Naruto is an example of one of the most successful anime franchises of all time. With its run of back-to-back series, a plethora of games, films, and other entertainment, the franchise is beloved by many.
There are 11 movies that exist within the Naruto and Naruto Shippuden universes, and while they may not all be canon, there is plenty of value in watching them to see more of your favorite characters after watching the series. For those who have only seen the show, there are plenty of new adventures to be experienced in the movies that take place in a disconnected but still enjoyable fashion.
There are quite a few movies to take in, but here are all of the films in the franchise, ranked from worst to best.
11. Naruto the Movie 3: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom
Set right at the end of the original Naruto series, Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom sees Team 7 alongside Rock Lee tasked with protecting Michiru, the prince of the Land of the Moon, and his son Hikaru Tsuki. The stakes are low in this one, but that doesn’t stop it from being a fun ride for the gang.
10. Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow
The very first film to be released in the Naruto franchise, Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow tells the story of Team 7 and their mission to protect a princess from her would-be captures from the land of Snow. The film doesn’t have any implications for the main story, but it does showcase an extremely unique form of Rasengan that we don’t see again in the series.
9. Naruto the Movie 2: Legend of the Stone Gelel
Set after Sasuke has left the village towards the end of Naruto’s main series, Legend of the Stone Gelel sees Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru embark on a low-level mission to return a ferret to its village before winding up amongst a battle for the special resource Gelel Stone and its power. Legend of the Stone Gelel boasts a cast of fan-favorites and a unique story that is an enjoyable watch.
8. Naruto Shippuden: The Lost Tower
Naruto Shippuden: The Lost Tower is one of the last films produced in the series and boasts an ambitious time travel premise. On a mission to capture a missing ninja named Mukade, Naruto is drawn into his plans to travel back in time and take over the five great Shinobi countries. While in the past, Naruto runs into a young Kakashi, Might Guy, and his father Minato Hokage. It’s these meetings that make The Lost Tower one of the better Naruto films.
7. Naruto Shippuden: The Movie
Once Naruto Shippuden began airing, the series took a step up in all aspects. This, the first movie in the series, would begin with Naruto meeting his end at the hands of a giant monster. Heading back into the past, Naruto is tasked with protecting a priestess named Shion and assisting her with fulfilling her mission of defeating the evil demon to save the world and himself. Being the first film set in Shippuden, there wasn’t a high bar to clear for this film, however, it passed with flying colors thanks to hits flashy fight scenes and high stakes.
6. Naruto Shippuden: The Movie – Bonds
When Shippuden began airing, fans were eager to get a glimpse of what Sasuke had become, which inevitably did happen in episode 52; however, that wasn’t enough for fans who finally got a true look at Sasuke in the second movie in the series, Bonds. The film’s premise revolves around a group of ninja from the land of Sky who arrive at the Leaf Village to take vengeance for the attacks on their village during the 2nd Great Ninja War. The obvious attraction of this film is the appearance of Sasuke, but its story is quite engaging and there are plenty of great combat moments to tide you over until his reveal.
5. Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Blood Prison
After being convicted for a crime that he was innocent of, Naruto is sent to an inescapable prison in which he must find trustworthy allies to help him escape. This is one of the films with lower stakes from the series, but it’s also one of the most fun to watch.
4. Naruto Shippuden: The Movie 3 – The Will of Fire
Released as the 10th anniversary film for the series, The Will of Fire focuses on the cast of academy students who were in the original series and their endeavor to stop a Fourth Great Ninja War from breaking out after ninja begin going missing from rival villages. While the film has a similar plot to most Naruto films, being that Naruto finds a way to cause a problem that he’s later forced to fix, The Will of Fire is still one of the better Naruto stories and boasts a cast of many fan favorites.
3. Road To Ninja – Naruto the Movie
After running into a masked Tobi within the Leaf Village, Naruto and Sakura are transported to an alternate reality thanks to the power of Tsukuyomi. In this reality, things are very different, as Sasuke has remained at the Leaf Village and the Akatsuki are soldiers of the Hokage, among other abnormalities. This film is great because we get to see plenty of interactions we wouldn’t have seen in the series’ true reality.
2. The Last: Naruto the Movie
Set two years following the end of Naruto Shippuden’s Fourth Shinobi War, The Last sees Naruto and the gang attempt to stop the plot of Toneri Otsusuki to crash the moon into the earth. Given its place in the timeline, this film sets the stage for the perfect send-off for Naruto and adds some content between the final two episodes of the anime.
1. Boruto: Naruto the Movie
Before Boruto had its own series, the character appeared for the first time in the final film within the Naruto series, Boruto: Naruto the Movie. This film takes place well after the events of Shippuden and sees the children of Naruto’s main cast embark on their own adventure before being dragged into the plot of descendants of their parents’ former foe.