Throughout Naruto, fans witnessed some of the best and most iconic moments in anime to date. The show is filled with dramatic scenes, heartbreaking stories, and emotional episodes. Still, as a Shonen anime, Naruto is best known for its plethora of stunning and exciting fights.
Thanks to the incredible world-building, powers, and abilities Masashi Kishimoto created for the show, the fights in Naruto are unlike any we had ever seen before. While most of the fights are worthy of respect and admiration, there are some that, to this day, simply revolutionized the genre. Below, we will talk about 10 battles between ninjas that changed the Shinobi World forever.
10 Orochimaru Vs Sarutobi
Early on in the show, audiences are introduced to Orochimaru, a rouge Leaf Village ninja who becomes obsessed with power. The Snake Sanin made himself known as a serious threat when he attacked the village of Konoha with his soldiers, forcing the third Hokage Sarutobi to face his former student.
This was the first time we saw two Kage-level warriors clash with each other. It also cemented Orochimaru as a dangerous enemy, all while giving the Hokage a chance to prove why he earned the title. Sadly, the fight went on for too long and was constantly interrupted by other fights, making it hard for fans to feel the real tension of the moment.
9 Madara Vs Shinobi Allience
Madara is arguably one of the most overpowered and iconic anime villains of all time. Nowhere was this fact better exemplified than during his fight against the ninja forces during the Fourth Great Ninja War. Those who joined the alliance tried to end the ancient Uchiha before he could put them all inside the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Madara proved why he was considered a legendary Shinobi by taking down entire legions of Alliance soldiers without receiving damage. While this fight perfectly demonstrated why Madara was so feared, it did not help viewers understand his true power.
8 Jiraiya Vs Pain & Konan
One of the most devastating and heartbreaking fights in the entire franchise has to be the clash between Jiraiya and Nagato and Konan. Once master and students, the two men encountered each other years later as enemies while Jiraiya investigated the Akatsuki organization.
Jiraiya made use of all the techniques and abilities he acquired through his ninja career to face these two criminals. Unfortunately, he was not powerful enough to defeat his students, who brutally ended their teacher’s life. For most Naruto fans, this fight was difficult to watch due to how tragic it was to see a beloved character like Jiraiya die.
7 Deidara Vs Sasuke
Most fans never expected Sasuke to face the explosion-loving Deidara, yet it is still one of the most enjoyable fights. After the Uchiha eliminated Orochimaru, Deidara, who was tasked with ending the Sanin, decided to go after the black-haired boy instead.
The result of this decision was a battle of strategy against passion. Deidara allowed his creativity to flow with each explosion while Sasuke calculated each move. In the end, the young Uchiha emerged victorious. Unfortunately, many fans complained about the fact that Sasuke was unharmed when the conflict ended, calling it plot armor.
6 Sakura & Chiyo Vs Sasori
Not many Naruto fans were supportive of the pink-haired member of Team 7. However, even they had to admit that Sakura truly shined during her showdown with Sasori. Aided by grandma Chiyo, the young woman pushed the puppeteer to his limits, forcing him to use techniques he rarely used.
Throughout the fight, Sakura made use of all the different techniques she learned while training with Tsunade. Thanks to Chiyo’s experience, these techniques were used to their full potential, to the point where Sasori had to take the fight seriously for the first time in years. Nonetheless, in the end, it was Sasori who allowed Chiyo to kill him, preventing the women to win the fight fairly.
5 Gaara Vs Rock Lee
When Gaara was first introduced, he was not the polite Kazekage we know today. As a child, he was a murderous individual who was tormented by the Bijuu inside him. Most Genin in the Chunin Exams outright avoided the young redhead, except for Rock Lee.
Lee gave the Naruto fandom one of the most impressive displays of speed, skill, and agility in the show. Not even Shukaku, the One-tailed beast sealed in Gaara, could protect him from Lee’s devastating blows. Sadly, the fight did not end well for Lee, who was caught off guard and almost killed, a fate that many fans were displeased with.
4 Naruto Vs Pain
Pain and Konan arrived at Konoha with the mission of finding Naruto and extracting the Kyuubi from inside him. Before Uzumaki’s arrival, the Six Paths of Pain caused untold devastation in Konoha. Once he arrived home, Naruto became enraged and used all of his techniques, including his new Sage Mode, to destroy five of six Paths of Pain.
The fight was intense, with Pain unleashing devastating attacks on Naruto until he committed the mistake of hurting Hinata, who had just confessed her love to our hero. Naruto lost control, unleashing Kurama and gravely injuring Pain. The fight is still considered one of the best in the series, despite the awful animation some of the episodes featuring it had.
3 Sasuke Vs Itachi
Sasuke finally achieved his vengeance in his spectacular fight against Itachi. Orochimaru’s former apprentice, seeking revenge for the destruction of their clan, challenged Itachi to a fight. Both Uchiha made use of their mastery of illusions to trick the other and try to gain the upper hand.
Nevertheless, Sasuke managed to emerge victorious, learning the true reason behind Itachi’s slaughter of their clan. In a shocking turn of events, Itachi revealed that he never wanted to kill Sasuke before dying as a hero. The only problem with this fight is the reappearance of Orochimaru, who tried to possess Itachi only to be sealed away immediately after.
2 Obito Vs Kakashi
Kakashi and Obito’s fight is arguably one of the most emotionally charged battles in the Naruto franchise. After years of chasing the true mastermind behind Akatsuki, Obito finally revealed himself as their leader. Grieve-stricken, Kakashi was forced to confront the man who he once considered his best friend.
The animation of their encounter was truly top-notch, moving fluidly between their fight in the present and the flashback to one of their sparing sessions. It is one of the most emotionally-charged fights in the franchise, with an amazing choreography to match.
1 Naruto Vs Sasuke (Final Fight)
Naruto and Sasuke fought plenty of times during the show. Yet, none of the previous fights was as pivotal as their last encounter. After saving the Shinobi World from Kaguya, Naruto, and Sasuke went to the Valley of the End for an epic, exhilarating, intense, and iconic clash.
Armed with everything they had learned, both Shinobi fought to accomplish their own goals. Sasuke wanted to kill Naruto and prove that he never needed friends. Naruto, despite being arguably stronger than his friend, holds back his true power in a last attempt to save Sasuke from himself. The fight ended in a truly poignant conversation between the two young men, once again friends.
