The Ultimate Naruto Shippuden Filler List: How to Skip the Trash (And What to Watch)

The "40% Rule"

We love Naruto. It’s a masterpiece. But let’s be real: the anime pacing is atrocious. Out of 500 episodes, roughly 200 are fillers. That is 80 hours of content that never happened in the manga.

Some are okay. Most are terrible (Mecha Naruto, anyone?). If you are rewatching or starting for the first time, use this guide to save your sanity.

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🛑 The "Hard Skip" List (Don't Even Bother)

These arcs add nothing to the story. They often have bad animation and contradict the lore. Skip them entirely.

• Twelve Guardian Ninja Arc (Ep 57–71): Boring politics and zombies.
• Three-Tails Appearance (Ep 90–112): Very long, very slow.
• Six-Tails Unleashed (Ep 144–151): Interesting jinchuriki, bad execution.
• Past Arc: The Locus of Konoha (Ep 176–196): Flashbacks we have seen 100 times.
• Paradise Life on a Boat (Ep 223–242): THE WORST. Naruto is on a boat for 20 episodes. Nothing happens. Skip.
• Filler Arcs During the War (Ep 284–295): Interrupts the main battle.
• Infinite Tsukuyomi Dreams (Ep 427–450): The climax of the war is interrupted for MONTHS of dream sequences. Painful.

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✅ The "Good Filler" List (Consider Watching)

Surprisingly, some filler arcs expand the lore in cool ways. If you want more content, watch these:

• Kakashi: Shadow of the ANBU Black Ops (Ep 349–361): MUST WATCH. This details Kakashi’s dark past, Itachi joining the ANBU, and Yamato’s origin. It’s better than some canon arcs.
• Power Arc (Ep 290–295): It was meant to be a movie. The animation is movie-quality (beautiful).
• Itachi Shinden (Ep 451–458): Based on the official Light Novels. The truth about the Uchiha Massacre.

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💡 The Pro Move: Read the Manga

The best way to experience Naruto without filters, bad pacing, or flashbacks? Read the manga.

The art is consistent, the pacing is lightning fast, and there are ZERO fillers.

• Box Set 2: Covers the start of Shippuden (Sasuke Retrieval to Pain Arc).
• Box Set 3: Covers the War Arc and the Ending.

Upgrade Your Experience: Kishimoto’s art is legendary. Grab the Naruto Box Set 2 on Amazon.

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Conclusion: Value Your Time

You don't get a medal for watching Mecha-Naruto. Skip the bad stuff so you can enjoy the masterpiece that is the Pain Arc and the War Arc without burning out.

What is the worst filler you ever watched? The Ostrich Ninja? The Curry of Life? Vent your frustration in the comments!