Although one of the most interesting arcs in Boruto has been about when not to fight, in the war-torn world of Naruto, fighting is a part of life. Children are conscripted into ninja armies as early as 12 years old and attacks from enemy villages can come at any time. Naruto Uzumaki grows up in a world in which becoming a shinobi is a prestigious honor and there is no other option than to learn how to use the jutsu presented to students.
Ranging in scope from massive battles where the combatants could end a civilization with a single attack to smaller-scale battles contained to a single room, there are a huge variety of fights in the Naruto series. Some of the best Naruto fights that occur early in the series happen during the original Chunin Exams, testing the skills of Naruto’s peer group against one another. Those fights occur before many of the main characters have developed their skills though, which means as the series progresses, the fights become even more fascinating to watch.
13 Shikamaru Vs Temari
When Shikamaru and Temari first interact during the Chunin Exams, the two trade insults as much as they trade blows. Their match isn’t as flashy as some of the other best fights, despite Shikamaru controlling shadows and Temari being able to use wind with her fan. Instead, their match is more strategy-focused, which is what makes it so appealing.
Shikamaru will loudly profess that he is the laziest of his peers, but it’s also clear that he’s the smartest. That’s why he’s able to move so far along in the Chunin Exams. He meets his match in Temari though, who is nearly as strategic of a thinker as he is. She meets his challenges head-on, and she manages to keep her power and chakra in check while he slowly burns his out. When Shikamaru forfeits the match, it’s because he doesn’t want to try anymore, but fans would have loved to see the two go until one of them couldn’t fight anymore.
12 Rock Lee Vs Gaara
During the Chunin Exams Gaara, the jinchuriki of Shikaku is pitted against Rock Lee, the ultimate underdog. Even though Rock Lee had no skill in ninjutsu or genjutsu, he went toe to toe with Gaara and nearly beat him with raw physical skill alone. Rock Lee makes up for his lack of seemingly magical skill with unending enthusiasm and strict training in hand-to-hand combat.
While this fight makes Rock Lee a fan favorite due to his plucky determination, it also causes fans to see Gaara as an actual threat. Rock Lee beats Sasuke pretty handily before the Chunin Exams and to see him, in turn, get beaten by Gaara sets Gaara up as a nearly unbeatable monster.
11 Sakura And Chiyo Vs Sasori
Sakura and Chiyo teaming up against Sasori is sometimes maligned because much of the arc involves a lot of talking rather than fighting. That, however, is a hallmark of the Naruto fights. The characters often talk to stall for time or in an attempt to negotiate. This particular fight allows Sakura to show off her strength to the audience, something that doesn’t get highlighted again until the Third World War.
Some members of the audience will argue that Chiyo, a puppet master and poison enthusiast, does all the work. That’s not true. While she has the experience with puppets that Sakura needs, she only controls Sakura as a puppet for part of the fight. Sakura has to fight on her own when Chiyo is immobilized, and she holds her own against Sasori and his numerous puppets without the kind of battle experience that others have. She’s also quick-thinking enough to have an antidote ready for a poison she thinks will be used against her battle. The fight demonstrates that Sakura is a better strategist than given credit for, and one of the strongest characters in the franchise.
10 Minato Vs Obito
The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, is so deadly during his lifetime that a “Flee on Sight” order is issued to the enemy ninja. While Minato has destroyed entire armies, Obito is responsible for the collapse of entire nations. His scheming led to the fall of Amegakure and the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Technically the first fight that Naruto fans see, the battle between Minato and Obito directly resulted in Kurama being sealed inside of Naruto. While Obito may have successfully killed his sensei, Minato succeeded in saving the village and his son with his dying breath.
9 Hashirama Vs Madara
Hailing from enemy clans, Madara and Hashirama are destined to fight since their childhood. Madara’s Susanoo and command over the Nine-Tails pitted against Hashirama’s Wood Style and Sage Mode leads to a battle on a scale that fans had rarely seen before up to that point.
Friends turned enemies, Hashirama and Madara’s relationship is a foil for Naruto and Sasuke’s. The former’s final battle created the Valley of the End, where the latter would have multiple fateful encounters. This further strengthens the link between the two pairs and turns Madara into a dark mirror of Sasuke’s future.
8 Orochimaru Vs Third Hokage
When Orochimaru invades Konohagakure during the Chunin Exams, he battles the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. It’s a very long and drawn-out fight, but it shows just how powerful the two shinobi really are. The Third Hokage was Orochimaru’s teacher before the latter left the village, so the two know one another’s fighting styles well.
In fact, most of the ninja skills Orochimaru learned in his childhood before experimenting with forbidden techniques are from Hiruzen. He knows all the tricks his old teacher has up his sleeve and is able to counter all of his movies, even his most powerful ones. That makes the fall of the Third Hokage all the more poignant.
