NARUTO SHIPPUDEN STORY ARCS
Reintroduction:
Episodes 1—2,
Chapters 245—247: Two and a half years later, an older and stronger Naruto returns to Konoha. This arc focuses on reintroducing the main characters, Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi. Others reappearing in this segment include Jiraiya, Tsunade, Konohamaru, Iruka, Shikamaru, Gaara, and Temari.
Rescue Gaara:
Episodes 3—Present,
Chapters 248—281: The Fifth Kazekage, Gaara, is kidnapped by two Akatsuki members,
SasoriDeidara. Team Kakashi is sent to
Sunagakure as backup. The mission turns into a rescue mission as Team Kakashi, with
Chiyoand of Sunagakure and Team Guy as their backup, chase after Gaara's kidnappers.
Exposition:
Chapters 282—284: Naruto runs off to find a substitute team member to intercept Sasori's spy. Naruto reunites with Shino, Kiba, Hinata, Choji, Ino, and Shikamaru again. Team Kakashi temporarily gets two new team members,
Yamato (replacing Kakashi as leader) and
Sai (replacing Sasuke). Meanwhile, Tsunade has to deal with distrust from the village elders.
Sasuke and Sai:
Chapters 285—310: The new Team Kakashi follows up on some information received from Sasori about a meeting with a spy among Orochimaru's followers. The meeting fails when the spy, Kabuto Yakushi, turns out to be still loyal to Orochimaru. Later, Team Kakashi invades Orochimaru's base in pursuit of Sai, who had betrayed the team on the orders of his
Root superior,
Danzo. Naruto and Sakura finally meet Sasuke for the first time since his defection from Konoha roughly 2½ years earlier. Sasuke, however, is far from what he used to be
Hidan and Kakuzu:
Chapters 311—342: After returning from the Land of Grass, Kakashi and Yamato begin training Naruto so he can create his own jutsu. Meanwhile, Akatsuki begins getting more active, capturing two tailed beasts at once. When two Akatsuki members,
Hidan and
Kakuzu, make their way into the Land of Fire, Tsunade mobilizes 80 of Konoha's ninja to deal with the threat. However, when
Asuma Sarutobi is killed by Hidan in battle, Team 10 teams up with Kakashi to confront the two powerful ninja on their own. They are eventually joined by the other members of Team Kakashi.
Current:
Chapters 343—Present: Sasuke betrays and defeats Orochimaru, and begins to form a new group comprised of Orochimaru's former subordinates in order to find and kill Itachi, which he calls Snake. Tsunade hears of this and assembles an 8-man team consisting of Naruto, Sai, Sakura, Kakashi, Yamato, Kiba, Shino, and Hinata. The new squad sets out to capture Itachi as well as attempt to intercept Sasuke. Meanwhile, Kabuto attempts to fulfill his own ambitions. Deidara and new teammate
Tobi are sent to intercept these two teams.
