How many Naruto episodes can you skip? A lot: 90 of the original 220 episodes and 203 of the 500 in Shippuden are filler, according to the community filler list we checked on 6 October 2026. That is 293 episodes, or roughly two in every five, that never touch the main story. If you are starting Naruto and the number 720 is making you think twice, you are asking the right question. We pulled the exact ranges below so you can watch the story that matters and still enjoy a few detours on purpose. This guide is spoiler-free: it lists episode numbers, not plot.
The short version
- Naruto has 720 episodes in two series: 220 in the original run and 500 in Naruto: Shippuden.
- Original series filler: episodes 26, 97, 101-106, 136-140 and 143-219. That last block is 77 episodes in a row.
- Shippuden filler: 203 episodes in 20 ranges, from 57-71 up to 480-483.
- Skip all of it and you watch 427 episodes instead of 720.
- Mixed episodes (part canon, part filler) are not on the skip list below, so watch those.
How long is Naruto, really?
Naruto is 720 episodes across two series, and you need both to get the whole story.
The original Naruto series has 220 episodes. According to Wikipedia, they aired on TV Tokyo between 3 October 2002 and 8 February 2007. Naruto: Shippuden picks up from there, mainly adapting Part II of Masashi Kishimoto's manga, and runs exactly 500 episodes, from 15 February 2007 to 23 March 2017. Add them together and you get 720.
Why does the filler exist at all? Because the anime kept airing every week while the manga was still being written, so the studio needed episodes that were not in the source material. That is the whole reason, and it is why so much of it sits in long blocks rather than being sprinkled evenly.
Naruto (original series): the filler list
In the original series, 90 of the 220 episodes (41%) are filler, and most of them are one huge block at the end.
The filler episodes are 26, 97, 101-106, 136-140 and 143-219, according to the filler list. Here is what that means in practice:
- 26 and 97 are single standalone episodes. Skipping them costs you nothing.
- 101-106 is a short run of six.
- 136-140 is five episodes just before the big block.
- 143-219 is 77 episodes in a row. If you only skip one thing in Part 1, skip this.
Episodes 142 and 220 are not on the pure filler list, which tells you something useful: the story is still moving at both ends of that block, so the cleanest cut is to stop at 142 and rejoin at 220 (the filler list marks 220 as mixed canon and filler). If you want to see how big the cut is, it is 77 of 220 episodes.
Naruto: Shippuden: the filler list
Shippuden has 203 filler episodes out of 500 (41%), but they come in 20 smaller ranges, so the skipping is more of a habit than a single jump.
The ranges the filler list gives are:
| Episodes | How many |
|---|---|
| 57-71 | 15 |
| 91-112 | 22 |
| 144-151 | 8 |
| 170-171 | 2 |
| 176-196 | 21 |
| 223-242 | 20 |
| 257-260 | 4 |
| 271 | 1 |
| 279-281 | 3 |
| 284-295 | 12 |
| 303-320 | 18 |
| 347-361 | 15 |
| 376-377 | 2 |
| 388-390 | 3 |
| 394-413 | 20 |
| 416-417 | 2 |
| 422-423 | 2 |
| 427-450 | 24 |
| 464-468 | 5 |
| 480-483 | 4 |
Why so many gaps? The longest are 223-242, 394-413 and 427-450, which are 20, 20 and 24 episodes. Everything else is under 23. That means you can usually jump a few weeks of episodes in one go and land back in the story.
Which filler is worth a look?
Filler is not all bad, and you do not have to be strict about it. Here is our honest take, as fans: the filler list describes the 347-361 block as the Kakashi ANBU Black Ops arc, and a story about the copy-ninja's past is the kind of detour a lot of fans enjoy. The 427-450 block is the longest single run in Shippuden, so it is the one to think hardest about before you commit 24 episodes to it.
We are not claiming those arcs are good or bad, only that they are the ones people most often ask about. If you are short on time, skip them. If you are rewatching, add them back.
How to watch Naruto without the filler
Here is the simple way to do it, in order:
- Start at episode 1 of the original Naruto series.
- Skip 26 and 97, and the short runs at 101-106 and 136-140.
- Stop at episode 142. Skip 143-219, then watch episode 220, which the list marks as mixed.
- Switch to Naruto: Shippuden from episode 1. Watch episodes 1-56 as they are.
- Use the table above. Skip each range, and watch everything between them.
- Finish at Shippuden episode 500. Skipping every filler range leaves you 427 episodes in total.
Why does this beat "just watch it all"? Because the pace of the main story is the thing most new fans bounce off, and the filler is where that happens. Cut it and you keep the stakes.
Common questions
How many Naruto episodes are there?
720 in total: 220 in the original Naruto and 500 in Naruto: Shippuden.
What percentage of Naruto is filler?
The filler list puts the original series at 41% (90 of 220 episodes) and Shippuden at 41% (203 of 500 episodes).
Can I skip the Naruto filler and still understand the story?
Yes. Filler episodes are not part of the manga storyline, so skipping the listed ranges does not remove any main plot.
Are the mixed canon and filler episodes safe to skip?
We would not. Mixed episodes contain some canon material, and they are not on the pure filler ranges above.
Which Naruto episodes are filler in Shippuden?
57-71, 91-112, 144-151, 170-171, 176-196, 223-242, 257-260, 271, 279-281, 284-295, 303-320, 347-361, 376-377, 388-390, 394-413, 416-417, 422-423, 427-450, 464-468 and 480-483.
What to do next
If you remember one thing, remember this: 143-219 is the single biggest cut in the original series, and everything else is optional detours. Bookmark the table above, start at episode 1 and tick off the ranges as you go. Once you are caught up, see where everyone lands in our strongest Naruto Shippuden characters ranking, and gear up from the Naruto collection. The numbers above come from the Naruto filler list and the Naruto: Shippuden filler list, checked on 6 October 2026. Filler lists get updated by their communities, so check them if you are reading much later.