Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto stands as one of Shonen Jump's big three smash hits in anime and manga. It features an exciting combat system and emotionally impactful characters and scenes that get readers invested in the whole cast. Fans also generally agree that certain story arcs of Naruto deliver more heavily on these elements than others.
The series' first arc merely set everything up, while many Naruto fans say the Fourth Great Shinobi War arc dragged on too long and suffered from a sudden villain at the end in Kaguya Otsutsuki. Likewise, fans can largely agree that three particular story arcs from both Naruto and Naruto Shippuden have the absolute best action, highest drama and game-changing plot developments.
The Chunin Exam Arc (Naruto)
The Chunin Exam arc kicked Naruto into high gear, introducing dozens of new characters from Might Guy and Anko Mitarashi to Neji Hyuga and Gaara of the Sand. But this storyline is loved for more than its expansive cast of relevant characters. The Chunin Exam saga was a tournament arc, an examination arc, revealed the history of Gaara and his bloodthirst, the story of Rock Lee's fight to surpass natural talent, and was the prime of Naruto and Sasuke's then-friendly rivalry all at once.
This Naruto arc had more developments and famous scenes than any other, always remembering to add serious emotional impact along the way. Sakura cried out in horror when Sasuke first used his curse mark, and Might Guy was reduced to tears when he saw the unconscious Rock Lee rise to face Gaara once again in their iconic tower battle. Sasuke's first use of the Chidori also came during the Chunin Exam arc.
The Sasuke Retrieval Arc (Naruto)
The Sasuke Retrieval arc is famed for taking Naruto and Sasuke's rivalry to the next level. By now, Sasuke was deeply frustrated with his lack of progress, driving him to abandon the Hidden Leaf Village. This decision impacted the remainder of the entire Naruto franchise. The emotional and personal stakes were high for both Naruto and Sasuke as Naruto made several intense emotional appeals that fell on unsympathetic ears. This arc also saw Shikamaru Nara's rise as a true squad leader, and he was promoted to Chunin for this very reason. Shikamaru was no longer a gag character, having become defined by his leadership skills, and this became his trial by fire against the Sound Four.
Retrieval arcs are common in anime, but Naruto's take stands out because it wasn't just "rescue our captured friend from the enemy fortress." This time the friend was actually the enemy, and there was no going back. Fans felt the sting of Sasuke's abandonment as acutely as Naruto himself did, making it an unforgettable development. Despite Naruto's narrow defeat, the arc ended on an optimistic note -- a rarity in itself.
The Pain Arc (Naruto Shippuden)
This is arguably the most popular story arc in Naruto Shippuden, especially since some fans feel that pound for pound, Shippuden couldn't match up to the original series. Naruto wasn't much of a gritty underdog anymore, and the series' power levels were scaling out of control. Fortunately, Shippuden's Pain arc has more to offer than giant jutsu and a mega-powerful Naruto Uzumaki. This time the battle became personal, pitting two of Jiraiya's beloved students against one another: Naruto vs Nagato, with the latter fighting via his Yahiko puppet.
Naruto and Nagato had learned the same lessons from Jiraiya, concerning the cycle of pain and hatred and the quest to break through it. This became a core theme of Shippuden and has many real-world applications, making it a highly resonant and emotional storyline to follow. The stakes were raised even more with Jiraiya's tragic death, destroying a vital pillar in Naruto's life and forcing him to survive and win on his own.
Even the Leaf Village itself was lost, but Naruto and the villagers had hope of rebuilding it. The Pain arc also saw Hinata's first big love confession to Naruto, which helped solidify their budding (and highly popular) romance. This storyline felt like the culmination of absolutely everything that came before it, including events that took place even before Episode 1.