7 Shikamaru Vs Hidan
Shikamaru has proven to be a capable leader, with massive strategic intellect and Shadow Possession Jutsu. Hidan may not be as clever as Shikamaru, but he has a distinct advantage given that he cannot be killed. Hidan becomes a hated character by fans the moment he kills Asuma Sarutobi and Shikamaru is forced to watch it play out. It makes this particular match-up a cathartic one for the audience.
This fight is unforgettable for fans, not only because Shikamaru is able to avenge his sensei, Asuma, but because this is Shikamaru’s first big win as a team leader after failing to stop Sasuke from leaving the village. This intense chess game of a fight cements Shikamaru as the smartest character in Naruto.
6 Jiraiya Vs Pain
In another battle between teacher and student, the Toad Sage and legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, takes on the Six Paths of Pain, six undead shinobi, each with frightening abilities, and each controlled by Jiraiya’s former pupil Nagato. It’s a massive undertaking for Jiraiya, and at the time, fans haven’t seen Jiraiya truly bested in a fight, so they might have expected him to win.
While Jiraiya is successful in his intel-gathering mission, he is killed in the process, and in so doing, he etches this battle into the memories of fans everywhere. It’s one of the most tragic fights in the series. While Naruto is no stranger to death, Jiraiya’s death may have hit Naruto harder than any other.
5 Kakashi Vs Obito
Once childhood friends, Obito’s apparent death and Kakashi’s killing of their teammate leads the pair down very different paths. Paths that would converge in the Kamui’s Dimension where the former friends would meet, now as enemies, and battle once again.
The fight between Kakashi and Obito is nearly unique in that it has nearly no special hand signs or jutsu and is primarily hand-to-hand combat. That’s unheard of in the Naruto franchise. The combination of choreography and Sakuga animation makes this battle one of the most beautiful fights in the entire Naruto series.
4 Sasuke Vs Itachi
One of the most poignant fights in Naruto, Sasuke’s battle with his brother Itachi leaves many fans dumbfounded when they first see it. After an intense and emotional battle, Sasuke finally gets the revenge that he had been in search of since his debut in the second episode. There is a sense during the battle that Itachi is weaker that fans might have expected, but he has a mysterious illness by the time his younger brother confronts him.
While fans are initially relieved to see Sasuke victorious, their joy is short-lived as they find out that Itachi’s true purpose in destroying the Uchiha Clan is to protect his brother. This twist of fate transforms Itachi from a heartless villain into one of the show’s greatest heroes. The realizations provided in the fight make Itachi one of the most interesting characters in Naruto.
3 Guy Vs Madara
Much like the battle between Lee and Gaara, this battle is between the biggest threat at the time and a man who is limited to what he can do through his physicality, determination, and the power of the springtime of youth. Rock Lee and Might Guy both cannot use jutsu the way other shinobi can. They have to rely on their own hand-to-hand combat skills.
Up until this point, Might Guy is seen mostly as a joke that could pack a punch, but it isn’t until he opened the Eighth Gate and is the only shinobi that could stand up against Madara Uchiha solo that he seals himself as one of the greatest heroes in the entire series, and gains one of the best Naruto fight sequences to his name.
2 Naruto Vs Sasuke
In the final battle in Naruto: Shippuden, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha are finally able to throw everything that they have learned over the years at each other. Wielding the Rinnegan and the Six Paths Sage Mode, their battle is massive enough to destroy entire landscapes. The battle sees the two of them use not just the basic fighting techniques they learned at the Academy against one another, but also the specific skills they pick up in their journey across the franchise.
This is a battle that is 15 years in the making. The pair are rivals since the beginning, and it is only fitting to see how far each of them come since their first major battle. And what better place to have that battle than the Valley of the End, the site of the fight that sent them on separate paths in the first place?
1 Naruto Vs Pain
Two students of the same master, Pain and Naruto are two sides of the same coin. On one side, Jiraiya’s greatest success, the other his greatest failure. But, where Jiraiya failed, Naruto succeeds by defeating Pain and helping Nagato find peace. What’s fascinating about this fight is that Naruto isn’t in it alone, but it’s the first time the village truly sees what he can do. Though others, like Hinata Hyuga, stand up to Pain, it’s Naruto who ultimately has to take him on. Naruto loses control of the nine-tailed fox inside him for part of the fight, but the village no longer fears him when it’s over, supporting him, and thanking him for standing up for them.
While the victory goes to Naruto, the moral victory is Nagato’s. Nagato is the child of a nation ravaged by war and Naruto is the child of a nation that prospers on that death and destruction. It is from this battle that Naruto learns of the cycle of pain and vows to put a stop to it. It’s truly the best fight sequence in the Naruto franchise.
