Story arcs are a crucial part of the modern anime experience. As contemporary anime series often run for many years across several seasons, creators get to tell many unique, but self-contained, stories using their characters, each of which features different storylines, set-pieces, and antagonists.

While some of these arcs may only last for a few episodes, some may last for several seasons. However, working out which anime arc is the longest is trickier than it first seems because each anime structures arcs slightly differently, and fans, broadcasting platforms, and creators may disagree on which episodes constitute the start and end of a specific arc. Despite this confusion, there are some arcs the anime community considers the longest.

10 The Chūnin Exams are 47 Episodes Long

The second arc in Naruto is pivotal for the series, fleshing out the world and setting up several crucial concepts that would be built on in later story arcs. This arc sees Naruto and his friends take the Chūnin Selection Exams, which allow Genin to be promoted to Chūnin, a massive moment in any aspiring ninja’s life.

These exams push Naruto to the limit, pushing him through many unique challenges. This includes a written exam where, due to the structure of the questions, the students are expected to cheat to display their information-gathering skills, followed by a survival test in the aptly named Forest of Death. Those who survive these two stages are then pitted against one another in a fighting tournament, where each student gets to show off their skills.

9 Fish-Man Island Takes Up 51 Episodes

One Piece is no stranger to long-running arcs that transform the show’s status quo, and the Fish-Man Island arc is no different. This arc sees the Straw Hat Pirates finally arrive at Fish-Man Island, only to get entangled in a long-running conflict between humans and Fish-Men.

The Fish-Man Island arc does many fascinating things. Not only does it showcase the Straw Hat Pirate’s new abilities, including Luffy’s Haki, Nami’s Sorcery Clima-Tact, and Chopper’s mastery of Human-Human Fruit’s powers, but it also introduces Big Mom, a fan-favorite antagonist who will be a massive presence in the coming acts. It also lays the foundations for several big revelations that will transform the story in later arcs.

8 Arrancar: Downfall Measures 51 Episodes

One of the most epic arcs to ever hit screens, Bleach’s Arrancar: Downfall builds on what comes before it and resolves several crucial plot points in a gripping and satisfying way. The arc sees the battle between the Soul Society and Aizen’s Arrancar army come to an explosive head as Aizen puts his grand plan into action.

Aizen’s treachery leads to many brutal fights, as both sides take heavy casualties due to the intense fighting, leading to Ichigo being forced to once again grow in power when he is thrown into the center of this fray. This arc is known for its intense battles, and it’s easy to see why, as the fight between Ichigo and Aizen is one of the most epic clashes in anime history.

7 The Grand Magic Games Are Worth 52 Episodes

Fairy Tail’s thirteenth story arc sees Fairy Tail guild members compete in the Grand Magic Games, a world-famous and highly competitive tournament. This is because whoever wins the contest receives a massive cash prize, and their guild is crowned the strongest in Fiore, guaranteeing them fame and plenty of work in the future.

The Fairy Tail guild finds themselves head to head with powerful foes, including Raven Tail and Sabertooth, the world’s top-ranked guild. However, the heroes soon learn that the Grand Magic Games are more than they seem, as Hisui E. Fiore, the princess of Fiore, has been using the games for her ends, leading to the members of Fairy Tail getting entangled in a plot that could reshape the world forever.

6 The Chimera Ant Arc is 61 Episodes Long

One of the most infamous anime arcs ever released, Hunter x Hunter’s Chimera Ant Arc divides fans, with some loving it and others loathing it. When series protagonists Gon and Killua learn that Chimera Ants, a new race of creatures, are eating humans, they join a Hunter Association Extermination Team and head out to stop the Ants before they doom humanity.

Of course, this isn’t a simple job, as the ants are way more powerful and cunning than first thought, and Gon also loses the ability to use Nen, massively reducing the young man’s combat potential. Because of this, he is forced to work hard and get stronger, while the Hunter Association has to devise new ways to take down the ants.

5 The Fourth Shinobi World War Takes 119 Episodes, But 160 With Filler

Naruto: Shippūden’s Fourth Shinobi World War is a stunning example of how hard it can be to define an arc and how opinions vary from person to person. The Fourth Shinobi World War consists of several sub-parts, named Fourth Shinobi World War: Countdown, Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation, and Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax, and while these all focus on different parts of the war, making them unique arcs in the eyes of some, they do tell one cohesive story, hence why many fans treat them as a single arc.

In the Naruto: Shippūden anime, this arc is broken up by several filler arcs, including Paradise Life on a Boat, Power arc, and Mecha-Naruto, as well as a few stand-alone episodes. However, outside these stories, the story is completely focused on tensions reaching breaking point and the world falling into a massive and violent world war.

4 The Dressrosa Arc Is Worth 118 Episodes

The Dressrosa Arc was the arc that cemented One Piece’s reputation as a modern epic. This sprawling story covers a lot of ground and massively ups the story’s stakes, making it one of anime history’s most pivotal arcs. The Dressrosa Arc, the 27th arc in One Piece, sees the Straw Hat Pirates head to the kingdom of Dressrosa to take down Donquixote Doflamingo, the kingdom’s ruler. However, this is easier said than done, especially as other forces soon reveal themselves.

This arc features several major debuts, including the elite Cipher Pol unit CP0 and Marine Admiral Fujitora. Plus, the story dives into ideas behind the Devil Fruit reincarnation cycle while teasing the concept of awakened Devil Fruits, which will become a key plot point in later arcs.

3 The Future Arc Takes Up 129 Episodes

Reborn! (frequently called Hitman Reborn! by fans) is a supremely popular anime based on the manga series by Akira Amano. It follows Tsuna Sawada, a young boy chosen to become the next head of the Vongola Family. A young assassin named Hitman is sent to help Tsuna prepare for his destiny because Hitman can kill and rebirth people, with his victims getting stronger each time they die.

The Future Arc sees Tsuna and his friends being sent nine years and ten months into the future to fight the Millefiore Famiglia and save the future. This arc is so long it contains several sub-arcs, titled Search for the Guardians, Merone Base Invasion Arc, Choice Arc, and Future Final Battle Arc. There are also two anime-exclusive arcs: Arcobaleno Trials Arc and Primo Family Arc.

2 The Wano Arc Is 191 Episodes Long — And 195 With Filler

One Piece is famous for its massive, action-packed arcs, so it’s no wonder it appears so high on the list. Wano is One Piece’s thirty-first arc, and it sees the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance prepare for the battle of their lives as they prepare to face off against the Beasts Pirates. While this happens, massive details about the world and its lore are revealed, including some crucial facts about the Devil Fruits.

During this arc, Luffy dramatically grows in power, awakening his Devil Fruit and mastering new Haki abilities, including Haoshoku Haki and Busoshoku Haki. This culminates with one of the most memorable anime moments of the last decade, with Luffy finally achieving his cartoon-inspired Gear 5 form.

1 The Bourbon and Akai Arc is a Whopping 274 Episodes

Detective Conan is the fiftieth longest-running anime series in history, first arriving on screens in 1996. Because of this, the series has featured some long arcs. However, by far the longest is the Bourbon and Akai Arc, which sees the series introduce Bourbon, a new Black Organization operative keen to get rid of Conan once and for all so that the Black Organization can complete their evil plans.

Due to its whodunnit nature, Detective Conan’s arcs are slower than most, with each episode only advancing the ongoing arc a little bit, with most of the runtime instead focusing on Conan’s current case. However, due to how critical Bourbon is to the story, it’s hard to deny that this group of episodes is not an arc, even if they are a dramatically slow burn.