It's not easy to pick the best episodes in a massive anime series like Naruto. As part of the shonen "big three," the Naruto anime is simply packed with stellar episodes and memorable moments, so it's no mean feat to name the 10/10 episodes. For the most devoted fans, everything in the canon story is a 10/10 piece of anime entertainment. That's why Naruto fans ought to set the bar high enough so only a handful of episodes rise to the top.
Even then, the Naruto and Naruto Shippuden anime are loaded with top-tier episodes that feel like 10/10 entertainment to most viewers. To narrow things down further, fans may choose episodes that each include one or more essential parts of what make Naruto what it is. Those episodes feature the most creative battles, the most iconic moments, and the hardest-hitting character moments that show the world what Naruto is capable of as a smart battle shonen anime with a heart.
"You Failed! Kakashi's Final Decision" Has a Heartfelt Ninja Trick
Season 1, Episode 5
It's surprisingly common for shonen anime like Naruto to treat fans to 10/10 episodes early on. A story like this will have limited lore and only a few characters to work with in the first handful of episodes, but that just makes it more rewarding when the likes of Naruto make the most of that material. The famed bell test in Naruto was the first time viewers realized they were seeing something truly special, with Kakashi Hatake asking for much more than jutsu and martial arts from the newly formed Team 7.
6 Naruto Characters Who Really Don’t Deserve The Hate
There are characters in Naruto that receive universal hate due to their poor actions, but there are also many that don't deserve the harsh criticism.
By Episode 5, viewers could see that Kakashi was testing the character of his three genin charges, not just their techniques, and it meant a lot. This did tie into Kakashi's "Look underneath the underneath" advice, but the real heart of this test was how Kakashi was honoring Obito Uchiha's memory. As fans saw much later on, Obito inspired the young Kakashi to believe that anyone who'd abandon a friend is even lower than the kind of trash who would abandon the mission. Such a lesson was powerfully resonant for Team 7, most of all for Naruto, who would give anything to save Sasuke -- including from himself.
"The Demon in the Snow" Shows How Love is Stronger Than Violence
Season 1, Episode 19
By now, the anime fandom is split on the idea of Naruto's "talk jutsu," with some saying it's overused or was too cheesy to begin with. Other fans say it's a key part of Naruto Uzumaki's design. All fans may agree, though, that the first few uses of the talk jutsu were genuinely incredible to see, starting with Naruto's speech to Zabuza Momochi. At first, Zabuza was just a cold-blooded jonin to contrast with Kakashi, but then Naruto did the impossible by seeing Zabuza's warm humanity and drawing it out for all to see.
Team 7 had won a physical victory on Tazuna's bridge by then, but the real battle was in the heart, and Naruto didn't dare lose that fight. Or rather, he didn't let Zabuza lose that fight to his own worst side. When Naruto convinced Zabuza to view Haku as a dear friend and regret his abusive ways, Zabuza thrilled viewers by turning on Gato as a redeemed antihero. Zabuza died in the process, but at least he got emotional closure laying next to his friend, a 10/10 scene that would bring anyone to tears.
"The Fifth Gate: A Splendid Ninja is Born" Made Rock Lee a Better Underdog Than Naruto
Season 2, Episode 15
The famed Chunin Exam Arc is the stuff of legends thanks to its new jutsu, new characters, and unforgettable fights. The single best example out of many great battles was Rock Lee's showdown with Gaara. What makes this a 10/10 fight isn't Rock Lee winning against impossible odds -- he didn't -- but the personal victory of Rock Lee's belief in himself. On many levels, it hardly even mattered if Rock Lee officially won the match or not, since he felt like a splendid ninja who made Might Guy so proud, as hoped. It's hugely inspiring to see, suggesting that even an underdog who feels like they have nothing can become somebody.
Find all 10 pairs
Find all 10 pairs
This gung ho spirit does have a dark edge to keep things in perspective, though, which makes this episode feel even richer and more nuanced than just cheering on Rock Lee. Critically, the episode showed the painful and perhaps permanent price that Rock Lee paid to go Plus Ultra like that, showing that even if there are no limits in the mind, the body still has its limits. The balance between willpower and the flesh is a delicate one, with one sometimes unable to keep up with the other, no matter the stakes. It challenges everyone to wonder how much is too much when it feels like someone has everything to gain.
"The Promise That Could Not Be Kept" is the Most Bittersweet Episode of Naruto
Season 4, Episode 4
Often, anime fans will choose an episode packed with explosive action as a 10/10 episode in the likes of Naruto and other titles. Such fights are the peak of the combat system, but it takes more than hard-hitting jutsu to tell a story. The likes of Naruto's Rasengan and Sasuke's Chidori aren't the point, but rather, the vehicles for the real narrative. Thus, the showdown at the Valley of the End was just the setup for the actual story, a bittersweet one about friendship.
Naruto: 6 Anime Moments That Were Better in the Manga
There are many iconic moments depicted in both the anime and manga of Naruto. However, there are some that shined more in the manga.
The whole point of that duel was that no matter Sasuke's power and his resolve to abandon Team 7, Naruto saw him as a cherished friend and refused to let those feelings go. Even if that sentiment put Naruto in serious danger and made him appear foolish in Sasuke's eyes, Naruto clung to that belief, and it made fans feel all kinds of feelings. How far is too far for a friend, and is it worth the risk? It was something for all Naruto fans to ponder going into Naruto Shippuden while also daring to end that story arc on a note of temporary defeat rather than the usual victories for shonen leads.
"The End" Brought the Tragedy of the Uchiha Brothers to a Close
Season 6, Episode 25
Even not counting the many filler episodes, the Naruto Shippuden anime is loaded with amazing episodes and moments that feel like an 8/10 or higher. If fans had to pick just a few, then "The End" is a strong contender as the endpoint of a certain brotherly feud. Ever since his introduction, Sasuke vowed to destroy his brother Itachi, but when the moment came, it felt almost empty to Sasuke. Smartly, the Naruto Shippuden anime had a trick up its sleeve to ensure Sasuke had more on the line than bloody closure.
Getting revenge ended up not being the point after all, because "The End" was the beginning of Sasuke's understanding of who his brother was. As the dust settled on the epic fight, Itachi died as a redeemed anti-villain, one who only loved his brother and village. It felt off at the moment, a new plot twist that ensured all Naruto viewers were eager to find the full truth of who Itachi was. Itachi's death merely opened another chapter of his life story rather than writing him out of the story altogether.
"Two Students" Was the End of Pain and the Beginning of Hope
Season 8, Episode 18
The Six Paths of Pain arose as Naruto Shippuden's best villain of all. He was a thought-provoking menace who terrorized the heroes and challenged everyone to wonder if humanity could ever find a way to break the cycles of hatred and violence. Once again, Naruto needed more than a physical victory with jutsu and fists to truly save the day, and that's what makes "Two Students" a 10/10 episode. The real battle was fought in the aftermath of the physical showdown, with Naruto grappling with both Nagato's twisted idealism and his own wrath.
Notably, Naruto almost became the next Pain when he tried to attack Nagato with his furious fist, risking becoming the same monster he fought so hard to destroy. The idea of vengeful pain almost won in that tense scene, only for Naruto to get a hold of himself and begin a real dialogue. Thus, Naruto became Nagato's mirror as a fellow student of Jiraiya without actually losing himself to the same darkness that created the Six Paths of Pain. From there, Naruto Shippuden viewers were eager, even anxious, to see how Naruto and Nagato would talk things out as counterparts.
