The last few episodes of this run before the show bridged over to Shippuden are especially guilty of bombarding fans with unwanted filler.
Of course, given Naruto's serialized nature, it was only a matter of time before the show would rely on filler to give Kishimoto some breathing room as he penned the chapters of this manga. Related: Naruto: Each Konoha 11's Best Jutsu However, the original Naruto anime was focused solely on the lives of the protagonists as children before they became teenagers and attained a boost in power that was simply incredible. There's a reason why so many people hold Naruto in high regard, with this anime being the pinnacle of storytelling. The show's lighthearted nature betrayed the dark turn it would take later down the line and kept fans hooked on the show as they grew up along with Naruto and his friends. The series as a whole has seen its fair share of ups and downs, but there's no denying the fact that pre-timeskip Naruto was a joy to behold in its own right. Naruto is a legendary anime that needs no introduction.
