In the anime, a number of additional episodes are added to the story to allow the manga a chance to get ahead. Some take place after the Search for Tsunade arc, but most occur after the Sasuke Retrieval arc.

In total, these additional episodes last for almost two years. All feature Naruto Uzumaki assisting members of the Konoha 11 with a mission. The "arcs" that last two or more episodes are listed below:

• Episodes 102—-106: Naruto and Team 7 go to the Land of Tea to help Idate Morino win a race.
• Episodes 136-—141: Naruto, Sakura, and Jiraiya, while investigating Orochimaru's whereabouts, encounters the Fūma clan.
• Episodes 142—-147: Naruto helps Iruka catch the escaped convict, Mizuki.
• Episodes 148—-151: Naruto and Team 8 look for the Bikochu Beetle in the hopes that it will lead them to Sasuke Uchiha.
• Episodes 152—-157: Naruto and Team Guy deal with Raiga Kurosuki and his Kurosuki family.
• Episodes 159—-160: Naruto, Kiba, and Hinata help Sazanami clear his name.
• Episodes 162—-167: Naruto, Neji, and Tenten go to the Land of Birds to deal with a mysterious ghost.
• Episodes 169—-173: Anko Mitarashi takes Naruto, Ino, and Shino to the Land of the Sea to find information on Orochimaru.
• Episodes 175—-176: Naruto is again paired up with Kiba and Hinata in order to improve their teamwork.
• Episodes 178—-183: Naruto and Team Guy go to Hoshigakure to help the villagers preserve their way of life.
• Episodes 187—-191: Naruto, Hinata, and Chōji go to the Land of Vegetables to protect some peddlers from the Criminal Brothers.
• Episodes 195—-196: Guy is forced to deal with Yagura's apparent attempts at revenge.
• Episodes 197—-201: The Konoha 11 stop Gennō from destroying Konoha.
• Episodes 203—-207: Kurenai temporarily leaves Team 8 to take care of some old business with Yakumo Kurama.
• Episodes 209—-212: Naruto, Lee, and Sakura help transfer a member of the Shinobazu to prison.
• Episodes 213—-215: Naruto helps Menma regain his memory.
• Episodes 216—-220: The Konoha 11 go to Sunagakure to help rescue Matsuri from the Four Celestial Symbols Men.