Naruto is one of the most popular anime series of all time. For years, it has reigned supreme among titles and is considered one of the famous Big Three of shonen. Even after its conclusion, the series remains a staple of anime, and fans everywhere recognize the Number One Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja to this day. With over 700 episodes to its name, the series has many epic storylines and arcs, each filled with the action and adventure fans have come to expect from Naruto.
However, such a long-running series also comes with its fair share of weird episodes. Whether they’re filler or part of the main plot, many Naruto episodes take fans into very strange territory and leave them scratching their heads.
10 “Naruto Vs. Mecha Naruto” Is A Strange & Unnecessary Filler
If there’s one thing Naruto is known for, it’s the many, many filler episodes that space out the main storyline. While some of these episodes are nice additions to the series, plenty of them are nothing short of bizarre. One of the weirdest fillers is Naruto Shippuden‘s “Naruto vs. Mecha-Naruto.”
It features a robot, designed to resemble Naruto, that wreaks havoc on the village while attempting to capture Kurama. It’s a strange anime-only subplot that feels pretty unfitting for a series like Naruto. In a lot of ways, Mecha-Naruto would probably feel more at home in a sci-fi mecha series than anything.
9 “The Top Five Ninja Battles!” Feels Out Of Place
It isn’t out of the ordinary for anime series to have a recap episode every now and again, especially when it’s a long-running shonen like Naruto. Nevertheless, Naruto‘s recap episodes tend to feel weird and out of place, often breaking up the building tension in the plot.
“The Top Five Ninja Battles!” is a perfect example of this, featuring Naruto and Sakura in a strange talk-show-like format, briefing viewers on the top five battles so far. Not only is this one of the weirdest fillers of the first series, but it’s also incredibly boring for fans, who mostly opt to skip it.
8 “The Search for the Rare Bikochu Beetle” Is An Odd, Unexpected Mission
“The Search for the Rare Bikochu Beetle” is a weird little filler arc that teams Naruto up with Team 8 on an unexpected mission. The group sets out to find a mysterious and rare insect with the ability to track anything, known as a Bikochu Beetle, in hopes that they can use it to find the missing Sasuke.
It’s an odd premise that feels like quite a departure from the usual tension and drama of the Sasuke Retrieval episodes, and it gives some lesser-known characters a chance to be in the spotlight for a little. As one of many strange fillers to come out at this time, it’s actually one of the better ones and remains popular among fans.
7 “Special Report: Live From The Forest Of Death!” Is Both Weird & Annoying
There are many recap episodes during the Chunin Exams arc, but “Special Report: Live From the Forest of Death!” is likely the worst one of the bunch.
The episode stars Konohamaru and his gang of friends, who bring the audience up to speed on the Chunin Exam by following Naruto and the others around and getting the inside scoop on the exam so far. It’s a strange setup for a recap episode, and it features some of the most annoying characters of the series, making for an unbearable experience for most fans.
6 The “Kaguya Otsutsuki Strikes” Arc Is A Surprising Conclusion To The Series
After Naruto and the gang tirelessly fight against both Madara and Obito, many would expect this to be the final showdown that wraps everything up. However, fans get a surprise when Kaguya Otsutsuki herself is revived and takes over as the new big bad.
This final fight makes for an amazing end to an iconic series, but it’s safe to say that it feels somewhat out of nowhere and definitely throws the audience for a loop. It completely changes everything fans thought they knew about the series in one instant, creating a larger-than-life scenario that brings Naruto and his friends to god-like levels of heroism.
5 “A Clash Of Fate: You Can’t Bring Me Down!” Features Mizuki’s Monstrous New Form
Despite his importance in the first episode of the series, few expected Mizuki to ever make a return. However, in “A Clash of Fate: You Can’t Bring Me Down!”, he’s back and worse than ever. After the events in the first episode, Mizuki swears revenge against Naruto and Iruka, and it’s in this episode that he enacts his plan.
But what makes this episode so weird is Mizuki’s sudden transformation halfway through. With Orochimaru’s help, he gains a strange, tiger-like form that gives him superhuman speed and strength, making him more than a match for the beloved duo. Luckily, they manage to take him down in the end, but Mizuki’s attempted revenge still makes for a puzzling plot that many never thought they’d see.
4 “Gotta See! Gotta Know! Kakashi-Sensei’s True Face!” Is A Hilarious Fan-Favorite Episode
In most cases, fans can’t stand the filler episodes in Naruto. However, every once in a while, there’s an exception to this rule, and “Gotta See! Gotta Know! Kakashi-sensei’s True Face!” is certainly one of them. This hilarious episode features the wacky antics of Team 7 as they make countless failed attempts at sneaking a peek at Kakashi’s face under the mask.
It’s one of the most beloved fillers of the series, and it’s also one of the funniest, albeit very, very weird. From the many side-splitting gags to the hilarious twist at the end, it’s bizarre in all the best ways.
3 “Run! The Curry Of Life!” Features Rock Lee’s Hilarious Drunk Fighting
Rock Lee is a pretty odd and goofy character in his own right, so it’s no surprise that an episode centered around him takes fans on a wild ride. In “Run! The Curry of Life!”, Rock Lee is given a powerful curry with healing properties after falling unconscious.
Unfortunately for him, it happened to be drenched in alcohol moments before, so he’s completely drunk once he comes to. This makes for a weird but absolutely hilarious scenario, and Lee’s wacky drunk fighting style has become iconic among the fandom ever since.
2 “Laughing Shino” Brings Out A Side Of Shino No One Knew
Shino Aburame has the least amount of screentime, but when people do see him, he’s nothing but serious and stoic. That’s why “Laughing Shino” is such a strange episode in the series, as it shows a much sillier side to him. It all happens after Shino ingests a poison that forces him to laugh uncontrollably during a mission, causing Naruto to take the lead instead.
Though it’s due to something he can’t control, there’s just something so strange and off-putting seeing Shino dying of laughter like that. It’s one of the few times he’s in the spotlight in the series, revealing a brand-new side to him that makes him more relatable than before.
1 “The Appearance Of Strange Visitors” Features Two Really Bad Imposters
There are some pretty ridiculous Naruto fillers, but “The Appearance of Strange Visitors” takes the cake. It features a pair of weirdos named Mondai and Potcha, who poorly disguise themselves as Might Guy and Rock Lee in order to infiltrate the village. However, while they may be awful imposters, they still manage to fool Naruto, who then follows them around to train and become stronger.
As a result, the pair spend the day absolutely miserable thanks to Naruto’s idiotic ways, and they learn a hard lesson on the consequences of identity theft. It’s a silly episode that’s as strange as it is funny, and it’s one of the more memorable fillers of the time.