10 Naruto Filler Episodes That Add Depth To The Main Characters

Fillers are usually considered a waste of time in anime, but these Naruto filler episodes actually brought depth to the series’ main characters.

Highlights

• Naruto’s filler episodes provided opportunities for character development, showcasing the expertise and skills of characters like Tenten and Hinata.
• These filler arcs expanded on the relationships between characters, such as Naruto’s bond with Konohamaru and Iruka’s influence on his growth.
• Filler episodes also delved into the past of characters, shedding light on their backstories and motivations, like Gaara’s determination to protect those he cares about.

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While the Naruto series chronicles the journey of Naruto Uzumaki as he becomes the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, his adventures come with both victories and losses for him and his comrades. Unfortunately, the rather expansive nature of his story’s cast means the length of his story may not be enough to cover the details of all his adventures, especially those that help cement his relationships with his friends. Thankfully, as with other anime which were adaptations of ongoing manga, Naruto had its fair share of filler episodes.

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In both the original Naruto anime and its Naruto Shippuden sequel, filler episodes may even expand to filler arcs that serve as opportunities for anime writers to try creating more meaningful stories with the rest of the Naruto cast. Despite the bad rep filler arcs usually get, Naruto was spot on with character development through specific fillers.

10 Deploy! Team Tenten

Specialist Tenten Gets Screentime For Weapons Prowess

When the aftermath of Pain’s Assault left the Hidden Leaf with a shortage of weapons, Deploy! Team Tenten depicts Tsunade assigning Neji Hyuga, Naruto Uzumaki, and Tenten on a mission to retrieve a shipment of shuriken and kunai from a weapon maker named Io. Unfortunately, the team also had to go along with Io’s inventive antics as well as thugs Gameru and Kusune who stole some of Io’s weapons. When Naruto and Neji’s skills proved useless against the duo’s new armaments, Io asks Tenten to use his newest weapon Jidanda, which took the form of a rather massive spiked ball and chain.

It’s only thanks to Tenten’s quick thinking and using explosives to maneuver the spiked ball that the two thugs were defeated. While this filler episode only featured Tenten’s fights within a minute or so, this still showcased the kunoichi’s prowess as Konoha’s weapons expert. Not only that, Tenten also shined in the episode for saving Io after being the only one to overcome the traps in the room where he was imprisoned.

9 Follow My Lead! The Great Survival Challenge

Konohamaru Starts Stepping Up After Naruto’s Example

With the lack of missions in Konoha amid the aftermath of the Chunin Exams, Naruto Uzumaki and his peers among the Hidden Leaf’s genin are assigned to lead Academy Student squads in a survival exercise. Taking place in “Follow My Lead! The Great Survival Challenge,” an overly-enthusiastic Naruto clashes with his mentees Moegi Kazamatsuri, Udon Ise, and especially Konohamaru Sarutobi.

Unfortunately, Naruto’s overconfidence soon reveals his lack of any effective survival knowledge. However, a heart-to-heart does settle their difference and renews their confidence. The story reaches its climax when a large rock falls on Naruto and the kids help despite the protagonist’s protests, and other ninja come in the nick of time to save them from a landslide. Konohamaru calling out Naruto on his carelessness (albeit in an annoying manner) and stepping up where Naruto couldn’t are already shown here. This further solidifies Konohamaru as Naruto’s protege, especially in the Pain Arc where a young Konohamaru steps up to one of the Six Paths during their assault in Konoha.

8 Mizuki Tracking Mission

Iruka’s Bond With Naruto Is Deeper Than Established

Despite Naruto having its fair share of teachers whose influence shaped the lives of Naruto Uzumaki and his peers throughout the years, it’s likely Iruka Umino who had the most impact on the youngster’s growth. The first episode of Naruto already saw Iruka risking his life for his rather mischievous pupil after Mizuki lures him into stealing a Scroll of Sealing. It’s also Iruka who gave Naruto his own forehead protector after encouraging him to pursue his studies.

