Best Anime Like Naruto

Naruto Uzumaki’s journey from a novice shinobi to the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village is the stuff that icons are made of. Naruto chronicles the eponymous character’s adventures across a whopping 770 episodes, which is still a feat to watch despite the series’ critical acclaim. Regardless, Naruto easily highlights the hallmarks of shonen anime: a hero’s journey, friendship conquers all, and the value of hard work and perseverance.

Thankfully, viewers who find themselves wanting more anime action don’t necessarily have to watch another 500+ episode series. In fact, some anime may carry just as much impact as Naruto while packing everything into their own unique, condensed narratives. Let’s take a look at some great anime similar to Naruto.

Boruto
is not included because it is way too obvious of a recommendation.

Updated on December 17, 2024 by Mark Sammut: The Winter 2025 season is set to launch in a few weeks, and the lineup includes its share of exciting shows. Are there any series that Naruto fans should go out of their way to check out?

Winter 2025 Anime Naruto Fans Should Check Out

A new season is right around the corner, and Winter 2025 contains no shows directly related to Naruto or its sequel series. Consequently, any fans looking for something that might be able to scratch the same itch will need to look elsewhere. On paper, the upcoming quarter’s lineup seems decent, with a few standout shows that should be among the year’s better releases. Whether they live up to their potential remains to be seen, but they at least merit consideration. Let’s highlight some anime that might fill that Naruto-shaped void.

• Solo Leveling Season 2: Arise from the Shadow – Honestly, Solo Leveling does not share that much in common with Naruto, but A-1 Pictures’ anime is simply too big of a series to not mention. More importantly, the sequel should have top-notch action, at least if it matches the brilliance of its predecessor. While not offering too many similarities from a story or character perspective, Solo Leveling should be able to satisfy Naruto fans craving fights and spectacle.
• Fate/strange Fake – Another recommendation based primarily on action, Fate/strange Fake looks set to build on the strong foundation laid by Whispers of Dawn, which is a great hour-long special. As always, the story revolves around a Holy Grail War pitting heroes from time; however, this ritual was activated through illegitimate means, distorting the event.
• Ubel Blatt – A popular but divisive manga, Ubel Blatt has the potential to be among Winter 2025’s better series, but it might also be among the most frustrating. A revenge-fueled dark fantasy, the manga is action-driven and features a lot of intense and edgy characters. Any Naruto fans who want to give this a try need to keep in mind that Ubel Blatt is seinen and very much lives up to that label.
• Sakamoto Days – A very exciting newcomer, Sakamoto Days is based on a great shonen manga that has been around since 2020. The story follows a retired hitman who has to do everything within his power to protect his peaceful existence. This series should have both action and humor.

30 Kaiju No. 8

Proving The Doubters (& Himself) Wrong

Taken at face value, Kaiju No. 8 and Naruto have little in common. The former is set in an alternate version of the modern day and features humans going up against massive monsters, aka kaiju. Still, despite these differences, there are enough elements to warrant a recommendation. Kaiju No. 8 follows Kafka, a guy in his early 30s who dreamed of joining Japan’s defense force; unfortunately, he never managed to pass the exam, forcing him into the disposal unit instead. However, he decides to reapply one last time before he ages out, and he has a secret that might give him an edge: he swallowed a small kaiju that gives him unique powers.

While technically the opposite of Naruto’s initial predicament in the Hidden Leaf Village, Kafka is nevertheless trying to gain control of a beast within him, all the while attempting to keep his kaiju form a secret since the defense force considers it to be a must-kill threat. Their personalities are also quite similar, with both characters being loud goofballs who are willing to fight against the odds even when they are underestimated (or feared). Similar to Naruto, Kaiju No. 8 also focuses on teamwork, as the defense force’s strength lies in a unit’s coordination.

29 Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?

