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Filled with emotional moments and amazing fights, the Fourth Ninja War is one of the major events narrated in the iconic Naruto series. After an all-out conflict between the Allied Shinobi Forces and the Akatsuki, the war ended up disclosing the true roots of the ninja world.
In a crescendo of increasingly tougher battles, the main protagonists unleashed new powers to keep up with the villains. After several twists and turns, the war resulted in the Shinobi Alliance's victory, which led to the definitive collapse of Akatsuki and the sealing of the Ten Tails.
The Fourth Ninja War's anime adaptation starts with Naruto Shippuden episode 222 and ends with episode 479, for a grand total of over 250 episodes. A good part of them, however, are fillers. In that respect, keep reading to find a detailed list of the countless anime-original episodes.
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The complete guide to every filler in Naruto Shippuden's War Arc, explained in detail
Paradise Life on a Boat (episodes from 223 to 242)
To persuade Naruto to accept confinement in the Land of Lightning's Turtle-Island, Tsunade lies to him about an imaginary top-secret S-rank mission he and Killer B should carry out there.
Accompanied by Might Guy, Yamato, and Aoba Yamashiro, Naruto embarked on a ship headed to the concerned island. The trip to the Land of Lightning becomes the setting for various episodes, whose content is totally filler.
Naruto and Sasuke's past (episodes from 257 to 260)
These episodes are focused on the events that happened during the first part of the story. Delving into the early stages of Naruto and Sasuke’s acquaintance, this mini-arc explores how their bond evolved through various happenings.
Retracing the establishment of Team 7 and their first mission in the Land of Waves, the insight continues with the Chunin Exam. The last episode concentrates on Sasuke’s decision to leave the Hidden Leaf and Naruto’s determination to bring him back.
Road to Sakura (episode 271)
An episode created to advertise the movie Road to Ninja, this installment tries to create a narrative bridge between the main plot and the alternative world featured in the movie. As the title itself suggests, the episode’s content revolves around Sakura Haruno.
Minor events of the Fourth Ninja War (episodes from 279 to 281)
The storytelling of these three filler episodes is set during the war. In White Zetsu’s Trap, Shino, Hinata, Kiba, and Akamaru are faced with a predicament due to a Zetsu clone’s tricky powers.
In Aesthetics of an Artist, the undead Deidara escapes his confinement, but gets recaptured before being able to do much damage. Finally, in The Allied Mom Force, the situation of the Hidden Leaf villagers not involved in the war is shown.
The Seven Shinobi Swordsmen, and more (episodes from 284 to 289)
These episodes show some of the fights between the Shinobi Alliance's Third Division and its undead opponents. Kakashi easily defeated Jinin Akebino of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Meanwhile, the revived Pakura, a Hidden Sand kunoichi, met her younger student, Maki.
Two more Ninja Swordsmen, Jinpachi Munashi and Kushimaru Kuriarare, were outclassed by Kakashi and Might Guy, but a third one, Ameyuri Ringo, slaughtered Omoi’s unit. As the few survivors fled, Omoi bravely faced Ameyuri, gaining her respect.
Chikara Arc (episodes from 290 to 295)
Chikara, which translates to “Power”, consists of five completely filler episodes made with extremely high visual quality to celebrate the anime’s first 500 episodes.
The Hidden Leaf ninjas are sent to investigate the massacre of Tonika Village, whose culprits are revealed to be Kabuto Yakushi and his undead. As Kabuto’s true goal is exposed, unexpected developments lie ahead.
Battles between past and present (episodes from 303 to 320)
Although filler, the content of these episodes is, in certain cases, rather interesting. For instance, episodes from 303 to 305 feature Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba, and Choji’s rematch with the members of the Sound Four.
Episodes 307 and 308 show Yugao Uzuki's meeting with her former lover Hayate Gekko, now an undead at Kabuto’s service. The story of Tatewaki, narrated in episodes 309 and 310, also deserves a mention, and so does Yota's saddening tale, featured in episodes 313 to 315.
Other fillers worth watching are Shino’s encounter with Torune (episode 317), the meeting between Killer B and his predecessor Fukai (episode 318), and Chiyo’s flashback about Sasori’s childhood (episode 319).
The birth of Akatsuki (episodes 347 and 348)
These two episodes deepen the events that led to the creation of Akatsuki as it is known. Initially, the organization consisted of orphans and bandits that Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan brought together.
The Akatsuki aimed to bring peaceful change in the Hidden Rain, but Danzo tricked the local leader, Hanzo, into believing that the group was a threat to his authority. As such, Hanzo set up a trap, which led to Yahiko’s death.
Irreparably marked by the tragedy, Nagato embraced Tobi’s ideals, unaware that the latter had previously killed his friends. At the end of the episode, Nagato is shown converting Yahiko’s corpse into the Six Paths of Pain’s Deva Path.
Kakashi: Shadow of the ANBU Black Ops (episodes from 349 to 361)
This filler arc focuses on Kakashi’s past within the Hidden Leaf’s ANBU, while also exploring the events that happened in the same period. Guilt-ridden for Rin’s death, Kakashi joined the ANBU. As Danzo sent his men to assassinate Hiruzen, Kakashi thwarted the attempt.
