Naruto is the Shonen giant whose successful rise in the West is rivaled only by the likes of Dragon Ball itself. It is a series that has made a name for itself in more ways than one. It is the anime that got young viewers to take cartoons and anime seriously. It is host to some of the best fights in Shonen history.
It may very well be the home to the greatest rivalry in anime history. As great as all of these elements were, there is one other element that has turned Naruto's reputation from famous to infamous. That would be the waves and waves of filler episodes that all fans had to wade through just to get to a single, canon episode. Such a flaw has been lampooned by fan and critic alike and will be probably be remembered almost as long as one of the series' filler arcs. Looking back at the series' most trying filler streaks, here are a few memes about it.
10 The Wall of Shame
Just to give the uninitiated an idea where all the hate is coming from, Naruto is a long-running Shonen series whose majority of released content is comprised of flashback arcs, made-up nonsense, and repeated shots of Naruto sitting on a swing.
Even for the initiated, a true fan can tell that this meme is dated based on the fact that it declares JUST 44% of filler content. It's a wonder that the studio didn't pick up on the disproportionate amount of canon content. Hopefully, they'll see this meme and know where their fame lies.
9 Looking at You, Pierrot
For those thinking that this list was done with Studio Pierrot, here's a reminder to buckle up. All the hate the filler gets is not just this unreasonable, innate distaste from the anime community towards all filler episodes. Some can actually be good while others are understandably there to disperse content.
However, when it comes to Naruto, there's a certain sense of unapologetic time-wasting given the complete run around that Studio Pierrot gave its fans. Sometimes, it's probably just better to take a hiatus.
8 Everywhere
This should be placed in the thumbnail for the series or at the beginning of the first episode just so new fans can know what they're getting in for.
The series' own fans certainly wish that they had received such a warning. Just looking at the face of the devastated Woody/Naruto just doesn't seem as funny given the cringey level of filler. It's not just that it's everywhere. It's that they're surrounded.
7 We Need New Ideas!
There's certainly a lot a studio can do to help keep a long-running series fresh, relevant, and entertaining. They could update the animation, even if that just means slight changes in color palettes or shading.
They could try exploring new bands to help update the music. They could even try remaking or remastering old episodes to help bring old content to the modern age. However, as history has told everyone, the cheaper, lazier method is key and will often be seen as genius before a tiring animation crew.
6 Watch the Fillers
One can understand wanting to watch the series in its entirety. There's a certain sense of community and intentionality that goes with trying to simulate how the series was seen by release.
However, one would be hard-pressed to find any person who could truly justify watching the fillers as entertaining content of their own. There are hundreds of reasons why people love this series. Almost none of them appear in their true glory within filler. Instead, fans get an ostrich with a bow tie.
5 Maybe Hear the Guy Out
There's no such thing as a bad idea unless that idea involves creating less content. Then that's apparently a very, very bad idea. To be fair though, the first couple of suggestions would've been interesting to see come into fruition.
In this fictional world where anime execs can just throw staff out of windows, it's nice to know that these ideas were given some consideration. However, it would've been really nice if they gave that third guy some consideration.
4 True Pain
To an extent, there is a shared pain between anime fandoms in regards to how studios fill out content. Fillers are found in every sect of anime life, and they never really seem to have a great track record.
However, such a pain must never be confused with what Naruto fans went through. They went through a special kind of torture that even the series' own characters wouldn't want to face. It's an unimaginable pain to make anyone feel comfortable with just watching the next isekai series.
3 Planetary Devastation
No one should underestimate the true power of filler content. Even among the ninja elite, the art of the filler episode is an infamous, dangerous jiutsu that only the most depraved ninja would use.
It can distort time, making short arcs last half a year. It can destroy fan bases, making people switch channels. It can near destroy a series in its entirety, leaving one to wonder how the animators could ever live to tell the tale.
2 They're Starting to Get to Naruto
Fillers can get people to say crazy things. Naruto needed to take care of an ostrich. Rock Lee had to defend his favorite curry. Ninjas used jiutsus and various military training to make ramen to save a kidnapped girl.
It's mind-numbing enough for the fans. It's no wonder that all of this circled back and bit Naruto himself. One can wonder whatever it is that Naruto is looking at. No one actually believes that it will be any good.
1 Just. 5. Minutes.
At some point in time, the series just has to admit that it kind of has a problem. Given the large amount of filler content, most of them being flashback arcs that just recycle old scenes and animation, one can only assume that Studio Pierrot needs a hug or something.
Fans need to get Goku, Monkey D. Luffy, and Ichigo all together to try and help Naruto come down from its little problem.