After the resounding success of Naruto, along with how perfectly it set up stakes for a sequel, it was only a matter of time before fans were delivered its successor series Naruto: Shippuden. After several years of hard work and dedication, Naruto Uzumaki returns better than ever, determined to follow through on his promise of bringing Sasuke back to the Hidden Leaf.
There are certain things that fans generally agree are handled better in Part One, such as the consistency of fight scenes and overall power scaling. However, Naruto: Shippuden gets a lot of things right as well, including tons of emotional moments and more depth with fan-favorite characters.
10 Seeing Fan-Favorites Again After A Timeskip
One of the best parts about any timeskip is getting to see how fan-favorite characters have changed. In the three years that pass between Part One and Two, Neji is promoted to Jonin, and Gaara becomes the Kazekage. Sakura also blooms from someone with little physical strength to a monstrous force on the battlefield.
Not only are characters given new ranks and powers, but entirely new outfits, as well. Naruto's iconic orange jumpsuit is a bit of a joke within the fandom, and it was updated to include darker colors, becoming less of an eyesore.
9 Complex And Creative New Characters Are Introduced
Naruto Shippuden not only breathes new life into old characters, it also introduces a wealth of complex and colorful new ones. For one, more of the Akatsuki is finally expanded upon, introducing short-lived but creative villains like Deidara and Sasori.
One of Shippuden's most interesting additions by far is Sai, originally a spy for Danzo, tasked with delivering a message to and allying with Orochimaru. Though his emotions are severely distorted from his time as a Root member, meeting and bonding with Team Kakashi changes Sai for the better. He becomes an ally of the Hidden Leaf, eventually entering into a relationship with and marrying Ino Yamanaka.
8 Hinata Finally Confesses Her Feelings
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Hinata has had a crush on Naruto from the very beginning, something obvious to just about everyone except for Naruto himself. While watching Hinata fail to keep herself coherent or even conscious in Naruto's presence is cute, it can only go on for so long.
Shippuden finally sees Hinata confess her feelings to Naruto, in one of the most powerful ways possible. Hinata steps in-between Pain and a defenseless Naruto, telling him that she can't leave him alone because she loves him. Even when Naruto begs her to run away, Hinata stands her ground and fights Pain in one of Shippuden's most memorable moments.
7 The Heroes Usher In A New Era Of Peace
Naruto and all the other heroes have been through so much by the time Shippuden draws to a close. While the end of Part One sets up incredibly high stakes for Part Two to jump right into, after the tense and sacrifice-filled ride of Shippuden, it's nice to see the heroes finally get to relax for a change.
After all the pain and suffering inflicted during the War arc, Naruto and the others are finally able to breathe and focus on other things. While having Shippuden wrap up with Naruto and Hinata's wedding feels rushed to some fans, it is a much-needed change of pace.
6 Even Villains Are Compelling And Understandable
Although Part One of Naruto certainly has compelling and relatable villains as well, Shippuden takes things to an entirely new level. Many of Part Two's villains want the same thing as the heroes – to bring about everlasting peace – but their viewpoints on how to get there are where issues arise.
Madara Uchiha, for example, wanted was to bring about peace, but his plan for doing so was to trap all living beings inside an Infinite Tsukuyomi. Even more compelling is Pain who, after his lifetime of horrid painful experiences, believes that war is the only way to bring about true peace.
5 Naruto Finally Gets Through To Sasuke
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After Naruto's desperate attempt to get through to Sasuke in Part One, he tries and fails several more times to bring Sasuke back to his senses during Shippuden. Thankfully, Naruto and his ideologies finally get through to Sasuke near the tail end of Part Two.
It's Naruto's insistence, and the fact that he never gave up on Sasuke throughout all the years that passed, that changes Sasuke's mind. He agrees to accept Naruto's ideology – that the two of them can help each other heal from all the pain they've endured, and he returns as an ally of the Leaf.
4 The Truth About Itachi Is Unforgettably Heartbreaking
Throughout all of Part One, viewers only know what Sasuke has disclosed about his brother Itachi. Understandably, this builds Itachi's character up as someone who's needlessly cruel, having cut down their entire Clan for no reason other than to draw Sasuke's hatred.
Shippuden completely flips this idea of Itachi on its head, instead painting him as a caring older brother who only did what he had to for the sake of his village, as well as his younger brother. Itachi goes from being a cruel, mysterious villain to one of the most tragically compelling characters in all of Naruto.
3 Sakura Is Given Chances To Truly Shine
While it's true that Sakura doesn't get nearly as much focus as her male counterparts, she gets more time in the spotlight in Naruto Shippuden compared to the original series. Most of Sakura's original character arc has to do with her realizing how far she's lagging behind, and figuring out what the path to becoming stronger looks like for her.
By the time Part Two rolls around, Sakura's had several years of training under the Sannin Tsunade herself, and her physical abilities are near-unmatched. Not only does Sakura bring down Sasori alongside Chiyo, she also singlehandedly keeps Naruto alive during the War arc.
2 Backstories For Fan-Favorites Are Fleshed Out
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In Part One, Kakashi is heralded as a fan-favorite for his cool demeanor and wide array of unique abilities. He drops small hints about his past from time to time, but nothing is concretely shown until Shippuden, where his past alongside Obito and Rin is fully fleshed-out.
This turns Kakashi from a cool-and-collected sensei to an endearing and complex character, and he's not the only one whose past fans learn more about. Other fan-favorite characters like Jiraiya are given episodes where their pasts are fully explored, helping to connect fans to them even further.
1 Naruto Finally Meets With And Hugs His Mother
By far, one of Shippuden's most touching moments is when Naruto and his mother, Kushina, finally get to meet. Right before Naruto can be consumed by Kurama's hatred and vengeance, Kushina's chakra counteracts this, and she appears before him.
Though Naruto is initially too stunned to move, Kushina recounts she and Minato's past, and just how much they both love and cherish their son. Naruto tells her that he doesn't resent them for leaving him to grow up alone, and the two share a long awaited sweet embrace.