After foiling a young Yamato’s bid to kill him, Kakashi befriended the former. He then got acquainted with Itachi, the ANBU’s newest recruit. As the events related to the Uchiha Clan Massacre unfolded, Kakashi left the ANBU to become a teacher.
Naruto vs Mecha Naruto (episodes 376 and 377)
One of the most grotesque moments featured in the series, this special filler double episode recounts the anime-only story of Mecha Naruto, a robotic being originally created by Orochimaru and Kabuto.
Discovered by the Akatsuki, the robot is reprogrammed with the mission of capturing Naruto. Following a series of ludicrous fights and hilarious developments, the Hidden Leaf eventually manages to survive the threat.
Hinata and Hanabi (episodes 389 and 390)
In a couple of episodes, the anime delves into the relationship between Hinata and her sister, Hanabi. Aiming to determine the Hyuga Clan’s future heiress, Hiashi staged a fight between her two daughters.
Hanabi prevailed, earning the right to receive individual training from Hiashi. In the coming years, however, Hanabi and her father would witness Hinata’s displays of self-confidence and personal improvement.
Naruto is back - The track of his friends (episodes from 394 to 413)
This filler arc shows the Chunin Exam held by the Hidden Leaf and Hidden Sand during the timeskip between the first and second parts of the story. The episodes mostly show how some of Naruto’s friends advanced from Genin to Chunin.
The arc is really interesting, as it also revealed some unexpected lore. Most notably, the appearance of Ajisai, who would later become one of the Six Paths of Pain, as well as Fu, the jinchuriki of the Seven Tails.
Naruto and Konohamaru (episodes 422 and 423)
These two episodes deepen the bond between Naruto and Konohamaru, showing how the latter improved his ninja skills through a combination of his determination and the future Seventh Hokage’s teachings.
Instructed by Naruto on how to perform the Rasengan, Konohamaru struggled to fully learn the new jutsu, but eventually made it. Retracing the boy’s efforts, the episodes show Konohamaru using the Rasengan against one of Pain’s bodies.
The Infinite Tsukuyomi dreams (episodes from 427 to 431)
After Madara managed to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi, the whole world was trapped in an eternal genjutsu. Within the illusion, each person would live in his own fantasy, unaware of it being just a dream.
The manga merely showed a brief depiction of what each character enslaved in the illusion was dreaming, but the anime significantly expanded those fantasies. The stories narrated ranged from Tenten’s dream to Killer B’s own “Rappuden” story.
Jiraiya Shinobi Handbook - The Hero's Tale (episodes from 432 to 450)
These filler episodes tell an alternative narration of the story’s main events, based on Tsunade’s dream of a different past. Captured in the Infinite Tsukuyomi, Tsunade envisions a diverse reality where the story changes according to the content of one of Jiraiya’s books.
In this alternate dimension, the Nine Tails attacked the Hidden Leaf, but the person behind it wasn’t Tobi. Moreover, the incident didn’t cause Minato and Kushina’s deaths. With these differing preconditions, the story developed much differently from the original one.
Itachi Shinden - Book of Light and Darkness (episodes from 451 to 458)
Despite taking its name from the two novels Book of Bright Light and Book of Dark Night of the Naruto Shinden series, this anime original arc has very little in common with their content. Nevertheless, it gifts fans with an insight into Itachi Uchiha’s life.
Even as a child, Itachi impressed everyone with his talent. He awakened his Sharingan very early, upon seeing a friend being killed by a certain masked man. In the years ahead, he bonded with his fellow clansman Shisui, but the latter died by suicide.
As the tension between the Uchiha Clan and the Hidden Leaf escalated, Itachi, now a Mangekyo Sharingan user, had no choice but to murder his relatives. He then left the village and joined the Akatsuki.
Ultimately, the episodes focus on Itachi’s relationship with his younger brother Sasuke, the only person he spared during the Uchiha Clan Massacre.
The Otsutsuki’s backstory (episodes from 460 to 462, and 464 to 468)
Although a filler, this sequence of episodes sheds some light on the story of Kaguya Otsutsuki and her descendants. Upon her arrival on the Earth, Kaguya ate the God Tree’s fruit and used its chakra to enslave the world under the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Upon learning the truth about their mother’s actions, Kaguya’s sons, Hagoromo and Hamura, sealed her. Hagoromo then spread his Ninshu across the world, gaining fame as the Sage of the Six Paths.
Sadly, Black Zetsu, the physical manifestation of Kaguya’s will, had already started working to foster its creator’s revival. Black Zetsu drove a wedge between Hagoromo’s sons, Ashura and Indra, leading the two to start an eternal feud that would affect the history of the ninja world.
A special mission (episode 469)
What Kakashi looks like under the mask is a running joke of the series, but this episode finally revealed the Copy Ninja’s true aspect. In the first series, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura went to any length to see their teacher without his signature mask, but to no avail.
The next time, Naruto and the others teamed up with Sukea, a photographer who offered to take a picture of Kakashi's face. With all attempts to force Kakashi into removing his mask being unsuccessful, the mission was declared a failure, and Sukea left.
In truth, the Kakashi they tried to unmask was a Shadow Clone all along. Once alone in his apartment, Sukea revealed himself as Kakashi, who had enjoyed making fun of his students while also testing them. Unironically, after removing his Sukea disguise, Kakashi showed his unmasked face.
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