team’s resilience makes them better on the other side in classic Naruto fashion.

6 Jiraiya Sacrifices His Life in His Last Stand Against Pain

Naruto: Shippuden Arc — The Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant

Few Naruto characters have a legacy as significant as Jiraiya, one of the three legendary Sannin of the Hidden Leaf Village. Before becoming Naruto Uzumaki’s mentor, Jiraiya trains the Fourth Hokage (who happens to be Naruto’s father) and earns the Sannin title alongside Orochimaru and Tsunade because of exceptional performances during the Second Great Ninja War. Jiraiya’s loyal service to Konoha ends with a hard-to-swallow sacrifice that cuts deep every time.

Once Jiraiya makes an important discovery about the identity of Pain, the lead villain of the Akatsuki in pursuit of Naruto, his death becomes imminent. In a comprehensive showcase of his impressive abilities, the courageous Sannin takes on all Six Paths of Pain in an unforgettable sequence that ends with Jiraiya’s heartbreaking death. Even if it’s hard to watch because of the emotional loss, Jiraiya’s final arc is undoubtedly a Naruto classic.

7 Fated Battle Between Brothers Changes Sasuke’s Future

Naruto: Shippuden Arc — Fated Battle Between Brothers

The massacre of the Uchiha Clan is a defining event in Naruto history, and Sasuke Uchiha bears a unique burden after the tragedy as the younger brother of Itachi, the man believed to have killed their bloodline. Sasuke’s training journey is largely oriented around Itachi, celebrated as the most talented living Uchiha, and their fight during the Fated Battle Between Brothers arc is one of the most pivotal match-ups of the series.

Sasuke fails to impress Itachi in their first few encounters as opponents, but that changes in the Fated Battle Between Brothers arc. A collision between Sasuke’s refined Curse Seal powers, Itachi’s iconic Susanoo, and the various abilities of the Sharingan make this battle a series classic. As if thrilling action weren’t enough, the reveal that Itachi was coerced into killing the Uchiha Clan shakes Sasuke to his core, forcing him to reconcile with his current trajectory.

8 Pain’s Assault is One of the Most Important Naruto Arcs

Naruto: Shippuden Arc — Pain’s Assault

Pain, the mysterious leader of the Akatsuki, is widely considered one of Naruto‘s cruelest villains after erasing the Hidden Leaf Village with a single devastating attack. As a villain, he represents everything Naruto Uzumaki stands against, creating a powerful moment in their story when the two finally clash with more at stake than ever.

The Pain’s Assault arc is the highly anticipated culmination of Naruto’s training following the loss of Jiraiya and the Akatsuki’s ongoing efforts to collect the Tailed Beasts. This sequence becomes a pivotal moment for Naruto once he does the unthinkable by convincing Pain to defect from the Akatsuki and restore the lives he had claimed with his massive attack. The victory cements Naruto as a hero of the Hidden Leaf Village in this powerful sequence that continues to captivate fans years later.

9 Naruto Learns About His Past Before Joining the War

Naruto: Shippuden Arc — Fourth Great Ninja War: Countdown

The devastating attack by the Nine-Tailed Fox looms over the story from the beginning, but the details of the event go mostly unseen until Naruto Uzumaki prepares to join the Fourth Great Ninja War. While Naruto learns the dark truth about his past, his future hangs in the balance as the release of the forbidden Reincarnation Jutsu initiates the war.

After Naruto struggles through an alienating childhood as an orphan and Jinchuriki, his emotional reunion with his mother, Kushina, is nothing short of heartwarming for fans. Kushina, the previous Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, helps Naruto master his unique chakra so it can be used to save the world. The tragic story of Naruto’s past and the brewing frenzy of war are the highlights of this all-time classic arc.

10 The Fourth Great Ninja War’s Climax Arc is Unforgettable

Naruto: Shippuden Arc — Fourth Great Ninja War: Climax

The Fourth Great Ninja War reaches a significant turning point when the Allied Shinobi Forces seem to be fighting two separate versions of Madara Uchiha, eventually leading to the discovery of Obito’s role in the war. As the Five Kage defend against the reincarnation of the real Madara Uchiha, Obito wages war directly against the last two Tailed Beasts in an increasingly dangerous sequence of events.

In addition to the Five Kage and the Tailed Beasts, Sasuke Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha, and other figures fight against Madara’s forces in this action-packed sequence that only gets more intense as it progresses. From the highly anticipated collision between Kakashi Hatake and Obito Uchiha to the reincarnation of the Ten-Tails, the Fourth Great Ninja War: Climax arc delivers some of the most exciting sequences of the entire Naruto franchise at a time when stakes seem as though they couldn’t be any higher.