This is why the Mizuki Tracking Mission holds some emotional importance as a filler arc. Here, Naruto tries tracking Mizuki who had just escaped from prison in the hopes of finding information about Sasuke. The youngster eventually teams up with Iruka, who gets his own rematch with his former friend. Naruto gets a chance to pay back his mentor, wherein he takes a large shuriken to the back much in the same way Iruka did for him in the past. When Mizuki vows to kill both of them after his capture, Iruka pridefully says that Naruto will grow to be much stronger than them.

7 Land Of Rice Fields Investigation Mission

The Prelude Of Sakura’s Own Path

It took the manga and anime time to develop the laidback Jiraiya’s eventual mentoring of Naruto, while the villain Orochimaru managed to tempt Sasuke Uchiha with power in the Sasuke Recovery Mission. Although Shippuden shows Hokage Tsunade training Sakura Haruno, it’s the Land of Rice Fields Investigation Mission where Sakura gets this much-needed justification. Here, Naruto and Sakura attempt to find Sasuke on their own and stumble upon Jiraiya, who is on a mission to gather information about the missing nin.

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This brings them to the Land of Rice Fields, where they learn from fights with the Fuma Clan that the latter are just many of the clans Orochimaru brainwashed for subjugation and stealing their Forbidden Techniques. This filler arc doesn’t offer much in terms of the overall story, but Sakura realizes how “useless” she was in the preceding events when she couldn’t do as much to protect her new charges in this mission. Back in Konoha, Sakura requests Tsunade take her in as an apprentice to become a medical-nin after Shikamaru suggested more medics should be in squads.

6 Bikochu Search Mission

Hinata Gets Her Own Signature Technique

When Naruto Uzumaki was caught spying on Tsunade handing out missions in the hopes of getting out to look for Sasuke Uchiha, he was assigned to Hinata Hyuga’s Team 8 who also suggested using the legendary bikochu beetle’s scent to find the missing nin. This Bikochu Search Mission came with caveats: getting assigned to the quiet (and for him, slightly creepy) Shino Aburame, hilarious clashes with the hot-headed Kiba Inuzuka, and him being made to promise not to pester the Hokage about Sasuke if they fail.

While Naruto and his team prevail, he loses sight of Sasuke’s forehead protector and even farts in front of the beetle, practically missing their opportunity. However, Hinata Hyuga steals the spotlight by showing more of her fighting prowess beyond her meek nature and losses in the Chunin Exams. While she’s kidnapped by the Kamizuru Clan in their search for the beetle, she manages to escape. Not only that, she rescues her team by using her own technique: the Protecting Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. Such was the impact of this filler arc technique that this became a staple move in both the anime and the Naruto games.

5 Sunagakure Support Mission

Gaara’s Payback A Proper Send-Off To The Kazekage Rescue

Among characters in the Naruto franchise, Gaara was perhaps one of its most frightening villains. Once engulfed with full bloodlust under the influence of the One-Tails, it took a beating from a fellow Jinchuriki like Naruto Uzumaki to help Gaara realize his potential for good. In the story, Gaara and the Sand Siblings repay Naruto’s help by helping him in the Sasuke Retrieval Mission. However, Gaara gets more room for character development in the Sunagakure Support Mission where he asks Konoha for aid in saving his friend Matsuri.

It’s revealed that Matsuri is one of Gaara’s students in the Hidden Sand, and Gaara teaches defense instead of offense due to her reluctance to hurt others. Thanks to Naruto’s help, they stop a nefarious scheme involving the use of Shukaku to resurrect a powerful villain. More importantly, Gaara shows his perseverance in using his sand without the One-Tails. Gaara shows a much calmer demeanor here and is more determined to protect the people he cares about.

4 Naruto’s Favorite Pupil

Konohamaru Learns Who He Is Supposed To Protect

While Konohamaru Sarutobi already got his fair share of character development in the major story arcs of the Naruto series, his transition as Boruto Uzumaki’s eventual mentor in the Boruto sequel received a much-needed foundation in Naruto’s Favorite Pupil. In this filler episode before the Fourth Great Ninja War, an older Konohamaru is seen unhappy with the meager tasks assigned to him and his teammates for the war effort when he’s already been training a new technique.

Related Naruto Uzumaki’s Strongest Opponents, Ranked Naruto has fought many powerful foes throughout the Naruto manga.

