You're sitting there, ramen cooling on the desk, ready to finally tackle the massive backlog of Hidden Leaf history. But then you realize something annoying. The timeline is a disaster. If you try to watch Naruto movies in order based strictly on when they hit theaters, you're going to spoil major character deaths or suddenly see Naruto using a technique he hasn't even learned in the main show yet. It's frustrating. Honestly, the "canon" debate in the anime community is a literal battlefield, but most of these films are basically high-budget "what-if" scenarios. They’re gorgeous, fun, and occasionally weird, but they don't always play nice with the manga's logic.
Most fans just want to know when to hit pause on the Crunchyroll queue and jump over to a movie without feeling like they’ve entered an alternate dimension.
The Original Series: Where Things Were Simple
Early Naruto was a vibe. It was all about tactical fights, Kunai that actually mattered, and that classic lo-fi soundtrack. The first three movies reflect that. They aren't essential to the plot, but they’re great if you miss the days when Team 7 actually went on missions together.
Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow is the big one. It’s the first time we saw Naruto on the big screen. To keep the timeline coherent, you should watch this one right after Episode 101. You know, that legendary episode where they try to see Kakashi’s face? Yeah, watch it after that. It fits perfectly because the team is still intact and Sasuke hasn't gone full "vengeance-is-my-only-personality-trait" yet.
Then comes Legend of the Stone of Gelel. This one is weird. It feels like a fever dream because it involves knights in armor and ancient minerals that definitely aren't chakra. It’s best watched after Episode 160. By this point, the show is deep into filler territory anyway, so a movie about a traveling caravan doesn't feel out of place.
The final "kid Naruto" movie is Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom. Put this one after Episode 196. It’s got a summer vacation energy that feels like a last hurrah before the time skip. Naruto is wearing a different outfit, there are circus animals, and it's generally pretty lighthearted. It’s the calm before the storm that is Shippuden.
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Shippuden: When the Timeline Gets Stressful
Once you hit Shippuden, the Naruto movies in order become a lot harder to track because the stakes in the show are constantly rising. There’s no downtime.
The first Shippuden movie (cleverly titled Naruto Shippuden the Movie) should be watched after Episode 32. It’s famous for that opening scene where it looks like Naruto dies. It’s a total bait-and-switch, but it works. Then you have Bonds. Watch this after Episode 71. This is the one where Sasuke briefly teams up with Naruto again. It’s pure fan service, but seeing them back-to-back fighting a "Sky Country" threat is genuinely cool, even if the physics of the flying fortresses make zero sense.
The Will of Fire is probably the best of the early Shippuden films. It feels like a love letter to the Kakashi-focused lore. Watch it after Episode 121. It deals with the idea of the "Will of Fire" in a way that actually reflects what Kishimoto was writing in the manga at the time.
Then things get complicated with The Lost Tower.
Time travel.
Minato Namikaze.
Young Kakashi.
It’s a nostalgic trip that hits best after Episode 175. Why? Because by then, you’ve seen the Pain Arc and you actually understand the emotional weight of Naruto meeting his father. If you watch it earlier, the impact is totally lost.
The Weird Case of Blood Prison
Honestly, Blood Prison is the black sheep. It’s dark, claustrophobic, and Naruto is framed for a crime he didn't commit. The problem is that Naruto has mastered Sage Mode in this movie, but he’s also surprised by things he should already know. Most fans agree it sits somewhere around Episode 222. Just don't think too hard about the continuity here. It’ll give you a headache.
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Road to Ninja and the Kishimoto Touch
For a long time, the movies were handled entirely by Studio Pierrot with very little input from the creator, Masashi Kishimoto. That changed with Road to Ninja. This movie is a "Menma" story—an alternate reality where Naruto’s parents are alive and everyone else’s personalities are flipped. Hinata is a bully, Sasuke is a playboy, and it’s hilarious.
Watch this after Episode 311. It’s actually tied into a specific tie-in episode of the anime. It’s the first movie that felt like it had "soul" because Kishimoto actually wrote the story. It explores Naruto’s loneliness in a way that the filler movies never quite grasped. It’s emotional. It’s loud. It’s very Naruto.
The Only Movies That Actually Matter (The Canon)
If you are a purist and only care about the "real" story, there are only two movies you actually need to watch. These are the ones that are 100% canon.
- The Last: Naruto the Movie
- Boruto: Naruto the Movie
The Last is essentially Episode 493.5. Do not, under any circumstances, watch this before finishing the main series (around Episode 479/480). It bridges the gap between the end of the war and the wedding. It’s a romance movie. Seriously. It’s about how Naruto and Hinata finally get together, and it involves a guy on the moon trying to kidnap Hanabi. It’s weird, but the animation is top-tier.
Boruto: Naruto the Movie is the transition. Even though the Boruto anime eventually retold this entire story (The Momoshiki Arc), the movie version is still a tighter, better-paced experience. Watch this after the final episode of Shippuden. It’s the passing of the torch.
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The Cheat Sheet for Your Binge
If you just want the list without the fluff, here is the most logical way to slot Naruto movies in order into your watch schedule:
- Land of Snow: After Ep. 101 (OG)
- Stone of Gelel: After Ep. 160 (OG)
- Crescent Moon Kingdom: After Ep. 196 (OG)
- Shippuden The Movie: After Ep. 32 (Shippuden)
- Bonds: After Ep. 71 (Shippuden)
- The Will of Fire: After Ep. 121 (Shippuden)
- The Lost Tower: After Ep. 175 (Shippuden)
- Blood Prison: After Ep. 222 (Shippuden)
- Road to Ninja: After Ep. 311 (Shippuden)
- The Last: After Ep. 479 (Shippuden)
- Boruto Movie: After Ep. 500 (Shippuden)
Why Most People Get the "Order" Wrong
The biggest mistake is following the Japanese release dates. If you do that, you'll be watching movies that feature techniques Naruto hasn't learned yet in the episodes you're currently on. For example, some movies show Naruto using the Rasenshuriken before he’s even finished the training arc for it in the anime. It completely breaks the immersion.
Another thing to keep in mind: the power scaling. In the movies, the villains are often "god-tier" threats that the five Kage can't handle, yet Naruto beats them with a basic Rasengan. If you try to fit that into the serious timeline of the Fourth Shinobi World War, it falls apart. Treat the non-canon movies as "side quests." They’re like the filler episodes, but with a million-dollar budget.
Is It Even Worth Watching the Fillers?
Look, some of these aren't great. Stone of Gelel is forgettable. Blood Prison is confusing. But The Will of Fire and Road to Ninja are genuinely good cinema. They provide character beats that the manga didn't have room for.
Specifically, The Last is mandatory. If you skip it, the transition from the end of Naruto to the start of Boruto feels jarring. You’ll be wondering why everyone is suddenly married and has kids. It fills the emotional gaps that the final chapters of the manga rushed through.
Your Practical Next Steps
If you’re currently midway through the series, don’t stop to watch every movie. It will ruin the pacing of the main story arcs like the Pain Invasion or the Great Ninja War.
Stick to this plan:
Save all the movies for after you finish the original 220 episodes of the first series. Watch the first three as a "cooldown" before starting Shippuden. Then, once you get to the middle of Shippuden, pick one or two that sound interesting (like The Lost Tower). Leave The Last and Boruto for the very end. This keeps the narrative momentum alive while still letting you enjoy the spectacle of the big-budget fights. Check your streaming service’s "extra" or "movies" section—sometimes they’re hidden under a separate title entry entirely.