I've been trying to come up with my rankings for the arcs. The tops are pretty set, and so is the bottom, I just need to settle on the middle.
1. War Arc part 1+2
2. Wave Country Arc
3/4 Pein Invasion and Chuunin Exam
5. Tsunade the 5th Arc
6/7/8/9 Rescue Sasuke, Kakashi Gaiden, Sand Country Arc, Finding Sasuke Arc
10. The "kids are the king" Arc
10. Mud Country Arc
11. War Arc part 3
First half of Shipuuden was a little too aimless to me. Felt a lot like the first two arcs after the time skip in One Piece.
Not sure how quite to name and separate them myself but I'll give this a shot as well.
1. The Immortal Duo
My Shikamaru bias puts this up the top as an enjoyable arc that's short and sweet, Naruto gets to go on the backburner training while Shikamaru takes the lead in an arc that also has two of the best yet unfortunately short lived Akatsuki opponents in Hidan and Kakazu.
2. Pain Invasion
Some may gripe about how it ended (though honestly it doesn't bother me, as I mentioned before only three named characters were dead by the time Rinne Rebirth was used and only kakashi was actually important out of them) but what a ride it was. Makes the previous invasion look likes childs play.
The Pain paths make for fun gimmicks, Naruto finally gets to look really awesome with sage jutsu and swag coat, Kakashi finally runs out of chakra, Hinata gets her one of two moments to actually try and do something after the time skip.
Ep 167 is the best, efff the haters.
3. Chunin Exams
Written exams never felt so ninjariffic. Sakura's big moment at last is cutting her hair and getting punched in the face while gnawing on some dudes arm...okay forget that bit.
We got ninja info cards and the ultimate fighthing game throwdown in rushdown Rock Lee vs Turtle Garaa.
Shikamaru finally gets to reveal his smart way of approaching fights, Dosu got robbed so this is the only arc he's really in.
Oh and the Hyuga slap fest is underrated, great section of the arc.
4. Search for Tsunade
On paper it's not much exciting but when I rewatched part 1 a few years back I enjoyed it a lot more than I remembered.
Don't actually have much else to say, I think I just like the dynamic Naruto has with both Jiraiya and (grouchy drunk) Tsunade. After a lot of brawling in the previous two arcs before this related to the exams it was a nice change of pace I guess.
Also Akatsuki debut.
5. Sasuke Retrieval
Jumpin' through trees: the arc
The pace kind of tapers off towards the end but there's some cool stuff in here. Later sections lean a bit too much on last second saves from returning characters but damn were they hype on the first watch.
The flashbacks though, god damn it I know that they climbed all the way to the top of that tree already!
6. Land of Waves
Speaking of that tree, here it is! solid way to truly kick the series off. It's funny when you look back and realise that Zabuza was pretty much a jobber even then, less stamina than even mister "I'm almost out of chakra" himself.
7. Hunt for Itachi/Jiraiya Rain Village shenanigans
I think these two kind of got lumped together if I recall? Anywho the Sauce anticlimactically takes out Orochimaru and forms his ragtag crew.
Has a great fight against Deidara that then shits the bed massively with the ending but oh well.
The true strength of this section to me is Jiraiya's part in the rain village fighting Pain and going down like a champ.
Straight into the Uchiha bros showdown after that as well.
8. Sand invasion/Chunin finals
My favourite part of this arc is the anbu black ops just sitting back and having to watch the Third Hokage in a handicap match but that wont stop the one guy from marking out at witnessing "hokage level combat!", nevermind that power creep makes it seem odd in retrospect.
Then as soon as the fight is over the chucklefucks jump right into a spiderweb net, must be on Danzo's payroll with that kind of "aid" to the third.
Alas I'm not so big on the Naruto/Garaa side of things, just kinda drags, I was way more hype for bugs vs puppets.
9. Kage Summit/Land of Iron
Finally getting to see the other Kages was neat, Danzo got screwed friends, he shouldn't have been taken out the plot so suddenly and that will always bug me.
Also Naruto hyperventilates and begs thus losing all his cool points from the Pain arc.
10. War Arc second half
From the point when the Obito reveal takes place I guess? I'm not really sure where the divide comes but I figure from here to the finale makes sense.
11. Turtle Island/Beginning of the War
Mainly for the flashback to the night of Nine Tales rampaging which easily outshines the rest of this.
12. War Arc first half
Good concept that suffers a bit from how the reanaimations have to be handled and just how much there is to do (defeated by EMOTIONS is a bit too recurring at first)
Actual Madara Uchiha turning up and going all Musou on the army is god damn glorious.
13. Rescue Gaara
Going from one pursuit arc to another probably wasn't the best idea.
Just something a bit meandering about this arc, but hey Sakura was actually great in this arc, unfortunately they never had her written as strongly as this again.
14. NEW Team 7
YOU ARE MY FRIEND AHHHHH, yeah this arc kinda blows