From Zero To Hero

Also known as DanMachi, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? is a long-running action anime that starts well and slowly becomes great. While not extremely similar to Naruto, Orario is nevertheless an immersive and, more importantly, unique fantasy setting. Rather than have different villages, DanMachi‘s social structure revolves around Familias, which are essentially guilds formed around deities. Bell Cranel is the only member of the Hestia Familia, and he is considered to be a very weak and borderline useless adventurer. However, his heart, innocence, and positive nature steadily attract people to him, expanding his Familia in the process.

DanMachi is structured very differently than Naruto since nearly every arc revolves around a female character, giving away the property’s light novel origins. That said, the anime blends action, adventure, tension, and comedy pretty darn well, all the while delivering fairly good animation. The anime takes a while to fully hit its stride, but season 4 is particularly fantastic.

28 Bungo Stray Dogs

Inner Demon (Or Weretiger)

Based on a seinen property, Bungo Stray Dogs built on a mediocre opening season to become a fantastic supernatural action show. Seasons 4 and 5 were among 2023’s best anime of any genre or demographic, and they warrant sitting through all the previous content (most of which is, in fact, quite good). Generally, the series focuses on the Armed Detective Agency, a specialized group that investigates cases involving people with unique powers (inspired by literary authors). Although that description fits most of the main arcs, it fails to highlight the anime’s character-driven nature, with each saga diving into a few key figures while also setting the stage for future players.

Besides its overall quality, Bungo Stray Dogs might also hit the mark with Naruto fans due to one of its protagonists: Atsushi Nakajima. An orphan who is cast out of his home due to his ability to transform into a weretiger (and inability to control it), Atsushi struggles consistently with self-worth and guilt, going on a series-long journey to achieve self-acceptance. Although not quite as charismatic as Naruto, he is still likable, and he is aided by a very strong roster of secondary characters, some of whom are pushed to the front during a couple of storylines.

27 The Seven Deadly Sins

Fun Action In A Fantasy Setting

In the land of Britannia, knights known as the Seven Deadly Sins are on a quest to redeem their name after being accused of plotting a coup against the Liones Kingdom. A series of events would have the Sins’ leader, Meliodas, reform the team and fight against his brother, Zeldris, and the Ten Commandments, his own group of Holy Knights.

What’s perhaps interesting about Seven Deadly Sins is how each member of both the Seven Deadly Sins and the Ten Commandments have abilities uniquely tied to the Sins and Virtues they represent. The anime also boasts quite a new take on the idea of humans, demons, and other mythological creatures as they coexist in war-torn Britannia.

26 Wind Breaker

Warring School & Stellar Fight Sequences

OK, Wind Breaker is undeniably a very different beast than Naruto, with the former taking place in modern times and featuring no fantasy elements except for teenagers who are ridiculously great martial artists. Still, fans of the shonen classic should check out the Spring 2024 release, and this recommendation goes beyond the fact they are both action-driven shows.

Similar to Naruto, Wind Breaker‘s Sakura has been an outcast for most of his life, a situation stemming from his somewhat unusual appearance and understandably prickly personality. Finding relief in fighting, Sakura heads to the worst town in Japan and enrolls at Furin High School, a place known for its violent delinquents. Also, similar to Naruto’s goal to become Hokage, Sakura aims to stand at the top of this school’s mountain. While he initially plans to go at it alone, he slowly comes to realize that he does not have to walk alone.

Wind Breaker presents schools as gangs defined by unique ideologies. The anime only scratches the surface of this world’s potential, but the first season is very good. Most importantly, the fights are fantastic, delivering smooth animation while highlighting unique blends of martial arts.

25 Gintama

Shonen Parody With Fantastic & Brutal Serious Arcs

Even if it never quite reached the same level of popularity as One Piece or Naruto, Gintama was nevertheless a staple of shonen jump for the best part of two decades. The anime also produced more than 300 episodes over the same time span, with most seasons garnering very positive receptions. Basically, anyone into battle shonen should read or watch Gintama, but they should prepare themselves for a drastically different experience than most of its long-running contemporaries. During the first half of its run, the show primarily consists of standalone comedy episodes, with the occasional action arc thrown in for good measure. Eventually, the series begins to prioritize its main storyline, which can be frustrating if someone primarily enjoys its humor.

