Naruto Shippuden
-ナルト- 疾風伝 (Naruto: Shippuuden)
- Action
- Adventure
- Fantasy
- Martial Arts
- Episodes
- 500
- Duration
- 23 min per ep
- Aired
- Feb 15, 2007 to Mar 23, 2017
- Status
- Finished Airing
Synopsis
Two and a half years after leaving Konohagakure for rigorous training, Naruto Uzumaki returns to the Hidden Leaf with sharper skills and renewed resolve. As he reunites with familiar faces, the Akatsuki—an enigmatic group of powerful rogue ninja—begins moving closer to a larger scheme that could endanger the entire shinobi world.
Naruto may be older, but his loud, impulsive spirit remains, now tempered by greater confidence and an unwavering drive to protect his friends and village. With dark forces gathering, he pushes forward no matter the cost, continuing his journey toward the title of Hokage.
Otaku Consensus
Naruto: Shippuuden delivers long-form shounen spectacle at its most emotionally resonant, pairing big-stakes ninja mythmaking with a cast that’s easy to invest in across years of growth and conflict. Fans consistently praise its character-driven highs, major arcs, and Yasuharu Takanashi’s pulse-raising score, while even supporters acknowledge that the 500-episode run is weighed down by frequent flashbacks and filler-heavy stretches that can blunt momentum. The end result is a landmark action-adventure series—immensely rewarding at its peaks, but best approached with patience (or a filler guide).
Why You Should Watch
Watch Naruto: Shippuuden if you want a battle shounen that earns its climaxes through years of payoff—where rivalries, mentorship, and hard-won maturity matter as much as flashy techniques. Studio Pierrot’s long-running production builds a dense shinobi world of factions and conspiracies, then escalates it into operatic, super-powered martial arts showdowns. What really hooks is the ensemble: Naruto’s stubborn optimism colliding with darker paths taken by friends and enemies, all underscored by Yasuharu Takanashi’s music that turns turning points into events. It’s ideal for viewers who love sprawling adventure, emotional catharsis, and “next-episode” momentum—so long as you can tolerate (or strategically skip) padding.
Key Characters
- UUzumaki, Naruto(VA: Takeuchi, Junko)
A loud, relentless ninja-in-training whose renewed confidence and stubborn empathy push him to protect his village and chase an impossible dream with sheer willpower.
- UUchiha, Sasuke(VA: Sugiyama, Noriaki)
Naruto’s most defining rival—cool, gifted, and driven by a razor-focused sense of purpose that keeps every encounter charged with tension.
- HHatake, Kakashi(VA: Inoue, Kazuhiko)
A famously composed mentor whose tactical brilliance and guarded personal history make him one of the series’ most compelling adult anchors.
- HHaruno, Sakura(VA: Nakamura, Chie)
A determined teammate who refuses to be left behind, bringing grit and growth to a story dominated by prodigies and legends.
What Makes It Stand Out
- 1
A decade-spanning, 500-episode coming-of-age structure that lets relationships evolve gradually—rewarding viewers who enjoy long-form character investment and delayed payoffs.
- 2
High-impact action direction and martial-arts choreography that scale from tactical skirmishes to super-powered set pieces, reflecting its Action/Adventure/Fantasy identity.
- 3
Yasuharu Takanashi’s score (eps 2–256, 261–500) is a defining asset—driving tension, melancholy, and hype in a way fans routinely single out as a series highlight.
- 4
A dense web of themes—revenge, conspiracy, philosophy, and the costs of power—layered over classic shounen momentum, giving the story more to chew on than pure spectacle.
- 5
An ensemble-driven world of ninja factions and a central criminal organization (Akatsuki) that keeps the narrative pressure high even when the protagonist isn’t on screen.
Fun Facts & Trivia
- Fun fact 1
- Naruto: Shippuuden aired from Feb 15, 2007 to Mar 23, 2017 and ran for 500 episodes, making it one of the defining long-form TV shounen productions of its era.
- Fun fact 2
- Key creative continuity came from director Hayato Date, who helmed the series for most of its run (eps 1–479).
- Fun fact 3
- The series’ music identity is largely shaped by composer Yasuharu Takanashi, credited across the bulk of the show (eps 2–256, 261–500).
- Fun fact 4
- On MyAnimeList, it holds an 8.29/10 score from over 1.8 million votes and sits among the site’s most-watched titles by popularity (#15), reflecting massive mainstream reach.
- Fun fact 5
- Masashi Kishimoto is credited as the original creator, with character designs by Tetsuya Nishio and Hirofumi Suzuki—key to the show’s consistent look across its long run.
Studios
- Studio Pierrot
