Usually, when the words "Naruto" and "filler" are in the same sentence, it's mostly frowned upon. The Naruto anime is notorious for having long stretches of filler episodes in-between major arcs, which was mostly done to help keep the anime going while not catching up too close to where the manga was.

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Regardless of the practicality of it, Naruto's fillers are not really fondly remembered, many fans disliking them for being a waste of time. But there's always at least one diamond in the rough, throughout the many episodes in both the original series and Naruto Shippuden there's a decent handful of filler that isn't half bad and are definitely worth a watch.

10 THE WORST THREE-LEGGED RACE

Despite being a popular fan-pairing and being each other's first kiss, Naruto and Sasuke are definitely not a couple. However, that fact only makes this episode even funnier. During a mission, Naruto and Sasuke get their hands stuck together and have to work together to rescue Sakura from some bandits.

It's a bit of a cliché scenario but definitely one that pays off for the two, showcasing when their frenemy-ship was in full swing, leading to many hilarious hijinks while they're stuck together. The episode is also extremely well animated for a filler, and Naruto and Sasuke's fight against the bandits is actually a fun action scene to watch. Also, the two somehow accidentally kiss again.

9 REVENGE OF THE SHADOW CLONES

Sometimes it's hard to remember that despite being clones, Naruto's signature Shadow Clones are still Naruto himself. In this episode, Naruto's clones get sick of being cannon fodder and they decide to unionize against him.

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The concept alone is hilarious, but what sends it into overdrive is the different personalities that make up the rogue clones, making for a bunch of wild interpretations of the iconic orange ninja. In the end, it all turns out to be a dream, but it definitely leaves a valuable lesson for the viewer. You should never take people for granted, not even yourself.

8 THE APPEARANCE OF STRANGE VISITORS

Naruto fake Guy & Lee

On the hunt for fame, two imposters named Mondai and Potcha disguise themselves (poorly) as Might Guy and Rock Lee in order to steal Konoha's secrets. Of course, everyone but Naruto can see through the act and Tsunade, want to teach the two a lesson.

From fighting off blood-sucking leeches to caring for Tsunade's giant slug, the fake ninjas are pushed to their absolute limit while Naruto gleefully tackles every task as training, all the while blind to the obvious. Seeing these two one-off characters being put through hell at every turn is funny enough to make viewing this one worth it.

7 THE MECHA-NARUTO TWO-PARTER

Mecha Naruto from Naruto Shippuden in the sky in "The Directive To Take The Nine Tails."

Robots aren't exactly the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions the Naruto franchise, but this two-part episode embraces it with reckless abandon. Orochimaru creates a robotic replica of Naruto in order to steal the Nine-tails' chakra. Action and hilarity ensue.

While the words "Mech-Naruto" sound absolutely ridiculous, these episodes combine comedy and insane action for an entertaining one-two punch. If you can believe it, there's even a Mecha-Kurama towards the end and a reference to Iron Man of all things.

6 LAUGHING SHINO

Shino laughing in Naruto episode 186

Shino has always been known as one of Naruto's stoic characters, almost losing his composure and perpetually being quiet and standoffish. However, the episode "Laughing Shino" put him in an unfamiliar situation. While on yet another mission, Naruto and Shino have to stand in for a man during a funeral to make sure he doesn't laugh during it, losing his inheritance. However, Shino is poisoned by the client's greedy sister which sends him into a big laughing fit and forces Naruto to go it alone.

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This episode has a heavy focus on comedy, especially during the funeral scene where the guests make many attempts to get Naruto to laugh and each attempt getting more ridiculous than the last. It also puts Shino outside of his comfort zone, who's forced to swallow his pride towards the end to save the day.

5 THE TWELVE GUARDIAN NINJA ARC

While there is a lot of comedy focused fillers in Naruto's vast episode count, there are filler arcs that can be just as meaningful as the main story. In this batch of episodes, Naruto is haunted by nightmares of when he went berserk with the Nine-Tail's power and undergoes training to use a wind-style chakra technique. Later he meets a monk in-training named Sora who turns out to have a portion of the Nin-Tailed Fox's chakra in him too.

This action-filled arc sets up major plot points such as Naruto's "Rasenshuriken" technique and the buildup to Danzo's true nature, while also making for a pretty entertaining original story. As filler-only characters go, Sora is also a good addition, as someone Naruto can relate to given their backgrounds and as someone who fears losing control of himself, just like Naruto.

4 THE KONOHA HIDEN: THE PERFECT DAY FOR A WEDDING ARC

Despite the big final battle with Kaguya ending with a bang, Naruto Shippuden's last few episodes of the anime are actually pretty mellowed out, focusing on Naruto and Hinata's wedding. Naruto's friends and allies spend most of these episodes trying to find the right gifts and wedding messages for the couple in their own unique methods

While it's sending the anime off on a lighter note, it's also a nice look into how these characters have grown from when they started. With Boruto not far behind it, this wasn't exactly a "goodbye" so much as a nice "till we meet again". At its core, this arc is a heartfelt finale and definitely a must-watch for NaruHina fans.

3 GOTTA SEE! GOTTA KNOW! KAKASHI-SENSEI'S TRUE FACE!

Naruto anime Kakashi holding the collar of his vest

The enigmatic mentor of Team 7, Kakashi Hatake, has kept a lot of secrets over the years, including what the lower half of his face looks like. In this episode, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura are keen on finding out the answer for themselves, to hilarious results.

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Gags are thrown left and right this time around as Team 7 tries desperately to see Kakashi's face, Sasuke even goes along with Naruto's hair-brained ideas for a change too. There's also a funny small B-plot about a trio of bumbling ninja trying and failing to get revenge on Kakashi too, but that's the icing on the cake when compared to the gut bustlingly funny ending to this one.

2 THE POWER ARC

With the Fourth Shinobi World War looming in the distance, one would think to have a filler arc take-up time before this monumental event wouldn't be any good. However, Shippuden's Power Arc, would prove this wrong. In it, Naruto and friends investigate a massacre and discover that Kabuto is involved and is seeking a powerful treasure. This all eventually culminates in Naruto having to fight a giant hydra-like clone of his Nine-Tails self with spectacular fashion.

The Power Arc was made to celebrate 500 episodes of Naruto and it shows the real heart and passion that was behind it. The sheer quality of the animation is so good it's actually on the level of one of the Naruto movies. These episodes are packed with action, human emotion, and even tie back to the overarching plot of the anime. It's a celebration that's fully enjoyable from start to finish.

1 KAKASHI'S ANBU ARC

Anime Kakashi Anbu from Naruto Shippuden Cropped

Kakashi's early days opened up a lot of elements that would further be tackled in the series, but his time with the Anbu Black Ops remained a mystery until much later. This arc flashes back to Kakashi's history with the Anbu during events such as the Nine-Tailed Fox's attack, Orochimaru's defection, and the Uchiha slaughter.

These episodes do well not just to give more background on Kakashi, but also exploring events and character backstories, such as Yamato's, that before were only told through exposition. It all leads up to Kakashi's eventual discharge from the Anbu, leading Team 7 and eventually meeting with Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, coming full circle. A look into the past that's certainly worth the time.

NEXT: 10 Dragon Ball Fillers Worth Watching