Regardless of someone’s genre preferences, Gintama is both a great comedy and a fantastic action anime. The former segments frequently parody other popular shonen properties, including Naruto, and tend to go in very wild and unpredictable directions. When the focus shifts to drama and fights, Gintama delivers some of the most brutal sequences in battle shonen.

24 King Of Nabari

Character-Driven Ninja Anime

Airing in 2008, Nabari no Ou is a ninja anime set in the modern era that features quite a unique roster of characters. From his teacher, Miharu learns that he inherited a powerful secret art that many ninja clans want to possess, which puts the teenager in grave danger. However, Miharu does not care all that much about his own safety or the people around him. One day, he is kidnapped by Yoite, a ninja who wants to use the protagonist’s power to erase his existence from the world. While they are not initially on the best of terms, Miharu and Yoite eventually grow to care about each other.

Nabari no Ou‘s ninja-themed concepts are fairly run-of-the-mill, although they do lead to a couple of fun fights. The show’s strongest component is its characterization, particularly the presentation of Yoite and Miharu. The story explores its characters’ loneliness, apathy, and isolation, and it handles these themes quite well.

23 Blue Exorcist

Satan’s Child

Naruto Uzumaki isn’t the only protagonist to discover a horrific lineage that he manages to stop controlling his destiny. In Blue Exorcist, twins Rin and Yukio Okumura learn that they are the sons of Satan, giving them traits of both humans and demons. After witnessing the death of their surrogate father, Rin uses the demon-slaying sword Kurikara and releases the full extent of his demonic heritage. Vowing to stop demons from hurting others, he enrolls in Cross Academy to become an Exorcist, a demon hunter.

Much to his surprise, Rin discovers that Yukio isn’t just an Exorcist by secret, but he is also veteran enough to become his teacher. Such begins Rin’s journey to accepting his demonic heritage but also maintaining his humanity despite seeing the horrors of the demons he’s fighting. Blue Exorcist boasts spectacular fights and abilities, something Naruto fans will undoubtedly delight in seeing.

22 Fairy Tail

Cut From The Same Cloth

Taking after guilds of fantasy worlds, Fairy Tail tells the exploits of Dragon Slayer wizard Natsu Dragneel as he searches for his missing father. Accompanied by his companions from the Fairy Tail guild, Natsu meets and recruits other powerful wizards, each boasting unique forms of magic, and ends up fighting villain after villain who want to use their abilities to harm the world at large.

Similar to Naruto, Fairy Tail boasts hundreds of episodes. The anime has its fair share of epic battles, with wizards displaying the full brunt of their unique abilities – from ice and fire magic to armor-changing magic and even summoning creatures.

21 KenIchi: The Mightiest Disciple

The Long Journey To The Top

The 2000s produced quite a few battle shonen anime that have since been forgotten or relegated to minor footnotes in the industry’s storied history. While nowhere near as popular as the likes of Naruto or Bleach, KenIchi: The Mightiest Disciple deserves to be more than just a hazy memory, especially since the main series is readily available on YouTube. The definition of “weak,” Kenichi could not put up a fight to save his life, despite being part of his school’s karate club. However, this changes when he follows a female classmate to her family dojo and decides to become a member, setting him down the path to physical supremacy.

While touching upon some serious themes like bullying, KenIchi: The Mightiest Disciple generally maintains a silly tone that leans heavily into comedy and fanservice, the latter of which mostly revolve around Miu and Shigure, who are by far the show’s most recognizable characters. Still, the anime has quite a few great action sequences and takes its martial arts fairly seriously, going out of its way to chronicle Kenichi’s growth in detail. The 2006 series’ scope is not quite as grand as Naruto‘s, but they are fairly similar in other areas.

