Naruto is a very popular, long-running manga and anime series in Japan. Its set in a fictional world where ninja are the ultimate power and military aspect. The series tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a young shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village who desires to become Hokage in the future, and his efforts of struggle to become a full fledge shinobi, deal with threats to himself, his home, and the world, and follow his shinobi way while forming bonds with his comrades and many of those who he meets.
Characters[]
A list of some of the characters of the series, both protagonists and antagonists respectively-
Protagonists
1. Naruto Uzumaki, the main character and protagonist of the series.
2. Sasuke Uchiha, a main character and protagonist, who for over half the series became an antagonist.
3. Sakura Haruno, a main character and protagonist, and one of Naruto and Sasuke's comrades.
4. Kakashi Hatake, a main character and protagonist, and the original teacher of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.
5. Gaara, a major supporting character and protagonist, who started out a villain, but later reformed into one of Naruto's closest friends. He is a former jinchuriki and the Fifth Kazekage of the Hidden Sand Village.
Antagonists
1. Madara Uchiha, an anti-hero and the foremost antagonist of the series, who is a legendary shinobi and the creator of the plan Project Tsuki no Me. He was the rival of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
2. Obito Uchiha, a major antagonist and anti-hero, who was trained by Madara and impersonated him for much of his involvement in the series, and who was eventually defeated in the war and reformed by Kakashi.
3. Nagato Uzumaki, a major antagonist, villain, and somewhat anti-hero, who was the recognized leader of the criminal organization called the Akatsuki, and who was defeated and reformed by Naruto before dying.
4. Kisame Hoshigaki, an antagonist and Akatsuki member, who was the partner of Itachi Uchiha.
5. Orochimaru, the primary antagonist of part 1, who is one of the Three Legendary Sannin and a former Hidden Leaf shinobi. In part 2, he served as a major antagonist for most of his involvement, but later became a valuable ally to his former home.
Arcs[]
Part 1
1. Graduation Arc- The beginning of the series that introduces many of the major characters.
2. Bridge of Tazuna Arc- The first major arc of the series that contains Naruto and his team's first big mission.
3. Chunin Selection Arc- The longest arc in part 1, which details all progressions of the Chunin Exams.
4. Orochimaru's Invasion Arc- This arc shows Orochimaru's attempt to destroy the Hidden Leaf Village.
5. Tsunade's Return Arc- This arc shows the search for Tsunade to replace her teacher as Hokage.
6. Sasuke Defection Arc- This last arc details Sasuke leaving the Hidden Leaf to join Orochimaru's side, and of the failed efforts to prevent him from doing so. It set the ground work for part 2 of the series.
Part 2
1. Rescue of Gaara Arc- This arc focuses on Naruto's return to the Hidden Leaf Village after his training away with Jiraiya, and the attempts to rescue his friend Gaara, the Fifth Kazekage and jinchuriki of Shukaku, the Sand Spirit, from the new threat known as the Akatsuki after a pair of its members kidnaps Gaara.
2. Tenchi Bridge Arc- This arc shows the new additions of Yamato and Sai to Naruto's team, and their mission to The Tenchi Bridge, which led to their eventual reunion with Sasuke Uchiha at Orochimaru's lair.
3. Akatsuki Immortals Arc- This arc details most of the story involvement of the Akatsuki members Hidan and Kakuzu, the deeds they committed, and their respective downfalls.
4. Hunt for Itachi Arc- This arc details the attempts of the Hidden Leaf village to capture Itachi Uchiha of the Akatsuki following the defeat of Orochimaru, and of his death while fight against his brother Sasuke.
5. Pain Assault Arc- This arc details the invasion of the Hidden Leaf Village by the recognized Akatsuki leader Pain, his destruction of it, and defeat by Naruto using his mastery of senjutus chakra and Sage Mode. It also details Naruto's training to master them, and Sasuke Uchiha and his team's failed attempt to capture the Eight-Tails jinchuriki host, Killer B, for the Akatsuki.
6. Five Kage Alliance Arc- This arc details the conference of the Five Kage to discuss the Akatsuki and how to deal with them after the recent events, their battle against Taka when they invade, and in the formation of the Allied Shinobi Forces to fight the Akatsuki after Obito Uchiha declares the Fourth Great Ninja War.
7. War Preparation Arc- This arc details the attempt to hide away Naruto and Killer, the only remaining jinchuriki the Akatsuki hasn't captured yet, Naruto training to gain control of the Nine-Tailed Fox, Kurama's chakra, and the preparation of the Akatsuki and Allied Shinobi Forces for the Fourth Great Ninja War.
8. Fourth Great Ninja War Arc- This details the progress of the Akatsuki and Allied Shinobi Forces during the Fourth Great Ninja War, the reanimation of Madara Uchiha, a legendary shinobi from the past who had been previously impersonated by his apprentice, Obito Uchiha, and their reunion to perform Project Tsuki no Me.
9. Ten-Tails Reformation Arc- This arc details the revival of the legendary original tailed beast, the Ten-Tails, Obito's becoming of its jinchuriki following his and Madara's fall out, and his eventual defeat and change.
10. War Conclusion Arc- This ongoing arc details the full resurrection of Madara Uchiha, of his efforts to complete his Project Tsuki no Me, and the final conclusion of the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Anime Series[]
Naruto
Part 1 of the manga was adapted into the original Naruto anime, but also included many filler acrs made to stall the anime and keep it from overtaking the manga, with most coming just before part 2 of the manga began to be adapted. Despite the sheer number of theses arcs, only two of them, the Todoroki Shrine Race Arc and The Four Celestials Plot Arc, are made relevent to the anime's adaptation of the main story.
Naruto: Shippuden
Part 2 of the manga is adapted into the Naruto: Shippuden anime series, which is currently ongoing and has a filler arc in between every canon arc starting after the Tenchi Bridge Arc. Shippuden has more filler arcs made relevent to the main story than the Naruto anime did.