Animes similar to Naruto: ninjas, powers, and long journeys

Naruto is one of the most popular animes of all time. It is the first anime for many people, and some never quite find another series that hits the same way. Are there any animes similar to Naruto?

The catch is that “like Naruto” can mean two different things. Some people want more shinobi villages and jutsu. Most actually want the loud kid who starts at the bottom, a rival who will not let go, a power system with rules, and a story long enough to live with for months.

Naruto also got Naruto Shippuden, Boruto, movies, and games. The first two TV series already add up to 720 episodes — 220, then 500 — which puts the franchise among the longest animes of all time.

Naruto is a shonen anime — the kind aimed at a young audience, often in the 12 to 18 range. These are usually action and adventure stories with training, rivalry, and a found family. Some have ninjas, others have powers, a long road, and battles that refuse to stay small.

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Hunter x Hunter - Hunters x Ninjas

Madhouse – 2011 – 148 episodes

Hunter x Hunter is my favorite shonen anime, with a complete and unique universe. The anime has two versions, with the most recent having 148 episodes and adapting the best arcs from the manga, made by the amazing Madhouse.

The anime shows Gon and his new friends during this rigorous exam that leads to the death and despair of many participants. The test is conducted to obtain the Hunter license.

Hunters are individuals who have privileges around the world, as if they had an unlimited passport and a river of opportunities and tools. Becoming a Hunter is not an easy mission; in fact, only the best can succeed.

Gon wants to become a Hunter to find his father. After the exam, the anime extends into different complex arcs full of action and things we never imagined during the simple Hunter exam. If the Chunin Exams were the part of Naruto that hooked you, this is the closest cousin — and then it gets stranger, and better.

One Piece - Pirates x Ninjas

Toei Animation – 1999 – more than 1,100 episodes and ongoing

One Piece is another super popular shonen, if not the most popular, with more than 1,100 episodes that discourage many from watching. While Naruto talks about ninjas, One Piece has a pirate theme.

Luffy is very similar to Naruto; both are starving, carefree, and clever. Besides the similarity in personality, both continuously improve their skills and have immense power.

The Straw Hat Pirates are much more fun and just as dangerous as the characters from Naruto. What do you think about giving the king of pirates a chance? Many who fall in love with it even consider it better than Naruto.

Fullmetal Alchemist - Alchemists x Ninjas

Bones – 2009 – 64 episodes

While Naruto has ninjas, in Fullmetal Alchemist we have alchemists who have the ability to transform one material into another. This is one of my favorite animes, the first anime I watched. It has two versions, an old one and a new one that correctly follows the manga.

The protagonist Edward loses his arm and his brother while trying to resurrect his mother. He seals his brother Alphonse's soul in an armor. Both join the army with the aim of researching and finding the Philosopher's Stone.

In the midst of this, there are many mysteries, epic battles, charismatic characters, and a perfect combination of action, comedy, and romance. Without a doubt, everyone who watched Naruto will love Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.

Detective Conan - Detectives x Ninjas

TMS – since 1996, ongoing – more than 1,200 episodes

To differentiate the list a bit, I will recommend another anime that I like a lot, one of my top 10 that even my mother watches. It is Detective Conan, one of the most famous animes in Japan, but unknown in the West.

The anime is old and has old traits, which displeases many and makes it unpopular in the West. Still, Detective Conan is an intelligent anime that resembles Sherlock, CSI, and other investigation series. It is not a ninja story. It is a long weekly mystery with a kid detective who refuses to quit, and that stubborn streak is closer to Naruto than people expect.

It is about a high school detective who is forced by a black organization to consume a drug that transforms him into a child. Both the main plot and the cases in each episode are interesting.

Fairy Tail - Mages x Ninjas

A-1 Pictures / Satelight / Bridge – 2009 – 175 + 102 + 51 episodes

Fairy Tail is another popular anime where we even wrote an article about animes similar to Fairy Tail. It features charismatic characters, long arcs full of action, resembling Naruto quite a bit.

The anime takes place in the world of Fiore, where magic is a fundamental part of daily life. Countless magical guilds are at the center of all magical activities.

These guilds serve as places for mages to unite and accept job requests. Among them, Fairy Tail stands out as a place of strength, spirit, and family. The original TV run reaches 328 episodes if you count the 2009 series, the 2014 continuation, and the Final Series.

Bleach - Shinigami x Ninjas

Pierrot – 2004 – 366 episodes, plus Thousand-Year Blood War

Bleach is an anime that tells the story of a fifteen-year-old boy, Kurosaki Ichigo. He is not like the common boys his age; he has the ability to see ghosts and spirits, as well as communicate with them.

Ichigo had a lot of spiritual energy, something he didn't know until he met Kuchiki Rukia (A Shinigami). The Shinigami have three main objectives: to send souls to the spiritual society or to hell, to defeat and purify Hollows, and to balance and regulate the number of souls in each world.

This is another famous shonen pillar that lost its way for a while, had many hiatuses and delays, then came back with the Thousand-Year Blood War adaptation. Still, it is a very popular anime and recommended for shonen fans. One of the few long animes in this generation of short animes.

Boku no Hero Academia - Heroes x Ninjas

Bones – 2016 – 8 seasons

Boku no Hero Academia is another very popular anime that ran for eight seasons and has character growth similar to Naruto. In this universe, 80% of people have powers, and some become heroes.

This anime is about a hero school, where the main protagonist called Deku feels empty for not having any special ability. Luckily, the greatest hero of all chooses him as a successor and passes on his power.

The anime is great, captivating, has an interesting soundtrack and animation. Its beginning is a bit slow, deaths hardly happen, and the anime also focuses on various secondary characters instead of just the hero. The TV series wrapped its eighth season in 2025, with a bonus episode in 2026.

Black Clover - Magicless x Ninjas

Pierrot – 2017 – 170 episodes

Black Clover is the closest Naruto-shaped underdog on this list. Asta yells, trains until he drops, and wants the top seat in a world that already decided he does not belong. He has no magic in a country where almost everyone does.

Yuno is the calm rival with talent to spare. The Magic Knights guilds work like ninja villages with extra noise. The fights get bigger, the found family sticks, and the 170-episode TV run is a straight line if you do not want another 700-episode commitment. There is also the 2023 film Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King, and a new anime has been announced.

Other animes similar to Naruto

If you specifically want more ninja clans after the Hidden Leaf, start with Nabari no Ou. If you want the same shonen engine without the headband, these are the ones I still point people to:

• Nabari no Ou;
• Soul Eater;
• Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
• Ao no Exorcist;
• Dragon Ball;
• Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple;
• Yu Yu Hakusho;
• Saint Seiya;
• Kingdom;
• Shingeki no Kyojin;
• Gintama;
• Sword Art Online;
• Jujutsu Kaisen;
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba;
• Ranking of Kings.

None of these is a second Naruto. That is the point. Watch for the underdog, the rival, the exam, or the village — then stay for whatever that series actually is.