20 Ranking Of Kings

Proving Everyone Wrong

Ranking of Kings is a fairly unique shonen anime in more ways than one. The story centers around a deaf and mute protagonist, which is almost unheard of in the industry. Wit Studio’s art style is also quite unusual for an anime, and it seems to take some influence from Western animation. Lastly, the first season largely avoids introducing traditional battle shonen villains, with the narrative repeatedly twisting expectations in relation to character motives. Also, while not devoid of action, Ranking of Kings is an adventure show first and foremost.

Despite all these differences, the 2021 anime is still an easy recommendation for Naruto fans, and that goes beyond the mere fact it is a quality series. Somewhat similar to Naruto, Bojji, the protagonist, is largely looked down upon and mocked by everyone around him; yet, he tries to maintain a positive outlook despite experiencing constant adversary and rejection. Bojji is inspiring, and his journey deserves to be experienced.

19 One Piece

The Pirate Life

Predating and outlasting Naruto, One Piece is THE battle shonen story of the last two decades. Eiichiro Oda’s ambitious manga chronicles Monkey D. Luffy’s journey to become the Pirate King, which involves finding the titular treasure. Naturally, a pirate-themed adventure would not feel complete without a crew and a ship, prompting Luffy to create the Straw Hats.

Although cut from the same cloth, One Piece and Naruto shine in different areas. The former is far more concerned with crafting and maintaining a sense of adventure than delivering non-stop action, and the anime’s fight sequences are generally a touch below Naruto’s quality. More importantly, One Piece might just have the best overall roster of characters in shonen, and that goes way beyond just the Straw Hats. Although One Piece’s massive length can make it seem unapproachable, the manga is generally an engaging and consistent read. In comparison, the anime suffers severe pacing issues during its later arcs, causing storylines to drag; nevertheless, the show is still entertaining.

18 Flame Of Recca

Old-School Battle Shonen

Before Naruto or Bleach, Pierrot worked on Flame of Recca, a battle shonen anime based on a pretty good ’90s manga. While quite formulaic, the latter is well worth a read for anyone seeking a straightforward action series that features ninjas and is set in the present day (or present for when the manga came out). The adaptation started and ended long before the source material’s conclusion, and these circumstances ultimately hurt the anime as it does not have a particularly satisfying conclusion. That said, Flame of Recca is still an OK recommendation, as long as somebody enjoys their classic battle shonen tropes.

Named after its loudmouth protagonist, this series has quite a few interesting ideas, including an elemental-based power system that lends itself well to explosive and even strategic battles. The story starts with the ninja-obsessed Recca learning that his heritage ties him to an ancient clan and, more importantly, he has fire-based power. Before long, he finds himself going up against an array of enemies, most of whom are working for the creepy Mori.

Flame of Recca has not aged extremely well, but its ’90s-ness is arguably part of its charm, presuming a viewer has nostalgia for that period. If not, this series should not be prioritized.

17 Reborn!

Underappreciated Shonen Classic

While not as popular as Naruto or One Piece, Reborn! was relatively successful during the late-2000s. The anime follows Tsuna, a meek high schooler who suddenly learns that he is the new head of an Italian mafia family, news that is delivered via a baby assassin. Along with bestowing him with a unique fire-based power, the Japanese teenager finds himself in a world of danger as he is targeted by rival groups.

Except for a rather awful opening 20 episodes that are not representative of the rest of the series, Reborn! is an enjoyable battle shonen featuring a fun and ever-expanding cast of characters. Tsuna is not as loud, confident, or charismatic as Naruto, but they are both driven by a desire to protect their friends. Reborn! generally handles its fights well, both narratively and aesthetically.

16 Under Ninja

An Absurdist Ninja Comedy

Under Ninja is nothing like Naruto or any other ninja anime out there. If someone is specifically searching for an action-heavy show set in a fantasy world, they will need to look elsewhere; however, anyone craving something a bit different should give this bizarre anime a try.