Seeking advice, Shikamaru tells Konohamaru to decide who is the “king” he must protect. When Shikamaru intervenes in a fight between Temari and an angry Konohamaru who heard her insult Naruto, the Sand Kunoichi is impressed to see Konohamaru already master the Rasengan. In the end, Konohamaru’s teammate Moegi reminds him that it’s their duty as genin to protect the seniors and the children of the village. This in turn makes Konohamaru realize that the Hidden Leaf itself is the “king” he must protect, vowing to fight Naruto for the title of Hokage.

3 The Heart’s Eye

Despite Resentment, Neji And Hinata Are Still Cousins

While the Hyuga Clan’s harsh branch system protected the Byakugan, it also facilitated resentment between family members. Its current generation showcases this, where the prodigious Neji Hyuga of the branch house showed animosity towards having to protect the meek Hinata Hyuga of the main house. It’s thanks to Neji’s match with Naruto Uzumaki that the latter encouraged Neji to see his fate beyond that of being a mere servant.

Events of Naruto Shippuden would see Neji and Hinata become closer as cousins, and The Heart’s Eye filler reveals this goes further back. As Hinata protects a recovering Neji from the White Zetsu Army in the Fourth Great Ninja War, she tells her cousin this is returning the favor for protecting her all these years. She said Naruto and Sakura told her about a time in their childhood when Neji accompanied them on a mission to recover an eyesight-healing plant so a recovering Hinata could see a fireworks display. While the mission fails and Hinata doesn’t see the fireworks, Hinata tells Neji how much she appreciated his effort even back then and is glad to have finally gotten the chance to thank him now.

2 Jonin Leader

Kakashi’s Change Of Heart For A New Generation

Generational cycles become one of the strongest themes in the Naruto series, where new generations attempt to repair the mistakes of the past. After the deaths of his teammates upon which he received a Sharingan and had to kill a friend to prevent the village’s destruction, Kakashi Hatake joins Konoha’s elite Anbu with an even colder demeanor than he began with. After the horrific events of the Uchiha Clan Massacre, the Third Hokage relieved Kakashi of his Anbu duties and reassigned him as a Team Captain.

In Jonin Leader, a younger Kakashi attempts to teach new genin teams based on what he learned from the Fourth Hokage and his own experience, particularly on the value of teamwork. Of note in this episode is how the Third Hokage still senses a “darkness” in Kakashi’s heart, and other people concerned about Kakashi’s initial harsh way of training. When Kakashi’s former students thank him for his bell test, Hiruzen reveals Kakashi’s next students would be Team 7: Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke. This episode highlights a more somber Kakashi compared to his initial laidback endeavor in the first episodes of Naruto, putting into perspective their mentor who was also struggling with a dark past.

1 Coup D’Etat

Shisui And Itachi’s Resolve To Protect The Clan

It’s the arrival of Itachi Uchiha as part of the Anbu that put Kakashi’s Anbu Arc: The Shinobi That Lives in the Darkness in universal acclaim among the Naruto fandom. More specific to this is Coup D’Etat, an episode-specific to Itachi and his close friend Shisui Uchiha’s efforts in attempting to stop hostilities between the clan and the Hidden Leaf. While Shisui’s combat prowess had prompted Hiruzen to allow him to try acting independently, the villainous Danzo Shimura stopped Shisui’s plan of using his Mangekyo Sharingan to dissuade the Uchiha clan head.

After Danzo steals one of Shisui’s eyes, the Uchiha meets with Itachi one last time to give him his other eye while making his friend promise to do whatever it takes to protect the village and the clan name. Shisui commits suicide in front of Itachi, unlocking the latter’s own Mangekyo Sharingan. It’s here when Itachi contemplates his next course of action, eventually leading to the events of the Uchiha Clan Massacre.

Naruto

A popular shonen anime based on Masashi Kishimoto’s manga, Naruto follows its eponymous shinobi’s journey as he goes from his town’s outsider to its hero.

Release Date October 2, 2002 Creator Masashi Kishimoto Number of Episodes 220 Network Adult Swim Watch on Amazon

Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
Categorías: Anime