Set in modern Tokyo, this story envisions an alternate reality where the country’s peace is safeguarded by an army of hidden ninjas, all of whom are ready to take on life-and-death missions. Under Ninja has an absurdist sense of humor that is played completely straight, which just adds to the hilarity. The story’s non-linear structure is purposefully convoluted, with the anime only giving the audience snippets of the overall situation.

15 Basilisk

Vicious Historical Fiction Action

Based on a seinen manga, Basilisk revolves around two ninja clans stuck in a blood-soaked conflict that could spell the end for both of them. With the shogun’s time coming to an end, the clans are asked to pick their best fighters to engage in a battle royale to determine which group will rule, and nobody is safe. Complicating matters is a Romeo & Juliet romance between Gennosuke and Oboro, two in-love warriors who belong to opposing clans.

When it comes to beautifully animated action sequences, Basilisk more than matches Naruto; however, the former’s fights are typically far more brutal than the latter’s battles. Basilisk‘s characters also reflect the unforgiven world they live in, as the anime has very few thoroughly honorable or “good” people.

Basilisk: The Ouka Ninja Scrolls
, a sequel released more than a decade after the original series, should be skipped since it is nowhere near as good as its predecessor.

14 Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku

Survival Of The Deadliest

Completing its opening season in Spring 2023, Hell’s Paradise largely succeeded in living up to its pre-debut hype. Based on Yuji Kaku’s manga, the story takes place on a surreal and dangerous island that reportedly holds the key to eternal life. Ordered by the Shogunate to find the Elixir of Life, criminals are sent to the island to engage in what is essentially a rat race, and they are accompanied and kept in check by executioners.

While boasting an expansive cast, Hell’s Paradise mainly centers around Gabimaru, a ninja with a long history of kills, and Sagiri, an executioner riddled with doubts. Hell’s Paradise targets an older audience than Naruto, something reflected by its gory battles and willingness to tackle mature and even spiritual themes.

13 Bleach

The Shonen Big Three

Whereas Naruto explores the eponymous shinobi’s journey to becoming Hokage, Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki as he protects the world from supernatural threats. Ichigo is thrust into the affairs of Soul Society as he takes on the role of a Substitute Shinigami. At first, the calm protagonist is tasked to eliminate Hollows and preserve the balance between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Unfortunately for Ichigo, his involvement will soon attract the attention of unsavory powers in Soul Society. Viewers intrigued by the premise will love Bleach’s intense battles, highlighted by author Tite Kubo’s specialty in creating unique abilities and techniques.

12 Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files

’90s Action Shonen Masterpiece

When Yusuke Urameshi dies to save a child, a crazy series of events transforms him into a Spirit Detective to solve supernatural cases that plague the real world. Being the loudmouthed troublemaker that he is, Yusuke often ends up in trouble, to the point of making a few friends in his many adventures. Armed with his Spirit Gun, Yusuke continues to dish out spiritual justice to baddies who try to harm innocents and the people he cares about.

Similar to Naruto, Yu Yu Hakusho starts fairly small scale, with its opening arc largely revolving around small cases that Yusuke has to take on. Throughout these missions, he meets a few key figures who would become his close companions, and their dynamics become a core part of the overall story. The anime fully hits its stride during its second arc: The Dark Tournament. Arguably the best tournament saga in anime, Yu Yu Hakusho delivers one fantastic fight sequence after another, while also not neglecting character development. The series becomes more experimental after this point, although it remains generally fantastic except for a rushed final arc.

11 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba

Stellar Action

Tanjiro Kamado’s peaceful life in Taisho-era Japan ends abruptly when demons kill his parents and inflict a demonic curse on his sister Nezuko. Soon enough, Tanjiro finds himself joining the Demon Slayer Corps, a secret cadre of humans trained to fight the threat of demons in the land.

Demon Slayer‘s strong attachment to themes of justice, friendship, and perseverance will likely hit a chord with Naruto fans. The anime is well-known for its gorgeous fight sequences, with ufotable elevating the source material through the sheer quality of its animation. While the story plays things fairly safe, Demon Slayer does a great job of presenting its villains as genuine threats.